Bicycles

Wood-framed Sandwichbike ready to hit the streets

Wood-framed Sandwichbike ready to hit the streets
The Sandwichbike ships in Europe from December 1
The Sandwichbike ships in Europe from December 1
View 10 Images
The Sandwichbike ships in Europe from December 1
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The Sandwichbike ships in Europe from December 1
The Sandwich bike is 175 cm (69 in) long and 95 cm (37 in) tall
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The Sandwich bike is 175 cm (69 in) long and 95 cm (37 in) tall
Aluminum "smart cylinders" hold the beechwood frames together
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Aluminum "smart cylinders" hold the beechwood frames together
The Sandwichbike is 65 cm (24 in) wide
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The Sandwichbike is 65 cm (24 in) wide
Aluminum "smart cylinders" hold the beechwood frames together
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Aluminum "smart cylinders" hold the beechwood frames together
The bike comes in a flat-packed box with less than 50 parts, and the tools necessary for assembly
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The bike comes in a flat-packed box with less than 50 parts, and the tools necessary for assembly
Two weather-coated beech plywood frames act as the bread, with custom-made components sandwiched in between
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Two weather-coated beech plywood frames act as the bread, with custom-made components sandwiched in between
The Sandwichbike's wheels have 14G stainless steel spokes
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The Sandwichbike's wheels have 14G stainless steel spokes
The Sandwichbike is shipped out flat-packed, and built at home from less than 50 parts
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The Sandwichbike is shipped out flat-packed, and built at home from less than 50 parts
The Sandwichbike comes with a stainless steel custom-made chain
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The Sandwichbike comes with a stainless steel custom-made chain
View gallery - 10 images

Since the unveiling of the first Sandwichbike prototype in 2006, it's been a long road to commercial production for its Dutch designer Basten Leijh. The wood-framed bike is due to officially launch in Amsterdam on Sunday, and will be available for shipping thereafter.

The attractive wooden bicycle became available for pre-order back in April. In a similar vein to Ikea, the bicycle's design is inspired primarily by the concept of easily transportable packages and home assembly. As such, the Sandwichbike comes shipped as a flat-packed box.

The entire package contains 52 parts in total and is accompanied by the tools to assemble the bike, which can apparently be completed in 45 minutes with relative ease – the company website stating, "if you can make a sandwich, you can surely build a Sandwichbike."

The bike comes in a flat-packed box with less than 50 parts, and the tools necessary for assembly
The bike comes in a flat-packed box with less than 50 parts, and the tools necessary for assembly

Two pieces of weather-coated beech plywood form the frame of the bicycle, bonded together by aluminum cylinders, with Bleijh's custom-made components forming the meat in the "sandwich." The stainless steel chain, 14G stainless steel spokes and Schwalbe 26-in Big Apple tires will set the bike in motion, and the Shimano single speed coaster brake will (hopefully) bring it to a halt.

The completed bike weighs 17 kg (37.5 lb) and measures 175 x 62 x 95 cm (69 x 24 x 37 in), a size which, according to Sandwichbike, would provide people between 160 and 200 cm (5 ft 3 in - 6 ft 6 in) tall with a comfortable ride.

The Sandwichbike costs €799 (US$1,087) direct from the makers and is available for shipping within Europe from December 1. Worldwide shipping starts in January 2014.

You can see how the bike fits together in the video below.

Source: Sandwich Bikes

Sandwichbike Ready to Ride

View gallery - 10 images
6 comments
6 comments
Edgar Castelo
Great concept, but... Coaster Brakes? Mmmmm...
The Skud
Edgar - I agree, for over $1K (self-assemble) they had better be very good coaster brakes! Did not see much seat height adjustment, sort of one-size-fits-all! Just watched the assembly video, make it look easy, don't they? Depends on 'leg power' though, no gears! Much better in flat Netherlands than hilly anywhere else - so they have already lost me at this time.
Vincent Bevort
@ the skud If you take a look at their home page you will see that the seat is adjustable for people from 160 cm to 200 with a 10 margin.
@ Edgar Again if you read the home page you WILL see it has those breaks. They are from Shimano. nothing wrong with them. I have been using them for decades and am still alive.
I am a test engineer. So send me one and I'll test if it is really that simple to fit together and still safe to use.
bergamot69
I was impressed until I saw that it has coaster brakes.
Having ridden bikes with them when visiting America as a kid, and much more recently in Holland, I wouldn't want coaster brakes to be my only means of slowing down even if I was in a flat country with mostly segregated traffic. Even on a dog-slow very heavy single geared old-style Dutch bike there isn't nearly enough margin for error- eg if a child walks out in front of you.
In hilly, non-traffic segregated England, you'd be dead or hospitalised by the end of a week...
Albert Feyen
Will they be selling this Bike at IKEA? It looks like they should be selling it there.
unklmurray
Man,some of you ''Naysayers'' are totally funny.......I've used coaster brakes in Colorado where I grew up,You learn to use coaster with one foot and ''Flintstone'' braking with the other foot,either on the tire ,or on the ground..... This looks 2 B one of the best ''Bike-N-a-Box'' bikes I've ever seen.....easy to travel from country to country,just take it apart,put it in carry on luggage and then put it back together in the airport parking lot & ride away......LOL Old school..folder style.......LOL LMAO....:-)