From the mind and hands of steampunk artist extraordinaire Doktor A, comes the Nemesis, a great vintage version of a skate cycle.
I hear murmurs in the vein of what-the-heck-is-a-skatecycle-anyway, so allow me. Last year, several design mags featured a novel invention by Brooklyn Workshop called the FreeRider Skate Cycle. The press release described it as “the first self propelled hub-less skate”, and many reviews noted that it was somewhat of a combination between a snowboard, a skateboard and a casterboard. Here’s some visual aid:
Now, Brooklyn Workshop has organized a custom art show whose proceedings will benefit those affected by the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. For this purpose they enlisted the talents of various artists who were supposed to pimp the company’s ride, and as it was to be expected, Doktor A decided his board would be steampunk’d (Too many MTV-like references for one sentence? No? Alright.)
Just like the regular Skate Cycle, the Nemesis consists of two wheels (with a footboard inside each) connected by a double-jointed axle. It’s been given the classic steampunk paint treatment so that the modern aluminum feel of the original gives way to a bronze-y one instead. In some parts it’s been made to look a bit tarnished, as if the paint had worn out due to use, which is a nice touch. Plus, the axle appears more articulated than the smooth, straight shaft in Brooklyn Workshop’s product.
The most notorious customization though -and the most amazing one as well- has to be the spikes. They are what gives the piece its unmistakeable steampunk seal. Upon seeing them I was immediately reminded of those well-known Spring Heeled Jack engravings and drawings where he (it?) is depicted as having bat-like wings, and what’s more Victorian than that?
This isn’t the first time the works of Doktor A have been featured on Walyou. Make sure you check out Hellboy Goes Steampunk And Becomes Hellbot, Amnesia Primm: Steampunk At Its Best and Steampunk Thing From Addams Family.
