A Level Product Design - Research

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smic12

New Member
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?


2)
What gender are you?


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

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

5)
What problems do you encounter with bike mounts?

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


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

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

9)
Any other views, notes:


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.
 

mark barker

New Member
Location
Swindon, Wilts
Replied
 

summerdays

Cycling in the sun
Location
Bristol
Therefore, would you be able to answer some of the questions below.

1)
What type of bike mount do you use?

Tow Bar mounted

2)
What gender are you?

Female


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

Ideally that it carried 5 bikes as that doesn't exist - 4 bikes, stable, without rubbing against each other

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?

Getting all 4 bikes on - a sort of 3d puzzle

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

Hybrid bikes - different sizes including children's bikes


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

4

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

Estate

9)
Any other views, notes:

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.



OK
 

Spinney

Bimbleur extraordinaire
Location
Back up north
1)
What type of bike mount do you use?
Towbar mounted, Thule 'ride -on' (daft name, you obviously cannot ride the bike onto it!)

2)
What gender are you?
Female

3)
What is your need as a cyclist from a bike mount?
Secure while travelling (i.e. not too wobbly and won't fall off), bikes can be mounted without rubbing/touching, can open car boot without having to take bikes off
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?
getting hands filthy while loading bikes
Straps/mount can rub paintwork on bike unless lots of pipe lagging used as padding (the rubber sleeve on the 'centre-post' of mine wore through very quickly)
I can open the boot (on my current car, but couldn't on my last), but this involves reaching between oily chains/chain rings to undo two screws - an easier way of achieving this would be nice

(A roof mount would avoid this but a) I am not strong enough to lift bikes that high, :smile: I know of someone who destroyed a mountain bike by forgetting it was on the roof and driving into one of those parking areas with the bike on top and c) I sometimes have kayaks on the roof at the same time as I want to transport a bike, and the back of the car is full of stuff so it cannot go inside)
6)
What type of bike(s) do you own?
1 hybrid, 1 tourer

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:
Mostly covered above
 

AndyCarolan

Do you smell fudge?
Location
Norwich
1)
What type of bike mount do you use?

Roof bar mounted Cruz Bici-racks


2)
What gender are you?

Male

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

Security, Stability, Ease of use, Adjustability, Ruggedness and aesthetics

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?

General fitting of the bike to the mount. There isnt enough adjustability.

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

MTB

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

2

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

Peugeot 206

9)
Any other views, notes:

Good luck with your A-Levels!
 
OP
OP
S

smic12

New Member
Also, would any one know legal implications of bike mounts. Thank you.
 

guitarpete247

Just about surviving
Location
Leicestershire
smic12 said:
Also, would any one know legal implications of bike mounts. Thank you.

Number plates and lights need to be visible. Some racks have a nuber plate hanger, mine does but my old one didn't. Sometimes you might have to have a trailer lighting board.
 

summerdays

Cycling in the sun
Location
Bristol
Tow bar racks have to have plates, and lights as the rack will obscure them... you also get an audible bleep in the car when signalling.
 

Spinney

Bimbleur extraordinaire
Location
Back up north
summerdays said:
Tow bar racks have to have plates, and lights as the rack will obscure them... you also get an audible bleep in the car when signalling.
... which is very annoying! (But at least it tells you your electrical connector is still connected - one came out on the motorway once, and had destroyed itself by bouncing along the tarmac before I noticed it was no longer beeping!)
 

Russdee

New Member
)
What type of bike mount do you use?


Boot mounted strap on.

2)
What gender are you?

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

Not space inside the car with kids etc, saves me keep emptying the boot, taking child seats out and then putting it all back again!

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?

Security is my biggest concern. Never can seem to get the tail board positioned and secured properly.
6)
What type of bike(s) do you own?

All road bike's.

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


max 3 generally 2.
8)
What type of car do you own that you use for the bike mount? (e.g. 4X4)


Estate car
9)
Any other views, notes:

I supose life is a compromise and there is no such thing as a perfect bike mount. I have a Saris bad Bones which is generally good but I tend to need to bungy strap the tail board to the bikes if I am carrying three. If only two bikes I use the vacant slot to mount the board.

When I take the rack off the car, it takes up a lot of space in the garage and I find it packing it up back to box size does aid storage but takes time to disassemble and put back together again.

Hope this helps.

Cheers

Russ
 
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