Harvolt Bike Share System by Matthew Harding

Matthew Harding recently completed his degree in Industrial Design at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia. For his final project, Harding designed an Electric Bike Share System, which he describes below:

“My initial goal of the project was to encourage cycling in Melbourne, which is very much a car dominant city. I wanted to design the next generation of bike share systems, so I decided to integrate electric pedal assist into the bicycle to allow non-cyclists with the ability to ride greater distances with less effort. This matches Melbourne’s sprawled urban layout.

The Harvolt bicycles dock to electrical poles and to dock banks which provide a node to hub system. The bicycle has been designed to last longer between servicing by reducing the amount of on-going maintenance with the gears and drive shaft motor internally housed. The process and experience of getting a share bike are improved through the integration of Smartphone’s. This modernizes share bikes and utilizes technology that people carry with them every day.

The issue of share helmets is solved by storing the share helmets on the bicycles at all times. Every bike will have a helmet and helmet liners stored in the container above the rear wheel.

As the current examples of share bikes have little aesthetic styling, there was huge scope to improve this aspect of share bikes. I developed a contemporary design style revolving around geometric profiles complemented by large radii on corners.”

The idea of an electric assist bike share system is not new, but a couple of details in this design caught my attention. The dock system which includes dedicated stations, as well as supplementary nodes that attach to electrical poles, is interesting. the nodes add flexibilty, and seem like a way to expand the system easily and inexpensively.

I am also intrigued by the idea of including a helmet (with liner) in a cargo compartment on each bike. Not everyone will want to use the helmet, but it will be there for those people who wouldn’t use the service otherwise (and I have been hearing that concern quite a bit in regards to our local bike share service). Of course, a helmet included with each bike could be easily lost or damaged. People might want to use the helmet compartment for storage and set the helmet aside at the station. It is an interesting design problem though, and I like the fact that Harding addressed it with his concept. I would love to hear thoughts from others on ways to provide helmets within a bike share system. Share your ideas in the comments.

Prototype of Harvolt electric share bike by Matthew Harding

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Posted

May 26, 2015

Concept, Electric bike, Student Design

James

Tags:

bike share, e-bikes, reader submitted design, Student Design

Comments

9 responses to “Harvolt Bike Share System by Matthew Harding”

Alex

May 26, 2015

“Setting aside the helmet at the station” would be great in most countries, but Matthew probably included the ‘feature’ because of Australia’s law requiring cyclists to wear helmets. I’m sure most customers of this rental system would rather have a lockable case to carry the stuff that most people have with them, on or off the bike . . .

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adrian

May 26, 2015

He includes a helmet because they are mandatory in Melbourne. That alone is sufficient to doom any bike share scheme to failure.

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1. James Thomas
  
  May 27, 2015
  
  Adrain and Alex, thanks for the information. Now it makes sense why he included it in the project. I almost always wear a helmet when I ride, but I agree that mandatory helmet laws for adult cyclists are generally a terrible idea. Requiring the use of a helmet is a good way to discourage bike share, and bicycling in general. It that the case in other parts of Australia as well?
  
  Reply
Impossibly Stupid

May 26, 2015

Funny, but the inclusion of a helmet system was the part I found incredibly silly! Even though I always wear a helmet when I bike, the reality is that I’m seldom in any situation where it would need to do its job. For bike shares, what is the reality of the dangers involved? Puttering around at 10mph for 10 minutes every once in a while doesn’t really call for an elaborate headgear solution. I’d want gloves before I wanted a helmet in most casual riding situations.

I do like the idea of docks on electric poles. But custom-everything-else is, as always, a huge unnecessary expense that ensures things like this never succeed.

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1. James Thomas
  
  May 27, 2015
  
  I don’t know the reality of the dangers involved, but I do know that the perception of danger prevents some people from using bike share when they do not have a helmet available. In regards to our local B-Cycle system, lack of available helmets is one of the most common criticisms from the general public. Personally, I have used bike share systems around the world without a helmet, but (here in the US at least) it is an issue to consider if it is truly limiting the use of the systems. Maybe just a vending machine at stations with cheap styrofoam helmets would suffice for the percentage of people who feel more comfortable knowing they have a helmet on for those slow, short trips.
  
  Reply
  1. Impossibly Stupid
    
    May 28, 2015
    
    “In regards to our local B-Cycle system, lack of available helmets is one of the most common criticisms from the general public.”
    
    People fabricate all sorts of excuses when it comes to avoiding expending an ounce of effort. I wager good money that if you supplied them with helmets, they’d just move the goal post on to the next excuse.
    
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Why helmets

May 27, 2015

Matthews designed something pretty cool if, however, in that completely impractical space most industrial designers live in. Still some good thought..
But why all the focus on helmets? Do you all just like the sound of your own voices? It’s the same old wicked problem sitting in that space between public good and personal choice.
He qualified its for Melbourne where helmets are law. If you don’t like helmets, set up a petition change.org
Nice stuff Matthew!

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Bike Dad

May 28, 2015

Prototype of Harvolt electric share bike by Matthew Harding is very impressive. I like the creative idea he used for bike safety. I believe by using such technique people can actually reduce bike stealing. Matthew you’ve come up with really good design.

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Brian Hill

August 13, 2015

Nice concept. For those responding on the designs inclusion of the helmet, this is a mandated national regulation in Australia, not just Melbourne. All bike riders must wear a standards approved helmet, or face fines. Creating a rental helmet is fraught with problems, like: How do I ensure helmet Fit? How do I access a hygienic helmet Liner? How hard are the straps to adjust? Matthew has proposed an interesting option to address part of the problem, but there’s a bigger set of challenges with helmet hire..

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