2014

Design and Manufacture

2B [Rehab Bike]

2099995

KINGSLEY IGBIKIMINABO
GROUP 12 | Glasgow University

Table of Contents
Introduction .............................................................2
Project requirement ....................................................................................3
Conceptual designs
First conceptual design ..4
Second conceptual design 5
Third conceptual design .6
Morphological analysis ......7
Detailed design
Bike frame 9
Bike fork ..10
Wheels ..11
Crank set and Pedals ..12
Gear hub and Chain .12
Seat .13
Handlebars .14
Brakes 15
Brake levers and Gear shifters .16
FES Unit 16
Peripherals ...17
Final bike design ...18
Costing ..19
Break even analysis .21
Project Evaluation
Gantt chart 25
Team management .26
Conclusion ..........27

Introduction
The course work for the design and manufacture class required that each group should design
a bike. This project was completed at the end of the term. The project allowed the students
to apply the different design ideas and skills taught in the course of the course into a real
world scenario. Some of the techniques applied includes morphological analysis, Gantt charts,
team management as well as working as a group. This project helped to instil in the students
the act of project management, and costing using break even analysis.

Project Requirements
The task delegated for our group was to design a Recumbent (rehab) bike, with a high
preference for ingenuity. During the design phase of this project, we were tasked to create
something that would be different from other rehab bikes. With every project, the primary
criteria is the age group of the end consumer. While being faced with this issue, a final
resolution for middle aged adults i.e. between 25 and 65 was reached. This age group was
chosen because younger adults below 25 might find it uncomfortable riding in this bike, while
people above 65 might also find it too difficult getting on and off this tricycle.
One of the unique qualities of this tricycle was the introduction of the Functional Electrical
Stimulation (FES) unit. This unit which would be explained later on in this report was the
outstanding feature of this bike. In addition to increasing performance of the bike, the
diameters of the wheels were adjusted so users could get on and off easily. Furthermore,
some parts of the bike such as the sit was made with a material that was light, cheap and
which could be easily replaced. Asides the FES unit, another innovation to this bike was the
pedals. This was designed in a way that the riders feet would not slip off the bike during use.
Most parts of our bike were made of Aluminium because it is readily available. However the
most important parts such as the frame, spokes and brake rotors were made of materials
such as stainless steel, and titanium because of their durability and strength.
The frame was made of stainless steel so that the bike would be tolerant to adverse weather
conditions. Commuter type tyres were chosen because of their firm grip and high resistance
to puncture. This was achieved by adding various thread patterns on the tyre and increasing
its width. This bike was an edited and a better version of the one assigned to the group. In
addition, the bike was designed in such a way that makes it easy for the user to make repairs
on it themselves without the need of a professional.

Conceptual Designs
First conceptual design
During the brainstorming phase of the design process, three conceptual designs were
considered.
This was the first conceptual design was that of an Upright bike as shown below. However, it
was decided that the sitting arrangement might result in back aches and spinal problems for
majority of the users. In addition, the pedals might also create discomfort in the limbs of the
end users. These were the major short comings of this conceptual design. Irrespective of the
fact that this bike was limited in some ways, the electronic board on the handle bars meant
the user could customize their exercise programs as it suites them. Furthermore, this bike was
easy to carry along which means that it could be stored away after use with little or no
difficulties. Other good qualities of the bike includes the magnetic resistance on the pedals
which makes it very easy to abruptly end an exercise program.

Figure 1: First conceptual design

Second conceptual design

With the short comings of the first conceptual design, modifications had to be made to the
upright bike to suit new specifications. Some of the modified items were changing the location
of the pedals and the sit so the rider would feel more comfortable on the bike. This new
readjustments made it easier for the rider to actively flex his/her paralysed limbs. The risk of
back aches and spinal problems were reduced but not completely eradicated with this new
concept. On the other hand, this new bicycle was also limited in some areas. One of such
limitation was that the rider would not be able to use this bike outdoors just as the upright
bike. What this means is that overall sales of this bike might be limited and the market
streamlined to only indoor users. However this bike was an improvement from the previous
concept in that, it had an adjustable sit which could be aligned either forward, backwards,
upward or downwards. This gives the user more flexibility and comfort while using this bike.

