'Contortionist' folding bike nominated for design award

Do you tear your hair out when you have to wait for the next tube because you can’t fit your bike on the one that’s just pulled in? Well thanks to a young designer that could be a thing of the past. Because young designer Dominic Hargreaves has created a fold-up bike which has been shortlisted for the £10,000 James Dyson Award.

The 24-year-old developed the Contortionist, which folds between the circumference of its 26inch wheels and can be pulled by one of its handlebars, for commuters. Once folded the bike cannot fold back on its self while riding and the wheels rotate when folded up so the folded package can be wheeled along rather having to be carried.

The James Dyson Award’s challenge is to design something that solves a problem. And as all cyclists in London will tell you – getting your bike on and off tubes and busses then there’s hardly enough space for yourself can be a nightmare. Dominic’s inspiration was that current folding bikes on the market seemed to be just too much of a compromise or just didn't fold that small for day to day use

Designer James Dyson praised the bicycle as “ingenious” and “It’s effortless elasticity is mesmerising, the product of creative engineering.”

The Royal College of Art graduate from Wandsworth said: “The wheels still rotate when it's folded, so you can pull it on a bus or train, and store it easily at home.”
London is the ideal place for the Contortionist, and Dominic hopes the bike will be on sale next year for around £400.