Steel is cool, but wood has a timeless quality that just takes your breath away. Even on a bike. Xylon Bikes makes a point of it with their gorgeous wooden frames, which combine a clean, modern design with funky geometric shapes.
Bicycle frames made from wood? Yes, indeed. Not that they will perform better than aluminum or steel, but the sheer uniqueness of one should be reason enough to attract attention unto themselves. They’re not just slabs of timber randomly cut either – the frames are designed to provide as much riding balance as they do a highly-original style.
Xylon Bikes currently have four models in their line – Cell, Oll, Klassic and Sinergia. Each frame is hand-built using aeronautical-grade plywood, seasoned hardwoods, art adhesives and metal fasteners (both aluminum and stainless steel). The designs each bring a different personality and function to the table. The Cell, for instance, should be total eye-candy with its perforated design; the Klassic brings a 40s-inspired design meant for relaxed pedaling; the Sinergian, on the other hand, is built precisely for 20-inch wheels; and the Oll incorporates interior compartments to hide all bicycle wires.
Since it’s wood, the bikes should be especially lightweight. I’m hoping a heaping of water-resistant coating is also onboard, although it never got a mention. How much would it suck to get your wooden bike rotting from rain?
Buyers should get a range of choices for the other parts of the bike, from the fork to the braking system, with brands such as Shimano and SRAM available as options from the Xylon Bikes website. They don’t appear to be available yet, so there’s still no pricing, although they’ve begun to make the bike show rounds to positive reception.
[Thanks Xylon Bikes]