3D printed steel frame (out of Germany)

[merckxman]

https://www.urwahnbikes.com/bike/steel-frame/

[Elefantino]

Have to admit that it looks cool...

https://www.urwahnbikes.com/site/assets/files/2583/uw_schmolke_edt_02.jpg

[bicycletricycle]

I am pro seat tube, I used to have one of those crazy kestrals with no seat tube, it did look cool.

[unterhausen]

I like it. That's a lot of work. I started designing a lug, and I didn't really have the patience for it. I might get back to it sometime, I'm working with additive manufacturing now.

[blantonator]

any actual video of how they are making these.

[mulp]

Kind of looks like it flies against bike theory by removing the triangle and creating a trapezoid instead

[robt57]

I would not be able to resist a test ride if one was in front of me...

[unterhausen]

Kind of looks like it flies against bike theory by removing the triangle and creating a trapezoid instead

double triangle is because of weight savings over a trapezoid. I'm not sure this bike has a problem with being too light. Do they give a weight?

[BobO]

double triangle is because of weight savings over a trapezoid. I'm not sure this bike has a problem with being too light. Do they give a weight?

Wouldn't the joints in a trapezoid have to be rigid (or close to it) moment connections requiring a good deal of additional material?

[madsciencenow]

Cool from a technological perspective but less interesting for me as a prospective buyer. I also would not be able to resist throwing a leg over if given the opportunity.


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[colker]

BB looks awfully too tall. Other than that it looks good.

[Davist]

Kind of looks like it flies against bike theory by removing the triangle and creating a trapezoid instead

In theory maybe it makes it "vertically compliant", though, right? Definitely a looker, I'd try it out..

[pbarry]

BB looks awfully too tall. Other than that it looks good.

Right? Looks like 30mm-50mm BB drop. I wish them lottsa luck. :eek:

[benb]

I'd like to see a Y-foil/softride type bike if someone is going to make something crazy.

Is this bike UCI legal? Do you have to have a seat tube?

I'm not sure it's crazy enough if it's not UCI legal.

To a certain extent it's like why even tubes? Maybe just cause they always work out best I guess.. but what if you could use a beam with this technology?

[Mark McM]

Is this bike UCI legal? Do you have to have a seat tube?

I'm not sure it's crazy enough if it's not UCI legal.

Yes, you need a seat tube to be UCI compliant. Also, the tubes (including the seat stays) need to be within certain shape limits, and the seat stays have too big a bend in them for UCI regulations.

To a certain extent it's like why even tubes? Maybe just cause they always work out best I guess.. but what if you could use a beam with this technology?

The reason for tubes is simple: Tubes provide the best stiffness & strength for combinded bending and torsion loads. While an I beam might have a lot of bending stiffness in one direction (vertical), they have poor bending stiffness in the other direction (horizontal), as well as poor torsional stiffness.


As far as 3D printed steel, I wonder if this is the best choice for a frame. Frames typically use work hardened or heat treated steels. I'm not sure that the types of steels suitable for 3D printing can be heat treated in the same was as the types of steels used in frame tubing.

[Veloo]

Some pics of the raw parts:

https://3dprint.com/249809/urwahn-releases-stadtfuchs-bicycle-with-3d-printed-frame/

[martl]

Interesting stuff, i guess it is more a showcase "hey look what we can do with 3d metal printing!" than actually aiming at being successful in the bike market...

Did you see this other steel bike from germany? half-shell punching by Thyssen-Krupp...

https://steelworks.bike/products/roadstar-x/gray-black/image-thumb__391__width780/pi000000_RSX_grey_black.jpeg

https://steelworks.bike/

[grateful]

I work with an organization that also has a division specializing in 3D Printers. I was at a trade show last week with the 3D division (our company had all of our markets represented and mine is as far from printing as you can get). What a waste of time for me. Everyone just wanted to look at the 3D models.

