Monday, October 22, 2012

Bikes at the Paris Motor Show

I've already shared with you the Peugeot concept bikes that were presented at the 2012 Paris Motor show; the Peugeot Onyx, the eDL122 and eDL132. Peugeot also had on the stand one of the new City bikes that form part of the 2013 range. The bike addresses the challenge of creating a 'low step' frame that is also modern, clean and innovative. The single 50mm wide tube curves elegantly from the head tube right round to the seat tube, where the post is held in place by a unique, flush aluminium clamp. The bikes rear rack incorporates Peugeot's unique storage devise for the ABUS Bordo lock.

Another interesting bike was a carbon fibre framed electric bike that was presented on the roof of a Hyundai; as an ex-car designer I should be able to tell you which but I was concentrating on the bike! Possibly a Velostar (appropriately)? I don't have any information on this bike but it was nicely done, especially the Cannondale Headshockesque fork and battery located on the underside of the down tube.


I think that the pair of Kia bikes were my favorites. They were presented as a good guy, bad guy couple, with a cool city bike and a more hard core racer. Both wore 20" wheels and a nicely done hydroformed aluminium frame. I particularly liked the understated graphics and simple, clean lines of the frame.