Reinventing the Wheel: Bike Designs We Didn't Think Were Possible

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Reinventing the Wheel: Bike Designs We Didn’t Think Were Possible

By Monica Gray - October 30, 2022

Flex

The Israeli designer who created Flex gave it a holistic design, made of carbon fiber, that reduces visual noise. It looks like a bike that’s from the 1950’s, but with a modern-day twist. We love strange designs that play on different time periods. The designer said, ‘‘flex’ is a compact city bicycle. the intention of the design is to create a bicycle that has a whole form, as opposed to a normal bicycle which has many parts that are completely separated in terms of aesthetics.” It’s clear he had aesthetics in mind when he built this bike since it’s pleasant to look at and very minimal. He said, “I combined the back fork with the chain cover for one element, which reduces the visual noise and creates a new iconic look.” With this bike, the brakes are in the back, used with reverse-peddling, and it has narrow handlebars (Design Boom).

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Air-Purifier Bike

The Air-Purifier Bike has one of those strange designs that also address problems in our society – this one being air pollution. Talk about two for one! Not only are you using transport that doesn’t use gasoline, but this bike also filters the air and generates oxygen. It has an air filter that screens the air for pollution and dust. Not only that, but it also has a photosynthesis system with an embedded water tank that produces its own oxygen. As you ride the bike, it cleans the air and releases it back towards the cyclist, so you’re basically getting rewarded for using the bike. Additionally, when the bike is parked, the air purifying function continues with battery power (Conceptcus)

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Halfbike

The designers of the three-wheeled Halfbike, Angelov and Klenov, created this bike for optimal maneuverability and transport on public transit. With its big front wheel and two small wheels in the back, it takes simplicity to a new level. It barely takes up any space but is also simple to drive along urban roads. The back pivoting wheels allows the rider to maneuver the bike simply by leaning. Even though this bike might take a little bit of practice to get the hang of, we’re sure it’d be fun to explore a city with. It definitely makes finding a small parking spot a lot easier, since it’s half the size of a regular bike. No more having to worry if your bike will fit in narrow spaces if you’re riding this one around (New Atlas).

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J. Ruiter

Inner city bicycles must be built so the cyclist can easily navigate the convoluted streets of even the busiest cities in the world. Otherwise, they’re going to get stuck somewhere and it completely defeats the purpose of having a bike. Designers in Michigan created the J. Ruiter to help city cyclists get around with as little effort as possible. There’s no frame, and the pedals are attached to the rear part of the wheel. In order to slow down, cyclists use the front disc brake. Even though this is a design we’re not really used to, it’s easy to learn and certainly impactful (Road.cc).

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Forkless

At first glance, we thought this bike was accidentally missing certain parts, but it turns out that its design was on purpose. It was built in Norway and has a wonderfully odd creation that uses a modified frame, steered with handlebars that are not connected in a place that’s typical for a bicycle. It has added tubing below the seat and is modified in a way that the handlebars still turn the front wheel with rods connected from the back. We’d love to see someone riding this bike around, it almost looks like a broomstick. Maybe it’s a bike designed for witches (Design Boom).

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Cargo Bike

The Cargo Bike, designed by Lawrence Brand, was first designed in 2008. After a lot of planning and finalizing, he birthed the product we now see. It was designed with the idea in mind of replacing cars, with the ability to help with everyday things like grocery shopping and carrying small items. Better yet, it can also fit in the hallway of your house or apartment, so is already better than a car. This bicycle has one of those strange designs that is quirky enough to possibly replace cars one day. It’s only 40cm longer than your standard bike. It’s also possible to install child seats and a flat tray for carrying things. The bike is also stable, due to its low deck (Tuvie)

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Family Cargo Bike

We all want our children to feel safe, and that includes when they’re on bicycles. The family cargo bike has safety in mind and is one of the comfiest ways to transport your children. It’s practical and safe and doubles as a stroller and electric bike. Strange designs that tackle two problems are some of the best bikes out there. You can transport up to 3 kids on this bike, so it’s great if you have a big family. No more having to worry about not being able to fit all of your kids on your bicycle. It’s multifunctional and has a wide range of accessories that make cycling with your family fun and exciting. Not only is it better for the environment, but it’s a great way to get the entire family outside and into the sunshine. If you have more than three kids, you could even buy two bikes. You can navigate one and your partner can navigate the other (Tagabikes).

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Heaviest Bicycle

We’ve seen some pretty strange designs on this list, but this one must top all of them. It broke the Guinness record for The Heaviest Bicycle in the World, weighing almost one ton. That surpasses the lightest bicycle on this list by a long shot. Frank Dose, the designer of the bike, used tons of heavy scrap parts, saving $4,600 USD in the process. Compare this bike to one of the lightest in the world, which only weighs 1.72 pounds. We’re impressed with his dedication and creation, and really wonder what it would be like to ride this bike around a city. We’re not sure we’d get very far. It’s definitely a leg workout (Velosock).

