James T. posted an article on Bicycle Design - Feb 9, 2012, 12:17 pm
I am assuming that the majority of you have already seen images of the new SRAM Red 2012 group, which was unveiled last week after several months of anticipation. If you somehow missed it, see the posts at Bike Radar, Road.cc, BikeRumor, and this video at VeloNews (just to name a few). I was pretty ...
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James T. posted an article on Bicycle Design - Feb 8, 2012, 9:27 am
The idea of creating bikes that grow with kids that has been around, but designer Alex Fernandez Camps’ approach for Orbea is interesting. Many kids bikes allow for substantial adjustment of seat and stem height, but Camps’ design features an aluminum frame that can be expanded horizontally as t...
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James T. posted an article on Bicycle Design - Feb 3, 2012, 1:37 pm
Mohsen Saleh, a design engineer living in Milan, Italy, has been working on a rear wheel steering recumbent bike design (in his spare time) for about a year. In a recent post on his blog, Mohsen explained his three main objectives for the project: To eliminate the long chains used on current recumb...
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James T. posted an article on Bicycle Design - Feb 1, 2012, 9:24 am
I have a backlog of design related topics that I have been meaning to discuss here at Bicycle Design, but those posts are going to have to wait… at least one more day. This morning, I want to take a minute to mention the American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act, which was proposed yesterday in ...
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James T. posted an article on Bicycle Design - Jan 30, 2012, 1:07 pm
For his thesis project at the Academy of Art in San Francisco, Industrial Design graduate student Ramon Hung designed the Velo Chic folding bike, which is specifically aimed toward women living in urban areas. On his portfolio site, Raymon points out that: “In America, women comprise only 25% of ...
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James T. posted an article on Bicycle Design - Jan 25, 2012, 5:57 pm
Egger's Lunch Ride "Cheater" bike...a road version of the Shiv I have mentioned Robert Egger, Specialized’s Creative Director, a few times in the past. He has worked at Specialized since 1987, and in that time has created some pretty interesting concept bikes (like the one at the bottom of this p...
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James T. posted an article on Bicycle Design - Jan 24, 2012, 1:22 pm
I am WAY overloaded with projects at the moment, so the links and topics that I have been meaning to post lately have been backing up. I won’t get to them all today, but I want to take a quick break from the madness and quickly pass along a few of them. Core77 posted an interesting video of RTM c...
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James T. posted an article on Bicycle Design - Jan 19, 2012, 1:15 pm
If you have been reading this blog for a while, you know that I have a weakness for time trial bikes. Like almost every new time trial machine, the new Cervelo P5 looks fast… even sitting still (and I am sure that it is a very fast bike with the right motor). What’s different about this bike tho...
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James T. posted an article on Bicycle Design - Jan 17, 2012, 1:07 pm
I saw Margus Triibmann’s Tulip Fun Fun bike rack yesterday, and mentioned it on Twitter and Google+ saying, “This is a clever bike rack design. I’d be interested to see how it holds up over time in an urban environment though.” A few people replied with concerns about the security of a flexi...
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James T. posted an article on Bicycle Design - Jan 12, 2012, 7:54 am
I am traveling for work this week, and my schedule has been pretty hectic. I don’t have much time to post, but I do want to quickly pass along a few links. The custom track bike you see here was sent to me by a reader (actually by a reader’s girlfriend). It reminds me a bit of an old 90s Kestre...
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James T. posted an article on Bicycle Design - Jan 4, 2012, 1:16 pm
I finally had a chance to review this site’s stats from 2011, so it’s time for another year end recap post. Continuing the trend from 2009 and 2010, Bicycle Design’s traffic seems to be growing slightly. Google Analytics reports just over a million total pageviews (1,138,282) for the blog duri...
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James T. posted an article on Bicycle Design - Jan 3, 2012, 10:03 am
I am back at my desk catching up after a great Holiday break. I have been on the internet very little in the last 2+ weeks, so I have a lot to share…once I get through some of this email.  For now, I want to quickly point you to this interesting chromed Biscotti single speed from the folks at Van...
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James T. posted an article on Bicycle Design - Dec 26, 2011, 7:17 am
I took time off from work last week to spend with my family, so I didn’t get a chance to post again after Monday. This week will be more of the same, so I want to take a minute to wish all of you a happy holiday season. The seven meter tall Christmas tree pictured here, made from recycled bikes an...
