Bicycle in the city – a contemporary approach to luggage transport
What is the project about?
Sklabag is a modular, foldable bike carrier. It is designed to increase the transport capacity of ordinary bicycles, having a positive impact on their usability and willingness to use them more often. The luggage compartment has the option of increasing its volume. It consists of a main platform, additional attachable side platforms – wings, a generative structure connecting the whole to the bicycle and a system of straps and buckles making it easier to secure the transported luggage.
For whom the project was created?
The project was primarily developed for city-based bicycle owners. Some people give up their bike for a car because they need to transport luggage. This solution is meant to encourage them to choose the bicycle as a means of transport in the city more frequently, especially for short distances.
What is the aim of the project?
The main objective of the project was to create a solution that would encourage people to use the bicycle as a means of transport in the city more often. Sklabag makes carrying the luggage easier and more fun, so the bike becomes the natural choice in most situations. It allows you to transport a variety of items while maintaining the manoeuvrability and shape of the bike as if it had no luggage. The solution has an urban design and provides safety and stability when transporting everyday luggage, as well as a more unusual one.
What was the motivation?
The motivation to tackle this topic was recognising the problem that there are too many cars in cities, the amount of space they take up and the pollution they produce. As a daily bicycle user, I recognise its beneficial effects on physical and mental health, as well as the environment. Additional inspiration for the project came from reading the book How Cycling Can Save the World. Its author, Peter Walker, emphasises the importance of the role the bicycle plays in the city, whereas personal experience, as well as the insight of other users, made it possible to identify that transporting the luggage is a relevant area for action.
Additional values
The aluminium structure makes it possible to extend each platform by pulling the movable element out. Depending on the user’s needs, the side wings can be installed in different configurations or completely removed. The basis is a structure created through the use of generative design. The frame, thanks to the applied tooling, is distinguished by its original organic form and gains greater strength while remaining lightweight. An additional value is the adjustment system of the carrier, which can be adapted to most bike models.
