Guy makes his own carbon bikes from scratch.
10-17-11, 12:04 PM
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Guy makes his own carbon bikes from scratch.
I hate to post a link to another forum, but over at weight weenies there is this kid who makes his own carbon components out of his house. He has built several complete bikes, including this one:
Thread is here: https://weightweenies.starbike.com/fo...p?f=10&t=80684
He even makes the tubes from scratch. Impressive stuff...
Thread is here: https://weightweenies.starbike.com/fo...p?f=10&t=80684
He even makes the tubes from scratch. Impressive stuff...
10-17-11, 12:19 PM
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so i read through that thread but I'm not going to take the time to read all of his threads (now) maybe later, is he using pre-made tubes. or manufacturing them from scratch as well?
10-17-11, 12:22 PM
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He makes his own molds and tubes. He buys the carbon in pre woven sheets. He also buys sheets with carbon/kevlar hybrid fibers and places those in stress areas on the frame. Amazing work.
10-17-11, 12:35 PM
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10-17-11, 12:39 PM
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10-17-11, 12:45 PM
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Cool stuff. Someone with the right knowhow could make components specific to their own weight.
So a 160lb rider could get a bike that ends up a helluva lot lighter than one from a manufacturer that has to make components with a 220lb weight limit
So a 160lb rider could get a bike that ends up a helluva lot lighter than one from a manufacturer that has to make components with a 220lb weight limit
10-17-11, 12:48 PM
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Maybe it's just me, but I get a little nervous at the thought of riding a bike handmade by a kid who says, "I don't have a lot of time for the carbon work...". Good for him in making an effort, though. He's a lot more motivated than I was when I was his age.
10-17-11, 12:59 PM
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Pretty amazing stuff!
My concern would be that he likely doesn't have the ability to know where the components are experiencing strain and how to test variations in his design and layering to address those stresses. From what little I know about CF design, it seems to be all about the layering and shape of the parts. Maybe its really not so mysterious as the big manufacturers would like us to believe...
My concern would be that he likely doesn't have the ability to know where the components are experiencing strain and how to test variations in his design and layering to address those stresses. From what little I know about CF design, it seems to be all about the layering and shape of the parts. Maybe its really not so mysterious as the big manufacturers would like us to believe...
10-17-11, 02:09 PM
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Pretty amazing stuff!
My concern would be that he likely doesn't have the ability to know where the components are experiencing strain and how to test variations in his design and layering to address those stresses. From what little I know about CF design, it seems to be all about the layering and shape of the parts. Maybe its really not so mysterious as the big manufacturers would like us to believe...
My concern would be that he likely doesn't have the ability to know where the components are experiencing strain and how to test variations in his design and layering to address those stresses. From what little I know about CF design, it seems to be all about the layering and shape of the parts. Maybe its really not so mysterious as the big manufacturers would like us to believe...
My first thought was that Trek video and the stress test machine. Wonder if he has one of those?
10-17-11, 02:13 PM
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well, Trek is making bikes to sell to customers. He is making bikes to learn how to build and design frames for his own experimations sake. From what I can tell he's not making bikes for anyone else.
10-17-11, 02:30 PM
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You gonna eat that?
I did some of that kind of work in college back in the 80s. I worked in a composites lab where we built gliders. It's not rocket surgery, but there is some know-how involved, and some tooling, including an autoclave (oven) large enough for the parts.
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10-17-11, 02:36 PM
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10-17-11, 03:17 PM
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10-17-11, 03:28 PM
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Oh I got distracted by the rocket surgery thing. Anyway that kid has more drive and motivation as a teen than I do at 49. Cool as heck to actually design, build from scratch and then ride your own creation.
Last edited by triumph.1; 10-17-11 at 03:33 PM.
10-17-11, 04:37 PM
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10-17-11, 04:57 PM
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i've been following the weight weenies thread for a long time. hes unbelievable
10-17-11, 05:04 PM
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No problem and thanks :thumbup:
For all those who will read this thread for the first time - now I'm 19 (otherwise I study mechanical engineering and cycle as a Continental cyclist) and would like to answer to some of the comets there,..
I know that a lot of people are sceptic about those projects, but I'm sure that I know what I'm doing and it's not just some carbon fibres wrapped in a tube,...it's a long story how to make it right, also the joints aren't just some areas that are just wrapped with carbon.
And (at this moment) the frames are made only for me - I'm the one who tests my frames. I trust my skills 100% and dare to drive over 90km/h with a frame that was made with my hands. Everything is handmade by me, all the tubes, dropouts, etc.,...the procedure and materials are all top quality.
About my free time,...I'm repeating this quite often but anyway - unfortunately I'm not a company and I still have to study, train and I also have a girlfriend who supports me (already more than 3 years) and if I have some free time I prefer to spend it with my girlfriend... But if we aren't able to spend our free time together I'm working with carbon, and it really isn't everyday,...hope you understand what I mean. Otherwise I'll continue working on my carbon projects and it would be a dream job for me to have some day my own company. I'm very young (not even 20..) and still have some time to reach my aim