A Level Product Design - Research

[wafflycat]

I am currently studying for my A-Levels in Product Design at The Sandon School and my project is surrounding cyclists and the subject of car bike mounts. I would like to design a product or modify an existing product that will ease the procedure of lifting the bike onto the mount.
Therefore, would you be able to answer some of the questions below.

1)
What type of bike mount do you use?

Towbar-mounted

2)
What gender are you?

female

3)
What is your need as a cyclist from a bike mount?

It needs to take three adult-sized bikes with drop handlebars and rear racks

4)
Do you think there is a current problem with bike mounts? (If Yes, got to question 5, No, go to question 6)

Yes

5)
What problems do you encounter with bike mounts?

As someone else has pointed out, it's a sort of 3D puzzle fitting them altogether on the bike carrier and it seems that some are not designed to cope with drop bars on bikes, or indeed full-size bikes


6)
What type of bike(s) do you own?

Lots! In the household there are:-

time trial bikes
road race bikes
tourers
hybrids
MTBs
recumbent trike

Made of steel, aluminium, carbon fibre

The bike carrier has to be able to take various combinations of three of the above to keep them secure and without damage to the bikes


7)
How many bikes do you take on the bike mount?

3

8)
What type of car do you own that you use for the bike mount? (e.g. 4X4)

Merc A-class


9)
Any other views, notes:

The bike carrier I use is a TradeKar SilverBike II with third bike adapter. It is fairly simple to place and secure on the towbar. Has built-in light-board/numberplate holder, secures bike by the wheels and frame (so is very stable & secure when travelling) and it has a tilt function so I can still access the boot of the car even when the loaded bike carrier is on the towbar. Hopefully this link will work.

http://www.roofbox.co.uk/scripts/rbvehsel4.php?query=TR245&vptype=&emulate=accgen&qty=1

I suggest speaking nicely with roofbox.co.uk - that copmpany will be able to tell you absolutely everything there is to know about bike carriers of all types. I have found them to be very helpful in the past.



Thank you for your time, your answers will help me to design and create a bike mount of high quality aimed at cyclists. Please could you email me back at mikie12@hotmail.co.uk


Yours Sincerely,

Michael Sharpe

I have also attached a Word Doc with the questionnaire in if it is easier to write answers and send.

See above for answers

 

[bauldbairn]

Make sure you have a husband that does it for you - like the fact that our new one fits into the back of the car once we have reached our destination. Old one doesn't.

- - The "new" Mr Summerdays has to go into the back of the car once you've reached your destination????? What happened to the "old" Mr Summerdays - we liked him??? -

 

[Sheffield_Tiger]

1)
What type of bike mount do you use?

Towbar mounted, folding.
http://www.towsure.com/product/417-Clipper_2-Cycle_Plate-Mounted_Carrier

2)
What gender are you?

M


3)
What is your need as a cyclist from a bike mount?

Must store compactly
Must feel confident that it is safe (as an "over-engineer" type I add a supplementary strap from the rack to the top of the tailgate to minimise any rocking of the loaded rack)

4)
Do you think there is a current problem with bike mounts? (If Yes, got to question 5, No, go to question 6)

Numerous.
Some towbar mounted racks hold the tyre near to the exhaust necessitating a need for an exhaust deflector
Opening the tailgate is an impossibility on most vehicle/rack setups
Lack of security - locking the bikes to the rack is useless if the laden rack can be removed easily
Pedals are often held close to the bodywork
Some bike mounts cannot be used where the mounting plate obscures a bumper-mounted rear number plate or centre rear foglight (i.e. Peugeot 206)
Swan-neck and detachable type towballs create a whole new set of issues for any towbar-mounted rear rack

5)
What problems do you encounter with bike mounts?

Personally, the proximity of the pedal to the tailgate is an issue. Strapping the rear light / no.plate board on over the top of everything is a bit of a faff.

6)
What type of bike(s) do you own?

Road bike, tourer & MTB


7)
How many bikes do you take on the bike mount?

1 or 2

8)
What type of car do you own that you use for the bike mount? (e.g. 4X4)

Estate

9)
Any other views, notes:

If anything you are considering involves fitting to a towball mounting it is worth noting EC94/20 regulations as to what spacing is permitted between the towball and towbar, as generally speaking anything over 25mm spacing would be illegal but even then depends on how much spacing is permitted by the vehicle manufacturer and the approval test