Interesting and Unusual Bikes You've Seen

[MattH]

During my recent week in the Swiss Alps a couple of events crossed over with us that saw some pretty cool bikes coming through. All E-Bike but riggged up with what looked to be very home 'bodged' on the go charging via solar panel set ups. I took a few pics and thought some might find these of interest,

Thanks for sharing, very interesting. And help to keep the rain off you too!
Have to say, they did remind me a little of this:-

[Wobbly John]

When a Long wheelbase recumbent I built in the early 90’s, was used as Joseph’s Golden chariot in a production of Joseph and his Technicoloured dreamcoat, I added a canopy similar to that one. Got a photo on the computer somewhere?

[Mr Larrington]

A USAnian Farcebok acquaintance has built roofed upright bikes which he uses regularly in the 'burbs of NYC.

[Mr Larrington]

One of these:



but in the large size.  Combination of very long head tube and skinny 559 tyres made it look decidedly odd.

[Cudzoziemiec]

On the Railway Path this afternoon, a Modern Cycling Family. Two Modern Cycling Toddlers cosy in the box bike. Modern Cycling Mum standing next to the box bike (I think it was an Urban Arrow), gripping the elbow of Modern Cycling Dad, who was dressed like a tactical battle cop – all in black, full face helmet, knee pads, big gloves, etc – astride a large wheeled unicycle.

And later, a fixie with the used-to-be-fashionable narrow flat bars and brightly coloured five-spoke wheels: purple front wheel, lime green back wheel.

[Cudzoziemiec]

A couple of late entries. Thirty years late, recently rediscovered in old photos. A recumbent tadpole trike in front of the Winter Palace in Leningrad/St Petersburg*, 1991.

And at some sort of hippy-full festival** in Kiev, either 1989 or 1991, a tandem couple looking smarter than all the non-cyclists, in matching two-tone grey lycra, with toddler in a definitely-Sov baby seat.

I'll see if I can scan these at some point and post them here.

*I was there on the day they voted to change the name, so pick whichever you prefer.
**Itself a sign of impending huge changes, including death of hippy era.

[Mr Larrington]

One o' these


except:

• black, and
• single speed with coaster brake, and
• accessorised in pink - grips, bell, bottle cage, pedals, the lot.

Although it's not obvious in the photo the “top tube” is actually two parallel small-diameter tubes.  Why do people do things like this

[Mr Larrington]

Retro-stylee e-bikes by Mr Larrington, on Flickr


Retro-stylee e-bikes by Mr Larrington, on Flickr

Not sure whether these belong here or “Interesting And Unusual Motorbikes” downstairs

[phantasmagoriana]

Spotted yesterday. Just...so many questions. Name seems appropriate, though.

[Kim]

Spotted yesterday. Just...so many questions. Name seems appropriate, though.

It almost looks AI generated...

[spesh]

Spotted yesterday. Just...so many questions. Name seems appropriate, though.

Morbid curiosity got the better of me and I flexed my search engine-fu. This... thing... is sold by Cobra Bikes in Mordor:

https://www.cobrabikes.co.uk/collections/road
https://www.cobrabikes.co.uk/collections/road/products/cb-gl004w-26-inch-27-speed-carbon-steel-frame-road-bike
https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/www.cobrabikes.co.uk

Whether it is worth even its sale price of £263 is an exercise left for the reader...

[Jurek]

Spotted yesterday. Just...so many questions. Name seems appropriate, though.

Morbid curiosity got the better of me and I flexed my search engine-fu. This... thing... is sold by Cobra Bikes in Mordor:

https://www.cobrabikes.co.uk/collections/road
https://www.cobrabikes.co.uk/collections/road/products/cb-gl004w-26-inch-27-speed-carbon-steel-frame-road-bike
https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/www.cobrabikes.co.uk

Whether it is worth even its sale price of £263 is an exercise left for the reader...

