Innovation and productivity
Melbourne's overcrowded trains created the spark that led Monash graduate and emerging Victorian designer Robert Dumaresq to create an awarding-winning folding commuter bike.
Robert won a top prize in the 2009 Australian International Design Awards for his Switch commuter bike, a high-performance bike specifically designed for easy handling on crowded public transport that can be folded to the footprint of just one wheel.
"I wanted to create something based around the proportions of a full-sized bicycle that commuters could carry easily on and off trains. It actually functions really well - if you are not catching the train to and from work, it's the sort of bike on which you'd want to cycle 30 kilometres to and from work each day."
"The design innovation is the Switch's ability to fold in one smooth motion - making it one of the fastest folding bikes available," Robert said.
"It doesn't rely on any structural locking mechanism to fold as the weight of the rider keeps the frame open and rigid. A spring-loaded ball bearing stops the rear section of the frame from unfolding prematurely when manoeuvring and handling."
There were four Monash Art and Design faculty graduates in the finals in this year's design awards, competing in a field of 13 designers.
