Friday, October 30, 2009

Background on the Batavus BuB

I recently mentioned that the Batavus BuB was one of the new city/urban bikes that really caught my attention at Interbike. Soon, I will get a chance to try out a prototype BuB for a couple of weeks… in fact I will be picking the bike up at Renaissance Bicycles this Sunday (speaking of Renaissance, they have several additional pics of the BuB prototypes posted here). I will share my impressions of the bike after I have the chance to live with it a bit, but today I want to post a background story about the design from Eric Kamphof of Fourth Floor Distribution. Eric didn’t write this specifically for the blog, so it may be a bit longer than the average post. Still, I think it provides some great insight into the idea behind this design, so I want to share his story with you in its entirety:

“It may seem difficult to believe, but Dutch bicycle companies like Batavus have recently had a very difficult time penetrating the Dutch urban bicycle market. Companies like Batavus build high quality bikes that tend to last a long time, creating a strong used bike market in urban centers. What is truly impressive is that these bikes last a long time while receiving a massive amount of abuse. The average Amsterdammer leaves their bike outside year round, rarely tunes it, and rides it nearly 3000 miles a year. The average age of a bike in Amsterdam is nearly 35 years old.

The Dutch hardly romanticize their bikes like we do. They are born onto bikes and treat them like tools. They regard their bikes the same way they regard their washing machines. The urban demographic may be tough to reach because of their preference for used bikes, but an even tougher demographic to reach is the 18-35 age group. After riding in the rain from the age of four, many youngsters want nothing more than a car. Perhaps it’s strange, but as Americans fall in love with bikes again, the Dutch are falling in love with cars. To lure urbanites, and especially young urbanites back onto bikes, a new approach was needed. Enter the Batavus Utility Bike - BuB.

As a wholesaler of European city bikes, we knew the only way to get people riding bikes again is to sell the romance of cycling. We call this the 'lifestyle' approach. Everyone knows bikes are better than cars, but nonetheless, this knowledge does not create new cyclists. Consider the Velib system in Paris. The Velib system gave Parisians an iconic bike that provided solutions to a range of problems, and it was cute to boot. Velib is romantic, it fills Parisians with Parisian pride - it's motivational. The Dutch need to be motivated back onto city bikes, and that required a fresh approach.

The typical classic Dutch bike, affectionately called the omafiets (grandma bike) is one of the most memorable icons of Holland. Every bicycle manufacturer in Holland still makes an omafiets, and while the Dutch bike has certainly evolved far beyond the omafiets the omafiets has still been the enduring answer for urban markets. But, it has problems. When Batavus first released the Personal Bike they had an instant hit in urban markets. It had a different seating position than the omafiets, it could stabilize weight better (like children and groceries) – and it was versatile. The seating position of an omafiets is almost excessively upright. The Personal Bike relaxed the position without stretching the rider into a sportive position (which every North American bike company still insists on doing). It also introduced the concept of high pressure 26” tires to the market, allowing the bike to roll exceptionally well despite potholes and bumps. However, like the omafiets, the Personal Bike was a little on the heavy side. While neither bike rides heavy, anyone who wanted to bring their bike inside their apartment (a reality as Amsterdam builds higher) didn't enjoy lifting it. The Personal Bike was a bold invention, but it missed the mark in terms of reaching the widest possible demographic. What was needed was a lighter, more ergonomic bike with the same broad appeal as the classic omafiets.

Based on the same geometry as the popular Personal Bike, the BuB features a much lighter aluminum frame. It’s a very evolved city bike, but not a commuter bike either. The average city cyclist in Holland travels no more than 7km (~4.5 miles) in a single trip. In fact, the average cyclists in Manhattan or Amsterdam spend 80 - 90% of their time within a 10km (~6.25 miles) radius of home. The BuB, like the omafiets, was designed to multi-task this entire 'lifestyle radius.' Conversely, a commuter bike mimics the same patterns of North American car traffic. It takes one from the suburbs to the center, and back. Batavus makes bikes for those people too, but the BuB ain’t it.

