Whereas mountain bikes are exciting and road bikes are exquisite, commuter bicycles often come across as being rather boring and utilitarian. Therefore, it's nice to see that some designers are going out of their way to create urban bikes that are, well … cool. One of the latest comes to us from Magdeburg, Germany-based Urwahn Bikes. Called the Stadtfuchs, it incorporates 3D-printed parts, integrated lights, and a radical-looking rear end.
"We turned away from traditional constructions, in favor of a more puristic overall appearance with comfortable riding qualities," company founder Sebastian Meinecke tells New Atlas.
That claimed comfortable ride is made possible by the vibration-damping flexible back end of the bike, in which the seat tube curves around and splits in two to become the seat stays.
The frame is made from stainless and acid-resistant steel tubes, which are adhesive-bonded to steel connectors. Those connectors are in turn created using a process known as selective laser melting, in which a laser melts steel powder to gradually build up three-dimensional objects, one layer at a time.
Built into that frame are front and rear LED lights, which are powered by a dynamo generator in the front wheel hub. There's also a GPS tracking unit on board, so that the bike's whereabouts can be ascertained if it gets pinched.
Other features include a Gates Carbon belt drive, Shimano Alfine hydraulic disc brakes, a Brooks Cambium saddle, and a two-speed planetary gear crankset paired with an SRAM Automatix two-speed rear hub transmission.
The Stadtfuchs should be commercially available towards the end of this year, priced at around €4,000 (about US$4,269).
Source: Urwahn Bikes
