Hasta La Gadget!

Zaff’s concept Globike looks like it would smash at the first pothole

Zaaf Design’s Globike “is inspired by ergonomic principles enjoying comfort with style.” It’s a shame that while the Italian design house was enjoying this inspiration, and studying the “energy needed to produce movement,” it didn’t stop to make a bike that could actually last five minutes on a real road.

Aesthetically, it is indeed inspired, a gorgeous take on the classic Dutch bike. It also looks comfy, with a laid-back geometry position and high handlebars for an upright riding position. And the combination of carbon fiber frame and titanium seat post should keep it light enough to ride up hills and carry up stairs.

But take a proper look. Let’s start at the front. The head tube curls around into the down tube in a joint that looks as if it would snap like a chicken’s wishbone, and would flex distractingly right up until it did so. Let’s move down that down tube until we reach the shame that is the seat tube and bottom bracket. The seat tube goes straight through the main frame in another flex-friendly joint, and continues down to the crank, which appears to be dangling down there at the bottom.

As someone who broke two steel frames in this exact spot, in the space of one month, I’m pretty sure this is a high-stress area. There appears to be a cable strung down from above, but lord knows how it would help.

As for the “specs” of this concept design, Zaaf has decided on hub gears, a disk brake and a nice sprung saddle. These off-the-shelf pieces seem to be the only practical part of the entire concept.

To finish, one more quote from the blurb:

All these elements permit flexibility and control of the main frame and forks to achieve a distinguished lightness and comfort.

Flexibility? Oops.

Globike [Zaaf via Bicycle Design]

See Also:

• Cannondale Concept Updates The Dutch Bike
• Flawed Bike Concept for Danger-Loving Hipsters
• Folding Penny-Farthing Is a Closet Unicycle
• Flawed