I can’t help being struck by the sight of what looks like a handcrafted wooden artpiece rolling along the road on two bicycle wheels. Not just any two bicycle wheels, either—these are Xentis Kappa carbon fibre! Waldmeister Bikes, of Germany, manufactures wooden frames and fits the components on. So far they only make one model. The frame is made of multiple layers of beech wood, glued together and pressed under high pressure, then shaped to the right dimensions. Without a seat tube, and being made of soft wood, the frame acts as its own suspension.
Jens Eichler, a wood engineer, also from Germany, has created a wooden tandem bicycle—built for two. Made of beech as well, this creation with all its components weighs 114 pounds (52 kilograms)! Although heavy, it looks like a piece of driftwood and comes with built-in dynamo lights—does it get any better than that?
As far as environmental impact, is wood really better than steel or aluminum? It’s definitely not as good as bamboo. However, Waldmeister insists that their bicycles are as environmentally-friendly as possible, that they buy only from suppliers that share their beliefs on sustainability, and that their wood is all domestic. I want one.
Watch the Waldmeister in action here
