Starting this month, road bike fanatics will be able to order the Alize and/or the Diablo, two high-performance bikes designed through a collaboration between BMW Group DesignworksUSA and sporting equipment manufacturer NeilPryde. Both will make their public debut later this week at the Vattenfall Cyclassics, a European bicycle race being held in Hamburg, Germany; consumers will start seeing the bikes by mid-September.
The Alize focuses on aerodynamic performance through optimized tube profiling and an extended Kamm tail. The changing aerofoil profile along the length of the tubes manages the airflow specific to the aerodynamic characteristics of each element - frame, forks, wheels and components. The Alize incorporates a progressive Kamm tail profile in the lower 1/3 of the down tube, with the extended trailing edge morphing into a squared_off surface, enabling a more efficient transition from the down tube to the seat tube. "Using a Computational Fluid Dynamic modeling system, we were able to create a design that tricks the airflow to remain laminar around the downtube, seattube and rear wheel," said Magnus Aspegren, Director of DesignworksUSA's Singapore Studio.
Together with its client, DesignworksUSA developed an exoskeleton design of continuous carbon fibers fully integrated into the monocoque front triangle for the Diablo. Stiffness ribs were also incorporated into strategic locations on the fork blades, chain and seat stays. The design created allows carbon fibers to run continuously through tube_joint_tube transitions, resulting in a frameset that has been optimised for its unique material characteristics.
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I wonder if there is a way to bring the composite structure to mainstream (i mean cheap) cycles. That would leave enough weight room to add a little hub based electric motor and generator+battery to create assisted cycling.
Shaving is for road rash, (large scabs stick to and pull leg hair limiting one's ability to sleep soundly) not for aerodynamics.
I think I will keep my cheap, strong, and repairable steel frame.
http://www.neilprydebikes.com
I want the matt-black Alize!!!!
Nice sketches though, and the seat clamp gasket-y thing looks cool.