It is hard to get your head around and likely to give you brainfreeze. The ability to build a high performing bike frame out of a range of materials from the high tech carbon fibre (carbon fiber if you are in the US), through titanium, steel and right around to naturally growing, green bamboo seems hard to believe, but it is a reality today that has made the selection of hand-made bike frames both complex whilst opening up the possibility to have exactly the right material for the rider's needs.
Although each material needs to be treated in a different way during frame building, they can all be fabricated into a true, bespoke custom frame made to the exact requirements for the terrain and user. A well made bespoke frame will make the rider more responsive, feeling as if they can soar up hills, decent like a stone and sprint like Mark Cavendish.
There are a number of expert custom steel bike frame builders in the UK but only a handful of artisans skilled in hand-built carbon fibre, titanium and bamboo construction. The technology used is intricate and sophisticated, with many fabricators of custom bike frames closely guarding their techniques. The result is that the rider can obtain a bespoke bike frame, made to measure exactly to their requirements getting a custom fit using the materials best for the job whether it be bamboo, carbon fibre or titanium.
So what's different in the materials? Looking specifically at suitability for a bike frame, Carbon Fibre is very strong (about twice as strong as steel) extremely stiff (approximately five times as stiff as steel) and by far the lightest but some say it is actually too stiff for a comfortable ride. Titanium although heavier than carbon fibre is half the weight of steel but not as stiff (and can be made to give a more comfortable ride) nor does it corrode. Titanium is thought of as relatively exotic but in fact it is the fourth most common element on this earth. Bamboo has strength comparable to light steel and weight-wise (at the same stiffness) it is also similar to steel, though considerably heavier than carbon, but has a wonderful ability to absorb road shocks. Bamboo has been used for countless years as a construction and building material in the far east. Some people worry about it ability to withstand the damp British weather but it is indigenous to Asia where rainfall can be of monsoon proportions.
Karen Davies writes articles about Bernoulli Bikes, a fabricator of custom built bike frames in various materials. Their custom frame building service allows customers to select made to measure frames constructed from carbon fibre, titanium, bamboo or steel. Its professional team has years of experience building superior bespoke bike frames for members of local and international teams.
Although each material needs to be treated in a different way during frame building, they can all be fabricated into a true, bespoke custom frame made to the exact requirements for the terrain and user. A well made bespoke frame will make the rider more responsive, feeling as if they can soar up hills, decent like a stone and sprint like Mark Cavendish.
There are a number of expert custom steel bike frame builders in the UK but only a handful of artisans skilled in hand-built carbon fibre, titanium and bamboo construction. The technology used is intricate and sophisticated, with many fabricators of custom bike frames closely guarding their techniques. The result is that the rider can obtain a bespoke bike frame, made to measure exactly to their requirements getting a custom fit using the materials best for the job whether it be bamboo, carbon fibre or titanium.
So what's different in the materials? Looking specifically at suitability for a bike frame, Carbon Fibre is very strong (about twice as strong as steel) extremely stiff (approximately five times as stiff as steel) and by far the lightest but some say it is actually too stiff for a comfortable ride. Titanium although heavier than carbon fibre is half the weight of steel but not as stiff (and can be made to give a more comfortable ride) nor does it corrode. Titanium is thought of as relatively exotic but in fact it is the fourth most common element on this earth. Bamboo has strength comparable to light steel and weight-wise (at the same stiffness) it is also similar to steel, though considerably heavier than carbon, but has a wonderful ability to absorb road shocks. Bamboo has been used for countless years as a construction and building material in the far east. Some people worry about it ability to withstand the damp British weather but it is indigenous to Asia where rainfall can be of monsoon proportions.
Karen Davies writes articles about Bernoulli Bikes, a fabricator of custom built bike frames in various materials. Their custom frame building service allows customers to select made to measure frames constructed from carbon fibre, titanium, bamboo or steel. Its professional team has years of experience building superior bespoke bike frames for members of local and international teams.
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