Representing Team CHI in the Oregon Manifest Bike Design Challenge—an independent invite only platform for bike craft, design and innovation—the team was challenged to design the ultimate urban utility bike. Competing alongside teams from PDX, SF, NYC and SEA, they developed a point of view that was universal, while still being infused with a strong Chicago DNA. With the project kicking off in the middle of one of the worst winters in Chicago’s history, the team couldn’t help but be influenced by the tough, all-weather warriors that commute year-round in the city. The BLACKLINE is tough yet refined, with just the right amount of street savvy. It takes its name from Chicago’s iconic elevated train lines that run throughout the city, non-stop. While the ‘L’ train will get you from station to station, the BLACKLINE is the ride that gives you the freedom to get everywhere in between.