Downhill MTB Project

jeremy_2640

Likes Dirt
G'day all,

Some of you may remember a while ago (September last year), I posted up some questions regarding user input for a new downhill race frame. Well its been a while and Kendal and I have done quite a bit of work on it.

Originally we had proposed to manufacture out of carbon. Time and depth of analysis required meant that we couldn't pursue this option for our first prototype. We are nearing manufacturing and have machined a few prototype parts out of foam. So hopefully of the next few months we will have a full working prototype rippin' a trail somewhere.

Here is the project proposal poster to get a bit of an idea of what it will look like (pending a few tweaks here and there).





A special thanks to:
Gergely Kovacs - http://www.bikechecker.com/
Ken Ballhause - http://www.tekinsuspension.com.au/
 

wertmewert

Likes Dirt
Hey,

Feel like sponsoring me to ride one of them please?:rolleyes: And out of curisoity how much would you put them on the market for with shock?

CHeers
 

Tom../

Likes Bikes
Frame :d

any idea on how much RRp will be on frame alone???? because i under stand that theoretically it might cost $900 to built one. That you need to be at a profit??
Thanks
Tom
 

jeremy_2640

Likes Dirt
any idea on how much RRp will be on frame alone???? because i under stand that theoretically it might cost $900 to built one. That you need to be at a profit??
Thanks
Tom
A bit to soon to know any of those sort of details. Lets just get one made first :D
 

cameron_15

Eats Squid
Looks like a fairly low BB? or am i silly?

and yes, i think that there is the problem of the exposed drivetrain. very vulnerable there...

Anyway, enough on the negatives...

I am very impressed with what you have done. Frame looks nice and as said, very professional. hope it works out well for you!
 

Tom../

Likes Bikes
Frame

oh yeah, for sure.

Lol sorry about that, i wasn't sure if you had made one yet or not, sorry to bother you..
Tom
 

jeremy_2640

Likes Dirt
Looks like a fairly low BB? or am i silly?

and yes, i think that there is the problem of the exposed drivetrain. very vulnerable there...

Anyway, enough on the negatives...

I am very impressed with what you have done. Frame looks nice and as said, very professional. hope it works out well for you!
Yeah BB is quite low...As for the drivetrain - there is no dérailleur + gears are fully enclosed = Minimal maintenance. Originally we had hoped to go for a belt driven set up but the minimum radius for a belt sprocket was too small to be implemented...
 

evObda2

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Loving that rear end design.. very nice!

Only thing that doesnt sit well is the round front tubes and down tube.. could you do it with similar tubes to say a demo8 etc as there slightly square? might give it a bit more flow and match the rear end a bit better..

Just seems youve gone too all the trouble of an awsome rear end, seems the front doesnt get quiet as much detail.. just my 2 cents.
 

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dhDRucer

Likes Dirt
Loving that rear end design.. very nice!

Only thing that doesnt sit well is the round front tubes and down tube.. could you do it with similar tubes to say a demo8 etc as there slightly square? might give it a bit more flow and match the rear end a bit better..

Just seems youve gone too all the trouble of an awsome rear end, seems the front doesnt get quiet as much detail.. just my 2 cents.
+1..I also think the rear end is amazing but the tubes are to round.It would looks alot nicer with squarer ones and maybe a large bottom tube

Maybe add some gussets into the headtube area for strenghth??

amazing though!I WISH i could acheive something of this manner.Keep up the good work and keep us all up to date
 

PSYCHO-T

Likes Dirt
Its looking good felle's

just out of curiosity,
is the chain ment to run inside the swing arm? maybe i looked at it wrong :p

cant wait to see this being tested :D
 

PSYCHO-T

Likes Dirt
Its looking good felle's

just out of curiosity,
is the chain ment to run inside the swing arm? maybe i looked at it wrong :p

cant wait to see this being tested :D
Oh and if it is ment to be internal
i assume there will be a sorce of constant lubrication?
 

nskz

Likes Dirt
Hydroformed tubing as is common on basically all the large brands these days is prohibitively expensive for all but the big players.

The rear end sure looks burly! Interesting adjustable wheelbase and BB height by the looks. Have you done any FEA on the lower downtube connection to the gearbox? I guess you maybe somewhat limited in terms of your available connections to the G-Box though. Head tube going to be gusseted?

Looks awesome though.
 

jeremy_2640

Likes Dirt
Hydroformed tubing as is common on basically all the large brands these days is prohibitively expensive for all but the big players.

The rear end sure looks burly! Interesting adjustable wheelbase and BB height by the looks. Have you done any FEA on the lower downtube connection to the gearbox? I guess you maybe somewhat limited in terms of your available connections to the G-Box though. Head tube going to be gusseted?

Looks awesome though.
Rear end is close to final, the chain runs through the hole in the middle of the swing arm and underneath - i would love to have it running inside the swingarm but that's a little ambitious for our first one, front end still has a bit of work to do - i.e. I haven't modelled in gussets and it will be a bit different at the g-boxx /mainframe interface (utilizing the top g-boxx mount).

As for square tubing - we are subject to availability, it's almost impossible to get hold of anything other than round. (I'd love to proven wrong). And like the nskz said hydro forming is VERY expensive....which is generally what all the funky looking profiles are done with on the big boys bikes....
 

DeanoM

Likes Dirt
Cool looking bike Jeremy,well done,if ya want to check out some square tubeing for the front end pop round the block one day and check out me old turner-sooo coool !!!
 

jmurphy

Likes Dirt
So mate do you want someone to ride the prototype haha!! It looks rad!! cant wait to see it in the flesh!

James
 

Nick53

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Well done, looks great. Front end reminds me of a Turner. One suggestion I have is that the seat-tube is very small in length which doesn't allow much seatpost adjustment...
 
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