Painter's Perspective with Patrick Franta

Thanks to it's unique paint job, Max Otzelberger's new bike looks amazing. It might seem simple, but a custom painted frame like that doesn't just fall from the sky, or grows in a field. The man behind this particular project is no other than Patrick Franta. Since Patrick was kind enough to turn Max's bike into a true piece of art, we felt intrigued to find out more about how the whole project came together. Keep on reading to find out how all of it happened.



Hi Patrick, can you tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got into painting?

My Name is Patrick Franta, I am 45 years old, married and have 3 cool kids. I worked as a painter since 1994 until my own company was founded in 2005. Most of the time I paint crashed cars but designing paintjobs is the hobby beside it.



Do you have riding background and if so, what is it?

Way back in my youth I dedicated myself to trials riding, rode competitions and also shows. It was until my son Noah showed me videos of Danny MacAskill that I started to get into street trial. Together with my son we made the streets and the parks insecure. After a while I stumbled across MacDuffs “Shutting down Barcelona” and was completely blown away at the riding, the crazy energy and so my passion for MTB street riding was born, especially after getting more and more into The Rise.



How did you come in contact with Max and how did the project begin?

I met Max for the first time at the Eurobike 2022 in Frankfurt, he was doing shows and courses there. We quickly got into conversation and I told him about my passion for The Rise. He told me about the Partymaster Tour, the crew and other great bike moments. The chemistry was fine so we arranged for a dirt park opening in October 23. Thats where i told him about the idea of doing a custom paintjob for the Partymaster. I liked the idea of leaving a tiny trace within the sport and The Rise History. Max was thrilled about it and we started the project.



Did Max give you any ideas for the paintjob or did you come up with the colors and the overall look on your own?

Max gave me almost a free hand in the design. He only had 3 specifications. The bike should not be too intrusive, the frame should fit the wheels and there should not be too many logos/decals on it. I started working mentally, thought about what he would like for the frame, came up with a rough plan, agreed on the color scheme with him and got to work.



Tell us about the process of painting everything, were there any complications and how long did it take?
When the package arrived with the frame, fork and helmet, i was full of energy. I had the design worked out and could finally get started. The more the project progressed, the bigger the joy became for me, seeing the final result come together. In total, approximately 35 working hours went into the project. There were actually no complications, I had a plan and knew what I had to do.



Are you excited about the project and happy with the result?

For me, the most beautiful Partymaster so far was Alexis, the bar was high and my plan was to get at least an equal result. With small details such as the hidden The Rise Logo on the Pike, the painted quote on the inner chainstays or the extraordinary lettering, I tried to make the frame something personal. I am very satisfied with the result and Max is too. This project was a great pleasure for me, being in contact with the people behind The Rise and to create something that catches their interest was outstanding for me.



Are there any plans on more paintjobs like this one?

Every year, I do 3 or 4 custom paint jobs as far as the everyday job allows for it, the next one is already in the works. But of course, the biggest thing for me would be another project with The Rise, the passion is simply the greatest.

This was my little story behind the project, it was more than just a simple frame painting.

Thanks to Max and thanks to The Rise for the opportunity !

Thanks to Patrick for this project, the outcome is absoluteley insane. When he first told me about his idea i did not know what to expect, since i was always a bit picky about my bike. Fast forward a bit, we already picked the colors and agreed on a few specifications. Patrick went to work and when i received frame, fork and the helmet i was blown away, it absolutely smashed my expectations. I am stoked for the upcoming season now that the bike feels dialed and is probably the best looking it has ever been! Thank you to The Rise for the countinous support and onto the next session!

- Max Otzelberger