BE OPEN BLOG

Many people who live in in the crowded cities and urban centers rely on bikes as their main means of transportation. Indeed, often this appears to be the most efficient, environment-friendly and in most cases the fastest option. Experts expect that the number of bicycle riders is going to double in the coming decade. Aware of the trend, industrial designers devise innovative bike designs that seek to be practical, lightweight and swift.

Washington-based designer Franz Cerwinka has launched a battery-assisted luxury bicycle that is perfectly in tune with high-tech features. Named Pilot, the design comprises a lightweight 7005 series aluminum frame and the striking hubless wheel characteristics.

After extensive interviews and testing phases, countless edits and alterations to the design, Cerwinka has ended with the off-center axle design that has the additional gear to spin the wheels at proper rate with pedaling motion.  This is assisted by the onboard motor for that extra boost on inclines when the throttle is pressed. To extend the functionality further, the bicycle gets a rear housing attachment that connects to the bike’s hubless wheels for added storage space.

The bicycle can be controlled with the compatible app, which enables the user to lock it, control the built-in lights or secure the battery module. It also displays all the real-time information such as speed, distance, calories burned, and more, while the center console on the handlebar provides on-board guidance and navigation.

As its name suggests, Loop by Paris-based Gaëtan Francq Studio is characterized by an eye-catching looped ultralight frame designed to simplify the whole body of the bike. Other innovative features include a handlebar, which comes packed with Bluetooth connectivity, GPS, speed and temperature updates, as well as a storage compartment that fills out the bike’s looped saddle tube.

The city sbike has been designed to be readily dismantled whenever necessary. It is therefore equipped with with a powerful brake system called Wilwood, which can easily be replaced and worked for maintenance. Lightweight and easy to handle, each one of Loop’s components is constructed from aluminum alloys in order to optimize its weight.

Multidisciplinary Spanish design studio Arquimaña led by architects Raquel Ares and Iñaki Albistur has an ambition to reduce carbon emissions in cities by empowering people with technology. That is why they have introduced Openbike, an open source design that can be downloaded and fabricated by anyone.

The affordable design incorporates storage racks to transport goods, and employs a simple construction from widely available materials like off-the-shelf plywood. The files for Openbike are licensed under creative commons 4.0, allowing the designs to be improved, modified, manufactured, and shared again by anyone across the world.

To fabricate the bike, you have to download the drawings from the sudio’s website, take them to a local digital fabrication workshop. There the CNC machine cuts the body of the bicycle from plywood and uses 3D printing for elements such as the saddle, front hub, and handgrips. The latter, however, could also be recycled from old bikes to further promote sustainable living.

The project is part of the Global Fab City initiative, which challenges cities to produce everything they consume by 2054.