# summer thesis....carbon bike frame??



## inddracer (Feb 24, 2003)

I'm doing my senior thesis this summer and am leaning towards a bike frame design...probably of carbon fiber.

Basic road bike geometry, yet I'm not sure I want to stick with the triple triangle design just for the looks of a cool design. I'm not worried about the processes or difficulty in getting dimensions/tube thicknesses/alignment/etc. correct (or cost before someone says it, we'll have a corporate sponsor). 

Any comments/suggestions on improvements/additions/designs you would like to see or have ever thought of in a frame?? 

Examples of not triple triangles I could find:
http://www.pedalforce.com/web/model_RA.htm
http://www.chainreaction.com/Y-Foil.htm
are there more?

Thanks.


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## Swish (Jul 31, 2004)

Try Kestrell and Softride. And try googling pre '96 or '97 bikes, because later bikes are enforced, by UCI rules, to have the double triangle design. So the pre '96 years had a lot of carbon creativity. You could also get inspiration from some MTB or time-trial designs.


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## Nate lusk (Jun 2, 2004)

*I agree- Kestrel is a stellar ride*

Hang on a sec- having some technical difficulties here...


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## Nate lusk (Jun 2, 2004)

*I agree- Kestrel is a stellar ride*



Swish said:


> Try Kestrell and Softride. And try googling pre '96 or '97 bikes, because later bikes are enforced, by UCI rules, to have the double triangle design. So the pre '96 years had a lot of carbon creativity. You could also get inspiration from some MTB or time-trial designs.


I am posting as a second opinion, and it is the same as Swish- a Kestrel, if you are ready to spend some money, is a phenomenal ride. After trying out eight bikes last spring, I finally settled on one, and was a bit bummed I couldn't afford the Kestrel Talon I had loved test riding so much. Fortunately, a place in New Jersey set me up on an amazing deal, and I got the bike- www.kimsbikes.com Call them & ask for Jennifer- she is all about people getting the ride they want at a price they can manage, she isn't greedy, she owns the shop, and she'll ship anywhere. 

As for the bike itself... I can give you a review the same as everyone else will about a bike they really dig... it handles great, absorbs the bumps & cracks of the road, lightweight but stiff, fantastic acceleration, cuts along the road like a whisper, and yes it even looks cool... but here's the one I believe counts the most- every afternoon I come home from work excited to get on this bike. And every evening I come home thinking to myself "MAN what a great ride!" Quite simply- it helps make a really fast, enjoyable sport even faster and even more enjoyable. 

Best of luck to you on the bike and your thesis!
~Nate


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## Hozomean (Apr 4, 2005)

Check this site out...


http://calfeedesign.com/Calfee_TWP.pdf


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