As the beefy name would imply, the Big Boda is about as close to a beast of burden as a bike can get. Able to carry hundreds of pounds of cargo or two additional passengers, Big Boda was designed as a cheap solution to transport goods to and from market for entrepreneurs and consumers in developing countries. WorldBike designed Big Boda as a steel frame extension that attaches to any bicycle, making even the flimsiest frame into a durable and hefty transport option.

Based off of the original Longtail design that was produced in partnership with Kickstart International in 2003, the Big Boda is made to fit the most common, lowest-cost bicycle available in the developing world– the “Black Mamba”. Similar to the Extrabike in concept but with an aim to reduce weight and cost, it adds long rear and side racks at the back of the frame, inserted between the seat post and the rear wheel. The rear wheel is pushed back, extending the wheel base and providing additional room for securing cargo above and to the sides without interfering with rider position or pedal stroke. In this configuration, large loads that would normally require great skill and effort to transport in a single go become quite manageable for a typical rider. Weight and cost are reduced by using less expensive steel stock and by simplifying the side racks, eliminating the wide, drop down platforms seen on the Extrabike.

The top platform of the Big Boda, covered with woven papyrus and sporting a narrower profile, carries both cargo and passengers comfortably. Side platforms provide additional cargo space on either side of the wheel, distributing the weight to a lower center of gravity and allowing for more cargo to be carried in a single trip without difficulty.

The Big Boda frame is made from steel rod and angle stock and is available for $110 from WorldBike’s Kisumu workshop to NGOs and individuals.

+ Big Boda bike from WorldBike

This entry was posted on Saturday, October 27th, 2007 at 12:49 am and is filed under Non-Profits & Organizations, Transportation, Tales of Great Design, Products. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.