Silicon Valley bicycle brand Superstrata has unveiled what it claims is the world’s first bespoke 3D-printed e-bicycle with an impact-resistant unibody carbon fibre frame.
Each frame is 3D-printed in a single pass of continuous carbon fibre thermoplastic composite.
The company said that “unlike other carbon fibre bikes whose frames are glued and bolted together with numerous parts and fabricated from previous-generation thermoset composite materials, the Superstrata frame is constructed without joints or glue for seamless strength”.
The Superstrata Ion is a $4,000 bike. But it’s not just any $4,000 bike (I likely wouldn’t be writing about it if it were). In addition to looking quite slick, the unibody bike is 3D printed from a single piece of carbon fiber material. The approach makes it possible for the company to essentially deliver a custom bike to the rider’s body. And despite its seemingly hefty price tag, the Ion is still cheaper than most traditionally constructed carbon fiber bikes, which can cost as much as $12,000.
There are two models being offered under the Superstrata brand. There’s the aforementioned electric Ion and the Terra, a $2,800 standard bike. Neither are quite a reality yet. Both are being offered up as pre-orders on Indiegogo (the campaign has already funded 5x its initial $100,000 goal) via Alabaster/Misfit founder Sonny Vu — a familiar name to anyone who has been following the consumer electronics space over the last several years.
