Bordeaux’s answer to London’s Boris Bike and Paris’ Vélib has been unveiled – the ever-so-striking Pibal, designed by Philippe Starck. The pre-prototype shown off to the city mayor yesterday morning is constructed of aluminium and weighs 16kg, 7kg less than its UK cousin.
The bike’s most notable feature is a scooter-inspired platform, for trips where it’s easier to push off and coast. The Pibal features internal hub gearing and dynamo-driven lights. It will be manufactured by Peugeot.
The first 300 bikes will hit Bordeaux’s boulevards in September 2013 and phase out the city’s current fleet of 3,500 communal bikes, regional paper Sud Ouest reported.
Starck, who is most famous for interior decorating and his cult product and watch designs, worked on the project for free. “I wasn’t interested in the aesthetic at all,” he said. “It's a workhorse; this is a rustic bike.”