Ground breaking design or gimmick?

[Cycleops]

This is Bike Radar's bike of the week. It's a crowd funded project in CF and lacks a seat tube. Anyone tempted?
https://www.bikeradar.com/features/bike-of-the-week/superstrata-classic/

 

[Milkfloat]

Looks like a bad GCSE project. The construction method of printing could be interesting but what they have achieved with that to me at least seems terrible.

 

[Specialeyes]

$2,800 for a bike with mechanical discs, weighing 11.64kg and that doesn't seem to have (m)any environmental benefits other than being made in a co-located factory? I wish them luck, but no thanks.


Edit to add: I love " What is Bike of the Week? Every fortnight, we’ll bring you a detailed first look at one of the latest bikes..." Reminds me of "Live from Norwich - it's the Quiz of the Week - Sale of the Century!"

 

[T4tomo]

According to the brand, the seat tube omission is “to challenge not only our own technology but what is possible in carbon fibre bicycle manufacturing”.

The brand also says it saves weight, given there’s an entire tube missing.

All-in, our test bike weighs 11.64kg without pedals.

can't see this getting very far....

 

[ClichéGuevara]

can't see this getting very far....

Not with a lump like me on it wouldn't. I envisage a loud snapping noise and me sat on the pedals and assorted fragments.

 

[jowwy]

not seeing a Max rider weight, unless i missed it as i quickly scanned through the text

 

[Dogtrousers]

I'm pleased to see that they are using 'industrial grade' thermoplastic.

It would be disappointing if they used one of the other widely available grades of thermoplastic such as ... er ...

 

[Paulus]

Not with a lump like me on it wouldn't. I envisage a loud snapping noise and me sat on the pedals and assorted fragments.

At first glance I can see 3 possible points on the frame for fatigue and possible failure.

 

[bonzobanana]

I only do cheap bikes anyway the sort of people that may be interested in this are those with high disposable incomes who are happy to dispose of them on a whim. I do wonder if such bikes could ultimately be quite rare in the future and actually be collectable and high value though, if you are willing to wait 40 years for the value to increase. It probably would have degraded by then anyway maybe. I have to admit I don't even like the look of it. There is a reason the original safety bicycle design is still in use today even on non-steel bicycles its just great engineering that is hard to beat. Here you have to add material to compensate for lack of a seat tube.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Actually it doesn't seem terribly ground-breaking or gimmicky or even particularly interesting.

OK, it lacks a seat tube. Provided the frame is structurally sound that's not very interesting, it just means it hasn't got a seat tube.

I'm not an engineer or materials scientist so I'm not qualified to comment on whether it is sound or not. But as a cyclist, would it make any difference to me if my seat tube wasn't there (providing the frame didn't fail)? Well, it means I'd lose one of my bottle mounts, but apart from that - no, not at all.

(Edit: Oh, and I'd have nowhere to mount my front mech. That would be a bit of a problem)

 

[matticus]

But as a cyclist, would it make any difference to me if my seat tube wasn't there (providing the frame didn't fail)? Well, it means I'd lose one of my bottle mounts, but apart from that - no, not at all.

(Edit: Oh, and I'd have nowhere to mount my front mech. That would be a bit of a problem)

You can fit a bloody massive frame-bag instead - possibly big enough for TWO bottles?

p.s. front changing is very out-dated now. You've made yourself look rather silly there.

 

[Jameshow]

Should be quite a springy ride with no seat tube!!

Polymer are used all over the place including the XC90 rear axle.

Heavy thou not sure I'd want to drag it up hills!

 

[Reynard]

As an engineer specialising in strength of materials, all I can say is that design goes against everything I was taught about creating a strong, stable structure.

There is a damn good reason why a triangle is one of the best ways of distributing point loads (in this case, the cyclist on the saddle) that there is. It's foundation / year 1 of an accredited degree course material. That will eventually fail where the chain stays meet the seat stays. And have all the rigidity of a blancmange.

So it's a very definite NO from me.

 

[Chislenko]

p.s. front changing is very out-dated now.

Not in my household!

 

[Bollo]

Indiegogo, so already a hard no from me before we've even got to what they're actually trying to flog. They seem to be delivering those monstrosities though, which by Indiegogo standards is quite unusual.