Twisted and Mindboggling Bike Design Hides Secrets Within a Weldless Frame

Folks, it’s official. Here you have a design that proves a bike can be built without welds, without brazing, nothing except some nuts and bolts. It’s called the Loop, and it’s currently a conceptual bicycle design from Gaetan Francq of Francq Design Studio. However, once you get to know what it is you’re looking at, just like my colleagues and I did, you will agree that this bike needs a manufacturer, ASAP.

What makes the Loop so dang special is the frame; not like it wasn’t obvious. But there’s more to the story than meets the eye, you just have to look very close. At first sight maybe you don’t understand what I'm talking about as the twisted “loop” in the middle attracts all attention, but if you look closely at the head tube and “seat stay” you’ll see there is no welding whatsoever. Actually, there are no welded joints anywhere on the bike.

This weldless design, coupled with an innovative frame that does away with most of the tubes we’re used to seeing, is the reason we may very well behold this design on the next Indiegogo or Kickstarter campaign. But that’s only the start, so do continue reading.

Since we’ve had a look at the frame already, it’s time to consider the rest of the bike, as there’s much to cover. Another discerning feature is the fork. Yes, it is a lefty fork and is mounted to the frame via a redesigned headtube that bolts to the end of the Loop’s frame. This is how the welding was eliminated and the same system is used for the rear.

Also found at the front of the Loop, is a display that shows you details like how far you’ve ridden, how fast you’re going, outside temperature, time, and GPS. Oh, and you can connect to the bike via Bluetooth. Sadly, that’s about as e-bike the Loop will get. There’s no motor or battery to help you along, but it does look like a Gates Carbon Drive is used instead of a classic chain.

Now for the pièce de résistance, the bike is from a French designer, so to make sure things are in line with the French culture and way of life, the seat post hides a space where a rider can easily fit a bottle of wine. Talk about a fitting design.

One thing Francq did was create a layout of every piece the Loop will need to be built. Every nut, bolt, washer, and screw; all have been planned and designed. Even what sort of colors future owners can choose from for the frame, have also been developed. I personally enjoy the wood-like version. All setup on 26-inch tires and equipped with disc brakes, what more could you want?

Look, I'm not saying that the design is perfect, that’s all in the eye of the beholder and the likes, but be honest, isn’t it one of the most mindboggling frame designs that swept across your visual cortex?