[Skookum]

I was watching the Discovery Channel the other day, and there was a program about the history of metal so on and so forth. Well what caught my attention were the new technologies of metal that have recently been introduced that i was not aware of.
It appears there is a way to take current a metal similiar to titanium and heat it to such an extreme it reaches a "glass" state. This treatment displaces the molecules out of uniformity, within the metal, making it 2 to 3 times stronger. All the metal that comes from this process i believe has to be cast.
Can you imagine the wieght savings on bikes that could be accomplished here.... From the frame, crank arms, handlebars.
Also they've developed a lightweight metal derived from nickel i think? i can't remember, but anyways, it retains memory of it's original shape. This guy twisted the hell out of this peice, then dipped it into hot water and it "popped" back into shape. It was incredible. Can you imagine this technology being adapted for rims, maybe rotors.....
Just a thought but can you imagine the XC bikes averaging like 15 lbs and DH bikes averaging around 30?

 

[Tenchiro]

 

[Skookum]

Originally posted by Tenchiro

I post ONE serious geeky gearhead thread in all my time here, and this is what i get.........

 

[Westy]

Originally posted by Skookum
I post ONE serious geeky gearhead thread in all my time here, and this is what i get.........

If it makes you feel better I wrote a long drawn out geeky response but had to close the window for work reasons before i could submit.

 

[Tenchiro]

Originally posted by Skookum
I post ONE serious geeky gearhead thread in all my time here, and this is what i get.........

If I could fix a bent frame with nothing but a bathtub and hot water, I am all for it!

 

[Sir_Crackien]

but the problem is that the tube on bike are made of rolled metal. not cast metal. but i think it would be a great idea in many other produces like cranks.

the memery metal also has a problem in that it is very flexable and not all that strong. so it would not work for any bike product that i can think of.

any other ideas? for products i mean

 

[jonjayal]

Originally posted by Skookum
Well what caught my attention were the new technologies of metal that have recently been introduced that i was not aware of.
It appears there is a way to take current a metal similiar to titanium and heat it to such an extreme it reaches a "glass" state. ....

Just a thought but can you imagine the XC bikes averaging like 15 lbs and DH bikes averaging around 30?

There are loads of metals (e.g. Beryllium) out there which potentially would be superb for bikes but they're often too expensive/dangerous to handle/rare/difficult to machine