MinMax Folding Bicycle by Monica Oddone is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2020 Bronze A' Design Award in Vehicle, Mobility and Transportation Design Competition Category.
BronzeVehicle· 2020
MinMax Folding Bicycle
Client: Monica Oddone
Bronze A' Design Award Winner in Vehicle Category
Verified Award Winner
Verify Award Status for #82718The Design
About MinMax Folding Bicycle
MinMax is an innovative bicycle with folding wheels that fits a backpack when completely folded. Born to satisfy city commuter needs and movements, its design is unique and easily recognizable thanks to the colourful mechanic components of its folding system. MinMax is lightweight, solid and easy to carry even in its electric version.
The Recognition
About the Bronze A' Design Award
MinMax Folding Bicycle is a Bronze A' Design Award winner, a highly prestigious recognition granted to outstanding designs distinguished by creativity, ingenuity, and astuteness. Bronze winners are amply skillful and strikingly creative artifacts that authenticate the vast experience, imagination, and resourcefulness of their designers. MinMax Folding Bicycle is expected to be a highly regarded, admired, and cherished object that is notably professional and innovative. This Bronze A' Design Award-winning design incorporates best practices in art, science, design, and technology, and is excellent for its attention to detail. MinMax Folding Bicycle splendidly satisfies needs, touches desires, charms feelings, and appeals to curiosity.
Interviews
Design Interview
What is the main principle, idea and inspiration behind your design?
The main goal in the development of MinMax was to design a new folding bike that could exceed the size and weight limits of existing models, applying innovative solutions that would make it unique and recognizable.
What are your future plans for this award winning design?
I hope that winning this prestigious prize will be the launch pad for this project. It has become clear, especially in the present situation, how much innovation is needed in the individual mobility field, both in terms of sustainability and personal well-being. I would love to be able to take this project forward and work with interested partners to develop it further.
How long did it take you to design this particular concept?
The project development took 4 months of full-time work and was divided into several phases. Initially, through research and analysis of existing foldable bikes, it was possible to identify the unsatisfied needs of users and the current technical solutions that could be implemented. The preliminary design phase involved the development of different methods of folding the frame and the wheels, which could meet the dimensional constraints originally conceived. During the executive design phase, there were collected all the necessary standard components and designed the ad hoc solutions required for the product realization.
Behind the Design
Press Kit
Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.
- Unique Properties
- MinMax is an innovative folding bicycle designed for the needs of city commuters. It is easy to carry everywhere thanks to the revolutionary foldable wheels.
MinMax has three configuration (riding, dragging, packing) and, when not in use, can be placed in a backpack and then stored at home, at the office, on public transport.
The basic model can be easily transformed in an electric version with a brushless motor and a battery. - Dimensions & Packaging
- Riding Configuration: 1450 mm x 530 mm x 950 mm
Dragging Configuration: 700 mm x 530 mm x 650 mm
Packing Configuration: 580 mm x 360 mm x 400 mm
Weight: 9 - 9.5 Kg - Tags
- folding, bicycle, urban, commuters, foldable wheel, e-bike
- Production Technology
- Bike frame is in 7005 aluminium alloy with TIG welding.
The handlebar is adjustable in height and position, using the hinge on the frame.
The saddle is adjustable in height thanks to the telescopic tube.
The cardanic transmission guarantees durability, reliability and minimal maintenance.
Both 23" wheels are equipped with mechanical disk breaks and foldable airless pneumatics.
A 3 speed shifter is integrated in the rear hub. - Design Challenge
- MinMax development was not only a technical challenge: bikers and commuters have new emerging needs, given by the constant evolution of personal habits and ways to live the urban environment. We can't respond to these needs using a standard approach. For these reason, the idea of "reinventing the wheel" was vital to design an extremely compact solution, not only functional but also emotionally significant for the users.
- Research
- The project started with an analysis and comparison of existing models of folding bike: strength features and weak points were evaluated with the help of the data collected through a questionnaire submitted to different kind of bikers.
The design process was focused on the requirements not fully satisfied by actual bicycles like the need of a lighter and more compact solution.
MinMax is assembled using the best standard components and some technical innovation, developed for this specific application. - Inspiration
- In the field of sustainable mobility, the role of bicycle and, in particular, folding bicycle became very interesting for design research. Although the variety of models on the market, the actual solutions are not so foldable (bounded to wheels dimension), too heavy and hard to adjust for an ergonomic use.
MinMax offers an alternative with new technical solutions and a particular focus on human needs and urban contest. - Project Duration
- Between 2015 and 2019, the project was developed from concept to structural analysis. In addition, market analysis, questionnaire and business plan has been elaborated in order to find partners for production and commercialization.
- Operation Flow
- The passage from riding configuration to dragging configuration is regulated by two hinges: one is placed on the front fork and the other is on the main frame, near the saddle tube. When appropriately unlocked, they allow to reduce the bicycle in the wheels space.
The passage from dragging configuration to packing configuration involves the placement of all the remaining elements within the established dimensional limits. - Patents
- Pending Patent No. 102019000000649
- Image Credits
- Monica Oddone, 2019
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