Photo: Frace Bike
That’s one way to stand out from the crowd: if you’re the type of cyclist that has a deep appreciation for the aesthetic of a bike and not just performance and durability, the Frace F160 might be for you.
Cut from a single, massive block of aluminum, the F160 is perhaps one of the most striking and beautiful bikes announced in recent years. It’s not electric, so you’ll have to rely on your legs only to move around, but it’s priced like a top-of-the-range electric product.
Bernd Iwanow, an engineer from Germany, came up with the idea after milling CNC parts for the automotive industry for several years. A couple of years ago, he was asked to join a project from a local bicycle manufacturer, which is when he came up with the idea for this striking design. The bike manufacturer went bust, but Iwanow still had the idea and all the tools to make it on his own.
This is exactly what he plans to do: according to PinkBike, Iwanow wants to bring the F160 into production, with the goal of making about 30 of these frames in the first year. He’s also looking for a North American distributor, so he’s open to the idea of a worldwide reach.
The F160 is developed with help from pro biker and test rider Frederik Tobiasch, and the version shown in the gallery attached is actually the fifth prototype to date and the one Iwanow is most pleased with. It’s made from a single, massive block of aluminum that is cut into eight different parts. These are then connected with titanium screws, and whatever is left of the 70 kg (154 pound) slab is used to create other parts, so wastage is minimal.
Iwanow says he uses only 7075 aluminum, which is impossible to weld and is very stiff, and this allows him to create the latticework of holes throughout the entire frame without compromising its durability. Each frame is strength- and fatigue-tested by Germany’s EFBE bicycle-assessment group.
The F160 weighs 16.3 kg (37 pounds) so, while it’s not the lightest non-motorized bicycle out there, it’s definitely the most visually striking. Pricing for a frame is set at €5,000 ($5,663), while complete bikes could sell for anything between €7,500 and €12,000 ($8,495 and $13,593), depending on configuration. Availability is listed as August 1, so maybe you still have time to save up?
Bernd Iwanow, an engineer from Germany, came up with the idea after milling CNC parts for the automotive industry for several years. A couple of years ago, he was asked to join a project from a local bicycle manufacturer, which is when he came up with the idea for this striking design. The bike manufacturer went bust, but Iwanow still had the idea and all the tools to make it on his own.
This is exactly what he plans to do: according to PinkBike, Iwanow wants to bring the F160 into production, with the goal of making about 30 of these frames in the first year. He’s also looking for a North American distributor, so he’s open to the idea of a worldwide reach.
The F160 is developed with help from pro biker and test rider Frederik Tobiasch, and the version shown in the gallery attached is actually the fifth prototype to date and the one Iwanow is most pleased with. It’s made from a single, massive block of aluminum that is cut into eight different parts. These are then connected with titanium screws, and whatever is left of the 70 kg (154 pound) slab is used to create other parts, so wastage is minimal.
Iwanow says he uses only 7075 aluminum, which is impossible to weld and is very stiff, and this allows him to create the latticework of holes throughout the entire frame without compromising its durability. Each frame is strength- and fatigue-tested by Germany’s EFBE bicycle-assessment group.
The F160 weighs 16.3 kg (37 pounds) so, while it’s not the lightest non-motorized bicycle out there, it’s definitely the most visually striking. Pricing for a frame is set at €5,000 ($5,663), while complete bikes could sell for anything between €7,500 and €12,000 ($8,495 and $13,593), depending on configuration. Availability is listed as August 1, so maybe you still have time to save up?
Google News