Not only are lightweight, carbon fiber bicycles hard to come by, but they’re often isolated to high-end proprietors, meaning that parts, maintenance, and additional costs can build up fast. Luckily, California-based brand, Areva, wants carbon-clad transports to become commonplace within today’s cycling community. So, they’ve introduced an all-new, 3D-printed platform known as the Superstrata.
The 3D-printing process isn’t new within the world of cycling. Many brands have turned to the unique manufacturing practice as a means to create more precise replacement parts, define difficult architectures, and drive down costs. In Areva’s case, 3D-printing offered the perfect opportunity to create one of the market’s most affordable e-bikes — and one that takes full advantage of the technology to provide buyers with something that was once outside the realm of possibility. Instead of piecing the bike together with a number of welds, joints, bolts, or glues, the Superstrata is comprised of a single unibody piece, emerging from the machine as a fully-realized frame (aside from its bespoke seat tube, which will be added at a later date). The Superstrata will arrive in two different iterations: the $2,799 ‘Terra,’ and the $3,999 ‘Ion,’ which boasts Areva’s 252Wh electrified powertrain and weighs a mere 24 pounds. Head to the brand’s Indiegogo to learn more.
