Designs of the Year

Eduard Sentís - Urbikes, Fourth Generation Urban Bicycle, Spain

Nominated for the Brit Insurance Transport Award 2010

Designed by Eduard Sentís
Manufactured by Modular BPS
Image credit Isabel Cahue Escuder/Modular BPS

Urbikes is a new bicycle sharing system that works in conjunction with existing public transport networks. Based on the philosophy of the ‘last mile’, Urbikes are intended to offer the type of door-to-door service that mass-transport alone can’t deliver. The design of Urbikes specifically addresses the practicalities of bicycles destined for public use. Individual components are designed to be hardy but easy to replace, while the non-standard design reduces the likelihood of parts being removed and stolen for use in other bicycles. The unisex frame can accommodate a variety of different body types and sizes, while the inclusion of a built-in lamp is a rarity in shared bicycle systems. Urbikes is already fully working in one Catalan city, is installed in a second and is due to begin testing in Holland during 2010.

Urbikes.com