A few months back I wrote a post about 6 ways that bicycles help kids learn about sustainability. Innovation was one — and there were some crazy and wonderful pictures.
So when I saw this 3D printed mesh bicycle frame I just had to add it to the “catalogue” of bicycle innovations that are sure to get kids thinking about how we make (engineer) things. The green wheels are a nice touch too!
This bike was created by Australian industrial designer James Novak and I learned about it on i.materialise, where Novak said,
“What I really wanted to achieve was something that takes full advantage of the benefits of 3D printers, especially the ability to create one-off, customizable pieces that may be lighter-weight and stronger than traditional frames through the use of complex lattice structures. More than anything, I’d like my work to be an example of what we should be 3D Printing.”
From a sustainability angle, lighter weight makes bicycling more accessible and I can see this mesh design having implications for folding or other “portable bikes” that you might take on the train and such.
So what do you think? Would you ride it? How about the kids you know?