Carbon Fiber | Evolving Consumer

Bike of Valour

The Valour smart bike will ensure you find your way. Its makers called it the first ever connected carbon fiber bike, and by this it means that it offers integrated Bluetooth 4.0 that allows the bike to connect to a companion Android, iOS or Pebble compatible app.

Users can use the app to tell the bike their destination and receive turn-by-turn navigation directly on the handlebars. The bike also features built-in sensors including an accelerometer, magnetometer and a speed sensor that can track calories burned, monitor speed and distance. The system can even suggest the best possible route should you desire to avoid hills or other difficult terrain.

The designers, which are based in Toronto, launched a Kickstarter campaign to help develop the Valour and at present it looks like they’ve reached their funding goals so it is likely we’ll be seeing this one on the streets in the not too distant future. Video after the jump

Sea Otter Classic: Razik Back on a Roll

At this year’s Sea Otter Classic Razik Bicycles introduced its new brand and redesigned IsoTruss road frameset. Originally released under the brand name Delta 7, the company lost the licensing rights to the technology, but this year formed a new company and acquired the rights to the develop and entirely new chassis and product lineup.

The company’s new offering is the Vortex, a frame that is 100 percent made in the USA. It has been completely redesigned inside and out, and is arguably the most distinctive-looking bike on the market. It features a frame with an open lattice structure that is made up of three-dimensional pyramid-shaped trusses consisting of carbon fiber and Kevlar strands–all meticulously wrapped by hand, instead of molded sheets of carbon fiber. The design delivers vibration damping and incredible handling in a bike that is sub-13 pounds, depending on component selection.

“The unique capabilities of the IsoTruss design allows us to tailor the properties of each characteristic of the ride,” explains Ryun Noble, president and director of engineering at Razik. “What’s truly astounding is its ability to absorb energy-robbing vibration while maintaining strength and rigidity to transfer power and deliver precise, razor-sharp handling all in an incredibly light frame.”

Razik Bicycles Vortex Official Website

Airbus Ready to Roll

Charge Bikes is charging ahead with a new brand dubbed Fabric. This includes a new collaboration with aerospace giant Airbus to produce bike saddles with 3D-printed titanium rails and carbon shells. The seats look to be aerodynamic, sleek and lightweight. They almost look like these could take flight right off the bike.

Charge Bikes Official Website
[Via BikeRadar: Fabric saddles – sonic bonds and hyper pins]

Intense to the Extreme

Intense Cycles has looked to show that it has staying power with its new endure/trail bike. Two years after debuting its aluminum Tracer 27.5, the company has rolled out the Tracer T725 Carbon, which features 145/160 millimeters of adjustable VPP suspension, monocoque front triangle, ISCG 05 mounts, internal cable routing and 142×12 dropouts.

Bicycle Retailer reports that the Tracer T275 carbon frame retails for $3,199, and builds range from the $5,999 Expert level — with 34 Fox Float Evolution fork, XT drivetrain and brakes, Stan’s NoTubes ZTR Flow wheelset and Fox Evolution Float CTD rear shock — to a $9,999 Factory-level build with RockShox Pike RCT3 fork, SRAM XX1 11-speed drivetrain, XTR brakes and Enve/DT Swiss wheels. The builds come standard with a RockShox Reverb Stealth dropper post.

Intense Cycles Official Website

You Pump iPUMP

Hitting the road without a plan for a flat tire is almost like asking to ruin the ride and perhaps the day. If you don’t want to lug around a large pump and don’t care for the one-shot functionality of those CO2 cartridges, the iPUMP might be for you. It features a carbon fiber body and Presta connector so it can pump you up – or at least your tire – quickly and won’t take up too much room in a pack or pocket.

The iPUMP is being developed through a Kickstarter project and apparently a lot of people are pumped up. More than 400 people have helped it go way past the developer’s $10,000 goal. Video after the jump

Holiday Gift Guide: For the Extreme Archer

Archer Xtreme has introduced the Titanium Recon, an arrow rest that is clearly a step above the rest. This is more than simply for reducing weight, and the AAE’s DOA trigger technology allows the launcher to support the arrow longer, and fall faster than competing designs.

The tight tolerances and proven technology increase accuracy where it matters most — down range – while the internal trigger system allows the archer to micro tune the rest to the arrow for longer arrow contact through the second paradox. This ensures target-like accuracy from any setup at any range.

Moreover, the performance is further enhanced by AXT’s use of carbon and titanium materials, and the result is a launcher that allows for up to a 30 percent increase in speed and arrow contact. Now we’d call that extreme.

