A cardboard bicycle is a bicycle composed mostly of cardboard. Only prototypes have been made as of 2012 [update] . [1] [2] [3] Reported benefits include low cost, [1] and construction from recyclable [3] and renewable materials. [4] The low cost is also expected to act as a theft deterrent. [5] [6]
In 2008, Phil Bridge created a cardboard bicycle as part of a three-year degree course in Product Design at Sheffield Hallam University. [5] [7] [8] [9] It was intended to discourage theft, [8] supports a rider up to 169 pounds (77 kg), [7] and is constructed from a structural cardboard called Hexacomb. [5] It is waterproof, but is only expected to survive six months of constant use. [5] The drivetrain and brakes are metal, as on a conventional bike, and it rolls on standard pneumatic tires.
In 2012, Izhar Gafni, an Israeli mechanical engineer and cycling enthusiast, [10] unveiled a prototype bicycle made almost entirely out of cardboard in his workshop in Moshav Ahituv. [2] The components, including bike’s frame, wheels, handlebars and saddle, [3] consist of sheets of cardboard folded and glued together. [1] The complete bike weighs 20 pounds (9.1 kg), [2] and is treated to be fireproof and waterproof. [1] Gafni reports that it can support riders up to 220 kilograms (490 lb). [10] It has solid rubber tires made from recycled car tires. [1] Power is transferred from the pedals to the rear wheel with a belt, also made from recycled rubber. [3] Gafni and a business partner plan to mass-produce a bike based on the prototype and retail it for 20 USD, [2] with a unit cost of 9 to 12 USD. [3] The target market is low-income countries. [3] The prototype was featured at the November 2012 Microsoft ThinkNext event in Tel Aviv. [11] Gafni has been trying to raise $2 million on Indiegogo to fund the project. [12] As of 25 June 2013, he had raised $10 thousand. [13] The campaign has ended with a total of $40,107 raised. [12]
A bicycle, also called a pedal cycle, bike or cycle, is a human-powered or motor-powered assisted, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A bicycle rider is called a cyclist, or bicyclist.
A mountain bike (MTB) or mountain bicycle is a bicycle designed for off-road cycling. Mountain bikes share some similarities with other bicycles, but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and performance in rough terrain, which makes them heavier, more complex and less efficient on smooth surfaces. These typically include a suspension fork, large knobby tires, more durable wheels, more powerful brakes, straight, extra wide handlebars to improve balance and comfort over rough terrain, and wide-ratio gearing optimised for topography and application. Rear suspension is ubiquitous in heavier-duty bikes and now common even in lighter bikes. Dropper posts can be installed to allow the rider to quickly adjust the seat height.
A tricycle, sometimes abbreviated to trike, is a human-powered three-wheeled vehicle.
The penny-farthing, also known as a high wheel, high wheeler or ordinary, was the first machine to be called a "bicycle". It was popular in the 1870s and 1880s, with its large front wheel providing high speeds and comfort.
Mountain biking is a sport of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, usually using specially designed mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and performance in rough terrain, such as air or coil-sprung shocks used as suspension, larger and wider wheels and tires, stronger frame materials, and mechanically or hydraulically actuated disc brakes. Mountain biking can generally be broken down into five distinct categories: cross country, trail riding, all mountain, downhill, and freeride.
A bicycle frame is the main component of a bicycle, onto which wheels and other components are fitted. The modern and most common frame design for an upright bicycle is based on the safety bicycle, and consists of two triangles: a main triangle and a paired rear triangle. This is known as the diamond frame. Frames are required to be strong, stiff and light, which they do by combining different materials and shapes.
A bicycle wheel is a wheel, most commonly a wire wheel, designed for a bicycle. A pair is often called a wheelset, especially in the context of ready built "off the shelf" performance-oriented wheels.
Freight bicycles, carrier cycles, freight tricycles, cargo bikes, box bikes, or cycletrucks are human powered vehicles designed and constructed specifically for transporting loads. Vehicle designs include a cargo area consisting of an open or enclosed box, a flat platform, or a wire basket, usually mounted over one or both wheels, low behind the front wheel, or between parallel wheels at either the front or rear of the vehicle. The frame and drivetrain must be constructed to handle loads larger than those on an ordinary bicycle.
A touring bicycle is a bicycle designed or modified to handle bicycle touring. To make the bikes sufficiently robust, comfortable and capable of carrying heavy loads, special features may include a long wheelbase, frame materials that favor flexibility over rigidity, heavy duty wheels, and multiple mounting points.
A racing bicycle, also known as a road bike, and once popularly known as a ten speed, is a bicycle designed for competitive road cycling, a sport governed by and according to the rules of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI). The UCI rules were altered in 1934 to exclude recumbent bicycles.