Perhaps the greatest obstacle to creating an evolved omafiets was the iconic nature of the omafiets. Like wooden shoes or windmills, the classic omafiets is one of the most visible icons of Holland. To create a lighter version with a better seating position may have been necessary, but the real challenge was creating something as memorable. Like the Velib, Batavus needed to create an instant icon that would romance the Dutch (and others!) back to cycling. As one of the oldest companies in Holland Batavus certainly played a role in the development of the omafiets as we know it today. And Batavus also designed and implemented the entire Paris Velib system. They were also the first develop the Personal Bike design, which has been copied by numerous competitors. In Holland - which typically has a very conservative and insular bike industry - Batavus is that one company that thinks outside the dijk, so to speak.

The BuB was a difficult process to implement. Most companies order their bikes directly out of the large "Taiwan Bicycle Catalog" and slap their decal on it. Not Batavus. The BuB was designed from the ground up by Batavus, and the bent 'paperclip' design was painstaking in its implementation, requiring an entirely new tube bending technology. While the omafiets may be very 'Amsterdam', the BuB is very 'Rotterdam'. Rotterdam, which was completely bombed out during WWII, rebuilt its entire city center from the ground up with an architectural style that was fundamentally practical, yet playful. The BuB, in other words, is just as Dutch as the omafiets bike. It reflects modern Dutch design, and does so very well. It's austere, like Danish design but without being cold and aloof.

Planned obsolescence is hardly a Dutch trait. In fact, paranoia may be a more consistent Dutch trait. This, no doubt, has to do with living below sea level. If the Dutch built their products - including their dijks - poorly, they would be underwater. Yet, despite this extremely prescient practicality, the Dutch are also famous for building in delightful quirks into their products. This, no doubt, fulfills their idea of the gezellig life - a word that has to do with delightful sociability, the right atmosphere, and certain 'coziness'. So, the BuB isn't just practical, it’s a little bit fun. For instance, it has a 'mood indicator', which is hardly practical - but perhaps maybe keeping track of your mood is a gezellig idea? Imagine if a car had a mood indicator...how happy would you be?

The final challenge with the BuB, of course, was price. The average Dutch citizen is used to paying an average of 700 Euros for a city bike. That's nearly $1100 USD. The perception of a bicycle in Holland is quite different than North America. But then, the Dutch are well aware that their bike is used far more than their car, yet costs a fraction of their car. So they invest. This perception will take years to work itself into the North American consciousness, as people essentially learn what their riding habits are. Unlike the rest of the Batavus line, the BuB will not be made in Holland, but it will be made to the Dutch standards of quality. It's a simple, yet sophisticated bike. With a three speed coaster brake hub the focus is on a robust, rust free frame and parts that keeps the rider upright, safe, and comfortable. The BuB is not for everyone, but for anyone in a dense urban center that needs a simple bike that multi-tasks their entire lifestyle radius, the BuB is exactly what they're after.

As you can see, the BuB wasn't just some clever idea dreamed up in a vacuum. It is intensely tied to the axioms of Dutch product design, and at the same time, aligns itself with recent advancements in bike culture around the world. As city bikes increasingly woo’d North Americans, the BuB offers practicality and a long history of experience building and designing the world's best city bikes. For anyone who just wants comfort, low maintenance, complete clothing protection and, well, something pretty - the BuB hits the nail on the head!”

Photo credit: Renaissance Bicycles

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Beyond Bicycles

In May of 2010, Oakland, California’s Rock Paper Scissors Collective will be hosting Beyond Bicycles, a celebration of the art, science, and politics of harnessing human power. From now until March 15th, they will be accepting entries for the exhibition. They are looking for “human-powered machines, bicycle-based inventions, and interactive kinetic sculpture” from artists, designers, and creative people. If you have a concept that you wish to share, send it here. Questions can be directed to Mark at this address.

Here is more information about the exhibition from Rock Paper scissors:

"BEYOND BICYCLES will be an exhibition documenting the many ingenious uses of human power past and present. The Gallery space at Rock Paper Scissors Collective is limited so large works will only be displayed during opening night. Our month long exhibition will consist of a collection large color photographs of works, accompanied by a printed zine. There will also be a web zine which will be more extensive than the printed version."

I have a few unrelated links to pass along while I am at it:

The Core77 blog posted a bicycle carrying case design not long ago. The interesting thing about this design is that is can accommodate a frame with an integrated carbon seat mast.

Cojoy is a side-by-side tandem design that was apparently inspired by “a dual paddle boat and a wheelchair.”

Designboom posted about beer-cycle by Raphael Betillon. Basically, he recycles old steel forks into bottle openers.

