{"id":84732,"date":"2026-09-04T07:51:18","date_gmt":"2026-09-04T07:51:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/84732\/"},"modified":"2026-09-04T07:51:18","modified_gmt":"2026-09-04T07:51:18","slug":"two-passions-one-colour-how-a-porsche-911-gt3-rs-inspires-a-matching-bicycle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/84732\/","title":{"rendered":"Two passions, one colour: How a Porsche 911 GT3 RS inspires a matching bicycle"},"content":{"rendered":"

A passion for sports cars was quite literally part of Leon Baldinger\u2019s life from the beginning. After he was born, his proud parents drove him home from hospital in his father\u2019s Porsche 911. Perhaps he was destined to become a car enthusiast \u2013 and one with a particular affection for sports cars from Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen.<\/p>\n

During his childhood, Baldinger developed a second passion, also inherited from his parents: a love of bicycles. Calling it a hobby would be an understatement. After all, much of his life has been spent in the saddle. Downhill mountain biking became his discipline of choice, and he even earned a place in the national youth squad.\u00a0\u201cI also trained as a bicycle mechanic,\u201d he says in his calm, thoughtful manner. Then came a major setback, when he broke his spine while downhill biking. Although he recovered from his injuries, his dream of becoming a professional mountain biker was over. \u201cIt was a difficult time for me. But something positive came from it as well: I rediscovered my love of cars,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

A Porsche was still out of reach at the time, but sports cars became a constant presence in his life. Until one day, he decided to go all in.<\/p>\n


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Leon Baldinger<\/p>\n

A vision realised<\/p>\n

\u201cBack in 2020, I sold all my bicycles and my car. In fact, I sold just about everything I owned,\u201d recalls the now 30-year-old. The reason? Baldinger was determined to turn his dream of owning a bicycle shop into reality. And not just any bike shop. His vision was something more akin to a \u2018delicatessen\u2019 for enthusiasts who shared his passion for detail.\u00a0He launched Leon Bikes in Mellingen, Switzerland, handling much of the fit-out of the showroom himself with the help of a few friends. The timing could hardly have been worse, coinciding with the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. \u201cAt the time, it was difficult to source components. The situation was uncertain,\u201d he recalls.<\/p>\n

Yet despite the challenges, customers quickly discovered both the exceptional range on offer and Baldinger\u2019s meticulous approach. At Leon Bikes, a bicycle is rarely an off-the-shelf product.<\/p>\n


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Living the dream: Leon Bikes creates fully bespoke bicycles. Owner Leon Baldinger has built his own bike in the image of his 911 GT3 RS. In both cases, the foundation is Olive Black, complemented by carbon-fibre, black and yellow details.<\/p>\n

Endless possibilities<\/p>\n

The gamble paid off. Leon Bikes expanded and today employs about a dozen people.\u00a0With success came the renewed desire to own a sports car. \u201cWith my first Porsche, a 911 GT3, I discovered a way to bring my two passions together,\u201d he says. Leon Bikes allows customers to personalise their bicycles down to the smallest detail, from individual components to paintwork. The possibilities are virtually limitless. \u201cWe work with painters in the US and Italy. They follow the frame manufacturers\u2019 specifications while making even the most unusual wishes a reality.\u201d Before long, Baldinger\u2019s 911 had gained a two-wheeled twin, finished in the same Arctic Grey paint colour.<\/p>\n


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A choice worth having: often, Leon faces an enviable dilemma, especially on sunny days: two wheels or four? More often than not, the answer is both. A drive to breakfast in the GT3 RS, followed by a long bike ride as an afternoon dessert. <\/p>\n

Among like-minded enthusiasts<\/p>\n

As cycling has grown in popularity, so too has the demand for individualisation. Like a sports car, a bicycle can become an expression of its owner\u2019s personality; a one-off creation, tailored precisely to their wishes.\u00a0 Often, the inspiration comes from the automotive world. \u201cI have quite a few customers who have ordered their bicycles in classic Porsche colours,\u201d he explains. \u201cWhether or not they actually have the matching car in their garage doesn\u2019t matter.\u201d Some arrive with a colour combination they have seen on a car and want to recreate it on a bike. For many, the process becomes almost as important as the finished product itself. \u201cI have customers who order several bicycles from me every year.\u201d And boredom is never an issue. Baldinger himself is proof of that.<\/p>\n