Figure 2: Second conceptual design

Third conceptual design

The major problems of the two conceptual designs above were comfortability, safety and
their limitations to indoor users alone. On the other hand, these bikes had electronic exercise
programs on the handle bars, magnetic resistance on the pedals, adjustable sits, they were
affordable and could easily be stored away after each use. With both advantages and
disadvantages juxtaposed, further research was carried out to design a bike that would be
affordable (although more expensive than the previous ones), comfortable, ability to be used
outdoors. With high expectations of resolving these issues, a third conceptual design was
produced. This was a tricycle, and the final design was based on the principles used in
designing this bike.

Figure 3: Third conceptual design

With the third concept produced, we set out to manufacture our bike. This design was
targeted at outdoor users and the alignment of the frame, wheels, sit and pedals made it a
comfortable design for the end user. However modifications were made on this bike, some
of which were the wheels, gears, pedals, chains, brakes and handle bars. A shock absorber
was added at the rear of the bike so the user would still be comfortable should the bike be
ridden on rocky roads. The overall weight of the bike was evenly distributed among the three
wheels. Having made the necessary adjustments on this conceptual design, a modified edition
and final conceptual design was produced as shown below.

Figure 4: Final conceptual design

Morphological Analysis
With every design project comes a planning phase. During our planning phase we did series
of trade-offs in order to get the best match for our design project. A morphological analysis
was one of the effective ways of applying the principles of engineering economics such as
scale of preference, opportunity cost in determining what should make it into the final design.
The morphological analysis is shown below:
Table 1: Morphological Analysis
Morphological Analysis - Rehab Bike
User

Male

Female

Unisex

Age group

0-15

15-25

25-65

65+

Injury

Knee injuries and Paralysis

surgery

Heart problems

Musculoskeletal
disorder

Type

Upright Exercise

Recumbent Exercise

Recumbent FES

Environment Use

Indoor

Outdoor

Both

Terrain

Flat

Hilly

Mountains

Off-road

Distances

Very short <5 km

Average 5-20 km

Long 20-45 km

Very long >40 km

Product Life

1-4 yrs

4-6 yrs

6-10 yrs

10+ yrs

Morphological Analysis - Rehab Bike

Weather
Conditions

Sunny

Overcast

Rainy/windy

Stormy

Wheels

1 Front 1 Back

1 Front 2 Back

2 Front 1 Back

2 Front 2 Back

Wheel diameter

22

20

18

16

Frame

Steel alloy

Aluminium

Titanium

Carbon Fibre

Brakes

V type

Mechanic Disk

Hydraulic disk

Hydraulic Rim

Pedals

Platform (standard)

Full foot pedal

Toe-clip

Gear hub

3 speed

7 speed

8 speed

Chain

Roller

Drive

Bushing

Double flex

Energy

Rechargeable
Batteries

AC (if stationary)

Solar

Dynamo
Batteries

Suspension

Rear Air sock

Rear Spring

Front

Gears

No gear hub

Internal gear hub

External gear hub

Seat Material

Mesh

Solid Plastic

Spandex

Vinyl

Peripherals

Flag

Tail light

Front light

Horn

Use

Multiple times a day Daily

3-5 times weekly

Once weekly or
less

Price Range

0-1000

3000-10000

10000+

1000-3000

Figure 5: Morphological Analysis

The highlighted items in blue made it to the final stage of this design project while the others
were ignored or modified. For the wheels, the design of a tricycle was maintained, however
the dimension was altered to suit the overall design of the bike. Furthermore, the estimated
life span of the bike was between 6-10 years at an average use of 3-5 times weekly.

