Cardboard bicycle

A cardboard bicycle is a bicycle composed mostly of cardboard. Only prototypes have been made as of 2012.[1][2][3] Reported benefits include low cost,[1] and construction from recyclable[3] and renewable materials.[4] The low cost is also expected to act as a theft deterrent.[5][6]

A cardboard bicycle by Phil Bridges

Phil Bridge's prototype

In 2008, Phil Bridge created a cardboard bicycle as part of a three-year degree course in Product Design at Sheffield Hallam University.[5][7][8][9] It was intended to discourage theft,[8] supports a rider up to 169 pounds (77 kg),[7] and is constructed from a structural cardboard called Hexacomb.[5] It is waterproof, but is only expected to survive six months of constant use.[5] The drivetrain and brakes are metal, as on a conventional bike, and it rolls on standard pneumatic tires.

Izhar Gafni's prototype
I.G. Cardboard Technologies cardboard bicycle.

In 2012, Izhar Gafni, an Israeli mechanical engineer and cycling enthusiast,[10] unveiled a prototype bicycle made almost entirely out of cardboard in his workshop in Moshav Ahituv.[2] The components, including bike’s frame, wheels, handlebars and saddle,[3] consist of sheets of cardboard folded and glued together.[1] The complete bike weighs 20 pounds (9.1 kg),[2] and is treated to be fireproof and waterproof.[1] Gafni reports that it can support riders up to 220 kilograms (490 lb).[10] It has solid rubber tires made from recycled car tires.[1] Power is transferred from the pedals to the rear wheel with a belt, also made from recycled rubber.[3] Gafni and a business partner planned to mass-produce a bike based on the prototype and retail it for 20 USD,[2] with a unit cost of 9 to 12 USD.[3] The target market is low-income countries.[3] The prototype was featured at the November 2012 Microsoft ThinkNext event in Tel Aviv.[11] Gafni has been trying to raise $2 million on Indiegogo to fund the project.[12] As of 25 June 2013, he had raised $10 thousand.[13] The campaign has ended with a total of $40,107 raised.[12]

See also

References
  1. Deborah Netburn (October 16, 2012). "Ride on! $20 cardboard bike may go into production soon". The LA Times. Archived from the original on 2012-12-27. Retrieved 2013-01-26. And because it is made of cardboard, it will also be cheap
  2. Ruth Eglash (December 7, 2012). "Izhar Gafni invents a cardboard bicycle that may revolutionize transportation His two-wheeled creation, a $20 bike made out of cardboard, could revolutionize bicycling, especially in the developing world". The Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 2013-01-26.
  3. "Re-cycling". The Economist. December 1, 2012. Retrieved 2013-01-26. First, he folds the cardboard—commercial-grade material, made from recycled paper
  4. Karen S. Garvin (November 21, 2011). "Renewable & Nonrenewable Materials". Livestrong Foundation. Retrieved 2013-01-26. Renewable materials are sustainable materials, which means, according to the Rutgers University Center for Sustainable Materials, these materials do not use up non-renewable resources. These raw materials are abundant and biodegradable, and are used to make diverse products such as adhesives and cardboard.
  5. "Cardboard bicycle". BBC. 2008-06-16. Retrieved 2013-01-26. If you make a bicycle from cardboard, no-one will want to steal it!
  6. Erik Sherman (July 14, 2012). "This Man Made the Coolest Cardboard Bicycle Ever". The Fiscal Times. Retrieved 2013-01-26. If someone stole the bike (and it's hard to believe that something so cheap would have appeal to thieves), the replacement cost would be negligible.
  7. Addy Dugdale. "Cardboard Bicycle Costs Just $30, Don't Leave It Out in the Rain". Gizmodo. Retrieved 2013-01-26. 'The prototype does work but it is still quite limited and there are a few problems,' he says. Rain, however, is not one of them, he claims.
  8. "Cardboard bike aims to put the brakes on thieves". Sheffield Hallam University. 12 June 2008. Retrieved 2013-01-26.
  9. Hilary Whiteman (June 18, 2008). "The ultimate in recycling". CNN. Retrieved 2013-01-26.
  10. Adam Williams (October 16, 2012). "Israeli man creates bike from recycled cardboard". GizMag. Retrieved 2013-01-26. supporting a rider who weighs up to 220 kg (485 lbs)
  11. David Shamah (November 8, 2012). "Beyond the bike". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 2013-01-26.
  12. "The Cardboard Bike". Indiegogo. 2013-06-24. Retrieved 2014-04-15.
  13. Memmott, Mark (2012-10-15). "Cardboard Bike's Fundraiser Is Rolling : The Two-Way". NPR. Retrieved 2013-06-25.
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