16th IBDC Taipei Cycle 2012 Models on Display 3 – Happy Paradise, BO-90, Beecycle, Vienna Bike, Zoo Zeeg, Quick Fit, Network, Ricor’s, Pair Up
Following on from the related posts (here and here), this completes the 2012 IBDC designs that made it through to the final round of judging.
Happy Paradise
By Taiwan's Shi Shun-Min, this will adjust to the growth of a child through the years by means of its sliding structure. The one bike can then fit a host of riders of differing heights. A cooler name would be appropriate. Still this comes across as one of the more intriguing and interesting designs.
BO-90
This design by Jayadevi Venugopal and Sabari Girish Ravikumar reflects the Basket Bike concept integrating cargo or passenger carrying capacity into the frame.
It targets what the designers view as a missing space in developing countries for relevant and robust transport solutions. The twin-tubing is low-cost and will support extra passengers and/or a lot of cargo.
Beecycle
By Winnie Ngai, Hong Kong. This is possibly one of the least convincing displays. Designed for a public bike-sharing scheme in mind, the Beecycle generates electricity in use. When the unit is replaced in the storage/collection point, the power is transferred into the grid.
One contradiction of e-bikes is the carbon-neutral tag that often accompanies the marketing; they are if the battery charging source is not dependent on fossil-fuels. The Beecycle addresses that. If this is its only feature, though, then in design-terms it comes across as quite one-dimensional.
Vienna Bike
By Valentin Vodev. An electric assist tricycle that is envisaged to give the same riding sensation as a bi-cycle by means of its unique steering and suspension system.
The cargo boxes can load to a maximum of 150 liters of fluids or 40kg of goods. The loading platform has a quick release for convenient securing or change-over of cargo. A specially designed child's seat can also be secured to the frame.
Measuring 35cm across the rear axel together with its unique folding system makes both storage and transportation very convenient. Simple aethetics and multifunctional design make this an attractive package.
Zoo Zeeg
By Mahdi Momeni, this is a full-suspension MTB which generates electricity out of the air flow across an integrated wind generator while riding and stored in a lithium battery. This power is then available to charge electronic devices. I think the comments about the Beecycle also apply here.
Quick Fit
By Paddy Milford, this is for a bike share scheme. The bike is unlocked by swiping a registered chipcard over the top of the steerer. The card also encodes basic data about the user's physique. The frame will adjust automatically.
Network
Philipp Schaake's concept envisages the incorporation of a variety of technical gadgetry operated through a touch screen that projects forward of the steerer. Variable front and back lighting programs would be available. 3C units can be installed in the container nestled between the handlebar forks. This is opened and closed by means of the touch screen. A similar container for tools or valuables, installed in the BB-downtube-seat tube junction would also be operated, locked and unlocked, through the touch screen.
Ricor Lee's Wooden Bike
This design engages with 3D compression molding processes for wood. This material has the feel of natural wood but is actually much harder than existing ABS thermoplastics and thermoplastic polymers. It's natural surface effect means no painting is necessary.
Pair Up
Suk-Ho Yu & Sang-Min Park. It's about time a tandem concept was featured. This envisages making it easy for the person in front to adjust their seat and the person at the back to easily adjust their handlebar.
A Very Big Effort-William Zhuang Digs Deep
Late in 2010 William did his first practice run up to Tatajia in the shadow of Mt. Jade, Taiwan's highest mountain in preparation for the annual event. 2011 was a good year in which he finished as Taiwan's top young racer.
He managed to push through to the other side of his worst moment
The 2012 Tatajia event was held on Sunday. This year Taiwan's top domestic racer for 2011 Zhu Fan-Xin was contending for the elite section of the event along with a former Tour of Taiwan racer, Fraser Young. Fraser took out the event with Fan-Xin 2nd.
Getting past two 20%+ grades takes away a lot of what you need to reach the top at 2610m
William stayed with the leading group most of the way up the 36 km climb until just after the landslide section. The road has been stabilized but involves two ramps that find a way over the debris left from the landslip a few seasons ago. He hung on for the final 12km to the top and placed 10th.
His aim was a top 5 place. The few people who saw his dedication to this climb—myself, his Mom and Dad who follow on the road in support and a few bystanders—have no doubt that he'll be back next year to achieve that and more.
16th IBDC Taipei Cycle 2012 Models on Display 2 – Surf, Visionair, Basket Bike, Spotlight
SURF
The designers, Zhong-Fa Lie and Yoori Koo have livening up "dreary" city life in mind with their Surf. The convertible boards at the back can be rotated rearwards and down to the ground.
A passenger can stand on the back and be towed along. Or items can be transported, probably a lot heavier than a simple rear-rack would permit. The trolley's wheels allow this; the lower center of gravity for particularly heavy items would probably help as well.
