Islabikes

PROJECT OVERVIEW: Islabikes was founded in 2006 by Isla Rowntree who was disappointed in the quality, weight and generally poor ergonomics of children’s bikes available at that time. The Imagine Project will be offering a new range of UK manufactured bikes that will be rented to the user. When the bikes are finished with they will be returned to the factory, refurbished and rented to another rider. This will prevent precious raw materials going into landfill. 

PROJECT OBJECTIVES: Islabikes required CREST’s support with market research, identifying a target sample group, developing the manufacturing process and researching business models

PROJECT SOLUTIONS: This is a long term ongoing project but so far CREST have supported by helping to recruit candidates to test prototypes, organising a site visit to Caterpillar, and providing a space for Islabikes to host an information event. Matt from Islabikes said, “We thoroughly enjoyed the morning; hearing comments and challenges from the group was extremely useful and has given us some valuable alternative perspectives…[for product development].”