Sustainable Design Meets Sleek Aesthetics in First Ever Electric Wooden Bike

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Dutch company, Bough Bikes, has created the first electric bicycle with an entirely wooden frame. The bike, which was designed by nature lover Jan Gunneweg, had its world premiere at the 2014 NYCxDesign Fair, where it received an overwhelmingly enthusiastic response.

Aside from being aesthetically pleasing, it also environmentally friendly and its performance rivals that of most steel-framed bikes on the market.

Bough Bikes boast frames made of sustainable oak which has been harvested from responsibly managed forests in French Jura. The wood is treated with a protective oil finish that makes it resistant to all types of weather conditions. Unlike ordinary steel framed-bicycles, Bough bikes absorb more vibration, resulting in a smoother (as well as much quieter) ride, and are less prone to deterioration.

They feature a small, electric motor, which can reach up to 15 mph and takes approximately three to six hours to fully charge. Riders can control the amount of pedal assist, making Bough bikes ideal for getting around city streets.

There are a few drawbacks, however. For one thing, Bough bikes are not exactly lightweight.

Nor, as you can imagine, are they designed to scale mountainsides. While there is certainly room for further improvements, Bough Bikes is bringing some exciting innovations to the biking world.

I'm sure we'll be seeing these babies on the streets of Williamsburg any day now.

You can learn more about Bough Bikes (and order your own!) here.