Photos: EADS Airbike, the bike that's grown not made

Here's a close-up of the seat. The bike is a custom design, made to measure for one rider - doing away with the need for adjustable parts, said EADS.

While not the most comfortable-looking saddle, it features an auxetic design - meaning it can flex to provide some cushioning, according to the company.

Here's a close-up of the bike frame. The front section of the frame features an integrated truss structure which EADS said is designed to reduce the bike's weight without compromising its rigidity.

The ALM process allows complete sections of the bike to be built as one piece. The wheels, bearings and axle are all incorporated into the 'growing' process, meaning they are built at the same time. EADS said parts and products produced by ALM are up to 65 per cent lighter than traditional, machined parts but just as strong. The ALM process also uses about one-tenth of the material required in traditional manufacturing and reduces waste, according to the company.

Weight reduction in components and vehicles constructed using ALM processes could lead to considerable savings on fuel and a reduction in carbon emissions, the company added.

Here's a close-up of the rear wheel and its Kevlar belt, which replaces the traditional bike chain - so there's no need to mess around with bike oil.

While the Airbike is only a proof of concept for the ALM technology, EADS believes the technique has the potential to revolutionise design and manufacturing, and significantly reduce costs.

"Complex designs do not cost any extra to produce. The laser can draw any shape you like," noted Andy Hawkins, lead engineer for ALM at EADS, in a statement.

Over the long term, EADS believes ALM techniques could do away with the need for production lines and factories entirely. In the short term, it said the technology is likely to be used in industrial applications such as aerospace, the motor industry and engineering.