The ISUDA Bike Share Design Competition ended about a month ago, and I am long overdue in posting the entries to be judged and discussed by all of you who read this blog. We didn’t get as much participation as we hoped for (far fewer than the previous design competition held at Bicycle Design), but as a jury we have been discussing the pros and cons of the few entries that we did receive. I don’t want to influence you with our comments just yet though, so I am posting all of the entries and descriptions below in the order that they were received. Actually, we received 13 entries total, but two of them did not include the required boards and a written description, so you will be voting on the 11 concepts that met the basic entry criteria.
Please review each of the entries below and vote for your top choice by using the poll at the bottom of this post (keep in mind the original brief as you vote). The poll will remain open until February 28th at which time we will announce the reader’s choice winner who will receive the compact folding bike prize from ISUDA . Comments and criticism of the entries are welcome, but please try to be constructive and offer ideas to improve and build on the designs (or elements within them). We are looking forward to reading your comments and seeing the results of your votes soon!
1. BalloonBikes by Marcus Burnam
BalloonBikes is designed to be fun and to draw attention. By having the bikes attached to a hot air balloon, it allows the bikes not only to be transported but also advertised to a portion of the city.
The bikes will be transported between locations by increasing the heat pumped into the balloon so that it may float into the sky with the rack of bikes connected. Once the balloon is at a suitable height a grappling rope can by discharged down to its next docking station using GPS tracking. A member of staff will then connect the grappling rope to the docks winch, so that the balloon can release some of its heat and be slowly drawn down to its next destination.
Once the balloon is docked, customers can come and collect a bike by placing their credit/debit card into the bike and entering their pin code, this will release the locking mechanism on the bike allowing the customer to take it away for a ride.
When the bike is returned, the customer must place the bike back in its rack, which will activate pressure pads and cause the locking mechanism to close. The customer’s card is then released.
2. Untitled by Abhimanyu Rajvanshi
The main constraint in folding of the bike is the wheel. The wheel size cannot be considerably reduced as it will lead slow pace and more stress on the rider . Here I tried to introduce a new type of wheel which is only an arc length, less than half a circle. This would tremendously help in further folding of the bike.
Another unique feature of the tier is that in the calamity of a puncture only a that unit of the tier is replace which is punctured. Thus reducing the efforts of changing the whole tier.
3. Hubert by Matt Juhani Pekkanen
Hubert is a compact bicycle, which hubless rearwheel design allows it to fold in to an easily transportable and stored piece. It has an easy-to-use locknut on a swivel, which when operated allows the front work to slide to the left, and turn backwards allowing frontwheel to slip inside the rearwheel. Rear frame is built from to equal pieces, and the tire is fastened with small bearings on the inner side. Gear is integrated inside the rearwheel, allowing very simple design with less elements.
4. Wabing by Marcelo Martinelli
Walk is one of the most satisfactory activities for people … also bicycling
Can we fuse both activities in a single object?
WAlking + BIcycling = WABING solution
An efficient and light aluminum frame allows a
natural movement with a typical bicycle displacement
Also, their geometric configuration, is adaptive to different ages and uses
Their small size (100 x 115 x 55, and 25 cms wheels) allows to be used in the vehicular streets, in the pedestrians areas , in a park, tracks, etc…
WABING is the simple way of the city movement
5. Luna bike by Trixon Lab
Luna is a bike designed for the urban environment. Italian design, made out of aluminium alloy tube with an integrated compartment for laptop/hand bag. Luna is light, nimble, ideal to move freely.
6. Foldable and easy transportable city bike design concept by Zhang Ting Ting
Design use environment
My Bike is design for modern international city like Singapore. It suitable for public park such as garden by the bay or east cost, the tourists can rent from bike store for their short distance ride(3-5 km).
Design use group
20-40 young people who like out door exercise.
Design description
1). Rear wheel supposed to rotate 180 degree, handle bar can be rotate 90 and the foot step should be foldable, so the whole bike can fold like picture visualize, good point is save space.
2). Light system is consist of handle light, rear light and rim light, more safety consideration when night ride.
3). After fold the bike can deposit as a group with the support shelf like picture show. Its easy to maintain and transport.
4). Modern and simple styling is loveable to young people, color can be multiple change.
7. Isuda Concept Bike by Mathew Boobyer
This bike sharing system is designed to be transported around the city to best fit the location requirements of its everyday users, the commuters. The trailer has a detachable tow bar and four drop down stabilising wheels so it can easily be moved into the desired location. The station has a simplistic double-sided interface with easy to follow instructions to ensure ease of use. The interface includes a live map that is updated daily to show the locations of the portable stations around the city. The trailer has at each end a lighting system that allows travellers to see from a distance away wether the station has a free bike, or bike space depending on their needs. All four sides of the trailer have drop down panels, with the end two sides having hidden panels that can be pulled out if the space is available.
