Carbotanium? Will it be the new unobtainium?

[deptfordmarmoset]

I spent a little while looking at carbon fibre and titanium bikes yesterday, and then last night watched a bit of Top Gear only to see Hammond driving around in a rather rapid car made from carbotanium. It sounds like it could be very light and strong and - here's the important part - even more expensive. I don't have any expertise in engineering but these 3 factors make it sound like it could become a rather desirable frame material. Does anybody know owt about this stuff?

 

[fossyant]

Don't tell V for Vengedetta !

 

[Yellow Fang]

I'd like a bike made of beryllium. It would be very, very light. The only problem is that it is toxic to one in twenty people.

 

[just jim]

I'd like a bike made of beryllium. It would be very, very light. The only problem is that it is toxic to one in twenty people.

Surely "berylburtonium"?
Surely.
Ok that's enough editing.

 

[machew]

Nah Graphene is the future -- 1 metre square sheet of graphene, could support the weight of a 4kg cat, while only weighing 0.77milligrams (less than one of the cat’s whiskers).
So theoretically your 7.2kgs carbon fiber bike using graphene would weigh less than 4kgs

 

[andycycle]

I spent a little while looking at carbon fibre and titanium bikes yesterday, and then last night watched a bit of Top Gear only to see Hammond driving around in a rather rapid car made from carbotanium. It sounds like it could be very light and strong and - here's the important part - even more expensive. I don't have any expertise in engineering but these 3 factors make it sound like it could become a rather desirable frame material. Does anybody know owt about this stuff?

I watched top gear and thought instantly about carbotanium bikes!!. As a keen cyclist, it would be interesting to see how the carbotanium building process is done and how much it costs to manufacture compared to carbon. Hammond said that carbotanium doesn't crack like carbon and its stronger too. I think that the perfect weight for a road bike would be between 8 - 12 lbs, any less than that and it wouldn't make sense and the ride would be harsh and dangerous, especially in high winds. (correct me if i'm wrong) Also a new material has been developed called graphene http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graphene. Its all very exciting so i hope bicycle technology can be developed even further!

 

[just jim]

I have the feeling Carbotanium framed bicycles will be affordable around the time the HS2 route is completed.

 

[andycycle]

lol . in about 30 years. I think the main factor to start building carbotanium bikes comes down to cost and whether it's viable to build them for the mass market or just for the niche market. I think for carbotanium bikes to be built on a mass scale carbon frames and components would have to be reduced in price for the carbotanium to find its audience. for example a trek madone 5.2 frame (carbon £1000) (carbotanium £1700) if the price of carbotanium frames are double that price then i think they will struggle to sell as much as carbon. The problem is i think cyclist get ripped off for the price of frames and components already.

 

[Andrew_Culture]

Nah Graphene is the future -- 1 metre square sheet of graphene, could support the weight of a 4kg cat, while only weighing 0.77milligrams (less than one of the cat’s whiskers).
So theoretically your 7.2kgs carbon fiber bike using graphene would weigh less than 4kgs

Is cat a standard unit of measurement these days? Sounds like a fun lab to work in!

 

[Beebo]

Is cat a standard measurement these days? Sounds like a fun lab to work in!

everyone knows the standard unit of measurement is double decker buses and football pitches

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

lol . in about 30 years. I think the main factor to start building carbotanium bikes comes down to cost and whether it's viable to build them for the mass market or just for the niche market. I think for carbotanium bikes to be built on a mass scale carbon frames and components would have to be reduced in price for the carbotanium to find its audience. for example a trek madone 5.2 frame (carbon £1000) (carbotanium £1700) if the price of carbotanium frames are double that price then i think they will struggle to sell as much as carbon. The problem is i think cyclist get ripped off for the price of frames and components already.

There is usually a good enough supply of early adopters/sponsors who are prepared to pay exorbitant prices to be part of the future. And if the product takes off, prices fall. If anything, the emergence of new materials can reduce the ''cutting edge'' premium on earlier frame materials. But who knows, carbotanium might be a pig to ride so it's still all hypothetical.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

everyone knows the standard unit of measurement is double decker buses and football pitches

Let's not forget the size of Wales.

 

[green1]

everyone knows the standard unit of measurement is double decker buses and football pitches

And Wales.

Edit: Damn you Deptford

 

[vernon]

When I was doing my A-level chemistry, volumes of dry chemicals were measured in Sugar Puffs and Rice Crispies.

Perfect results every time apart from Kevin Walshaw who managed to blow up his reflux distillation apparatus when he decided to put a stopper in the end of the condensor to prevent vapour escaping when all he needed to do was turn the bunsen burner down.

I retreated and watched and smirked when it all went wrong.

It beats me how he got a place at Oxford.

 

[dan_bo]

And Wales.

Edit: Damn you Deptford

And swimming pools.