I don't think it looks that bad. Obviously it's a concept - this kind of design language (design-wanker-speak for 'style') will trickle down into their production bikes in the near future (just like how high-street fashion is a toned-down version of last year's catwalk fashion).
A swingarm front-end does have the potential (not in this configuration - looks like it'll have unintentional front suspension) to be lighter/stiffer than a conventional fork (on a normal fork, all braking and cornering forces are put through two skinny tubes and into a tiny little 1 1/8" bearing), but motorbikes built with the same configuration apparently lose all 'road feel'.
The idea of variable geometry for a road bike is a ridiculous over-complication (plus your hands are stuck at the 'on the hoods' position - so really, it shows a complete lack of understanding of ergonomics). I can sort-of see the appeal in a mountain bike - being able to flip from a hardtail for climbing, to a ridiculously slack-angled DH bike for the ride back down, would be fun.
I like the integrated brakes - I don't like the shaft drive.
@lae
I don't think it looks that bad. Obviously it's a concept - this kind of design language (design-wanker-speak for 'style') will trickle down into their production bikes in the near future (just like how high-street fashion is a toned-down version of last year's catwalk fashion).
A swingarm front-end does have the potential (not in this configuration - looks like it'll have unintentional front suspension) to be lighter/stiffer than a conventional fork (on a normal fork, all braking and cornering forces are put through two skinny tubes and into a tiny little 1 1/8" bearing), but motorbikes built with the same configuration apparently lose all 'road feel'.
The idea of variable geometry for a road bike is a ridiculous over-complication (plus your hands are stuck at the 'on the hoods' position - so really, it shows a complete lack of understanding of ergonomics). I can sort-of see the appeal in a mountain bike - being able to flip from a hardtail for climbing, to a ridiculously slack-angled DH bike for the ride back down, would be fun.
I like the integrated brakes - I don't like the shaft drive.