CYLO is a new Portland, OR, based bicycle brand started by a former Nike design director and his brother. The name comes from a mash up of the American “cycle” and French “Velo”. It was designed in Paris by ARRO.studio but will be manufactured and assembled in Portland. A fitting blend from two cycling fanatics raised in France but who’ve been fully immersed in US business and culture. And they’re both cycling fanatics.
The CYLO One is dubbed the “Ultimate Urban Bicycle” and is designed to be the one bike for any and all city riding. To climb that steep hill of a goal, it’s made from a durable yet lightweight 6061 aluminum frame. A dynamo hub powers front and rear integrated lights, including a brake light, and Shimano mechanical disc brakes and a Gates Carbon Belt Drive with 3-speed Shimano Nexus hub keep it all tidy and efficient…
They didn’t want just a functional bike, they wanted something beautiful and iconic. And this is just the start. An e-bike is on the drawing board, too. As is a front basket integration for the CYLO One.
“Born out of 18 months of design, engineering and passion, CYLO is our vision of the perfect urban bicycle. So simple you’ll wonder how you lived for so long without it.” says co-founder Eric Duvauchelle. “It will take you right back to the feeling you had as a kid on hot summer days, freely exploring as you coasted down the street on your first adventure.”
The headlight is a Supernova 205 lumen Cree LED unit designed to illuminate your path a bit as well as making you visible to others.
The E3 Tail Light doubles as an accelerometer-based brake light. Here’s how they should look at night:
They claim a five minute run time when stopped (for the rear), plenty for staying lit during traffic lights and such. And since they’re part of the bike, they can’t be stolen or lost.
Integrated full coverage fenders hug the Schwalbe 32c tires. Those, plus the grease/oil-free drivetrain, help keep you neat for the office. And if your office (or apartment, etc.) is up a flight of stairs, the entire bike is light enough to be easily carried.
Interested? They’re building the first 50 now and have a waiting list you can join on at Cylo.cc. Target price is $2,199 and will most likely be launched via crowd funding soon.