Bike to the Future

The National Composites Centre (NCC), working in collaboration with Starling Cycles and Composite Braiding, has developed a frame for an electric mountain bike using thermoplastic carbon fibre.

Lightweight and recyclable, the thermoplastic carbon fibre frame is a more sustainable alternative to frames made traditionally of steel or thermoset epoxies.

Electric bikes are gaining in popularity across Europe, with an estimated 17 million expected sales in 2030.

The NCC also developed a unique manufacturing method to create the lugs that hold the frame together. This includes a carbon fibre and nylon composite for an improved fibre deposition, thus eliminating the need to infuse the resin separately.

A press report originally published on the NCC website stated that ‘thermoplastics are a strong enough material to be used for a bike frame [and] the expanded understanding of how they can be re-worked and re-used opens the door to using thermoplastics in other components across industry due to the flexibility they offer. They can also offer higher production rates (due to the lack of separate infusion process), whilst still providing the high quality of composites, potentially allowing for a reduction in costs and environmental impact.’

With the aim of helping manufacturers recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, Innovate UK is investing up to £191m to refund such projects as part of the Sustainable Innovation Fund.

Asa point of interest, given the consistent success of Team GB in cycling events at the Olympic Games, Interplas Insights has reached out to the NCC for comment on the likelihood of us being able to see these bikes in Paris 2024 or beyond – but obviously without the electric elements, because that would be cheating.