Bicycles as a thing of a beauty

The great poet, John Keats said ‘A thing of beauty is a joy forever’ He might have added, that with regard to bicycles, simplicity = beauty.

Compare these two bikes:

Rob English’s time trial bike

rob-english

Source: Bike Radar photo gallery

integrated-stem

I advise checking out the Bike Radar photo gallery. There’s some very nice aerodynamic design elements. In an era of Taiwan mass produced bikes, it’s nice to see small scale designers coming up with something really beautiful. (and practical)

Compare this to this Pinarello

pinarello only the brave

 

Pinarello via pj with his assessment

 

Now which bike would you prefer to have sitting in your dining room?

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4 Responses to Bicycles as a thing of a beauty

  1. Sam J March 4, 2013 at 8:15 pm #

    Rob English’s time trial machine is a remarkable piece of craftsmanship–and well worth additional study. Consider the amount of effort that went into the machine: the front hub and brake, the shifter buttons, the crankset.

    For its purpose, which is providing a wind-piercing platform for its rider, also Rob English, to continue dominating time trials in Oregon, it is well suited.

    Do I want one? Not at all. It doesn’t suit the type of riding I do. And that’s okay. Because Rob would be more than happy to build a bicycle to fit my needs, though he specializes in machines for riders considerably lighter than me.

    Single-speed 29er? Folding bike? Recumbent tandem? Sure–he’s designed and built them all.

  2. jonty pritchard March 4, 2013 at 6:26 am #

    i ride a 6.9 2 year old treck with campy electric and ultra light zippz
    the lightest and aesthetic bike i have ever owned bling bling jonty

  3. Hurumph March 2, 2013 at 10:52 pm #

    Beauty is in the eye of the beholder – or I am making a poor assumption about why you chose these – but I don’t particularly like either of these bikes’ designs, though they are interesting.

    The Pinarello is the prettier of the two.

  4. John Gallagher February 28, 2013 at 1:28 pm #

    Looks like the Pinarello came to an abrupt halt …

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