Andi catches up with Damien from Production Privée, the enigmatic Andorran bike and component company.
Words & Photography Andi
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Tell us who you are and where people may know you from
I’m Damien Nosella. Production Privée co-owner and founder. I’m 35 years old and love to design/ride bikes and I used to snowboard a lot (a bit less now). If people know me it has to be related to these activities.
What inspired you to create your own brand?
As a teenager I already wanted to start my company at some point. Riding more snowboard than bikes drove me to study materials science, then engineering. In the end I found that mountain bike to me was at the crossroads of snowboarding and motocross in terms of riding sensation/engineering.
What was the first Production Privée product?
Our very first product was a direct mount stem.
How did you get involved with Cedric Gracia?
With Andorra and the La Massana valley being that small you’re always the neighbour of Cedric at some point… but I originally met Cedric from working at Commencal.
Back in 2010 Cedric had his bar, the Podium. We were hanging out for the usual (one of too many) post-ride beers and he saw the direct mount stem.
He said: “Hey boys can I test it?” We said yes. He came back with it a week later: “The stem looks good and it’s stiff, so if you do me a handlebar, I’ll ride for you next season…”
And that’s how PP started. The title for the stem drawing was ‘Production Privée’ which stands for ‘Private Production’ and it was the case because it is exactly what it was meant to be at the beginning.
PP is known for limited-edition frames. What has been the most popular? Why do you think it was so popular?
The frames are our best-seller, but we have a continuous customer base that purchases our bars and stems for the compliance, reliability and look of these.
Frame-wise, the blue and orange Porsche 917 colour scheme had to be our most sold, but I remember the black/DVO green being maybe the fastest to be sold.
I think PP had its fair share of input into modernising what a steel hardtail could look like. Design and looks are at the heart of PP. The paint jobs are the result of our inspirations. We have a great admiration for the motor racing world from the ’60s and ’70s, the golden era of the space race, as well as every type of quest for a speed record around. This was surely the reason why designers would create their cars with futuristic lines and aerodynamics. A few works of automotive art, devoted to speed, and produced in this era, were influenced by the talents and bravery of such epic drivers as Jackie Stewart, James Hunt or Steve McQueen. We, in turn, are inspired by these machines and I think people also can relate to it. We tell stories. How good is it to drift on two wheels with a bike with Martini Racing artwork?
We recently learned that PP and Forestal are joining forces. Could you tell us about Forestal?
Forestal is a unique project born with the goal of creating a truly extraordinary bike brand. Forestal has gathered the greatest of people you can find in order to build one of a kind bike, technologically speaking and ride quality-wise. Just wait for it!
How do you think the cooperation will help PP and Forestal?
Teaming up together allows us to mutualise effort from a design, engineering and manufacturing point of view. It also allows us to enjoy each other’s experience to build a better company that can deliver the best user/riding experience to our customers. Experience is the most valuable thing.
Do you plan on expanding your range now? Anything you can tell us about? Steel e-bikes?
We will expand the range into new models, materials and platforms. We will show that soon– images are better than words sometimes. No steel e-bikes so far, but who knows?
What does the future have in store for PP?
A lot of things, but more importantly the main target of the Forestal-PP collaboration is to set up a tech park where we will be able to manufacture any kind of bike in any material from A to Z. Period.
We have the skills, the people, the brands, the building, let’s make it now. Flat out. Next milestone is spring 2020. As Ari Vatanen would say; “You can lift the hand but never the foot.” (kids, watch the Pikes Peak ‘Climb Dance’ film).
Lastly, what would your dream garage have inside?
My dream garage?! Aha! I sure have dreamt about it a few times: Burt Monroe’s Indian, Hubert Auriol Marlboro/Playboy GS1000, one Singer Vehicle Design’s Porsche 911, and I would dream to have a Lancia Delta Integrale Evo for the snow days in Andorra…
Excellent. I count myself as an official Production Privee fanboi.