DIGIBEND
THE DAILY COMMUTE
Working directly with Digibend, a Salem, Oregon based manfacturer of stationary urban bicycle racks, we developed an elegant product line-up that will stand the test of time. They were looking to increase their portfolio of available products while keeping their image of timeless durability evident. So, both subtlety and ruggedness were key to their line-up of successful products. We also had to make sure that our designs fit within the scope of their in-house manufacturing processes.
The completed product line delivers on every account we set out to achieve. The chosen materials, colors, and especially the soft curves formed into the steel tubing add to the aesthetic of a variety of urban landscapes. They are extremely durable and resistant to water penetration. Once installed, it will be a long time until they will need to be replaced, which saves every taxpayer some of their hard-earned dollars. This fact may be more important than all for this particular project. Cities have to watch their budgets carefully to make sure amenities, such as bike racks, are accessible to as many people as possbile. If the racks aren't in the budget, the city will simply choose to purchase less. This is just one factor that inevitably leads to high rates of bicycle theft.
While keeping in mind the capabilities and reach of Digibend, we developed a series of imagery to help them understand exactly what the new concepts would look like in an urban setting. You can see from some of these images how the designs would integrate well into a wide variety of locations throughout any city. After in-depth discussions, several concepts were chosen for initial prototyping and, eventually, final production. We kept with this project through the final phases to ensure as few issues along the way for Digibend. We created a technical drawing package for them to use on the shop floor and provided revisions based upon every change-order we received. It was an exceptionally smooth process that proved fulfilling for all of us.
Most municipalities throughout the United States require the installation of stationary bicycle racks, which helps to promote healthy forms of transportation. You will find these racks at every school, recreational facility, hospital, courthouse, office building, etc. There is a vast industry dedicated to fulfilling our country’s site furnishing needs. Could you imagine walking through Central Park in New York City without a single place to sit? Or how about a place to securely lock up your bike? There is a real need for these products in today’s world and we truly became passionate about them during the development process. We developed a variety of durable, timeless concepts to subtly fit into any urban setting, whether it be a park or police station.
