So this past weekend I have been working a bit more on my sketching work, but mainly on the research of being seen on a bike. I decided to look around at some of the cycle clothing available in sports shops as well as a few bike lights. The clothing itself was an interesting area as it seems like all items of cycle clothing are designed in a similar fashion – all adhering to the sporty jacket with fluorescent colouring. It seems like it is impossible at the moment to actually buy a cycle jacket which does not look overly gaudy and aesthetically fowl unless worn whilst cycling. Although I will admit that perhaps that is the only need for such an item of clothing, it has given me food for thought on the matter… As for bike lights, I have only really built upon past knowledge from previous experiences. It […]

So today our tutorial group met once again to discuss where we were at with our project, something which seems to be becoming a weekly thing… It was interesting to see how everyone’s projects have moved on and I found it useful to see how other people were tackling problems. I feel like I am really starting to get some interesting ideas for solutions now and yesterday’s random mix up, where we were told to discuss our projects with other people from different tutorial groups, was surprisingly useful. Although it was generally nice to run through my project with other people on my course who didn’t already know my project, it was specifically helpful when one group member brought up the point about products inside vehicles. This idea, although seemingly obvious, hadn’t really occurred to me previously and so I feel it was able to further expand the range my range […]

Today I have finally made a decision as to where exactly my project is heading. I have written a more on-depth product design brief and from that, I have written a Product Design Specification – PDS. My new brief is as follows: To design a device for both novice and professional commuter cyclists which solves the need for a more effective way for cyclists to be seen and understood by other road users. It must help to ensure cyclists feel safer on the road ad for drivers to feel more confident that they can see the cyclists, understand the amount of space they require and also understand their intentions. The design must be capable of withstanding the wet weather conditions that cyclist’s encounter, as well as the common forces applied to the cyclist and their bike due to road conditions such as bumps and pot holes. The device, if powered, […]

Today, our group met up again to discuss where we were at and what we still had to do by our next tutorial. James thankfully was happy to sort out the session, taking notes and ensuring everyone was paying attention and helping out. Since the meeting I do feel like I haven’t done what I wanted to do this week, though I feel I will have the work done by the weekend. I have however completed a survey which I have issued to multiple Facebook groups, had shared by many people and sent to multiple cycling clubs. The feedback is coming in steadily, but I feel like I have already attained some really useful personal feedback, as well as validation of a lot of the research I have been doing. Overall, I am quite happy with where my project is at the moment, all I need to do now is to […]

In our third tutorial, we undertook an interim Viva presentation. I was happy to be able to present my work so far and was looking forward to getting feedback on what my tutorial group thought about my project. I feel my presentation went well, although it was pointed out that I did accidentally block one side of the screen during some of my presentation. After my presentation, we discussed my project further. I have decided that due to my feedback I should write a schedule of all actions I want to undertake so that I can make sure I meet my expectations and the deadlines. One member of my group advised I discussed the matter of local accident statistics with the police, whilst another pointed out that I should ascertain what initiatives the council had in place to make cycling safer and more accessible. Beth has advised that I analyse […]

Yesterday I observed the heavily congested road junction between Crwys Rd / City Rd / Albany Rd / Richmond Rd / MacKintosh Pl between 10am and 10:30am. I found that a lot of the secondary research I had undertaken was confirmed, especially the problem associated with HGV’s and buses. In total, I observered 6 cyclists, 3 of which wore helmets. I have identified the following: – HGV’s leave little room when turning left – Cyclists often race off from junctions to get across before traffic catches up to them – Cyclists usually used the allocated lane in front of the traffic to ensure they set off first – Buses often maintain a constant speed, with little care to the danger of junctions – A large proportion of cyclists take chances by weaving between traffic in order to get out of a busy queue – Cars and Vans often disregard the law and […]