Some of the samples presented were two Ducati brake levers, one in CF and on in Stainless steel. They were unbelievable.

He also had what appeared to be a bicycle seat post (it wasn't but could have been) and some titanium bits. I showed him a pic of a Campy Titanium seat post and asked if it could be made without the clamp bonded in (one piece like the posts in other materials). He responded yes. I am all in on an elegant, one piece titanium post like a Thomson without the goofy curve to the shaft. We didn't discuss costs but I assume that they are prohibitive and this point unless volume can lead to better pricing. Who wants to take the leap?

The leading economies of the world can no longer compete when it comes to human capital. It is too expensive. Our chance to compete globally is thru the use of technology.

I say get used to more 3D printed everything. As the tech improves (time needed to fabricate intricate parts) more and more will be manufactured this way.

Just wait until someone puts proper geometry (Carl Strong, etc.) to the process.

Brad

[sokyroadie]

Some pics of the raw parts:

https://3dprint.com/249809/urwahn-releases-stadtfuchs-bicycle-with-3d-printed-frame/

From the above article.

"You can customize your bike on the Urwahn website, and it comes in a variety of colors and sizes, with the medium Stadtfuchs weighing in at 12 kg." :eek:

[buddybikes]

For me that bike missing a critical thing - a rack! Yes I know people use backpacks but many go grocery shopping and much more stable/safer

Actually I am frustrated few gravel bikes think of this 20? grams of weight.

[oldpotatoe]

'Design' run amok...:)

[unterhausen]

at 12kg, not a light bike, which is what I suspected. Frame weight would be pretty interesting. It reminds me of the wishbone I have in my frame parts collection. I doubt I will ever use it because it replaces tubes, which are considerably lighter. You could make this same design in carbon at considerably less weight. It's not really an appropriate design for steel.

A few years ago, I was on a project where we were going to do additive manufacturing in Ti and the price of the powder was really high. It was the biggest single part of our budget. Haven't priced it recently.

I was wrong about the utility of 3d printing for a long time. I still think as far as bike applications go, there isn't much there. Things like a seatpost, maybe, and I'm sure there are others. Making a frame that is competitive with carbon would be a real breakthrough.

[chiasticon]

well it looks cool at least.

no seat tube => 1X only, I guess.

[Mark McM]

Some pics of the raw parts:

https://3dprint.com/249809/urwahn-releases-stadtfuchs-bicycle-with-3d-printed-frame/

Ah, so it appears that the 3D printing is for lugs/dropouts/fittings, and not the tubes. That makes more sense.

[Mark McM]

The leading economies of the world can no longer compete when it comes to human capital. It is too expensive. Our chance to compete globally is thru the use of technology.

I say get used to more 3D printed everything. As the tech improves (time needed to fabricate intricate parts) more and more will be manufactured this way.

I think we have a long, long way to go before 3D printing takes over mass production. 3D printing is still too slow and expensive. And it still takes manpower. 3D printing is essentially a sophisticated casting method, and has many of the limitations of cast parts, so it can't take over all parts production.

I think we'll mainy see 3D printing for: Parts in shapes that are too difficult to make using other processes; low production custom parts; and a few on-demand production applications.

[old_fat_and_slow]

Many of their models seem to feature belt drive. Big thumbs down.

[tmadrecki]

Wild.

[Heisenberg]

I think we have a long, long way to go before 3D printing takes over mass production. 3D printing is still too slow and expensive. And it still takes manpower. 3D printing is essentially a sophisticated casting method, and has many of the limitations of cast parts, so it can't take over all parts production.

I think we'll mainy see 3D printing for: Parts in shapes that are too difficult to make using other processes; low production custom parts; and a few on-demand production applications.

this.

prova and that uk builder use quite a few 3d-printed parts on their bikes. reynolds is using it to make dropouts/brake mounts.

it's actually great tech for small metal builders - it can help alleviate some of the advantages carbon bikes have when it comes to things like disc brakes and tire clearance.