Gallery: Philippe Starck's Electric Mountain Bikes Boost You Up Hills in Style
Starck Network01Philippe Starck electric bike VELO MUD PROFIL
For riding in wet dirt, Starck took advantage of Moustache’s differentiated diameter wheel setup. Mud’s 29-inch front wheel is made to get the bike over roots and large rocks, while the 27.5” rear wheel assures high levels of torque when it’s time for the electric pedal assist to kick in.
Starck Network02Philippe Starck electric bike VELO MUD 3-4 FRONT
The battery will take this bike and a 155-pound rider as far as 100 miles on a flat road, but it’s best used for powering up mountains—so it can be taken back down again.
Starck Network03Philippe Starck electric bike VELO ASPHALT 3-4 BACK
Made for riding on actual paved surfaces, it’s no surprise Asphalt is the quickest of the set: The base version will hit 15 mph, but the faster model will be capable of doing 28. It’s range is impressive, too: Up to 75 miles, on a flat road at a pedestrian 12 mph.
Starck Network04Philippe Starck electric bike VELO ASPHALT PROFIL
The dual suspension frame, 26-inch rims, and saddle made by Fzik should keep the rider comfortable even in the most pothole-riddled areas.
Starck Network05Philippe Starck electric bike VELO SAND A 3-4 FRONT
For Sand, Starck went with shocks designed by Bluto to fit over the huge tires from Schwalbe, to keep the rider on top of the sand rather than knee deep in it. To keep the sand from mucking everything up in bad weather, the bike comes with a protective cover.
Starck Network06Philippe Starck electric bike VELO SAND B 3-4 BACK
Depending on what mode the rider uses, the wind, and the gradient, the battery take the bike between 19 and 37 miles on a charge.
Starck Network07Philippe Starck electric bike. VELO SNOW A 3-4 FRONT
Cold weather is no friend to lithium ion batteries, so Starck slapped synthetic fur frame on the Snow bike. Who knows how well it works (and if does a solid job, automakers may want to consider the idea for their electric cars), but at least it’s eye-catching.
Starck Network08Philippe Starck electric bike VELO SNOW A PROFIL
The bike sits on the same huge Schwalbe tires used on the Sand model to provide lift and traction. The single-fork frame should keep snow from building up in the bike. “I wanted the bike to be able to go over all kinds of terrains and especially infinite and poetic territories,” Starck says.
