Down Under, inviting a few mates around for a few beers and a barbie is social event that can take place on any day of the year. On the other side of the world, in Belgium, a bike has been built that could change that custom forever: A group consisting of a designer, a frame builder, a mechanic and a messenger have created a bike that brings the barbie to their mates.
One of the most popular bikes on The Spoken this year was Antoine Hotermans’ Mcfly Custom Prototype, a rough-hewn street-tracker with indomitable charm. Antoine’s next project was a mobile barbie, the Bike-be-que. Like the last Mcfly, it lacks finesse but its pure functionality has a certain appeal. At least it won’t recoil from a sputtering boudin.
Unlike Antoine’s barebones street-tracker, Bike-be-que includes some creature comforts. A blanket is always handy at an outdoor barbeque or picnic so Hopop Studio, furniture designers and upcyclers from Brussels, supplied a Swiss Army surplus blanket, frame bag and the front crate, required for tongs and utensils. Bernard from Unik Bikes did the final assembly.
François Roland, self-confessed bike addict, messenger and co-founder of HUSH RUSH, a Brussels based bicycle delivery company, coordinated the project, which can be seen regularly catering for messenger events and alleycat races. It’d almost be worth taking a trip to Belgium to hang out with the courier crew and their Bike-be-que.
Special thanks to Antoine Ghisoland for the photos.