The bike is a simplistic and sleek designed especially for short distance commutes. It includes a generous carry case at the back with umbrella holder, a simplistic one gear system, concealed brakes and integrated mudguards. The handle bars include a map that shows the mobile locations for the day, an LED light and a bell.
8. Roda by Niall O’Loughlin, Robert McKenna, Mark McGuinness
Roda is a public bike share system designed specifically to fit the dense urban landscape of Singapore. The concept was created to compliment the city’s ultra-modern landscape and design culture. The concept is realistic and cost efficient.
The bicycle is designed to be used many times a day. It has been made to withstand harsh weather conditions and vandalism. The aesthetic is smooth, sleek and modern while the bike retains its properties of being robust, durable, light, efficient to cycle and a unisex design. It is also cost effective and designed for mass manufacture and assembly.
The mechanical components including the Shimano Nexus 3 internally geared hubs are enclosed by the polypropylene body on the bike frame which is all injection moulded. The steel frame is cost effective, easy to manufacture and is designed to accommodate all users.
The docking stations for the bikes are small, unobtrusive and match the theme of the Roda design. They can easily be removed/added to different parts of the city.
The user interface includes integration with EZ-Link card, Roda app and a unique key pad. The interaction station matches the “wavy”, flowing shape which gives the system a unique design identity to suit Singapore.
9. Foldable City Bike for Isuda by Asta Sad
This bike is a compact urban model, which is unisex, light and elegant.
The short characteristics:
16” wheels, bell drive, adaptable seat post, with the possibility to integrate the battery in the back of the bike’s solid frame. It is durable and weather resistant, easily transportable.
The bike is good for short distance journeys.
10. Merlion Bike by Vincent Pommel
The Merlion, a lion head with a fish tail, is a symbol of Singapore. It is the driver for the appearance and the concept of the “Merlion bike”. One bike can transport up to 6 bikes without adding any trailer. The basket refers to the lion and the transported bikes to the tail.
The “Merlion bike” system is self-organized, without external intervention. The bicycles are the trailers. The users have the possibility to take several bicycles from a full station to bring them to a station with a deficit of bicycles. By doing that, they recover gradually the price of their subscription.
A power-assist finds all its sense for the cyclist-citizen bringing 1+6 bicycles to an empty station. One or two removable motor drive units can be connected to the ends of the rear shaft. The electrical power is 250W with one unit and 500W with two.
Technical features of the bike are: a saddle mounted on a gas cylinder; robust frame, tires and wheels; shielded mechanical components (brakes, cables, transmission, lights…).
The unique vision of bicycles trailing bicycles in a self-organized system could become a next modern symbol of the city of Singapore!
11. Untitled folding bike by Marcel Pater
This concept uses a simple cart design in combination with foldable bikes. The cart is designed to use minimal materials and be very open, it is essentially just a bike rack. The bicycle is designed to be folded in half, to reduce the space it needs during transportation. The bike’s seat and steering can be adjusted in height. The steer of the bike is outfitted with a hook, which is used to hang the bike on the cart. A simple bar is then closed, to keep the bike in place, and prevent theft.
The cart can be outfitted with a billboard for recognition or commercial use. The design inspiration for the cart comes from the classical bike racks, which use a simple design of bended steel pipes.
The Dream Machine, a futuristic racing bike by Italian design studio Jonny Mole Design, recently was selected as a winning entry for the Bicycles category in the Taipei Cycle D&I awards 2013, an event organized by iF DESIGN to reward the best projects in the bike industry. The award will be presented on March 23rd at the Taipei Cycle Show, where the Dream Machine will be on display along with winners in the components and parts, peripherals and accessories, and e-bikes and pedelecs categories.
uick glance at the design section of their website indicates that Jonny Mole is not a newcomer to the bicycle industry. In addition to the products and advertisements shown on the site, the agency was responsible for the design the design of the maglia rosa for the 2011 Giro d’Italia. Founder Jonny Moletta explains the vision behind this latest concept bike:
The prototype was built in cooperation with four major partners, Vision, FSA, Selle Italia, and Vittoria. The fork, stem, and handlebars (reminiscent of the old Scott Drop-In design) are integrated the sculpted form of the frame. It won’t please the UCI to see that a custom water bottle is integrated into the downtube of the frame. Also integrated into the downtube is a “tech box” designed to hold an electronic shifting battery. Another tech feature is a space in the stem for “ a ciclocomputer or other navigation or training instruments.”
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