Titanium Bike frame for $250 AU

[trapdoor2]

They would require a 3D cad drawing, where the stress analysis had already be done, and optimised as the wall thick can vary in thickness in any direction, and shape in any direction to maximise the strength and flexibility in any part of the frame!

After some test frames had been created, then dimensional and wall thickness checks would be done, and if required deflection checks under fixed loads!

Yes, I was trying to imply all this when I mentioned stress analysis. All of this work required prior to even starting with the printing company is very expensive...and takes time. A good stress guy, some finite element analysis, etc., etc. This could easily double the cost of the print job, if not more.

Up front cost, like the above, is why small business doesn't typically employ these methods. A big name like Cervelo expects to sell 750k of these bikes worldwide. Cruzbike probably wouldn't sell more than a couple hundred (@ $20k ea...just to break even). It would take something like the UCI recognizing recumbents for entry into the TDF in order for that to pay off.
(can you imagine? Newsflash: UCI sez, "We're sorry. We were wrong. Come ride with us!" Parker family buys home in Monaco...)

 

[DavidJL]

I could see making the frame Ti, but using a carbon fork. Wondering if Giant sees anything big with this new technology. In bike frames, the biggies are fatigue life, stiffness, and ride comfort. Strength usually takes care of itself. And Ti doesn't have to be painted.

 

[super slim]

I could see making the frame Ti, but using a carbon fork. Wondering if Giant sees anything big with this new technology. In bike frames, the biggies are fatigue life, stiffness, and ride comfort. Strength usually takes care of itself. And Ti doesn't have to be painted.

3 of my DF riding friends, train more than 7,000 km/yr, and who race in amater races, have all gone from Aluminium in the very early days, to Carbon fibre in two price ranges, then to ALL titanium, and ALL (a BIG sample of 3!!!) rave about the Titanium frame from specialised fabricators (Two from Lynskey USA, and a Curve) where it is still the design and different forming of the tubes.

 

[DavidJL]

Steel is for trucks, aluminum is for beer cans, carbon fiber is for tennis rackets, but titanium is forever...

 

[tiltmaniac]

Alu is for rims too!

 

[super slim]

Alu is for rims too!

Agreed as they just bend a little, not shatter when going over a little railway crossing!!!

 

[DavidCH]

Ti is for Ford trucks. Keep on rolling. Just think what the share price of Ford will do when investors hear the news?

 

[PeteClark]

Some still prefer the stiff spring of a steel frame to the stiff but dead feel of alu or cf. Some prefer fewer grams regardless.

 

[tiltmaniac]

I have CF, Alu, Steel bikes. I've ridden a number of Ti (and a lot of other CF, Alu/Steel) bikes.
The design matters more than the material.

 

[super slim]

I have CF, Alu, Steel bikes. I've ridden a number of Ti (and a lot of other CF, Alu/Steel) bikes.
The design matters more than the material.

I agree!!!
But I do NOT like CF due to the number of failures I see on EVERY Large (2,000+) Community Ride/race I have been in!

 

[RojoRacing]

I prefer CF because Carbon Fiber! I can't help it, I'm young and like newer cutting edge technology just because but with that said I'll rock just about any cool design handed to me. What I really need is a job at a place that considers an unskilled machine operator is worth $25 as stated on their website because apparently I'm working for the wrong people.

 

[super slim]

I prefer CF because Carbon Fiber! I can't help it, I'm young and like newer cutting edge technology just because but with that said I'll rock just about any cool design handed to me. What I really need is a job at a place that considers an unskilled machine operator is worth $25 as stated on their website because apparently I'm working for the wrong people.

Seeing what you have created for your Vendetta, I would not consider you unskilled!!!

Cold sprayed Titanium IS the future of bicycles, as it has all the advantages of Carbon Fibre, with the artistic formed flowing shapes around the Bottom Bracket, and Head Stem, other than directional layups, and NONE of the failures due to pockets of no resin or bubbles of fibre where the expansion sleeve did not fully expand!

All bikes are only as good as the design, and how the frame is designed to behave over bumps, OR in turns!

 

[RojoRacing]

Never said I was unskilled, I was just pointing out I could be making twice what I make now in such a company

 

[tiltmaniac]

Never said I was unskilled, I was just pointing out I could be making twice what I make now in such a company

One day he will let me throw money at him and help me finish the +#&#_ tilting trike.

 

[Zzzorse]

Titomic just posted a new video,

 

[dtseng]

"Mechanical fusion" ? I can't imagine how that could be achieved, besides the powder is coated with oxide. It can be done this way: start with metal vapor, ionize it, then accelerate it with high voltage.
Lynskey has been selling bike frames on ebay (for 600 bucks), isn't that not cheap enough?
Let's see the weld of Italian hand made road bike frame below. Ti cruzbike frame won't be far-fetched.

 

[ak-tux]

"Mechanical fusion" ? I can't imagine how that could be achieved, besides the powder is coated with oxide. It can be done this way: start with metal vapor, ionize it, then accelerate it with high voltage.
Lynskey has been selling bike frames on ebay (for 600 bucks), isn't that not cheap enough?
Let's see the weld of Italian hand made road bike frame below. Ti cruzbike frame won't be far-fetched.
View attachment 5874 View attachment 5875

The welds are amazing!

 

[dtseng]

Here is a poor man's cruzbike. The parameters are taken from my DF road bike: head tube angle 72 degrees, trail 70 mm, wheel base 1040 mm. The back rest angle is 34 degrees.
The front derailleur hanger is a standard one; The center of the slot to the center of BB is 145 mm, and the angle of the stalk is 63 degrees . Bike design involves some compromise. My strategy is not to go to extreme. By moderately increasing the wheel base to 1040mm from standard 1000mm, I can ride this bike and make U-turn on residential streets. If you make head tube angle 60 degrees and wheel base 2000mm, the bike will not stand up by itself, but its maneuverability suffers. The drive train is Microshift Centos 11; it has two shifting levers. I tried both standard (53/39) and compact (50/34) chain rings, all worked very smoothly.
Don't ask me the bike weight because I don't have a accurate scale, on bath room scale, it shows a little bit over 10 Kg.

 

[benphyr]

Wow!!! Beautiful work dtseng. Can I have one? I'll call it CruzTike. How many, many hours did that take? It is gorgeous.

Have you taken a test ride yet? It looks like there isn't even dust on it.

 

[jond]

Here is a poor man's cruzbike. The parameters are taken from my DF road bike: head tube angle 72 degrees, trail 70 mm, wheel base 1040 mm. The back rest angle is 34 degrees.
The rear wheel is an old 36-spoke wheel with 32 mm tire. The front derailleur hanger is a standard one; The center of the slot to the center of BB is 145 mm, and the angle of the stalk is 63 degrees ( 65 degrees if you want to use 3-piece chain ring). The drive train is Microshift Centos 11; it has two shifting levers. I tried both standard (53/39) and compact (50/34) chain rings, all worked very smoothly.
Don't ask me the bike weight because I don't have a accurate scale, on bath room scale, it shows a little bit over 10 Kg.

Beauty mate. Incredibly well done. How many miles on her.