On Thursday we received a shipment of ten Jopo‘s and half is already gone. Here is what Monocle had to say earlier this month about the bike, which guarantees to put a smile on your face when you ride it:

In 1964, Helkama launched the Jopo. Just as the Chopper defined 1970s Britain, the Jopo became an icon of 1960s Finland, with a one-for-all egalitarian philosophy. Jopo took its name from the first two letters of Finnish words jokaisen polkupyora, meaning everybody’s bicycle”. Employing a new technique – two pressed-steel frames, as opposed to one welded piece – Helkama gave the bike a new form, which became one of its selling points.

Markku Autero, Helkama’s head of design, describes the original Jopo. “The first only required one gear and one coaster brake”. helkama’s creation was a huge success and they sold 214,000 before they ceased production in 1977. “In 1997, we decided to reintroduce the bike, but renamed it Pojo after reducing the wheel size from 22-inch to sync with the European standard 20-inch. But it wasn’t until 1998 that we reverted to the classic 22-inch wheel because of problems.”

Autero and his team utilised modern techniques, such as laser cutting, to make the frames sturdier. In doing so, they corrected the original Jopo’s wobble and produced a new model for the 21st century. “It is as popular as ever” says Autero. “This season we will manufacture 8000 for the Finnish market – a good sign for our 1960′s classic”

Image by Ewa i Rene