Beyond the horizon, there are many other bikes you can go fast on - it doesn't always have to be a thoroughbred racing bike. TOUR has asked six extravagant racing bikes of a somewhat different kind to come together. You can find out which bikes they are here... but first an interesting picture gallery of the "special racing bikes":
ICE SPRINT X
Uli Frieß, test manager of our sister magazine E-BIKE, put it best. During the seat test on the recumbent trike from British manufacturer ICE, the passionate glider pilot was reminded of the view from a cockpit. The fact that flying can be fun even when you're only 20 centimetres above the asphalt becomes clear after just a few metres on the Sprint X. The direct steering and low centre of gravity make it possible to take even tight bends almost without braking. However, the limited suitability of the concept for everyday use cannot be ignored. In city traffic, there is always the worry of being overlooked by motorists. On the other hand, the bike is ideal as a touring and sports bike for leisurely country excursions. On country roads with little traffic, the kart-like riding experience can release a lot of adrenalin. To get there, the bike, which is surprisingly light for its size, can be folded up so compactly in just a few simple steps that it can easily be taken on the train or in the car.
Price 3,896 Euro
Weight 13.9 kilos
Sizes unisize, adjustable for heights from approx. 1.65 to approx. 2.00 metres
Info www.icletta.com
DAHON ANNIVERSARY BIKE
Practical and sexy? Don't always go together when it comes to bicycles. Not so with the Anniversary Bike, which the Taiwanese manufacturer Dahon launched in 2012 to celebrate its 30th anniversary. To ensure that the bike is not only easy to carry, but also fast to ride, the product managers threw all thought prohibitions overboard. 20-inch carbon wheels? The Anniversary Bike has them. A Dura-Ace derailleur combined with a three-speed gear hub? Probably only available on this model. The fact that the 10.4-kilo folding racer can handle the sporty pace is proven by its victory at the London Nocturne 2012 night criterium.
only in the folding bike class, but still. The manufacturer specifies a maximum height of 1.93 metres. However, we recommend the bike for people no taller than 1.85 metres.
Price 3,999 Euro
Weight 10.4 kilos
Sizes unisize, adjustable for body sizes from approx. 1.60 to approx. 1.85 metres
Info www.germany.dahon.com
SANTANA CABRIO
No matter where you turn up in this matt silver stretch limo on two wheels: Mouths open and mobile phones are pulled out to take photos. And both of our test driver's daughters didn't want to get off after the test lap. The riding experience for the person in front: it works and rides like a two-person tandem. The basic version of the Cabrio - as this model from US manufacturer Santana is called - is a modular tandem that can be expanded into a three- or even four-seater by installing intermediate parts. Conversely, this means that it can be dismantled into handy individual parts if required - useful for holiday trips. In the luxurious titanium version with ingenious screw-on clutches and no less great Di2 gears, the price unfortunately escalates in line with the length of the bike. But there are also cheaper options: convertibles with steel or aluminium frames are available at four-figure prices.
Price 18,500 euros
Weight 22 kilos
Sizes S, M, L, customised on request, optionally for 28- and 26-inch wheels
Info www.santana-tandem.com
KEMPER PEDERSEN RACER
The Pedersen with hammock saddle is primarily known as a comfort bike for leisure cyclists. This was not always the case. The British racing cyclist Harry Goss Green set several records on a "Pedersen Racer" in 1900 - including for the London-Liverpool route and over a distance of 100 miles. Frame builder Michael Kemper from Erkelenz in the Rhineland has dedicated himself to the renaissance of the Pedersen bike for more than 25 years. His version of a racing Pedersen is closely modelled on Goss Green's machine. The comfortable, back-friendly riding position for which Pedersen bikes are known does not allow the sporty riding position here; instead, the reduced equipment with track wheels and no gears beautifully emphasises the timelessly elegant shape of the sturdy half-timbered frame.
Price 1,800 Euro
Weight 9.9 kilos
Sizes made to measure
Info www.kemper-velo.de
GIOS ANTICO
It is well known that the Japanese often live in cramped conditions. Accordingly, a bicycle cannot take up much space there. One reason why minivelos like the Gios Antico are very popular in the island nation. The fact that they also have to be taken seriously as bicycles becomes clear as soon as you get involved with the quirky hybrid of racing and folding bike. In the "traffic light sprint" and "slalom through rush hour" disciplines, the 20-inch wheels prove to be an almost unfair advantage. Small wheels equals low flywheel mass equals fantastic acceleration is the recipe that immediately puts a broad grin on the face of the Antico rider. However, the small wheel circumference means that more than 52 teeth would be needed on the large chainring for real sport.
Price 749 Euro
Weight 10.2 kilos
Sizes 47, 51 cm
Info www.gios-deutschland.de
TROYTEC TIME TRIAL
Recumbent beginners quickly feel overwhelmed on the Time Trial from Munich-based manufacturer Troytec. The view to the front is severely restricted because the head and feet are on the same level. Starting off with the 18 centimetre narrow handlebars, which are reminiscent of the joystick in an aeroplane, is a balancing act even for experienced riders. The steering angle, which is limited by the chain passing close to the front wheel, also takes some getting used to. In the recumbent racing scene, however, the Time Trial is appreciated precisely because of its uncompromisingly aerodynamic design. Last season, Troytec team rider Matthias König won the most important German racing series on our test bike and came second in the recumbent world championship. Any questions?
Price 6,500 Euro
Weight 9.5 kilos
Sizes unisize, adjustable for heights from approx. 1.65 to approx. 2.00 metres
Info www.troytec.de
