Bicycle Innovation in the Spotlight at 2013 IBDC Awards Ceremony
2013/05/13 | By Quincy LiangTaiwan Designer Takes the Gold Award Again
The winners of the 2013 International Bicycle Design Competition (IBDC) were announced at an award ceremony on March 20th, the opening day of the 2013 Taipei International Cycle Show (Taipei Cycle).
Students and young designers entered 590 design concepts in the competition. Now in its 17th year, the competition is one of the world's top contests for emerging talent in the bicycle industry.
The IBDC award is hosted by the Cycling & Health Tech Industry R&D Center (CHC) with sponsorship from the Department of Industrial Technology (DoIT) under the Ministry of Economic Affairs. The competition was organized and executed by the Taiwan branch of iF International Forum Design GmbH of Germany for the first time.
Of the 590 entries, 391 designs from 45 countries were accepted to compete for the coveted award. Twenty-two of the designs were selected as the award winners by a panel of high-ranking experts. The top-10 entries were rewarded with prize money amounting to NT$600,000 (US$20,000 or 16,000 euro).
Winning and Honing
In addition to the cash award, the prize winners were invited to attend a three-day workshop at the Asia University in Taichung (Taiwan). The winners also had the opportunity to get feedback on their concepts and fine-tuning ideas from international design experts during the workshop.
The IBDC is an important stage for established and up-and-coming cycling designers to present concepts and hopefully come away better informed and more mature. The competition also gives the CHC a chance to tap worldwide design resources for views into global lifestyles, consumer behavior, and trends. Such information can give the cycle design community a bird's eye view of the market, but also brings a practical perspective to the creative process.
The international jury, made up this year of professionals from Taiwan, Japan, and the Switzerland, chose the award winners based on: degree of innovation, quality of design, practical aspects, functionality, application, material, sustainability, social responsibility, universal design and safety. Competition design categories included: bicycles, components, clothing and accessories, and services/facilities (parking systems, bike route designs, rental systems, etc.)
Caption: Winners and VIPs at the 2013 IBDC Award ceremony.
Prize Winners With Prize Money of IBDC 2013 |
5 x NT$100,000 (US$3,333) in prize money:
1.
Category: Components
Entry: Penta Brake System | Thumb Brake System
Design: Martina Zbinden
University: FHNW IID, Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz, Institute of Industrial Design, Therwil/ Switzerland
The PENTA brake system is an innovative hydraulic brake system for bicycles. The thumb brakes can be applied with minimal force, making it easier to control braking power. Cables are mounted inside for protection from damage. The low-maintenance brake is located over the handlebars and the stem, allowing the entire top piece to be removed. What the judges had to say: "The advantage of this brake system is that it is controlled by two thumbs and I think it is a little revolution in the bicycle industry."
2.
Category: Components
Entry: ubqo sixty60 | Mountain-bike Frame
Design: Marco Giarrana
University: University of Design and Art, Basle/Switzerland
The "ubqo sixty60" is a frame with strong, clean, independent lines that covers a wide range of uses. It eliminates the only real weak points of virtual pivot designs: it replaces two small linkages, which are exposed to extremely high loads, with large excenters, which can resist the loads much better and exhibit durability and stability. With its round-edged carbon profiles, the "ubqo sixty60" is ready to tackle any terrain. What the judges had to say: "It is a different frame design that is just like a universal adjustment for bikes of the newest generation."
3.
Category: Components
Entry: ERON | Light and brake systems
Design: Thomas Breun
University: Hochschule Coburg, Integrated Product Design, Coburg/Germany
ERON combines the functions of a conventional bicycle disk brake with a bicycle lighting system. While riding, magnets fitted into the brake disks produce electrical energy in induction coils arranged beside the brake calipers to operate the lights. The front lights are integrated into the brake handles, while the taillight can be attached to the rear brake caliper. The "Dual Plug" hose line supplies the disc system with hydraulic oil and the front lights with electric energy. As a result, the unsightly mess of cables connecting the generator to the lights is a thing of the past. What the judges had to say: "This is one of the most complete ideas, they even thought about how the electricity is stored. The student has done an excellent job and this is absolutely applicable to today's market."
4.
Category: Clothing and accessories
Entry: The Glow Rider | Light System
Design: Kuang-Chung Hao, Yi-Ching Lin, Yen-Liang Chen
University: National Taipei University of Technology, Taipei/Taiwan
Bicycling in the dark can be extremely dangerous. The Glow Rider is a flashing light, a taillight and a projection light all in one. The Glow Rider is mounted on the rear fender; it acts as a high-powered taillight. At a flick of the switch, the Glow Rider projects a bright beam of light onto the rider's back. This creates a larger lit surface area, which makes the rider significantly more visible in the rain or dark. What the judges had to say: "The idea is applicable to potentially any bike. Though we think about the future, bikes are also about encouraging sustainability. The idea is self-sustainability and it's a good marketing point."
