Design & Technology students at Adams’ Grammar School will be unveiling the first-ever student-built bikes at a special school assembly on Friday 28th March 2014.
Bikes that have been designed and built as part of the school’s newly revamped Design & Technology GCSE will be demonstrated to all pupils in a special ‘outdoor’ assembly, with the help of a portable BMX track that will be built around the playground for the occasion.
The Design & Technology Department’s bike project, known as L!FE BIKES, was launched in September last year when the Department decided it was time for a relaunch.
Head of Design & Technology Andrew Jones explains: “We wanted to create a course with a lovely balance of traditional skills and an innovative use of the latest available technology. As we started to plan it, we very quickly realised that we can actually teach all of the elements of DT through the design of bicycles, and so in September we launched our new GCSE in Product Design.”
The Year 11 students taking the GCSE have had a totally unique educational experience in that they have all been given the opportunity to make their own bicycle. Using their own measurements they have designed, drawn and then produced a custom-made bike frame, completely from scratch using steel.
Mr Jones explains: “Steel was once thought to be an ‘outdated’ material with the extensive use of carbon fibre in the bicycle industry. However, recent developments in metallurgy have led to the production of tubes that are so thin and strong they can be used as an alternative to carbon in the professional world of bike racing.”
The GCSE course has been created to combine the best elements of the old Resistant Materials, Electronics, Systems and Graphic Products courses. Mr Jones adds: “In building a bicycle from scratch our students have been learning about structural engineering, graphics, marketing, CAD/CAM, electronics and much more. We believe we are the first and only school in the country to be doing this.”
Each of the completed bikes has had to be carefully inspected to ensure they are of the standard that is expected from a high street shop or professional race team. This has been the responsibility of the Department’s Technician Jon Clarke.
“Once we had decided to do the bike project, I attended a nationally recognised training and accreditation scheme for bicycle mechanics” explains Mr Clarke. “The qualification I gained from this has meant I have been able to offer advice to our students throughout the project as well as ensure all the bikes meet the correct safety standards.”
The GCSE Design and Technology students have been invited to showcase their bikes at this year’s UK Handmade Bicycle Show, Bespoked 2014, on 11-13 April at the Lee Valley Velodrome in London - home of the London 2012 Olympic Track Cycling.
Mr Jones adds: “The enthusiasm and commitment from our students throughout the year has been overwhelming. They should be very proud of what they have achieved, especially as we are the only school to be exhibiting at Bespoked 2014. We are all really looking forward to it.”
