Tandem bike with a twist | Hugbike

Opera della Marca and Italian foundation Oltre il Labirinto decided to democratize cycling, and to make it accessible to as many people as possible. As a result, they created a new and unique tandem bike, going under the name HUGBIKE. Let’s see the details.

In the case of traditional tandem bikes, the driver of the vehicle sits in the front, while the passenger sits in the back. HUGBIKE decided to twist the system a bit and reversed the logic: as suggested by its name, owing to its long handlebars, the person sitting in the back drives the vehicle, while the passenger sitting in the front can enjoy the ride in maximum safety. According to the creators of the bike, this solution allows people on the spectrum, people with Down syndrome or the visually impaired to use this special means of transportation. On top of it all, the parts of the bike are assembled by autistic workers, and thus HUBIKE does not only provide safe use for people with disabilities, but working possibilities, too.

“HUGBIKE was born from the collaboration of disabled subjects, voluntaries and a professional team. This is a beautiful example of a social hug” – says the website of HUGBIKE.

Even though the bicycle was designed for and by involving people with disabilities, it could also be perfect for families with small children, old people or couples, too. Another good news is that HUGBIKE does not only exist in the form of a prototype, but can be pre-ordered on this site.

Source: Designboom

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Our INCLUSIVE article series presents projects that raise awareness to the society-shaping role of design and that promote the social visibility of people with disabilities and their self-determination through the means of inclusive design.

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