Wooden Bicycle Project
Overview: Design and build a safe, functional, foot‐propelled wooden "kick-bike" for adult users using plywood and CNC manufacturing.
Overview: Design and build a safe, functional, foot‐propelled wooden "kick-bike" for adult users using plywood and CNC manufacturing.
Objective:
Develop a full-scale, wooden frame "kick-bike" that meets strict safety (FOS ≥ 1.5 for a 175 lb user), weight, and portability requirements—specifically, disassembling to fit into a standard travel bike bag (50″ × 32″ × 9″)—while ensuring ease of assembly and competitive performance.
Methodology:
I conceptualized the bike design by benchmarking existing wooden kick-bike models and scooter concepts, then generated detailed sketches and evaluated alternative designs using a Pugh decision matrix with the given metrics. The scooter design (Fig. 1) was chosen for ease-of-use compared to seated kick bikes. I then designed and dimensioned my selected "scooter" concept in CAD to meet material constraints, and performed frame and joint internal forces calculations to ensure FOS requirements for user weight were met (Fig. 2). Component geometry was designed to fortify locations bearing the greatest load. I then converted the major frame components into a 2-dimensional SVG file to be cut by a CNC router. I used a 4 ft × 4 ft sheet of ½″ plywood for the CNC router and ¼‑20 hardware to assemble components, including a functional PVC handlebar I machined separately. I then installed two 26" bicycle wheels. I iterated the design to ensure functionality for an adult user to use for personal transportation. I then assembled the prototype and conducted tests to measure assembly time (<20 minutes) and verified that the disassembled components fit within the specified travel bag dimensions.
Key Results:
The final prototype successfully met all design criteria—it functioned as a foot-propelled scooter to transport users, was lightweight (~19 lb), demonstrated a calculated FOS above 1.5, and disassembled to fit in a standard travel bag. Assembly tests confirmed the bike could be assembled in approximately 16 minutes using minimal tools, and preliminary field tests indicated competitive performance in terms of speed and stability for a foot-propelled design.
Conclusion:
The project validated a wooden foot-powered scooter design that leverages readily available plywood and efficient CNC manufacturing processes. My work in concept development and hands-on fabrication not only produced a structurally sound and portable wooden bike but also demonstrated that sustainable materials can be used effectively to create low-cost personal transportation.