by Larry Lagarde

Light, Radical Backpack Folding Bike
When I heard about the Everglide folding bike several months ago, I thought it was simply another wild design concept. Though it may have been true at the time, this bike is going places.

Following are several photos of a working, prototype of the Everglide folding bicycle. Winner of the 2007 Object Award for Design, the bike is currently on display at Object Gallery, a gallery in Sydney, Australia that features outstanding examples of objects designed by Australians.



Also a finalist in the 2007 Australian Design Awards sponsored by Dyson Appliances, the Everglide is a portable, collapsible bicycle that folds down into an integrated hardcase that can be worn as a backpack. Weighing in at less than 17 lbs, the bike is very light and rolls when folded. Outfitted with a shaft drive and a frictionless magneto dynamo, this sleek and low maintenance bike even holds and recharges the rider's iPod, cellphone or headlight.

According to "Big Step For 'Last Mile' Vehicle" (a story posted on 5 March 2007 in VillageVoice.com.au), the Everglide was conceived by designer Frag Woodall while he was writing a college thesis on personal transport. Mr. Woodall reasoned that more people would use mass transit if an efficient and effective personal mobility solution existed to cover the sections of the journey that precede and follow use of mass transit. "There are folding bikes on the market, but none of them address the fact that you've also got to take your belongings with you," he said.

The Everglide is made from rustfree 7005 series aluminum, carbon fiber, nylon and plastic employing "current manufacturing methods such as bonded and lugged technology." Thus far, neither dimensions, pricing nor availability info have been announced for this folder; however, let's hope that a manufacturer will step up to make the Everglide just as one materialized for the Suitcase Bike.

Special thanks for use of the photos goes to Phil Gomes, the 20 year bike industry veteran and prolific writer behind Spinopsys. Phil attended the exhibition at Object and the gallery folks there were kind enough to let him shoot the Everglide on display.

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