RESHAPE18 | sensing materialities
Project design category
Quantic cycles

Designers:  Pol Guixe,  Oscar Velasco,  Cristina Prim, Oscar Chic

Traditional bike brands follow a mass production approach. Users need to choose from predefined sizes in order to find something that may fit them. Using a bike not properly fit can cause discomfort, injuries and obviously, the ride will be far from pleasant.
Quantic Cycles approach is user-centred. Our sales process will involve biomechanical analysis by a specialist, riding sessions where the client will be able to test prototypes, and a customization session where the client will be able to pick the components and paint-job for their new bicycle.
The bespoke bicycle will be designed and produced based on the biomechanical analysis output and the user feedback from the riding sessions. The goal is to obtain a product that really feels an extension of the user’s body to improve performance and especially comfort. This process is feasible thanks to the latest advancements in software and additive manufacturing, which allow us to model, simulate and build each bike differently.

Quantic Cycles is focused on the production of bespoke frames. The frame is manufactured using two advanced techniques:
● The carbon fiber tubes: produced using filament winding.
● The titanium lugs: produced using additive manufacturing.
All the parts of the frame are assembled in its corresponding jig to ensure the right geometry of for each frame. In turn, each frame will follow strict control tests to ensure the safety and quality standards are achieved. The final product will be produced using metal 3D printing which is
becoming more accessible.
The production of the concept prototype is being manufactured using FDM desktop 3D printers. Our current plan is to manufacture some functional prototypes to validate the design and manufacturing process.

Right after that, we plan to sell the first models. Cyclists are really passionate about new technologies and we have potential customers already interested in purchasing one. We want to provide a completely different buying experience. Catalunya is becoming a cycling hub for Europe thanks to its climate and fantastic riding spots. We want our clients to come here. They will be evaluated by a biomechanics specialist and they will be able to test ride different options for their future bike.

We will also adopt a more traditional sales model, but instead of tackling cycling shops we will aim to establish partnerships with specialized physiotherapists who will be able to perform the biomechanical analysis required to get a perfect fit.
The cost for the frame will be around 1,800€ approximately and the retail price for a product of these characteristics should be around 3,000€. This provides a healthy margin to grow this project into a sustainable company. The biomechanical study and test rides will be provided as additional services and its costs are around 200€ and 300€, respectively. Hence, the whole service could start at around 3800€. We will also provide full bikes packages, instead of just the bespoke frames. The price for a full bike could start at around 5500€ and it may vary significantly depending on the client specifications.