Grand Bicycle Designs: World class design comes to Barnsley for Tour exhibition

Philippe Starck is one of the world renowned designers to be exhibiting their bicycle-themed work at the Bike Show in Barnsley during the Tour de France in Yorkshire.

With exhibits from the hand-built kings - Sheffield’s Field Cycles, to recycled bikes made from bamboo, the show at The Civic will showcase the best of new thinking when it comes to two wheels.

Curated in conjunction with Eleven Design, Bike Show’s centrepiece may well be the Pibal bicycle designed by Philippe Starck together with Peugeot.

Meaning ‘baby eel’, it’s a cross breed between a  bike and a foot scooter, and was conceived to be used as a free hire bike in Bordeaux, one of 3,000 for rent.

Riders can pedal as usual, or if traffic is heavy and they need more control, can scoot with their feet.

"Just like the pibale, undulating and playing with the flow, Pibal is an answer to new urban ergonomics," Starck said.

"Thanks to a lateral translation which allows oneself to pedal long distances, to scoot in pedestrian areas and to walk next to it, carrying a child or any load on its platform.

“It only has the beauty of its intelligence, of its honesty, of its durabiliity. Rustic and reliable, it's a new friend dedicated to the future Bordeaux expectations."

The Civic added,  "With an emphasis on the influence of cycling culture on contemporary design, the exhibition explores technological advancements and the best in innovation, presenting particularly unusual and pioneering examples of two-wheeled transport."

Other bikes on show will be Ben Wilson’s Donky Bike, a utilitarian cargo bike, and the Wassily Chair by Bauhaus designer Marcel Breuer – said to be inspired by his Adler bicycle in its use of steel tubing.

Bike Show runs from May 16 – July 12 at The Gallery at The Civic, Hanson Street, Barnsley, S70 2HZ