Trust Me I'm A Cycologist

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In this second and final course of the term in Design and Engineering, we were assigned to design and create a bike according to a specific person's needs. Throughout this term, we have been learning about the purpose of the functions of a bike. We took a trip to Working Bikes where we were able to get the bikes "ready" to be shipped to Jordan for those who are in need of bikes. While we were there we were able to conversate with our host Anna about the importance of bikes and how they are built in many different ways and used in different mechanisms. We also visited a bike shop called Earth Rider. We rode some electric-powered bikes and tested out what made them so different from regular bikes. Through this process, we thought about the possible ways we can change and shape a bike to make it unique while becoming useful and easy when riding it. So for this action project, we were assigned to create a bike that fit a specific person's needs based on their environment, lifestyle, travel challenges, etc.

Persona-

Name: Atef
Location: Cairo, Egypt
Age: 15
Distance from School: 3.25 miles

Atef lives in the very dry and hot terrain of Cairo, Egypt. Having to go back and forth to school and home gets very tiring because of the long period of time in the heat. This also comes with a lot of traffic, which adds to the time and means that Atef is super exhausted having to dodge cars and wait in traffic when riding his bike to school. An issue that Atef has is that he rides on sandy and dirt-filled ground which can mess up his gears and wheels pretty bad and quick. Unfortunately, Atef is not able to afford any repairs on his bike or inspections. On the bright side, Atef is able to keep his bike safe by storing it inside of his school. Of course, there can be pros and cons to every situation and it's that along with keeping his bike safe he also has to climb two flights of stairs. That can be a little frustrating since the bike is pretty long and is hard to carry along with his backpack.

Quote-

“The seat should be a bit bigger and a little more cushion." 

While designing this bike we wanted to make sure that Atef is able to feel comfortable while waiting in traffic in the heat and also comfortable while riding. Above there's a quote that inspired our design of the potential seat that Atef will be using. We made sure that the seat is formed as a chair where it cups the bottom of the rider to provide safety and comfort as if it was a chair. We made it be a bit more cushion-like so you won't be tired of sitting on your bike and of course made it adjustable 

Needs/Benefits-

We designed this bike so that you are able to drive in sand and dirt terrain. Instead of having regular thin wheels we made the wheels bigger and thicker, which will allow Atef to ride his bike freely without getting caught in the sand or dirt. We also made a gear cover so that the gears wouldn't get dirty so quickly or get ruined from the environment. We really wanted to include some new and unique features that will allow Atef to find riding a bit more fun than a chore, so we provided built-in fans that are battery-powered. Which is located in the top handlebar and the bottom bar which will blow air from beneath him. We really wanted to make sure that Atef is super safe and careful while driving because of the amounts of car drivers that will be around, so we made sure we included blinkers on the bike, ahead and backlight, and side mirrors so Atef is aware of his surroundings. Lastly, instead of a regular model, we chose to make the bike a bit more different than your average bike. We made the bike is lightweight as possible. We did this so that when Atef or anyone is riding this bike they are able to easily carry the bike like a bag.

Throughout this whole course, I was really inspired by design and the possibilities that we are able to produce. We didn't only learn about what it means to be a designer or engineer, but what it's like to help others by using these skills. We were able to speak to many different types of engineers and designers and the different things they do along with the long and interesting process. I especially enjoyed this course because of the lot of hands-on things we had to do together and individually. Lastly, this course inspired and motivated me to dive deeper into architecture as a possible career option. I think that by taking this course I was able to see the similarities of design and architecture, which really struck out some really interesting ideas for my future. 

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