VISIONAIR
A luxury sports bike featuring an integrated air suspension/pump mechanism with a retractable valve tucked inside the leather tool pouch which is integrated into the frame.
There are also LED lights integrated into the brake levers. The front brakes are integrated into the forks in order to give a cleaner finish.
BASKET BIKE
By Taiwan designer Zong-Syun Chou, is about simplicity and portability.
The front basket is located behind the head tube to eliminate steering problems resulting from weighty items as you might expect if the basket was located in front of the HT.
The rear basket is similarly integrated into the frame. The idea is to lessen the impact of vibrations that might shake your shopping items up, as might happen with a more flimsy accessory add-on carrier.
SPOTLIGHT
Designed by Karl Huang, principally with night riding in mind. The light is integrated into the overall structure, similarly to the previous design's baskets.
16th IBDC Taipei Cycle 2012 Models on Display 1 – Flitz
Here's the first post of several giving some idea of the other concept designs on display at this year's IBDC, many of which won excellence and merit awards, but did not make it to the podium.
Tom Hambrock and Juri Spetter's Flitz was one of the most "interesting" designs offered up this year. It was developed with the aim of providing a "completely new mobility experience". As you can see, different it is.
It shares a distant affinity with last year's Running Sports Vehicle entry through doing away with the traditional drive train altogether.
The frame is laminated and sports a 5-point belt, harness system. The claim is for a "comfortable ergonomic" riding experience with the belt replacing the saddle. There is an option to attach luggage on the top as well.
The guys were on hand to make sure their scale model was displayed as perfectly as possible.
We did not see any of this action at the Nangang Exhibition Center. But it would certainly have turned some heads.
Design owes as much to tinkering as to thinking. Via www.fliz-concept.blogspot.com/.
16th IBDC Taipei Cycle 2012: Silver and Bronze Awards; Other working prototypes
The 19 finalists in this year's field.
In a corner of the 4th floor display area, this year largely given over to the inaugural d&i awards, was a version of the 2011 Gold award winner, Marco Mainardi's Aria. This year's Gold award winner, Larry Chen's Velocity was something more likely to appeal to a wider target group of cyclists however.
Silver Award
Tim Lee's City takes the Law of Conservation of Energy as its key motif. With aesthetic echoes of previous era in cycling, some energy lost in movement can be harnessed to recharge an iPhone or on-board navigation device.
It was not available to check out in prototype form which would have been interesting. You would really have to wonder about the cycling experience here though. You'd have to have a very high quality pavement surface to say the least.
It's certainly an ambitious attempt which makes Chen's Velocity look very conservative in comparison. Still, the Velocity could easily incorporate these energy conservation principles while remaining instantly more "inviting" to, again, a wider range of cyclists in my view.
Bronze Award
Paulus Maringka's G2 took out the 3d place.
A departure from the focus on urban cycling to a design that targets developing countries. Actually you can see this type of bikes on the streets of Taiwan. It's a much older, clunkier version though, with a handbrake to make sure it stays where you part it under load. There's probably some inspiration from that source underlying the G2.
Prototypes that were on display alongside the Gold award winner, Velocity, were the Woody, also an Excellent Award winner, and the V-Bike.
Lee Cheng-Shuo's Woody frame is made of plywood and carbon fiber pressed at high temperature. The CF is included for flexibility and shock absorbing. The idea is greater use of "eco" materials and simplicity in design, in keeping with the guiding theme of this year's IBDC.
Comparing the prototype rendering to the scale model there is a quite a difference in seat tube length. The appealing proportions visible in the model are lost in the prototype. Depending on how efficiently the frame manufacturing process turns out to be would probably be a factor in any market success. It would depend also on who it's potential niche market actually turned out to be.
Kuo Wei Lien's V-Bike with it's "duel V frames" was made up the three prototypes that were paraded. The model sports a bit more interesting top tube and down tube . . .
. . . that did not make it into the prototype. Sure, it's probably beside the point, but that initial first impression whenever you encounter anything new is always something to take note of.
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- 16th IBDC Taipei Cycle 2012 Models on Display 3 – Happy Paradise, BO-90, Beecycle, Vienna Bike, Zoo Zeeg, Quick Fit, Network, Ricor’s, Pair Up
- A Very Big Effort-William Zhuang Digs Deep
- 16th IBDC Taipei Cycle 2012 Models on Display 2 – Surf, Visionair, Basket Bike, Spotlight
- 16th IBDC Taipei Cycle 2012 Models on Display 1 – Flitz
- 16th IBDC Taipei Cycle 2012: Silver and Bronze Awards; Other working prototypes
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