Geared - Build Your Bike by Alex Solomon | Kickstarter

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Geared is a 2-4 player bike building card game where players must race against each other to put together as many bikes as they can and be the first one to earn 1000 points. However, watch out for other players who may try to sabotage your bike builds by removing, stealing, or swapping your parts. Whether or not the parts are all the same level determines how much a build is worth. The higher the level of parts, the more points you could earn. You can focus on playing one Parts Card at a time, or you could build a matching bike in your hand and play a build combo to lay it all down at once. Once a build is complete, its Parts Cards can not be used again. This makes it important to complete a bike only when you know its Parts couldn't be used for a better build. In order to build the best bikes and earn the most points, you must be smart about when and how you lay parts down.
Geared is designed for ages 12 and up and a typical game takes 20-30 minutes.

Below is a growing list of articles, interviews, and press releases featuring Geared. If you're interested in featuring Geared on your blog or website, get in touch with me at gearedcardgame@gmail.com.
“…players will quite literally (as literal as tabletop gaming can get) be in for the rides of their lives.” – Vince, DadsGamingAddiction.com
“I always loved finishing an 80-100 mile day of riding by relaxing and working on my bike. There was something about seeing the parts come together right then and there that made you feel accomplished.” – Myself, Interview with TwoGeekyNerds.com
"What happens when you ask a graphic designer/game developer/cyclist to create a new card game? You get Geared..." - News Article on Gameskinny

Geared comes with 96 cards (5 different levels of Parts Cards, 3 types of Action Cards, 3 Wild Cards) and a folded set of instructions. 


Starting the Game
  • Players start off by choosing a dealer and having them shuffle the cards.
  • The dealer then gives each player 5 cards.
  • The person to the left of the dealer is the one who begins play.
During Your Turn
  • You can play a Parts Card to start or continue building a bike or you can play an Action Card to Remove, Steal, or Swap a Parts Card that another player has already played.
  • You can only play one card per turn. However, a player may play up to three Parts Cards in one turn only if all three cards being played are of the same level.
  • You may freely move Parts Cards between your incomplete builds.
  • At the end of your turn, you must draw the exact number of cards played during your turn.
Building a Bike
  • To build a bike, you must combine a Frame Card, Handlebars Card, and Wheels Card in the playing area in front of you. 
  • The Part Levels do not have to match for a build to complete. 
  • You can earn more points by completing a Set Build where all three Parts in the build of the same level.
Scoring and Winning
  • To win, a player must be the first one to earn 1000 points by building complete bikes.
  • Players earn a total amount of Set Points for a build when all three parts within the build are of the same level.
  • Players add up the individual Part Points for a build when all three parts are not the same level.





So we can just get it out of the way, I love bikes! After I rode 4,000 miles for M.S. across the United States in 2012, I immediately became hooked. There's something about being on a bike that is unlike anything else. A bike can help you commute, exercise, or just have a good time. For a long time, I wanted to play a game that involved bikes. However, there weren't too many of them that I could find that were easy to understand and a lot of fun to play. That's when I decided to come up with my own. Not only do I love bikes, but I love seeing others get involved with bikes and experience the open road like I was fortunate enough to do. I knew that I wanted to create a game that had to do with bikes, was easy to learn, simple to play, and could still keep you entertained, game after game. After a lot of brainstorming, trial and error, play testing, and design, Geared was born. 

Me at the starting point in Yorktown, Virginia
Me at the starting point in Yorktown, Virginia

Over the past several months, I have spent hundreds of hours developing the game, refining the mechanics, designing all of the artwork and packaging, developing and designing the website, shooting and editing the video, and much, much more. Fortunately, because of my experience in design, I was able to do much of this myself and save a lot of money in doing so. However, I have taken the game as far as I can on my own. This is where you come in. 
All of the artwork and graphics are 100% complete, the game play is finalized, the rules are finished, and I am so close to being able to hit the green light and go into production. There is only one thing that Geared lacks, funding. With the support of backers, I'll be able to manufacture and ship the game.
The whole process of creating Geared has been an amazing experience and I have learned more than I ever would have imagined. To see Geared make it this far puts a big smile on my face. I am so close to seeing Geared become a reality and the only way that I can get there is with your help. The best part is, by helping fund Geared, you get to be a part of it's creation. You can also help by spreading the word about Geared. Share the project page, tell a friend, or feature Geared in your blog.
To everyone who has helped Geared get this far, spread the word, or just checked out the project, THANK YOU! Your support is what drives me to move forward with Geared and I could not do this without you.

Risks and challengesLearn about accountability on Kickstarter

As a graphic designer, I know the importance of a deadline and delivering on time. The cards, the rules, the box, everything that needs to be designed for the game is 100% complete. I have spoken with manufacturers and distributors to get you the game as quickly as possible. However, as with any large print run there is always a chance that something could go wrong but I have been working hard to reduce all risks as much as possible. I know how important communication is with projects like these, if there is a delay for whatever reason, I promise to keep everyone updated.
If anyone does pledge to get their own personal bikes within the game, there is the risk that it could take longer than anticipated to receive the picture of their bikes. Ideally, I would like to receive these the day after the project ends, but there is still the chance of delay. However, because I will be doing the designs of the bikes myself, it saves a lot of time that would be spent dealing with an outside designer's schedule. This will allow me to get you the game as quickly as possible.

[Kickstarter]

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