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James T. posted an article on Bicycle Design - Dec 19, 2011, 11:18 am
In 2009, I reviewed the book Smart Move, which features pictures and descriptions of the 200 or so unique bikes in Michael Embacher’s collection. As an addition to Smart Move, and the later book Cyclepedia, Embacher is releasing an interactive iPad app, produced by Richard Loncraine and Patrick U...
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James T. posted an article on Bicycle Design - Dec 12, 2011, 3:11 pm
Torkel Dohmers' ThisWay concept bike- winner of the 2008 design competition It has been a while since the first design competition that I staged here at Bicycle Design.  The “Commuter Bike for the Masses” competition at the end of 2008 took quite a bit of time to organize and administer, but i...
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James T. posted an article on Bicycle Design - Nov 30, 2011, 4:01 pm
Photo credit: TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA/AFP/Getty Images The crew at Bike Hugger spotted an interesting concept bike that is currently on display at the Tokyo Motor show.  Earlier this year, you may have read about the Yamaha PAS e-bike line, which the company developed specifically for the Japanese mark...
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James T. posted an article on Bicycle Design - Nov 28, 2011, 3:03 pm
Image via BikeHugger.com It is Cyber Monday today, so that means that you should all immediately stop reading blogs like this one and start buying lots and lots of stuff, right? OK…I am not really serious, but if you are planning on buying any bike related gifts today (for yourself or others), I ...
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James T. posted an article on Bicycle Design - Nov 22, 2011, 1:52 pm
That is NOT where the lower jockey wheel should be It is almost Thanksgiving, and I am busy this afternoon trying to wrap up a few projects at work so I can spend the rest of the week with my family. I don’t really feel like doing a design related post today, so bear with me while I “think out ...
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James T. posted an article on Bicycle Design - Nov 18, 2011, 1:12 pm
The Sprinter by Jesse Meyer- via SRAM.com SRAM’s pART PROJECT is a great idea to benefit a very worthy cause. As the SRAM website succinctly explains; “Artists transform bike parts into art. The art is auctioned off. The proceeds help people in need through World Bicycle Relief.” Well known a...
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James T. posted an article on Bicycle Design - Nov 16, 2011, 1:49 pm
So…what do you do when those 4” tires on your Surly Pugsley just don’t seem wide enough anymore? You have no choice but to built your own monster bike like the one show here (found via Marcus Santiago on Google +). If those tires don’t seem wide enough, you can always use a dragster tire in ...
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James T. posted an article on Bicycle Design - Nov 10, 2011, 1:10 pm
left photo: http://www.disraeligears.co.uk, right photo- Campagnolo I mentioned Campagnolo’s new electronic (EPS) groups briefly in a post on Tuesday, but I didn’t share my first impressions after seeing the components. I will preface my opinions by pointing out that I have not seen the groups ...
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James T. posted an article on Bicycle Design - Nov 8, 2011, 4:37 pm
In addition to visiting this site, you may already follow Bicycle Design on Facebook or Twitter. Now, there is one more way to keep up with this blog… with the new Bicycle Design Google + page.  If you don’t already use Google +, I encourage you to take a look. The network has a great group of ...
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James T. posted an article on Bicycle Design - Nov 3, 2011, 2:09 pm
What happens when a woodworker who normally rides a softride decides to build his own fixie? This custom wooden frame by Ken Stolpmann is the result. A post at Fixed Gear Gallery (which includes many more pics) explains: “The frame itself is entirely wood with some metal bolts and inserts for the...
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James T. posted an article on Bicycle Design - Oct 31, 2011, 1:35 pm
“Frankentrike” by Ted Sliwinski is just one of the bikes currently featured in an exhibition at the College for Creative Studies (CCS) in Detroit. Sliwinski points out that, “In true Detroit style it is made of junk, old bike frames and part of the elevator at OmniCorpDetroit. However, it work...
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James T. posted an article on Bicycle Design - Oct 27, 2011, 1:18 pm
I can’t find the exact post, but Byron from BikeHugger has mentioned a few times that he believes Smartphones will almost completely replace cyclo-computers in the near future.  I think that is probably a pretty safe bet, and there is no doubt that iPhone and Android compatible add-ons to track p...
