Alas, NOT one of the bikes reviewed in our round-up.
In case you hadn't heard, there's been this little global financial meltdown going on, so you're not getting another Hummer for your birthday this year. It's a good thing, then, that self-propelled locomotion is the move in '09. From high-end hipster stylings (Freeman Transport's collapsible fixies) to commuter revolutions (bike-sharing programs in D.C., Denver, Tucson, and elsewhere), America is figuring out what the world's known for years: Bicycles are a great way to get around when polar bears are doing the backstroke and wars for oil aren't as fun as they used to be. See below for 5 Great New Bikes For Any Style...
THE COASTER: VANMOOF 28"
• Bike-riding doesn't have to be about getting from point A to point B in the fastest possible time. Shit, it doesn't have to be about getting anywhere. The "Moof" is perfect for aimless cruising.
http://www.vanmoof.com/index.php
THE RACER: COLNAGO EPS
• If you do have to get somewhere fast, it's hard to top Colnago, the Italian racing company that's provided the locomotion for over 5000 pro wins since 1974.
http://www.colnago.com/index.php
THE MOUNTAIN BOMBER: INTENSE SPIDER FRO
• The opposite of aimless cruising is bombing down off-road trails, and in the case of the latter, the goal is having the most thrills per minute while also keeping your vertebrae in more or less working order. The Spider helps you do both, as its VPP (Virtual Pivot Point) suspension system tailors your ride to each bump while keeping your speed up by reducing pedal bob.
http://www.intensecycles.com/
THE ECO-FRIENDLY: BAMBOO BIKE STUDIO
• You've already reduced your carbon footprint by biking in the first place, but if you wanna really do your part, get a fully customized bamboo bike from Bamboo Bike Studio. In a weekend, the folks at BBS will teach you how to make your own bike from scratch, and give a portion of your class tuition to support bamboo bike factories in Africa and South America.
http://bamboobikestudio.com/go/
THE FIXIE: FREEMAN TRANSPORT NO1 TRACK BIKE
• Yeah, fixed gear hoopla has us ready to gag on a shotgun, too, but we've got to admit some of 'em are kinda cool (once you get past the overwhelming dorkitude of the whole thing). Case in point is Freeman Transport's collapsible NO1, a fun ride that won't have your fellow commuters ice grilling you on the subway.
http://www.freemantransport.com/
