Bike security

Hi fellow cyclists,

I just have a few questions on the security measures you take with your bike. Its 10 questions, pretty much all multiple choice so wont take long, would have taken you longer to read this :)

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/PPVHHXW

Any further comments can be discussed here..

Thanks for your time

Please declare your interest in any involvement with a commercial enterprise that benefits from this survey. I am of the mind that you are not offering this survey to the public because you are bored. Also, the last two questions indicate that this is not for a university project, by asking how people would like to pay for such a service.

I smell reconstituted pork luncheon meat!

No pork here.. :)

I am in my 3rd year of university, studying Product Design. The reason for a couple of the questions is to help back up how I intend the service to run - around my product.

For this endeavour to be properly trialled, you would need to build, or use a readymade secure dedicated bicycle parking space. Unless you rented one, such a project would be hugely expensive.

This then would start and end at the theorem stage. Unless you actually wanted to make a real business out of this, in which case you would want to research how popular a service it would be, and then calculate the investment needed against the returns.

I can't see how this project could be demonstrated for a university project*****. Only as a business.

1. Hypothesis
   
2. Theorem - hypothesis on paper
   
3. Assessment (this questionnaire)
   
4. Plan (use data to guage demand)
   
5. Search for appropriate spaces business could work in
   
6. Seek investment
   
   
   

As a business, I think it could work. Especially if Westminster Council go ahead with charging for motorcycling spaces, thereby getting other councils to look at doing the same thing. Once that happens, it wouldnt take long for councils to charge for bicycle racks. If a private enterprise could give very secure parking for bicycles, at a reasonable cost to the cyclist, I'm sure there would be customers. Especially those that have had bikes stolen in the past, and have not come across this forum, and not learned how best to lock their bikes.

*****But since you are talking about product design, it doesn't actually have to work at all does it?
Designers. Shakes head

Where I work, the architects have placed ceiling lights that require a scaffold to be erected each time one bulb needs to be replaced. 20 man hours for 2 engineers to change one bulb. Thats design. Looks good. Works.........

I have already constructed a lot of my research, and it would suggest that there would be an interest in this service/product.

That's a very interesting point. I did not know that Westminster Council are thinking about charging for motorcycle spaces. It would be in their interest to to find a secure bike parking solution as their borough is one of the hardest hit areas for bicycle theft in London.

Yes of course it has to work...... Un-like some Designers I believe in form over function. [thats essentially why I love my fixed gear :)] Thats not really my area of design but would totally agree with you that it's a pretty big oversight on the architects part.

Although I have to look at how a public bike security service would run, I am concentrating on the lock itself and the technology behind it. The cost is one of my concerns, along with it being secure. The way I have designed the lock would be to eliminate your primary lock and aid a user that doesn't know how to lock their bike properly; a fail safe method for them to lock their bike in the correct way.

Thanks for you comments and thanks to those who have filled in the survey so far!

Un-like some Designers I believe in form over function.

I'm not convinced. All designers are like that. All of them!

[thats essentially why I love my fixed gear :)]

Also, you outrageous hipster!!

I'm not convinced. All designers are like that. All of them!

It's true - even the stylists say it!

I took the survey, and I'd be interested to see your design. We have a 'bike innovation' thread (UTFS) that might be the best place for it.

Form follows function.

Why draw a line in the sand, when you can build a sandcastle?

I'm not convinced. All designers are like that. All of them!

Also, you outrageous hipster!!

Reading back I don't think my sarcastic comment really came over? In a sentence I am taught to design functional products that are cost effective in production, yes form is thought about and important but it has to work first!

It's true - even the stylists say it!

I took the survey, and I'd be interested to see your design. We have a 'bike innovation' thread (UTFS) that might be the best place for it.

Thanks for taking the survey, once I have finished showing it at my Degree shows I will post it up on here/bike innovation thread.

Form follows function.

Why draw a line in the sand, when you can build a sandcastle?

Nice to see someone thinks the same.

Reading back I don't think my sarcastic comment really came over? In a sentence I am taught to design functional products that are cost effective in production, yes form is thought about and important but it has to work first!

Yes, yes, but you said "form over function" which implies you consider form to be more important than function and then you said that's why you ride fixed gear so I called you a hipster! And said that all designers prefer form over function!

You accidentally mixed up your terms so I was gently ribbing you for it :(

Its the only way. You know it makes sense.

It's true - even the stylists say it!

I took the survey, and I'd be interested to see your design. We have a 'bike innovation' thread (UTFS) that might be the best place for it.

Hey, there is a preview here, if you like please vote :) (takes two clicks)

Miguel Dolton - Weightless Security
http://ravensbourne2011.com/vote/poll/3

That is a really good idea! - If your bike is under 300 quid.

Im assuming you just need to carry around a padlock to lock the chain?

no way, i'm voting for this instead...

http://i.imgur.com/GTAs4.jpg.jpg

^ your picture's not big enough.