Canyon and Kraftwerk celebrate Tour de France with a VERY special bike

We expected that electronic music pioneers and cycling nuts Kraftwerk might have something special up their sleeve to mark the Grand Depart of the Tour de France in their home city of Düsseldorf - their signature album is named after the race, after all - but never imagined it might be in the shape of this stunning bike produced in collaboration with Canyon, based further down the Rhine in Koblenz.

Just 21 models (and they're looking good) of the Canyon Ultimate CF SLX Kraftwerk will be available to the public, going on sale on Monday 3 July at Noon CET for €10,000 or £8,999 if paying in Sterling - and what's more, it shares its striking livery with the one that the Speedmax CF CLX of Katusha-Alpecin's Tony Martin will sport  in the Stage 1 time trial on Saturday.

The geometric pattern took seven hours to apply, includes reflective panels, and was designed by Kraftwerk's own Ralf Hütter, whose passion for cycling is well known - while the band were recording Tour de France, a crash while out riding put him in a coma.

Shifting is electronic - really, how could it not be? - with SRAM’s wireless eTap groupset, and the bike also comes with Zipp Firecrest 303 wheels.

Each bike comes in a specially designed Canyon Bike Guard and with a celebratory commemorative pack, and you can find full information here.

Canyon Founder and CEO, Roman Arnold said that the partnership had a special meaning for him.

“My memories of partying in friends’ basements as a teenager are dominated by hearing Kraftwerk’s groundbreaking sounds," he revealed.

"Kraftwerk and cycling have a special and unique connection – their music, and all that they do, has inspired our work at Canyon in so many ways across the years.

"It is an unbelievable honour for us to pay respect to everything that Kraftwerk stands for and has achieved in such a fitting way with these stunning bikes,” he added.