5.
Category: Service | Facility
Entry: BamGoo | Transport System for Emerging Countries
Design: Sara Urasini
University: Free University of Bozen, Bozen/Italy
BamGoo is a transport system designed for emerging countries where bicycles are the main means of transportation. It has a simple structure made of the natural materials that are easy to find and easy to work with using simple tools in the corresponding countries. It consists of twelve containers positioned symmetrically so that it can be used as a stall at markets in and around the villages. Thanks to the two holders, it can be easily detached from the bicycle to be carried by hand. What the judges had to say: "This is from the category of service and facility and that's exactly what it is. You don't need a new type of bicycle; you just need these two elements and the frame structure made of bamboo. It's so simple, so effective and helps a lot of, mostly, women to carry all these heavy things to the market or from the water hole back to the village."
5 x NT$ 20,000 (US$667) in prize money:
6.
Category: Bicycles
Entry: Frame 22 | Urban Bike with Bamboo Frame
Design: Yu-Yuan Lai
University: Shih Chien University, Dept. of Industrial Design, Taipei/Taiwan
Frame 22 is an urban bike with a flexible bamboo frame. The bike was designed in cooperation with a master bamboo carpenter. Bamboo poles support the frame and form a connection between the fork and the seat tube. The excellent elasticity of the bamboo material makes the frame extremely flexible and significantly reduces side instability and vibration. The bamboo construction stretches back to the chain stay to also provide reinforcement for the entire rear triangles. What the judges had to say: "This is a fantastic combination of wood and steel. One of the judges would actually like to ride it."
7.
Category: Bicycles
Entry: Sawyer | Beach Cruiser with Plywood Frame
Manufacturer: 053ontwerp, Enschede/Netherlands
Design: Jurgen Kuipers
Sawyer is a beach cruiser with a custom-made beech wood plywood frame. The bike has been equipped with special features, such as a chain line. A one-of-a-kind bike with an elegant look for a comfortable ride. As a type of "art project," the bike is also available as an assembly kit that contains all the parts required to build a Sawyer bike. What the judges had to say: "It's a cool looking bike that combines both concepts for the competition. He must have designed this bike with particular man appeal before putting together the DIY tools. It looks like it could work and it would certainly be very unique on the street."
8.
Category: Clothing and Accessories
Entry: Children's Bike Seat
Design: Martina Staub, Lisa Nissen
University: Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz, Industrial Design, Aarau/Switzerland
This children's bike seat is designed for safety and lightweight. The seat consists of two parts: a protective frame made of fiberglass-reinforced polypropylene and a cushion with a 3D mesh that is both soft and protective. In the event of a sudden stop, the child is secured by the 5-point safety belt. The design of the frame provides optimum protection for the child's head. The system includes a sleeping position and the footrests can be easily adjusted to virtually any position. The seat can also be used as a carrier and taillights can be attached to the frame. What the judges had to say: "The design is very simple. People in Japan or other Asian countries would like to use this product. Regarding the design of the frame, the judges reckoned it can actually be made."
9.
Category: Bicycles
Entry: The Essence | One Bike – Two Riding Styles
Design: Ming-Kang Chang
University: Shih Chien University, Taipei/Taiwan
This bike offers two different riding styles: one is fixed-gear and the other is single-speed for easier riding. To achieve this concept, the bike's top tube and seat stays are replaced by thinner steel bars. There is a special rear hub that can turn in two modes: single-speed freewheel or single cog. The seat is also designed to be removed or assembled quickly based on rider preference. What the judges had to say: "The only difference in this special design lies in the carbon fiber frame using steel bars. It's a good design that can actually work and reduce the total weight by 100-200 grams."
10.
Category: Bicycles
Entry: CariBoo Transporter | Transport Bike
Company: MaxMillion IndustrialDesign, Munich/Germany
Design: Dipl. Designer Maximilian Kolb
The idea behind the CariBoo is to offer an affordable cargo transport system. Recycled bicycle parts from Europe are combined with freely available local materials. The basic set consists of prefabricated, stainless steel parts and a main frame made of bamboo. The main frame can be built anywhere in the world where bamboo grows. Bending the frame into the right position is easily done by hand. The frame is flexible and gives the bike a dynamic type of movement with a slightly forward tilt. What the judges had to say: "Urban cycling is growing as a global trend and one big part of urban cycling is cargo space. People want space where they can store their things and this design helps to solve the problem."