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James T. posted an article on Bicycle Design - Oct 25, 2011, 1:13 pm
David Jushpe is a furniture designer, and part-time boat builder, whose latest (somewhat blue-sky) project is a “concept for a high technological, hybrid, multi powered & multi environment vehicle.” His Ecomobile concept is a roofed recumbent e-bike with retractable pontoons for use on the water...
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James T. posted an article on Bicycle Design - Oct 21, 2011, 5:43 pm
Victor Ragusila, from the University of Toronto Human Powered Vehicle Team, sent me this great video of their Vortex HPV in action during the World Human Powered Speed Championships at Battle Mountain, Nevada last month. The team didn’t quite reach their goal of 75 mph, but they came pretty close ...
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James T. posted an article on Bicycle Design - Oct 20, 2011, 1:46 pm
In addition to playing in the surf, eating some great seafood, and riding bikes with my family, I had the chance to catch up on some reading while I was at the beach last week. The two books I took on the trip were It’s All About the Bike by Robert Penn and Joyride: Pedaling Toward A Healthier Pla...
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James T. posted an article on Bicycle Design - Oct 19, 2011, 3:16 pm
JP Magis, the Design Director for Johnny Loco in Amsterdam, mentioned one of the company’s cargo bikes to me recently. At a weight of 28 kilos (just under 62 pounds), the aluminum frame bike is lighter than many similar cargo designs on the market. I like the way the shape of the frame tubing carr...
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James T. posted an article on Bicycle Design - Oct 11, 2011, 5:13 pm
I have posted quite a few wooden bikes in the past, but this one by Dutch industrial designer Jan Gunneweg is certainly unique in the design of the wheels. They feature a wooden spoke that is integrated into the rim and balanced by traditional steel spokes on the opposing half.  It is hard to tell ...
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James T. posted an article on Bicycle Design - Oct 6, 2011, 1:11 pm
It has been a month or so since I posted a few of the concept bikes and products from TrekWorld 2011. Today, I want to pass along a couple more one off concept bikes, along with the stories behind them from the designers at Trek. Enjoy! Sasquatch What would a cruiser mashup look like? Probably som...
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James T. posted an article on Bicycle Design - Oct 5, 2011, 1:00 pm
I’m still very busy getting caught up in the office after a couple of weeks in Asia, but I have a backlog of interesting links that I want to pass along.  Some of these probably deserve a bit more detail than I can give them today, but time is limited…so here comes another rapidfire links post....
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James T. posted an article on Bicycle Design - Sep 30, 2011, 4:49 pm
Tony Pereira and his winning bike- via Oregon Manifest I am back in the U.S. after another busy product development trip in China. I worked long days on this trip, and the 12-hour time difference always hits me harder when I return home, so I am not up for writing much of a post this afternoon. My ...
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James T. posted an article on Bicycle Design - Sep 25, 2011, 9:18 am
At Interbike last week, NeilPryde Bikes previewed a new time trial/triathlon bike called the “Bayamo”. Like the first two road bikes that the company introduced in 2010, this bike was created in partnership with BMW DesignworksUSA. The frame features the same hard edge styling that you see on th...
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James T. posted an article on Bicycle Design - Sep 22, 2011, 7:40 pm
I have been traveling for the past week, and will continue to do so next week, so I am a bit behind on the blog. I have quite a bit of unread email to get to as well, but today I want to quickly pass a long just a few of links that might interest many of you. Ford followed the lead of several other...
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James T. posted an article on Bicycle Design - Sep 14, 2011, 5:39 pm
Once again, the bicycle industry has descended on Las Vegas for Interbike. The show opened today after a partially stormy outdoor demo in Bootleg Canyon (not exactly what you expect in the desert).  I haven’t had the chance to check out much coverage from the show yet, but I did notice that Bike ...
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James T. posted an article on Bicycle Design - Sep 12, 2011, 1:46 pm
Toronto based industrial designer Andrew Leinonen wanted to find a solution to the problem of urban bike theft- “I realized that in a big city like Toronto or NYC, any lock (no matter how bulky or heavy) can only serve as a deterrent for a determined thief with the right tools.” His design solut...
