Rob Forbes

From Design Within Reach to Public Bikes, Rob Forbes Talks to US About Urban Design and How We Live Together as a Species “Everyone Needs

Inspiration and music and creativity—but we don’t really need another sweater, bench, or chair. As a designer, you’re always going to do it anyways... But what could you sell, that if you sold more of, it could improve communities around the world?

Bicycles.”

Rob Forbes, creator of PUBLIC Bikes and founder of Design Within Reach, has a beautifully designed vision for the world.

He takes his vision for improving communities to the evolution of cities and the uprising of a liveable cities movement where bikes are prominent—much like in Europe. In the U.S., less than 1% of trips are made via bicycle. In European countries like Holland, it can be as high as 30%. New York City and San Francisco are what he calls more ‘enlightened’ cities of neighborhoods already grasping this idea, but he recognizes that it’s just a matter of time before more catch on. Bicycles connect you closely to your community, increase your health and sense of well-being...and they even make you look good.

It’s no surprise that the founder of DWR and a former potter with a background in retail strategically planted himself at the forefront of the movement. He paid close attention to the fixie movement, the street scene, and the DIY bikes that young people gravitate towards—and he looked at it as a design guy. “If you put a monochromatic palate on a bike, you’ve got the frame, the fenders, and you lighten the color on the tires, people look at you like that’s incredible,” said Forbes.

Public started with inspiration from the mid-50s in France—they looked at the mixte; the scale, size, and architecture and used the best technology and bike designers to get the geometry just right to make something simple and recognizable. Color became an important aspect, too. “Bikes are narrow, so in order to make something really have character, you need to stick a bold, saturated color on it,” said Forbes.

Forbes’ visions for the future are sourced in his daily way of living. He photographs beautiful objects that strike him wherever he may be, and rather than keep to himself, he’s working on a book to share these photos and visual ways of looking at pattern and repetition with others. It’s obvious that he is a purveyor of good design, and really not just as a retailer, but as a philanthropist.

Throughout our interview, Forbes’ frequently referred to a life with a bike as a life you’re living. “You train yourself to look at things more visually,” he said. “You look at what the road looks like, the people walking down the street, the sounds from cars, architecture, what’s happening around you.”

He tells us that he’s always been a bike guy. He’s always had a bike, ridden around on bikes, and simply liked them as design objects—the same way he likes chairs. “I just think they’re really cool,” he said. And Rob, we think you’re damn cool, too. —rm

Just get good product and tell the truth. People are really interested in authenticity and honesty.