Spotted: Specialized Demo Prototype - Lenzerheide DH World Cup 2022
It looks like Finn Iles will be racing the Lenzerheide DH World Cup on a prototype frame that's strikingly different from the current Specialized Demo. The bike first broke cover at Crankworx Innsbruck, but it was kept hidden well enough that clear photos were difficult to come by. Even now, the guts of the new machine are under wraps, which means that it's still not possible to say for sure what lies underneath that neoprene shroud, opening the doors for all sorts of speculation.
What is visible is a lugged carbon frame that's bristling with data acquisition equipment, a similar construction method to what Atherton Bikes are using, although there's no guarantee that the production version will look anything like this. Specialized have their own in-house carbon layup facility and machine shop, which means it's possible they went this route in order to try different geometry configurations without needing to create multiple carbon molds.
The lugs even have a built-in fork bump stop.
There's no longer a connection between the seatstays and the shock like there is on the current Demo.
X-ray vision would be so handy right about now.
The shock looks to be tucked as low in the frame as possible, and the machined chainstays are extremely thick, with just a few millimeters of room between the chain and the chainslap protector. How that shock is actuated is still unknown – there are bearings on the chainstays, but despite my best zooming and enhancing attempts I'm still scratching my head as to the specifics of the design. The seatube is positioned pretty far forward of the bottom bracket, and I wouldn't be surprised if thres a split in that tube for the shock to pass through, occupying a similar position to the current Demo.
For now, we'll just have to see how Finn fares on his new ride this weekend and wait until Specialized are willing to take the mask of the new downhill machine.
Extra tall, machined chainstays.
The current Demo for reference.
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Used something similar, lugs machined by Merlin if I'm not mistaken.
The lugs are quite thin for being alloy cnc and the finish is not like 3d printed titanium.The front one maybe is alloy but the rear one is quite thin,maybe it is steel?
Lugged construction is as old as metal bicycle frames - there are only so many ways to create a frame. The next design steps will be automation of generative design / topology optimization, and construction steps are likely to be filament winding of multi-void shapes, self-healing polymers, then - distantly - followed by molecular assembly. Until then, it's just refinement of things we've seen in 1992 and 1892!
I did read a paper about the potential of using automated large scale 3d printing of multi fibre( flax, some plastic then carbon) ,( possibly?) multi resin, multi layered honeycomb for sound damping of the external structure of future submarines.
Multiple @R-M-R:
For the actual machinery and tooling, we're already seeing filament tooling on the end of robotic arms, like a person holding a spider and moving the spider around as it spins out a web. Take that image and translate it into robotics - or maybe use actual, genetically-engineered spiders that spin out carbon nanotubes! The latter is unlikely, of course, but it would make a great scene in a sci-fi movie.
Many design changes are just waiting on sufficiently fast computation. For example, we'll inevitably reach the point where designers will be able to sculpt a workpiece in a VR environment and map stress, strain, stiffness, drag, thermal, etc. in real time. Take that up a level and the software will be adding generative design and/or topology optimization, also in real time. You could even add code for manufacturing time and cost and the software could incorporate those constraints as it does everything else.
Atherton bikes use wound carbon tubing with an epoxy matrix material.
The Specialized Tubes look like they are braided, maybe even thermoplastic, like on the Starling Bike that was presented a few months ago.
There are a few companies that offer braided thermoplastic tubing, like these guys www.linkedin.com/company/herone/posts/?feedView=all
Lugs made by Merlin by welding titanium tubing, not machined.
The carbon tubes and metal lug is I'd bet a way to get prototypes out the door far more quickly by utilizing some type of system similiar to what the athertons are doing for their bikes. Lot cheaper and much quicker than the classic alloy mule process that Intense continues to use.
www.singletracks.com/mtb-gear/bespoke-italian-enduro-dh-bikes-by-ancillotti-cycles
Specialized: Have you seen the banshees? Let's put the shock lower
I quite like the look of the bike like this,thin like steel frame. It is a good way to make some prototypes in house.
so the chainstay is mounted a similar way as on the trek, but instead of utilizing the uper rocker to compress the shock they pull on a shock assemby like a norco?
Was the 26" inch Demo like that?Those frames had a floating brake mount like this bike,but with a regular back end. It had 6 alloy bars if I remember well.
Even with all that wireing looks sick.
mtbs.cz/kategorie/mtbs-foto-redakcni-technika/fotka/100760#.YsxEs7dBy9I