# 7kg MTB machined from single piece of aluminium



## Andrew_Culture (16 Nov 2016)

I thought I would share an engineering news article with you. I'm always interested to read about innovation in bike building. A lot of it seems to be in the road bike arena, but this idea of a MTB frame being machined from a single lump of aluminium interests me. I've not seen it outside of consumer items like the MacBook.

I'm not too sure about the shape of the frame, I'm yet to see anyone successfully deviate from the classic twin triangle design.

There are pictures here - https://clevermachinery.com/bicycle-milled-solid-stock/


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## MichaelW2 (16 Nov 2016)

It is a neat technology demonstrator, and probably makes a good showpiece at trade fairs.


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## Drago (16 Nov 2016)

Nice, but not the strongest means of manufacture.


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## PhilDawson8270 (16 Nov 2016)

The problem with milling from a solid billet is the lack of control of the grain structure, well primarily the orientation of the grains.

I wouldn't be riding something manufactured in that method, but it sure does look good.


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## Crackle (16 Nov 2016)

165 to 7Kg, that's pretty wasteful. And they could at least have put the seat on straight.


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## TheDoctor (16 Nov 2016)

The swarf will be weighed in, I suspect. At 60p a kilo, I would.
So much aluminium is recycled that it can't be long before we don't need to mine it any more.


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## Ian H (16 Nov 2016)

Some at least of aluminium frame manufacturers put the finished frames in a jig into an annealing oven to 'cook' the structure and remove stresses from welding. I wonder whether that process would work with a milled frame. Who is a metallurgist here?


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## PhilDawson8270 (16 Nov 2016)

Ian H said:


> Some at least of aluminium frame manufacturers put the finished frames in a jig into an annealing oven to 'cook' the structure and remove stresses from welding. I wonder whether that process would work with a milled frame. Who is a metallurgist here?



The jig, and ovens are usually done to remove the stress from welding as you say. That wouldn't be an issue with milling, as the heat generated is nowhere close to what it would need to be to cause issues.


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## Ian H (16 Nov 2016)

PhilDawson8270 said:


> The jig, and ovens are usually done to remove the stress from welding as you say. That wouldn't be an issue with milling, as the heat generated is nowhere close to what it would need to be to cause issues.



I was wondering whether annealing might alter the structure of the metal – though, thinking about it, possibly not in this case.


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## ColinJ (16 Nov 2016)

The article say that it's a 7 kg FRAME, _not_ BIKE! That is very heavy, so I suspect that it actually should have said BIKE. I would love to have a mountain bike that was 1 kg lighter than my best road bike!


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## Andrew_Culture (16 Nov 2016)

Well you have all raised all kinds of questions. Learning is fun


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## midlife (16 Nov 2016)

Should have milled it out of titanium 

Shaun


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## Jody (16 Nov 2016)

ColinJ said:


> The article say that it's a 7 kg FRAME, _not_ BIKE! That is very heavy, so I suspect that it actually should have said BIKE. I would love to have a mountain bike that was 1 kg lighter than my best road bike!



Local guy to us was stocking a sub 20lb MTB. It looked gorgeous but then I saw the price 

15lb for the fame in the OP is pretty heavy considering you can get complete decent AM/160 travel bike that is around 30lb


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## roadrash (16 Nov 2016)

you would need to grip the bars tight to avoid sliding off that saddle though


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## Pale Rider (16 Nov 2016)

Well done to the company for trying something different.

But all I think they've discovered is why bicycle frames are made from hollow tubes.


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## MontyVeda (16 Nov 2016)

roadrash said:


> you would need to grip the bars tight to avoid sliding off that saddle though


and the chain's slack.


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## PhilDawson8270 (16 Nov 2016)

roadrash said:


> you would need to grip the bars tight to avoid sliding off that saddle though



Maybe sliding ON the seat is how you're meant to stay on it


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## marzjennings (16 Nov 2016)

roadrash said:


> you would need to grip the bars tight to avoid sliding off that saddle though



Reminds me of a Mountain Cycle Shockwave bike from years back...






And FYI, the seat angle is correct for a DH bike.