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Locust bike

The folding bicycle has one of the strangest designs we’ve ever seen. It certainly makes your typical bicycle design seem sub-par. Designed by Josef Cadek from the Czech Republic, the locust bike has a large circular frame that the bike folds into. The bike itself is made of plastic, which keeps it lightweight and inexpensive. This makes everyone’s lives much easier. It solves the problem of having to both store a bike and transport it somewhere if you’re someone who’s constantly moving around with their bicycle. The designer kept this in mind when he created the bicycle, making sure not to use carbon fiber to keep the costs low. If you don’t know what carbon fiber is, we’ll save you the search and tell you that it’s a stiff and strong material that has the potential to replace steel, but can be costly to reproduce (Bicycle Design).

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Ventomobil bike

This is one of the first times a bicycle has ever combined an element of the earth, wind, with a bicycle. Even though it has one of the strangest designs ever, it’s certainly unique. Because it uses the wind as a component, it makes it a high-speed bike that can literally cruise along the streets. No more having to curse the wind on your cycling route, the wind is now your friend. That’s a first. It can reach a speed of up to 60 km/h and has been used in races in the past. Unfortunately, it’s likely it won’t be on the roads for us to purchase, but at least we can hope it might one day become available (Bicycle Design).

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Canyon Orbiter

This downhill e-bike will get you where you need to go, in half the time you’re normally used to. Zip through the streets and past all that traffic. German youngster Daniel Frinz designed this bicycle, so you know we’re getting a futuristic design with a modern twist. It has twin hub motors and electric transmission, which makes it easier to power the wheels with ease. No more incredibly sore thighs after a long bike ride. He called it an urban gravity bike. Its sole purpose was to zip through towns and alleys with ease and simplicity, without having to think about the twists and turns that come with plummeting along narrow streets. It’s a skilled bike and can coast along mountain cliffs and trails with power assistance which makes it easier than on a normal bike (Road.cc).

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Sideways Bike

Why not take cycling to an entirely new level? Riding a bicycle face forward is so 2020, it’s time we stepped it up a notch and rode bicycles sideways. It’s definitely one of the strangest designs from the future we’ve ever seen. There’s a seat that models a unicycle seat and handlebars on either side of the seat. This bicycle uses the same body movements that snowboards use, which means you’re standing sideways. If you ever have a chance to ride this bicycle, then you’re only six out of ten people who can ride it. If you do snowboard but don’t get the hang of this one right away, don’t worry, you’re probably still a pro snowboarder (Weurbanist).

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Zockra

Even though there are several bicycles on this list that are unattainable for your everyday person, the Zockra bike is available for everyone. You can purchase the bike from their website in France, which is a plus. If you happen to have around $4,000 laying around in your bank account, then you can afford this bike. If not, then the best you can do is stay wishful and hope you meet someone who owns this bike one day. Regardless, it has one of the strangest designs in the world. It has the cyclist’s muscles in mind, as the saddle position utilizes the muscles and helps increase speed. (Bicycle Design).

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Rotation Folding Bike

Yirong Yang designed this bicycle. Even though it has one of the strangest designs in the world, it’s one of the most interesting to ride. It’s a “rotation” city bike that’s adjustable. This means if you’re on the bike, you can change it so it feels as comfortable as possible while you take it for a spin. There’s nothing worse than sitting on a bicycle that feels uncomfortable. Additionally, you can adjust the bicycle to use it either as a bicycle or a unicycle. You’re getting two for one (Bicycle Design).

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Penny-Farthing

This is a penny-farthing bicycle designed by Guillaume Bout, and has one of the strangest designs we’ve ever seen. He had the past in mind and took the Victorian-era bicycle and created a spin-off from it. That’s one way to recreate the past, use outdated designs and creativity and make something new. This bicycle uses a carbon fibre frame, a trailing wheel and technical details that were planned and well-thought-out. This bike is no joke and is ready for off-roading at any time (Road.cc).

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GT Mileno

As one of the strangest designs out there, the GT Mileno can switch from an urban bicycle, cruising the city streets, to a bicycle that’s used for carrying cargo. Whichever its purpose, it seems complex and unlike any other bike on this list. It has a module that fastens in the front. Its two powered wheels ease the strain of the bike when it’s fully loaded with gear. If you’re someone who’s constantly carrying around a lot of gear with them, then this bike might be suitable for you (Road.cc).

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The 911

We’ve seen a bicycle inspired by a VW Beetle, and now we’re seeing a bike inspired by the 911. It looks like many bikes out there take inspiration from surprising places. This one in particular was designed by David Schultz, who also helped design Microsoft. He calls it “fast, lightweight, simple, tough, and timeless,” which are all positive ways to describe a bike with one of the strangest designs in the world. He’s not wrong in calling it all those positive aspects, because it certainly embodies it. This is a bicycle we’d love to take around for a spin (Road.cc).

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BMC Impec

The designers of the BMC Impec weren’t afraid to think outside the box, and we can see that in the bicycle they created. Coming all the way from Switzerland is a bike with one of the strangest designs in the world. This bike used advanced research in its design, as the creators took everything into consideration. They built it using disc brakes, a concealed drivetrain, a low-slung aero frame, and a computer head unit. These are only a few of the features of the overall bike with a beautiful design that certainly makes us want to try it around the city. It’s another one of those concept bikes that really prove anything Is possible when It comes to design (Road.cc).

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