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This $9 Cardboard Bike Can Support Riders Up To 485lbs

ITS 100% RECYCLED AND VERY LIGHTWEIGHT, WITH A FRAME THATS STRONGER THAN CARBON FIBER.
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Izhar Gafni has designed award winning industrial machines for peeling pomegranates and sewing shoes. Hes also a bike enthusiast whos designed a lot of carbon fiber rigs. But one day, hed heard about someone whod built a cardboard canoe. The idea drilled its way into his consciousness, and ultimately, led him to create a cardboard bike called the Alfa. The Alfa weighs 20lbs, yet supports riders up to 24 times its weight. Its mostly cardboard and 100% recycled materials, yet uses a belt-driven pedal system that makes it maintenance free. And, maybe best of all, its project designed to be manufactured at about $9 to $12 per unit (and just $5 for a kids version), making it not only one of the most sustainable bikes you could imagine, but amongst the cheapest, depending on the markup.
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But as the above video documents, the design process was arduous. Engineers told Gafni that his idea was impossible. Yet he realized that paper could be strong if treated properly. As in crafting origami and tearing telephone books, he explains, [if] you fold it once, and its not just twice the strength, its three times the strength. The development to what you see today took three years. Two were spent just figuring out the cardboard complications--leading to several patents-and the last was spent converting a cardboard box on wheels to a relatively normal looking bike. At the moment, Gafni is working with a company to raise the funds to finalize manufacturing processes for his adult and child bikes and then actually put them into production. And if theyre able to pull this off, and the Alfa is everything its promised to be, it could be an absolutely paradigm-shifting idea in the transportation industry. Bikes are amongst the most efficient transportation systems in the planet, converting up to 99% of a persons power into mobility thats up to five times faster than walking. Imagine the impact for developing nations, assuming the Alfa (or a derivative) could handle itself on unpaved roads-especially when fitted with an optional small motor upgrade to enhance range--or what you could do in a small school district where every child could be given a bike in place of a few days of school-bus gas. Then again, the best way to score yourself a recycled bike is just to go to a pawn shop and buy one used. No doubt, its a little less designspectacular, but $10 sure can go a long way at a good old garage sale. [Hat tip: Design Taxi]

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Mark Wilson is a writer who started Philanthroper.com, a simple way to give back every day. His work has also appeared at Gizmodo, Kotaku, PopMech, PopSci, ... CONTINUED

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United States of Design 2011

NOTES

JESSPANTS

09/14/2012 12:32 PM , lover of knitting, a good glass of scotch, and life <3

KICKSTART THIS. I would back it, absolutely.

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Masters of Design 2010

NATALIE EHRENBARD 09/27/2012 08:59 AM

SAME!!!!!
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HUNGRYGUY

Masters of Design 2009

10/02/2012 03:30 PM

does it come with a pizza inside?

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DANIEL OYAMA

10/01/2012 07:40 PM

The first vehicle on two wheels with crumple zones.

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Masters of Design 2008

RANDY SHERWOOD 09/28/2012 02:12 PM

$9 for the frame. The part he invented. The rest of the components would be additional cost. You are pretty naive if you think the bike shown could ever be sold for $9. The brake levers, cables, brake calipers, drive train, tires, tubes all cost money. A cheap very set of tires and tubes like the ones shown cost $30. If you want good ones for commuting it's more like $100 a pair. Total cost would probably closer to the $300 (or more) that other people here have mentioned. What is the braking surface on the front wheel, the part the brakes squeeze to stop the bike? Paper? Don't think so. The picture is an artist's conception, not a practical, working bike.
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JACKTHERIPPER

09/28/2012 12:36 PM

Great idea. Is there altruism in it?

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OSAMA

09/27/2012 09:07 PM

I want to hear about the pomegranate peeler and the shoe sewer. This guy isn't giving away 3 years of work to "change the world"...he's obviously very wealthy by now. It seems like people are ashamed to admit they made more money from a few years brilliant work than most clock punchers would make in 100 lifetimes. PC bullshit if you ask me...have some pride in your genius.
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ANDYA121

09/26/2012 04:15 AM

The human mind is a powerful thing. Reminds me of the poem "

It Couldnt Be Done by Edgar Guest Somebody said that it couldnt be done, But, he with a chuckle repliedThat "maybe it couldnt," but he would be one Who wouldnt say so till hed tried.So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin On his face. If he worried he hid it.He started to sing as he tackled the thing That couldnt be done, and he did it. Somebody scoffed: "Oh, youll never do that; At least no one has done it";But he took off his coat and he took off his hat,And the first thing we knew hed begun it.With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin, Without any doubting or quiddit,He started to sing as he tackled the thing That couldnt be done, and he did it. There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done, There are thousands to prophesy failure;There are thousands to point out to you one by one,The dangers that wait to assail you.But just buckle it in with a bit of a grin, Just take off your coat and go to it;Just start to sing as you tackle the thingThat "couldnt be done," and youll do it.
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ELIZABETH WIEWALL 09/25/2012 05:14 PM

I want one :-)

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COTYLONG

09/25/2012 02:54 AM

Ok. Now where can i purchase one?

