Cardboard bicycle explained

A cardboard bicycle is a bicycle composed mostly of cardboard. Only prototypes have been made .[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]

Phil Bridge's prototype

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 169lbs,[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.

Izhar Gafni's prototype

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 20lbs,[2] and is treated to be fireproof and waterproof.[1] Gafni reports that it can support riders up to 220kg (490lb).[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 planned 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]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Ride on! $20 cardboard bike may go into production soon. October 16, 2012. Deborah Netburn. And because it is made of cardboard, it will also be cheap. The LA Times. 2013-01-26. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20121227215857/http://articles.latimes.com/2012/oct/16/business/la-fi-tn-cardboard-bike-20121016. 2012-12-27.
  2. News: Izhar Gafni invents a cardboard bicycle that may revolutionize transportation His two-wheeled creation, a $20 bike made out of cardboard, could revolutionize bicycling, especially in the developing world.. Ruth Eglash. December 7, 2012. The Christian Science Monitor. 2013-01-26.
  3. News: Re-cycling. First, he folds the cardboard—commercial-grade material, made from recycled paper. December 1, 2012 . The Economist. 2013-01-26.
  4. Web site: Renewable & Nonrenewable Materials. November 21, 2011. Karen S. Garvin. Livestrong Foundation. 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.. 2013-01-26.
  5. Web site: Cardboard bicycle. 2008-06-16. BBC. If you make a bicycle from cardboard, no-one will want to steal it!. 2013-01-26.
  6. Web site: This Man Made the Coolest Cardboard Bicycle Ever. Erik Sherman. July 14, 2012. 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 Fiscal Times. 2013-01-26.
  7. Web site: Cardboard Bicycle Costs Just $30, Don't Leave It Out in the Rain. Addy Dugdale. Gizmodo. '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.. 2013-01-26.
  8. Web site: Cardboard bike aims to put the brakes on thieves. 12 June 2008. Sheffield Hallam University. 2013-01-26.
  9. News: The ultimate in recycling. Hilary Whiteman. June 18, 2008. CNN. 2013-01-26.
  10. Web site: Israeli man creates bike from recycled cardboard. Adam Williams. October 16, 2012. GizMag. supporting a rider who weighs up to 220 kg (485 lbs). 2013-01-26.
  11. News: Beyond the bike. David Shamah. November 8, 2012. The Times of Israel. 2013-01-26.
  12. Web site: The Cardboard Bike. Indiegogo. 2013-06-24. 2014-04-15.
  13. Web site: Memmott. Mark. Cardboard Bike's Fundraiser Is Rolling : The Two-Way. NPR. 2012-10-15. 2013-06-25.

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