$20 bikes - Increasing bike transportation

[ch12]

An Israeli bicycle enthusiast inventor has made a $20 cardboard bike which could genuinely revolutionize local transportation. "Izhar Gafni, 50, is an expert in designing automated mass-production lines. He is an amateur cycling enthusiast who for years toyed with an idea of making a bicycle from cardboard." They are apparently sturdy enough to work and water/fire proof. He tested it by submerging a cross section in a water tank for several months and it was fine. The tires are solid, so you don't have to worry about air or punctures. One of the problem that I have with it is how disposable he seems to think it is - they are only meant to last for about a year. But it's still definitely worth it and he says that the cost of production should be about $9. The inventor says that the "green" rebates that they would get would cancel out production costs and that the bicycles would be given away for free in poor countries. Increasing bicycle transportation in the developing world is the kind of thing that I could see the MMM foundation getting behind. http://news.yahoo.com/cardboard-bicycle-change-world-says-israeli-inventor-090732689.html

[Bakari]

https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/welcome-to-the-forum/cardboard-bike/

[ch12]

I am skeptical, mainly because I think the ride quality would be shit, but I'd be willing to give one a test ride.  That site doesn't include many specifics, like what the hub and bottom bracket (or whatever equivalent) are made of. What allows them to spin freely?  Can they be serviced?  Is this just a throw away bike that once the components wear out it is trash?

More information has been released since then. We still don't know what he's using for the moving parts because his patents are pending, but retailing for $20 versus the $60 or 90 in the first article is going to change the game. The bikes don't need to be serviced, but they are trashed when they wear out. The ride is stiff but it's serviceable. Plus, the inventor's plans have gotten broader since then, since he's developed the idea a little more.