Dutch Designer Rolls Out Wooden Bikes

For many designers, their work is developed through experimentation with new materials, while for others their entire body of work is dedicated to exploring the potential of only one. Jan Gunneweg falls into that latter category, and his material of choice is wood.

Gunneweg's workshop in the Netherlands is filled with beautifully crafted traditional wooden objects, such as benches, desks and tables. However, it is also filled with some fairly non-traditional ones, including sunglasses, which he creates by hand. His wooden bicycles, though, have garnered Gunneweg the most attention of late.

Gunneweg's bikes are both technically and aesthetically beautiful, as well as practical, and are made out of solid walnut or birchwood. And while Genneweg's has plans to produce bikes which are far easier (and cheaper) to make, assemble and ship overseas, at present he is only making to order. Understandably too, as each takes between 160 and 200 man hours to create.

Quite an impressive labour of love, and a rather nice way to get around town this summer - especially if you can afford the matching sunglasses.