The Campus Bike: How to build a bike from scratch
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To design and build an ultimate and well-crafted utility bike was the task of the Oregon Manifest Challenge 2011. Students of the University of Oregon understood that designing a bike requires not only a deep understanding of the history of the bike but also to care for a new generation of riders. Hence, they developed the “Campus Bike”, a daily commuter for students that live on and around urban areas.
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![Campus Bike Detail 3 Campus Bike Detail 3](https://i0.wp.com/www.gin4b.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/20111014_ormanifest_90.jpg?w=451&h=301&ssl=1)
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The adjunct professors Christian Freissler of Ziba Design and James Molyneux of Nike’s Innovation Kitchen initiated the student project. Fascinated by the idea of building a bike from scratch their team mastered the whole design process, from research to the building of a prototype. The result is a mini-velo based on 20 inch wheels and modern bike geometry. It easily withstood the 50-mile field test, but the team’ s interest went beyond the mere functional requirements. They designed a lot of smart solutions which react to the special needs of students. Equipped with a locker, a retractable kickstand or an adjustable carrier for books and groceries it supports their daily activities. The Campus Bike was awarded recently with the IDEA 2012 Gold Student Award.