What we need is a new bike design for the future... really?

flatface

It seams we are always being told that we need a new bike design because in the future the present one aint gonna cut it, mostly I say meh.

Seattle-Forged 'Future Bike' Wins Competition

This does have interesting have some interesting features, haven't seen such an approach to mudguards before.

Cee-Jay-Cee

Why do we need a change, the overall design hadn't changed in years because it works. Funky and different designs have been tried before and faded away after short term interest. The same will happen with that thing you posted. 'Thing' is the only way I can describe it as it's brute ugly and not anything I would even consider buying.

flatface

Image of beauty it ain't alright!

gaffmaster

Argh! I had that idea for lock integrated handlebars years ago. But alas, I am not a bike designer/manufacturer.

I think it's important to have concept bikes/cars/shopping trollies. Sure the design of the bike was fine in the 1920's. Now they weigh half as much and you don't have to take the wheel off to change the gears...

ZiabR

I think I just got sick in my mouth, that is a horrible looking bike.

Iranoutofideas

Revolting.

MB Lacey

It does make me think of sausage and bacon sandwiches though, which is a good thing.

tomasrojo

bikesnobnyc has been covering this for a few weeks. He is dismissive.

seamus

As said, having concept designs like this are rarely an attempt to re-engineer from the ground up, but rather to combine together concepts which individually may be unworkable to integrate into traditional designs.

It's in the implementation of these crazy designs that you discover new engineering methods and ideas which can then later be applied to traditional designs.

outfox

The bike, ugly as it is, still follows the basic 2 triangle approach. So not very radical really.

Crocked

Looks like I'm in a minority of 1 in that I actually like it

Jebus Diced

I only like the name of it ... I'd like a nice fry now.

Seweryn

What is that shovel at the front for?

DaithiMC

I think some of the tech features are kind of cool when you go beyond the skin-deep opinion of its looks.... http://vimeo.com/101883999

I do think that there are too many "new" features though and it may be a difficult message to get to the mass market.

tomasrojo

I think the real trick would be a cheap-ish, hard-to-vandalise, hard-to-steal utility bike that can be ridden while wearing normal clothes, with lights built into the bike, or capable of being locked as part of the normal lock down.

I guess some of these designs addressed some of these issues (except maybe the "cheap-ish" bit).

tomasrojo

Are brushes as good as mudguards?

tomasrojo

gaffmaster wrote: »

Argh! I had that idea for lock integrated handlebars years ago. But alas, I am not a bike designer/manufacturer.

I quite like that bit.