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Light and powerful: carbon-ceramic brake discs and yellow brake callipers appear on both the car and the bicycle.<\/p>\n

Colour as the common thread<\/p>\n

Baldinger has since traded his GT3 for a GT3 RS. \u201cI saw the car advertised and immediately knew it had to be my next one,\u201d he recalls. For someone with such a passion for detail, the specification was decisive: Olive Black, combined with numerous exposed carbon-fibre elements from the Weissach Package and yellow accents. The perfect template for a two-wheeled counterpart.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhether or not they actually have the matching car in their garage doesn\u2019t matter.\u201d
\n Leon Baldinger<\/p>\n


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Baldinger also sits on carbon fibre when he\u2019s on his bicycle.<\/p>\n


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Every gram counts: weight is the enemy of every fast lap, whether on two wheels or four. The GT3 RS philosophy of eliminating every unnecessary gram can be found in countless details, including the bonded Porsche crest on the lightweight bonnet.<\/p>\n

Attention to every detail<\/p>\n

The carbon frame and fork of his bicycle are painted in exactly the same shade as his 911 GT3 RS. Even the model designation on the doors of the car is echoed on the bike\u2019s down tube. Painted on, naturally. The detailing extends to components including the rear derailleur hanger and brake levers. \u201cI wrapped the handlebars in a material that reminds me of the seat trim in the GT3 RS,\u201d he says. The finishing touches come in Speed Yellow. From the brake callipers, which clamp down on carbon-ceramic discs here too, to the yellow 12 o\u2019clock marker on the steering wheel, reflected in a matching stripe on the custom-painted bike computer. \u201cPeople have commented on my bike because it reminded them of a sports car, even when my car wasn\u2019t anywhere nearby. That\u2019s a fantastic compliment,\u201d he says with a smile. As with the GT3 RS, however, Baldinger\u2019s bicycles are about far more than appearance. Performance and lightweight engineering matter too. His carbon road bike weighs about seven kilograms.<\/p>\n


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Twice the eye-catcher: with a suction-mounted bike rack, the GT3 RS doubles as a transport vehicle. Thanks to its low weight, the bicycle is securely mounted and can travel on the roof. Together, the pair become even more striking, allowing Baldinger to enjoy both of his passions at once.<\/p>\n

An unlikely yet perfect pair<\/p>\n

There are occasions when Baldinger takes both car and bicycle on the road. With the help of suction mounts and a bike rack, the 911 GT3 RS becomes an effective means of transport.<\/p>\n


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\u201cIt does require a bit of care to avoid damaging the lightweight glass,\u201d he explains. \u201cOther than that, it works perfectly.\u201d The front wheel travels inside the cabin, and just like that, the two passions are united. Together, they form an eye-catching combination wherever they go.<\/p>\n

For Baldinger, the pairing is not a marketing exercise but a natural expression of two interests that belong together. On a sunny day, choosing between two wheels and four is not always easy. \u201cFortunately, I don\u2019t have to choose,\u201d he says. \u201cA great drive through the Black Forest in the 911 in the morning, followed by a ride on the bike in the afternoon.\u201d\u00a0In reality, though, opportunities like that are rare these days. Business is thriving, and most of Leon Baldinger\u2019s time is devoted to his shop. \u201cI practically live in my store,\u201d he concludes.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Info<\/p>\n

Text first published in Christophorus Magazine, issue\u00a0419.<\/p>\n

Text:\u00a0Philipp Aeberli
Images:\u00a0David K\u00fcnzler<\/p>\n

Copyright: All images, videos and audio files published in this article are subject to copyright. Reproduction in whole or in part is not permitted without the written consent of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG. Please contact\u00a0newsroom@porsche.com<\/a>\u00a0for further information.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A passion for sports cars was quite literally part of Leon Baldinger\u2019s life from the beginning. After he…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":84733,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[21181],"tags":[8406],"class_list":["post-84732","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-porsche","tag-porsche"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/84732","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=84732"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/84732\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/84733"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=84732"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=84732"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=84732"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}