for the love of bikes: expandable bike basket

And my final industrial design graduate thesis project from the collection...

Aside from the geek factor and helmet hair, helmets save lives. With urban cycling on the rise, more and more diverse and sophisticated helmets are entering the market - so you really don't have much of an excuse anymore! But when wearing a helmet, a common issue surfaces: what to do with it once you arrive at Point B? Commonly helmets end up in awkward places: attached to the outside of a bag and left dangling, locked to the bike through a vent hole, etc. resulting in them getting scratched, damaged and dissuade some people from wearing one.

This bike basket/bag system allows you to - when need be - pop open the front portion to reveal an extra compartment to store a helmet along with your essentials. Different interchangeable weatherproof bags can snap into a lightweight bent wood frame. The high contrast interior lining and internal pockets keep belongings in place and organized. Two large pockets in the rear of the bag keep your lock and phone in sight + within reach.

cyclist Sara Dierck + outdoor photos by Steph Mantis
www.vanessamarierobinson.com

for the love of bikes: cycling gloves

A project from my industrial design graduate thesis...

Hand signaling is a form of communicating with motorists and pedestrians. Communication is key in being respectful to fellow cyclists and motorists as well as staying safe - by combining highly reflective material with fluorescent calfskin leather, these gloves greatly increase a cyclist’s visibility.

The gloves greatly increase a cyclists visibility from a good distance, day or night, when signaling. Each incorporate reflective piping increasing reflectivity from every direction and has a single metal snap fastener. The palm of the gloves provides a good opportunity to have a fluorescent surface - and increase visibility from the front and back!

Thanks to cyclist Ivey Lian + outdoor photos by Steph Mantis

www.vanessamarierobinson.com

for the love of bikes: bike utility bench

Alas, my industrial design graduate thesis projects I presented to Pratt faculty and students last month. To start off, a bike-centric piece for the home...


The bike utility bench developed from a common dilemma faced by cyclists: where to store bike tools and paraphernalia that often clutter closets and entry ways. The bench creates accessible storage that easily adapts in small living environments... i.e. our NYC apartments!

Inspired by traditional sewing box, the storage compartments utilize simple wooden hinges which open outward. Once opened, each top surface panel slides inward along wooden dovetail joints to gain access to the interior compartments. As an unobtrusive storage unit, the bench can be placed in the front entrance of your home or pulled up to your kitchen/dining room table for additional seating - substituting the need for a couple of chairs.

To soften the impact of tools in the home environment, the compartments are lined with industrial felt padding. And keeping in the spirit of bike components, the fastener hardware for the hinges requires the same allen key used on your bicycle while a heart chain ring walnut inlay adorns one end ♥

Stay tuned for future thesis project postings this week...

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Top models & cyclists Sara Dierck and Ivey Lian
Two middle photos by David Steinvurzel
Bottom photo by Steph Mantis

www.vanessamarierobinson.com