However, the superstrata boxes will not be one piece. The team plans to print the main part of the frame, which does not have a traditional seat tube, creating an open diamond shape, and the front forks separately. Still, it’s an impressive design feat that grabs the attention of other bikers and road users.
Superstrat
The company will use additive manufacturing to build two bikes similarly: a standard $ 2,799 ‘Terra’ model and an electrified $ 3,999 ‘Ion’ version. That may sound expensive, however, a carbon road bike can cost between $ 1,250 and $ 12,500. (And even more, if you want something really rare). Meanwhile, a high-end Riese & Müller electric bike can cost almost $ 9,000. Superstrata is not making a bike for the masses, but the company is also not operating on the top steps of the custom bike building.
“It is less than its high-end carbon fiber bikes, but it is not affordable in common sense,” Vu agreed.
According to Superstrata, 3D printing offers a couple of crucial benefits. For starters, each bike can be printed to fit the exact dimensions of the rider. The company promises “over 500,000” possible configurations that represent the customer’s height, weight, arm and leg length, as well as their preferred driving position and frame stiffness level. Most bike manufacturers, by comparison, offer a handful of frame sizes that account for most riders’ heights. And many new electric bike companies, like Cowboy, have a single specification to simplify manufacturing and repair.
3D printing also does not require expensive molds. That means the company is not tied down or incentivized to stick with the same frame design for a long period of time. The process also requires fewer humans than a traditional carbon fiber frame. “Materials for carbon compounds are really expensive, but it’s really the labor that makes it expensive,” said Vu. “That was amazing to me. I always thought it was the stuff, but then I realized, ‘Oh, it’s actually the job.’ “
Finally, Superstata promises “seamless strength” that outperforms traditional monocoque carbon fiber frames. Vu told Engadget: “We say, ‘Well, your monocoque frame didn’t start as one piece. There were 20 or 30 pieces glued, laser welded, even together, wrapped. But it started as many pieces. And if you hit a tree, it will end up being a lot of pieces. “Superstrata bikes won’t be indestructible, but they should do better if you randomly fall or stand outside a café.
Superstrat
The Ion will be shipped with a 252Wh battery tucked into its slim tube. By electric bike standards, that’s small. The latest merchandise from VanMoof and Cowboy offer 504Wh and 360Wh batteries respectively, for example. Superstrata promises a 250-watt motor, which is effectively the industry standard for pedal-assisted electric bikes, which can rise to 350 watts in a pinch. It will provide 40 Nm of torque, which is well below the 75 Nm that Bosch, the provider of countless bike brands including Trek, Mustache and Riese & Müller, currently offers with its flagship four-engine generation. (Bosh is also planning a software update that will increase torque to 85 Nm later this summer.)
However, the Superstrata Ion will be lighter than most of its electric bike competition. The entire contraption must weigh 11kg, which is 1kg less than Gogoro’s Eeyo 1, 8kg less than VanMoof’s S3 and only 700 grams heavier than the folding hummingbird. Like the Eeyo 1, the weight and “open frame” design should make it easy to carry the bike on one shoulder. In theory, the weight should also offset the smaller size of the battery. Superstrata promises 96 km (60 miles) of range on a single charge and a maximum assisted speed of 32 km (20 mph), which will be software restricted to meet Europe’s lower 25 km / h speed limit.
The company has acquired some of its basic components, for example, the tires, the saddle and the group, from external manufacturers. We don’t know the exact model numbers, but Vu confirmed that they would be fairly “standard” options. Superstrata was unable to choose top-of-the-line components, he explained, because the team is ordering them in smaller volumes than traditional bike manufacturers. “The average person, I think they will enjoy it,” said Vu. “Professional bikers will probably make fun of that, the sets. But they can put up their own sets. “
Arevo has been working on his 3D printed bike formula for some time. In 2018, the company presented a proof of concept with a blue frame that extended beyond the fork and seat tube. Twelve months later, he introduced the Electric Emery One with Franco Bicycles, a California-based premium road and gravel bike manufacturer. Since then, Arevo has announced that it will help Pilot Distribution Group, a company in the Netherlands, to develop a new line of electric bikes that have 3D printed carbon fiber frames.
With Superstrata, the company is finally launching on its own. “I said, ‘You know what? Why are we doing this for other people? Let’s do it ourselves and if other people want it, they can come to us, ‘”Vu said. “So that’s the idea. Let’s make a good bicycle, from end to end. Let’s build a complete brand around and have fun. ”
However, to deliver the bikes of their dreams, the company is turning to Indiegogo. As with all crowdfunding campaigns, there is no guarantee that Terra or Ion will materialize. However, Arevo has existed since 2013, which is longer than many new electric bike companies. Vu also hinted that the company is using the platform more as a marketing “launch pad” than as a finance-raising tool. Still, any reservation is a gamble.
If everything goes according to plan, Arevo will deliver its first bikes in December. The company will manufacture 500 two-wheelers in its initial execution, according to Vu, through a combination of printing in the United States and Vietnam. He expects Superstrata’s business to grow to “thousands, eventually,” but is well aware of how competitive the bicycle industry can be. If the brand doesn’t notice, Arevo may have to swing.
“As a 3D printing company, we can do that,” he explained. “We can say, ‘No, it’s fine. We’re done. If you’ve invested in a full line with carbon fiber molds and a full production setup, you’d better sell tens of thousands of bikes or else you’ll be pretty screwed up. But if 437 people hate [Superstrata bikes] and we can’t get anybody’s attention, that’s fine. Let’s make baby strollers or whatever. Let’s do something else. I love this additive manufacturing world because you can do that kind of thing. It is really overturning the structure of the supply chain that exists. ”
