Gold-plated bike brings the bling for $400,000
Forget fixies; they're not fancy enough. You need a British racing bike layered in gold in order to flaunt your wealth on your next ride.
Gold has a way of making folks take leave of their senses. Its scarcity and blinding luster make certain people think it's a good idea to daub the shiny substance across such things as the iPhone 6 and the Kindle e-reader. Those items, however, look like shrinking violets next to Goldegenie's 24K Gold Men's Racing Bike. Suddenly, that Huffy you bought on sale at Target just looks so...plain.
The bike starts at £250,000 (converted, that's about $392,000, AU$470,000), due in part to the cost of the 24-karat gold layer. The rest of the price comes from the sheer amount of time and effort required to apply the gold to the entire bike, including the tips of the handlebars and every single ridge of the gear chain. Diamonds are scheduled to be added as accents. The bike is also equipped with a limited-edition San Marco suede saddle and SR4 racing tires, in case you had your heart set on joining the Tour de France.
Underneath the gleaming precious metal is a fully functional Giant racing bicycle. Goldegenie describes it as the "ultimate once-in-a-lifetime gift for yourself or someone truly special."
Goldgenie also notes that the bike is "designed to be admired," which is a nice way of saying you probably shouldn't ride it to the grocery store and then lock it up outside with one of those cheap plastic-covered chains. If you can afford this bike, then you can afford a security detail to bike alongside you for protection when you take it for a spin. Perhaps they can ride on silver-plated bikes.
Goldgenie says it plans to produce more bikes that are built to meet customers' custom requests. So, if you'd like this bike in platinum with real emerald accents, all you have to do is ask (and pay for it).
Yes, this Goldgenie bike is a symbol of bizarre luxury excess, but it's still quite a sight to behold. Plus, it will look great with that gold-plated iPad you already own.