Pulse: A beautiful urban bike concept, built for safety

Bicycle safety is an important issue, and as more cyclists hit the streets, more designers are coming up with ways to make car-less commuting safer--and as a result, more stylish.

Pulse, a new urban bicycle concept by design firm Teague, is described by the firm as "Equal parts gym membership, fashion statement and Kyoto Pact contributor, Pulse is a transportation solution with in sync with the needs of today's urban denizen."

The concept does well to mix form and function: the middle of the bike's frame is coated with photo-luminescent powder so it glows cooly and safely when the bike is ridden at night. Pulse was designed for and tested in an urban setting, judged by a commute of 3.2 miles that was "balanced between urban congestion and suburban side road. Half downhill blitz, half persistent climb; the journey demands efficiency and durability."

Inspired by two-seater classics like "the Fixie and the Fighter," the motorcycle's influence is evident in the handlebar-end LED turn signals that have removable and rechargeable batteries that can be charged with a micro USB cell-phone charger.

And the fixie? A nice thing about Pulse bike is that it still looks like a classic commuter bike, and would be unlikely to turn off those who are not looking to make a statement. Sometimes there just shouldn't have to be a choice usability and good design.

Teague's video demonstration of the Pulse Concept:

TEAGUE Pulse from TEAGUE on Vimeo.

[Design.org]
Images and video: Teague

This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com