Ford "Mode: Flex" Non-Functional Bicycle Prototype, 2015
THF172637 / Ford "Mode: Flex" Non-Functional Bicycle Prototype, 2015
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Artifact Overview
Automakers increasingly considered themselves "mobility providers" in the 2010s. Ford Motor Company's MoDe:Flex bicycle prototype was born of that thinking. The power-assisted bike operated via an Apple iPhone app that controlled the electric motor, monitored the rider's speed and heart rate, and provided navigation assistance and traffic updates. When disassembled, the bike fit neatly into the trunk of a compact car.
Artifact Details
Artifact
Bicycle
Date Made
2015
Creators
Place of Creation
Location
Not on exhibit to the public.
Object ID
2017.93.2
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Ford Motor Company.
Material
Thermoplastic
Technique
3-D printing
Color
Silver (Color)
Black (Color)
Blue
Dimensions
Height: 37.5 in
Width: 26 in
Length: 47 in
Inscriptions
on bicycle tires:
SCHWALBE / MARATHON SUPREME
on bicycle wheels:
MODE FLEX
on bicycle sides, above pedals:
FORD
on top of bicycle seat:
ROYAL GEL / SR / SELLE ROYAL
on proper right side of bicycle seat, from back to front:
COOL X SENIUM / respiro
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Automakers increasingly considered themselves "mobility providers" in the 2010s. Ford Motor Company's MoDe:Flex bicycle prototype was born of that thinking. The power-assisted bike operated via an Apple iPhone app that controlled the electric motor, monitored the rider's speed and heart rate, and provided navigation assistance and traffic updates. When disassembled, the bike fit neatly into the trunk of a compact car.
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