Carbon Fiber Gear is all about covering the latest in carbon fiber, and finding unique carbon fiber products, parts, & accessories.

So, let me tell you a little bit about myself, now that I have joined the Carbon Fiber Gear family, I am the absolute complete opposite of Dave. While he is the technology and gadget lover, I like things to be a bit simpler. My philosophy is ‘if it ain’t broken, don’t fix it’ and I always stick to the originals. This next product, however, has me quite intrigued seeing as I live in a tiny apartment just outside of crowded Washington, DC. It is a collapsible bicycle by Cube called the Urban Street Concept Bike (USC).

A student at the University Coburg/Germany, Gregor Dauth, designed the USC. Dauth based the idea of the USC off the Swiss Army Knife. There is a central hub located just behind the handlebars, which the bike collapses around, folding small enough to fit in the truck of a Smart car in just a few steps. The frame of the USC is made with carbon fiber, allowing the bike to be so lightweight (17kg).  The USC was first debuted at the Eurobike Convention in 2007.

Unlike other folding bikes, the USC is loaded with goodies! It has front and rear disc brakes, LED lights on the brake levers, which automatically switch on when it becomes dark, 28” wheels for added comfort over city terrain and an internally geared 8-speed hub. While the majority of the response on the USC has been positive, some people are not happy that in order to fold the bike completely up, you must take the wheels off. Others were unhappy with the bikes weight, 17kg and that there is no place to store daily office gear, water bottles, etc.

While there is no information on a release date or a price, I will keep my fingers crossed for you

Videos

Walk Around

3D Animation Of Bike Folding Up

Video Of Actual Bike

[Sources: Product Page, Treehugger, Tuvie, Wired]

Carbon fiber is being used in a number of high-end watches, like the Bell & Ross watches we’ve written about in the past. It’s a unique feature that allows a watchmaker to differentiate themselves from other companies. That’s where designer John Pszeniczny comes into play for his Montre F1/Carbon GMT watch concept which he designed:

The watch is inspired by an F1 car, utilizing a variety of materials you’d find on the car itself; rubber, carbon fiber, and metal. On top of that, you’ll find Swarovski crystals, and 18 rubies that represent the 18 different F1 tracks around the world. Speaking of the 18 F1 tracks, the digital display can show the time at any of those tracks. On top of that, it also features a lap time function and a stopwatch.

This unique piece will run you well into the 5 figure range. I’ve read anywhere from $20,000-$40,000.