BBB bikeparts sells a wide range of bicycle accessories, made and designed by large independent factories in places such as Taiwan. As their first intern product designer I was asked by BBB to design the successor to their minipump.

I found through my research cyclists don’t like the mounting brackets needed to attach a pump to their bike. Instead of using these larger pumps cyclists tend to resort to tiny minipumps that they can put in their back pocket. These small pumps are not a good alternative because they take up to 300 strokes to fill up a tire. When stuck on the side of the road stuck with a flat this is torture. The solution that I came up with was a modern version of the old framepump. Frame pumps used to be the best pump solution available to cyclists, but they are not compatible with new organic carbon fiber and hydroformed aluminum frames which have become common in the cycling world. The higher volume per stroke compared to a tiny minipump allows a framepump to fill up a tire in less time and with less work than a minipump, allowing you to be back on the road quicker. Frame pumps are also a better solution than co2 because you do not have to worry about running out of cartridges. To modernize and improve on the old framepump design I produced a concave formed pump with the following advantages:

• • Direct mount onto any frame tube with a single Velcro strap. (toptube, downtube, seattube, seatpost, etc) No mounting bracket needed.
• • Minimalist appearance when mounted underneath the frames toptube. Very slim and unobtrusive appearance attempts to not detract from the appearance of your bike.
• Ergonomic form provided by the wide and concaved handle. The handle feels comfortable in the hand and also provides good grip.
• This pump is also good for mountainbike applications. When mounted under the toptube the pump is protected from water and dirt, so it will function better longer.
• Rubber patting protects the frame against scratches
• Low profile and aerodynamic form appeals to race cyclists

The enthousiasm of their main pump manufacturer and a Duct-taping pro cyclist from the Cofidis team convinced BBB to continue with the project. The twist head included in my original design was replaced with the cheaper lever system to bring down costs. A year later, in 2008, the pump went into production named the Oval Integrate. At the 2008 Eurobike the design received an award for its innovative form.

Prototype pump underneath the downtube

2008 Eurobike Award by iF Design