An ergonomic approach to the design of bicycle handlebar grips
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Abstract
Summary
This project is carried out in collaboration with bicycle accessories manufacturer Widek BV. Widek came with the plan to create a new design for bicycle handlebar grips with an increased ergonomic value compared to the currently available alternatives. The origination of this plan lies with the release of a paper containing new ergonomic knowledge on the pressure discomfort of the hand (di Brigida et al., 2021) and the realisation that the current situation around bicycle handlebar grips offers opportunities for improvement.
This report describes the process of shaping the assignment, gathering information, creating a concept and concluding the completed project.
Introduction
Because this is not the usual way Widek approaches the development of a new product, they have left the initial assignment quite broad: ‘develop a new bicycle handlebar design with a focus on the ergonomics of the user’. To further define this assignment, explorative research is done to the client, their portfolio, production methods, clients, users and vision, and the context of bicycle handlebar grips in the current market. This allowed defining a scope for the project.
Research
The research within this project consists of four different studies: (1) A literature study to the ergonomics of the human hand and wrist, (2) market research on the current and predicted context, (3) field work to gain insights into this context and (4) a survey among (potential) users to collect reasoning behind the found insights.
Design
In the design phase, a problem list is created containing all collected problems regarding the ergonomics of bicycle handlebar grips in the current context. This problem list is arranged based on importance and feasibility within this project and translated into a list of requirements and wishes that the concept must meet. Based on this, a focus area is defined within the original scope of the project: (1) pressure peaks on the hand and (2) incorrect wrist positions. Developing different solution directions resulted in three concepts of which physical prototypes are made. Using these prototypes, the concepts are assessed during user testing. This assessment, together with the research outcomes from this project, has led to the proposal of one of these concepts.
Concluding
This project is concluded with a preview of possible further development of the proposed concept by listing recommendations regarding the collected problems outside the scope focus area and additional research directions, found during concept creation.