Archer Xtreme Official Website

Amplid Goes Light

The LAB Carbon Pocketknife can cut through the snow, but this snowboard utilizes Amplid’s weight shedding technology that was pioneered in the LAB Carbon Split. The result is the lightest snowboard ever built. However, the company is limiting the run of these boards to just 30 worldwide!

For those who can’t get the Pocketknife the company’s LAB Carbon Split is not exactly a heavyweight! It even offers the raw, stealth aesthetics of uncovered carbon fiber.

[Via Transworld Snowboard: Amplid Creates The World’s Lightest Snowboard]
Amplid LAB Carbone Split Official Website

Get in the Frame

The Tenzing TZ CF13 Carbon Fiber Frame System weigh just 3 pounds, 8 ounces, yet have been designed to be among the most comfortable wearing pack frame system on the market. It can be used as a frame only, or as a more traditional pack when fitted with the Tenzing custom components that are included with the system.

It is built with a quasi-isotropic, balanced layup of 2×2 twill weave carbon fiber, which ensures the ideal strength-to-weight ratio, while the frame’s form-fitting rigid shape and fully adjustable suspension system are all about wearer comfort when hauling big loads.

Tenzing Official Website

New Twist in the Fork

A fork in the road usually means that things can go different ways, and the Lauf Forks does take cycling technology in a very different way indeed. This new mountain bike suspension fork, which was designed by Icelandic entrepreneurs Benedikt Skulason and Gudberg Bjornsson, could be seeing as coming out of left field.

However, the Lauf Fork – which first made its appearance at Eurobike – is designed with no moving partners and thus requires virtually no maintenance. It also weights just 980 grams – or roughly half traditional suspension forks. It features main legs made out of carbon fiber, but the secret to this one’s potential success is its use of “springstacks” – two on each leg – that provide the shock absorption.

This reportedly provides about 60mm of travel, which is far less than the convention suspension forks that offer at least 110mm. However, this could be just the thing that takes fork development in another direction. Video after the jump

Domino Flip

The Spyderco Domino is the latest in the company’s line of flipper knives. Designed by Eric Glesser, this performance-driven knife offers a minimalist profile with refined ergonomics. Its trademarked Round Hole is positioned to offer optimal leverage and is supported by special ball-bearing washers in the pivot that reduce friction. This provides a smooth, reliable opening; and in the open position the flipper practically disappears into the grip-friendly contours of the handle.

Made of precision machined CTS- XHP stainless steel the Domino’s blade features a full-flat grind for superior edge geometry and a distal taper with an acute point. It is mated to a handle that consists of a solid titanium scale on one side and a titanium liner and carbon fiber/G-10 laminate scale on the other, where the solid titanium scale forms the foundation of the Domino’s sturdy Reeve Integral Lock (R.I.L). This is knife that is worth flipping for.

Spyderco Domino Official Website

Weekend Reading List (09.07.2013): Treasure Chest, Toilet Time, Football to Football

Treasure Chest

From BikeRadar: $50,000 Fairwheel Bikes travel case
Say you’re a wealthy Swiss cycling enthusiast who just bought an incredible custom Crumpton road bike – you would, of course, want to take it with you on business trips. When just such a customer approached Arizona retailer Fairwheel Bikes for a custom travel case, they developed one in carbon fibre. For $50,000. Continue reading Weekend Reading List (09.07.2013): Treasure Chest, Toilet Time, Football to Football

Get You Zipp On

Zipp is offering up two new bottle cage designs, one made of aluminum and the other made of carbon fiber. The Alumina aluminum cage weighs 27 grams and has the same design as the SLSpeed cage. It has an anodized black finish and an MSRP of $35.

The SLSpeed carbon cage weighs 18 grams and is designed for side or direct bottle entry. The side entry is useful on smaller frames and those with tight frame angles. It has a gloss finish and an MSRP of $75.

Both cages will be available this month.

Zipp Official Website

Semester in Class

The Semester is one classy looking bike and something that could be ridden to school or work. Currently the designers of the Semester Bicycle are looking to Kickstarter to get this thing rolling. The idea is to merge materials to create proprietary “Hextubes” that will make a unique design but provide strength and rigidity. Each tube is a structural stressed skin composite of bamboo and carbon fiber, that is covered with a durable glass/epoxy lamination.

The bamboo fibers run parallel along the length of the tube while the carbon fiber and FRP skins are laid at a 45 degree angle giving added rigidity while further protecting the bamboo. The rear triangle of the bike is made of powder coated steel. The idea is that no other bike will look like or ride like the Semester. Continue reading Semester in Class