Designer from Taiwan Wins Gold at 14th Int'l Bicycle Design Competition
2010/05/10 | By Quincy LiangThe winners of the 14th International Bicycle Design Competition (IBDC), hosted by the Department of Industrial Technology under Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs, were honored at the opening ceremony of the Taipei International Cycle Show (Taipei Cycle) 2010, held March 16-19.
With the Taiwan-based Giant, the world's leading bicycle maker by volume, and another heavyweight Merida being also Taiwan-based, this global bicycle design competition in Taipei continues to be a highlight of Taipei Cycle. The14th IBDC attracted 720 entries from 49 nations (938 entries from 55 nations in 2009). In the past 14 years, however, some 10,372 designers from 86 nations (including 36 European, 26 Asian, 17 American, five African and two Oceania nations) have taken part in the bike design competition.
Cycling & Health R&D Center (CHC), the executive organization of the highly internationalized contest, says the IBDC is the only bicycle-exclusive design event worldwide, not another added-bonus to a trade show, as well as a contest that seriously explores trendsetting bicycle designs that set milestones, build new mindsets, and perhaps significantly reinvent the wheel.
M. J. Wu, director general of Department of Industrial Technology (DoIT) under the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA), praised the IBDC as a key platform to create, innovate and constantly upgrade Taiwan's bicycle line: "The IBDC, now entering its 14th year, has won recognition and praises from home and abroad. Not only has it enhanced Taiwan's image, but also has benefited the industry by transferring sophisticated technologies from the competition to local manufacturers, thereby boosting their revenues and profits. I am delighted to see that Taiwan's bicycle industry has managed to transform itself productively amid rising costs and stiff competition from labor-intensive countries. Although different companies adopt different business strategies, the key to success has always been 'Product Innovation', and this is why MOEA keeps supporting the design contest."
Prizewinners
The following summarizes the 14th IBDC winners, including the top-3 winners.
Award: Gold Award (also Giant Award)
Concept Name: Shopping Bike
Country: Taiwan.
Designer: Shi Huang 
Only 23 years old, Huang is a Taiwanese designer who has entered the domestic Young Designers Exhibition several times, sowing excellent potential in creative design. Inspired by multi-functionality necessitated by Taiwan being a top-2 most densely populated nation, Huang's "Shopping Bike" doubles as a shopping cart.
With real estate at a premium in major Taiwan cities, Huang knows the importance of building multi-functionality into daily tools. In this case, he makes finding a space to park a bicycle unnecessary by creating a special folding system allowing the rider to easily turn the Shopping Bike into a trolley for shopping, making for a very practical, fashionable solution for urban dwellers.
Award: Silver Award
Concept Name: Spine
Country: India
Designer: Neil Foley
Neil Foley, also the Gold-award winner of the 4th IBDC, returns this year to win the Silver Award. As suggested by the name Spine, this creation looks striking to impress onlookers. Instead of height adjustability via the seat, Spine allows quick adjustment on the frame, enabling riders to take mechanical advantage to ride faster but with less sport injury. The frame is also coated in soft material for tactile comfort; while shopping bags, lights, electronic system can also be attached. Spine is designed for riders of every age.
Award: Bronze Award (also Merida Award)
Concept Name: Solar Knight
Country: Taiwan.
Designer: Y.S. Lin
Also a Taiwanese designer, Lin takes the Bronze Award this year with the "Solar Knight." A trained industrial designer who commutes to work daily on bicycle, Lin's Solar Knight is the realization of her dream bicycle.
Lin has designed a folding bike that is a perfect combination of eco-friendliness and ingenious collapsibility. Instead of the typical frame, Lin adopts a geometric four-sided suitcase-shaped frame that is structurally strong. Both handle bar and saddle are adjustable. Also the attached solar panel generates enough energy for the front/back brake lights, as well as lighten the rider's load when going uphill, minimizing carbon footprint and making riding more fun.
Award: Excellent Award
Concept Name: AutoVelo
Country: United States
Designer: Eric Stoddard
Autovelo is a new type of electric bicycle designed for those accustomed to driving cars. The bicycle mimics a car by including seat height, back angle, hand and foot positions, with a low-stepover frame for easy entry/egress, as well as low-ride height allowing riders' feet to touch the ground when stationary. Autovelo is an ideal electric cycle, with rear wheel motor and battery mounted neatly below the frame, a more convenient urban transport.
Award: Excellent Award
Concept Name: B3
Country: Taiwan
Designer: Zih-Yi Yang/ Wei-En Huang
B3 reinterprets the folding bike with a striking look and special, convenient folding construction for easy operation and portability. The whole design with accessories achieves intelligent beauty in the B3.
Award: Excellent Award
Concept Name: CG
Country: China
Designer: Meng Sun
Inspired by the Swiss Army Knife and chewing gum, Sun creates the CG as a folding bike suitable for all ages, from seniors to adolescents. Easy to carry and ride, the CG is the perfect short-distance commuter with stylish design, innovative folding mechanism and power-transfer characteristics.
Award: Excellence Award
Concept Name: Flex
Country: Israel
Designer: Ran Amitai
A compact city bike, the Flex is designed as a monolithic form instead of many parts as most counterparts. With a carbon fiber frame that is the backbone connecting the parts, the Flex has a monolithic back fork and chain cover, achieving not only less mechanical noise but also a new iconic look.
