Photo: OpenBike
This wooden bike might have a minimalist design, but it’s not a simple two-wheeler, but a manifesto on sustainable urbanism. It is in fact a reminder that we all have to do our part in improving the environment and contribute to the healing of our planet. So meet OpenBike, a bicycle with an open-source design that allows you to build it and assemble it yourself, at an affordable price.
But why would you want a wooden bike in the first place? Well, according to Arquimaña, the architecture studio behind the project, it is not about you, but about the eco-conscious citizen in you, who’s got the chance to contribute something positive to his city.
A lot of polluting energy is required to make and repair cars and even conventional bicycles. Which is why Arquimaña founders Iñaki Albistur and Raquel Ares came up with a solution to avoid the transport of materials and all the expenses that come with buying a bike from the store, by offering the world a more sustainable alternative. They provide users with all the necessary information, files, and instructions to make their own wooden bike.
Everything can be downloaded for free and you can customize the bike to meet your specific needs and preferences. There are four available designs to choose from: Rev1, Rev2, Rev3, and Rev4. The former is the first OpenBike model released by the studio back in 2015. The latter is the latest model and it was launched in 2019. All bike models require more or less the same materials: 21 mm (0.8 in) Birch plywood, a 5 mm (0.1 in) aluminum plate, TPU filament, carbon fiber PLA filament (for the 3D printer), and Carpenter’s white glue.
Once you download your digital files, you should go to a local manufacturer with a CNC milling machine and a 3D printer, to make the required parts for the bike. The last step is to follow the provided instructions and assemble your wheeler.
A lot of polluting energy is required to make and repair cars and even conventional bicycles. Which is why Arquimaña founders Iñaki Albistur and Raquel Ares came up with a solution to avoid the transport of materials and all the expenses that come with buying a bike from the store, by offering the world a more sustainable alternative. They provide users with all the necessary information, files, and instructions to make their own wooden bike.
Everything can be downloaded for free and you can customize the bike to meet your specific needs and preferences. There are four available designs to choose from: Rev1, Rev2, Rev3, and Rev4. The former is the first OpenBike model released by the studio back in 2015. The latter is the latest model and it was launched in 2019. All bike models require more or less the same materials: 21 mm (0.8 in) Birch plywood, a 5 mm (0.1 in) aluminum plate, TPU filament, carbon fiber PLA filament (for the 3D printer), and Carpenter’s white glue.
Once you download your digital files, you should go to a local manufacturer with a CNC milling machine and a 3D printer, to make the required parts for the bike. The last step is to follow the provided instructions and assemble your wheeler.
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