Upgrading Your Bike, Courtesy of the Sickest Artists Today

By Danielle Cheesman Jul 23, 2009

Recently, urban artistry and apparel have extended their creativity to unlikely outlets in the effort to “go green.” So for those—the tech-savvy and trendsetting—that are having trouble succumbing to the requests of our peers and politicians to be “eco-friendly,” there are folks that are assisting in making it fairly easy. The result? Revamping the simplest, and least threatening, mode of transportation: your bike. The kind without a motor, of course.

Lance Armstrong did so. And for good reason. Le Tour de France, the 23-day, over-2,000 mile annual bike race, is heading into its final week, and Armstrong’s eponymous foundation, along with Nike, and Trek have teamed up to recruit some of the most influential artists of our generation to contribute. Each was asked to produce a bike dedicated to the fight against cancer and unique to their own style. The bikes would then be ridden by Lance himself throughout the race. KAWS, Kenny Scharf, Shepard Fairey, Marc Newson, Yoshitomo Nara, and Damien Hirst all delivered, most of them prominently using Livestrong’s signature yellow hue.

Though these bikes are set to be auctioned later this year, and unfathomable prices are likely, others can revive their ride courtesy of a Crooks & Castles collabo. The streetwear line recently dropped preview images of a two-wheeler created after joining forces with SE Bikes. No release date has been set, but with a quilted leather saddle and a dramatic black and white color scheme, the final product looks promising.

Crooks & Castles x SE Bikes

A limited-edition saddle made by renown maker Brooks is also making its rounds. Produced in partnership with New York graffiti artist Futura, the seat features a reproduction of his “For Love or Money” print, previously seen on Nike’s Dunk Hi model. This byproduct, complete with a collage of currency, represents both going green…and getting the green.

Nike x Livestrong x Brooks x Futura

Last to jump on the bike bandwagon is Izaxon, maker of the iPhone application “BrakeLights.” Doing just what the title says it will, it allows you to turn your phone, rather literally, into brake lights for your two-wheeler. With the help of an accelerometer, it has an ability to detect when you brake which results in the flashing of a red light on your screen. A $1 application may not be worth the demolishment of your insurance-less phone worth hundreds, but if willing to strap the gadget to the back of a moving vehicle in the name of nature (and its preservation), so be it.

-Danielle Cheesman