Luxury Racing Bikes Exquisitely Crafted of Mahogany Wood By Sueshiro Sano.

Exquisite craftsmanship and attention to detail make this wooden bike the finest about which I have written. While it's true I introduced you to Woody Bicycles and the first FSC- certified wooden bicycle, the elegance and proportions of Sanomagic's wooden bikes are in a class by themselves.



A ninth generation ship builder, Sueshiro Sano, shown above with his Mahogany Bike T2, has created a lightweight high performance luxury bike using layering techniques employed in shipbuilding to make the wood stronger and more durable.



above images courtesy of Adeyaka Magazine

Sano made his first Mahogany bicycle in January of 2008. Since then he has completed ten and is working on the eleventh in which he is introducing Mahogany deep polished rims.






Every element on the bike, other than the gears and brakes, is handcrafted of mahogany wood. A curved wooden frame, wooden spacers, wooden handlebars, a wooden saddle, wooden kickstand and wooden seat. Even the the wheels, the drink holder and the little cap on the tire valves is wood as well.










Sano claims the bike outperforms aluminum models and even some of the most cutting edge carbon fiber models. Like Carbon fiber, wood is a fiber which has holes inside for water which contain air. So, when the wood gets a shock, it expels the air much like a sneaker sole. This absorbs the majority of the shock and provides a seamlessly smooth ride.




Despite the fact that many people see his bikes as a 'design project', Sano considers safety and functionality first.


above: The Sanomagic workshop

Mahogany Bikes made by Sueshiro Sano.

Biomega Designs New Bikes For Puma

Copenhagen-based bicycle company Biomega has designed 5 new bikes for Puma. Designed for urban commuters, the new bike line combines European design with US riding styles, resulting in a completely new Trans-Atlantic bike paradigm.



Each of the five bikes is available in either all white, all black or tri-color options and special features like folding and integrated handlebars which distinguish these from others on the market.




DISKO


The PUMA Disko Bike mixes BMX features (handlebar, sloping top tube), city bike features (upright seating position), folding bike features (folding functionality), and 24” wheels (in between a BMX 20” wheels and a city bike 28”).

The PUMA Disko was developed for city dwellers and requires little maintenance. It incorporates BMX handlebars to hold the body in an upright, heads up position for better navigation. The bike folds at the top tube, reducing it by 50%, to fit in tight spaces such as underground transit systems, the trunk of your car or a small city flat.



The PUMA Disko also features an integrated locking system as part of the bike’s structural framework, intended to both safeguard the bike from theft and simplify the commuting process by alleviating the need for a separate lock.



A double loop of heavy gage wire replaces the down tube of the bike’s framework and hooks onto the bottom bracket of the seat tube. The built in locking mechanism utilizes a pin release system, which frees the wire enabling it to be wrapped around a stationary object and secured back into the bike. $970.00 buy it here

PICO


The PUMA Pico Bike mixes BMX features (handlebar, sloping top tube, 20” wheels), mini-bike features (low elongated top tube, upright seating position), carrier bike features (optional front carrier), and folding bike features (optional folding functionality).



The PUMA Pico comes with or without an innovative front carrier integrated in the handlebar for the quick and dirty drop of grocery bags. The design references a BMX, but holds the body in an upright, heads up position for city navigation.



The bike comes with or without a folding system integrated in the top tube, reducing it by 50%, to fit in tight spaces such as underground transit systems, the trunk of your car or a small city flat. $695.00 buy it here.

NEVIS LADY


The PUMA Nevis Lady Bike mixes city bike features (handlebar, 28” wheels), cruiser features (laid back seating position), and carrier bike features (optional front carrier).



The PUMA Nevis Lady comes with or without an innovative front carrier integrated in the handlebar for light transport of your daily needs. Developed for city dwellers, the Nevis features a traditional cruiser handling style. The geometry holds the body in an laid back, heads up position for navigational position. $725.00 buy it here

NEVIS MAN


The PUMA Nevis Man Bike mixes city bike features (handlebar, 28” wheels), cruiser features (laid back seating position), and carrier bike features (optional front carrier).



