The Pubesmobile was unveiled this weekend at the North American Handmade Bicycle Show (NAHBS), and it truly stole the show.
The bike is the height of ridiculousness and knowingly pokes fun at the industry as a whole, while also being a fully functional (and, so we’ve heard, fun to ride) bike.
For those of you not in the know, BicyclePubes was, up until recently, an internet enigma (sadly now revealed). His left-field satirical commentary on the bike industry gained him a huge following on Instagram thanks to his hilarious observations, crude drawings and sometimes uncannily accurate predictions.
He teamed up with Petor Georgallou from Dear Susan (of Grayson Perry fame) to create a bike, and held a competition to decide what shape it would take. With no holds barred, the Pubesmobile became a fun challenge to make the wildest possible ideas a reality. And lo, this crazy bike was born.
The Pubesmobile overview
The Pubesmobile incorporates a whole range of features that BicyclePubes has poked fun at in the past, from the curved tubing to the carbon seatpost. The steel frame with lugs and the double top tube keep things very classic at the core, making its other features seem even more absurd.
Largely built around a tall bike frame with wildly tangled truss forks, the Pubesmobile rides on 20in wheels with monstrous 4in tyres.
It features cantilever brakes with a double-pull mechanism, which in the first instance activates a bugle horn at the front and a whoopee cushion at the rear (yes, really), and in the second provides actual stopping power with custom anodised Paul Klamper disc brakes.
Paul Components, in fact, provided many custom parts for the bike.
Other highlights include the White Industries crankset, the stunning paint job by Cole Coatings using Spray.Bike paint and the ’97 Chevy Lumina carved onto a Brooks Pro saddle by Jerry JM Smith.
Finally, it’s the little things that really finish it off, such as the custom BicyclePubes ball-bag — sorry, bar bag — and the reflective danglies below the saddle, provided by the folks at Safety Pizza.
And let’s not forget the all-important Ti dangle-mug.
Enter the raffle to win the Pubesmobile
BicyclePubes is raffling off this work of art in order to raise funds for Planned Parenthood. For as little as $10 it could be yours, just enter via Raffle Network (open to US residents only).
If you can’t get enough of the Pubesmobile
If you want the full story behind how this beautiful monstrosity was born, BikeRumor conducted a two-part interview with Petor Georgallou. We’d recommend starting with the first instalment for a richer experience.
What do you think? Is this the most postmodern bike in existence? Or was it a complete waste of time and resources? Let us know in the comments below.
