Portability is the rasion d’être of the folding bicycle and achieving that portability has usually meant sacrificing the rigidity of a larger bicycle frame for a hinged frame with small wheels. A compromise too great for some.
Gianluca Sada is an Italian designer who has set himself the challenge of achieving a bike of standard dimensions (with 26-inch wheels) together with the ease of transport of a folding bicycle. The prototype, seen here, achieves that, but at what cost?
The Sada Bike is a full-sized bicycle, but with spokeless and hubless 26-inch wheels. This means they can be anchored to the bicycle frame via a simple mechanism and that the frame itself, folds along a parallel line, giving the final folded bike a slimmer profile. Together the frame and wheels fit into a custom designed bag that can either be worn as a backpack or rolled as luggage. The hubless wheels may be a point of contention, but you have to admire the elegant design!