Designer Michael Thompson is trying his hand at crafting a high-performance wooden bicycle for a second time with his recently developed SplinterBike Quantum wooden bicycle.
Late last year, Thompson created the SplinterBike which was generally regarded as the first all-wooden bicycle capable of achieving a pedal-powered speed of 30 mph.
This new and improved model was crafted for the London 2012 Olympic games and is set to be unveiled inside a DC-9 Airplane during part of the Adain Avion event that precedes the games. Unlike its predecessors, it features adjustable seats and gears and is roughly 13 pounds heavier than the other bikes Thompson has designed.
The painstakingly laborious process involved with creating the bike is similar to that of others in the lineup as it took the creator nearly 500 hours to finish the Quantum model.
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- High-performance Wooden Bicycles
- Opportunity for creating innovative, sustainable and unique bicycles using wood as a material.
- Adjustable Seats and Gears
- Disruptive potential for creating customizable and adaptable features for bicycles.
- Labor-intensive Craftsmanship
- Opportunity to explore the value of traditional craftsmanship and handcrafted products in the bicycle industry.
Where This Applies
- Bicycle Manufacturing
- Innovation opportunities in creating wooden bicycles with advanced features and customization options.
- Sustainable Materials
- Opportunity to develop and promote bicycles made from eco-friendly materials like wood.
- Luxury Goods
- Potential for high-end, handcrafted wooden bicycles targeting affluent customers seeking unique and sustainable transportation options.
