Recycled Cardboard bike soon to start selling early 2013
A working bike about to go into production made totally out of cardboard....including frame, handlebars, wheels, crank, pedals. Using a timing belt instead of a chain. Of course, brakes and tires, etc aren't cardboard.....but still pretty wild. Watch the vid!
An 18 pound bike for $20 or less.....I'll definitely order one, just because it's so different looking. Single speed or not. I paid more than $20 for my last chain.
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10-15-2012, 10:38 AM
grabtindy
$20??? Shit I might buy my whole office a few.
10-15-2012, 11:03 AM
Alaskan Rover
I just wonder what it would ride like. I mean tentatively, it has solid rubber tires instead of pneumatic.
But given those cool-looking wheels, I'd like to order one just for for the helluvit.
That kind of reinforced honeycomb cardboard is strong stuff. The cardboard is heavily coated to keep it waterproof.
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10-15-2012, 11:07 AM
justinspau
Bad ass sign me up for one. Talk aboit a sweet bike you can use and abuse and not care if its stolen or broken. This is a great idea but I dont see it going for $20 maybe $50 in the end when we add the middle man
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10-15-2012, 11:11 AM
systemoverblow'd
Just saw this in the elevator. Was planning on looking it up and boom, it's already on TGR.
10-15-2012, 12:01 PM
stuckathuntermtn
I'm watching it at school, so no sound. How does it handle getting really wet and being stored in a damp garage all winter?
And the "valve stem" and other brake lever are just cosmetic?
Looks fun as fuck though, and for $20 you could just beat on it. And probably no one would dare steal it, since it's made out of paper. Then again...
10-15-2012, 12:28 PM
joetron
I was gonna say, "Looks flexy." Then I saw the clip of the guy standing on it. Dang.
Thats cool.
10-15-2012, 12:57 PM
Catch22
I can't fathom this being near $20. Even if they are looking at $9 in materials where does the labor come in, seems pretty labor intensive not to mention you would have to pay me about $100/hr to deal with all the damn paper cuts. Seriously though, awesome concept and hope it takes off, I'd certainly buy a couple.
10-15-2012, 01:05 PM
Kim Jong-un
Cool. Thanks for sharing.
Cardboard skis anyone?
10-15-2012, 01:59 PM
BrianH
I wonder how well a recycled belt will work as the drive train.
10-15-2012, 02:31 PM
jqualls
Cool idea. Good for him for sticking with it I am sure he was told many times he was crazy for even thinking about a cardboard bike. Also said he left it soaking in water for 2 months without any problem so sitting in a garage over winter should be fine but if not buy a new one every year. The price might be a little optimistic but who knows, they think government incentives/grants and advertising will make the bike virtually free to produce. At least thats how I understood it. I would probably buy one and leave it at the office to ride around town.
10-15-2012, 03:10 PM
smmokan
For $20, I'll be buying a couple of them... but like someone else said, given materials cost $9 I doubt the "street" price will be $20. Factor in labor, the supply chain, and shipping and I'm guessing closer to $50-75. I'll still buy a couple of them at that price, too.
Hopefully they have different sizes because the production model looks way too small for that guy.
10-15-2012, 03:14 PM
toast2266
I'm assuming that's $20 for the frame only or something like that. I mean, the belt alone is probably around $20, so there's no way that whole bike is selling for $20.
I'm also skeptical of the light weight they're claiming, but I guess if he built one that weighs 9kg, the proof is in the pudding.
10-15-2012, 07:24 PM
Alaskan Rover
Quote:
Originally Posted by stuckathuntermtn
I'm watching it at school, so no sound. How does it handle getting really wet and being stored in a damp garage all winter?
And the "valve stem" and other brake lever are just cosmetic?
Looks fun as fuck though, and for $20 you could just beat on it. And probably no one would dare steal it, since it's made out of paper. Then again...
Yeah...I was wondering about that valve stem looking thing too. And still not sure why they went with non-pneumatic tires. But I guess getting custom valve stem long enough to go though that wheel would have been too expensive. I'm thinking the could use a regular-sized valve stem if there was some sort of extenstion stem that could be screwed onto the valve stem...either that or make an access hole in the wheel just big enough to fit an air pump nozzle.
I didn't notice the leftside brake lever wasn't cabled to the rear. Good eye. I'm thinking the production model should have a rear brake as well.
The bike he was riding in the video hadf a different fork than that bike above. Not sure which is closer to the production model.
It would be cool if he could set-up production in some sub-Saharan African villages and such...it would keep costs down PLUS be great for the distressed communities down there. I'm pretty sure I read somewhere that the cardboard IS recycled....that is great!
