In an attempt to get more people biking, a nonprofit called Oregon Manifest holds an annual design competition challenging designers in five cities across the country to come up with a ride that's so cool it'll get people to ditch their cars in favor of cycles. Portland's entry, made of 3-D printed titanium and outfitted with haptic handlebars to provide directions, is a perfect embodiment of the city's bespoke tech culture. New York's design was optimized for the Big Apple's compact apartments. Chicago's no-nonsense entry was built to withstand the city's blustery winters.
The bike, called Blackline, was crafted by design firm Minimal, the studio who helped Microsoft shape the look of the Xbox 360 and Kinect sensor. Made in collaboration with fabricator Method Bicycle, it reflects hard lessons that can only be learned while commuting in ice storms. Chains freeze in Chicago's brutal snows, so the Blackline features a belt-drive with no small components to bind. 26-inch tires mounted on blunt rims make the city's potholes manageable. The angled frame lacks a top bar, making it easier for riders to hop on and off the seat in traffic.
Minimal's tech pedigree, established by its work with Microsoft and its creation of one of the earliest takes on the "iWatch," bleeds through in a companion app that allows riders to control the color of their super bright LED headlight and handlebar blinkers. A hidden GPS chip allows the bike to be tracked if it happens to get nicked by one of Al Capone's descendants.
In recent years, Minimal has built a business designing, crowdfunding, and manufacturing their own products. This firsthand expertise informed the creative process for Blackline. "The winner gets their bike manufactured by Fuji and we didn't want to push so far that they would have to dumb it down to where it was unrecognizable if they produce it," says Chris Watson, lead program strategist at Minimal. "Yes there is some technology, but our studio has a default manufacturing perspective and that ethos flows through the design."
A critical decision was staying true to a welded tubular frame rather than pursuing more advanced technologies. "As designers we made a decision to showcase [Method founder] Gary's craft and allowed him to be in charge of manufacturing the frame," says Watson. "If we were going to completely circumvent that, what's the point? Working with Method put a guardrail on our design that wouldn't normally be there, and guard rails are good."
Despite a focus on durability and mass production, Blackline reflects the refined sensibility of Minimal's founder, Scott Wilson, who was previously a creative director at Nike. With its poofy saddle bags and striking frame, Blackline might be the first bike that can realistically be pedaled in a little black dress.
Blackline isn't flashy, but every detail is thoroughly considered, down to the name. Minimal's studio is located below the pink and green lines of Chicago's famous elevated trains, and while it covers most of the city, it doesn't reach everywhere. The idea was the Blackline would be a shadow commuting option that connects riders to all the places the train doesn't touch. All the other colors were in use, so the team chose black. Plus, Watson points out, "The bike had to be black. We're designers."
Voting is open until August 2nd.
