Dezeen's top 10 cycling designs of 2014
An elevated bicycle highway for London, a "bike in a bag", and a glow-in-the-dark cycle path were among Dezeen editor Anna Winston's favourite cycling-related designs on Dezeen this year.
SkyCycle by Foster + Partners, Exterior Architects and Space Syntax
British architect Norman Foster lent his weight to a proposal to build a 220-kilometre network of elevated cycle paths above London's railways – a scheme that proved popular among safety-conscious cyclists following a series of fatal accidents in the city.
SkyCycle would have 200 entrance points dotted across the UK capital to provide access to ten different cycle paths, with each route accommodating up to 12,000 cyclists per hour.
"SkyCycle is a lateral approach to finding space in a congested city," said Foster, who is a regular cyclist. Find out more about SkyCycle »
Impossible electric bicycle by Impossible Technology
This bike by Beijing-based design team Impossible Technology can fold down to be carried in a backpack – an unusual feat for an electric bicycle.
Its carbon fibre frame is formed from a series of circles instead of the horizontal girder structure usually used to give bicycles the necessary strength to carry a passenger. The parts connect using a central steel box. Find out more about this bicycle »
MASS bicycle collection by Philippe Starck
French designer Philippe Starck unveiled four electrically assisted bicycles with matching accessories at the Eurobike event in Germany, including a bike with a furry coat. Each one has a battery pack to provide extra power when the rider pedals.
The range is called MASS – which stands for Mud, Asphalt, Sand and Snow – and each design is adapted for a specific environment. The collection is produced by Starck's Starckbike company and manufacturer Moustache Bikes.
"I wanted the bike to be able to go over all kinds of terrains and especially infinite and poetic territories," said Starck. Find out more about the MASS collection »
Van Gogh cycle path by Daan Roosegaarde
Dutch designer Daan Roosegaarde continued to experiment with glowing road surfaces, unveiling a cycle path illuminated with patterns based on Vincent van Gogh's painting The Starry Night.
The kilometre-long section of path in Nuenen forms part of the Van Gogh cycle route through the Dutch province of Noord Brabant, and is coated with a special paint that uses energy gathered during the day to glow after dark. Find out more about the Van Gogh cycle path »
Bike Lift and Carry by Mukomelov
This woven fabric strap by Ukrainian studio Mukomelov comes in a plastic case that can be attached to the seat bar of a standard bicycle. It unrolls like a queue divider to create a handle that loops over the carrier's shoulder.
"It allows you to carry your bike while having one (or even two!) hands free, which simplifies opening doors to your house or office and other manoeuvres," studio founder Aleksandr Mukomelov told Dezeen. Find out more about Bike Seat and Carry »
Deimatic Clothing by Will Verity
Central Saint Martins graduate Will Verity designed clothes embedded with LEDs that flash faster as cars approach, after he discovered that safety fears were the biggest factor preventing more women from cycling in the UK.
He based the idea for his first jacket on "deimatic" behaviour used by animals to scare off and distract predators, such as suddenly displaying conspicuous eyespots. Proximity sensors embedded into the garment control the panel of LEDs sewn into the back that begin to flash when a car gets too close. Find out more about Verity's Deimatic Clothing »
Automated processes used in the car industry were employed to create the design for this bicycle by Design Academy Eindhoven graduate Bob Schiller to encourage the return of manufacturing to the Netherlands.
"Cycling is part of our culture and it has been for centuries. However, an affordable, contemporary Dutch bicycle disappeared from our streets," said Schiller.
The main frame of the bicycle is created by pressing two sheets of aluminium and spot-welding them together, with the edges exaggerated to double as a design element. Find out more about the Epo bicycle »
One of a number of cycling accessories that sought Kickstarter funding this year, Seatylock is both a bicycle seat and a one-metre-long bike lock.
The device was designed to work with most standard seat columns. When the user wants to secure their bike, the seat can be lifted off and a chain made of steel links unfolds from underneath. The designers claim that placing the lock underneath the seat puts it in the bicycle's centre of gravity, meaning that riders won't feel like they are carrying extra weight. Find out more about the Seatylock »
Double O bike lights by Paul Cocksedge
London designer Paul Cocksedge created a set of circular bike lights, featuring 12 LEDs inside a polycarbonate shell with a robust silicone. The LEDs are more spaced out than the densely arranged ultra-bright bulbs used by many other bike lights to produce a bright glow that is less dazzling for other cyclists and car drivers.
When not in use, the lights can be attached to a bicycle by slotting them over a standard lock. "The inspiration for Double O comes directly from the shape of the bicycle," said Cocksedge. "I wanted something that almost looked like the bike had designed it itself." Find out more about the Double O bike lights »
One of the most popular bike designs on Dezeen this year, Kit Bike is a conceptual "bike in a bag" that would quickly dismantle into parts to fit into a backpack.
"The Kit Bike was designed to make problems of shipping, traveling with and commuting with a bike, a thing of the past," said the Indian company's creative director, Amit Mirchandani.
The full-size version of the bicycle would be assembled from a series of 21 parts that twist and lock together. Find out more about the Kit Bike »