Edit: And a timing belt for a drive means no more frickin greasy chain!!!!! YEAH!
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10-15-2012, 09:29 PM
Conundrum
How does the brake work? I'm a little skeptical of the stopping power of pad on painted cardboard. Other than that, seems really out there in a good way.
10-15-2012, 09:33 PM
toast2266
^^^ I'm assuming it's a fixed gear. I'm thinking a freehub made out of cardboard isn't going to hold up very well.
10-15-2012, 09:50 PM
Conundrum
Good point. I wonder who is going to win...ACL vs cardboard?
10-16-2012, 07:50 AM
emr
Cool idea, but I'm all set. I have a hard enough time trusting carbon handle bars, I don't think I could wrap my brain around a full cardboard bike. The fork, wheels, and bar/stem would constantly bug me out. It really doesn't take much to get going 20 mph on a "commuter bike", add in all the shit you would find in a city, and I'll stick with recycled steel.
10-16-2012, 09:33 AM
Alaskan Rover
Quote:
Originally Posted by emr
Cool idea, but I'm all set. I have a hard enough time trusting carbon handle bars, I don't think I could wrap my brain around a full cardboard bike. The fork, wheels, and bar/stem would constantly bug me out. It really doesn't take much to get going 20 mph on a "commuter bike", add in all the shit you would find in a city, and I'll stick with recycled steel.
I think this bike is not intended nor designed for 20 mph. More like maybe 10 - 12, 15 max. Sure, you can prolly take it faster, but that's not its design window. And certainly not for single track...LOL. Reinforced cardboard, when kept dry, is quite strong. Maybe the coating adds some strength to it? Wheels, actually, wouldn't be too much of a concern...as in a cylindrical form they have natural strength just by design. I think it is intended for light use on paths and streets at slower speeds.....similar to "beach cruisers", but lighter.
In terms of drive, I'd imagine some sort aluminum pulleys with belt. And it looks like some sort of belt tensioner below. Belt would be rubber, I'd think. As for brakes, looks like the calipers press directly against the rubber of the solid tire. Technically that would work. Would need to replace the tire more often in hills, then.
Given brake parts and drive parts, I'm not sure how he gets $9 in materials.
I think he can have a small side business just selling those cool-looking wheels ! Give Spinergy some competition. If he configured them so that they could work with normal tubes and and maybe a carbon or aluminum band for around them to work with regular brake shoes, I would buy those wheels just for their looks.
Not sure if he has a website yet....don't even know the name of the company.
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10-16-2012, 10:08 AM
DAFTC
I seriously doubt the long term target market is US/EU. Sure, it's a cherry on top if it actually breaks in, but the guy strikes me as interested in a transformative product aimed at the huge base of the consumer pyramid. As in, rethinking transportation infrastructure in megacities if he can get to scale.
10-16-2012, 11:12 AM
stuckathuntermtn
for $40, I'd still buy one.
10-16-2012, 11:30 AM
Name Redacted
I wonder what the expected life cycle of one of these things is. I mean if a $20 bike only lasts 1 year, and a $200 bike lasts ten years and you have a lot less stuff being thrown in the trash, then what is the real benefit?
Let's see Napoleon take that thing off some sweet jumps and see how it holds up.
That said, it's a cool idea.
10-16-2012, 01:05 PM
Hugh Conway
Quote:
Originally Posted by shredgnar
I wonder what the expected life cycle of one of these things is. I mean if a $20 bike only lasts 1 year, and a $200 bike lasts ten years and you have a lot less stuff being thrown in the trash, then what is the real benefit?
Uhh, the huge number of people in the developing world who have $20 but not $200?
10-16-2012, 01:23 PM
stuckathuntermtn
Anyone see yesterday's Colbert Report?
Something like "the maker of a cardboard bicycle says his invention can change the world...the change is that it will never rain again."
Sent from my cell phone. no, a cell phone.
10-16-2012, 01:25 PM
Alaskan Rover
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hugh Conway
Uhh, the huge number of people in the developing world who have $20 but not $200?
In the much of the third world, two dollars is hard to come by. Where in hell are they going to come up with two-hundred? But it seems lots and lots now have cellphones, and an incredible number have TVs. So maybe they come come up with $20 or so for the bike, if it would help them get to market easier than hoofing it.
I wonder if he could whip up a large tricycle for third world market folk at maybe $40. They say the bicycle itself well carry up to 458 lbs without collapsing. A trike would be great for third-world market folk.