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‘lunartic’ by luke douglas from the uk is one of the shortlisted design entries from more than 3000 participants in our recent designboom competition, ‘seoul cycle design competition 2010‘,

organized in collaboration with seoul design foundation.

designer’s own words: what? ‘lunartic is a compact urban bicycle concept exploring the unique combination of different wheel sizes, a toothed belt drive and hubless rear wheel. ‘lunartic’

places itself in a niche between existing bicycle solutions: compact without folding, easy to ride and handle, stylish and comfortable

why? the gyroscopic effect of a large wheel helps it travel faster and more contact with the road provides a stable and comfortable ride, whereas small wheels save space, weight and are more

maneuverable. belt drives are clean and maintenance-free and a hubless wheel creates a whole new space, as well as an intriguing aesthetic.

how? the combination of these features is a new balance of ride quality, space saving, style and convenience. moving the working parts back, inside the rear wheel shortens the wheel base but

maintains large wheel performance. there is no sacrifice to conventional or efficient geometry apart from a low center of gravity and stand over height.

‘lunartic’ compared to a standard-sized city bike

working prototype

— for those who wish to republish an excerpt of this article, please have the courtesy to mention that the project is a part of the seoul cycle design competition, organized by designboom in

collaboration with seoul design foundation, and link back to the original publication on designboom. thank you.