[Closed] coolest darkside bike ever?

I got the number of a good metal worker to help straighten the frame and a solictor to sue the tw*t who ran over it. I hope that you're not injured though. 😕

Fixed cranks? Be better with the ability to lower the outside pedal, and Fabian Cancellara would still leave it for dead.

50 mph? I can do that on a standard road bike.

..and no deep section rims? Amateurs, frankly.

[img] [/img]
Caption Competition surely?

Oh, he certainly went to a "whole nother level".
One that I wish I hadn't been party to.

I bet his other bike is a fixie.

Daft, very cool but daft!!

I think that's ace, but personally I'd have thought that a more stretched out position would have been more beneficial?

Needs tighter Jeans.

No bike is cool. And certainly not that stupid looking thing.

Maybe it would be loved more if spoons and carbon fibre were used 😉

not very darkside if you get a look its more mountain bike than owt else.

mine 8)

Looks freaking dangerous. And gash.

Rubbish.

THIS:

[img] [/img]

is the coolest looking road bike ever. Apart from the cables on this one.
And the saddle, which should be a Brooks Pro.

[img] [/img]

Would you like me to make an appointment for you Mr Spanner?

I assume you mean a psychiatrist? 😀

Used to get Raleigh brochures every year as a kid from a local bike shop.
Didn't know anyne else made bikes 'till I was about 8 or so 🙂

Always wanted one of these:
[img] [/img]

but had to settle for one of these:
[img] [/img]

Chipper

OLD...

...and shoite.

Merchant-Banker - Member
Chipper

slainte 8) rob

cynic-al - Member

OLD...

...and shoite.

Don't care so ner.... 🙂

Eight year old me thought it was the coolest thing ever and 42 year old me can't quite shake of the feeling I may have been right:

[img] [/img]

And that purple thing ( not mine, sadly) is a standard Tomahawk. Seat is original, like this one:

[img] [/img]

RS, can we more pics of the Team Raleigh please? Just the best thing ever!

Needs [s]tighter[/s] his sister's Jeans

Anybody using the word (and anything described as) darkside isn't cool, by definition.

That's not a road bike. It has flat bars and disc brakes. Sort of look like 26" wheels too. With slick tyres, it's a hybrid. One that isn't very fast either, with no drive.

A parlee with thought controlled gears you say?

http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/shifting-by-hand-is-definitely-for-losers

Tiger striped de rosa?

[img] [/img]

Niche modern steel flyer?

[img] [/img]

Take your pick really. Although for me I think it would have to be the de rosa. If it was slammed I just wouldn't be able to control myself at all.

I just googled Raleigh Team pro Daisy.

There seem to be a few left 🙂

I'd love to get a modern, high quality steel frame and respray it like one of the old Raleigh road bikes from my yoot, complete with shorty guards and shiny bar tape
[img] [/img]

[img] [/img]

Old & rubbish, but nice all the same.

Now rusty you do need to sort a few things out!

Picture one - Its got Shimano kit on! Certainly the chainset and rear gear are suspect. The cables (apart from being to long) should run along the left hand side of the top tube.

Picture five (in the kitchen - sort those work surfaces) Gear lever right back but in smallest sprocket. No toe clips. Only two top tube clips. Three are required!

Report back when sorted please.

So it's a little bit like a road bike but not as fast, as light or as comfortable as a road bike and you have to push it back to the top. Call me a hater if you want but I'm having difficulty spotting the cool-ness.

The thought shifting bike is kinda cool in a firefox childhood reminiscing way way but all the mince that goes through my head while I'm pedalling along I reckon I'd be lucky to ever be in the right gear.

Not my bikes 🙁

I almost prefer the cheap, chrome & gas pipe ones:

[img] [/img]

I think it's time for my medication......

Caption comp?

Taking tooling to a new level
[img] [/img]<

You lot are missing the point - you're posting road bikes, not "darkside" bikes. The official definition of a darkside bike being something that's not as good as a road bike for riding on road (and also considerably worse off-road than a road bike), but suited to MTBers who think it looks cool and/or don't have the flexibility to ride a proper road bike.

For everyone moaning about it being impractical, lambos are impractical. Can't get the shopping in the boot or any furniture from ikea. Drinks fuel like it's going out of fashion. But it's still cool

I always wanted one of these when I was a kid.

