Product Design Student requires some help

[Easytigers]

Done

 

[Cledwyn]

1) How many days per week do you ride?

• 0 4 (9.5%)
• 1 1 (2.4%)
• 2 7 (16.7%)
• 3 6 (14.3%)
• 4 3 (7.1%)
• 5 20 (47.6%)
• 6 1 (2.4%)
• 7 0 (0.0%)

2) How many miles per day do you ride your bike?

• 0-5 miles 5 (11.9%)
• 6-10 miles 7 (16.7%)
• 11-15 miles 10 (23.8%)
• 16-20 miles 12 (28.6%)
• 20-25 miles 6 (14.3%)
• 26+ miles 2 (4.8%)

3) What type of bike do you currently use?

• Road bike 22 (37.3%)
• Hybrid 22 (37.3%)
• Tourer 7 (11.9%)
• Mountain bike 7 (11.9%)
• Folding bike 1 (1.7%)
• Electric assist bike 0 (0.0%)

4) How much does your current bike cost?

• £0-£50 0 (0.0%)
• £51-£100 1 (2.4%)
• £101-£200 2 (4.8%)
• £201-£500 15 (35.7%)
• £501-£800 11 (26.2%)
• £801-£1100 8 (19.0%)
• £1101-£1500 1 (2.4%)
• £1501-£2000 1 (2.4%)
• £2001+ 3 (7.1%)

5) What sort of terrain do you ride across on your bike?

• Hard surfaces i.e tarmac 38 (79.2%)
• Mud, grass and gravel tracks 4 (8.3%)
• A mixture of both 6 (12.5%)
• Other 0 (0.0%)

6) How many gears would your perfect bike have?

• 0-5 4 (9.5%)
• 6-10 5 (11.9%)
• 11-15 5 (11.9%)
• 16-20 10 (23.8%)
• 21-27 12 (28.6%)
• 27+ 6 (14.3%)

7) What brake set up do you prefer?

• Hydraulic disc 13 (31.0%)
• Cable disc 10 (23.8%)
• Hydraulic rim brake 0 (0.0%)
• Side-pull calliper 6 (14.3%)
• U-brake 2 (4.8%)
• V-brake 4 (9.5%)
• Cantilever brake 4 (9.5%)
• Delta brake 0 (0.0%)
• Other (Please Specify): 3 (7.1%)

8) What is your favourite riding position?

• Upright 15 (35.7%)
• Leant forward 26 (61.9%)
• Recumbent 1 (2.4%)
• Standing 0 (0.0%)
• Other (Please Specify): 0 (0.0%)

9) What puts you off riding to work?

• Weather 21 (45.7%)
• Distance 2 (4.3%)
• Hills 2 (4.3%)
• Traffic 5 (10.9%)
• Pedestrians 1 (2.2%)
• Other 15 (32.6%)

Text Answers:
- ice
- no work
- Work from home
- I'm retired
- nothing. I always ride to work
- nothing
- Ice, snow and a post birthday hangover
- Carrying my clothes in once a week
- Poor road surface
- tiredness
- nothing
- Man Flu
- Nothing
- No shower facilities at work.
- Work at home



10) What would you change to make bikes better?

• Visibility 6 (9.5%)
• Comfort 12 (19.0%)
• Speed / lightness 20 (31.7%)
• Safety 10 (15.9%)
• Weather protection 9 (14.3%)
• Other 6 (9.5%)

Text Answers:
- bikes gearing is minimal, it could be so much more powerful
- Decrease in price level of light frames to make them more affordable
- Nothing
- Dream bike would have a light weight electric assist that would only give a small amount of power to help on hills only.
- easy to install and to remove fenders (like the SKS)
- I have spent a small fortune on lights, hi viz, reflectors etc... just to be seen in the dark. A bike with incorporated lights/dynamo and reflective detailing or paint on the frame would be ideal. maybe even a brake light?

11) How much space for storage do you require?

• Enough for a bottle of drink 4 (10.0%)
• Enough for a laptop 2 (5.0%)
• Enough for a backpack 22 (55.0%)
• Enough for the weekly shop 6 (15.0%)
• Other (Please Specify): 6 (15.0%)

Text Answer:
- Just enough for tools and a waterproof
- 2 panniers
- 10 ltr pannier
- panniers on a rack
- tools also, pump, spare tubes, tyre levers etc
- Enough for work clothes & lunch

12) Would you find any advantage in having pillion passengers?

• Yes 1 (2.4%)
• No 39 (92.9%)
• If yes how many? 2 (4.8%)

Text Answers:
- 1 only if they could pedal
- 1 (but not on my commuting bike)

 

[Cledwyn]

My project is coming along nicely, thanks to help from some on here. I'm not hurt by any comments but some people do seem to have a high expectation of what an individual student can do in a few months. This is our final project and we were given a free rein on what to design. I chose a bike (vehicle) because I've been on 2 wheels since I was 3. Many in my class are designing chairs, prams and bottle lids. The reason for the survey is because we need to show our teachers that we have listened to our potential users and acted on their comments.

My design has now become a 3 wheeled tadpole shaped recumbent trike. It has electric assist, double wishbone suspension, a half shell (fairing), a boot and lights to name some of the features. I will try and post a current picture but it's not finished yet...

I have posted the results of the survey for anyone interested.

 

[bianchi1]

My project is coming along nicely, thanks to help from some on here. I'm not hurt by any comments but some people do seem to have a high expectation of what an individual student can do in a few months. This is our final project and we were given a free rein on what to design. I chose a bike (vehicle) because I've been on 2 wheels since I was 3. Many in my class are designing chairs, prams and bottle lids. The reason for the survey is because we need to show our teachers that we have listened to our potential users and acted on their comments.

