CDuro Teases Czech Wound Carbon Gravel Bike, Begins Delivery Epona Enduro MTB

This new Built-in Loop Know-how (ILT) takes automated carbon tube manufacturing to a brand new stage with an automatic “integral becoming a member of tech” that lets a robotic be a part of the tubes.

That manner CDuro first makes particular person light-weight carbon tubes with a extra typical filament winding ‘loom’ hooked up to a spinning spindle. Then for instance, they lower & miter a downtube, backside bracket shell, and headtube to be assembled as one. And a robotic arm joins the tubes collectively, wrapping longitudinal fibers over the joints and alongside the complete size of the tubes to finish the structural wants of the meeting. And eventually, the robotic overwinds the tube junctions to create the specified stress within the lengthy fibers and lock within the joint earlier than wrapping all of it in tape to squeeze out any extra resin and finalize the construction.

ILT carbon up shut: earlier than & after

This ILT course of permits CompoTech to completely automate the creation of the important thing body subassemblies of each their first bike – the single-pivot full-suspension Epona enduro mountain bike – and this extra conventional diamond body gravel bike prototype. In that manner, CDuro machine-winds the bikes’ spine as a single component. After which, they merely slide different tubes in and bond them into place.

CompoTech present how the downtube meeting of the Epona is made in that video above, however don’t reveal precisely what occurs within the subsequent step. Nonetheless, that lengthy robotic arm suggests a lot greater assemblies might be rotated by means of the automated manufacturing.

Plus, CDuro describes the whole entrance triangle of the Epona mountain bike and the entrance triangle of this gravel prototype as being made in a single piece.

CDuro robot-wound carbon all-rounder Gravel bike prototype

So the ILT course of creates a superbly automated joint between tubes, but additionally the continual longitudinal fibers that reinforce the woven construction of the primary body tubes.

And doubtless the factor that I like most concerning the CDuro bikes is that nothing is hidden. Whereas conventional hand-laid carbon at all times has some human imperfections (like you’ll be able to see on this prototype gravel bike’s seatstay and chainstay junctions), the automated fiber placement is completely the place it was designed. Each fiber exactly positioned by robots.

The completed product is a surprisingly skeletal and even industrial aesthetic, at occasions even trying unfinished. However that’s precisely as a result of CDuro’s robots solely place the carbon fiber the place they should from a structural perspective.

In my thoughts, that’s the great thing about these bikes. Each fiber of carbon is positioned there with intention. Nothing further.

The consequence on this as-yet-unnamed carbon CDuro Gravel bike prototype is that the overwrapped ILT joints stay open. On their mountain bike, they seal these off to maintain out mud and particles. However CDuro nonetheless aren’t positive in the event that they would depart the gravel bike extra open.

Carbon tube connections up shut

CDuro doesn’t solely automate development of the prototype gravel bike, although. Robots wind the (principally) spherical tubes and create the primary entrance triangle joints. However CDuro CNC-machines aluminum dropouts on the rear, which they then straight bond into their tubes. After which, they join these chainstays and seatstays to the entrance triangle with typical tube mitering and hand-wrapped carbon overlays.

Formally, that is nonetheless fully a gravel prototype, and CDuro doesn’t have any actual closing particulars of an estimated availability timeline for the brand new bike. They do describe the gravel bike extra as an all-rounder. So it would have gravel geometry impressed by the mountain bikers who’ve designed it. And whereas optimizing weight, CDuro prioritize sturdiness over absolutely the lightest weight doable for this gravel bike challenge.

CDuro expects tire clearance within the 45-50mm vary. Cable routing will probably be absolutely built-in up entrance, and will probably be UDH-compatible. And it doubtless will add extra bottle cage mounts than you see right here, however as CDuro say, they’d somewhat lower as few holes into the center of their carbon tubes, as doable.

100% made-in-Czechia, full gravel frames will most likely promote for someplace between 2500-3000€ in a handful of inventory sizes, beginning with uncooked matte carbon finishes being probably the most inexpensive. However we’ll have to attend at the very least till subsequent spring to get a extra concrete timeline.

CDuro Epona carbon enduro mountain bike

However, in case you are searching for a singular carbon enduro mountain bike woven by Czech robots, you’ll be able to already order certainly one of these CDuro Epona frames as we speak.

We first featured the single-pivot Epona final summer season at Eurobike the place it was sporting this upside-down carbon Intend fork. I’ve additionally seen it across the Czech enduro racing scene and in line at my native bikepark, piloted by Czech enduro racer Dominika Adamcová.

That is the versatile and succesful mountain bike that CompoTech’s engineers needed to construct from the beginning. CDuro identify the Epona after a neighborhood technical rocky path that descends from the very best mountain simply above CDuro’s manufacturing unit in Sušice, on the foot of the Šumava mountains on the CZ/DE border.

CDuro describe the idea of the bike as easy, “a powerful, steady, light-weight carbon, and easy single-pivot enduro body platform”. They aren’t attempting to reinvent mountain bike suspension and even geometry design – simply to reimagine it with their distinctive automated carbon development.

Usually, CDuro builds the Epona up as both a mullet bike with an extended 65mm stroke shock for 160mm of rear wheel journey. Or go full 29er with a 60mm shock stroke for 150mm of rear journey. However for the smallest S-sized bikes, CDuro reduces rear wheel journey to 137mm with a 55mm stroke shock for decrease standover with both a 29″ or 27.5″ rear wheel.

In any case, CDuro recommends matching it to a 29″ entrance wheel and 160-170mm of fork journey.

The bike is available in 4 inventory sizes (S-XL) and options fairly customary succesful geometry for a light-weight enduro bike. You get a slack 64° head angle, steep 79° seat angle, comparatively lengthy 450mm chainstays, and medium-long Attain figures.

Tech particulars

• CompoTech Built-in Loop Know-how robot-wound carbon entrance triangle
• hi-mod carbon body 100% EU-made at a claimed 2.2kg with out shock
• 27.5 mullet 160mm or full 29er 150mm of rear single-pivot journey on sealed bearings
• threaded or BB92 PressFit backside bracket
• UDH with 12x148mm Increase spacing
• 180 post-mount disc brake
• inner brake routing, plus non-obligatory inner wired 31.6mm dropper seatpost or derailleur routing

Epona – Pricing & availability