Great Product and My Bike
I was thinking today about product, specifically about good examples of great products. The first thing that popped into my head was my iPhone and other Apple hardware. Then I thought about great software that just intuitively does what I want, like Zoom. Then I thought about my bike.
Quick background… This year I bought a new bike, a BMC Road Machine. Yes, I spent too much — more than my first car. But given that bike riding was one of the few safe things to do this year not at a computer, it was worth it. No regrets.
Specifically what makes my bike a great product is that it is an incredibly complex wonder of engineering and design, yet from a user perspective, it is incredibly simple. Simple, because it does what I want, without having to think, in a way that makes me feel good and want to use it over and over again.
The carbon fiber used in the frame, wheels, and other components is a modern marvel of materials engineering. It is five-times stronger than steel and yet five times lighter. And it is stiffer in one direction and more flexible in another. But from a user perspective the bike is just faster and more comfortable.
The wireless electronic shifting embodies layer upon layer of modern technology including advanced materials science, micro stepper motors, ceramic bearings, bluetooth communications, and lithium-ion batteries. But from a user perspective the bike just intuitively does what you want — left to shift for a lower gear and right for a higher gear — with minimal effort.
The internally routed hydraulic brake lines and wireless bluetooth derailleur control require modern advances in electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, computer science, fluid dynamics, and chemistry. But from a user perspective it just provides a simple, clean, satisfying, design with nothing to get in your way.
All in all, my bike is a beautiful illustration of what a great product should be. A magical and satisfying user experience made possible by world-class design and engineering, thoughtfully applied in a way that hides all of the complexity.
