Folding bicycle rack designing process.

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Content

Introduction …………………………………………………………………..…… 2

Problem definition……………………………………………………….……… 3

Market analysis………………………………………………………….…….…. 4

Value proposition……………………………………………………………..… 8

Creating new concepts……………………………………………………… 10

Change in problem definition …………………………………………… 16

Final results…………………………………………………………………….… 18

Company………………………………………………………………………….. 25

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Introduction

The aim of this project is to create a bike rack for temporary parking, to create some kind of

transportable bike rack that can be sold or rented to event organizers that have the need of parking

several bicycles for a determined time in a place where usually are not enough bike racks for especial

events like, music festivals or other several events.

In this report you will find all the process of why and how we have created this project and all the

steps we made to achieve the final result.

Team

Pavel Sidorenko

pavel@upstairs-shop.com

D&E masters 1st year student.

Ekaitz Arruarte

ekaitza_92@hotmail.com

D&E masters 1st year Spanish Erasmus student.

Supervisors

Martin Pärn

Ruth Helene Melioranski

Janno Nöu

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Problem definition

This project started from our teachers’ aim to find and solve some problem of a public space. So,

with this objective and the liberty to choose which problem we want to solve, we started to search

and choose a scope we like to be motivated during the project. After a basic research around public

spaces and the scopes we like, finally we chose the bicycles and world they are surrounded of.

Then we made again a market analysis of this topic and we realized that there are already in the

market lots of different bikes and also lots of different accessories and objects related to the bikes.

First of all, we chose the security and the interaction of the bikers with the traffic and pedestrians

like topics to make a dipper research and try to find a problem to solve.

So finally, we saw this image, and we realized that this could be a good topic to develop, the bike

racks, but not the usual ones that are attached to the floor, the ones that are portables and for

temporary bike parking. For example, air opened events or some special concert in a football

stadium, where a determined quantity, more than usually ones, goes to this places due to a special

reason like an event or concert and they go to this place by bike.

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Market analysis

Once we had the topic to work on it, we started to analyse this market and inside this market we

made a research about all kind of bike racks, the existing temporary bike racks and also about the

different types of bikes that are in the market.

Bike racks

We made a huge research about the bike racks in general and try to find all the types of racks that

are in the market and even the conceptual ones. In this research, we found lots of different bike

racks, starting from the most common ones, the racks of the top-left side of the image, to newest

and futuristic ones, like the one of the bottom-right part of the image. During this research we

realized that are racks where you can lock only the frame or only one wheel or the frame and one

wheel, all this also depending the lock we have.

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Bikes

We also made a market analysis of the different types of bikes that are in the market. From this

research, we realized that there are lots of different bike sizes, shapes and accessories, like baskets

or bags that can be an obstacle when you want lock your bike in a rack.

Also, we realized that after analysing the racks and the bikes market, that while using some racks

with a determined bike, like could be kids bikes or little wheel bikes, the user haves problems to lock

it to re rack, at least if this is not a common and standard rack.

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Existing temporary bike racks

As you can see in the next image, there are different kinds of existing temporary bike racks already,

but we think that these designs are not the best ones for the use they have. We saw while analysing

this kind of racks that these are so heavy because they use lot of material and are not so stackable

for transportation or for storage, when these should be the most important aspects for portable

temporary bike racks. Also, some of them do not look so safe ones and this is a negative point for the

user.

In the next images you can see the typical situation where the portable temporary bike racks are

used. In these images we can see that the racks should be adaptable to different ground types and

also to the area where they will be used. You can see also that, a lot of times are parked hundreds of

bikes and sometimes is difficult to find where your bike is locked.

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Value proposition

After all the research, we realized that this temporary bike rack could be a good object that can be

rented by event organizers and that this is a good opportunity to create also a service that rents this

racks. Not only rent them, also go to the place and organize and mount the whole bike parking.

So we created three different value propositions, each one related to each person that is related to

this renting system, that are the bike user, the event organizer and the renting company.

Bikers needs

• Easy to find place and bike.

• Simple to lock (own lock?).

• Safe from thief’s and other bikers.

• Non scratching rack.

• Bike repairing possibility.

• Possibility to rack different type and size of bikes.

Value proposition: Easy to find place to safely lock your bike.

Event organizer

• Cheap.

• Easy and fast to organize.

• Good communications (visual and traffic) (advice the people about these bike parking).

• Safety.

Value proposition: Easy and fast to organize bike parking for different amounts of bikes.

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Renting company

• Easy to transport (light and compact).

• Easy to install/uninstall.

• Cheap and easy to repair.

• Flexible for different size events and parking formats.

• Easy for security control.

• Compact for storage.

• Safety.

• Durable.

• Bike repairing possibility.

• Flexibility to organizer needs.

• Possibility to rack different type and size of bikes.

Value proposition: Easy to install bike rack for different size events and parking formats.

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Creating new concepts

Once we had the value propositions we started to think how it will be our temporary bike rack.