Award: Excellent Award
Concept Name: RESC U
Country: South-Korea
Designer: Kim Sang-Hyuck / Kim Na-Rae / Nam Hyuck-Joo
As the witty name implies, the RESC U is a folding bike designed for paramedics. The RESC U can easily be ridden through narrow alleys than bigger vehicles as an ambulance, hence allowing paramedics a sturdy way to save valuable time to reach patients.
Award: Excellent Award
Concept Name: TakeOn
Country: Finland
Designer: Arttu-Matii Immonen
TakeOn is a stylish city bike that features a frame of metal-bamboo composite to achieve eco-friendliness and minimized production cost. The entire design is ergonomic and low-maintenance, also facilitating riding fun.
Award: Creative Award
Concept Name: Change
Country: Taiwan
Designer: Wan-Chin Chen/ Erica Chu
Change is a new concept in personalized bicycle, with the design allowing riders DIY changing of parts to show individuality. Traditional tubing is replaced with left and right aluminum boards attached with screws to achieve a unique look, with the head tube, seat post and bottom bracket all attached with common fasteners.
Award: Creative Award
Concept Name: AO
Country: Israel
Designer: Omer Sagiv
AO may be the ultimate in simplicity and stylish bike. With a basic 'single gear' system driven by a rubber belt to ensure near-zero upkeep and breakdown, the AO's saddle and wheel all have a special suspension; while a simple dynamo powers the front and rear lights.
Award: Creative Award
Concept Name: Bicycle-tricycle
Country: Austria
Designer: Valentin Vodev
Designed to ease loading of groceries and other goods when shopping, the BI-TRICYCLE's rear can be easily split into two to turn the bicycle into a tricycle with a big carrying surface. Ingeniously, the BI-TRICYCLE is a bicycle for urban commuting but a shopping cart when necessary.
Award: Creative Award
Concept Name: ESSENCE
Country: Brazil
Designer: Paulo Roberto Fernandes de Oliveira
Also tapping the foldability of a Swiss Army knife, the ESSENCE is a city bike with a clean, simple structural design. The seat tube and rear fork fold longitudinally, with the wheels rolling to meet each other via a centrally-mounted mechanism to mimic the folding knife.
Award: Creative Award
Concept Name: Evolution Bike
Country: Netherlands
Designer: Roel Verhagen
Built to maximize riding comfort, the Evolution Bike has all the benefits of other bikes and more, with a unique stance and the technically-advanced front hub with inline crank shaft and continuously variable transmission. This bicycle offers high riding height to allow better visibility, low wind resistance, comfort, safety and easy pedaling.
Award: Creative Award
Concept Name: INFINITY
Country: Germany
Designer: Stephan Henrich
Besides being a cool beach and city cruiser, the Infinity embodies German technology with a revolutionary monotype-clip mechanism that forms automatically a temporary rim and a centrally-located notched belt drive, whereby pedaling a short chain transfers force via a gearbox.
Award: Creative Award
Concept Name: ONEYBIKE
Country: Slovakia
Designer: Peter Varga
The ONEYBIKE is a leisure bicycle inspired by the classical high-wheeler but featuring the comfort of a recumbent bike. With overall modern lines and functionality in design, the ONEYBIKE also has retro appeal. Its folding mechanism is easy to use, hence making the bicycle the ideal urban transport.
Award: Creative Award
Concept Name: RBL
Country: Denmark
Designer: Marcus Hannibal Madsen
Designed to be truly an urban bike for easy portability, the RBL has special construction, innovative turning design, intelligent lighting system, strengthened frame, and enhanced safety. Also, it has a flexible and communicating lock for various situations.
Award: Creative Award
Concept Name: STACLE
Country: South Korea
Designer: Noh Woong Sub / Paek Seung Hwan / Lee Seung Me
Mimicking the merits of an airport luggage cart, the STACLE is a folding bike that can be carried, pushed and is easy to fold and store.
Award: Creative Award
Concept Name: Tango
Country: United States
Designer: Mathieu ZASTAWNY
Tapping automotive technologies, the Tango features radically different folding and suspension solutions to achieve a new riding sensation. With two major pivots inside the frame, the Tango completely twists to collapse; while leaf-springs replace traditional suspension systems to achieve weight savings. And the tubeless tires also help to reduce weight.
Award: Creative Award
Concept Name: Tribune
Country: Switzerland
Designer: Florian Vecsey / Lukas Thuring
Powered by a generator and an electric motor, the Tribune can accept more power-driving accessories as needed. A lockable luggage rack over the back wheel helps to transport goods safely while protecting from weather or theft, with the headrest and pedals being adjustable to suit different riders. The flexible backrest optimizes pedaling and comfortable ride. Featuring a combination of ergonomics and functionality, the Tribune also has front- and backlights to maximize safety.
Award: Creative Award
Concept Name: TRICI
Country: Colombia
Designer: Samuel Cortes Mora
Designed perhaps for Columbian lifestyles, the TRICI has a front carriage to hold safely and stably children weighing 20 to 40 lbs and 55 to 75 cm. tall. With an adjustable frame to suit various riders, the TRICI can also be turned into a cart to carry goods. Also parents can carry toddlers in the front seat without worry and share the fun of riding at the same time. This bike is also available in children's models-for two to four years olds who want to learn riding while carrying toys in the front.
Award: Creative Award
Concept Name: Velo Assemble
Country: United States
Designer: Jon Godston / Michiel Knoppert / Marc Walliser / Giles McWilliam