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| Riding on a brand | |
| Neha Bhatt / New Delhi July 11, 2009, 0:23 IST | |
If you thought that the humble bicycle couldn’t find a parking spot in the luxury market, think again. Neha Bhatt finds a rising segment of high-end bicycles that spell glamour and style.
When we last checked, the bicycle was the quintessential no-fuss, non-polluting, low-cost mode of transport. As of today, you can tick off the “low-cost” tag right away. The best of bicycles hardly come under the clunky metalware category, especially as big brands are going all out to incorporate leather and state-of-the-art gadgetry to create high-end bicycles. And if you thought luxury couldn’t be stretched to this seemingly low-profile segment, well then, we suggest you read on.
The Fendi Selleria Abici Bicycle, for instance, is a beautifully crafted piece that’s done in leather and packs in quite a few features. It includes a goat and leather bag, GPS navigator holder, key- and chain-case and a pump and thermos leather cover. Crafted in Italy, all the elements are handmade — cut, sewn, assembled and embroidered to dress this ‘Amante’ model. The signature Fendi logo is embossed on the bike’s front and also within the fully accessorised trunk that replaces the commonplace basket. Available in dark brown and light beige, this pretty thing is priced anywhere between Rs 2-4.75 lakh. While in India, custom orders are taken at the Fendi boutique store in DLF Emporio in New Delhi, this 26-kg bicycle is available, on request, globally too.
Joining the high-end bicycle segment are luxury mountain bicycles from Firefox Bikes. At Rs 91,000 (Fuel EX 5.5), these are available at Firefox stations across the country. Firefox, which has a range of over 40 super bikes and is also the sole distributor of US-based Trek Bikes in the country, has plans to launch five new models of mountain bikes later this year. And while we wait for those, another Firefox model, Camelot, is a neat pick, especially for the younger lot. What’s exciting about this product is its foldable feature — the bicycle can fit into a carry bag!
This single-seater comes with a top spec, six-gear Shimano system, supposed to be the Hewland (the best brand of bespoke gear boxes for racing cars) of the bicycle world. The Camelot is priced at Rs 8,920 and is available at Firefox showrooms in the metros. This bicycle isn’t particularly heavy, though it’s fairly strong with a quick release mechanism and comprises of the best quality components.
Speaking of foldable bicycles, check out Gold Bicycle 2009 on the website ilovemybike.co.uk. If you like it, you can apply for an online purchase. This golden bike, at an approximate cost of £2,500 (minus shipping charges), folds down into a bag the size of a small suitcase. As the designers explain, originally this fancy thing was a one-seater Brompton S2L which was later stripped down, polished, plated in copper and finally covered in 24-carat gold! To jazz it up further, in place of the bar-mounted selector, a special fabricated jockey shift gear change with a pool ball on top (you heard it right) has now been introduced. If you like opulence, this one’s for you.
Where there’s luxury, there’s also Mercedes-Benz. The brand’s Automatic Bike ’05 is exactly what the name suggests. Pretty much automatic in everything, this bicycle comes with automatic gears, sensor-controlled lights and a brake light. This 20-kg bike has a load capacity of 80 kg. At Rs 71,000, the bicycle is suitable for everyday use, with a design exclusive to the Mercedes-Benz stable. The best feature, however, is its digitally-controlled suspension, which changes according to riding conditions. The product is available to order at the Auto Hanger showroom in Mumbai.
If you are looking to ride difficult terrain, and prefer a reasonable price range, we recommend the All-terrain 20” Raider by Firefox, available in a variety of colours, at Rs 5,890. It has a good frame, a front suspension fork and six-speed shifter gear system; it’s a good buy. Another pick could be the Firefox All-terrain 26” Cyclone, which comes with Shimano 18-speed gears. This is available for Rs 9,240.
Merida’s Matts series of bikes and full suspension bikes, meanwhile, in the range of Rs 25,000-30,000, claim better grip and control, and are equipped with sound-suspension technology. The UK-based bicycle brand is available at various outlets across the metros, including Bangalore and Pune.
PS: The Hermes bicycle, redone in a new edition with orange accents, makes one wish it was available in India. The Hermes store at The Oberoi, New Delhi, does not take orders for this Rs 1.80 lakh bicycle — yet. The earlier edition of this bike featured leather accents on the saddle and handlebar grips. The new one is made of lacquered stainless steel, while the frame, handles and saddle are clad in Taurillon Clemence leather — complete with a kickstand, front and back lighting, carrier with a special bungy cord, mud flap and spoke protector. Now that’s what we call a bicycle.
And that’s what we call a ride.
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