If you enjoy pedal power, but get totally frustrated by lumbering around a hefty bike during your commute or leisurely travels, fret no more. Luxurious Magazine puts Hummingbird, the world’s lightest folding bike, to the test.
Engineered by UK-based Prodrive, Hummingbird is produced with the same precision as race and rally cars. As a result, they are built to be right up there amongst the very best in folding bikes and can hold their own on any cycling track.
Pushing new boundaries in the folding bike market, Hummingbird features a lightweight carbon fibre frame. Weighing a mere 6.9kg, it’s three kilos lighter than its closest competitor. And yes, our health reporter Sabi Phagura attempted to lift it up in the air with a few fingers as possible. With success, we can add. And packing it away couldn’t be easier. Thanks to its revolutionary three-step folding system, the bike can be folded in just five seconds. It fits snuggly into most car boots and will take just a fraction of the space in a garage or shed.
Hummingbird is the brainchild of designer Petre Craciun, who set out to design a beautiful yet lightweight folding bike when other models proved too heavy to lug around for his girlfriend. We found it to be a joy when taking this aesthetically pleasing and sleek bike out and about, exploring the beautiful English countryside in this autumnal weather.
With prices starting at £3,495, Hummingbird has spared no expense in designing the ultimate product for the urban cyclist. Featuring the same carbon fibre manufacturing process as Prodrive’s race cars, each frame is manufactured at the dedicated composites facility in Milton Keynes. The bike’s frame has gone through stringent testing using the latest computer engineering software in its design. As one can imagine, Prodrive rigorously stress-tested the bike under all applications, ensuring the whole bike passed ISO standards with flying colours.
Putting the bike together has been a precise science. Sheets of carbon are sliced into accurately measured strips before being perfectly aligned to make the frame. The layers are then fused together into one piece under high pressure and heat. This meticulous process results in a perfectly compact and sturdy frame which is carefully handcrafted and finished to a top standard.
The frame is available in four colours (Hummingbird Yellow, Prestige Black, Freedom Blue or Burnt Orange), and individually numbered. The stunning Carbon Edition Hummingbird, the company’s top-of-the-range design, comes with a carbon weave frame, a natural connection of craftsmanship and machinery. Customers can also choose the versatility of a 4-speed version.
Hummingbird – Where and How?
Hummingbird is taking orders now, and customers can log on to www.hummingbirdbike.com to register their interest or email: [email protected] for more information
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