Wood Vs Composite?
02-20-12, 09:07 PM
#28
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While bamboo is surpisingly rugged and a pretty decent bike material, it's not going to approach what you can do with carbon fiber or hydroformed titanium or aluminum. Since bamboo is basically round, there isn't much you can do to shape the members to raise the stiffness where you need to.
02-20-12, 09:48 PM
#29
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Wooden ya know it!
https://airwv.com/2011/06/wooden-bicycles/
https://airwv.com/2011/06/wooden-bicycles/
02-21-12, 04:12 AM
#30
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My granddad flew an Mosquito aeroplane in the 40's, which is primarily made from wood. I'd say it's a workable material in the same way as plastics can be, but I'm not betting on seeing either in the velodrome any time soon.
02-21-12, 05:06 AM
#31
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I think we're going to see a lot of interest in wooden frames at the highest pro levels next season. I heard the TDF has undergone some rule changes to reflect the world's growing awareness of climate change. Next season all teams will have to build their own frames using only renewable materials and one carving knife, so wood is the natural choice - spruce for the light agile climbers and mahogany for the strong sprinters.... apparently some of the cashed up European teams have already offered very lucrative contracts to some of the world's best whittlers which is pushing up the prices of hand carved salt & pepper shakers.
I believe pre-turned doweling will be permitted for handlebars, wheel axles, and forks.
I believe pre-turned doweling will be permitted for handlebars, wheel axles, and forks.
Last edited by Cyclaholic; 02-21-12 at 05:11 AM.
02-21-12, 10:58 AM
#32
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I want some of what ^^^he's^^^ smokin'
02-22-12, 03:09 PM
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You people sneering at wood need to take a look at the definitive resource on it, "Wood as An Engineering Material," put out by the Forest Products Laboratories. We aren't talking about fast-grown plantation white pine and hemlock here, we're talking about carefully-selected hardwoods used in appropriate ways that play to their strengths. Hardly anything beats wood on a stiffness-to-weight ratio until you start talking about carbon composites; and when you factor fatigue life into the equation, wood starts to pull ahead. With modern adhesives, there's no reason why wood can't be used as a frame material.