Detailed Design
Bike Frame
The frame was the most important part of the bike. This is because on it, do all the other
components intersect. What this means is that, having a frame made up of a very weak
material might not be able to withstand the overall weight of the bike. With this is mind,
various materials were considered in the design of the frame. Such materials were Aluminium,
Steel, Titanium and Carbon fibre. Among these materials, titanium and aluminium would have
been a better choice because of their good strength to weight ratio. However, both of these
materials were relatively expensive and would increase the overall cost of the bike.
Aluminium on the other hand was a lighter, less strong material that could fatigue easily. With
the above limitations, a 25 CrMo4 (4130) Stainless Steel was selected. This is a steel made up
of materials such as carbon, silicon, manganese, chromium and molybdenum. The reason
stainless steel was selected amongst other materials was because of its strength and cost.
Steel is an alloy that is readily available. A rear suspension was added to the frame to support
the weight of the rider. In addition to the rear suspension, the frame has an expand and
retract mechanism that allows the rider to adjust the length of the tube. The rear of the frame
was designed in a triangular shape with the sole aim of supporting the weight of the rider.

Figure 6: Bike Frame

Bike Fork
The fork, which houses the front wheel was made of 4130 Stainless steel. A standard spacing
of 100mm was used.

Figure 7: Bike Fork

10

The Wheels
The diameters of the wheels on the original tricycle were 20. However, because of the angle
of our frame and the general aesthetics of our design project, some modifications had to be
made on the wheels. This modification was adjusting the diameter of the front wheel to 16.
The rims were made of Aluminium alloy because it is relatively cheaper than stainless steel,
and could easily be moulded into any desired shape. Clincher rims were preferred over
tubular rims, because they are much easy to install, maintain and replace. Reducing the
overall weight of the bike was also another reason why aluminium rims were chosen instead
of stainless steel, despite their lower strength. On the other hand, the spokes were made of
stainless steel. Stainless steel was chosen because of its high corrosion resistance, durability
and high strength ratio. The spoke material in addition to the number of spokes determines
how strong a wheel would be. With this in mind, 28 stainless steel spokes were chosen for
the front wheel while 32 were chosen for each of the rear wheels. It could be observed that
the number of spokes on the front wheel was lesser than on the rear wheel. This was because
the overall weight of the bike was concentrated at the rear and a stronger wheel needed more
spokes. Hence the decision. The size of the spokes and holes were of standard so that they
could easily be replaced.
Asides the number of spokes, rims and wheel diameter, the type of tyre was another design
issue that was considered. Commuter type tyres were preferred over road bike and mountain
bike tyres. This is because they are comfortable, durable, have a firmer grip and also a high
resistance to puncture. The firm grip helps prevent skidding while riding on smooth surfaces.
The high resistance to puncture is as a result of their wider thickness.

Figure 8: Rear Wheel

11

Crank Set and Pedals

The crank set and the pedals were made of Aluminium alloy. This was because of the light
weight of aluminium. In addition to that, full foot size pedals with straps were designed. This
pedals had heel support and were padded with foams. The heel support made it easier for
the riders feet to be fully secured while riding. In addition, a paralysed person may find it
difficult keeping their foot steady, hence the heel and strap support.

Figure 9: Crank set and Pedals

Gear Hub and Chain
Aluminium roller chain was selected. Furthermore, an internal gear hub was preferred instead
of a derailleur. This was because the internal gear hub offers the resilience to adjust the
resistance to lower ratios up to 0.527. Asides this, adding a derailleur to the bike would have
seemed ambiguous, considering the design of the rear end of the bike. Gear ratio of up to 8
was selected for this bike, which give the user more flexibility in designing how fast or how
slow they would like to ride. These ratios were 0.527, 0.644, 0.748, 0.851, 1.0, 1.223, 1.419,
1.615 respectively.

12

Figure 10: Gear hub and Chain

Seat
The design criteria for the seat was that it should be comfortable, adjustable and easily
replaceable. For this to be achieved, an Aluminium 6061 frame was selected because of its
lightweight and high corrosion resistance. For comfortablility and affordability, a mesh fabric
was selected and stretched over the aluminium frame. This material was selected because it
was light, cheap and could easily be replaced. The seat was wide, and could be adjusted in
any direction the user pleases for maximum comfort.

Figure 11: The Seat

13

Handlebars
The handlebars were made of Aluminium alloy frames with rubber grips. Aluminium frames
were selected because of the light weight, while the rubber grips were selected because
rubber is a good insulator of heat and relatively cheap as well. Another reason why rubber
grips were chosen was so they could be replaced easily. For the user to feel comfortable
steering the bike, the position, height and distance of the handlebars were designed to be
consistent with the positioning of the natural hand. What this means is that the user does not
have to make personal adjustments such as raising of hands, or leaning forward to drive.

