By LINDA LACINA

The Conundrum

Two-wheeling may be a healthy and fuel-efficient way to cruise the city streets -- but as a fashion statement, it can be rather pedestrian. Enter Italian style titan Gucci, which has partnered with bicycle maker Bianchi to produce a $14,000 urban and off-road bike. The 11-speed carbon fiber model was designed by Frida Giannini, Gucci's creative director, and includes practical features like disc brakes, as well as aesthetic flourishes such as a frame decorated with the label's trademark stripes (the Gucci logo is, naturally, stitched into the bike's custom leather seat). To complete the look, a line of accessories is also available, including a matching helmet ($890) and $105 water bottle.

The Reality

More show horse than workhorse, this bike doesn't offer suspension to handle potholes and other urban-riding hazards, says Jim Papadapoulos, a bicycle researcher at Northeastern University. It also lacks fenders to prevent the "skunk stripe" of dirt wheels can kick onto a rider's back, says Shannon Holt, an organizer for Oregon Manifest, a bike-design challenge held in Portland. At four times the price of Bianchi's next-most-costly off-roading bike ($3,500), Holt calls it merely a "basic bike prettied up with a high-end brand." Gucci declined to comment. Bianchi says it chose not to use the suspension fork to save on weight and that the fender is unnecessary for an "urban bike."

Gucci.com