The Bicycle Design blog has announced the winner in its “commuter bike for the masses” design competition, and it's the ThisWay bike designed by Torkel Dohmer.
Blogger James Thomas came up with the idea of a contest to ferret out some bicycle designs that would coax non-cyclists out of their cars and onto the bike lanes for commuting to work.
The lightweight bike would be made of composite materials and hydro-formed aluminum with built-in LED lights in the front and back powered by a battery that recharged by solar cells. There's also space for a briefcase on the back. And it has a roof.
Judges
A 7-judge panel culled through the 65 entries and came up with the top 6. As the winner, Dohmer will receive a Cannondale Bad Boy bicycle.
Judges liked the semi-enclosed feeling of the bike and it's partial roof, which provides some protection from the elements.
Although Dohmer says the “automotive qualities” in the design might attract those who are new to cycling, at least one judge remarked that a recumbent might be a more difficult introduction to bike commuting than a standard bicycle.
Of course it's uncertain whether this particular bicycle design will ever make it to the street, but some of its features are things that bike manufacturers should be considering.
You never know, one day we all may be riding a bicycle like this to the office.
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