When people think of design, they often first consider graphics and colors. While these are essential aspects, design encompasses much more: it involves the entire shaping of a product.
For the Extra, we collaborated closely with the design agency Tale, based in Basel, from the initial ideas to the final product design. However, it's still a long journey.
With the help of 3D printing, we were able to examine the various options in full size and true to reality.
Straight or with a kink? Already with the top tube, there were various designs. And it felt like five surveyed individuals had at least seven different opinions. This is also the case with colors, if not even more extreme.
How is the slider best attached? Sometimes, conventional methods are more effective than 3D printing, then manual work is required.
Noses? Noses and bike frames might not be immediately associated with each other, after all, a frame doesn't really have a smell unless it has just been freshly painted.
The attachment of the slider was tried in various configurations: with a long nose, shorter nose, smaller nose. There are so many things to consider. Even though it seems like a small detail, in the end, it definitely makes a difference when you consider everything together.
Often, brands strive to develop their own design style so that even without looking at the logo, one can tell which brand a product belongs to. This is highly prevalent in the automotive industry. Whether it's Audi, Mercedes, or BMW, non-designers can identify the brand of the car that just passed by based on its design language.
While bikes may not have a rear hatch or hood, design plays a crucial role here as well. Certainly, our Slider system sets us apart and is recognizable at first glance. However, beyond that, we already pondered questions such as: Should the head tube resemble that of the Eero or the Evolve FS, thus belonging to the same family? Or should we create something entirely new?
With the help of 3D printing, we were able to examine the different variants in their original size and lifelike appearance.
Mit Hilfe von 3D-Drucken konnten wir die verschiedenen Varianten in Originalgrösse und realitätsgetreu anschauen.
Development is always a process. Sometimes, after many discussions and design drafts, we find ourselves starting almost from scratch again. This was also the case with the EXTRA. We ultimately decided against integrated cable routing through the headset, which led us to the next challenge: how should the cable exits look to ensure both functionality and aesthetics? The radius must not be too tight to avoid kinking, yet it shouldn't just be 'a hole' either.
But to be honest, the biggest challenge for us wasn't the development of the frame. We've done that several times now and can draw on various experiences. But the storage box solution and its contents - that was completely new territory.
We made countless sketches, designs, and prototypes, and tested the results in the field repeatedly. How should the lid close, what should the pockets look like, and what actually needs to fit inside?
Because it was so extensive, we have summarized the details in a separate story.