Would I Ride You? Yes I Wood. (iv)

For my loyal and dedicated readers, I’m sure you are aware of my fascination for bikes made of wood and today I present to you another bike that I wood ride!

It’s a bike that has been touted as what a bike would look like if Ikea made it. Designed by Dutch designer Jurgen Kuipers, the design of this bike made out of plywood has won an IBDC/IF Award 2013.

From the pictures you can see that it is constructed in the way that a model toy kit would come in. How novel!

To read about other wooden bikes, please click the following hyperlinks!

Wooden Bike 1

Wooden Bike 2

Wooden Bike 3

Photo Credit: gizmag

Even Trees Want To Cycle

Oh silly you I’m just kidding how can a tree ride a bike!

But okay in all seriousness, this 1950s era bicycle embedded into this tree has been a mystery for 50 years! Until the true story was uncovered by 99 year old Helen Puz from Washington. Apparently, her son, not too pleased with being given a girl’s bicycle to cycle with, decided to chuck it in the woods and claim it was lost. But as nature would have it, the bike is still in ‘usable’ condition with the front wheel still able to turn!

Brooks Cambium C17

Brooks are releasing their first ever non leather saddles for the first time in a very long time (on 17 June) and they want 100 cyclists to test it out for them (on 17 May)! Apparently it’s unlike anything out in the market so this sounds like a really interesting opportunity and it’s open internationally!

If you’re interested, please click here and follow the instructions on the Brooks webpage! Do remember to thank us at indibikes if you get selected! Good luck!

The World’s Lightest Bike

To give you a rough perspective of how light the world’s lightest bike is, imagine magically transforming a 15inch Macbook Pro into a bike. The Macbook Pro is 2.56kg and the world’s lightest bike stands a little heavier than it at only 2.7kg!

And this bike proves that light does not necessarily mean it’s not strong as it has clocked over 20,000km over the last two years! That’s more mileage than I have ever done on my full carbon bike.

The frame is manufactured by Spin and the rims were manufactured by Formula 1.

Total cost? A cool US$45,000

Credits: BikeRadar & TriRig

Bike of the Future: X-9 Nighthawk

This 2012 concept bike frame by Brano Meres Engineering and Design (their logo looks strikingly like BMC’s don’t you think?) was designed with bike and design buffs in mind, and packed with super innovative features.

“Developed by Atomic22, the infiniti3D bicycle component security system is one of the major technologies featured by the X-9 Nighthawk. Carbon fiber was used to attach, laminate, and water-jet cut the aramid honeycomb sandwich panels from which the structure of the frame was built.”

What is this infiniti3D system by Atomic22 you might be wondering? Well okay I don’t know if you were but I was definitely wondering what that was. From what I found, it is a super high-tech bike lock! No more lugging around U-locks or bike chains with you while cycling. This system protects every single component of your bike by replacing the existing fasteners on your bike with specially encoded fasteners that can only be removed by the owner of the reciprocal key, that is, you!

Now that’s a smart bike! No more riding a bike with cheap components to deter theft!

Now Ride-Less

Now here’s something which I find really peculiar because it seems like technology is moving backwards for the bicycle. It seems like a cross between a skateboard, a bicycle, and plain simple ol’ running.

This is the FLIZ. I believe this stone-age concept bike got its name from the Flintstones who would use their feet to drive their vehicles. So instead of pedaling, the rider has to run to move the bike forward, and ‘only resting his feet on special posts near the backwheel when enough momentum has been reached.’

Designed by German designers, a rider must strap his or her body into a harness, which hangs from the bicycle frame.

According to the FLIZ designers, they said that the laminated, carbon-fiber frame and ‘five-point belt system’ actually makes the FLIZ more comfortable and ergonomically sound to ride as compared to traditional bicycles.

“These aspects reduce pressure on the crotch and distributes the body weight while running”, they explain.

Source: DesignTAXI

Only in Singapore

How to keep your bike safe from theft! Keep it on high ground away from sight.

Bike X Car (v) – Milani X Maserati

Bike and car collaborations must be all the rage and I hope you’re not tired of looking/reading about it!

I mean Lamborghini has done it; Toyota has done it; Mclaren has done it; Porsche has done it; Peugeot has done it; Aston Martin has done it; Hummer has done it; Land Rover has done it; Renault has done it; Corvette has done it; Jeep has done it; Chevrolet has done it; Mercedez-Benz has done it; BMW has done it; Ferrari has done it; and now, Maserati has done it as well. The question should be which car brand has not partnered up with a bike brand?

“Milani Cycles Factory, the Italian producer of hand-built steel, aluminium and carbon fibre frames, earned the best ‘road bike’ title in February 2010. The award was bestowed by T3, the prestigious British technology magazine.”

It’s no wonder Maserati would want to partner with such a celebrated bicycle maker.

These Maserati design bicycles use the automaker’s signature deep blue color and is available in two versions, the racy Veloce and the fast commuter Turismo and come spec’d with high end components worthy of both brands. What a bunch of gorgeous looking bikes that I bet go as fast as they look!

Pricing for the models range from US$3,870 to US$7,741.

The Harley of Electric Bikes – Marrs M1

Now you don’t always see me posting about e-bikes here (mainly because I don’t like them haha) but this is one e-bike worthy of my blog!

The Marrs M1 wants to be known as the Harley of e-bikes and I believe they have every right to claim that name!

“The company was founded by Kacy Marrs, who has a background in riding a variety of both bicycles and motorcycles. His business partner, Brad Fanshaw, formerly ran a company that built one-of-a-kind hot rods.” (Pictured below is Kacy Marrs)

These bikes are built to order and specs differ from bike to bike depending on the customer’s requirements. The e-bike uses a rechargeable lithium battery that can (in one charge) carry a 79kg rider up to 32km without pedaling at all!

The top motorized speed is 32km/hr but in that photo above, it was apparently travelling at 48km/hr!

Each bike weighs approximately 64kg but the weight doesn’t really matter because riders don’t have to rely solely on their physical strength to propel these machines; and that’s the beauty of it because now “manufacturers have the freedom to explore designs that aren’t centered around keeping the weight down”.

“Frames are made from 4130 chromoly steel, while the components are a mixture of high-end motorcycle, bicycle, and custom-made parts.”

Expect to pay a minimum of USD$7,000 and upwards for these babies.

Bike X Shoe – Kalavinka X Adidas Originals

For all your fans of Adidas who want to take your passion for the brand into your bike, Japanese custom frame-makers Kalavinka has a stylish bike that could be exactly what you want!