← Back
DE Start a project ↗
Bicycle Raft — 1/22
Bicycle Raft — 2/22
Bicycle Raft — 3/22
Bicycle Raft — 4/22
Bicycle Raft — 5/22
Bicycle Raft — 6/22
0:00
Bicycle Raft — 8/22
Bicycle Raft — 9/22
Bicycle Raft — 10/22
Bicycle Raft — 11/22
Bicycle Raft — 12/22
Bicycle Raft — 13/22
Bicycle Raft — 14/22
Bicycle Raft — 15/22
Bicycle Raft — 16/22
Bicycle Raft — 17/22
Bicycle Raft — 18/22
Bicycle Raft — 19/22
Bicycle Raft — 20/22
Bicycle Raft — 21/22
Bicycle Raft — 22/22
P.03

Bicycle Raft

BIG GRANTTourism

Modular platform for cycling and water tourism, with Erik Grams, BIG-funded.

FUNDING BIG
AWARD Design award
VERTICAL Water tourism

THE TASK

Bridging cycling and water tourism: how do you connect two modes of travel without elaborate conversions?

APPROACH

Mounting on the seat post covers the largest common denominator across bicycle models. A modular platform of aluminium profiles with PE sleeve connectors scales in size and disassembles for transport and storage.

CHALLENGES

  • → Universal bicycle coupling for a wide range of bike types
  • → Efficient power transfer from pedal to propeller
  • → Modular construction for fleet use and transport
  • → Hydrodynamics: optimizing stability and water resistance

RESULT

Awarded BIG federal funding for innovative product development, nominated for the 2015 Brandenburg Design Award, exhibited at trade-fair readiness, from first sketch to public presentation. A rotational-moulding tool for series production followed, with first trial hulls, before the project ended.

TECHNICAL EXECUTION

  • → Modular construction from CNC-milled parts, aluminium profiles and a wooden deck
  • → Hull form optimized hydrodynamically with Delftship and Godzilla
  • → Multiple functional models for iterative refinement after on-water testing
  • → Hull made from Styrodur boards with a GRP skin
  • → Scaling: CNC one-off fabrication → rotational-moulding aluminium tool for series

WHAT STANDS OUT

Endurance over a long span (2013–2016) and systematic R&D. The transition from one-off fabrication to series readiness was at least partly achieved.

SKILLS IN THIS PROJECT

CAD/CAM workflowHydrodynamics computationMaterial processing (GRP, PE, alu, wood)Full R&D cycle
▦ KRAUTLOS — SNAKE