Design Engineering
Showcase 2020

Research indicated three key areas that prevent people from cycling.

1. Fear of safety when on the road;
2. Fear of security for the bicycle when parked;
3. Fear of not fitting in.

From there, guiding principles were created to help steer the design process. It had to increase convenience, decrease hardware components and increase integration. This led to the development of four key areas in the project. The front and rear lights; the battery and dynamo power solution; phone charger and holder; and the lock and alarm sub-system. Using digital assessment techniques, such as FEA, each of these sub-systems was developed and tested until it provided a theoretically viable solution. Then, where possible, the solution was physically prototyped to verify that virtual models were accurate.

This project produced a dynamo powered off the bottom bracket, hidden inside the seat tube, to provide electricity for the safety and security features of the bicycle. A phone holder was designed for the front of the bicycle, with a quick attach mechanism and wireless charging, enabling the rider not to worry about their battery life as they navigate the city streets. Integrated into the phone holder is the front light composed of four LEDs, whose beams combine to perfectly illuminate the road ahead. The front light switches on and increases brightness automatically to suit the conditions. The rear light illuminates the cyclist from behind and uses an on-board accelerometer to warn other users when the cyclist is braking. Finally, the locking pin is sequestered away inside the frame and locks the pedals in place. This stops any would-be thief from cycling away, breaking the bike for spares, or from cutting through the lock.

This solution solves all the problems modern cyclists face and tackles the issues that non-cyclists provide as reasons for not cycling. It is hoped that through this and further development, more people will put down their car keys and get on their bikes.