[Closed] Let's make a prototype bike for no reason, and let's make it really really ugly.

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Another classic case of change for change's sake. All current bike manufacturers must be wrong or under funded not to have come up with such a classic design.

You'd think that anyone in business, when designing something, would ask the obvious question: Who is this aimed at? Who would want one of these?

*ING NO-ONE!!! IT'S HIDEOUS AND UTTERLY POINTLESS!!! AND WOULD PROBABLY COST THE SAME AS A *ING CAR!!! YOU ****WITS!!!

To be fair it looked a lot better in real life, despite combining a belt drive with a Dura-ace crank....

It definitely looks lots better than most electric bikes, though as a 'concept', I've no idea how effective the electrical assistance is.

[url= http://www.bikeradar.com/gallery/article/eurobike-2011-smarts-e-bike-ready-for-mass-production-31625?img=2&pn=eurobike-2011-smarts-e-bike-ready-for-mass-production&mlc=news%2Farticle ]Dear God![/url]

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Is that like a dura ace bash guard hiding a belt drive? And is that a really weird suspension fork? And is that a map board coming out of the handlebars?

edit: beaten to it, apparently so.

Thing is with Ford's designers though, they make things that look reallly WEIRD at first... then you get used to them and they become normal (and copied..
remember the first time you saw one of these? (if you're old enough)
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or one of these?
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So that bike will look totally normal in a few years when everyone has them.
(er, maybe)

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WTF? Who would spend 60,000 euros on that??

I.actually.quite.like.it.

(there, I've said it. 😯 )

Wow carbon fibre space age frame, brooks saddle, G-box, plus the chancellors budget day briefcase all in one bike.

Just wow!

I think its OK for a concept. Fords recources will be way beyond anything in the cycle world so if they develop it surely it would come with headline grabbing techological innovations. Forks like a mini AMP.

Thing is E-bikes for the most part aren't aimed at cyclists so the STW elite aren't really going to "get" them. What we need is a non cyclist to come on and, in an impartial way, say "no, it's not you being bikesnobs, that ford bike really is ****"

Front wheel drive? Interesting. Step through frame, belt drive, hub gears, disc brakes, black mark for the linkage fork but otherwise should be long lasting maintenance free stuff no?

[i]non cyclist to come on and, in an impartial way, say "no, it's not you being bikesnobs, that ford bike really is ****"[/i]

Hold on, I'll get someone.

From a non-cyclist: "It's hideous. Shit. Reminds me of one of those old bone-shakers."

looks like a warmed over Solex to me..

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Forks look like the old AMP style from a million years ago.........Porsche used a 'smilar' made monocoque style bike about 1990........That was an overpriced, heavy and pointless bike too......

when I saw the 1st picture I thought "It's not that bad, actually I quite like it".

Then I scrolled down and saw the Vektar - I used to have one 😀

Looks nicer than an orange 5!

It's got a map board.
I like it.

I've seen some concept bikes that appear to simply showcase a novel idea without much practical application(e.g. rim drive wheels). The Ford bike actually looks like a fairly practical project.
It's an e-bike, which is utility transport for people who want to get from A to B every day without too much effort or cycling expertise, so motor assist, concealed electrics, belt drive, hub gears and composite wheels are all sensible design decisions. Style and looks are likely to be secondary requirements for the target market. It doesn't have all the finishing kit to make it workable, like mudguards and racks, but it's a concept, not a commercial product.

Who would want to buy such a thing? According to wikipedia, 700,000 e-bikes sold in Europe last year, 120 million e-bikes currently in use in China, and the market is growing quickly.

I've seen some concept bikes that appear to simply showcase a novel idea without much practical application(e.g. rim drive wheels). The Ford bike actually looks like a fairly practical project.
It's an e-bike, which is utility transport for people who want to get from A to B every day without too much effort or cycling expertise, so motor assist, concealed electrics, belt drive, hub gears and composite wheels are all sensible design decisions. Style and looks are likely to be secondary requirements for the target market. It doesn't have all the finishing kit to make it workable, like mudguards and racks, but it's a concept, not a commercial product.

Who would want to buy such a thing? According to wikipedia, 700,000 e-bikes sold in Europe last year, 120 million e-bikes currently in use in China, and the market is growing quickly.

But it's still really, really, ugly.

The one thing I like about it is the front hub motor. It means that if your'e a pedestrian and one of these things buzz you, you can actually hear them coming because the freewheel makes a noise.

Otherwise, put it out of it's misery with an ugly-bat.

It's a styling exercise and is about as relevent as an Alfa BAT is to an Alfasud.

It's not in the same league as the type of bikes branded with the name of a certain supercar manufacturer that are marketed at those idiotic enough to want a matching expensive BSO to go with their Cayenne for pub bragging rights.

It'll wind up in a museum right next to the God-awful GT-90 monstrosity that Ford were hawking round about fifteen years ago.

Yer all snobs..

For the bloke or Bird in the street that uses a Boris Bike, this would be perfect. They care less about the style (obviously) and more about function and ease of use.

It needs to be more sit up stylee, add a basket or two and it'll be a winner IMO.

Looks OK to me. An electric bike with all the gubbins hidden away.

Concepts always look a bit 'edgy' and weird. But that's why it's a concept, is it not?
If they'd come up with a 'traditional' frame, stuck some electric bits on and unveiled their 'concept' everyone would be saying that it already exists, it's boring etc.....

Seen worse, the paperclip bike for example.

Main thing that I'm not sure about is having all the weight so high up, surely that would make it unstable?

DezB
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yer madness - like a spaceship compared

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