Cooper
silver best awards winner 2019
Cooper was a collaborative project made up of six students. We saw a design opportunity to create an electric bike that caters to the needs of an environmentally conscious inner city resident, catering to comfort and convenience while maintaining a timeless aesthetic. Cooper takes aesthetic inspiration from old school city cruisers, with the simple geometric shapes. The color palette and branding pays homage to British racing, drawing inspiration from the iconic Mini Cooper racer made famous in the 60’s by legendary race car driver John Cooper. Through this, we are utilizing timeless and old school design to capitalize on current nostalgic culture.
Cooper is the perfect, quiet, beautiful, and environmentally friendly alternative to a motor scooter.
Cooper is a fully electric bike which is powered by a 48v 1,000w rear hub drive motor and does not incorporate any pedal assist features. The fixed footpeg feature simplifies the form and leaves room for integrated storage. The detachable leather rucksack is designed to perfectly fit inside the frame of the bike and provides efficient use of the storage capacity. It is attached to the frame with 3 slide release buckles (top, back and bottom) to hold the rucksack securely to the bike. Frame integrated storage increases ergonomic benefits of the bike, as it reduces strain on the users back. Additionally, it provides a lower center of mass, which aides in better handling and maneuverability of the bike.
Given the context of the city, security is an integral part of the design to provide users with peace of mind when the bike is left unattended. Standard bike locks as a security measure are an inconvenience as they can be misplaced, creating a further security risk and as a result, may discourage commuters from using their bike as frequently. Therefore we incorporated a frame-integrated bike locking system that does not visibly obstruct the clean simplicity of the design. The lock extends and retracts from the left-hand side of the frame, locking to the right-hand side of the frame, allowing the user to lock the rear hub motor and attach the bike to a secure object when left alone.
The battery is easily accessible through a hinged seat which can be securely locked to the frame when parked in a public place. The battery can be quickly removed for secure overnight storage, to cater to apartment dwellers who cannot store the entire bike in a private space.
To help with cable management, we have integrated the cables though the left hand side of the frame. Having the cables integrated into the frame ensures that the cables are organised and are out of the users way, creating a more enjoyable commute for the user.
