Engineers' Wheels Are Still Turning
By Damian Joseph
One might assume that after almost 200 years, designers would have perfected the simple setup of two wheels, a seat, a frame, and handlebars. However, bike innovation has really geared up (pun intended) of late. Electric-assisted bikes are becoming more common, and engineers have been experimenting with innovative materials. Here's a look at some of the coolest bikes around, ordered from cheap to beyond expensive.
Electric Bike Sales Are Zooming Ahead
Biking is enjoying a surge of interest and new designs. But "e-bikes" are this year's hottest trend on two wheels
On Aug. 18, Lance Armstrong brought the traffic to a standstill in Glasgow's Paisley district, when he posted in a Twitter message, "Hey Glasgow, Scotland!! I'm coming your way tomorrow. Who wants to go for a bike ride with me??" Some 200 cyclists promptly showed up to pedal alongside the seven-time Tour de France winner.
Of course, Armstrong is a draw unto himself, but the impromptu caravan also reflects consumer interest in biking.
This year's hottest trend on two wheels: electric bikes, or e-bikes. Last year 23 million were sold worldwide, and the number is expected to double by 2012, says Electric Bikes Worldwide Reports, a biennial publication tracking the industry. Interest in the designs, which contain an electric motor to give a cyclist a helping push, is growing globally, with markets flourishing in China, India, Europe, and the U.S.
E-bikes certainly aren't new, but where before they were something of an expensive curiosity, versions have now been designed for most consumers, from kids to parents, racers to hobbyists. The Bridgestone Angelino Assista has elongated handles that allow the rider to peer over the head of a child in a seat in front. The eRockit, on the other hand, is more of a bicycle-motorcycle hybrid. It can reach 50 mph. (It's still pricey, clocking in with a staggering $41,000 price tag.)
Green Machines
Other environmentally conscious design flourishes have been introduced this year. Rides from the Bamboo Bike Studio are made from bamboo, a strong, light wood that grows abundantly. Areaware's $600 Moof model has solar-powered front and rear lights tucked into its elegant aluminum frame. And while folding models that allow riders to haul their bikes anywhere have been popular for decades, few have reached the compactness of Pacific Cycle's $2,239 iF Mode.
For the most cutting-edge technology, though, one must look to racing bikes. After all, riders like Armstrong compete down to the second. Cannondale's $8,499 SuperSix Hi-Mod is constructed from unique carbon molding that wraps layers of the tough, light material over one other. Giant's $7,994 TCR Advanced SL 0 is made from Toray T800 carbon fiber, a material more commonly used in Boeing (BA) planes. It also sports a distinctive trapezoidal top tube and an elongated rectangular downtube to increase stiffness without adding weight.
With its eco-friendly and health-improving attributes, biking might just be in the early stages of a full-blown renaissance. Even Lance Armstrong was surprised at people's biking fervor. After the group ride, he tweeted: "Thanks to everyone who turned up to ride in Paisley! I figured we'd have a nice ride for a dozen or so. But 100's came. Haha! Awesome!"
Shepard Fairey's Trek Madone
Auction
Fairey, already a successful artist when his Barack Obama "Hope" poster became an icon, designed this bicycle for Lance Armstrong's to ride in the 2009 Giro d'Italia. The dressed up Trek Madone will be auctioned in October 2009, with proceeds benefitting Armstrong's Livestrong charity.
Teague Pulse Concept
This concept design combines safety and aesthetics: LED turn signals and taillight may help prevent accidents, while the frames glowing colors are easy on the eye. Paint on the frame glows when light hits it (similar to a stop sign) and the caged pedals are counterweighted so feet can slip right in.
eRockit
$40,711
The eRockit is a bicycle-motorcycle hybrid. Pedalling charges a battery to power a motor. Riders feel the effect of 50x the effort they expend, and the bike can reach speeds of up to 50 mph. The bike's black-and-chrome metal stylings recall WWII-era transportation, but housed within the well-placed engine shell is a motor that's all modern. eRockits are handmade, and only ten of these expensive machines will be built this year.
Hublot/BMC All Black Bike
$19,500
Watchmaker Hublot and bicycle maker BMC teamed up to create this monochrome ride. Every single part is in the same shade of black. The frame is a combination of carbon fiber and aluminum, which keeps it strong and light, and the pedal mechanism contains ceramic to ease friction. Only 30 of these markedly expensive bicycles were made.
Cannondale SuperSix Hi-Mod
$8,499
This racing bike features carbon-molding technology in the frame: layers of carbon are wrapped over each other, with no cosmetic top layer, to save weight. The process lightened the bike by 150g and increased stiffness 17% from its previous incarnation.
