I have literally been trying to file a third-party preissuance submission with the US Patent Office for 2 hours but their website and phone menus are...
I have literally been trying to file a third-party preissuance submission with the US Patent Office for 2 hours but their website and phone menus are dogshit so I'm giving up. It would have been hilarious if submitting a pdf of vital comments is what got a patent not approved. Anyone got contacts at SRAM? Would be good to at least contact them lol.
I looked into the patent and unfortunately they have you beat by a few months. Provisional was filed in March of 2025. Provisional patents are a...
I looked into the patent and unfortunately they have you beat by a few months. Provisional was filed in March of 2025. Provisional patents are a great way to buy yourself time to fully decide if you want to pursue something while getting a foot legally in the door and not spending a ton of money. It gives you a year to decide if you want to proceed with a full on patent and doesn't have to go through the same review process so pretty much anyone can file one.
Damn, would've been cool. The current application was March of 26 but I didn't see the provisional before that.
Having totaled a bike through knock block when the fork hit the frame, they better have designed a sturdy barrier for those bars.
Lord, I forgot the knockblock times. Wasn't Trek selling that as a way to make the downtube stiffer from it's shape or something? Only place a knockblock belongs is on an ebike and even then battery packaging is getting good enough to where they don't even belong there.
Recently learned how hands-off Transition is for manufacturing. They basically do the industrial design and pivot layout then the factory does the rest. No in-house composite engineer or stress analysts at least double checking what the factory is doing. I know they’re not unique in this, but they’re charging a lot for what is basically a Transition shaped catalog frame.
They give a lot back to the riding community here, so as a local it’s a little easier to stomach, but if I were outside Washington it would be a much harder sell.
How many composites engineers do you think are there in the whole industry? And how many stress analysists?
FWIW, from what I've heard (obviously could be wrong or could be old info) apparently Yeti's process was quite similar. Engineering firm doing the suspension (Switch link was done by Sotto Design Group for example, not sure what the situation is like for Switch Infinity or Sixfinity) and an industrial design firm doing the surface modelling of the frame (the 'looks') and an overseas firm doing molds, carbon layup based on their experience, testing, if it breaks, strengthen the breaking point, once it's good, ship it.
Again, I'm not saying it's what's happening now, but I did hear that was the approach some years ago at least. And based on the size of the companies (isn't Transition like 10 people) I'd bet it's more of the same at most of these small brands.
How many composites engineers do you think are there in the whole industry? And how many stress analysists?FWIW, from what I've heard (obviously could be wrong...
How many composites engineers do you think are there in the whole industry? And how many stress analysists?
FWIW, from what I've heard (obviously could be wrong or could be old info) apparently Yeti's process was quite similar. Engineering firm doing the suspension (Switch link was done by Sotto Design Group for example, not sure what the situation is like for Switch Infinity or Sixfinity) and an industrial design firm doing the surface modelling of the frame (the 'looks') and an overseas firm doing molds, carbon layup based on their experience, testing, if it breaks, strengthen the breaking point, once it's good, ship it.
Again, I'm not saying it's what's happening now, but I did hear that was the approach some years ago at least. And based on the size of the companies (isn't Transition like 10 people) I'd bet it's more of the same at most of these small brands.
I think it's just worse optics for Transition because they're so vocal about only being like 10 people yet they're charging only $100 less than Santa Cruz for a frame ($3500) Their bikes are great but def feel more "catalogue" than SC, Yeti, Pivot, Ibis, etc. Nothing about them screams premium except the customer support and the price. My alloy Patrol is an amazing park bike but was not worth the $2,400 the frame cost. Transitions frameset prices should be $2k for alloy $3k for carbon. At least the new TR-11 is the best deal for any DH frameset out there at $2,600
What would an advantage be for a company to have a composite engineer? Im going to make a guess that Giant (given their size and manufacturing ability) has one and that may be why some of their frames are really light given the trend of most companies getting considerably heavier?
How many composites engineers do you think are there in the whole industry? And how many stress analysists?FWIW, from what I've heard (obviously could be wrong...
How many composites engineers do you think are there in the whole industry? And how many stress analysists?
FWIW, from what I've heard (obviously could be wrong or could be old info) apparently Yeti's process was quite similar. Engineering firm doing the suspension (Switch link was done by Sotto Design Group for example, not sure what the situation is like for Switch Infinity or Sixfinity) and an industrial design firm doing the surface modelling of the frame (the 'looks') and an overseas firm doing molds, carbon layup based on their experience, testing, if it breaks, strengthen the breaking point, once it's good, ship it.
Again, I'm not saying it's what's happening now, but I did hear that was the approach some years ago at least. And based on the size of the companies (isn't Transition like 10 people) I'd bet it's more of the same at most of these small brands.
Based on what I’ve seen at least a half dozen at Specialized alone and SC certainly has a few. ENVE used to be full of composites experts, less so now that most of their production is in Asia. TR is much smaller, but Ibis being similar in size had a composite/structures engineer even before the in-house stuff started. To the extreme small-end Unno is heavily engineered and optimized.
