When INDUSTRY and Ti Cycles designed their entry for the Oregon Manifest bike design project, their vision required next generation technology and exotic metals that would then be hand-crafted by artisan bike makers into a premier urban commuter bicycle. Creating a beautiful balance between local artisan and new technology meant designing in a completely different mindset – enter, 3D printing. Keeping it local, INDUSTRY brought Oregon-based i3D™ Manufacturing on board to 3D print components that simply could not be manufactured using traditional methods. Included in these custom parts were intricate handlebars housing a bluetooth smartphone app called My Bike which monitors bike maintenance and alerts you to when a light needs to be replaced or when something goes wrong with your brakes. Another software, Discover My City, has a series of curated rides from five of Portland’s coolest residents, which suggests where to ride, eat and shop. The rider simply gets “buzzed” with the alerts, keeping them connected as they commute. Ti Cycles signature tubing Titanium frames are the perfect way to make sure no wires interfere with the rider and preserve the aesthetics of the bike design. The curves and junctions of parts of the frame also needed to be 3D printed because the tubing could not be traditionally manufactured to hold the lines properly. i3D™ printed fork crowns, front and rear dropouts, head tubes, bottom brackets, and seat clusters for the bike. The titanium printed part welds showed superior strength and seamlessly integrated with the tubing. 3D printing and phone apps aside, in the end, it was the skill and craftsmanship of Ti Cycles that brought the high tech and custom bike manufacturing together to create a perfect blend of utility and elegance. Go see what all the “buzz” is about at 3ders.org, Engadget, treehugger, and Bike Portland.
