Veloretti Urban
Design of a compact folding bicycle for the urban commuter
Client: Veloretti Amsterdam
Year: 2014, 2015
The Veloretti Urban is a compact bicycle designed for the city. Small wheels and a sporty geometry make it optimal for cycling through dense urban environments. With one effortless motion, the bicycle can be folded and significantly reduced in size. It can then be maneuvered in narrow spaces, and the weight and shape make it easy to carry around. The bicycle can be easily stored in the home environment of the user, preventing theft and decreasing the use of public space. The bicycle aims to enable and promote multi-modal transportation, adding a level of flexibility and freedom to the mobility of urban commuters.
Challenge
The population in the conurbation ‘de Randstad’ in The Netherlands is continuously increasing. Young adults in these urban environments are further shifting away from car usage in favor of public transportation and cycling. These changes have contributed to more cycling and more bicycles, resulting in an obstructing overflow of bicycles in the public space. Frequently, in these areas, young adults fear bicycle theft and prefer to own affordable and ‘disposable’ bicycles, which can be easily replaced by a similar one when stolen. To address the aforementioned trends and space challenges in densely populated cities, a new bicycle concept was created for Amsterdam based bicycle manufacturer Veloretti.
The rear wheel swings underneath and locks in place so the bike can be rolled around in tight spaces (left). The saddle is lowered and the steer twisted to achieve a slim and compact shape that is suitable for carrying and storage (right).
Process
This was my MSc graduation project at the Delft University of Technology. The client during this project was an Amsterdam-based bicycle manufacturer, Veloretti. The goal of the project was to design a compact bicycle for the urban commuter. Veloretti asked for a feasible and detailed product proposal, a challenging requirement in a project that lasts 6 months.
An extensive research phase was performed that included a trend analysis and field research to study urban developments and mobility patterns of young urban commuters. A combination of sketching, prototyping and 3D modeling resulted in a feasible concept. A detailed 3D model and renders were made of the final design as well as a 1:1 functional prototype for final presentation and further evaluation.
A 1:1 prototype was developed to evaluate the functionality, dimensions and appearance of the bicycle.