Technology
Superstrata unveils 'world's first' unibody electric bike printed in 3D
In the cycling world Arevo is not a well-known name. But the Silicon Valley-based company makes use of its experience in producing composites and 3D printing to create the "world's first" unibody electric bike printed in 3D. (Really it's not the first, but a little more about that.)
Two models are launched today under the Superstrata brand newly produced by Arevo. The Superstrata Terra is a lightweight, custom-built analog for a range of riding types. And the Superstrata Ion is a Class 1 e-bike with a 250W rear-hub transmission, a 252Wh battery and an impressive 60 km range.
The frame is unibody thermoplastic carbon fiber, meaning it is assembled as a single continuous piece instead of being welded together from about a dozen parts like most bike frames. Superstrata says the use of thermoplastic materials makes it highly resistant to impact but still incredibly lightweight. The Terra 's frame weight is 2.8 lbs (depending on size), while the Ion clocks in at 24.2 lbs.
But the lack of a downtube puts the Superstrata always in its own class. The only other bike you could probably compare to is the forthcoming Eeyo 1 e-bike from Gogoro or the shaft-driven Volta e-bike from Byar Bicycle, with its floating saddle and missing crosstube.
And the mag-style cast wheels in the Superstrata mimic Juiced and others' zippy moped-like e-bikes.
3D printing can be costly and labor-intensive, but Superstrata CEO Sonny Vu says it allows for a better, more robust bike frame and a more tailor-made design that will certainly appeal to consumers who are willing to pay extra for a custom fit. Customers can submit their measurements and Superstrata will down the spokes to 3D-print the wheel. This takes approximately 10 hours for each frame to create and the firm says it will produce up to 250,000 unique variations.
No glue, no joints, no seams or the like, Vu told The Verge. And so that you get a lot more control.
3D printing can be costly and labor-intensive, but Superstrata CEO Sonny Vu says it allows for a smoother, more robust bike frame and a more tailor-made style that would certainly cater to consumers willing to pay extra for a personalized fit. Customers should submit samples, and Superstrata can down-print the frame to the spokes in 3D. It takes about 10 hours to create each frame and the company estimates that it will build up to 250,000 unique variations.
There is no glue, no joints, no seams or the like, Vu told The Verge. And so you get a lot more force.
NO Binding, NO Ties, NO Lines OR All Else
Vu can readily admit not to be a road man. He turned to Bill Stephens, who has been designing cycle prototypes for decades at StudioWest Concepts, including high-end carbon-fiber bike frames for Schwinn, Honda, Diamond and Yeti, for insight into how to build a superior bike. Together, they came up with the idea for Superstrata, which Vu says will be a direct-to - consumer "soup-to-nuts" brand he hopes will show off Arevo's 3D-printing chops.
Not all is decided about the supply chain of Superstrata. Vu is now negotiating the right price for the bike's drivetrain with different battery and motor manufacturers.
So the company's bikes should be available on Indiegogo for preorder, indicating that this is just just an idea that could crash should adequate orders fail to materialise. Crowdfunding for product releases, particularly complicated devices such as e-bikes, is much more difficult than it may seem. Often crowdfunded devices are postponed for months or years, and in some cases, they never arrive. Unless the organization wants to cancel the scheme, it could leave bike owners in the lurch when it comes to upkeep and repair.
"We 're basically designing the bike while we're riding it, to be completely honest with you," Vu said. "There is something special about this."
Carbon fiber bikes are nothing new but they are usually made of dozens of pieces and can cost between $4,000 and $12,000 anywhere. Superstrata will launch with the Terra at $2,799 and the Ion at $3,999. (Preorders will be available for $1,799.) The company will begin its pre-order in July and start selling bikes later this year.
This isn't the first 3D-printing bikes jab on Arevo. In 2018, the firm launched a 3D-printed concept bike called Emery One as a exploratory effort, of which it has sold just a few units, a spokesperson said. The design looks almost similar with the Superstrata, which makes sense since that Stephens worked on the Emery.
Superstrata is, since then iterated like five versions, Vu said.
But Arevo is much more concerned about Superstrata — to the point that Vu doesn't care if he's covering his project costs. This is more about showing the 3D-printing chops in Arevo.
We just don't care that much about margins, he said. It is like a evidence of the tech industry.
If the Superstrata is successful, Vu expects to eventually call the legacy bike manufacturers, eventually setting up Superstrata to become a major supplier to the industry and making 3D printing an accepted manufacturing process in the cycling world.
Rather than knocking and begging these big bike companies to make things for them, screw that, Vu said. Let's literally ship a commodity people enjoy. And if the big bike companies want us to give them carbon fiber frames? We 're going to do it completely.
