Carbon fiber: Can't wait to see the road version

Check this out. It's a great concept but start saving your money.


http://www.news.com/Is-this-bike-mad...-0-5&subj=news

Very innovative concept. But not so aerodynamic for a road frame.

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Article said it was an aerodynamic road bike concept. Seems like it would catch air though.

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hmmmm my husband has a bit of a point - it must be quite a bear to clean the muck out of..... it is a mt bike after all - for all the weight you save on the nifty cool looking frame, you'll probably collect enough mud in there to build it back up after a bit of sloppy riding.

I agree it'd catch mud all over it

back in my statics/dynamics class, my professor showed us those bikes. we decided it wasnt as good as tubes.

i mean, if when member snaps, the whole truss could break. if any mtn bikers have any dents or scratches in their frame, they wouldnt want that truss like frame.

It depends on how it's engineered. I think this technology could have all sorts of great applications.

looks cool, but I agree: they're going to have to deal with the muck-catching property those tubes appear to have...

I could imagine that such a frame would add POUNDS of weight in scooped-up mud and scrud during a ride.

think they need to slide that one back in the oven for a bit...






geardad

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I think you're missing the point. This is a prototype, a proof-of-concept. It seems to work as such. the fact that it would catch mud (or wind) can be overcome if the frame is shown to be otherwise sound.

No, it isn't, it's being sold as an MTB. If they wanted proof of concept only, they'd have started with a road frame - lower stresses and much less muck.

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Not if you use Gladwrap over it. Cling it on tight. Adds a few extra grams to keep out all the mud.

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I agree - one of the things that they've claimed is that it is more aerodynamic than conventional solid tubes, but since when have you even heard about mt bikers caring about being aero??? You'd think they'd have started with TT bike.

I don't know. It looks like a network of supports that redundantly support each other. One crack in a carbon fiber tube and it could be the end of it's structural integrity through out the tube at that moment. If one piece of a truss is damaged, it's just one small piece of the entire structure which would have less stress as a whole and redistribute the weight to other members. This may not be the most aerodynamic way to build, but I would think the structure is thoughtfully made. See this, it seems to make sense.http://www.isotruss.org/.

The verdict is out on the mud, though.

I had to ask the question: No, I'm not a sales rep but everyone needs a fair hearing.

Here is the answer, straight from the manufacturerer:

Mountain Bike = Mud

This was a concern that we heard very often at interbike and one we did not initially know the answer to. After the show we have had multiple riders review the bike and provide feedback riding here in Utah and going through the mud. You can view the reviews on youtube.com (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePWOOR-EiLk), what we found with more riding especially in the mud is that it actually collected less mud than the solid cylinder tubes due to less surface area, in addition to that the lugs are completely sealed which many people don’t know and that prevents from any additional build up. Cleaning the bike is a simple spray like any other bike but there is less to spray off.



Aerodynamics for a road frame?

When we unveil the upcoming road frame we will expect to accomplish a couple of items. We will again expect to be in the elite weight class. We will again expect to have no rider weight limitations and a stronger frame. We expect to have a more aerodynamic frame as well and preliminary testing is positive. We don’t expect to be the most expensive frame in the road market but we expect we should compete with the best right away.



aerodynamic road bike concept?

The Arantix is definitely not a road bike concept. The Arantix is designed and engineered to be a very competitive and functional mountain bike. The upcoming road bike will not simply be the same frame with road components on it.



Mud build up taking away the weight advantage?

The Utah trails where it has been reviewed has shown less build up and the clean up has been no more difficult than what you would do with any other solid tube frame. The look of the frame is not simply there for aesthetics its also very form functional providing additional features making it a very competitive frame.



Crash impact scenarios?

The redundant structure of the IsoTruss isolates impact and damage. This has been demonstrated on the current prototype with a very significant crash in Rock Canyon. Better understanding of the IsoTruss structure will explain how the damage tolerance is superior. A recent visit to Moab was interesting because the shop employees heard carbon frame mt bike and immediately dismissed the idea saying that who ever built it must not have visited Moab….upon viewing it and riding it they changed their tunes and were very impressed with the bike.



Mud build up?

Its possible that the mud in Utah could be very different from other areas where the mud may have other qualities….we have not been able to prove that and we expect to have review bikes out to publications later this year and have them provide their expert opinions.

Mud prevention?

There has been many jokes about saran wrapping the frame and for those who prefer to cover up the bike Lizard Skins has produced custom pieces to cover every tube in the frame. Personally after riding the bike and seeing others go through the mud I wouldn’t cover anything and wouldn’t change my riding at all…..its cool and the performance is great.

Mt Bike aerodynamics?

Agreed, aerodynamics is not a big selling feature which is why we did not put the bike through the wind tunnel. The Arantix was built to be stronger, stiffer and more responsive. If you get the opportunity to visit Utah please inquire about a possible test ride of your own. The upcoming road bike will go in a wind tunnel to demonstrate the aerodynamics since that is a much bigger selling feature in the road bikes.

Just hearing the location of the company and the BYU connection raises my antennae and makes me highly skeptical of of their marketing claims. Imo, Utah County has forever been a hotbed of unsusbstantiated, over the top marketing claims.

Yep, the same type of guys who fell for and bought the Slingshots, but who are now older and have more money to burn. Sounds like becoming a bicycle company was just an afterthought for some guys looking for a way to move their truss stuff.

Quote:

Agreed, aerodynamics is not a big selling feature (on mountain bikes) which is why we did not put the bike through the wind tunnel.

I will lay odds that the road bike, as well as the mountain bike, never sees legitimate, independently corroborated, favorable wind tunnel results from outside of BYU and Utah county, but we will see.

Maybe the bike will be sold in Delta's Sky Magazine.

Yep, call me cynical.