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James T. posted an article on Bicycle Design - Sep 8, 2011, 12:59 pm
The US winner of the James Dyson Awards has been announced. Cadence, by Art Center College of Design student Seth Astle, is a prosthetic limb and pedal system that makes cycling more accessible for below-the-knee amputees. It offers a full range of motion, and better efficiency than traditional pros...
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James T. posted an article on Bicycle Design - Sep 2, 2011, 1:18 pm
It is September, so that means two things. It’s bike industry tradeshow time and cyclocross season is right around the corner (here in the southeastern US at least). I plan to ride my ‘cross bike a bit this weekend, so today I was combing the web to see some of the new cyclocross stuff on displa...
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James T. posted an article on Bicycle Design - Sep 1, 2011, 12:52 pm
The winners of this year’s Eurobike Awards, organized by iF design, have been announced, and it’s not surprising that e-bikes and utilitarian designs are well represented.  Read more about the 10 gold winners, and the 1 green winner at designboom. VeloNews has been posting photos from the show...
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James T. posted an article on Bicycle Design - Aug 31, 2011, 1:15 pm
Smart E-bike- photo by Carlton Reid It’s hard to believe that it is already the last day of August, but Eurobike is now underway in Friedrichshafen, Germany. The show, now in its 20th year, kicked off with a demo day yesterday that broke the previous attendance record. Bike Biz reports that 350+...
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James T. posted an article on Bicycle Design - Aug 25, 2011, 5:14 pm
A couple days ago, I received an email about the “worlds first self-inflating bicycle tire.” My initial reaction was, “first…no way,” but technically that might be a true statement (assuming that inventions like this one never actually worked or were produced). Unlike the 2008 PumpHub or t...
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James T. posted an article on Bicycle Design - Aug 23, 2011, 1:26 pm
Quite a few things have been distracting me from the blog lately- a heavy workload, my kid’s ‘back to school’ activities, and a couple of pressing local bike advocacy issues.  On top of all that, I am trying to follow that new race in Colorado, which I can never seem to remember the official ...
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James T. posted an article on Bicycle Design - Aug 18, 2011, 1:52 pm
If you have seen the carbon/titanium Exogrid frames from Holland Cycles, you already know that they are works of art. Filmaker and photographer Jeff Katz recently documented the Holland Cycles framebuilding process starting with selection of the tubes and ending with a ride on the complete bike. The...
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James T. posted an article on Bicycle Design - Aug 15, 2011, 12:46 pm
Another concept design fresh from Trek World 2012 is this Bontrager stem concept by Ryan Hahn, an industrial designer in Trek’s road group. The concept, which has a removable computer integrated into the magnesium stem, has been dubbed “Computermatron Stemigration” by Ryan. Let’s just hope t...
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James T. posted an article on Bicycle Design - Aug 12, 2011, 6:31 pm
Every August, TrekWorld provides an opportunity for dealers to travel to Wisconsin and check out new bikes from the company. The show is also is an opportunity to for the industrial designers at Trek to show those same dealers a bunch of cool concept bikes (like this one from last year). TrekWorld 2...
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James T. posted an article on Bicycle Design - Aug 10, 2011, 6:11 pm
Automatic transmissions for bicycles are not a new idea. One that many of you may remember is the Browning transmission, which was licensed by Suntour in the 80’s. More recently, Shimano’s Coasting group featured automatic 3-speed shifting, but like the Browning transmission, it was not really a...
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James T. posted an article on Bicycle Design - Aug 8, 2011, 12:57 pm
According to the Core 77 blog, “Project Aura is a bicycle lighting system designed to address the issue of nighttime urban bike commuting.” The design, by Ethan Frier and Jonathan Ota of Carnegie Mellon University, was recently chosen as the student winner in the Transportation category of this ...
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James T. posted an article on Bicycle Design - Aug 1, 2011, 5:27 pm
If you follow me on Twitter, you may have noticed a slight decline in activity lately. I am definitely not giving up on Twitter, but I have been playing around with Google Plus for the last couple of weeks (add me to your circles if you are using it too). So far, I have discovered a few interesting ...
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James T. posted an article on Bicycle Design - Jul 28, 2011, 1:04 pm
If you have been cycling for a long time, you no doubt remember the beautifully sculpted Cinelli Laser from the 80s (or better yet, this version). Those bikes were, and still are, highly coveted (by me at least). There has been some talk about a limited edition reissue of the Laser for about a year ...
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