Figure 12: Handlebars

Brakes
The choice of brakes was another issue the group encountered. After much deliberation and
research, V-brakes and Disk brakes were selected. The V-brake was installed at the front while
the disc brakes were installed at the two rear wheels. V-brake is a type of rim brakes which is
made up of a two rubber pads and an aluminium body. These rubber pads are pressed toward
the rim of the wheel each time the brake is applied. On the other hand, a disk brake is a metal
brake which is attached to the wheel hub, and also has a set callipers which are attached to
the fork of the frame of the bike. The selected disk brakes for this bike were made of Titanium
rotors and metal ceramic callipers. Disk brakes were chosen for the rear wheels because they
are effective in all weather conditions. In addition, since the weight of the bike is concentrated
at the rear, a brake with a high braking power like the disk brake was the more obvious choice
when compared to v-brakes. Although disk brakes are quite difficult to maintain, and
expensive to install, their advantages were well suited for our bike. In order to save cost, a vbrake was attached to the front wheels instead of a third disk brake. Asides saving cost, it is
quite uncommon to have a disk brake attached to a 16 wheel. Furthermore, since the front
of the bike does not carry as much weight as the rear, there was no need to install a disk brake
on the wheels. On the contrary, v-brakes are easier to maintain, install and purchase, which
14

gives them an edge over disk brakes. However, their inefficiency in adverse weather
conditions was another reason why they were not installed on the two rear wheels too.

Figure 13: V-Brake (Front)

Figure 14: Disc-Brake (Rear)

15

Brake Levers and Gear Shifters

As a group, we opted for four brake levers because of the two disk brake attached to the bike,
one V-brake and an internal gear hub. Each of these levers controls an individual component
in the bike. One brake lever controls the front V-brake, while the other brake lever controls
one of the rear disk brakes. On the other hand, the gear hub and the other disk brake are both
controlled by each gear shifter respectively. The brake shifters can also act as parking brakes.
The pulling in of the shifters, activates the disk brakes, which in turn puts the bike in a state
of rest. On the contrary, extending the shifters puts the bike in a travel mode. These brake
shifters and levers can also act as parking brakes.

Figure 15: Brake Shifters and Levers

Functional Electric Simulation (FES)
This is the outstanding feature of our bike that makes it different from every other recumbent
bikes. FES technology becomes very useful in users with neurological related injuries. FES
technology involves using well refined computer and sensor technology to stimulate
paralysed muscles of the body. Electrodes are attached to the precise leg muscles. The
muscular stimulation is in phase with the motion of the pedals. The amount of muscle
stimulation is regulated by the FES unit. The pedals begin rotation at the thrust of a button,
while the time required for each muscle to be stimulated and the amount of stimulation is
calculated by the system. When this happens, the right stimulation impulses are sent to the
electrodes, which in turn creates a fluent cycling and improved muscles. This stimulation is
what strengthens the muscles, improves bone density & blood circulation, eases spasms.
Asides being integrated into the bike, the FES unit can be detached and used on its own
without being physically attached to the bike. This feature allows users who are new to the
technology to get used to it before integrating it into the bike. The FES unit is a reliable and
efficient way of activating the legs or arm muscles of a paralysed user.
16

Figure 16: The FES Unit

Peripherals
Front and tail lights were added to the bike. These components made it possible for the bike
to be used at night, should the user decide to. In addition, a personal locator beacon was
added to the bike, just in case the user or the bike gets missing. Furthermore, a horn was also
added to create awareness and clear traffic. The group decided to add these extra features
to make the bike stand out amongst other competitors in the market, and make it more
appealing to customers.

Figure 17: Peripherals

17

Final Bike Design

With all the modifications and final assembly of the individual components, a final render was
made.