15kg strikes me as a tad on the heavy side for a bike with a cf frame and wheels.
The owner has skimped on the bar tape. Clearly in an effort to reduce the bike's weight.
The front forks are clearly not cf as you'd never achieve such a jaunty rake angle with cf.
Wonder how it handles......

[spesh]

With all respect, may I suggest that you read the link again? The frame and forks are not made from carbon fibre composite, but "carbon steel" (gas pipe, to all intents and purposes).

[Jurek]

With all respect, may I suggest that you read the link again? The frame and forks are not made from carbon fibre composite, but "carbon steel" (gas pipe, to all intents and purposes).

No, no.
It is you that are mistaken.
Take a viddy at the image yonder

It clearly states the fork blades to be fashioned from aluminium and the steerer from hi-tensile steel.
I must find out how these two materials are attached to one another.
Cobra cycles have clearly out-monkeyed that which metallurgists have been trying to achieve ever since we humans have had the capacity to weld.

Also:


Yes, I know that it is a mispront and the true malfeasance material is revealed elsewhere.

Also, also what are 700C / 26" wheels?

[phantasmagoriana]

It almost looks AI generated...

I'm sure AI would do a better job of rendering something resembling an actual bike.

Though I'm vaguely disappointed that its owner didn't turn up while I was in the vicinity, because I'd love to see the riding position in action (the saddle angle and handlebar position are...interesting. Huge stack of spacers, short riser stem, yet the brake levers are almost hitting the front wheel, though the backwards fork probably doesn't help there).

Morbid curiosity got the better of me and I flexed my search engine-fu. This... thing... is sold by Cobra Bikes in Mordor:

https://www.cobrabikes.co.uk/collections/road
https://www.cobrabikes.co.uk/collections/road/products/cb-gl004w-26-inch-27-speed-carbon-steel-frame-road-bike
https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/www.cobrabikes.co.uk

Whether it is worth even its sale price of £263 is an exercise left for the reader...

That's a lot of money to spend on a BSO!

[spesh]

I reckon that fork is bent, not fitted backwards. See this picture for what the bike is nominally meant to look like:

https://www.cobrabikes.co.uk/cdn/shop/products/1_1800x1800.jpg?v=1630704187

Reading Cobra Bikes' web site, I got the impression that it was mostly machine-translated and hadn't been proof read afterwards, because of the funny syntax and all the confusing bits in the blurb. Going by the stickers on the seat/chainstay, it appears that the bike brand is called Angsi rather than Angst, and plugging "Angsi road bike" into Google confirms my suspicions by bringing up a load of results pointing to Alibaba.com and the bikes being perpetrated by Hebei Angsi Technology Co., based in - you guessed it - China.

[chrisbainbridge]

Whereas I saw a Tommasini Tecno hand built Italian bike this morning
https://tommasinibicycle.com/tommasini-tecno-2/
In shades of purple and silver.  Absolutely gorgeous and full mechanical Campag

[spesh]

Whereas I saw a Tommasini Tecno hand built Italian bike this morning
https://tommasinibicycle.com/tommasini-tecno-2/
In shades of purple and silver.  Absolutely gorgeous and full mechanical Campag

TBH, I prefer the blue and the orange schemes. Purple always screams "the 90s called, it wants its anodised bits back" to me.

[ElyDave]

Its all right, I suppose, if you don't want sensible things like disc brakes

[fd3]

Spesh:
1 really, look back to front to me.
2 what's wrong with the 90s?

[chrisbainbridge]

Clearly the owners absolute pride and joy. So his choice.

[Mr Larrington]

Originally built by Larry Lem for his mother; now used by sister Joyce by Mr Larrington, on Flickr

[Mr Larrington]

A brace of Van Moofs (Van Mooves?) strapped to the back of a small SUV, thereby obscuring both his number plate and rear lights.  Clearly USAnians care not for such trifles.

[Auntie Helen]

Let’s hope they’ve found another app to help them run the bike! I hear there is one.

[Cudzoziemiec]

A cargo e-bike in Surly Big Dummy style, but branded 'Moustache'.