Urban Transport

New bike-scooter design inspired by consultation with Bordeaux citizens

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Designer Philippe Starck and the Mayor of Bordeaux have just unveiled a new bike/scooter concept that was inspired by ideas from over 300 citizens
Designer Philippe Starck points to the scooter platform of the new City PIBAL Streamer concept
Philippe Starck and the Mayor of Bordeaux, Alain Juppe unveil the City PIBAL Streamer concept design at Cyclab 2
The design has now been handed over to engineers from Peugeot, who will build 3,000 bicycle/scooters for the city's bike hire scheme
Designer Philippe Starck and the Mayor of Bordeaux have just unveiled a new bike/scooter concept that was inspired by ideas from over 300 citizens
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In November 2011, the City of Bordeaux in France began a special consultation with its citizens. In an exercise that could easily have created a Homer mobile, participants were asked to make suggestions on what they would like to see included in the design of a new town bike. Over 300 citizens shared their ideas, which designer Philippe Starck has now used as the inspiration for what has been provisionally called the City PIBAL Streamer - an eye-catching concept where riders can opt to sit and pedal like on a traditional bike, or stand on the platform and use like a scooter.

Bordeaux has seen the number of cyclists in the city triple in the last 15 years thanks to a comprehensive tram network and numerous city center traffic restrictions, and it's said that more than ten percent of movement within the municipality is undertaken by bike. Drop hire bike points are strategically placed throughout the area, and it is to this system that the new Bordelais-inspired town bike/scooter will be added.

Philippe Starck and the Mayor of Bordeaux, Alain Juppe unveil the City PIBAL Streamer concept design at Cyclab 2

The City PIBAL Streamer design concept was recently unveiled at the Cyclab 2 event (which highlights the future of cycling in the city and beyond) by Starck and the Mayor of Bordeaux, Alain Juppé. The result is said to be both durable and functional, with lots of room for onboard storage. It will feature a lightweight aluminum frame, at the center bottom of which is a standing platform with the central frame tubing and two additional supports running under it. There'll be brightly-colored wheels, hub braking and automatic, integrated LED lighting.

Manufacture of the new design will now be undertaken by Peugeot, who has over 120 years of design and manufacture experience. The company's engineers are to assemble a run of 3,000 bikes for the City of Bordeaux for end of year availability. It's during this period that any technical issues relating to the concept will be tackled - such as frame stress points and core strength.

Sources: Municipality of Bordeaux, Phillipe Starck, and Peugeot

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14 comments
Slowburn
While I understand the advantages of the step thru design it comes with either a weight or weakness penalty that I prefer to ovoid.
Rustgecko
@slowburn
Ovoid means oviform or egg-shaped.
Isaac Seidman
The designers obviously haven\'t got a clue about bike geometry. The pedals should not be directly under the saddle this, not only is this a horribly inefficient position for transferring power to the pedals, it could lead to knee injuries right behind the knee cap.
Helene Webman
Not sure how new this is... In my home town (Phoenix AZ) I saw such bikes already used by seniors, and that was more than a year ago.... To me it looked like a great concept for the elderly who wanted to stay active but find the standard bike hard to get on.
Jerry Peavy
The obvious structural weakness aside, I would hate to ride over a small curb or anything higher than a few inches considering the low standing platform!
tekewena
so those pedals will need to stick out quite wide to miss the deck, also I\'m thinking about hitting a pedal everytime I push away while using the scooter - ouch!!
Gadgeteer
Why would anyone want to have a scooter option when they\'re already on a bike? The scooting motion is very inefficient compared to pedaling. Plus it wears down the soles on your shoes and tires you out faster because you\'re using only one leg. A step-through frame is okay, but the scooter platform is just plain dumb. Better might be an Elliptigo but with a seat option that can be pushed back out of the way if you want to pedal standing up.
http://www.gizmag.com/elliptigo-announces-new-3c-elliptical-bike/18736/
christopher
Peugeot won\'t mess up the manufacture, so shutup already about the geometry and strength and pedals etc. Sheesh!!! Has *everyone* got out the wrong side of the bed today?
This is a really awesome idea.
And yeah - if you didn\'t read the *whole* article, don\'t hit \"post comment\"!!!
Slowburn
re; Gadgeteer
Just off the top of my head sore crotch, only going a few hundred meters, in a hallway, or you find it to be more fun.
Gadgeteer
@slowburn,
I don\'t want to know about your head sore crotch. People going a few hundred meters probably won\'t be renting a bike to do it. These are community bikes for everybody to use. Taking them down hallways to store indoors defeats that purpose. I tried a friend\'s Xootr kickscooter during the scooter craze about ten years ago. They\'re most assuredly not \"fun.\" Swinging your driving leg in a long arc, which doesn\'t involve the quadriceps. Having to squat up and down on the other leg with every stroke. Doing at best about 10mph with a lot of effort, a speed that\'s an easy cruise on a bicycle. The near impossibility of switching legs on the move when the platform doesn\'t have room for both feet at once.