The bicycle may be one of the most important inventions for making the most of human strength to provide transportation. Some claim that the earliest bicycle concept goes back to the likes of Leonardo da Vinci. The earliest verifiable bicycle designs, from the early 19th century, were made of wood, and therefore quite heavy. Since then, bicycle design has come a long way and with today’s material technologies combined with natural wood, it is a pleasure to see a re-exploration of the idea of using wood.
The Italian design student Daniele Quintaba, in collaboration with his master woodworker father, has created a novel and beautiful design, combining layers of ash and mahogany with carbon fiber. The carbon-fiber-and-wood bicycle weighs only 9 kg, which is exactly the typical weight of most high-performance road bicycles.
Apart from the laminated frame, some parts are of metal, such as the axels, bearings, brakes, gears and wheels. The composite frame is extremely strong but still elastic, offering the cyclist the most pleasurable journey as the frame absorbs vibrations from contact with the road.
The father-and-son team have created a bicycle design start-up venture, Wood Carbon Bikes, in collaboration with SingolFixie in Torre San Patrizio in Italy. Each Wood Carbon Bike is exquisitely handcrafted. According to their web site, a unique Wood Carbon Bike currently costs €6,500, with delivery offered within 40 days from order.
