The 15 pounds cardboard bicycle world's 'ultimate green machine'

London, June 26 : A 21-year-old student at Sheffield Hallam University has developed a prototype of the cheapest eco-friendly mode of transportation - cardboard bicycle.

The 'ultimate green machine' might one day sell for as little as 15 pounds.

Phil Bridge, of Stockport, Greater Manchester, believes that with such a low value, they could be a more attractive proposition for occasional cyclists - as well as making the bikes less of a target for thieves.

The frame, made out of cardboard normally used in industrial packaging, could be produced for as little as 3 pounds.

Once the wheels and chain had been added the total price might rise to only 15 pounds.

"I started by looking at the reasons why people don't use bikes as a mode of transport, and one of the primary reasons I came up with was the initial investment in a bike," The Telegraph quoted Bridge, as saying.

"A typical round town bike can cost several hundred pounds, and that's a large investment for people who aren't sure whether they will use it. The idea of cardboard is to completely devalue the bike.

"The cardboard for the frame is the material used in industrial packaging. It's very strong and it has a honeycomb core. It's mainly used in partition walling and packaging.

"The prototype does work but it is still quite limited and there are a few problems," he added.

Bridge has claimed that his bike is strong enough to support a rider, so long as he or she weighs under 12 stone.

Perhaps more crucially, he insisted that it is sufficiently robust not to go soft and collapse in the rain.

ANI