Urban Bike Shop :: Cool List 4.

Where British Specialbike creates unique bicycles by refurbishing old ones with custom components and a colourful flair, Florida-based Republic Bike achieves a similar end with new bikes by allowing customers to design their own in a rainbow of hues. Now, through a partnership with Republic Bike, global retailer Urban Outfitters is bringing design-your-own capabilities to its customers as well at the online Urban Outfitters Bike Shop.

Working with the Aristotle v.1.5, a single-speed bike with a flip-flop hub, Republic Bike begins by asking users to select from among three frame sizes for the bike they’d like built for them. They are then asked to choose the colours they’d like for nine separate components on the bike: frame, saddle, grips, chain, crank, and front and rear tires and rims. Five popular styles are available for those having difficulty choosing among the 500 or so possible colour combinations, as is a random option for alternative ideas. Once the selections are made, Republic Bike builds the bike in its South Florida facility within days of receiving the order. It’s then packed for shipment, arriving at the consumer’s door 90 percent assembled.

Given the recent renaissance in pedal power, the arrival of personalization capabilities comes not a moment too soon. Republic Bike ships only within North America, however, while Urban Outfitters limits its orders to the continental US. One to bring to two-wheeled enthusiasts on the bike lanes near you…? It’s not just the customized rides that interest us here, though—it’s the partnership between a large retailer and a smaller firm that focuses on letting customers design the products they want. Here are a few more examples get you started, customizable lingerie, chocolate bars and of course, now bikes.

The take away for us is innovate. Be creative in your approach to developing your collaborative strategies and create value in the process. This collaboration speaks directly to innovation, sustainability (we should all ride more) and community.

Website: bikes.urbanoutfitters.com

INNOVATION: 90
SOCIAL/ COMMUNITY: 90
SUSTAINABILITY: 90

COOL LIST SCORE: 90%
COOL LIST RATING: 2nd

[source :: springwise]

This entry was posted on Thursday, December 3rd, 2009 at 11:19 am and is filed under Innovations, THE COOL LIST, THE INTERNET, THE WHITE ROOM, technology and tagged with Bikes, DESIGN, ENVIRONMENT, Retail, urban outfitters, Web. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.