"V" Bike Sweden's Answer To City Cycling

Small balloon tires, a low-rider frame and lots of hauling attachments are the features Swedish cycling company Skeppshult felt would be most needed in a short-trip urban bike. For the new Skeppshult V, which will be released later in March, Skeppshult worked with designer Björn Dalhström to depart a little from its classic pastto create a cross between a Swedish postal carrier cruiser and an Italian '50s feel. "We had the bike's purpose in mind," says Skeppshult's Sven Andersson. "He added the graphic thought and form language to make V what it is."

With an all-steel frame construction and weighing in at 17 kilos (42 pounds), the three-gear V might feel like a pair of hefty toddler twins if you try to lug it up a lot of stairs day in and day out. But V's maneuverability and its front and back hauling attachments are pretty nifty. There are extra-wide package racks (widely used in Sweden) that can fairly easily be positioned into either frame end, and black or silver attaching boxes with lids that can take about a 20-pound load, as well as metal attachable baskets. Base bike to be priced at around 4,800 Swedish crowns (around US$775). Via ::Skeppshult.se