Do you remember your first bicycle?
Part of growing up, one of the most exciting things that many of us have experienced was learning how to ride a bike. Most of us can recall the first bicycle they had, maybe most of you still have it.
The first bicycle was invented in Germany in 1816. The bicycle had no chain and the wheels were huge. It only had one gear, but that was not the point. It was an innovation that many of us love to use today.
http://library.thinkquest.org/C007384/The%20main%20menu/Time%20line/from%201838%20to%201848.html <—
History of the first bicycle
One of the first things when buying a bike is asking how many gears will it have so I could see how hard do I have to paddle up the hill and how fast can I go down the hill. This has finally been answered by Novara Gotham.
A BIKE WITH INFINITE GEARS.
Recently in class we have been discussing product life cycle. Now for years each bicycle would have gears or no gears. Based on my experience from working at a bike shop, many customers want the bike to have as much as gears as possible. This way they can go faster and easier up the hills. Will this innovation change the future production of bicycles?
How can this new innovation be applied to the product life cycle?
- -Research
- -Product Development
- -Process modification and enhancement
- -Supplier development
First bike have been invented over 200 years ago, technically this is a new innovation within an old one. In addition, this a brand new addition of a bicycle brand to the family of bikes. Do you think Trek or Felt might want to buy this concept to increase their innovation ideas?
This new product opportunity must have went through an extensive product development.
- Ideas
- Ability
- Customer
- Requirements
- Functional
- Specifications
- Product
- Specifications
- Design
- Review
- Test
- Market
- Introduction
- Evaluation
My question is how does one think of an innovation like this from the beginning? Is it mostly the customers’ requests and the first one out there to figure it out is the one to put it together. Not many people in the business world have the opportunity to have their innovative idea make it to the market. It takes a lot of knowledge and networks to establish themselves.
Many innovative individuals might have the ability to design a concept but how do you manufacture it? The QFD plays an essential role in this project. It was a team of innovators that worked together in order to have a solid plan before proposing it to anyone.
REVERSE ENGINEERING
In my opinion, one of the first people to purchase this bike will be employees of huge cycling companies. That way they can take it apart and figure out the engineering portion of this innovation.
Do you think that reverse engineering should be illegal? Its almost as if someone was stealing a patent from you.