The carbon bike from a 3D printer

The Californians know how to do it. Taking inspiration from the ideas of the little computer geniuses to transform things with high-tech, fairy dust and dollars and ending up triumphantly presenting nothing less than the future of (complete with an object of your choice). These trendy objects can first be found on participatory funding platforms such as Kickstarter and Indiegogo. Having recently fallen for the Lumos Ultra, I've been waiting for a bike helmet that will protect my head in a somewhat futuristic way. And now someone wants to sell me a bike that's as good as the helmet. We are, of course, talking about the Superstrata.

Here's a project we think you should check out

"P.S. Here's a project we think you should check out," I was told in one of the last emails I received featuring new helmet designs in every colour of the rainbow. "These are our friends at Superstrata, now on Indiegogo," it went on to say. I scrolled, clicked, looked and was seduced. The Superstrata makes me feel like I could win the Tour de France at the touch of a button. And then explore the surface of Mars, if Elon Musk decides to take me there. Sporty, clean, futuristic, with a special paint job that makes you want to. You should know, however, that it's not its looks that make this bike interesting.

The carbon monocoque bike stands out because it's custom printed. No gluing, no screws, no welding: it comes out of the printer in one piece and is intended to be extremely strong. This is made possible by "industrially manufactured continuous carbon fibres offering unfailing strength". The technology comes from Arveo, another Silicon Valley company that presented its process at Eurobike 2019. The frame will weigh between 1.3 and 1.7kg, bearing in mind that its actual weight will depend on the proportions chosen. The wheels are also made by the printer. The whole bike will weigh in at around 7.5 kg. As for the electric version with a well-hidden 125 Wh battery and a motor on the rear wheel, it will clock in at around 11 kg.

Impressive?

Nothing would be easier than to be impressed by the photos of the printed bike. This one is billed as the "cult bike of tomorrow". With its sleek appearance thanks to the (data) cables laid inside, it's sure to be an eye-catcher on the street. While the manufacturer is not short of superlatives, we don't yet have all the information on the other parts, which will only be available for selection in the online shop once the campaign is over. A configurator is not yet available. The announcement that the frame will be printed according to the buyer's height, weight, 'riding style' and personal preferences is also vague, and leaves some questions unanswered about the exact procedure. That said, you can add a 'Premium Colors Upgrade' for $249 to your basket if you sign up as an 'early bird'. Early registrants will pay at least $1,499. So, is this a smoke and mirrors or indeed the bike of the future?

The Superstrata claims no fewer than 500,000 customisation options in total. Contributors can expect to receive a looooooong questionnaire at the end of the funding campaign. Let's hope no one gets the idea to print it out.