Green Daily

Bicycles are already one of the greenest forms of transportation. They don't use gas or an engine, so there are no emissions. So how do you make them even greener? Build them out of cardboard instead of metal.

Cardboard is already a fairly green (OK, brown) product. Two thirds of cardboard is made from recycled fiber. But that's not really what drove 21-year-old Sheffield Hallam University design student Phil Bridge to create a prototype bicycle made from cardboard. The truth is, as a building material cardboard is a lot cheaper than metal. Bridge says his bike could be built for as little as $30. The most expensive parts are the ones that require metal, like the fork and the wheels. If you left them out, the bike would cost just $8 to build.

The bike is designed to withstand rain and other weather. But cardboard obviously isn't as durable as metal. Bridge says the idea is that you would replace the frame every 6 months or so. The tires and some other longer-lasting parts are designed to be slotted into a new frame.

Bridge's bike is still just a prototype and isn't available for purchase yet. And it's not clear if it ever will be. But the concept is pretty cool. You know, if you can live without shock mounting.

[via Matter]