BMW concept bikes - what do you think?
 

It seems to me I've seen a couple of these at Art Center in Pasadena which has a huge automotive/truck/motorcycle/bicycle design department:

Cool as art.

wouldn't ride one to the coffee shop

Interesting but
 

the second and third down look like they might be difficult to steer.

Big wheel in back ..

small wheel up front ...

This way always going downhill.

It looks to me like someone might have missed the day in engineering school where you learn that a triangle is lighter and stronger than a cantilevered beam. Other than that basic thing it looks like they might not work at all :)


Dave

I must be a retro-grouch cuz I like my regular no-slope bike just fine.

They'll be on the floor of your LBS next week at 2:00

What was the question again??

Someday when all bikes look like this, we can look back and blame it on the ISP!

OK, picture this: You're the average american male - 40 pounds overweight, you've given up on regular cycling shorts 'cause your gut hangs over the drawstring. Now go back and look at the bikes...

I would LOVE to show up at Central Park on one of those.

I think they're great.
Anything pursued with that passion and research should be applauded.
Conceptual studies may not immediately yield practical results, but the good ones open up new ways of thinking.

If these are indeed products of Art Center design studios, that's pretty impressive work.
I've worked up at Art Center; the design studios are among the most serious in the world and are heavily funded by outside manufacturers, such as BMW and the auto companies, who also send their designers as instructors.
J Mays et al are Art Center alums.

I've won three races on the second one.

The famous "Donut Hole Crits" up at Specialized HQ?
You're the guy who beat Cancellara? :cool:

I'd ride the "Bianchi"...it's pretty good lookin'

The Bianchi looks the most feasible . . .
 

. . . as far as using current industry standards for wheel size, drive train bits, etc. But that saddle area looks painful. The other three just seem to violate any rules about real world serviceability. Non-standard wheel size . . . wheels that don't seem to come off to change tires . . . and that BMW one--the tire tread seems to indicate this would be a mountain bike? with different sized wheels like that?

To me, the most beautiful industrial design art is stuff that could actually be built and that would actually work.

BBD