Innovative?

Sean Kerslake said:

A bit off off topic I know but.......

Have a look at the pictures at:
http://www-staff.lboro.ac.uk/~cdspk/index.html

This is one of my students projects which we are currently marking and
having heavy debates about.

Its looks are 'wowwing' my colleagues into giving it a very good mark and
I'm being the spoil sport because having seen alot of bike designs from the
last 100 plus years, I don't think it is that 'wow'.

Just about everything that can be done to bike design has been done
many times over. I'd say it isn't very "wow beautiful"- but it is a
good concept for it to be "packable". If it can easily be broken down
to store in a small space typical of urban living quarters, there is
some real merit to the design. Now if they also included some
effective antitheft measures they'd have a real winner. Shouldn't an
urban transport bike have some means of carrying a small amount of
cargo?

Quoted message said:

I think the student made the mistake of pushing the frame aesthetics and not
the flat pack delivery, self assembly part of his brief.

I'd agree there, though every day I am surprised at the mechanical
ineptitude of the average person. Maybe self-assembly is reallly not
that good an idea for most people. If it isn't quickly and easily
dismantled, then the self assembly, one time, is not such a great
advantage.

Quoted message said:

I was just wondering what people thought of it and if they had seen
[specific] similiar designs which I could cite.

I like the lucabike. It uses internal belt drive, and looks pretty
nice, packs small, but costs a fortune. Here's the link:
http://www.lucabike.com/

Sean Kerslake said:

A bit off off topic I know but.......

Have a look at the pictures at:
http://www-staff.lboro.ac.uk/~cdspk/index.html

This is one of my students projects which we are currently marking and
having heavy debates about.

Its looks are 'wowwing' my colleagues into giving it a very good mark
and I'm being the spoil sport because having seen alot of bike
designs from the last 100 plus years, I don't think it is that 'wow'.

I think the student made the mistake of pushing the frame aesthetics
and not the flat pack delivery, self assembly part of his brief.

I was just wondering what people thought of it and if they had seen
[specific] similiar designs which I could cite.

It rather reminds me of one Mike Burrows does, the name of which temporarily
escapes me... ah yes, the 2D
URL:http://halffg.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/foldsoc/CRW_0163.jpg

The handlebars on thta are designed to turn thhrough 90 degrees to make a
narrow package which can be more easily stored in confined spaces like
corridors.

--
Dave Larrington - <http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk/>
A complimentary biro(tm) is /not/ to be sniffed at.

Sean Kerslake said:

A bit off off topic I know but.......

Have a look at the pictures at:
http://www-staff.lboro.ac.uk/~cdspk/index.html

This is one of my students projects which we are currently marking and
having heavy debates about.

Sean Kerslake
Design and Tech
Loughborough Uni

Funny you should mention the iPod in your post, this looks to me like
the iBike maybe....
-Overall if one picks an unusual material, then there should be some
justification for use of that material that would not be practical with
the usual choice. This basic design could have been made of metal and
would have had all the same advantages except the looks (if it used tube
metal) or the price (if it was some fancy extrusion or multiple-welded
structure! $$$)... I would suggest you note the advantage of plastic
over metal--that it can easily and cheaply be molded into shapes that
would be expensive or difficult to produce in metal. I realize that if a
working-example is required then there may be some limitations of what
can be accomplished by a student for that reason--but I am thinking
right off: for a utility bike, why not add an integral rear cargo rack.
And the rear fender integral--that's two things the customer doesn't
have to put on then, as well as two things that can't come loose and
fall off. Also--since this is not a performance bicycle anyway--get rid
of the wire-spoke wheels thanks, plastic 5-spokes for them too. Never
break or adjust any wire spokes again, and you're getting rid of a lot
of parts there for just one too.

What about some sort of quick-release mechanism. You could use something
like a traditional bicycle quick release or something more like what is used
for ski boots. This would allow for even more rapid assembly / disassembly
as well as being somewhat easier.

If the frame parts are high-strength plastic then they could be
injection-molded, cheaply made, and basicly disposable when they wear out.

Jeff