7 Tricked-Out Bike Projects to Inspire the Cyclist in You

A true bicycle addict doesn't let some cold weather keep them off their favorite mode of transportation, but just in case you need that extra push, we've collected a handful of awesome cycle-centric stories that will remind you why you love your bike so much. We've got you covered with cool projects ranging from <a href="http://inhabitat.com/amazing-record-playing-bicycle-blasts-beats-as-you-pedal/">record-playing bikes</a> to <a href="http://inhabitat.com/interview-we-talk-to-bicycle-library-founder-karta-healy/">a Bicycle Library</a> and <a href="http://www.ronarad.co.uk/">Ron Arad's</a> WOW bike, which has flower-shaped wheels made of steel. Step on in and flip through our gallery for a look at 7 amazing innovations that are sure to evoke your inner biking muse.

We've never seen an Yves Behar project we didn't like, and "Local Bike" is definitely no exception. This striking cargo bike effortlessly combines utility and style while performing in a variety of terrains. The beige platform in front has tall walls and guard rails so that nothing will fall out - a major improvement on old-fasioned basket bikes.

Several Dutch designers got together to create feats per second (a play on the word fiets, which means bicycle). The team outfitted a 30 year old Alpina bike with turntables and a battery-powered amplifier so that the bike pumps out tunes while the user pedals down the street.

Israeli designer Ron Arad needs few introductions, so it comes as no surprise that he has WOWed us again with this incredible (and functional) steel-wheeled bicycle. The wheels are shaped like flowers and provide a surprisingly soft ride. So, if you needed some prodding to get back on the road, we hope this collection of projects has got you inspired.

If you were thinking about staying home a little while longer while your favorite gadget charges up, now there's no reason to thanks to Silverback's amazing Starke bikes. These urban bikes have a USB gadget port that connects to a hub on the wheel, harvesting the energy created while pedaling. And even when there are no gadgets plugged in, the same system charges your bicycle's lights!

Do you ever see a project and kick yourself for not thinking of it first? That's kind of how we felt when we first saw the Bicycle Library founded by Karta Healy. He and friends re-vamped a double decker bus and populated with bicycles that are available for Londoners to loan. Step on in to read our brief interview with the founder and be inspired!

Sometimes not wanting to get back on the bicycle is as uncomplicated as having a sore rear end from all the bumps hit along the way, but Tortola's amazing Roundtail bicycle reduces these painful vibrations by as much as 50 times. How does it work? The shock of impacts is transferred to two hollow round tubes at the back of the bicycle, where conventionally, designers have triangles. It's quite expensive, but who can put a price on a bruise-free bum?

We love humanitarian design, but it doesn't get much better than a bike that helps underprivileged folk in Ghana. Mary Hark, professor at the Design Studies Department at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and founder of HARK! Handmade Paper Studio, created this very cool bike that power a paper mill. This isn't any old paper mill, mind you. Instead, invasive plant species are converted into paper, so this project provides exercise, a small income, and gets rid of pesky plants that mess disrupt the local ecosystem.