By LINDA LACINA
The Conundrum
Two-wheeling may be a healthy and fuel-efficient way to cruise the city streets -- but as a fashion statement, it can be rather pedestrian. Enter Italian style titan Gucci, which has partnered with bicycle maker Bianchi to produce a $ 14,000 urban and off-road bike. The 11-speed carbon fiber model was designed by Frida Giannini, Gucci's creative director, and includes practical features like disc brakes, as well as aesthetic flourishes such as a frame decorated with the label's trademark stripes (the Gucci logo is, naturally, stitched into the bike's custom leather seat). To complete the look, a line of accessories is also available, including a matching helmet ($ 890) and $ 105 water bottle.
The Reality
More show horse than workhorse, this bike doesn't offer suspension to handle potholes and other urban-riding hazards, says Jim Papadapoulos, a bicycle researcher at Northeastern University. It also lacks fenders to prevent the "skunk stripe" of dirt wheels can kick onto a rider's back, says Shannon Holt, an organizer for Oregon Manifest, a bike-design challenge held in Portland. At four times the price of Bianchi's next-most-costly off-roading bike ($ 3,500), Holt calls it merely a "basic bike prettied up with a high-end brand." Gucci declined to comment. Bianchi says it chose not to use the suspension fork to save on weight and that the fender is unnecessary for an "urban bike."
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Gucci.com
