Urban elite seek 'pedal chic' with bikes by Hermes and Porsche

Bikes with alligator-skin saddles, frames adorned with 24-carat-gold leaf, or just two wheels designed to your very own personal specifications - from Paris to Tokyo, via Milan, designer and customized bicycles costing thousands of dollars are the latest must-have luxury item coveted by urban elites in search of "pedal chic".

A world away from the bland utilitarianism of self-service bikes, these top-end cycles are becoming as much a status symbol as a car ever was.

And whether they be trendy young professionals or big names in the business world, designers are competing to woo potential customers with sleek, luxury models.