tokyobike collaborates with joe doucet, calico wallpaper, and everything elevated

tokyobike presents its first designer bicycle series — a collaboration with three award-winning designers: joe doucet, everything elevated, and nick and rachel cope of calico wallpaper. each result depicts a unique interpretation of the company founded in japan’s minimalist bicycle, celebrating the designer’s methods and aesthetic, while creating truly original modes of transport.

all images © tokyobike

nick and rachel cope, the husband and wife co-founders of brooklyn-based calico wallpaper, apply the same approach that has given them a place in cooper hewitt’s wallcoverings collection. the refined components chosen are reminiscent of 1930’s french porteur bikes — bicycles that were utilitarian and pleasant to ride, made to be part of the daily routine. the unique ‘ombre’ faded-finish reflects the endless variation in the cycle of dawn and dusk.

joe doucet — designer, inventor, entrepreneur, and creative director based in new york — creates a tokyobike that reflects a minimalist solution for the indecisive rider: a bike that is grey when viewed on the right-hand-side, and white when viewed on the left-hand-side. matching the split-nature of the frame, the bicycle’s contact points are also split in half: the grips and saddle are handmade in italy, with one-half vulcanized rubber, one-half organic canvas. the flat handlebar is consistent with the crisp line between the two colors of the finish.

everything elevated uses design as a tool to communicate the essence of ideas, materials and stories for brand differentiation. the scandinavian creative studio designed a bike that has passed through a special chemical process that strengthens the metal, while giving it a unique chromated color pattern (a process it has previously applied to other products). the slick lines of the japanese handlebars and stem flow together, with unwavering attention to the quality of the finish. the deep drop style of the handlebars pays homage to the first bikes designed to race on a track.