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KRISTINE HANCHAR
09/23/2012 03:30 PM

These recycled inexpensive bikes would be great for vacationers. You could use them and then leave them in a city you visited at the hotel for another person. It may ultimately be cheaper then renting bikes and best of all no hauling your bike across country.
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MATT

09/21/2012 12:38 PM

Very cool, but a tad misleading. The pedals on that bike alone are $10, not to mention the bearings, headset, brakes, brake levers, tires, hub, etc. Maybe the frame is $9 (before paint).
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09/25/2012 10:20 AM

CALEB

But, all the materials are recycled so there is a very little expense to build one of these "Alfa's" Which is why they are selling them for $9, because the cost to build one would have to be somewhere around $3 for the reason that all materials are recycled

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09/24/2012 05:23 PM

COTIC

$10 is the retail price most of us in the West can get a pedal for from a shop. BUT the cost of making it in china is much cheaper. Esp. if they cut of the middle men and make all their own parts in mass. Maybe that's how he was hoping to get the price down so low... and then the bike will probably be sold for more than that so they can make a profit. If they do sell in the millions then they could afford to make less profit on each one. yes maybe $10 is ambitious, but it will be a fair bit cheaper than a normal bike.

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COTIC 12:35 PM 09/20/2012

Many viewpoints expressed here. So many people sure of themselves. I would say it may be possible for $9. Why? Because look at it. IT"S ALL CARDBOARD. Most "cheap" bikes are all Aluminium. This is expensive because it is in big demand, and also it takes a lot of energy and machinery to make into bike tubes. Cardboard bikes will be mainly about labour costs. And as we all now there is plenty of that VERY cheap in places like Africa and China. Replacement parts? Heck, they are going to be cheaper too for the same reasons. Cheaper wheels, cheaper frame, cheaper seatpost, cheaper forks, cheaper handlebars, cheaper cranks etc. And will it break? The guy has said it is stronger than carbon fiber! Will it fail in the rain? No, if people had paid more attention they would have noted that there are canoes made of cardboard. Modern waterproof coating are very good and inexpensive.
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SOUPLY

09/20/2012 12:26 PM

After five minutes of reading this post I'm concerned of what this does in weather that is not sunny and clear skys. The design is awesome and reminds me of something out of total recall , 20lbs and how fast can it go before you realize this is cardboard and not usually made to be rhode like a bike lol nevertheless this is a spectacular invention I'm looking forward to riding one lol - Souply
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BRYAN C.

09/20/2012 10:25 AM

What would it be shipped in?...BWOOOOOMMMMMMMMM Inception. Cardboard inside cardboard.

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NICK_HOBDELL

09/18/2012 03:51 PM

I'm sorry but this story is BS. There is no way in a million years this bike could be made for $9.00. The cost of the coating, drivetran, brakes, etc would come to much more than that by themselves. Further, it's just plain ugly.
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09/20/2012 10:29 AM

CAM

Ever heard of scale? Produce 10 million of them and you can produce all those parts for cents on the dollar.

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JOSE RAUL05:35 PM ALVAREZ 09/17/2012

Just don't ride in the rain. :)

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09/25/2012 10:22 AM

CALEB

lol

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WESLEY 04:48 PM 09/17/2012

Consider a Tom's Shoes type model where for every bike purchased another is donated to someone in need, which would justify people en masse paying $300 or so per bike, and for companies to buy them for their offices.
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10/02/2012 11:38 PM

TORGRIM

That would be horrible! You'd put every micro transportation entrepreneur out of business. Consider someone repairing and building bikes, or anyone in any associated transportation business, you'd ruin their business by severely undercutting the market price and removing the incentive to work. Here's a better idea, consider those people "in need" to need opportunity (incentive) to work for themselves and develop a free, competitive economy and manufacturing industry. The bike company can train people to construct, assemble, sell, and repair the bikes. Those people will learn necessary entrepreneurship skills while discovering the benefits, they will then go on to start new companies on their own and transform themselves from "in need" to "in demand". It's easy to think of us rich white guys as superior to those other people and that we should toss them some free bikes, but I'd like to think of them as equal and just as capable. I don't want handouts, I want to work. Why wouldn't they?