[img] [/img]

Now, this [i]is[/i] cool.

[img] [/img]

http://www.3wiw.com/hetchins/

not darkside but definitely cool:

[img] [/img]

"His gravity bike features elegant curves constructed from 4130 steel that belie a great structural integrity..."

Bollocks, a great structural integrity would be using straight tubes, and hence be lighter.

There is only ONE cool bike on this thread and it's the English that RealMan posted.
8/10 for the DeRosa too, a good second effort.

[i]That's not a road bike[/i]

How can it not be a road bike? It's designed to go on the road. You couldn't ride it off road. So it's a road bike.

First impression was euuugh, pass the eye bleach.

But on closer examination there is a lot to like 😆

I do like the single sided hubs and the overall cafe racer type crouch.

However, would prefer to see wider bars, and a much longer wheelbase - I'd reckon an at least another foot on the top tube length

This is cool:

[img] [/img]

Particularly as it's vastly impractical, a commuter/urban bike that's totally black. Still looks awesome though. And 15lbs.

That picture could be my bike when I was 14!

[img] [/img]

Saved up for weeks to buy it for £52. Even had the same rack at the same crazy angle. Was fantastic until I stripped the BB.

That's not a road bike

How can it not be a road bike? It's designed to go on the road. You couldn't ride it off road. So it's a road bike.

[img] [/img]

[img] [/img]

Actually, as it's got no drive, I'm wondering if it's even a bike. Surely it's a scooter?

Also the distinct lack of 700c wheels (I think), drop bars, plus having disc brakes rule it out as well.

There is only ONE cool bike on this thread and it's the English that RealMan posted.
8/10 for the DeRosa too, a good second effort.

Nice to know I'm not the only one who knows something about cool.. 😉

Also treks can not really be cool, unless they're very special. So the first one is a no no, and the second one could be, I don't know if it's mass produced or not. However, it's not slammed, so it's not cool. If it's from a big American brand, it better be really special.

http://www.bikerumor.com/2011/07/17/custom-specialized-globe-coffee-bike-with-stealth-di2-shifting/

I'm sorry, but (IIRC) you own the Northwave 'Tuxedo' jersey, so you have no idea whatsoever of what is cool and everything you say on the matter is totally invalid.

There are fewer District Carbons than De Rosa Majibits, and the Trek isn't produced in Taiwan. Further confirming your lack of knowledge on the subject.

It's utterly pointless, poorly thought out and ugly.

Looks well fabricated with some interesting ideas but is totally compromised by the short wheelbase, heavy non-aero front fork and a frame that looks a bit suspect.

the Trek isn't produced in Taiwan.

Don't think I said it was...

I'm sorry, but (IIRC) you own the Northwave 'Tuxedo' jersey, so you have no idea whatsoever of what is cool and everything you say on the matter is totally invalid.

That jersey is bangin' 😉

Don't think I said it was...

Whilst the DeRosa...

That jersey is a true abomination, it really is woefully tacky. Your defence of it confirms that you really do know nothing about cool. I 😉

TBH I'd give it up [url= http://www.love2pedal.com/Items/Item.aspx?SKU=pm.ritzbluevest.sz-&caSKU=pm.ritzbluevest.sz-&caTitle=Primal%20Wear%20Ritz%20Tuxedo%20Cycling%20Jersey%20with%20Blue%20Vest%20comes%20with%20DeFeet%20Socks%20-%20Your%20Choice%20of%20Size ]for this[/url], but it's a bit pricey.

I have a sneaking suspicion you're just jealous that you can't pull off a look like that..

Whilst the DeRosa...

I don't care where or how it's made. I make involuntary noises every time I see one. Have you seen their site?

http://www.derosanews.com/

It's got some Italian bloke in a suit that's like mafia blue or something, and he looks like he's just been disrespected by someone who's gonna regret it. And they've got a picture of what looks like a modern team of Italian hardmen with 70s haircuts. It's off the f***ing chain.

For everyone moaning about it being impractical, lambos are impractical.

Liking that commuter njee

I do like this one:

[img] [/img]

I know it's a bit of a logo overload, but this looks flippin cool...

[img] [/img]

But for me, this is just stunningly cool...

