Many a delivery person around the world relies on a bicycle, but Sandwichbikes is taking the concept of delivery and applying it the bicycle instead. Riders can buy a bike online, and receive a box full of wooden and metal pieces to assemble at home.
The name is inspired by the two wooden panels that make up the frame. The Dutch design was inspired by the concept of flat packing, home assembly and ability to make shipping the parts easier.
This is the package customers receive
"My design company, Bleihj Industrial Design, has much experience in bike design and I found out that changes and innovation went slow,” Basten Leijhy told BikeRadar. “To wake up ourselves and the bike industry we tried to make a bike that was different in every way.”
The result was the Sandwichbike. Leijh said he was inspired to truly do something that hadn’t been done before.
“Another way of building it, no welding, only CNC; another way of assembling it, DIY; another material, wooden panels; with a lot of skin design possibilities, another way of selling and distribute it, online,” Leijh told BikeRadar. “So we came up with this Sandwichbike concept!”
The bike also addresses what he saw as a problem in today’s mass assembly process. While every Sandwichbike is very much the same, users can still put their own touches on it; and as each bike is assembled completely by the rider, it has the potential to further add to the personal connection, he said.
“I think that manufacturing these days is very anonymous and that will finally end in 'not caring for': products, raw materials, and in the end not liking the thinks you have,” Leijh added. “The result is that you will throw things away.”
“Making your own transportation product you have fun, you learn a lot and finally you have a good looking bike,” he said. “So we aim for people who feel young and are positive supporting this way of innovation. Of course for those who just like to buy product that are made with care/love and are nice to look at.”
The Sandwichbike is thus made to order, but next up Leijh hopes to add more individuality and personal customization.
The bike will cost €799 and Leijh said they will begin shipping in October.
“We see with this bike a lot of possibilities in skin design - print colors and photos on the panels even,” Leijh said.