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3D Woven, Braided Carbon Fiber Concept Road Bike by Jacob Haim

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RaceBRAID woven braided carbon fiber road bike concept by Jacob Haim

Braided carbon fiber tubes aren’t completely new, BMC’s doing it with their Impec, but they’re still rare. Rarer still is seeing it done to maximum effect using silicone mandrels to shape the finished tubes like design student Jacob Haim’s RaceBRAID road bike shown here.

Developed as a graduate project with the help of Munich Composites, the bike’s main tubes are woven around silicone mandrels to provide shape. The benefit to such construction methods is that it minimizes wasted materials and man hours spent on layup. The material layup and density in each section of each tube can be precisely controlled, then resin is injected and it’s cured. The inside of the tube looks as good as the outside, and minimal finishing work is necessary.

For his thesis project, Haim used a lugged construction, which allowed him to use the same tubes for all frame sizes from 50 to 60 cm while still allowing it to be customized to the riders. That’s part of the reason the seatstays meet the seat tube so low on this bike.

Click through for more pics and details…

RaceBRAID woven braided carbon fiber road bike concept by Jacob Haim

Haim originally envisioned the bike with titanium lugs, but costs for such things are a bit much for a student project. He told BicycleDesign they’re a “secret” layup that’ll get refined should the bike make it into production.

RaceBRAID woven braided carbon fiber road bike concept by Jacob Haim

Want to see the braiding in action? Check the video on Munich Composite’s website.

RaceBRAID woven braided carbon fiber road bike concept by Jacob Haim

Design blog Core77 also has an interview with Jacob and noted that the ridiculously lightweight BlackBraid “commuter” bike we spotted at Eurobike was also constructed using this method.

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Nick
Nick
11 years ago

Weird how in some of the photos the bike appears to have direct-mount style brakes and in other photos, no brakes.

DerHoggz
DerHoggz
11 years ago

I think the last picture is a digital model.

Super Mario
Super Mario
11 years ago

I hope he calls this model “The Corey”

vectorbug
vectorbug
11 years ago

Get the wheels lined up for the main photo =(

WannaBeSTi
WannaBeSTi
11 years ago

Super Mario, I think it’ll be named Corky. Oh-Blah-Dee, Oh-Blah-Dah

Roger
Roger
11 years ago

That is one ugly bike.

Jim
Jim
11 years ago

“the bike’s main tubes are woven around silicone mandrels to provide shape. ..The inside of the tube looks as good as the outside, and minimal finishing work is necessary.”

– some carbon factories in the far east are already doing this for ‘traditional’ lay-up manufacturing, using removable 3d-print blocks.

me
me
11 years ago

BMC credit for “3d braids”? the cannondale six13 had 3d braided top and down tubes man many years ago. as did the early time fames before time was braiding in house.

me
me
11 years ago

the shapes remind me of the early kuotas. back when they were actually interesting and unique… before you kids noticed the brand.

Steve
11 years ago

My favorite touch is the “3T” in reverse on the fork. That thing is hideous.

earlybird
earlybird
11 years ago

Keep in mind that it is a project by a design student, and probably not a finished product.
But indeed, it’s absolutely hideous. And this student needs to work on his photoshop skills.

PMR
PMR
11 years ago

I like those chainstays.

A Texan
A Texan
11 years ago

U-G-L-Y you ain’t got no alibi, you’re just ugly
U-G-L-Y but you never wonder why you’re so ugly
U-G-L-Y you ain’t got no alibi, you’re just ugly
U-G-L-Y you ain’t got no alibi, you’re just ug, ugly ugly

Steve M
Steve M
11 years ago

Not to pleasing to my eye…

Seraph
Seraph
11 years ago

The chain in the first image must be photoshopped in because it is certainly not able to be routed through the rear derailleur as shown.

hello?
hello?
11 years ago

Hmm, if you think the bike is ugly, post which road race bike you currently own/ride.

RUSTYDOGG
RUSTYDOGG
11 years ago

Damn. Tough crowd. I think it looks pretty cool. I wish I had the design expertise to make something even remotely as cool as that.

RUSTYDOGG
RUSTYDOGG
11 years ago

I’ll take it up one notch; All you (deleted) hatin’ on it post a link to some of your design work.

Surly Shawn
Surly Shawn
11 years ago

And here comes the Hater Brigade. Keep pointing out flaws in photoshopped photos. You are all doing such great work.

I think the bike looks good, even for a student project. I especially like the front on shot, with the oversized lugs sticking out. 😀

chris
11 years ago

Surely the point of this is the (almost) unique carbon weave process, which looks gorgeous and might actually reduce production costs without compromising performance. The final design, and geometry might need to be re-worked if it ever went into production, but as a concept this is great work, and I’ve seen some much uglier bikes around anyway

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