Retro 'porteur' bike is a labour of love
Leather X Porteur (Ateliers d'Embellie)
This fixie created by Frenchman Nicolas Yvars could be the ultimate retro ride. It's handmade, using vintage parts and high quality leather.
Nico says it combines his three passions – "leathercraft, street fashion and luxury" – and has been designed as a 'porteur', a type of cargo bike originally used by newspaper sellers in Paris.
It took him more than a year to track down the parts, and he made the whole thing himself, outsourcing only the frame painting and wheelbuilding.
Called the Leather X Porteur, neat touches include the hip flask attachment under the saddle and hand-stitched detailing on the leather tube covers. Nico claims it has the "agility and reactivity of a track frame" with added comfort from the big tyres.
For those about to reach for their wallet, sorry – Nico says it's a "personal artwork" that he rides every day and has no plans to sell. It's just a way to promote his marketing company, Ateliers d'Embellie. Having said that, he is working on a matching travel bag for his front rack.
For more details about the project, see www.ateliersembellie.com/COG%26BITS.html.
User Comments
There are 5 comments on this post
Showing 1 - 5 of 5 comments
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simonaspinall
Posted Fri 10 Jul, 10:29 am UTC Flag as inappropriate
Does it come with a beret, poloneck jumper and a tendency to go on strike?
*Gallic Shrugs*
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nols
Posted Fri 10 Jul, 1:55 pm UTC Flag as inappropriate
no but i does come with a free stripey jumper and a string of onions to wear around your neck.
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simonaspinall
Posted Fri 10 Jul, 3:38 pm UTC Flag as inappropriate
It does look hideous. Why the obsession with looking retro on a bike - Look at the handlebars - It's unstable! Imagine going up a hill on it...or even worse: Downhill! Suicide!
Flats or drops!...possibly aerobars for when tt-ing. But for god's sake why punish yourself by looking more 'continental'?! It's nearly as bad as a pashley!
This is a fashion statement and nothing more - There is no logical reason why you would choose this bike over a standard touring bike, hybrid or road bike unless you have some soppy idea that bike makers in the 1930s got it right first time! Well, they didn't - They made a great contribution to the development of the bicycle but times move on, however the whole premise behind this bike sadly, has not.
Take off the misty eyed goggles of nostalgic france and buy a proper bike! Reserve your francophile attitude for wine and good bread!
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bol
Posted Fri 10 Jul, 10:12 pm UTC Flag as inappropriate
Gosh, it's really upset you Simon. I don't really understand why people get so worked up about other people's taste I'm bikes? Of course a modern bike is going to be superior, but that doesn't meen that old poor handling bikes can't be fun and nice to look at. Chill out.
I don't really understand why people have got a problem with the French either, but that's another debate.
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MrRex
Posted Sat 11 Jul, 1:37 am UTC Flag as inappropriate
hmmm, the french? Le bicyclette? Poutain......
I think the bike epitomises the French.... Not bad to look at, function could be better, technology a bit out of date and it thinks its quite superior to everything else.
I have lived n worked in france and love the place though! I'd much rather ride round it on a.....in fact Time VXR...
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