Comments on: African Bicycle Design Contest Winner- TU Delft

By: Nick F

Nick F — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 18:38:02 +0000

Cool! Good luck taking this to the next level.

By: juliano pappalardo

juliano pappalardo — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 18:20:02 +0000

In the name of the team I thank you for your attention and comments.
Nick F, I will tell them the idea of turning the trailer arm, maybe it works nice.
Johann Risk, I thought sometimes about the North developing `solutions` to the South, I realized that the most important thing in designing is talking to people and letting and helping them design their products, for sure we will learn a lot and then after probably we will help them somehow. Like when you go to stay for some weeks in a house you have never been, at first you try to help cleaning the dishes, washing the clothes, the last thing you do is changing an aspect you think have to be changed.

CooP is being the vehicle of this exchange.

Kind regards

By: Johann Rissik

Johann Rissik — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 20:02:08 +0000

“That one-on-one interaction with the people who will use and build these trailers is where these students are really going to learn something” That’s very true.

Access to a bike with a trailer can certainly change the life of a person in Africa.

By: James Thomas

James Thomas — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 19:48:51 +0000

I understand your skepticism, and I agree that the prototype is quite sloppy (to put it nicely). Like I said in the post...from a design standpoint this solution was not my first choice. I certainly don't think anyone is being "fooled" by this contest though. This trailer is NOT something that will be developed by a team in Europe and then pushed on the people of Africa. The winning team is going to work collaboratively with local people and organizations in Kenya to implement their solution, and the product and business plan will evolve from there. That one-on-one interaction with the people who will use and build these trailers is where these students are really going to learn something, and in the end, I think everyone will benefit. Cycling Out of Poverty is definitely not sponsoring the competition just to get publicity or to make a bunch of northern hemisphere designers feel good about themselves. The organization really is trying to make a difference, and I am confident that they will work with the TU Delft team and local organizations like the Cycling Blue Workshop and the African Bicycle Network to make sure that this effort really does benefit the local people. I'm looking forward to see how this project develops, and I will post an update at some point once it has been implemented and fine tuned. In the mean time, any suggestions on how to improve the design can only benefit the winning team...and the people in Kenya.

By: Johann Rissik

Johann Rissik — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 19:01:48 +0000

I just love it when “The North” designs for “The South” …..and then get bonus points for showing an “understanding” of the needs of the South. Gotta love it. And that prototype with a puncture, that’s downright sloppy. I wonder why “the Africans” didn’t think of it first? Oh? They did, like wow! Come on folks, an African Bicycle Design Contest? Who’s foolin’ who?

By: Nick F

Nick F — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 15:29:06 +0000

Good point. Didn’t see that aspect of the presentation. They can still use a better hitch mechanism though, as well as have it connect to the chainstay.

If they moved the separation point on the trailer arm (as seen by two bolts in the photos) lower, towards the trailer, past the 70° bend, and drilled a second set of holes 90° off from the first, the trailer arm could have two positions -one where it traveled upwards as is currently shown for carrying on foot – and then a second position where the bend of the trailer arm travels parallel to the ground and attaches at the chainstay. This wouldn’t require any extra material or design, simply two additional holes.

By: art

art — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 13:40:41 +0000

The problem with the Burley hitch is that it’s only versatile for working with bikes. It’s not shown in the rendering, but this prototype also has a grab handle on the hitch. It can be pulled by a person on foot.

By: Nick F

Nick F — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 07:45:12 +0000

Unfortunate that the prototype and ideas didn’t finish strong together, but I guess it’s the ideas that count in the long run.

I have my doubts about that hitch they’ve devised though… If research was this teams strong suit, they should have seen that virtually any bicycle trailer in existence has a simpler, more versatile, less cumbersome hitch mechanism. Especially since their concept stresses supporting the boda-boda industry (meaning a rider behind the driver) it is sort of confounding that they have the hitch arm right where the passenger would be sitting.

Tip TU Delft: Knock off any version of a Burley hitch in sheet metal, and have it attach to the non-drive side chainstay/seatstay.

By: James Thomas

James Thomas — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 01:25:33 +0000

Yep, that’s just one small issue with the prototype from what I heard. Like I said, it was a bit unrefined.

By: patrick

patrick — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 21:24:55 +0000

anyone else notice that flatted right tire?