Folding system

Folding system gives possibility easy and fast set up as big bicycle park as you need. By connecting

modules and combining then with accessories which add extra value to the product. It is compact in

storage, easy to transport and flexible in use. Also, is simple in service or repairing and perfect for

temporary parking or for small businesses.

BIKEEP meeting

We made a meeting with the Estonian bike rack company BIKEEP’s members, they also have been

students of Tallinn Technological University. In this meeting we show them the ideas we had for the

project and they look so interested in the idea of the folding rack system and they helped us giving

some advices about this market and the bike racks.

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Each concept

After deciding to use this folding system we started to draw all our good, bad, crazy ideas, all of

them, to later choose the best ones to develop more. Here you can see the four concepts we finally

choose.

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1. This concept is a really basic rack concept, because it haves a similar shape than other lots of

racks, that it is not a problem for the user to lock the bikes frame and one wheel. Its folding

system is the folding system we previously have mentioned and also, it is made just by three

different parts, the top and the bottoms tubes and some joint between them to rotate the

tubes to fold and unfold the whole structure. Also, it could be accompanied by different

complements like a repair station or an information board, which will be attached to the

main structure of the rack.

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2. This second concept is unfolded like the previous one, but this one’s main characteristic is

that the bikes are parked in vertical position, so with this concept we win space comparing

with the previous one. This one also has in the top a free rack position showing part, that

when you put the bike on it, this signal will disappear, so you can see from far away to find

where is some free place, mostly when there are hundreds of bikes parked.

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3. This third concepts idea is based on that if we block the bikes up or down movement, for

example doing a force from the seat to down, the bike cannot be moved, so is locked, and

also we lock safely the two wheels and the seat. But this is a really different and innovative

concept and it must be well proved and tested if really works and is safe.

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4. This last concept is a mix between our first concept and BIKEEP’s electronic bike rack. It looks

the safest one of our concepts, but also the heaviest one and for storage also is not the best

one.

Finally, we decided to go ahead with the first concept because the other ones have some negative

point and this one is this is the simples’ one to produce, the simples one to put it in the place, the

simples one to use and the most foldable and easily transportable concept.

But because it haves a lot of simple aspects we also decided to create some complements for this

rack like information boards, parking numbering systems flag, repair station for quick reparations and

a rubbish bin.

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Change in problem definition

New products

As we choose to create the “simple” rack, we decided to create some complements for this one as

we said before. While we were thinking about this complements, we realized that maybe we can

create no only complements, so with the same style of folding system we can create also more

products for events like benches or tables, so we focused to create also bench and tables.

We tried a lot of different shapes, sizes, folding systems, we talked to materials specialist teacher of

the university about the materials, because we were afraid to create to heavy objects, we made

some basic calculations and sketches by hand and also in 3D, as you can see in the next images.

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But after long time trying to create the best solution using the bike racks style of folding, we realized

that we have to create strong joints between table or seat surface and tubes structure or try with

other general shapes. We saw that our folding systems style was not the best solution to create a

folding, transportable, light, cheap table or bench, so finally we decided not to create these products

and focus only in the bike rack and his complements.

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Final results

Creating definitive product

Finally we focused on the bike rack and his complements, so in the next pages you can see the

process we made for that and the final results with some mock-ups to find the best shape for the

rack, 3D renders and a real size prototype.

Mock-ups

To find the final shape, how will work and dimensions of the rack, we made different mock-ups to

help us to see how will be the final result in an easy way.

Renders

Once we decided the shape and dimensions of the rack, we made the complete rack, with all the

details, mechanisms and materials in 3D in the computer, so we ensure that it will work and we

defined the last exact dimensions and shapes on it.

Also, starting from this 3D we made some renders to show our final results most real appearance as

you will see in the next images.

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This is the final result of our temporary bike rack in his folded and unfolded positions.

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All the structure will be made by aluminium tubes bo be a lighter as possible. This join peace, that

will be same for all the joints between different tubes, also will be of aluminium. Just the black ring

between the two tubes and the joint will be of ruber to avoid scratching between the tubes.

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As we mwntioned before, we also created some complements for the rack like a repair station with

an air pump and some basic tools, a rubish bin, an information board and a bike parking or parking

numbering signal.

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All these complements will be always attached to the rack.

The repair station is, as you can see in the image, just a post where you can put your bike to do basic

reparations or to use the air pump.

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The colour coding system will to use when the bike parking is for hundreds of bikes, and it is basically

to find where you parked your bike easily, just remembering the number and the colour of the rack.

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Prototype

We also made a real size prototype, so we ensure that our product works. It was made by steel and

not by aluminium, so it was heavier than expected but it works as a great prototype.

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Company

Finally, we created a company name, FASTPARK and established that our company will be mostly a

bike rack renting company for events, who offers all the installation and transportation of the racks.

But also is the possibility to buy a small rack to attach to a wall or to the floor and that can be opened

when is necessary, so we also sell the racks with a wall fix. This could be a good solution for small

businesses.