Even if the liaison engineer (the person living in Asia who interfaces directly with the factory) were doing the composites and analysis that would be reasonable. I guess my assumption was a smaller company would be more hands on and that attention to detail is what you’re paying for.
What would an advantage be for a company to have a composite engineer? Im going to make a guess that Giant (given their size and manufacturing...
What would an advantage be for a company to have a composite engineer? Im going to make a guess that Giant (given their size and manufacturing ability) has one and that may be why some of their frames are really light given the trend of most companies getting considerably heavier?
Giant likely has a pretty healthy composites engineering staff, but based overseas since they own their factory.
If you’re interested, YouTube “Giant Bicycles Factory Tour”. The TCR and Anthem videos show how they’ve gone to the Nth degree by even making their own pre-preg line for carbon. A single composite nerd at the company doesn’t get you to that point.
Damn, would've been cool. The current application was March of 26 but I didn't see the provisional before that.
All the bike nerds here pay no attention to the girl in the background, they go straight to the linkage
I've not bothered reading their application, but my guess is that Sram's claims are for a stem which clamps both above and below the upper bearing.
This existed in 2009, and I'm sure there are older examples
Having totaled a bike through knock block when the fork hit the frame, they better have designed a sturdy barrier for those bars.
I do wonder if transition is the new yeti….
Lord, I forgot the knockblock times. Wasn't Trek selling that as a way to make the downtube stiffer from it's shape or something? Only place a knockblock belongs is on an ebike and even then battery packaging is getting good enough to where they don't even belong there.
That would be Kailey Skelton - her bike. https://www.instagram.com/kailey_skelton?stkn=OGd4cXp5bjk4dXM3
DIY version of SRAM’s idea
from US Open.
Maybe most of them know that would be inappropriate and choose not to be weirdos
About time those E23 calipers got updated. They updated the levers to be really good but left those awful calipers
If someone has a newer phone that can scan we codes from your image gallery, I’m curious what the QR code on that caliper links to.
its a number link
Its probably just an internal part number
Nah yeti actually makes good stuff that isn’t built and designed in Tiwian
You might want to double check the built part.
Inappropriate sure
If you spend your free time reading about unreleased mountain bike tech, you’re already weird
Nice save
Elm Brown Red 😂
Recently learned how hands-off Transition is for manufacturing. They basically do the industrial design and pivot layout then the factory does the rest. No in-house composite engineer or stress analysts at least double checking what the factory is doing. I know they’re not unique in this, but they’re charging a lot for what is basically a Transition shaped catalog frame.
They give a lot back to the riding community here, so as a local it’s a little easier to stomach, but if I were outside Washington it would be a much harder sell.
How many composites engineers do you think are there in the whole industry? And how many stress analysists?
FWIW, from what I've heard (obviously could be wrong or could be old info) apparently Yeti's process was quite similar. Engineering firm doing the suspension (Switch link was done by Sotto Design Group for example, not sure what the situation is like for Switch Infinity or Sixfinity) and an industrial design firm doing the surface modelling of the frame (the 'looks') and an overseas firm doing molds, carbon layup based on their experience, testing, if it breaks, strengthen the breaking point, once it's good, ship it.
Again, I'm not saying it's what's happening now, but I did hear that was the approach some years ago at least. And based on the size of the companies (isn't Transition like 10 people) I'd bet it's more of the same at most of these small brands.
I think it's just worse optics for Transition because they're so vocal about only being like 10 people yet they're charging only $100 less than Santa Cruz for a frame ($3500) Their bikes are great but def feel more "catalogue" than SC, Yeti, Pivot, Ibis, etc. Nothing about them screams premium except the customer support and the price. My alloy Patrol is an amazing park bike but was not worth the $2,400 the frame cost. Transitions frameset prices should be $2k for alloy $3k for carbon. At least the new TR-11 is the best deal for any DH frameset out there at $2,600
What I ment to say is the bike designer for yeti doesn’t live in Asia and actually rides lmao.
What would an advantage be for a company to have a composite engineer? Im going to make a guess that Giant (given their size and manufacturing ability) has one and that may be why some of their frames are really light given the trend of most companies getting considerably heavier?
Based on what I’ve seen at least a half dozen at Specialized alone and SC certainly has a few. ENVE used to be full of composites experts, less so now that most of their production is in Asia. TR is much smaller, but Ibis being similar in size had a composite/structures engineer even before the in-house stuff started. To the extreme small-end Unno is heavily engineered and optimized.
Even if the liaison engineer (the person living in Asia who interfaces directly with the factory) were doing the composites and analysis that would be reasonable. I guess my assumption was a smaller company would be more hands on and that attention to detail is what you’re paying for.
Giant likely has a pretty healthy composites engineering staff, but based overseas since they own their factory.
If you’re interested, YouTube “Giant Bicycles Factory Tour”. The TCR and Anthem videos show how they’ve gone to the Nth degree by even making their own pre-preg line for carbon. A single composite nerd at the company doesn’t get you to that point.
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