French sports car maker Bugatti and Dutch bike maker PG have unveiled the world's lightest bicycle. Inspired by Bugatti's Chiron Star sports car, the bike is made of carbon fiber composite and weighs just 11 pounds. According to Architectural Digestc, 95 percent of the bike is made of carbon fiber composite materials.
While most carbon fiber bikes on the market use carbon fiber only for the frame structure, the Bugatti /PG product uses carbon fiber for the front fork, rims, handlebars, seat, seat post, crank and brake. The frame is manufactured by Merelli, a company with more than 30 years of experience in the design, development and manufacture of carbon fiber Formula 1 racing cars and carbon fiber bicycles.
All of the bike's high-strength carbon fiber composite components are manufactured in the P3 Process, which stands for Prepreg, Performance and Process, according to PG. All the parts are made in Germany.
PG says all carbon fiber components are hand-built from prepreg, using techniques from the demanding sports racing and aerospace industries, to ensure the lightest weight and the best stiffness. In order to meet the maximum design requirements for stiffness, the cross-sectional area of the bike's frame is also considerable.
At the same time, the company added that the bike is limited to 667 units worldwide and is not intended to be used on public roads.
Arevo, a Silicon Valley-based company, has unveiled SuperTower, which it says has the "world's first 3D printed all-in-one electric bicycle frame." The company announced two models, the Super Terra, a lightweight bike, and the Super Ion, a level 1 electric bike with a 250W rear hub motor, a 252Wh battery and an estimated range of 60 miles.
The bike's overall frame was made using 3D-printed continuous carbon fiber thermoplastics, a material that is stronger than any conventional carbon fiber frame on the market today. The use of thermoplastic materials not only makes the bike stronger and more impact-resistant, but also lighter, with the Superstara Terra weighing just 1.27kg compared to the Super Ion e-bike's 10.98kg.
While 3D printing can be a cost comparison, Superstara says it will make the design more personal and will appeal to customers who are willing to pay extra for customized services. Each bike frame takes up to 10 hours to print, and the company says it can create up to 250,000 unique combinations. Prices are $1,299 and $1,799, respectively.
