Designing a bike is kinda like designing a chair. So many iterations have a large focus on the looks and not enough on function. So whenever I come across a design based on trying to solve a problem it's refreshing and usually eye-catching... like the "ufold." Although the collapsed bike's beauty can be argued over, the simplicity and ease of use is well thought of. I'd buy one, and at the end of the day, if money is what matters, this design is a winner :)
Props Andre Costa, you made a sweet bike.
Interesting form, and foldability, but unfortunately it's completely unfunctional. In order for it to fold, the wheels are not aligned, which means that the bike would track to one side or the other. On top of that, the spokes are again, very cool looking, but unfunctional. Spokes are designed to work in tension (not compression as these seem to illustrate), distributing force from the center of the hub outward.
ReplyDeleteA cool variation of the traditional spoke look (that actually does work) is this:
http://www.crankbrothers.com/wheel_design.php
I give this designer props for trying to think about form and secondary function, but it's forgotten to achieve its primary function of engineering as a bike.
A good resource on learning how bikes work (in physics terms and fundamentally speaking):
http://www.amazon.com/Bicycling-Science-David-Gordon-Wilson/dp/0262731541
Good observations, and thanks for the links!
ReplyDeleteI really appreciate you for the great job done!
ReplyDeleteDesign Mechanisms