Industrial - Bachelors

DELTA

Delta is an innovative quick-release mounting platform that transforms bicycles into versatile transport vehicles, enabling the seamless movement of diverse goods. By expanding cycling carrying capacity, Delta fosters a shift towards sustainable urban mobility, reducing traffic congestion and promoting eco-conscious transportation choices.

Nicholas Lyhne Bentley

Click play to see delta in Action

BACKGROUND

In the last 20 years, the population of the Brisbane Metropolitan Area has grown from 1.7 million to over 2.5 million, an increase of over 47%. This kind of rapid population growth has led to a noticeable increase in motor vehicle traffic as more and more people commute to and from work each day, putting a strain on the existing car related infrastructure.

Bicycles could be a major part of the solution, they have a much higher passenger density and are environmentally friendly, but only 1.1% of commuters use a bicycle to get to work.

By incentivising a wider array of commuting options, we would see a significant decrease in congestion, cleaner cities & healthier people.
This is what Delta aims to help with.

PROCESS

After lots of research, I concluded that there was no single concept that would solve this complex and multi-layered issue, so the project pivoted to focus on incrementalism; small but meaningful steps towards a less car dependent society. A survey was then sent out to gather information about people gripes and barriers around cycling to find an area that could make cycling as transport even a bit more viable.

It was found that 66% of people said would not use their bikes to run errands, with 50% of them stating carry capacity as the main barrier. This was backed up when respondents placed ‘Storage’ first as the biggest area for improvement for bicycles. After this survey it was clear that the project would focus around bike cargo, and making it as seamless, easy as possible, without the added bulk when the carry capacity was not required.

Use Case Examples

INNOVATIVE LOCKING MECHANISM

Delta’s self-locating design uses strong magnets to automatically align the cargo platform with the mounting bracket, making it quick & easy to attach and detach cargo. The innovative locking mechanism secures the cargo to the bike with a the flick of a switch, preventing it from shifting or falling off, even on the bumpiest roads.

This mechanism reduces part count by making the magnet do all the work. Not only does the magnet provide self locating functionality, it also acts as spring & provides a satisfying tactility to the lock switch, negating the requirement for additional parts.

OPEN-SOURCE 3D-PRINTED MOUNTS

Delta was designed with mass customisation in mind. Both the bicycle and cargo parts can be easily attached to custom 3D printed parts, which could either be ordered, or printed at home. This is where the open-source parts come in; the overall dimensions and hole geometry of both parts will be made publicly available, allowing the user to create their own custom mounts for their specific circumstances. These parts could then be uploaded to an online repository of other users creations, perpetuating this open-source concept. This would also be made open to brands who would like to integrate this mount into their own products.

The possibilities really are endless, below are just a few examples

Bike mount examples

cargo mount examples

DURABLE, REPAIRABLE & COST EFFECTIVE

Delta’s casing is milled out of 2 blocks of durable 6061 Aluminium, making it capable of handling heavy cargo, in a tiny package.

Beyond the casing there are just 2 other custom parts, the CAM and the Switch, which are both Injection Moulded out of PEEK, a high performance, low friction polymer; perfect for this application.

The rest of the parts are off the shelf, screws & balls. The entire assembly goes together with no glue, just 2 screws, allowing for easy repairs & replacement should something break after many years.

Design development record & research report

Name
Design Development Record
File Type
application
File Size
6 MB
Download File
Name
Research Report
File Type
application
File Size
9 MB
Download File

Nicholas Lyhne Bentley

Driven by curiosity, Nicholas is a passionate designer who embraces every project with an unwavering desire to create tangible solutions. He enjoys diving head-first into new concepts which fuels his approach to design, transforming everyday objects into tools of enhanced functionality and aesthetic appeal.