Established as Shanghai’s first fixed-gear boutique bicycle shop in 2010, Factory Five has graduated from its original premises to a double-height warehouse space in a converted wet market within the frenetic central Jing’an district. Local studio Linehouse Architects have stayed true to the building’s industrial framework, retaining its grey brick and concrete walls, while a mezzanine level was inserted to provide office space for the company’s in-house creative team. The brand’s community outlook is evidenced by way of a shop floor hub with a wraparound bar that encompasses a workspace and a counter for drinking house-brewed coffee and beer. Materials from the city’s numerous construction sites were salvaged where possible, resulting in tabletops and cabinetry fashioned from reclaimed wood and shelving and racks formed from refurbished army trunks. The display walls meanwhile, feature a veritable cornucopia of single-speed rides, parts and accessories including Factory Five’s signature bicycle frames and California-based Mission Workshop bags and clothing – everything you’ll need to saddle up for one of the shop’s legendary night rides.
