Atef's Design

This is the last AP for our STEAM class, Design & Engineering. In this unit, we focused on math concepts including speed, speed conversions, circles, volume, surface area, and energy components. In addition, we studied simple machines including wheels, axles, pulleys, and gears, eventually leading to our final subject, bicycles. I am proud of the math I did this term, despite some moments of self-doubt. We also had two field experiences, with one of them being online and the other in person, though we had the option of being online. One of the FEs was Amanda Woodall, who came to talk to us about Divvy bikes and the other was a visit to Earth Rider Cycling, an electric bike shop. The one that stood out to me the most, was the electric bike shop because we learned how electric bikes worked and I got to watch students try them (I took the online option). While prepping for this AP, we interviewed a biker of our choice to get their perspective on the experience of riding their bikes. We then kept that information in mind, when we were assigned a fictional profile on which to base our project. Once we were assigned a profile, we assessed their needs and began to use our prior information from the interviews and what we knew about the person's needs, to create a custom bike, just for them. Below you will see my process and the final product. I hope you enjoy it!

The person my partner and I were assigned is a 15-year-old named Atef. Atef is currently living in Cairo, Egypt and he has to bike through sandy terrain and heavy traffic to school every day, which is 3.25 miles away. Once he gets to school, he has to carry his bike up two flights of stairs to get to class. He also can't afford to get professional maintenance for his bike. After doing an assessment of his profile, I determined that his main needs are a lightweight and low maintenance bike. My solution for Atef was to make a bike that was made out of lightweight material (Nylon powder), foldable, with fewer components (so it is easy to clean), a plastic tubing around the gears so they don't get clogged from sand, and a backpack contraption that is stored in the seat and hooks onto the wheels, which makes it easier to transport.

Two‌ ‌things‌ ‌I‌ ‌learned‌ ‌while‌ ‌researching‌ ‌bikes‌ ‌was‌ ‌that‌ ‌there‌ ‌are‌ ‌many‌ ‌different‌ ‌types‌ ‌I‌ ‌was‌ ‌not‌ ‌aware‌ ‌of,‌ ‌and‌ ‌several‌ ‌ways‌ ‌you‌ ‌can‌ ‌make‌ ‌them,‌ ‌including‌ ‌3D‌ ‌printing.‌ The 3D printing actually partly inspired my design because of a bike I saw in this article. It is made out of Nylon powder, which is 65% lighter than normal materials and it is made with Additive Layer Manufacturing, similar to 3D printing. That is the material and building process my bike is based on. A‌ ‌quote from the person I interviewed also inspired my design and it‌ ‌was,‌ ‌“I‌ ‌like‌ ‌how‌ ‌lightweight‌ ‌my‌ ‌bike‌ ‌is and it is easy to transport.”‌ ‌This‌ ‌inspired‌ ‌the backpack part of my‌ ‌design‌ ‌because‌ ‌of‌ ‌how‌ ‌Atef‌ ‌has‌ ‌to‌ ‌carry‌ ‌his ‌bike‌ ‌up stairs‌, and‌ ‌it isn't easy to do that with a big heavy bike. 

Here is a labeled sketch and a scale model of the bike I created, using cardboard. The model is photographed in a similar terrain that Atef would be riding in and I used one of my brother's action figures to make it more realistic. 

MEM. Bike Sketch. 2020

MEM. Bike Model. 2020

A ‌few‌ ‌ways‌ ‌that‌ ‌my‌ ‌bike‌ ‌is‌ ‌better‌ ‌than‌ ‌the competition‌ ‌is because of the backpack‌ ‌feature‌, it has a protective‌ ‌covering‌ ‌around‌ ‌the‌ ‌gear,‌ ‌and it is made out of lightweight material. All of these components are not ones I have seen all in one bike before. My‌ ‌user‌ ‌should‌ ‌trust‌ ‌in‌ ‌my‌ ‌design‌ ‌because‌ ‌it‌ ‌addresses‌ ‌all of his‌ ‌needs, specifically being easy to clean and maintain.‌ For the bike, I decided to go with a ‌single-speed‌ ‌bike ‌because‌ ‌they‌ ‌are ‌low‌ ‌maintenance‌ ‌and‌ ‌less‌ ‌distracting, so‌ ‌he‌ ‌can‌ ‌focus‌ ‌on‌ ‌riding‌ ‌through‌ ‌traffic.‌ The‌ ‌gear‌ ‌ratio‌ ‌of the bike is 44/16‌ ‌because‌ ‌it makes the bike ‌easier‌ ‌to‌ ‌ride and the scale I used to make the model was 1:12.‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ 

The calculations for the bike can be found in this slideshow:

 

In conclusion, I took Atef's needs into‌ ‌consideration‌ ‌when‌ ‌designing‌ ‌this‌ ‌bike, some of‌ ‌which‌ ‌was to make it‌ ‌easy‌ ‌to maintain,‌ ‌lightweight,‌ ‌and‌ fix the issue of ‌clogged‌ ‌gears.‌ ‌Two‌ ‌obstacles‌ ‌that‌ ‌I‌ ‌ran‌ ‌into‌ ‌during‌ ‌this‌ ‌process‌ ‌were‌ ‌when‌ ‌I wanted to make the model digitally but couldn't figure out how so I made a physical one, and the overall thought process of finding ideas for my bike that were original and don't already exist. I enjoyed this experience and I‌ ‌learned‌ ‌how‌ ‌special‌ ‌it‌ ‌feels‌ ‌to‌ ‌build‌ ‌your‌ ‌own‌ ‌model.‌ ‌ ‌

Citations:

Ridden, Paul. “EADS Airbike Made of Steel-Strength Nylon.” New Atlas, 2 May 2015, newatlas.com/eads-bristol-announces-nylon-airbike-manufactured-by-alm-technology/18094/.