Emir Salkić

TOCHAK

Bicycle builder

©Tochak

Wooden wheels for children

Emir is an architect with a creative spirit
The first wooden bicycle he made was a gift for his son
His Tochak bicycles received two awards in 2019

Emir Salkić is the man who invented the wheel or at least a brand called TOCHAK (wheel), as he likes to joke. The 47-year-old Bosnian architect and entrepreneur made his first wooden Tochak bicycle for his son in 2017, wanting to make it easier for his boy to learn to ride a bicycle. It is a bicycle without pedals that a child uses to master maintaining balance before using a bicycle with pedals. Completely handmade, Emir's bicycles are the product of creative woodworking and 3D printing. He allows his customers to personalise their bikes on the TOCHAK website by choosing the type of wood, the colour of the bicycle and desired engravings. In 2019, Emir received the BigSEE Product Design Award and the BigSEE Wood Design Award.

Interview

©Tochak

©Tochak

What do you like most about making bicycles?: I like knowing that I breathe life into a tree that has been cut down. I like exploring the new role and the new side of the wood as a material. And here I’m not talking only about making of bicycles, but also other objects made of wood.
Why did you decide to use wood as the base material?: I have always been attracted to wood and have felt attached to it because it is primordial, and it is closely connected to us human beings. Wood has its own special energy – sometimes even mystical – and wood is a living material.
What kind of reactions do your bikes provoke?: The reactions are different because people are different in themselves, but the sincerest reaction is when someone who sees a Tochak bike for the first time genuinely smiles. That tells me the most about the emotions that Tochak evokes in people.
How much do awards mean to you?: Every compliment means a lot, from the usual “it's good” comments I get, to having your work awarded by design experts. Every time your talent is recognised, it motivates you to progress further.

Emir Salkić is a rising star: he began his career in 2018 and he started teaching in 2022