Tandem

The Brief

Tandem bicycles are designed for multiple riders seating in a fore-and-aft arrangement. They provide an opportunity to enjoy cycling in pairs. However, there are a number of challenges related to the design of their frame: 1. it should be lightweight; 2. its natural frequencies should be larger than 30Hz to avoid discomfort due to wholebody vibrations; 3. its effective life should be at least 10 years (equivalent to one million loading cycles).

Design Considerations

• I wanted the shape of the bike to be beginner-friendly, as before starting the project I had never ridden a tandem bike.

• This was realised by establishing a high position of the fork shell and a sloped upper crossbar, which allows for easier mounting by the rear cyclist.

• Most of the other design considerations were determined by the structural and strength requirements. These are discussed in detail in the report attached below.

Skills Developed

• FEA Fundamentals - Learning theory about truss, beam and solid elements, buckling analysis, failure analysis.

• Writing Reports - First report written in Overleaf, which was a much better experience than MS Word.

• SolidWorks Simulation - Software used to perform analysis, carries over to other software.

Click here to view the report in a new tab