Red brake calipers not required
Volkswagen is clearly a major player in the automotive industry. The German automaker is also a skilled builder of bicycles, as keen readers will be able to see. The latest creation of the German automaker is a GTI hardtail mountain bike.
The two-wheeled GTI bike weighs in at $850 and is 33 pounds (15.1 kg) in weight. Although it does not have many GTI essentials such as plaid seats, red brakecalipers or even a shifter with a golf-ball shape, there is still plenty to be excited about. The Volkswagen special has hydraulic disk brakes, unlike many other bikes in the same price range.
Although the bike does not have the same red brake discs as the car’s, the 29-inch wheels are ruby red. To reduce the chance of getting flats on the trail, the hoops are covered in WTB Ranger tires. We’d bet that the tires and wheels are not tubeless.
Shifting can be done using a 27-speed Shimano groupset. We were shocked not to see a single chainring at the front, a trend quickly becoming industry standard. However, we would wager that it would have been prohibitively expensive.
Although the aluminum frame does not allow for a suspension fork, it is sufficient for those who want to get into mountain biking. The front shock has 120 millimeters travel and a lockout function that temporarily stops the suspension compressing.
Although it is not clear if this is a custom Volkswagen frameset, it would make a great gift for young petrolheads who want to purchase a GTI later in their lives. The German automaker is expected to soon accept orders via its online store.