The Loop Bike

A creative, futuristic bike with an atypical frame design.

In the race to create the perfect urban bike, manufacturers, workshops, and design studios have pulled out all the stops. Paris-based industrial designer Gaëtan Francq has created an entirely new frame shape that sets his design firmly apart from others. Named Loop, this bike features a futuristic single-beam aluminum frame that wraps around the seat tube seamlessly. Gaëtan Francq designed and produced almost all the parts for Loop, focusing on both aesthetics and function. He limited the elasticity of the lightweight aluminum frame with a thermal hardening process and created the bike without any welded parts or brazing. As a result, Loop is easy to assemble and customize. The user can screw and unscrew the parts with standard tools to repair components or transport the bike.

While the unusual frame detail sets the bicycle apart from other urban bikes aesthetically, the Loop bike is designed with urban cycling in mind. It features the powerful Wilwood hydraulic disc braking system as well as 26 ″ wheels with oversized tires to ensure better reaction times on different road surfaces. The handlebar features a simplified GPS system that connects to a smartphone via Bluetooth. Below the handlebar, there’s a storage compartment for either small items or a water bottle. Three layers of epoxy paint cover the aluminum frame, ensuring that the colors will keep their brightness for longer. The Loop bike comes in White Paper, Graphit Gray, Pastel Blue, and Acid Yellow colors. A special, limited-edition series made with steam curved wood is also available on request. Photographs© FRANCQ Design Studio.