The Incredibly Strong See-Through Bicycle

http://discovermagazine.com/2008/feb...e-through-bike

Want a lighter bike? Poke holes in it—the more the better.

On the Arantix Mountain Bike from newbie Delta 7 Sports, the typical
solid-cylinder tubing has been replaced by an airy, see-through lattice
woven from a carbon-fiber composite and bundled in Kevlar string. The
resulting gossamer web may look delicate, but pound for pound this
quirky construction—called IsoTruss—is stronger than steel, aluminum,
and titanium. It’s even stronger than solid carbon composites, the
current front-runners among ultralight bike frames.

Like other carbon-fiber frames, this one is baked: Long, thin strands of
carbon atoms, organized in a hexagonal pattern and coated with epoxy
resin, are put in an oven at 255 degrees Fahrenheit for four hours of
curing. Unlike other carbon-fiber frames, though, the Arantix could
withstand a direct shrapnel hit. The lattice structure isolates damage
to a single element instead of shattering under pressure, Delta 7 says.

Despite all its empty spaces, the handmade Arantix frame costs a hefty
$6,995 (a full bike is $11,995). At 2.75 pounds, it falls just short of
a featherweight record among mountain bikes, but the IsoTruss easily
supports the 200-pound-plus Clydesdale racers that its competitors shun.
Our advice? Skip the frame: It would be cheaper (and healthier) to go on
a diet.

http://delta7sports.com/products.html

RicodJour wrote:
On Mar 6, 12:34 pm, Eric Vey wrote:
http://discovermagazine.com/2008/feb...e-through-bike

Want a lighter bike? Poke holes in it--the more the better.

On the Arantix Mountain Bike from newbie Delta 7 Sports, the typical
solid-cylinder tubing has been replaced by an airy, see-through lattice
woven from a carbon-fiber composite and bundled in Kevlar string. The
resulting gossamer web may look delicate, but pound for pound this
quirky construction--called IsoTruss--is stronger than steel, aluminum,
and titanium. It's even stronger than solid carbon composites, the
current front-runners among ultralight bike frames.

Like other carbon-fiber frames, this one is baked: Long, thin strands of
carbon atoms, organized in a hexagonal pattern and coated with epoxy
resin, are put in an oven at 255 degrees Fahrenheit for four hours of
curing. Unlike other carbon-fiber frames, though, the Arantix could
withstand a direct shrapnel hit. The lattice structure isolates damage
to a single element instead of shattering under pressure, Delta 7 says.

Despite all its empty spaces, the handmade Arantix frame costs a hefty
$6,995 (a full bike is $11,995). At 2.75 pounds, it falls just short of
a featherweight record among mountain bikes, but the IsoTruss easily
supports the 200-pound-plus Clydesdale racers that its competitors shun.
Our advice? Skip the frame: It would be cheaper (and healthier) to go on
a diet.

http://delta7sports.com/products.html

Don't leave much to chance, do you? You link to the article, quote
the complete article, then link to the manufacturer's web site. The
only thing missing is the address and a contact phone number!

R

When I leave anything out, someone invariably complains. "Where's the
link?", they demand, or they don't follow the link and then start asking
questions or making wild statements.

I thought the technology was interesting, that's all.

It's an interesting design but the aerodynamics of a frame like this
would be awful and its a magnet for dirt.

On Mar 6, 5:34 pm, Eric Vey wrote:
http://discovermagazine.com/2008/feb...e-through-bike

Want a lighter bike? Poke holes in it--the more the better.

On the Arantix Mountain Bike from newbie Delta 7 Sports, the typical
solid-cylinder tubing has been replaced by an airy, see-through lattice
woven from a carbon-fiber composite and bundled in Kevlar string. The
resulting gossamer web may look delicate, but pound for pound this
quirky construction--called IsoTruss--is stronger than steel, aluminum,
and titanium. It's even stronger than solid carbon composites, the
current front-runners among ultralight bike frames.

Like other carbon-fiber frames, this one is baked: Long, thin strands of
carbon atoms, organized in a hexagonal pattern and coated with epoxy
resin, are put in an oven at 255 degrees Fahrenheit for four hours of
curing. Unlike other carbon-fiber frames, though, the Arantix could
withstand a direct shrapnel hit. The lattice structure isolates damage
to a single element instead of shattering under pressure, Delta 7 says.

Despite all its empty spaces, the handmade Arantix frame costs a hefty
$6,995 (a full bike is $11,995). At 2.75 pounds, it falls just short of
a featherweight record among mountain bikes, but the IsoTruss easily
supports the 200-pound-plus Clydesdale racers that its competitors shun.
Our advice? Skip the frame: It would be cheaper (and healthier) to go on
a diet.

http://delta7sports.com/products.html

In article ,
Eric Vey wrote:

RicodJour wrote:
On Mar 6, 12:34 pm, Eric Vey wrote:
http://discovermagazine.com/2008/feb...e-through-bike

Want a lighter bike? Poke holes in it--the more the better.

On the Arantix Mountain Bike from newbie Delta 7 Sports . . .

Despite all its empty spaces, the handmade Arantix frame costs a hefty
$6,995 (a full bike is $11,995). At 2.75 pounds, it falls just short of
a featherweight record among mountain bikes...

http://delta7sports.com/products.html

Don't leave much to chance, do you? You link to the article, quote
the complete article, then link to the manufacturer's web site. The
only thing missing is the address and a contact phone number!

R

When I leave anything out, someone invariably complains. "Where's the
link?", they demand, or they don't follow the link and then start asking
questions or making wild statements.

I thought the technology was interesting, that's all.

It is interesting, but not that interesting. Aside from the practically
untenable cleaning issues (a mylar wrap could fix that, but at the cost
of a few extra grams).

Also the Scott Scale frame so popular at the lightest end of MTB
hardtails does not appear to be a weaight-restricted frame (though the
Scale LTD build kit does use the weight-restricted Crank Bros. 4Ti
pedals). It also weighs notably less than the Arantix and costs about
half the Arantix price. Scott claims a weight of 980 g, which is at
least a half-pound less than the claimed weight of the Arantix.

If Delta 7 had released a frame that undercut the weight of the
legitimate competition using its new technology, I might at least be
interested. As it is, they've created a frame with obvious deficiencies
and no advantages.

When the light-bikes.com guys start using them, then I'll take note,

--
Ryan Cousineau http://www.wiredcola.com/
"In other newsgroups, they killfile trolls."
"In rec.bicycles.racing, we coach them."

oh its so you...