My design has now become a 3 wheeled tadpole shaped recumbent trike. It has electric assist, double wishbone suspension, a half shell (fairing), a boot and lights to name some of the features. I will try and post a current picture but it's not finished yet...

I have posted the results of the survey for anyone interested.

My experience was that when you undertake an independent study every one you speak to wants to becomes your personal tutor, despite often knowing nothing of your aims.

Best of luck with your studies, and cheers for the results.

 

[Cledwyn]

 

[shouldbeinbed]

sounds interesting and thank you for coming back, as Shaun said previously forum members do tend to get jaded and feel rather used 7 discarded by the annual influx of 1 or 2 post and gone design students. On several forums you're the first I've seen to come back with the results so fair play to you.

On the downside, reading your design I'm picturing a Sinclair C5 or one of those endurance concept races - how far can you pedal in an hour or how far can a vehicle travel on half a teacup of fuel. dunno if you've looked at those type things but if not I would, so that you can maximise your final mark by building in a few different tweaks and not being too derivative of existing designs.

 

[Cledwyn]

sounds interesting and thank you for coming back, as Shaun said previously forum members do tend to get jaded and feel rather used 7 discarded by the annual influx of 1 or 2 post and gone design students. On several forums you're the first I've seen to come back with the results so fair play to you.

On the downside, reading your design I'm picturing a Sinclair C5 or one of those endurance concept races - how far can you pedal in an hour or how far can a vehicle travel on half a teacup of fuel. dunno if you've looked at those type things but if not I would, so that you can maximise your final mark by building in a few different tweaks and not being too derivative of existing designs.

It has a lot of similarities to the Sinclair C5 but hopefully I have addressed the problems that the C5 had.

 

[shouldbeinbed]

Ah Ha, coss posting above - interesting, and more endurance than C5.

Where does the luggage go? I can only think it is in the top bit above and behind the rider. if so a couple of gripes. it makes for a much higher centre of gravity and liability to tip/blow over more easily directly above the single wheel and if you are hit from behind on it, how much of a increased incidence or severity of head injury would luggage there cause?

also what sort of ground clearance has your little green cog under the seat got for speed bumps and kerbs.

lastly I assume there are windscreen wipers on it.

edit - I also assume theres a front light and front indicators to replicate the rear illumination, its not clear on your front end image.

 

[shouldbeinbed]

sorry reading it back it all sounds doom and gloom, I'm not trying to pick it to bits, they are just the obvious questions I would ask in a shop if I were parting with hard earned cash for it.

I know its only a drawing as well but what I guess is the seeing out of area (cyan rather than grey faring) seems a tad high and small, personally I'd be happier with more clear visibility lower in front and to the side than you've drawn it with, and less of a greenhouse effect panoramic roof in summer. I like the mirror, I think you should you consider one on both sides though for better rearward visibility negotiating e.g right turns across multi lane roads and at roundabouts.

 

[Cledwyn]

This view may be better. Thank you for the responses.

-The window may need to be lower.
-The green wheel is a bit low and I may raise it up but it's no lower than on some other recumbents.
-Windscreen wipers... not sure on this. They may well be needed though.
-There are 2 mirrors. I think one fell off.
-The boot is behind the head... The batteries and rider are very low which I thinks sorts out the centre of gravity problem. As for being hit, I will have the seat extend to the top of the head for some protection.

 

[shouldbeinbed]

Window, definitely lower at the front, its one thing getting advance warning of a pothole but its vital to see them as you reach them too. looking at that as is, it looks like you'd lose sight of the road surface completely for a bike or two's length in front of the bike.

Wipers, definitely needed, as a driver too rain is a pain, snow is worse, they stick and smear and have a very quick very detrimental impact on the ability to accurately place items outside of the vehicle and their relative distance/closing speeds.

high boot. Still worries me a lot, there is potentially an unstable weight at a very elevated level on the machine, I take a weeks worth of food and drink into work & shop on my bike on the way home. Could you imagine cornering with a few bottles of liquid in there sloshing from side to side. CoG is much eaiser to destabilise than to create.
Try filling a couple of shopping bags with a few days food and a six pack of beer, slinging them on the handlebars of a normal bike and riding a few loopy circuits of the supermarket car park. I know you'd offset the swing against tighter packaging but that is mitigated by them being low CoG vs your weight being above head height

I would strongly suggest you look at panniers on the rear wheel rather than a roof box. still a danger from rear impact but you've got frame and better chance of solidifying the seat at lower level to protect your body and further helping keep the extra weight low and the bike stable.

I'd also speak with health and safety / legal people if this needs to be roadworthy to pass the course in terms of the potential damage rapifly accellerating tins of beans or pointy bike pumps etc could do even with an extended seat - how much extra weight would you need to incorporate into a headrest (and you do need one IMO), again very high up in the design, to make it properly safe as your head whiplashes back fast only to meet the items in the luggage box being accelerated rapidly forwards?

 

[Fnaar]

Here we go, just paste this pic into your work, the tutors'll never know the difference

 

[Theseus]

@Cledwyn: Thanks for coming back with the results and your designs.

It makes a nice change for this to happen and I for one appreciate it.

 

[TheDoctor]

^^This.
Very, very few students come back with their finished design, so it's good to see.
I'd be more impressed with the design if I hadn't seen a velomobile already though.

 

[Shaun]

Yes, if only all students would take the time to pop back and share their findings and designs with us.

Yours is the first I ever remember seeing where we got both the survey results and design fed back to us, and it makes for interesting reading and gives people a sense of satisfaction that they participated.

Thanks - it's much appreciated.

Cheers,
Shaun