Riding a bike to work can even improve your sex life.

Design by Starck, built by Peugeot's bicycle division, the Pibal's unique feature is its scooter-like platform.

The safer cycling becomes in the city the more women are willing to regularly engage in it.

Research also shows that moving just a block away from heavily travelled arterials reduces exposure to automobile pollutants.

URBAN

FRI

22 Feb 2013

PHOTO CAPTION: Design by Starck, built by Peugeot's bicycle division, the Pibal's unique feature is its scooter-like platform.

Designer Phillip Starck Creates Bikeshare Hybrid

It's called the Pibal, the merging of the creative insights of Phillip Starck, the input of hundreds of online suggestions by the citizens of the city of Bordeaux, France, and the engineering talents of Peugeot, one of the world's oldest bicycle makers.

Apart from the trendy yellow tires and somber battleship gray frame, the more unique feature of the Pibal is its step-through frame which incorporates a footrest similar to scooters. Starck explains the rationale this way:

Pibal is an answer to new urban ergonomics, thanks to a lateral translation which allows oneself to pedal long distances, to scoot in pedestrian areas and to walk next to it, carring a child or any load on its platform.

It takes a moment to understand what he means, but then you think a child with his toy foot scooter and immediately you understand. Actually, it's a pretty darn good idea.

As for the less-than-flashy appearance, he adds...

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.

Now give it a 250W hub motor and battery under the rear rack and you've got a machine everyone can use and enjoy. Peugeot plans to build 300 for the city with delivery starting in June 2013.

Phillip Starck with Pibal bicycle