The Dream Machine by Jonny Mole

The Dream Machine, a futuristic racing bike by Italian design studio Jonny Mole Design, recently was selected as a winning entry for the Bicycles category in the Taipei Cycle D&I awards 2013, an event organized by iF DESIGN to reward the best projects in the bike industry. The award will be presented on March 23^rd at the Taipei Cycle Show, where the Dream Machine will be on display along with winners in the components and parts, peripherals and accessories, and e-bikes and pedelecs categories.

A quick glance at the design section of their website indicates that Jonny Mole is not a newcomer to the bicycle industry. In addition to the products and advertisements shown on the site, the agency was responsible for the design the design of the maglia rosa for the 2011 Giro d’Italia. Founder Jonny Moletta explains the vision behind this latest concept bike:

I believe my choices and experience over the years have led to this acknowledgement: we can no longer afford a provincial approach or lack of curiosity; to innovate you need to be both visionary and practical. My team and I have tried to analyse the possible points where we can work to realize a project that is perhaps futuristic, but feasible and useful: even the name we have chosen plays on these contrasts:

“The Dream Machine” counters the usefulness and solidity of a machine with the abstract idea of the liberty of a dream…”

The prototype was built in cooperation with four major partners, Vision, FSA, Selle Italia, and Vittoria. The fork, stem, and handlebars (reminiscent of the old Scott Drop-In design) are integrated the sculpted form of the frame. It won’t please the UCI to see that a custom water bottle is integrated into the downtube of the frame. Also integrated into the downtube is a “tech box” designed to hold an electronic shifting battery. Another tech feature is a space in the stem for “ a ciclocomputer or other navigation or training instruments.”

A few additional images of the Dream Machine can be seen below, but check out Jonny Mole’s website for many more, including a few shots of the prototype coming together. It is definitely an interesting project, and I am looking forward to hearing more about it when it debuts in Taipei next month.

Image credits: Jonny Mole Design

Posted

February 11, 2013

Concept, Road Bike, Shows & Events

James

Tags:

design award, italian design, road bike, road racing, Taipei Cycle Show, Taiwan

Comments

7 responses to “The Dream Machine by Jonny Mole”

Michaelw

February 11, 2013

Since it is not UCI compliant, why the triangle of tubes? Why the bent tube? Why the small diameter bottom bracket? How do adjust the saddle height and bars? This is a half-designed bike.
Look did the hinged mono-formed fork and steerer.
Beru F1 Systems Factor 001 did the integrated sensor and electronics.
If it is a concept bike, what is the concept? It seems a conservative design.

Reply
Mike

February 11, 2013

They designed a jersey, so they’re qualified to design a bike? Seriously? I’m supposed to read that statement and not roll my eyes and/or snarf my coffee?

At least they built the silly thing. Also, Scott Drop-Ins FTW.

Reply
1. James Thomas
  
  February 12, 2013
  
  Mike, I assume that the graphic designers who worked on the jersey were not the same group as the industrial designers who worked on the bike. I added that bit about the jersey because I thought it was interesting, but their portfolio does show a few bike related product design projects as well. Sorry if I made you snarf coffee though. Hopefully it wasn’t too hot.
  
  The Scott Drop-In style bars were the first thing I noticed about the design. Maybe because I just hacked apart an old pair out of my parts bin to make DIY bullhorns for a friends bike.
  
  Reply
  1. Mike
    
    February 12, 2013
    
    I hate to be this snarky (no I don’t), but honestly I don’t see any industrial design on that site, much less any bike design. All the bike projects are graphic design only, and their other projects are only styling and graphics. Bravo to a bunch of sticker makers for getting a prototype built, but given that they’ve never designed a mechanical object before I’m skeptical of this bike and any committee that would give it an award. I’d be curious to know who did the real work.
    
    Reply
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February 12, 2013

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Reply
Mommus

February 19, 2013

Well I think it looks great. I don’t think it’s beyond a ‘bunch of sticker makers’ to employ a bit of engineering design or even to employ a design engineer to assist them.

Reply
random_designer

February 19, 2013

The dream machine reminds me of LOOK and BMC. Except LOOK and BMC achieve this look way better.

The lack of stem makes this look somehow impotent (take that as a pun in you like), overall it’s just pretty boring. Maybe I just can’t see what’s innovative or new here.

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