I had the chance to visit a composites conference in Paris a little while ago. It's always interesting to see where the science of carbon fiber is headed. The aerospace industry, for instance, has finally come around to using carbon fibre in a significant way for structural purposes (beyond military applications). We actually saw a pretty impressive presentation from the people at Dassault on how they were using composites to enhance aircraft performance and accelerate design time.

If I had to cite the one thing that struck me the most at the show, it was the emergence of thermoplastics as a promising solution. Basically, this material replaces the resin that is currently used as the medium for carbon fiber with specialized plastics. While the thermosets we currently use in making our carbon fiber bikes basically set permanently once they are cured, thermoplastics offer the benefit of being moldable post-cure (after subsequent application of appropriate heat). Other than the benefit of limitless formability, thermoplastic parts can essentially be "welded" together, eliminating the need for adhesives or wraps, leading to a more eco-friendly production. Best of all, at the end of its life-cycle, a thermoplastic bicycle frame could conceivably be re-usable, post consumption, in another form all together. Very interesting possibilities, given that the performance of the material (stiffness, weight, absorption of high frequency vibration) would basically be the same. Stay tuned.

You often hear bike companies tout their advantages with regards to aerodynamics, based on self-administered tests in a wind tunnel. Have you ever noticed that the brand conducting the test always seems to be coming out on top? Is that because they are running the test or is it because they are not publishing the ones they are not winning? In any case, we don't pretend to be making the most aero bike on the planet, simply because we don't believe that this criterion, in and of itself, -- without taking into account the particular cyclist on the bike -- is as significant as some may claim. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that, in looking at the frontal profile of a bike / rider combo, it is the rider that constitutes the vast majority of potential drag. On a daily basis, we encounter triathletes and time trialists in "super-duper aero" positions (on competitive bikes), back-breaking set-ups that are totally not sustainable over the long haul of a race. Does someone out there realize that you can be a heck of a lot more aero by slotting yourself in an ideal position, one that won't have you shifting around -- and creating massive drag -- to relieve discomfort?

People often ask me "what bike should I buy". What I usually tell them is that, even if you don't buy a Guru, buy the bike that fits you best. Everything other aspect of performance, including aerodynamics, will naturally follow.