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WAKEUP 08:11 PM 09/14/2012

This is such a geek-trendy idea and even with this one article the demand is through the roof. Do you really think it's going to be sold for $9? Or even $90? The ego-gratifying ability to brag about recycled cardboard guilt commands a much higher price than that. It's the same reason that organic produce costs double and LED bulbs are totally unaffordable green technology is a fad. Capitalism hasn't suddenly sprung an environmental conscience, there is a market for green and it's being exploited just like every other market. Don't expect to see this for sale anywhere for less than $300. You know

there are ten thousand yuppies in every town who will pay.
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09/20/2012 10:02 AM

DETONSSK

Yes, I must agree you are partly right and we aren't going to see $9 Alfas in New York, London or Berlin. In fact we probably would see an "all cardboard" version Alfa in the west at all. We demand a high standard of durability and reliability and I image the Western Alfa will be a hybrid design to deliver just that and probably for a few hundred dollars. BUT in greater China, Africa, the poorer part of Asia and the Middle East, this is a paradigm-shifting idea that offers cheap transport for the masses!

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JUDITH ISCARIOT
That is a good point, my pessimistic friend. However, not quite the reason the price of organic produce is double (as it's typically more prone to insect or animal infestations because they don't use the harsh pesticides

09/18/2012 11:37 AM

or non-organic fertilisers, not to mention you can't recycle fruit and re-sell it - unless that's where the fertiliser is coming from). LED bulbs may not be particularly affordable, but there are other alternatives that are - and seem to be better at lighting up a room, even if they're a bit more expensive than the traditional light bulb. I think this could easily be one of those things you see in shops for a rather expensive price, while if you're clever enough to look online and order it that way, it seems like it's light enough to ship with minimal assembly on the consumer's end.

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BOB 02:45 PM 09/14/2012

I'm not sure I'd want to ride a cardboard bike, single speed and no suspension. But the video shows how strong cardboard is and how it might even be used to build an inexpensive car seat or dashboard for the Tata Nano.
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09/16/2012 02:12 AM

SSMITHBARD

Bob, do you ride a bike?

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DINA ADEL

09/14/2012 02:03 PM

What an idea ! Amazing . Ahmed Ghonim

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JUDITH ISCARIOT
09/14/2012 12:59 PM

It's so ridiculously ugly ... but I'd probably buy it anyway. I mean honestly cheap transport nobody's going to steal because it sticks out like a sore thumb has gotten me a long way in a perfectly running car, why not get a bike that's essentially the same, but runs on my fat? Rockin'
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NOUMENON DESIGNS
The only reason thieves steal bikes is because there is a market (and the crime is hardly prosecuted)... If this bike is cheap, the market for theft will be nonexistent. Ugly can still be expensive enough to steal. Hopefully he's not building them by hand in his garage and selling for $9.

09/18/2012 06:31 PM

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09/17/2012 09:33 PM

KEVIN J

'runs on my fat' - that's a great way of looking at it, what better fuel source than one we'd all like to get rid of? :)

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MICHAEL07:25 AM SAITOW 09/14/2012

Definately kickstarter worthy. Love the concept and the design! Sign me up. Rain would be interesting
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KETTLETRIGGERAM 09/14/2012 04:03

To the engineers who are shooting holes: The engineering weaknesses that are being pointed out are legitimate...recognizing potential flaws is the first thing that engineers do. Every potential problem that comes up has a solution though; instead of simply pointing the problems out, come up with a solution too. That's the other part of what (good) engineers do. In the video, there are some shots of what appear to be partially-finished prototypes with PVC pipe used for headset tubes and bottom brackets.

Could Oilite bushes be used instead of bearings? Of course they could, with associated performance losses of course, but it's supposed to be a cheap bike, so it's an avenue worth pursuing. PVC inserts, while a bit crude, could also be used for securing brake calipers to the frame. Seat and handlebar adjustability could be handled by simply attaching a different-sized part. If it's that cheap to make, parts should be equally cheap. Speaking of cost, I think the naysayers need to keep economy of scale in mind. You can reach a $9 price point with damn near anything if you make enough of them. There are many different ways to make a bike like this cheaply. Flat-pack kits that you order and fit your own scavenged parts? Certainly some possibilities there. True, it might not end up being successful, most new ideas aren't. But to suggest that it's not worth trying is just plain dumb.
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09/16/2012 02:14 AM

SSMITHBARD

Flat-packed and rigged after? Yeah?

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SAMUEL

09/13/2012 09:31 PM

The video doesn't explain how he mounted bearings for the crank, headset or wheels nor how the breaks are supposed to work if the breaking force is applied to a cardboard rim. How are rubber tires installed and inflated? How do the break calipers not get misaligned or torn out by the rotational force of the wheels? How are the seat or the handlebars adjusted to fit different riders? Nice concept but there are a lot of problems that need to be solved before this becomes a reality.
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09/24/2012 08:25 PM

RUBBERNECKER1

Brakes, not breaks. just sayin'.

FLAG

09/16/2012 02:15 AM

SSMITHBARD

Yeah...

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@USELESS_VANDAL 09/13/2012 03:09 PM

What about rain?

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LEANNE FRANSON
I thought that too... but his inspiration was a cardboard CANOE, so I suspect the "how to make it resist water" was already a question that was answered from the start.

09/17/2012 08:22 PM

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