GHENT.- Over the past decade, the bike has made a dramatic comeback as a means of transport. This revival is a worldwide phenomenon and takes us back to the time when the bike was a key mode of transport in our lives and within the urban network. In an age in which the shortage of fossil fuels, rising pollution and global warming are proving ever-greater challenges, it is only logical that we should give higher priority to the bike.

We could define today’s bikes as a mix of evolutions and new perspectives in terms of concept, design, technology, mobility and community. Once again, the bike is being given a leading role as a powerful tool for both today’s world and the future.

The ‘Bike to the Future’ exhibition examines what the future holds for the bicycle. In this exhibition, talent and inventiveness lead the race, with brilliant ideas and ingenious prototypes playing a central role. By combining design and technology in various different ways, designers are continually reinventing the bike. The result is a photo finish between design, outstanding craftsmanship and industry.

Other aspects of cycling such as mobility, safety and the cycling community are also showcased in the museum.

Cycling has a huge impact on the development of our cities. New types of parking, bridges and bike tunnels are being incorporated into the urban infrastructure, alongside smaller-scale interventions such as rain sensors for bikes at traffic lights.

Cycling communities unite like-minded people, from the world of the cycling club, to those who cycle in their free time or for exercise, to cycling activists who see the bike as an alternative means of transport.

The ‘Bike to the Future’ exhibition
The exhibition features contemporary models such as the ‘M.A.S.S. Snow' electric bike by Philippe Starck and 'Bamboo' by Ross Lovegrove, as well as prototypes and experiments with unusual materials and applications. One such example is a folding bike designed by Gianluca Sada, which when folded is no bigger than an umbrella.

There is also space devoted to bike accessories. The magnetic bike light ‘iFlash One’ designed by the Danish studio Kibisi, the ‘Hövding’ air bag helmets, and the Hammerhead navigation system are all designed to enable us to get the very best out of our aluminium steeds.

There are also Belgian designs on display, including bikes from the brand Eddy Merckx and Jaegher and the laser-cut bicycle by Tobias Knockaert. The accessories on display include those from Curana, a worldwide trendsetter in the field of aluminium mudguards.