DESIGN MIAMI 2011
TOKYO DESIGN WEEK 2011
DUTCH DESIGN WEEK 2011
VIENNA DESIGN WEEK 2011
This week, Graham Hill, founder of Treehugger, introduces his ThinBike, a flat folding, full-size, ghostly white urban bicycle that goes from 22 inches across to less than 8, perfect for stashing behind the front door without so much as a grease mark (yes, this thing has a carbon belt drive, requiring no lubrication).
Graham worked closely with Schindelhauer to custom spec a bike that would make Graham's urban cyclist dreams come true, tracking down a key piece to the puzzle: Speedlifter's Twist handlebars, that lock to the side when not in use. The pedals also fold, and, at 18 lbs, corners and stairs are probably no real obstacle.
Watch Graham show off all the features of the bike in the video above. Plus, treehugger's got a whole slideshow and interview to read through here.
Comments
It's a great idea and a great design but I'm surprised Graham's marketing it in white - Ghost white bikes have sad connotations - http://www.ghostbikes.org/new-york-city.
Neat idea, but its not really a folding bike. The twisting handlebar seem to be the most innovative & most crucial aspect of this whole design because he hasn't done anything to the actual bike itself.
could be thinner - my 3rd year uni project was a bike that collased even thinner, and it was only a secondary feature - this doesnt even utilize a mono-folk...
Way to get the idea out there. I actually did a product design project on this 5 years ago, but never brought it to market. well done-
http://www.mcgill.ca/files/desautels/PDTProjectGalleryFall2005.pdf
shirty: yeah..unbelievably, it hadn't even occurred to me. duh. that said, it's VERY visible, which is good.
m4rk: like the monofork idea. i think the limiting factor is actually the distance from where each pedal screws in to where the other pedal screws in though. see anything that can thin that down?
Evan: as always, someone somewhere has had similar ideas! very cool! would love to see more...did you commercialize it?
really really nice. lots of nice chunky clicking noises when using the folding bits. so simple - made easier with the single speed and lack of brake / gear cables etc. I am trying to come up with something along the same lines for a cargo bike.
Every bike does this by loosening a screw(s) on the stem. Wouldn't it be easier to sell thumb screws to retrofit any bike...
A simple mix of old school bicycle form and innovative components. I know cyclists that would appreciate this (particularly the low weight). Nevertheless, the footprint of a traditional bike w/diamond frame & full size wheels can be unwieldy when going up/down stairs or transporting in an elevator or vehicle. So I'd personally find this bike more practical if it could fold in half.
no brakes, eh? i think someone who can ride fixed with no brakes would know enough to loosen the nut on the stem and turn the handlebars 90 degrees? if you put a front brake on there, you couldn't turn the handlebars.
For someone seemingly so clever he's forgotten a front brake. Only show-offs and dunces ride a fixie without one, even London's cycle courier's have seen the light.
it's not a fixie, it's got coaster brakes.
I was excited to see such a light folding back, but it doesn't seem to match up to a Brompton bike on how much space it saves.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNnOdoUn3kg
Nice and simple. We have been doing this to store the bike under the bed and on a hook behind the door. The Dahon Matrix folding Bike is real folding bike but fits better under a bed if not folded but with the handlebar turned sideways and the pedals folded up. I never measured it but it probably is not more than 8" because my bed is not that far off the ground.
http://www.nycewheels.com/dahon-matrix-folding-bike.html
Nothing new about it at all.