A 12-week project to design and build a human-powered commuter vehicle.
Our goal was to empower a user group that is ordinarily resistant to bicycle commuting. The solution involved a relaxed seating position that allowed the user to place his/her feet on the ground while sitting on the bike, a carbon fiber frame with an enclosed drivetrain that hid the mechanics from sight and prevented them from interfering with the legs, and one-sided forks on the front and rear that allow the user to repair a flat or replace a wheel with ultimate ease.
promotional video
process video
Design Team: Erik Askin, Mike Eng, Hemi Mansharoff, Harry Niemann, Ashley Rozier-Walker, Krisa Ryan, Nick Tomlin, Adrian Waibel
My Role: Component design, production management, welding and brazing. The enclosed drivetrain required a significant amount of custom-machined components, which I modeled in Solidworks.
Some photos below. Also, view the project blog for more.
The drivetrain consists of three parts: bottom bracket, transfer gear, and rear hub.
The openings in the bottom of the frame are where we accessed the components for assembly.
Completed drivetrain components machined from aluminum and steel.
Fitting the custom one-sided fork.
bottom bracket assembly
transfer gear assembly
rear hub assembly
front fork