For those of you who like to check the freshest things in bicycling, here's something very new from a brand that's very old.
At first glance this Schwinn Vestige might look your typical hip commuter bike. But closer inspection of its “ingredients” will reveal that the frame is actually made from biodegradable flax fibers and covered with water soluble paint.
Further, the grips and fenders are fashioned from bamboo and the Schwalbe tires use a recyclable rubber insert.
No wonder this eco-friendly bike received the 2010 Eurobike Gold Award for innovative design, according to news from Schwinn. The Eurobike jury commented:
“The Schwinn vestige is very interesting from an ecological point of view. The frame made of flax makes a high proportion of it recyclable. A new material on the scene!”
The Eurobike jury bestowed a total 12 gold awards, including one to Burley for its Travoy bike trailer. See all the “2010 Eurobike Gold Award winners”
Flax fiber
Apparently the flax fiber material provides the same benefits as carbon fiber, but without the carbon footprint. Further, Schwinn says the flax fiber has an better ability to dampen and absorb road vibration.
There's another feature that makes the bike stand out — the frame tubes are translucent and illuminated from inside using a front hub dynamo system. Also, the flax, bamboo and rubber mean it's largely recyclable.
The Schwinn company dates back to the 1890s and dominated the bicycle business in the US through most of the 20th century. Imports, labor problems and inability to keep up with market changes ruined the business, however, and Pacific Cycles bought it at auction on Sept. 11, 2001. Three years later, Canadian conglomerate Dorel Industries purchases Pacific, but Schwinn lived on as a brand.
Bamboo bikes
I'd like to tell you how much this new Schwinn Vestige costs, but it's not yet listed among other products yet at the Schwinn website. Most of the other Schwinns, however, sell for well under $1,000.
At first blush I would question the advisability of leaving a bicycle made from plant fibers and covered with water soluble paint out in the rain, but I'm sure the engineers at Schwinn have already solved that problem. Still, since this is a new bike, the jury is probably still out on the durability factor.
If you're looking for bicycles with low carbon footprints, there always bamboo. Since Calfee started making those bikes a few years ago, interest has grown to the point that they've been discovered by the New York Times. You can check out their article in the Fashion & Style section, “Noticed: Just don't let a panda borrow your bicycle.”
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