The PUMA Nevis Man comes with or without an innovative front carrier integrated in the handlebar for light transport of your daily needs. Developed for city dwellers, the Nevis features a traditional cruiser handling style. The geometry holds the body in an laid back, heads up position for navigational position. $725.00 buy it here

FUNK

The PUMA Funk Bike mixes city bike features (dual brakes, free wheel mode, 28” wheels) and track bike features (handlebar, aggressive seating position, fixie mode).

The PUMA Funk comes with track bike handlebars. The geometry holds the body in an forward, leaning position for aggressive urban commuting. The design references a track bike, but uses aluminum for lightness and includes brakes for security.



The bike comes with a back wheel that can be reversed to switch between a single speed free wheel and fixie. $860.00 buy it here.

The story behind names and colors:

The Names

The latest PUMA Bikes are named after islands in the Atlantic Ocean. This method is grounded in the Trans-Atlantic inspiration behind the bikes’ design, where smart and practical European design meets laidback, urban American style.

Disko Island is a large island in Baffin Bay, off the west coast of Greenland.
Funk Island is a small island northeast of Wesleyville, Newfoundland, Canada.
Nevis Island is an island in the Caribbean Sea, located southeast of Puerto Rico.
Pico Island is an island in the Central Group of the Portuguese Azores.

The Colors
Flashy against the gritty city. PUMA Bikes boast bold color combinations. From lemon yellows to funky fuchsias to ocean-glass turquoises, the colors are likewise inspired by vibrant island color. They fit the Trans-Atlantic theme and defy the expected.


all images and information courtesy of PUMA.

The Latest Lexus Hybrid Is An Electric Carbon Fiber Bicycle

the press release from Lexus
Introducing the Lexus HB (Hybrid Bicycle) Concept

Lexus has established itself as an industry leader in bringing advanced technologies to the premium car market. Now it has applied the same thinking on a smaller scale to create the Lexus Hybrid Bicycle, a design concept the captures the fundamental engineering and design values of the brand, but with two wheels rather than four.



In every aspect this is Lexus, from the L-finesse design language of the engaging and elegant frame, to the application of hybrid power, an electric eight-speed transmission and lightweight carbon fibre construction.





Lexus has brought what is one of the only two examples in existence (one black and one white) to the UK for the first time, following the bicycle's debut at the 2009 Tokyo motor show (at that show, the concept bike was shown in black).



above: the Lexus HB Concept bike appeared in black at the 2009 Tokyo auto show

Its arrival coincides with the announcement of Lexus's title sponsorship of the Great British Bike Ride, a four-day charity fun ride from September 1-4, 2010, that will see hundreds of cyclists following a course from Land's End to the home of English rugby at Twickenham.



Lexus has pioneered high performance, low emissions and optimum fuel efficiency with its full hybrid Lexus Hybrid Drive powertrain technology. The Hybrid Bicycle adopts similar principles, with the pedal power of the rider boosted by assistance to the front wheel from a 240W electric motor, via a 25.9V Lithium-ion battery, with a choice of Eco or Power modes. And, as with Lexus Hybrid Drive, there is an energy regeneration function that helps recharge the battery by capturing kinetic energy generated under braking.



The Lexus Hybrid Bicycle has all-wheel drive, by means of a belt system. It is equipped with an electric eight-speed Shimano internal gear system, which references the sophisticated eight-speed shift-by-wire automatic transmission of Lexus's LS 600h limousine.



The carbon fibre construction shares the same light-but-strong composite materials technology that was used on Valentino Rossi's MotoGP-winning motorcycle.

The video below is from the 2009 Tokyo Auto show (courtesy of Gizmag):


Specs:

• Length (mm) 1,598
• Width (mm) 425
• Seat height (mm) 900
• Wheelbase (mm) 1,080
• Tyre size 20 x 1 3/8
• Weight (kg) 17
• Charge time Approx. 2hrs
• Motor output (W) 240
• Battery type Lithium-ion
• Battery voltage 25.9V/4.0Ah
• Gear system Shimano 8-speed internal gear
• Shift lever Shimano dual control
• Drive train Belt drive

The big bummer? There are no current plans for the Lexus Hybrid Bicycle to become a production model.

the white bike images are courtesy of Lexus and the black bike, courtesy of Gizmag