Bike to Shelf Unit Team 1 – Randall Gough, Nick Hedge, Matt DiSanto , Kelci Knepp

1. Bike to Shelf Unit Team 1 – Randall Gough, Nick Hedge, Matt DiSanto, KelciKnepp Abstract: Our objective is to design a bike shelf that will better fit the needs of street vendors and the typical bicycle rider. We surveyed 14 people to better understand the customer demand. One of our main goals will be to keep our bike shelf safe for the rider of the bicycle. We will be sure to make a model that will function safely while riding the bicycle and also while using the table and shelf. The second most important factor to our customers was the adaptability of the shelf to different bicycles. We will work on an attachment system that will be compatible with almost any type or model of bicycle. Storage space was another important factor we noticed from our surveys. We will design our model to carry the estimated average of load a normal street vendor would have while still having mobility. The main changes we will make to our shelving system is safety, mobility and adaptability, and ease of use. We will also try to maintain the price as low as possible. How It Works: Our Bike Shelf is designed to attach to the rear wheel of a bike. The Bike shelf easily attaches like any rear wheel bike rack. The shelf is large enough for storage but not to big to affect one’s bike riding ability. The top of the box is on a track that slides open so one can utilize the top as a table and the storage area at the same time. The top has 2 side flaps that fold up into a large table. Four legs screw into the flaps hold up the table and stabilize it. These legs are adjustable to reach the ground with any size bike. They are also useful for uneven ground. Conclusion: Based upon background research and customer surveys we have designed a collapsible bicycle shelf that converts into a small table. This table was originally designed for the use of street vendors but after consideration we made a model that could also be used by the ordinary bicycle rider. To design our model we examined and modified the usual street vending cart or tricycle that street vendors typically use. We also surveyed 14 consumers. We chose a design we thought would be most fitting to the customer’s needs. Our final design is made up on a few different components. The main box is made out of wood with a sliding cover for the top. There are two wooden flaps that are hinged on the main box and are placed on both sides of the back wheel. Our design of this product is a more versatile design than the usual street vending cart. It can be placed on any type of bicycle and is easier to maneuver than a tricycle or other type of street vendor cart. We successfully designed a product that can be easily used by street vendors or the average person. Our main goals were to design a safe product that was easy to use and could be used in everyday life. We think our design successfully meets all of these goals.