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Josh Hadar, metal sculptor, designer, and dedicated environmentalist, says that “Nobody has ever crossed the street to get a better look at a Prius…”
This is not the case with his latest invention the “Er’s Teardrop” — an eco-conscious, uber-cool mode of transportation that uses natural solar power welded in stainless steel piping and is a lyrical take on a willow tree capturing the movement of its branches. The beautiful and exclusive handmade aerodynamic electric bikes with a forward leaning riding position, eliminate the emissions gushing from our everyday choices of travel which mix in with the air we breathe and the Earth’s atmosphere, hence Hadar’s product is a wiser alternative for both our own health and that of the planet.
They stem from Hadar’s overall dissatisfaction with sustainable and eco-conscious transportation currently on the market, which, with a few exceptions, he describes as small and lightweight items simply stripped to their vital essentials and devoid of any character.
This led him to combine his love of art and apply his talent as a designer and metal sculptor to create something totally unique. The traffic-stopping bike is true creative genius that as primary components feature nickel on rolled steel; hand-spun aluminum plate wheel covers; and a hand-blown, steel-wrapped, glass fuel tank – 80cc gas powered with pedal assist.
The 12-foot-high, 18-foot-wide Er’s Teardrop, was developed in Springs and constructed and completed in cooperation with James DeMartis, who runs a metal shop and studio in East Hampton, U.S., and Dennis Wolf, a skilled metal welder and arborist who has trained trees and bushes to grow into shapes and worked for many years on boilers in St. Louis. According to Hadar, “James is one of the best metal fabricators I have ever seen. He’s so exact, but with a more easygoing demeanor” than most of the fabricators he has previously worked with.
After completing a course in basic welding and before starting to work on bikes, Hadar found nothing truly inspirational. One night, however, he fell upon a dumpster filled with old bicycles. He says he knew immediately that he could create something with them. He pulled them out and began designing bicycles that combined art and real-world applications of hi-tech, environmentally friendly machinery. Next he motorized one, crafting a glass gas tank for it. A solar-charged battery variant can reach speeds of up to 45 miles per hour for up to 25 miles. While he keeps refining his series, more recent designs are an ode to tree structures.
While nothing has been concluded, the Er’s Teardrop has drawn much interest and attention from potential buyers and those who might publically display it. Besides a one-off payment at purchase, there’s almost no cost with these super sexy bikes. Perhaps we can finally bid farewell to spending thousands over the course of a regular machine’s lifespan to get from one place to the next!