Figure 18: Final Bike Render

18

Costing
During the research and design stages of the project, individual members of the group
provided information on the cost of their parts. The overall costing in addition to the brake
even charts were done for number of 10 and 100 bikes respectively.
Table 1: Cost of Materials
Part

Info

Quantity

Unit
Price

Total

Frame

Rear tube
500mm

20

20

Front tube
1m

25

25

Rear
support
3m

30

30

Rear axle
2m

20

20

Fork

60

60

Rim 16

15

15

Tyre 16

10

10

Rim 20

30

60

Tyre 20

15

30

Front spokes

28

0.306667

8.586676

14g Stainless Steel Plain Gauge

Spokes & 12 mm Brass Nipple
128 or 130mm

64

0.306667

19.626688

same as above 170mm

Hub front

50

50

Hub rear

25

50

V-brake

20

20

Crankset

80

80

Chain

10

10

Pedals

40

80

Internal Gear
Hub

120

120

Disk brakes
(rotors,
callipers and
levers)

60

120

10

20

Rear spokes

Brake Pads

32*2

Pairs

48.3mm od x 2.5mm wall

Stainless Steel Tube Grade 304
supplied dull polished.

alternative
1.14

19

Handle bars

40

40

Handle grips

16

Brake cables

15

Shifters

32

64

Shimano Dura-Ace 7900 10Sp

Bar End Shifters

Seat (frame)

price for
4000mm

10

10

7/8od x 16swg wall Aluminium

Tube // 22.22mm outside
diameter x 1.6mm wall

Seat (fabric)

kg

10

Nylon spandex

12V Li-ion
battery

25

25

FES Unit

2000

2000

FES Sensor

20

20

Suspension

60

60

Sear/frame
connector

Light set

20

20

Personal
Locator
Beacon

120

120

Horn

10

10

TOTAL

3263.213364

20

Breakeven Analysis
In addition to the general costing of materials and discounts, a breakeven analysis was done.
This breakeven is a method used by various organisations to measure the amount of profit
that would be generated from any given product.
It involves a mixture of variable costs i.e. costs that change with respect to the quantity of
production, and fixed costs i.e. costs which do not change with production quantity. The
breakeven point is the point at which the business neither makes profit nor losses. The break
even selling price for buying raw materials for ten bike and one hundred bikes was
determined using the work cost price (WCP) method.
Table 3 shows the break even selling price using the raw material cost for a bulk-buying ten
bikes. The group estimated that a total of 30 hours would be needed per week for the bike to
be produced. An hourly rate of 6.31 was estimated for a bike to be fully assembled. The total
labour cost for the bike was estimated to be 189.3. A small cost for design materials was
included for obtaining relevant standards and other documentation. From table 4, the works
material cost was reduced as a result of the percentage discount for bulk purchase. The final
selling price of the bike was estimated using the formula below:
= ( + (

)) +

While comparing both chart 1 and 2, it was observed that after selling 24 bikes at the cost of
6400, a breakeven point was reached. On the other hand, a breakeven was attained in chart
2 after the sale of 16 bikes, which each unit being sold for 5677. It was observed that with
the recent completion in the market for bikes like the one assigned in this project, reducing
the selling price also encouraged customers to purchase it. With this in mind, the team
decided to stick with the selling price of 5677 in order to achieve the goal of selling about
100 bikes

