Kuest Bike

In my STEAM class, Design and Engineering, we recently finished our second unit called “Farther”. In this unit we focused on a lot. For example, simple machines, specifically wheels and pulleys. This led to our studies of circles and ellipses. We focused on graphing these shapes and finding the area and circumference of them. We also studied weight, mass, speed, velocity, and acceleration. We also focused on graphing, functions, and slope. Lastly, we studied bikes, how they work, and how they can make an impact on someone's life. We found that all of these concepts connected to find the idea of designing a new bike. The class gained a lot from having several FE's that really brought what we were learning to life. For instance, we went to one of our classmates mom's bike shop, and got to explore the space and get on the bikes for the hands on action. We also had an in-house FE where we made prototypes with the help of a designer from Dyson. The concepts we learned in class and the FEs we did all came in handy for this Action Project. This project called for the class to design a bike based on a unique persona. My partner and I worked hard to create a bike that met the needs of our unique persona, which actually represents a bigger population of people with a similar situation. Below is my presentation of this project, I hope you enjoy!

Coming into this unit I didn't have a lot of knowledge on the fundamentals of bicycles so everyday was something new and exciting. If I were to pinpoint two things I learned from researching existing bikes would be how certain bikes are design for certain activities. I learned how rode bikes are designed for riding on paved streets. Hybrid bikes are great for urban areas and a nice stroll to enjoy. Last but not least mountain bikes, these are the tough machines that withstand hearty measures. All in All these aren't the only designs that exist but these are the basic types of bikes when looking for a bicycle of your own.The second thing I learned in this unit are gears. The fundamental of gears and the purpose is strongly connected to the first thing I learned which is the type of bike. gears are sets of toothed wheels that work together to alter the speed of what drives (bicycle crank) and the speed of the driven part (wheel).

I found this project to be challenging due to being a "newb" at bikes. However, I am happy with the end results and the knowledge I have learned to create a better bike. Having a partner made this experience a lot easier. My partner and I ran into some small issues, such as the 3D printer malfunctioning and settling on a concrete design. However, we were both able to effectively find solutions to all of the small problems. This project has taught me a lot about bikes, patience, and empathy. If I were to do this project again, I would do more research on the material as much as input I we put on the structure.