Friday, July 01, 2005
This Day:

Everyone who has ever ridden a bike knows how heavy a bike can be, and this is a pain, especially when climbing up hills or mountains :(. Now the Swiss manufacturer BMC has designed a Carbon-NanoTube-based bike, which weighs less than a kilogram (about 2.2 pounds)!! In this year’s Tour de France, cyclists from the Phonak Team will use such bikes:).

BMC Pro Machine NanoTube-Bike (Courtesy: BMC)
To create the frame, BMC used a composite technology developed by US sports equipment specialist Easton. The company's Enhanced Resin System embeds carbon fibre in a resin matrix that's reinforced with carbon nanotubes.
Carbon nanotubes are an array of carbon atoms arranged in a pattern of hexagons and pentagons (similar to the pattern found on soccer balls). These structures can be manufactured in tubular shapes one billionth of a meter in diameter, hence the name nanotube. These tubes are the strongest man-made fibers, 100s of times stronger than steel, yet lighter:):).
Soon we might see more applications of nanotubes in other areas of transportation. I am looking forward to the day when there will be a car with Carbon-NanoTube chassis, running on fuel-cells, and fully computerized. Surely I can then turn on my favorite music, close my eyes, and enjoy the ride?:D:D... the car can do the driving:).

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7/01/2005   10 comments Post a Comment

10 Comments:

At July 02, 2005 1:23 PM, Blogger Sray said...
That is true.. but remember that Carbon Tubes are highly bendable! Consider for example a horizontal beam in the bike. If the nanotube axis is aligned with the bar, then this gives the bar extremely high tensile, shear, and bending strength!! So it all depends on if the whole bar is made of a single chain of Carbon rings.
 
At July 02, 2005 9:55 PM, Blogger KL said...
Any idea how much those bikes cost? Can I have one ;);)?

How will it help to have a lighter chasis for a car ? Driver more faster? Also what are the environmental hazards/helpful for such carbon-nanotube made transportations?
 
At July 02, 2005 10:02 PM, Blogger Sray said...
Dear KL: :D:D:D... the bike has not yet been released to the masses, so its price is still a secret, as far as I could tell. About car chassis... if a car-frame is lighter, it has several benefits! 1) Less fuel consumption, 2) Better acceleration curve, and 3) Lesser damage to the occupants during a crash (due to lesser kinetic energy of the car) :). About environmental hazards... carbon is one of the most common elements, and the nanotube frame is non-toxic, and biodegradable, so better for the environment as well!!
 
At July 05, 2005 8:10 AM, Blogger Wayne Smallman said...
"I am looking forward to the day when there will be a car with Carbon-NanoTube chassis, running on fuel-cells, and fully computerized."

Don't know about the 'fully computerized' part. Sounds like all of the fun will be taken out of driving.

A bit like having an automatic gear box, or column-shift, which is just plain boring.

What I will say is, the sooner they start making cars out of these, the better.

There will come a time when the heaviest item in a car is the passenger...
 
At July 05, 2005 11:27 AM, Blogger Sray said...
Wayne: 'Fully computerized' was loose-talk for 'intelligent machines' that could drive or 'course-correct' if need be. If I am veering off the lane without my indicator on, the car should be able to force me to stay in lane (or something like that). We still drive, but the car does keep an eye on the road too :). BTW, the way things are going in USA, soon the passenger will be the heaviest item, carbon frame or not....
 
At July 05, 2005 11:28 AM, Blogger Sray said...
Atheist: I am sure this will revolutionize motorcycles too :):). But I was thinking: is too light a good thing? You need the momentum to give u the grip on the road.. too light a bike, and it might take off at the slightest bump, or skid off the tracks.
 
At July 05, 2005 2:30 PM, Blogger Wayne Smallman said...
Motorbikes being too light is a bad thing.

Most of the more powerful bikes can easily lift onto the back wheel simply by opening up the throttle...
 
At July 05, 2005 3:56 PM, Blogger Sray said...
Too light, and the bike will take off like a rocket :))...
 
At July 06, 2005 6:53 PM, Blogger Sray said...
I do not ride a bike... so correct me if I am wrong. My understanding is that the lighter the bike, the wider the tires would be, so that it can grip the road better during a tighter and faster turn. Is this true? Also, how much does wind affect a lighter bike, as compared to a heavier one? What is the cross-section area presented to the wind front, when you ride your bike? I assume that for better bikes, this cross-section has to be smaller.
 
At July 08, 2005 10:11 PM, Blogger Sray said...
Yes, that is true. But I still wonder if a lighter bike is more prone to wobbling, or taking off, or getting swept away in the wind (perhaps not, if the cross-section is smaller)? Also, I thought a lighter bike would be a problem if the rider is heavy, as the setup then becomes top-heavy and more prone to instabilities! That is why I was wondering if the tires would be wider, so as to stop the bike from wobbling during a turn?.
 

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