NRML // Barbasket

PROJECT/

The bicycle is one of the most elegant inventions of all time. And there are SO many cool bikes in San Francisco. But many of these cool bikes suffer aesthetic indignities in order to be useful everyday rides. So some bike-minded friends and I started NRML, a bike accessory start up with a mission to make bike accessories that are as elegant as bicycles themselves.

Bent, crooked, clunky wire baskets rank among the worst offenders. So the first product we developed was the Barbasket. Its a handlebar with an integrated basket rim that supports a fabric basket.  It holds your stuff snuggly, like a little hammock.  And it has a bungeed flap on the top that keeps your stuff secure.  But the best part about it is that it does all this without looking like an janky add on.  It’s a basket that becomes part of your bike.  

We got interest from some major bike accessory companies like QBP and Merry Sales, so we launched a kickstarted campaign to finance a first run of Barbaskets. But we were unsuccessful. Based on feedback we heard, the big reason was installation. You have to remove your handlebars and replace them. That involves re-cabling the bike. All of this is no big deal for a bike minded person, but to most consumers the prospect is absolutely daunting.

RESULT/

We think that aesthetically and functionally, the designs were extremely successful. It didn’t set the bicycle accessory world on fire, but the process was immensely satisfying and we learned some lessons.