21

Table 3: Breakeven Chart without 20% discount for Bulk buying

Works Labour

Rate /hour

Hours hr

Cost

Overhead rate
%

Total

6.31

30

189.3

225

425.925

3263

130

4241.9

Works Material

0
WCP
Design Cost

0
60

250

Design Materials

4667.825

15000

225

33750

5000

130

6500

Cost of Design

40250

Commercial
overhead

125

125

125

125

Profit

400

400

400

400

Quantity

10

100

1000

10000

Selling price

11266.03125

6737.90625

6285.09375

6239.8125

Selling price

6400

22

Table 4: Breakeven Chart 20% discount for Bulk buying

Works Labour

Rate /hour

Hours hr

Cost

Overhead rate
%

Total

6.31

30

189.3

225

425.925

2610.4

130

3393.52

Works Material

0
WCP
Design Cost

0
60

250

Design Materials

3819.445

15000

225

33750

5000

130

6500

Cost of Design

40250

Commercial
overhead

125

125

125

125

Profit

400

400

400

400

Quantity

10

100

1000

10000

Selling price

10205.55625

5677.43125

5224.61875

5179.3375

Selling price

6400

23

Graph 1: Break Even Chart without the 20% Discount Bulk buying
Fixed

Fixed + Variable

Revenue

700000

525000

350000

175000

0
0

10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 100

Graph 2: Break Even Chart with the 20% Discount for Bulk Buying
Fixed

Fixed + Variable

Revenue

700000

525000

350000

175000

10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 100

24

Project Evaluation
Gantt chart
After the initial outlay of the project, the tasks were assigned to every member of the group
depending on the proficiency of Solidworks. The initial tasks delegated and shared equally
amongst the group as shown in the chart below.
Chart 1: Initial Gantt Chart of the Project
31 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
Task

Done by

Brainstorming

All

Finalise Design

All

F S S M T W T F S S M T W T F S S M T W T F S S M T W T F S S M T W T F S S M T W T F S S M T W T F

Task allocation
Basic Dimensioning
SUBASSEMBLIES
Frame

Chris

Fork

Chris

Wheels

Kingsley

Brakes

Kingsley

Seat

Lesego

FES + Battery Unit

Lesego

Handle bars

Scott

Steering mech

Scott

Pedals

Cammy

Gears

Cammy

Chain

Cammy

Material Selection

All

ASSEMBLY
Nuts, bolts, fstnrs
Final assembly
Renders, anim

Chris

At the early stages of having tasked assigned to various members of the group, the project
seemed to be going as planned. However, a few modifications were to the Gantt chart. These
new modifications were primarily due to the fact that some members of the group were
having a hard time working with Solidworks. One of such issues was dimensioning with the
wrong units. This meant that some parts were either too large or the small to fit in properly.
In addition, the final render took a little longer than usual. This was also as a result of the size
of the drawing file. In addition to design software delays, market research was also another
delay encountered in this project. This was because, the price of materials, and labour had to
be carried out by individual members of the group. With these modifications, a new Gantt
chart was created as shown below.

25

Chart 2: Final Gantt Chart of the Project

31 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
Task

Done by

Brainstorming

All

Finalise Design

All

F S S M T W T F S S M T W T F S S M T W T F S S M T W T F S S M T W T F S S M T W T F S S M T W T F S S M T W T F S S M

Task allocation
Basic Dimensioning
SUBASSEMBLIES
Frame

Chris

Fork

Chris

Suspension

Chris

Wheels

Kingsley

Brakes

Kingsley

Seat

Lesego

FES + Battery Unit

Lesego

Handle bars

Scott

Steering mech

Scott

Pedals

Cammy

Gears

Cammy

Chain

Cammy

Material Selection

All

ASSEMBLY
Nuts, bolts, fstnrs
Final assembly
Renders, anim

Chris

Team Management
The successful completion of the project was a moment of accomplishment for every member
of the group. However this was achieved through a series of steps. During the planning phase
of the project, weekly meetings were held at various venues all over the school. Although
certain issues such as timetable clashes were experienced, they never did hinder the weekly
meeting of the group. Asides the weekly meetings, a face book group was created where
important facts were posted online and viewed by each member of the group. Irrespective of
these two approaches to effective management, a drop box folder was created so that files
from other members of the group could also be seen and adjusted according. This drop box
approach was considered as one of the most innovative ideas from the group. Finally CAD
sessions were held for members of the group who were having issues with CAD.

26

Conclusion
This project went from conceptualizing a design and seeing through to the completion of it.
During the conceptualization phase, a particular age group was targeted, and the bike was
designed to suit the general lifestyle and exercise requirement of this age group. The
outstanding quality of this bike was the adoption of the FES unit which made the
rehabilitation process quite easy for the user. A break even chart was created, through which
the final selling price was estimated to be 6400. However, selling this same bike at 5677
would create a break even at 16 bikes for a bulk buying of 100 bikes. Finally, the coordination
and cooperation of each and every member of the group led to the conceptualization,
planning and final design of this rehab tricycle.

27