Finally, I will mention this Lexus carbon fiber, 2 wheel drive electric assist “racing bike” that was spotted at the Tokyo motor show. My first thought, which I posted on Twitter,
was…where does one race an electric bike? Ross, who originally sent me the link, pointed out that “in Portland there runs a free-for-all race that includes a factory team from Ecospeed.” I would love to see some pictures from that race if anyone can point me toward a few.

Friday, October 23, 2009

A student-designed velomobile

As you know, I like to share student designs from time to time. Joseph Campbell is a recent design graduate whose senior thesis project “dealt with bicycles and how they do not fit into Americas current grid”. As someone who has cycled for transportation for many years, I don’t completely agree with that statement, but I do see his point. There is much more that can be done both with infrastructure and with various types of pedal powered vehicle designs that can open human powered transportation options up to a larger segment of the population. I won’t discuss the inadequacies of our current transportation system in this post. Instead, I will share Joseph’s thoughts about the velomobile that he designed in his own words:

"As a frequent bicycle rider I quickly realized that bicycles don't work well with other vehicles. The problem that I found was that bicycles do not fit into Americas current transport grid. The roads were built for cars, trucks and buses but not bicycles. We try to fix this by adding bike lanes but in reality I feel this is only putting a bandage on the grid (unless they are separated lanes). This is where the concept of redesigning a velomobile came from. Currently most velomobiles are small, very aerodynamic, and European based. This concept sets to challenge that idea, questioning what if we make larger, more agile, have it mass-produced and blend into the Urban/Suburban environment.

The overall size is comparable to a small car at about 9' x 4-3/4' x 4'. This was done to improve visibility and blend in with other vehicles in the transportation grid. Its construction consists of a steel tubular frame with replaceable ABS panels. This was done to solve the issue of a damaged fiberglass monocoque. The suspension is a unique design with torsion springs inside pivot points of the control arms. This was intended to allow greater stability in turning by allowing the vehicle to lean into the corner. The rear drive system is also unique. Because it is such a long body shifting would become unresponsive using such a long stretch of chain. The derailleur was moved to the pivot of the rear swing arm and is set up much like a bottom bracket w/ suspension on a mountain bike. Instead of having pedals and a crank the cassette and belt drive pulley are attached.

This concept is the "standard" version based on a velomobile. Future planned improvements to this model include electric assist, all wheel drive, a removable "truck bed" body, internally geared swing arm w/ reverse, head/ tail lights and a solar film wrap.”

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

E-Hub

I am still catching up from my vacation last week. It really was great to get away for a few days, play in the ocean with my kids, and totally relax, but I did come back to a LOT of email. I am catching up at work as well, so it might take a while for me to answer all the email I received pertaining to the blog.

Tonight though, I want to quickly point out a product that caught my attention today in the September issue of VeloVision magazine. On page 32 they reviewed the E-hub, a rear hub that was designed in Slovenia to even out a rider’s pedal stroke. The E-hub is certainly not the first component that promises to smooth the pedal stroke to order to increase performance, but they are taking a different approach. As the website explains:

“Human muscles are developed for walking and not for circular pedaling. As a result, cyclists experience a “dead spot” of about ±15 degrees around the top and bottom of the pedal path. Several products such as ovoid chain rings that were marketed in the 90s tried to address this problem with poor success or bad side-effects. E-HUB solves this problem once and for all with a unique patented spring mechanism in the hub that overcomes the dead spots while allowing the cyclist to keep her/his usual rhythm.”

While you are at the website, watch the video with pro and elite level riders talking about how the internal spring improves pedaling efficiency resulting in an overall speed increase. I admit to being intrigued by this design, but also a bit skeptical. The VeloVision reviewer did say the effect was noticeable, especially on steep uphills, but in the end he said, “There could be an actual biomechanical improvement, but I’m not 100% convinced it was significant.” That makes me even more skeptical, but I would still love to try the hub for myself.

Regardless of how well it works, I was initially intrigued by the fact that this hub, which basically redistributes pedaling energy to boost performance, is being marketed for racing. They even point out that it is approved by the UCI, which I have a have a hard time believing will remain the case if it really does offer time gains up to 10% as the website claims. So what do you think of a hub that uses an internal coil spring to even out the pedal stroke and better distribute a rider’s pedaling power to the rear wheel? If there is a true biomechanical advantage as claimed, should it be allowed for racing? I have my own opinion, but I am curious what you all think.