Basten Leijh
Sandwichbikes
Sandwichbikes
Sandwichbikes
Assembling your own Sandwichbike will wake up the craftsman in you! You will be astonished by the functional design, learn the bike basics when it comes to assembling, and take care of your self-assembled bike as you never cared before.
Sandwichbikes
A Sandwichbike is a unique and highly sophisticated product with excellent driving dynamics that makes you enjoy life while cruisin’ around! Inspired by the concept of flat packing and home assembly the Sandwichbike will be delivered in a flat cardboard box to your doorstep and can be assembled at home with a few basic tools.
Assembling your own Sandwichbike will wake up the craftsman in you! You will be astonished by the functional design, learn the bike basics when it comes to assembling, and take care of your self-assembled bike as you never cared before.
The Sandwichbike is about innovating all aspects of the biking industry. In the Netherlands the concept of the bike is pretty much set. That makes it difficult to take a step back and to look at it as a piece of furniture or a different object in order to stay fresh.
By approaching the concept from a distance we succeeded in being innovative in the conservative bike industry with the self-assembly concept, selling it online and by being flexible in responding to demand. On top of that we believe that the combination of the craftsmanship of the wood and the high-tech aluminum makes our product exciting.
The Sandwichbike doesn’t just provide sustainable materials it also encourage sustainable use. We believe that when something is build with care ensures handle with care as well. Every step in the manual doesn’t just bring you one step closer to your own Sandwichbike. Your commitment and appreciation for the design and quality will grow every step as well.
4. The Process: Describe the rigor that informed your project. (Research, ethnography, subject matter experts, materials exploration, technology, iteration, testing, etc., as applicable.) What stakeholder interests did you consider? (Audience, business, organization, labor, manufacturing, distribution, etc., as applicable)It all began in 2006 when Bleijh industrial design studio competed in the International Bicycle Design Competition in Taiwan. Bleijh’s aim was to create a bicycle that re-examined materials, manufacturing and distribution of the common bike. Inspired by the concept of flat packing and home assembly, Basten Leijh of Bleijh designed a bike made out of two wooden plates. Apart from the obvious advantages flat packing has for shipment, the use of two wooden plates gives freedom of printing and cutting techniques, making it possible to give each bicycle its own unique identity.
With a prestigious fifth place and plenty of positive publicity the 1:3 scaled bicycle was used to create a full-scale prototype, which was exhibited in Milan. Again the global publicity was promising and it was clear there was a real demand. Unfortunately, Bleijh was not able to meet demand at the time as their prototype, and with it intrinsic knowledge of the bike, was stolen at the exhibition.
Bleijh tackled the issue of recreating a new prototype and readdressing engineering issues such as using fewer screws to assemble the bicycle. After completing the newest prototype in 2007, the Sandwichbike was put on hold as other interesting projects at Bleijh demanded attention.
At the end of 2010 Bleijh refocused on the Sandwichbike. The continuous buzz that the bike concept was still producing on Internet motivated them to take the concept and make it more concrete with the help of engineers from both the cycling as automotive industry. In the following year, a handful of prototypes were made, focussing on sturdy materials, sustainability, precision and, of course, travel comfort.
The wood used for the Sandwichbike’s frame is beech plywood. Harvested in Germany, near a small town called Brakel to be exact. The factory producing the plywood is established right there, so there’s no need to drag trees all across the continent to get the Sandwichbike its frame.
A new Sandwichbike comes from mature wood, since the beech trees are harvested from the age of about 120 years. The forest they come from has been sustainably managed for more than 200 years, meaning no more wood is harvested than can be regrown again. This gains our plywood a PEFC certification. The wooden frame is kept together by smart cylinders. These carefully milled aluminum parts are what turns four wooden panels and two wheels into a Sandwichbike.
Since 2013 the Sandwichbike can be ordered on www.sandwichbikes.com and delivered around the world.
The Sandwichbike is more than a mode of transportation to get from A to B. The Sandwichbike is a highly sophisticated product with excellent driving dynamics and a durable product that is both eco-friendly and an eye-catcher.
We were drawn to the concept of engaging customers through assembling the bicycle, creating a unique experience and heightened sense of ownership.
The design of the bicycle along with its packaging and graphics were consistent and appealing overall.
The usage of laminate wood and its sustainable story was equally impressive as the design itself.