29ers or two-niners are mountain bikes and hybrid bikes that are built to use 700c or 622 mm ISO wheels, commonly called 29" wheels. Most mountain bikes once used ISO 559 mm wheels, commonly called 26" wheels. The ISO 622 mm wheel is typically also used for road-racing, trekking, cyclo-cross, touring and hybrid bicycles. In some countries, mainly in Continental Europe, ISO 622 mm wheels are commonly called 28" wheels or "28 Incher".
This is a glossary of terms and jargon used in cycling, mountain biking, and cycle sport.
A cruiser bicycle, also known as a beach cruiser or (formerly) motobike, is a bicycle that usually combines balloon tires, an upright seating posture, a single-speed drivetrain, and straightforward steel construction with expressive styling. Cruisers are popular among casual bicyclists and vacationers because they are very stable and easy to ride, but their heavy weight and balloon tires tend to make them rather slow. Another common feature is their ability to be customized with accessories including fenders, lights and saddle bags. They are designed for use primarily on paved roads, low speeds/distances, and are included in the non-racing/non-touring class and heavyweight or middleweight styles of the road bicycle type.
A bicycle's performance is extraordinarily efficient. In terms of the amount of energy a person must expend to travel a given distance, cycling is calculated to be the most efficient self-powered means of transportation. In terms of the ratio of cargo weight a bicycle can carry to total weight, it is also a most efficient means of cargo transportation.
A plastic bicycle is a bicycle constructed from plastic or a plastic composite material, rather than from metal.
A bicycle tire is a tire that fits on the wheel of a bicycle or similar vehicle. These tires may also be used on tricycles, wheelchairs, and handcycles, frequently for racing. Bicycle tires provide an important source of suspension, generate the lateral forces necessary for balancing and turning, and generate the longitudinal forces necessary for propulsion and braking. Although the use of a pneumatic tire greatly reduces rolling resistance compared to the use of a rigid wheel or solid tire, the tires are still typically, the second largest source, after wind resistance, of power consumption on a level road. The modern detachable pneumatic bicycle tire contributed to the popularity and eventual dominance of the safety bicycle.
A fatbike is an off-road bicycle with oversized tires, typically 3.8 in (97 mm) or larger and rims 2.16 in (55 mm) or wider, designed for low ground pressure to allow riding on soft, unstable terrain, such as snow, sand, bogs and mud. Fatbikes are built around frames with wide forks and stays to accommodate the wide rims required to fit these tires. The wide tires can be used with inflation pressures as low as 340 hPa; 0.34 bar (5 psi) to allow for a smooth ride over rough obstacles. A rating of 550–690 hPa; 0.55–0.69 bar (8–10 psi) is suitable for the majority of riders. Fatbikes were invented for use in snow and sand, but are capable of traversing diverse terrain types including snow, sand, desert, bogs, mud, pavement, or traditional mountain biking trails. The sport is sometimes referred to as fatbiking or fat-tire biking.
Baisikeli Ugunduzi is a for-profit social business that specializes in bicycle components for the Sub-Saharan African market. Baisikeli Ugunduzi means innovative or modern bicycles in Swahili. It was founded in the winter of 2011 by Ben Mitchell, whom holds a MS in mechanical engineering as is currently seeking his PhD at Michigan Technological University and John Gershenson, a professor of mechanical engineering at MTU.Baisikeli Ugunduzi is headquartered in Kitale, Kenya, Africa. It is considered a for-profit social venture, where it develops human-centered products, which seeks to raise the income of boda boda, who rely on the bicycle as a means of livelihood.
Cold-weather biking, cold-weather cycling, or winter biking is the use of a bicycle during months when roads and paths are covered with ice, slush and snow. Cold weather cyclists face a number of challenges in near or below freezing temperatures. Urban commuters on city streets may have to deal with "[s]now, slush, salt, and sand", which can cause rust and damage to metal bike components. Slush and ice can jam derailleurs. Some cyclists may bike differently in winter, by "slow[ing] down on turns and brak[ing] gradually" in icy conditions. Gaining traction on snow and ice-covered roads can be difficult. Winter cyclists may use bikes with front and rear fenders, metal studded winter tires and flashing LED lights. Winter cyclists may wear layers of warm clothes and "ea[r], face, and han[d]" coverings may be used. Specialized winter bikes called fatbikes, which have wide, oversized tires that are typically inflated with low pressure, are used in snow trail riding and winter bike competitions.
And because it is made of cardboard, it will also be cheap
First, he folds the cardboard—commercial-grade material, made from recycled paper
Renewable materials are sustainable materials, which means, according to the Rutgers University Center for Sustainable Materials, these materials do not use up non-renewable resources. These raw materials are abundant and biodegradable, and are used to make diverse products such as adhesives and cardboard.
If you make a bicycle from cardboard, no-one will want to steal it!
If someone stole the bike (and it's hard to believe that something so cheap would have appeal to thieves), the replacement cost would be negligible.
'The prototype does work but it is still quite limited and there are a few problems,' he says. Rain, however, is not one of them, he claims.
supporting a rider who weighs up to 220 kg (485 lbs)
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