The Expanding Kilobike Concept Kilo/Yanko Design

The tricky thing about buying a bike (or anything else) for a kid is that there's a 99.9-percent certainty they'll outgrow it. The genius behind the Kilobike is that while they're between the ages of 6 and 12, the bike will grow with them.

The Kilobike, a concept by German firm Kilo Design, comes with swappable joints in the frame's top tube, which expand it out diagonally. When teamed with standard seat- and handlebar-height adjustments, these joints allow the bike to grow right along with a child's ever-lengthening limbs while ensuring they ride with proper ergonomics. Not to mention saving mom and dad a few dollars over the years.

It's one of those conceptual designs that seem so simple that they would have to have existed in the mainstream by now, right?

[Kilo Design via Yanko Design]

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17 Comments

The illustration also shows an extension of the fork, which would be necessary to preserve the angles of the seat tube and head tube. Those are usually considered more important that the seat to handlebar dimension.

Bob Stuart

I can just see all the cool kids wanting those...maybe in Zimbabwe

hey moron you have a problem with zimbabwe? ever been there? don't make stupid comments about people you don't know.

LOL, don't tell me what to do or not do, you're not the boss!

wow

sox all the way

Kabooom!!!! Podboq got PWNED!!!! NOOBFAG!!!!

That just doesn't look safe. I think that bike will shatter when the kid wants to jump the curb outside of his house or something...

Ok, replace 'zimbabwe' with 'any third world country'...

HEY POP SCI! Are you going to let people use words like FAG on your website?

why are we worrying so much about Zimbabue...I dont get it
:(

lintaylor2190.....nothing is safe if you come to tink of it :D

I personally don't think this bike is a bad idea. I'm sure the model above isn't the final product. Of course, when you get this bike you cut out the cool frankenstein bikes my brothers and I used to make from parts of old bikes we grew out of.

@podboq No, we don't. You're outta here.

This is an amazing concept. For all the folks who love biking http://hintcafe.com/find-singles/biking and want to provide bikes to their kids, its a good concept. Now they don't have to buy a new bike every couple of years as the kid keeps growing

When I was growing up you could adjust the seat high. And kids bikes cost $50 from wally world. Even if you have to replace them every few years it still wont make since to buy a $300 bike for a kid. But maybe the cost will be low if this bike is manufactured in Zimbabwe.

HAVE A BIKE FOR YOUR KID UNTILL HIGH SCHOOL:easy on the money
WHY IT APPERENTLY HASNT BEEN INVENTED YET:god knows why
-DaSonicMan

ya know....its that fancy gear crap....scrounge a normal no nonsense bike for 20 bucks and be happy

I think its a great concept where the bike can grow with the child and will certainly save having to spend out on a new bike over the 6 years. The only down side I can see is that children's tastes change a great deal over that 6 year time span and a bike suitable for a 6 year old may become embarrassing for a 12 year old. Just a thought.
Jeff.. the beadstalk


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