Marin Bike Mate
An app that helps you connect with friends and explore new trails
Company History
Founded in the back yard of San Francisco, Marin Mountain Bikes has prided themselves on innovating and developing new bike technology for the past 30 years. Marin has recently faced an uphill climb differentiating themselves in an increasingly competitive market. Unwilling to compromise quality by reducing prices, they wanted to educate their potential customers of the benefits of their superior products.
Design Challenge
Create a mobile product that would help convert outdoor enthusiasts into new mountain bikers who would then associate the sport with the Marin brand.
Our four member team was tasked with determining what were the main sticking points for on boarding new riders into the sport.
My interpretation of the problem
“The main reason more people do not mountain bike ride is because of logistics. Getting to the trail and not having proper equipment are the main sticking points.”
I incorrectly assumed that not having a car or a mountain bike were the main reasons more people did not take up the sport.
Group Research
Through interviews, surveys and attitudinal research we discovered that, while logistics were in fact sticking points, the primary problem was social motivation. Having a friend or colleague invite someone to ride was an overwhelming deciding factor in choosing to ride. Our group research proved my personal hypothesis wrong and helped reshape the course and scope of our work.
The Problem
More people would explore the sport of mountain biking if their friends invited them!
Group Hypothesis
“Marin needs an application that helps facilitate a social connection amongst bikers, while providing enough information to those who are interested but apprehensive about the spot.”
My Design Solution
Armed with our group research, I set out to create and iterate designs that would prioritize the social aspects of mountain bike riding.
How we solved the problem
• Emphasis placed on group members
Providing upfront information about the dynamics of the group alleviate the social anxiety associated with making new friends to ride with. Users can see how many people have signed up for a ride, what type of rider they are, and what goals they may have when hitting the trail.
• At-a-glance reference points
Information on trail length, difficulty and elevation change are provided in the browse screen. In conjunction with prominent date and time placement, all pertinent information is presented on aclutter free screen, allowing for a lightweight interaction with the app, further removing any sticking pints potential riders may have.
• Privacy Concerns
To further alleviate any fears associated with the social aspects of joining/creating a group, we created a privacy function that allows users to post both public AND private rides. For users that are new to the sport, and would prefer to only ride with trusted friends and not strangers, this feature enables them to schedule rides that would not be visible to the rest off the app community.
