Year: 2020

Assignment: Bachelor Project

Designer: Lloyd Revald

Associate expertise: Design-People Aps

Expert in circular economy, Dan Kristensen 

Professional cyclist, Kasper Asgreen (deceuninck-quickstep)

Waste management and the need to educate consumers about use and disposal of products is part of UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). More specifically goal number 12: Consumption and production where it clearly states: “Goal 12 ties people, planet and prosperity together. [...] & educate consumers on use phase and disposal”.   

The UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale) also confirms that “leaving trash is no longer acceptable”. My motivation to address this problem is because I strive to create changes for not only the environment but people too. With sustainable initiatives we strive to do it all, but can only do some. I have chosen to address this topic and sport because I have a history with it and because there is an obsolete problem to be solved.

4 concepts emerged from my ideation proces. I chose to go with a redesign of the bottle holder as Asgreen mentioned. The proces was iterativ and systematically going from handdrawing, physical modeling to 3D modeling in digital programs and back again.

An important key-insight for the design direction was a quote from Kasper 

Asgreen: “With the idea of concept number 4 you have to redesign a bottle holder which opens from the left side to match various frame sizes”

With that information I decided to go with concept 4 (a solution to collect trash under the bottle) out of the four concepts that I showed Kasper when I interviewed him.

Another key-insight: water is essential for a rider and almost non of the 92 cycle related people I asked in my survey would give away their water for something else. You can’t compromise hydration. 

That was another reason to integrate a unit under the bottle holder and not be a part of the bottle itself.

- To make the product a relevant solution it had to have space for 4-5 empty gels and not compromise performance and convenience

Furfilling user needs is essential for a sustainable option to be implemented and adopted. That’s why the concept has been build around three driving forces: usefulness, durability and enjoyable experience. (Chapman, Jonathan (2018), Handbook of Sustainable Product Design). The forces can be seen in the practicality of placement of the product, the material and structure of choice as well as the experience of safely discarding trash - without getting your hands greasy.

As a way to put the product into context I have created three possible scenarios for whom to implement the Recovery system. 

1. A team. If a team would implement recovery it would show direct commitment and responsibility from both team and riders - ultimately taking responsibility for their trash

2. UCI. Recovery could be a symbol used in cycling. Like many other things on the bike and on the riders, UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale) have an authority to implement rules and guidance for riders and teams. Recovery could be mandatory for all teams to safely dispose their trash from gels and energibars etc.

3. Bike manufacturer or gel producer. If a gel producer would implement Recovery: they would have a solution to their damaging waste which they, at this point don't take responsibility for.

Form, function and design

The form is based upon the geometry of the bottle itself. It is an extension of the product its carrying with harmonious lines in a strong shape. Recovery has been designed not to be too complicated as the bike itself - but as an accessories as it should.

The shape is designed with respect for production facilities as subtractive manufacturing and additive production with recyclable aspects in the material. If the product would have a digital life, it could well be 3D-printed locally and have no transport and co2 emission as an outcome.