Title: MOUNTAIN BIKE FRAME INNOVATION USING THERMOPLASTIC COMPOSITES

Authors: Matt Giaraffa, D. DeWayne Howell

DOI: 10.33599/nasampe/s.23.0303

Abstract: For over 20 years the bike industry has been using composite materials to make mountain bike frames and other components, becoming the default high end material in the past 5-10 years. Thermoset based carbon fiber composites have traditionally led the way, but recently the next generation technology of thermoplastic infused carbon fiber composites have entered the market as recyclability, impact toughness, and vibration damping become more important. In particular, a new class of mountain bike frames has hit the trails as produced by Revved Industries for their in-house brand, Guerrilla Gravity. Increased impact toughness and vibration damping of thermoplastic composites offer attractive performance advantages that are ideal for applications such as mountain bike frames and components.
Several thermoplastic composite material options were investigated and PA6/carbon fiber produced by Toray Advanced Composites was selected. A significant breakthrough in thermoplastic composite part forming, co-molding, and fusing has led to a durable and robust design that sets thermoplastic frames apart from their thermoset counterparts. This paper will review the material selection, design and analysis, fabrication, and testing of a mountain bike frame that has proven itself in the market today.

References: 1. Toray Data Sheet, Toray Cetex® TC910 PA6 2. Toray Advanced Composites internal test reports for TC910 PA6 CF, 2020-2022 3. R. Murray, “Structural validation of a thermoplastic composite wind turbine blade with comparison to a thermoset composite blade”, Renewable Energy, vol.164, February 2021, pp. 1100-1107

Conference: SAMPE 2023

Publication Date: 2023/04/17

SKU: TP23-0000000303

Pages: 12

Price: $24.00