Cardboard bike

Bikes Craft & Design Energy & Sustainability Fun & Games
Cardboard bike
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A product design student at Sheffield Hallam University in the UK wanted to address the problem of prevalent bike theft so he created this bike for around US$30. It doesn’t say whether this was just for the frame or for everything. And no, it doesn’t melt in a rainstorm. He used hexacomb board, which is waterproof. No much to look at, but if it gets your groceries home…

Cardboard bike aims to put brakes on theives [via Inhabitat]

12 thoughts on “Cardboard bike

  1. joe says:

    Cool looking bike, but I don’t see how this could be made for around $30, maybe $30 in cardboard.

    The price for tires, tubes, seat, chainring, chain, cog, hub, chainring bolts is well above $30.

    -Joe

  2. Gareth Branwyn says:

    Yeah, I bet it was $30 for the board and he used hardware from an existing bike. I looked around online and Hexacomb sheet goes for around US$8-10 for a 40″ x 48″ sheet.

  3. shecky says:

    The cheapest walmart bikes start at about $60, and they’re actually hobbled by things like multiple gears and shock absorbers. A single speed coaster brake version of these bargain bikes would be cheaper, more reliable and theoretically compete quite well with the idea of a $30 cardboard bike. The big question is who would buy such bicycles? You’d think outfits like Walmart and Target have run the numbers already and already know what most folks would buy.

  4. ben davis says:

    Cool idea, sucks it has to come to cardboard bikes though…. we have a bike library here in Arcata CA pick up a ride for $20; I often leave my bike unchained.

    Also are your roads smooth? to many potholes here…people cracking their Al frames :( Id be concerned with developing creases around the post.

  5. shecky says:

    Is there an actual ridable prototype out there? It would seem not from reading the links.

  6. J-chot says:

    man, you are screwed if you leave this thing in the rain,

    there’s no way this can last more than a few months. at the most.

    engineering feat though.

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Gareth Branwyn is a freelance writer and the former Editorial Director of Maker Media. He is the author or editor of over a dozen books on technology, DIY, and geek culture. He is currently a contributor to Boing Boing, Wink Books, and Wink Fun. His free weekly-ish maker tips newsletter can be found at garstipsandtools.com.

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