Gosha Galitsky's Suitcase Bike
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 10.30.06
We’ve had bikes that fold up small enough to fit into suitcases before, like the classic Bike Friday. And we’ve had intriguing bicycling creations from student designers previously too, such as the much coveted Cannondale Jackknife. The two come together here in the Suitcase Bike. Gosha Galitsky, a Israeli designer (now living in Italy) developed the concept (see pic of working prototype after the fold) while studying at the Bezalel Academy of Art and Design in Jerusalem. He felt that, although there was a whole pelaton of folding bikes on the market, they were, “cumbersome, often heavy and difficult to carry.” Yet, he was quite taken with wheeled luggage, which he considered could be transported with “(relative) grace” and little effort. So he conceived the Suitcase Bike to blend the ideas. The dirty and delicate components of the bike are enclosed within the case for moving about on public transport. It can be pulled along by the front handle, with the front wheel converting into a dolly wheel. No indication is provided of any commercial uptake on the idea. ::Gosha Galitsky, via Cocolico, from a tip by Lloyd.
Yikes, sorry, no one who really rides a bike would design a bike like this.
Ah, George, such a purist. When industrial design students seem to be otherwise perpetually fixated on designing yet another light or chair (as if we need anymore of those), it's pleasing to see designers turn their attention to bikes. That they are thinking about bicycles, rather than airbrushing yet one more sleekly profiled, futuristic sports car is cause for celebration. Whether their ideas will fly or not, is, to some degree, immaterial.
Similar in form, but with a 50cc engine, the honda motocompo. here's a wiki entry ( in Japanese but w/ pictures ).
I still see these around Tokyo from time to time.
http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%9B%E3%83%B3%E3%83%80%E3%83%BB%E3%83%A2%E3%83%88%E3%82%B3%E3%83%B3%E3%83%9D
Hey guys
I am the one who designed this bike. Nice to see it published over the Net. As you can see it is now at a working prototype phase. If any of you wants to help with the serial production of this baby i would be delighted to cooperate with you. And keep posting comments, tell me what you think!
I'm going to stick with my Honda MotoCompo. Here's a YouTube video riding on one.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wTnhyBBb_A