The Power Plate PowerBike
15 June 2011
Process type: Design
Having brought a revolutionary method of training to our gyms, Power Plate, a glutton for imposing punishment, has released the PowerBike to melt away fat and supersize muscle mass
The Power Plate PowerBike
- The experience: An arse-aching mountain course? The teethchattering cobblestones of Paris-Roubaix? A smooth sprint finish? The adjustable vibration levels help replicate outdoor rides in your front room.
- Shakedown: By adding vibration through the two pedals, intensity is increased and the stretch reflex is prompted. This means that, although the amount of effort put in and calories burned can be increased,
the length of the workout isn’t.
- Materials: The mechanical vibration that produces different forces threw up various engineering challenges and led to extensive material testing in order to dampen unwanted vibration distortions and noise.
- Crank: The unique pedal and crank system delivers more ‘pedal distance’ through mechanical vibration with every revolution, which generates more muscle activity per stroke.
- Aesthetics: “We made sure the design would express speed and acceleration, even on a stationary bike,” says Jelte Tempelaars, Power Plate senior vice president product development. “We wanted it to be innovative, modern, stylish, and design-led but without sacrificing functionality.”
- Design: SolidWorks and Pro/Engineer were used for the design and engineering respectively.
- Prototypes: 3D printing was used early on for design validation and testing of various parts. A 1:6 scale model was then built to get a better feel for the dimensions and overall product before a final 1:1 model was produced using vacuum moulding.
- Ergonomics: “We thoroughly investigated the biomechanics, the materials used, seat position, the q-angle (distance between pedals) in order to build the best stationary bike,” says Jelte Tempelaars, Power Plate senior vice president product development.
- Price: £2,995. You’ll think it’s worthwhile when winter returns.
www.powerplate.com/uk/
