bike share system

concept development

esquisse three: alternative materials

esquisse two: shared rides

SHARED BICYCLE SYSTEM IN MELBOURNE:
product design specification

Aim:
To reduce the amount of people who travel by car to and around the city by providing another option of transport to be also tied in with the existing public transport system in melbourne.

Location:
Melbourne CBD, Victoria, AUS

Bicycle infrastructure/design:
Features:
- Specialized frame and parts
- Spoke-less wheels
- No chain
- Locking system built into bike
- Carrier basket for briefcase/helmet
- 3 speed gears
- Unisex frame
- Make use of the existing street furniture
- Also designed to be purchased by businesses
- Manufacturing location needs to be discussed (for reasons of production capacity)
- Universal, unisex model.
- Adjustable saddle for users taller than 1.5m
- Strong frame: bikes cover 50km/day, 18250km/year, whereas a normal bike will cover 200km/year.

Aesthetic styling:
- Take the influences from the surrounds and the targets users to decide on a style for the product. Eg: The UK oyb is a traditional looking urban bike, where the urban bike is linked to the types of city commuters that the system is aimed at. The France oyb is a modernized version of a cruiser bike, with very obvious European influence.
- The bike needs to appeal to the target users. It needs to fit in with the city and fit the views and values of the city goers. It should be introduced in the most positive light possible to avoid being shunned aside and ignored.

Production materials/finishes:
- Sealed shaft drive
- Covered brake cables or back brake
- Covered chain area (if there is a chain)
- Advertising space

Technical issues:
- Only one size available
- No child carrier available
- No helmet storage
- Only one size available
- No child carrier available
- Heavy design – although weight increases stability.
- Bike is expensive to manufacture because of specialized parts.

Integration to the urban landscape:
- Aim to integrate the surroundings of the city with the parking areas
- Investigate solar power
- Investigate operability of lightweight metal
- Design parking areas to fit into existing areas – parking spaces and footpaths.
- Melbourne weather resistant
- Eco-friendly graffiti remover
- Aim for recyclable materials.

Payment access schemes:
- Subscription system – online, over phone, via mail
- Rental access system – smart card, phone call for code verification, credit card
- Third party ticketing – train tickets or bike tickets sold in stores
- Easy to use tourist system
- Credit card deposit
- Legal guardian consent for users between 14 and 18 yrs old.
- Subscriptions times: half hour, day, 7 day, and year. Related to train tickets?
- Household insurance must cover bike trip

Targeted users:
- Users aged 14 and up
- Users of all fitness level
- Users of all ability
- Commuters traveling by train to the city
- Business people traveling across the city for meetings

Location of collection hubs:
- Large hubs in particularly congested areas e.g.: train stations
- Parking hubs located around the city for short term parking
- Maintenance stores with storage

Bicycle collection/distribution:
- A system that will work for the Melbourne CBD needs to be created. Some examples are:
- When you are done, ring an automated operator from a collection hub and confirm your location. This is how we can locate all the bikes.
- Clean vehicles patrol the areas and regulate the parking areas to ensure there is an even distribution of bikes.
- Maintenance technicians travel on bikes that are powered by motors.

Corporate sponsorship/advertising:
- Design needs to incorporate advertising space for sponsorship and advertising.
- The bike design should be a standard one with the ability to be decaled with any company. (If a business decides to purchase a ‘pod’ of bikes then the bike can be transformed easily into their on product)

Jobs:
- Maintenance technician: washing, upkeep and general maintenance.
- Regulation officer: transferring the bikes from one station to another
- Mechanic upkeep of preventative maintenance work and repairs in a workshop.
- Terminal technician: upkeep of electronic terminals
- Storekeeper: responsible for managing arrivals/departures for reception, control, handling and inventorying of equipment, preparation of sites and in-house orders and the upkeep of the store and surrounding areas.
- Subscription administrator: in charge of subscription files.

It's not just about the city. This is Melbourne.

This is a series of still photos i took along Beach Road between Brighton and Beaumaris one Sunday morning in Melbourne.

Each weekend Melbourne's cycling culture springs to life as people set out to enjoy the amazing views from the bike paths along the beach all the way to Frankston.
The cycling culture of these south eastern suburbs that border the bay ties in with the upper class lifestyle of the people who live in the area.

The Bayside and Kingston City Councils have put in alot of effort to produce such an accesible area for cyclists. People of all ages and ability use the extensive path both for fitness and socialising. Parks and lookouts line the bike path for the children who join in on the weekend family rides, and coastal paths provide access to hidden picnic areas and the beautiful bays and rockpools in the area. Even people who dont have bikes can enjoy the path. Not only is the path shared with pedestrians who like to walk along the route, there are a number of cycle hire shops that rent out to the sight-seers who are visiting the area.

Both the Sandringham and Frankston train lines feed the Beach Road suburbs with a number of stations less than 250m from the beach. The bike path provides a quick and easy route to both train lines and a quick commute to the city.

Every weekend morning beach road is lined with fluro lycra patterns, with groups of over 50 cyclists at once being the norm. It doesnt just stop at on the road either, most cafes in the area have bike racks and outdoor seating for the cyclists to have their social coffee after their ride.

The bike path in this area has added so much to the lifestyle of the people who live in the area or visit. It promotes health and fitness for all ages, socializing and sustainability.

There is no question about it: The cycling culture has planted its roots around Melbourne... but what can we do to help it grow across the CBD?

a vending machine?

not too sure what is going on here...

Dublin's long-awaited wheel deal

new bike scheme in Dublin @ The Irish Times