You’re probably familiar with the Brompton and you may have come across some of the other more out-there folding bike designs like the Sadabike. But I bet you’ve never seen anything quite like this.
A design agency in India called Lucid have put together a prototype for a bike that fits into a backpack. But rather than going for a folding design, they’re taken a leaf out of Ikea’s book and made it fit together like flatpack furniture.
In fact, as Lucid’s creative director Amit Marchandi said: “We believe it would be easier than most flatpack furniture.”
The prototype hasn’t actually been built yet, but as the video shows the design has been thought through very thoroughly.
Apparently the frame, crank, saddle and all the other parts would be machined so they can be fitted together without using any tools. And the unique single-fork frame means that “the entire bike can be assembled or dismantled from one side making the process extremely simple and quick,” according to Marchandi.
“It would be easier than most flatpack furniture.”
They reckon it’d take a matter of minutes to fit the 21 separate pieces together and build the bike out of the bag. Which would make the design workable for commuters.
Of course, being a design agency, one of Lucid’s main focusses was ensuring that the prototype looked good. With a leather saddle, cork handlebars and a brushed aluminium frame, it’s pretty damn stylish.
They wanted to keep it “simple, minimal and cool,” according to Marchandi. And it’s this that we reckon would set the “kit bike” apart from any of its competitors – assuming they actually ever make it.
I mean it’s hard to make a Brompton look that stylish really isn’t it?
