Cardboard Bicycle Touted as World's 'ultimate Green Machine'

A prototype of cardboard bicycle touted as the cheapest eco-friendly mode of transportation has been developed by a 21-year-old student at Sheffield Hallam University.

The 'ultimate green machine' might one day sell for as little as 15 pounds.

Phil Bridge, of Stockport, Greater Manchester, believes that with such a low value, they could be a more attractive proposition for occasional cyclists - as well as making the bikes less of a target for thieves.

The frame, made out of cardboard normally used in industrial packaging, could be produced for as little as 3 pounds.

Once the wheels and chain had been added the total price might rise to only 15 pounds.

"I started by looking at the reasons why people don't use bikes as a mode of transport, and one of the primary reasons I came up with was the initial investment in a bike," The Telegraph quoted Bridge, as saying.

"A typical round town bike can cost several hundred pounds, and that's a large investment for people who aren't sure whether they will use it. The idea of cardboard is to completely devalue the bike.

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"The cardboard for the frame is the material used in industrial packaging. It's very strong and it has a honeycomb core. It's mainly used in partition walling and packaging.

"The prototype does work but it is still quite limited and there are a few problems," he added.

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Bridge has claimed that his bike is strong enough to support a rider, so long as he or she weighs under 12 stone.

Perhaps more crucially, he insisted that it is sufficiently robust not to go soft and collapse in the rain.

Source-ANI
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