Video: Track Bike Build With 3D Printed Lugs

posted by Kristi Benedict - November 4, 2012 - 3pm EDT

Watch as stainless steel lugs are made via 3D printer and used to make a carbon tubed track bike. Video and bike work by Ralf Holleis.

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Comments

MB - 11/04/12 - 5:14pm

Beyond pretty, but I’d be nervous swinging a leg over it.

Jonny - 11/04/12 - 6:57pm

I want one… But with brakes.

Rob - 11/04/12 - 7:15pm

I’m with MB,

There would be no way I would even come close to racing on that. It like as fragile as spaghetti.

EthanM - 11/04/12 - 7:22pm

i could never ride that, he wrapped the bars backwards.

Freddie - 11/04/12 - 7:53pm

Just because you can 3D print something doesn’t mean you should. It looks pretty, but my gut says it’ll fold the minute you start to hammer on it. I’d like to see some footage of it actually moving.

Ripnshread - 11/04/12 - 9:13pm

Sketchy

dan - 11/04/12 - 9:17pm

Now we have somewhat engineer hipsters. Is there an app for that?

Justin - 11/04/12 - 10:14pm

Interesting idea, but how strong is this stuff? I”ve been searching for some information on the strength of 3D printed metals, but I can’t find a damn thing.

Xris - 11/04/12 - 10:57pm

It would be strong enough if it were annealed after the printing process like the titanium dropouts were in a previous video.

That aside, it’s still a very nice work of art.

zoobike - 11/05/12 - 12:01am

WOW! Ride it or not that was a hint of the hand made future right there. 3d Printing is really getting better everyday! Sure it’s more or less prototype looking but man that inspires design…

SWijland - 11/05/12 - 3:41am

+1 for EthanM

Rob - 11/05/12 - 5:59am

A very quick look shows ultimate tensile strength of Ti to be 1.4GPa, while printer looks to be 1.0GPa. However, I would not trust the manufacturers claim of 1.0GPa too much as I have seen massive over-estimations of strengths from manufacturers vs my own testing.

http://designandmotion.net/rapid-prototyping/3d-printing-i-materialise-offers-titanium/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titanium

experience: Materials scientist

bc - 11/05/12 - 7:29am

That bike is ugly and I want my two minutes back.

maze - 11/05/12 - 8:16am

I just love it. It shows the possibilities of additive manufacturing. to me it is a functional pice of art.

Brett - 11/05/12 - 8:22am

I think safe to say: we should all consider this a concept piece.

NotAMachinist - 11/05/12 - 11:19am

Assuming the lugs are strong enough (big assumption) that doesn’t seem like much glue holding the tubes. Also, by “glue” do they mean “high tech epoxy” or “superglue”?

I think it looks really cool.

MaLóL - 11/05/12 - 1:44pm

pathetic, in both aestethics and engineering. Concept idea was good though.

Nivlac - 11/05/12 - 1:51pm

Attention armchair engineers: Designer of this bike may have as much insight as you, and may have tested strength before spending huge time and money building said bike. That is all.

Winklevoss M. - 11/05/12 - 2:19pm

@Niviac – As a working mechanical engineer, I’m going to say no, he didn’t. Those lugs are purely aesthetic. The dropouts are especially iffy.

BH - 11/05/12 - 3:55pm

The words “track bike” and “hipster fixie” are NOT interchangeable.

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