Giant TCR Advanced SL 0
$7,994
This racing bicycle has an oversize headtube, an elongated, rectangular downtube, and a tapered trapezoidal top tube. The frame is made of Toray T800 carbon— the carbon fiber used in airplanes—for strength that doesn't add weight.
Panasonic Titanium Flat Road EB
$5,500
Most electric bikes tend to emulate cruisers or scooters, but Panasonic's Titanium Flat Road looks more like a racer or mountain bike. The frames are handmade from titanium (hence the price). Thick frame bars and tall wheels convey speed and toughness, but the material keeps the bicycle lightweight.
Georg Jensen's Sögreni
$5,500
Georg Jensen built a jewelry empire on the strength of his skilful silversmithing; this bicycle's thin, long frame is meant to celebrate his legacy. Danish bike maker Sögreni collaborated with Jensen's eponymous company to create this limited edition bicycle—only 14 were made. The bike features a sterling silver bell and leather grips and seat from Brooks England.
Gazelle Chamonix Innergy
$3,949
Winner of the prestigious Dutch Bike of the Year award in 2009, the Chamonix Innergy is an electric bicycle in disguise. The battery is hidden under the luggage carrier while the motor is in the front wheel hub. So attention focuses on the sporty cruiser's sharp fenders, headlight, and chain cover.
Ultra Motor A2B
$2,399
British company Ultra Motor sold 25,000 A2Bs in India from 2007-2008, its first full year of operations. The design comes from Norbert Haller, former racer and co-founder of the Berlin firm Craftsmen. Its tubes are square, and its high forks and thick tires project a sense of rugged fierceness.
Santa Cruz Driver 8
$2,399
This bike has a suspension system that's visually striking and shock-absorbent. The seat can be adjusted up or down seven inches—even while riding—allowing it to switch easily between park (for tricks, street riding) and downhill (for stability and speed) positions.
Pacific Cycles iF Mode
$2,239
Folding bikes have been around for a while, but this one is particularly compact. The aluminum frame attaches to the wheels via a single fork to reduce the width when folded. The seat retracts into the frame and the pedals and handlebars fold together. The chain is hidden away to stop grease from smearing on the rider.
E-Solex Version 2.0
$2,111
This bicycle has foot pedals—and an electric motor that can get you up to 21 mph. Andrea Pininfarina, famed designer of Ferraris and Fiats, helped design the bike before his death in August 2008. It has classic French scooter styling, but with a lithium-polymer battery that runs for 25 miles a charge.
Core77 Dutch Master
$1,560
Online magazine Core77 designed this bicycle and commissioned 25 of them to be assembled by hand in New York. The pieces were sourced from bike parts makers including Odyssey, Portland Design Works, and Eastern Bikes. Elegant touches such as a Brooks England leather saddle and Schwalbe "Fat Frank" cruiser tires make a bicycle that recalls old-style beach
Bridgestone Angelino Assista
$1,312
A bicycle for parents: this one has no crossbar, a child seat (there's also space for one on the back) and an electric motor to help with the pedaling. The handlebars are elongated so that the adult can see right over the top of the child. The bike's lines are reminiscent of both Italian motor scooters and classic bicycles.
Bamboo Bike
$1,250
These classically styled bikes are made from bamboo, which makes for a strong but lightweight bicycle frame. The company holds a two-day class at its studio in Brooklyn, N.Y., to teach consumers how to build their own bicycle.
Civia Loring From
$875
This bicycle isn't for racing or climbing mountains. It's a short-trip bike that's high on style. The slender, sloping tubes are elegant, and the bamboo fenders and basket add an old-school earthiness.
Areaware Moof
$600
The aluminum tubes of this bicycle's frame house two solar-powered lamps; one in the front and back. The form is simple and elegant, and the pedals, chain, and crank make for a traditional cruiser style.
Mercedes-Benz Kids' Bike
$422
From the carmaker comes this bicycle designed specifically for kids. The central beam's strong diagonal line projects stability and the wide tires look rugged—and safe. At first, kids can ride without the pedals. When they've mastered the bicycle's action, adults can attach the chain and pedal unit.
Republic / Urban Outfitters Aristotle v1.5
$399
Fixed-gear bicycles have become the accessory of choice among hipsters, but don't let that put you off. This affordable "track bike," as they're known, can be customized online. Pick the color of the frame, seat, tires, rims, chain, and crank, and buy your dream bike.
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