I may have found my new bicycle – and it’s from Ikea! The SLADDA bicycle is the Red Dot “Best of the Best” winner for 2016. Each year the prestigious Red Dot award recognizes exceptional design in a variety of categories. The award celebrates human-centric design that is beautiful and a delight to use. Last year I reported on several Red Dot winners for the software user interface category. The winners for this year’s winners are being announced on the Red Dot website.
The SLADDA bicycle design is by Veryday, and the manufacturer is IKEA, both in Sweden. The bicycle is designed for those who commute and do errands in an urban setting, but can easily handle recreational outings. The light-weight bike is engineered with low maintenance gear works, built in accessories, and an ingenious system for adding attachments. In true Ikea style, you receive the bike in a flat crate, and assemble it yourself (in around 50 minutes, per one YouTube video). Take a look at the bike:
Although the bike has its critics for its plain design and price, this is a great example of reimagining a familiar object, and innovating to improve it. Not everyone wants or needs a fancy bicycle, so this light, functional, easy-to-use design may appeal to those who just want a sensible transportation option.
Steps (the blog) 