Next weekend, the 3-5 June, the glamorous streets of Monte Carlo play host to a bike show like no other. Back for its second year, the LikeBike Monte Carlo event packs many of cycling's most prestigious brands and their exclusive creations all under one roof. Ahead of the extravaganza, here's a preview of some of the most exciting – and expensive – bikes set to star.
Sarto 18k Gold
Priced at a cool £18,000/€22,500, just 25 examples of Italian-brand Sarto’s 18k Gold bike have been made, each frame having been custom-built to its rider’s dimensions. The sparkling highlights that you see decorating the frame are made from real, 18-carat gold and were made by an Italian jeweler based near Sarto's headquarters in Venice. Astonishingly, the bike’s saddle, handlebar tape and chainstay protector are fashioned from none other than Zimbabwean crocodile skin leather.
Lacroix Velo
Few bikes are as distinctive as this lattice-like creation from LaCroix. Instead of conventional tubing it uses a woven structure to form its top tube, down tube and seat tube. According to LaCroix the structure is superior to other carbon designs. If you want to enjoy its purported benefits, however, you'll need a spare £13,260/€17,000.
Veloboo Gold
Hungarian-brand Veloboo is set to display the Gold, a £30,000/€ 39,000 bicycle that uses a bamboo frame and copious amounts of 24-carat gold plating. Only 30 will ever be produced.
Audi Lightweight Sport Racing
Anyone seeking Vorsprung durch Technik within the bike industry need look no further. When automotive-giant Audi paired up with German carbon-specialist Lightweight, this was the result. Limited to just 50 examples worldwide, the Sport Racing bike wears a livery reminiscent to that seen on Audi’s Le Mans racers. Boasting some of the world's lightest carbon-fibre components, the whole package weighs an incredible 5.8kg (12.78lb).
Trefecta DRT
Glance at the DRT from Trefecta and it won't come as much of a surprise to learn it was built with military use in mind. Blurring the lines between an e-bike and an electric motorcycle, the £17,900/€22,500 DRT’s 4Kw motor feeds an automatic transmission and is capable of reaching a top speed of 72km/h (45mph).
LikeBike 2016 takes place over 3-5 June at Monte Carlo’s Grimaldi Forum. Tickets are on sale now at the LikeBike website.
