A bicycle is a beautiful thing, unless it isn’t.
I’ve been to quite a few bike shows in my time and there are always a few bikes that make you do a double take, and not in a good way, and on that level this year’s Taipei Bike Show didn’t disappoint.
There are some babies only a mother could love, as they say, and it pertains also to bicycles it seems. The only question to be asked is ‘What were you thinking?’
Aluminium is a wonderful material and can be used to create not only a very good ride but also an aesthetically pleasing frame… but that is not the case here. Not sure what the designer was hoping to showcase, perhaps that they have an excess of tubes lying around the factory and he or she is handy with a blowtorch?
The pink saddle and red bar tape is a colour combo I’ve never seen before and I’d be quite happy if I never saw it again. I feel a little depressed when I look at this concoction… it could be the heavy grey of the frame, possibly it’s the strange angle of the drops on the bars, it could be that the steerer tube hasn’t been cut to be flush with the stem or… or, it could be everything.
For just $20,023 (I think you could possibly haggle them down to $20,000), this RYUGER EIDOLON BR-RTS could be yours. And what more could you want? Apart from, say, lots and lots… and lots, of other things.
The Ryuger website says these flying kangaroos come out of Tokyo, where they are inspected ‘at the Japan Vehicle Inspection association. In regards to E bikes this testing center is probably the most stringent testing in the world. Their Job is to try and break that bike [maybe one day they will succeed and we can all rest easy once again – CP]. The motor is checked if it interferes with a heart pace maker, the lithium battery gets cooked in an oven and the bike is increased to the breaking point with good fashion bar bell weights. If the bike passes this stage then the Japanese Police are invited to ride the bike. From there behind closed doors a meeting takes place with the Police and (VIA) to determine if the E bike is suitable for the general population.’
The question begs to be asked, suitable for what though?
And let’s take a look at the logo, the Flying Kangaroo, which despite living in Japan for 10 years I have to say I was unfortunate never to have encountered this animal.
But they do exist, as this image for the website proves without a shadow of a doubt.
It would appear that one poor kangaroo has passed onto another realm, presumably from looking at the bike, whilst the smaller marsupial on the left seems to be getting ready to… well, perhaps it/s mating season? You know what these kangaroos are like… three pints of Fosters and they’ll shag anything.
Next!
It looks like a bike on a worrying acid trip, where things have gotten proper out of shape and you’re questioning the validity not only of your existence but that of the entire universe. I find myself asking ‘why?’ but know there could be no possible answer to justify what I’m looking at.
There’s an e-bike version, loads of colours available, and ah… yeah… nothing is gonna save this one…
In the next article we will take a look at the good stuff, stay tuned!
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