Wheelie weird bikes

Think bikes are boring? Think again! Caramel Quin finds the wackiest two-wheelers in town
The designer bike
Cost: Biomega MN02 Bonanza, £2,195.
This isn't just a bike, it's a piece of design. Hence the hefty price tag. It's one of two Biomega bikes designed by Marc Newson, the Australian designer better known for trendy interior design and stuff like the futuristic Ford 021C prototype car.

Newson's first bike, the MN01 Extravaganza, is made of super plastic aluminium, has 14 gears, front suspension and hydraulic disc brakes – and a price of £3,450.

Which means the Bonanza's a bargain, relatively speaking. It's a simpler bike with no suspension, but it has a very cool trick up its sleeve. The frame is white by day and luminescent green by night because it's covered in glow-in-the-dark tritium paint. Both bikes are available from SCP.
www.biomega.dk
www.scp.co.uk

 
The scooter bike
Cost: The Spurter, from £120 plus shipping.
Proof that unusual bikes don't have to cost a bomb comes from Holland, home of the two-wheeler. The Spurter is actually a cross between a bike and one of those annoying little scooters everyone's using. So there are no pedals, let alone gears, but the push-powered machine's said to be fine for rough terrain and hills as well as on the flat.

All the models work the same way, but top of the range looks and comfort-wise is the Spurter S2000 (pictured, £335), which comes complete with mudguard, fender, drinking bottle and tools. Its two-piece stainless steel frame folds down small in no time, making it good for commuters. Available to order from Holland over the internet.
www.spurter.com


The suitcase bike
Cost: Skoot, £999.
This is an Essex-based company's bizarre attempt to make fold-up bikes more discreet by turning them into suitcases.

It's a good idea in theory. A single gear and enclosed chain makes the bike low maintenance and mess free. There's a commuter-friendly slot where you can stow a briefcase or laptop while you're riding. And when folded up, it can be wheeled along like a suitcase. But in practice the Skoot is ugly as hell – heads will turn as people look at your wheels for all the wrong reasons.

They're selling very well in Japan, apparently, but we can't see the Skoot being a big success over here. That is, unless the zany zebra print version (around £100 extra) becomes a fashion must-have.
www.skoot.com


The hi-tech bike
Cost: EP-X Roadster, £1,500.
A sci-fi bike and no mistake. Every bit of the EP-X is made with the latest hi-tech materials such as Kevlar, magnesium and carbon fibre. Ride down a busy street and its space-age looks will get as much attention as a sports car.

But the bike is as practical as it is poncey. The fancy materials make for a lighter frame, so you have less to lug around. It has seven easy-to-use gears, but instead of a chain they use a toothed belt that's silent, dirt-free and doesn't need oiling.

Also notice the way the rear wheel is suspended on an arm. While you're riding, the arm moves up and down to absorb some of the bumps. When you're not riding, you can take the front wheel off with a quick-release lever and then fold the rear wheel round into its place, leaving you with a much more manageable bundle to bung in the boot or on the train.
www.ep-x.com