An Auto Body Experience

Mountain bikes bearing the names of high-performance cars--among
them BMW, Mercedes and Porsche--have been available for several
years. Mercedes, in fact, supports a pro mountain biking team,
and its bikes cost between $3,500 and $5,000. The rest of these
luxury wheels are for those who believe you can't own too many
German high-performance vehicles. BMW peddles the least fancy
bike, which folds and fits neatly into a Beamer trunk. It sells
for $695. The cutting-edge model is the Porsche FS Evolution
(right), which matches its four-wheeled counterparts with disk
brakes, front and rear suspension, and a high-tech drivetrain,
all for a mere $6,000. As sexy a ride as these bikes offer, you
still need the mettle to pedal.

--Loren Mooney

COLOR PHOTO: DAVID N. BERKWITZ [Porsche FS Evolution mountain bicycle]