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## mickle (16 Nov 2016)

It's a very old fashioned and rather primitive high pivot single pivot elevated swing arm. Without a high end platform-valved shock it'll suffer terribly from chain tension induced top out. The design of the seat mast allows for near zero seat height adjustment. The shape of the frame seems arbitrary and most of the structural members appear to bear little relevance to any of the load paths. But it is shiny. Which is nice.


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## slowmotion (17 Nov 2016)

5 axis CNC milling machines have been around for a decade, and they are fun to watch if you like tool porn. It's a shame that they didn't post a video of it emerging from the billet. 
[media]
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbIU7l_8pR8
[/media]

I found the tool pecking at the eye sockets a bit hard!


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## Jody (17 Nov 2016)

marzjennings said:


> Reminds me of a Mountain Cycle Shockwave bike from years back...



You read my mind but I was going to say more towards the original San Andreas. That bike really was radical for the time it was introduced


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## Jody (17 Nov 2016)

mickle said:


> It's a very old fashioned and rather primitive high pivot single pivot elevated swing arm. Without a high end platform-valved shock it'll suffer terribly from chain tension induced top out. The design of the seat mast allows for near zero seat height adjustment. .



It has a high end valved shock on it but looks hidden in the frame and DH bikes don't really require seat height changes.


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## PhilDawson8270 (17 Nov 2016)

Jody said:


> It has a high end valved shock on it but looks hidden in the frame and DH bikes don't really require seat height changes.


Why have the seat at all on a downhill bike?


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## Jody (17 Nov 2016)

PhilDawson8270 said:


> Why have the seat at all on a downhill bike?




Good question. Probably to have a little break as you riding back to the pits/uplift, finished a race etc. 5 minutes of intense downhill and your knacked. You can't ride stood up all the time, similar to BMX and Danny Mac etc.


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## Tanis8472 (17 Nov 2016)

Stops the seat post embedding itself somewhere


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## PhilDawson8270 (17 Nov 2016)

But with no seat. You wouldn't need a seat post either


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## PhilDawson8270 (17 Nov 2016)

Jody said:


> Local guy to us was stocking a sub 20lb MTB. It looked gorgeous but then I saw the price
> 
> 15lb for the fame in the OP is pretty heavy considering you can get complete decent AM/160 travel bike that is around 30lb



If it is for downhill racing/riding. I don't suppose weight is an issue. In fact. Surely heavier is better? Especially if racing where you get a lift to the top?


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## Jody (17 Nov 2016)

PhilDawson8270 said:


> If it is for downhill racing/riding. I don't suppose weight is an issue. In fact. Surely heavier is better? Especially if racing where you get a lift to the top?



Weight isn't as big an issue but you still have to stop, change direction and let it move around under you. So a heavier bike would be more cumbersome.


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## Tanis8472 (17 Nov 2016)

PhilDawson8270 said:


> But with no seat. You wouldn't need a seat post either



But that was not what you said LOL


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## PhilDawson8270 (17 Nov 2016)

Jody said:


> Weight isn't as big an issue but you still have to stop, change direction and let it move around under you. So a heavier bike would be more cumbersome.



I wonder then if a fatter rider, where the rider can move the weight about then. Would be beneficial than looking like Froome?


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## PhilDawson8270 (17 Nov 2016)

Tanis8472 said:


> But that was not what you said LOL



Today is national tolerance day. Therefore you are required to tolerate my conflicting, and sometimes hypocritical statements


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## PhilDawson8270 (17 Nov 2016)

Actually, it appears that was yesterday.

As you were


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## Crackle (17 Nov 2016)

PhilDawson8270 said:


> I wonder then if a fatter rider, where the rider can move the weight about then. Would be beneficial than looking like Froome?


Not really. It's not just a case of plummeting downhill. Downhill racing requires fitness and expertise as much as any other form of racing. You might get away with being heavier set but you won't get away with being overweight and unfit.


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## PhilDawson8270 (17 Nov 2016)

Crackle said:


> but you won't get away with being overweight and unfit.



It was starting to sound like I may have a benefit in sport for a moment


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## BretonM (17 Nov 2016)

I like the design, but I don't think it'll ever be accessible or applicable to mountain bikers or their needs. 
I do realise that this is simply a cool concept. 
Just my opinion. 
Anyone disagree?



Breton.


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