[img] [/img]

The only cool bike posted on this thread so far is the Boris Bike.

Whaddayoulot like..

That bike is designed for a singular purpose, of course it's cool, it's an interpretation of one mans minds eye design, perfect..
Stop squabbling, hhahhaahahaha

That Fuji is a loverly thing, so too the De Rosa..

That bike is designed for a singular purpose [...] it's an interpretation of one mans minds eye design, perfect..

Reads like the very definition of uncool.

So what precisely is it meant to be?

Following the 2nd pic with it's rider I assume this is the start of the latest niche [I]"Aero Hipster"[/I] for when you can't hang about and need to get to that coffee shop with free Wifi to watch a gripping Webcast on your ipatch or the like...

It is niether cool nor likely to go fast and for those reason I'm out!

I respect all of your opinions. But you're wrong. It's still a cool bike.

If someone said here wanna go on my bike down this big hill, tell me you wouldn't smile and jump on the cool machine

Jebus guys, it's a gravity bike! The point is you sit on it and whizz down a hill with no other propulsion than Newton's Finest!

Would you compare a hang-glide to a fighter jet? Or a bob-sleigh to a ski-doo?

It's a cool - albeit slightly clumsily built - tool for a specific sport. I want a go on it, therefore, it's cool!

The Fuji is too garish and Euro to be cool.
I do like those English bikes though. The TT one is probably not UCI-legal though...

But it's not a particularly good stab at a "Gravity bike" really...

If your design goal is to optimise a bike for gravity fed only descent on tarmac, then surely the main focus has to be aerodynamics and stability at speed, so a rider sat on the thing in a fetal position Vs stretching the rider out over a longer chassis with a more stable wheelbase, I'd opt for the later just to reduce frontal area as a starter, are they actually limited on wheelbase or something?

Just seems like this design will be less stable at speed with a higher COG, more frontal area and short twichy wheelbase...

Definately a "Minds eye Vision" rather than a physics or engineering based concept...

Still each to their own....

I want a go on it, therefore, it's cool!

[url] http://www.gravitybike.com/Gbikes/What.html [/url]

[url] http://www.gravitybike.com [/url]

Hmmm, having googled the sport now it seems very Ummm "American"....

The podium shots have plently of "Big boned chaps" I can only assume it appeals due to the lack of requirement for pedaling...
A thinner chap would appear to have a natural Aero and cornering advantage...

This is not a "Cool" Sport...

Awe..so a bloke with some tube, a welder and some idea about sticking it alltogether, slaming some wheels on it, and going fast downhill is uncool eh..
It is be it's definition, cool.

100lbs of lard and a goatee beard seems to be the recipe for success in Gravity Biking. Mind you, doing 90mph (they claim) on a converted BMX could be quite 'interesting'.

Define Cool then...

Obese Yanks attempting to fold their ample bodies onto a botched childs bike so they can trundle down a closed road doesn't strike me as "Cool"...

aracer - Member
Is that definition based on the fact you think you're cool?

I [b][i]AM[/i][/b] cool...

[img] [/img]

Having had a look at those links, I want a go!!! Shall we organise an STW gravity league?

It's the subject of a STW debate. It isn't cool.

As uncool as it is. I think there should be an STW Gravity League started...

Goatee and Gut compulsory...

The TT one is probably not UCI-legal though...

I think it is actually.

Loving that Berner footflaps, it's like a glorious JCB.

That Fuji is hideous, and not just because it isn't slammed.

Also, when you ride down a mountain road on a road bike, you pedal out of the corners, otherwise you go really slow. So what happens when you get to a corner on that scooter thing?

Which is pretty much what will happen to this guy, he'll go out to "shred" and a handy rider on a perfectly normal roadbike will overtake him.

+1

The point isn't how much faster a pedaled bike would be, the point is how fast you can make a completely unpowered bike go.
Same as soap box racing... Looks like it could be bloody good fun!

Having just been watching my older son (who's perfectly capable of riding a bike with pedals) on his little brother's bike, I've realised that this is just the adult version of one of these:
[img] [/img]

Presumably for people who've made it to 30 without learning how to pedal?

Clearly it's this [img] [/img]

[url= http://www.kentalog.net/2011/02/cherubim-air-line.html ]here![/url]