Ideo and Rock Lobster Custom Cycles craft utility bike (photos)

Rock Lobster Custom Cycles' Paul Sadoff, left, and a team of designers from Ideo use Post-it notes to brainstorm ideas to create the ultimate utility bike. The two companies are teaming together as part of the Oregon Manifest bike design competition.

During a brainstorming session with Ideo and Rock Lobster Custom Cycles to create the ultimate utility bike, wacky ideas emerge. But no idea is too outlandish to discard immediately. Some might lead to other insights later. And there's no harm in jotting it down.

The team from Ideo and Rock Lobster Custom Cycles collect images of a variety of bicycles and other modes of transportation to inform their thinking. The idea isn't to copy what's already been done, but rather to learn and draw inspiration.

The team from Ideo and Rock Lobster Custom Cycles came up with a "mind map" to refer back to as they created their utility bike. The mind map it intended to keep them focused on creating the specific bike they have in mind.

Rock Lobster Custom Cycles' Paul Sadoff in his Santa Cruz, Calif., shop.

Some of the tools Paul Sadoff of Rock Lobster Custom Cycles uses to build bike frames.

A few of the creations of Rock Lobster Custom Cycles, hanging from the wall of its Santa Cruz, Calif., shop.

Ideo's Adam Vollmer, who is working with Rock Lobster Custom Cycles to create the ultimate utility bike for the Oregon Manifest bike design competition.