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Hermès, the French luxury design house, has created two chic bikes, one of them an upmarket city bike, Le Flâneur d’Hermès. Both have carbon fibre frames. The sportier bike is called Le Flâneur sportif d’Hermès. Both bikes come in three colours: red, grey or white.
The bikes are made by Time of France and feature belt-drives and hub gears. The rides are equipped with bull calf leather seats, handlebar grips, carry handles and luggage racks, and are completely handmade in France by a local manufacturer.
François Doré, head of the Hermès Horizons division, said:
“We really want to work with people who have a very deep expertise, and wherever possible, we try to find them in France. We set out to make a real bike, not a decorative object."
The bikes will be available in November from Hermès stores worldwide. Price? 8,100 euros ($10,750)
The French brand first launched a Hermès bicycle in 2008, a women’s Dutch bike. This steel-framed bike is still available from Hermès but is now decidedly downmarket at $4,650.
