Hermes was the messenger god in Greek mythology – but we’re not expecting to see many couriers on the new bicycle that bears his name.
French luxury goods brand Hermès has launched two carbon-fibre bikes for everyday use… as long as your everyday budget stretches to €8,100 (£6,000), that is. The model names, Le Flâneur d'Hermès and Le Flâneur sportif d'Hermès, allude to the grand Paris tradition of flânerie: “the idler, the urban explorer, the connoisseur of the street”.
The spec is suitably lavish: bull calf leather saddles, hydraulic disc brakes, and belt-driven transmission. The company’s François Doré told Women's Wear Daily (who else?) that “We set out to make a real bike, not a decorative object. It had to be simple, efficient, easy to use, pleasant and elegant.”
The bikes are made by French company Time, better known for their racing frames. They’re certainly elegant… but could you ever let a bike that expensive out of your sight?
