Amazing new trials frame

[XWonka]

Very nice frame. I really like those pins on the crown. Very smart idea. Looks very solid and heavy... But if you say it's light i have to believe you.

Looking forward to owning one myself in the distant future.

[merrill]

Nice looking frame! I'm on the lookout for light 24" frames. Acccording to this thread

http://www.unicyclist.com/forums/sho...er+frame+weigh

The Wilder 24" fram weighs 636 grams or 1.402 lb.

Michael, you mention that your 20" frame weighs 1 lb 4 ounces or 1.25 lbs. I'm curious about the weight of your 24". Based on the weight of your 20" I can't see how your 24" could weigh less than the Wilder (as Jeff mentions).

If your 24" does in fact weigh in at or near 1.4 lbs, that would be pretty cool for a steel frame. Could you let me know? I want to buy a new 24" frame pretty soon, but lightness is key for this old man.

Joe

[Tmornstar]

Oh, damn-it! This is gonna hurt - the wallet. Frame looks sweeeeet.
Tommy

[joe]

One word....

AWESOME!


Joe,

[uniryder777]

Hey Ryan!!

Did you fix your seat yet after Muni Weekend???

Bwahahahah!!!

TJ

[spickydoo]

That is a sweet lookin' frame. The pins are a cool idea although I wouldn't be able to use them just yet(although I am learning).
Can't wait to see one in real life. What is the proposed damage gonna be? I'll have to start saving now I think.

[gerblefranklin]

Nice!

Man, I want one. Can anyone give weight comparisons to other popular frames (Nimbus 2, KH 20, and any others)? I assume we're looking at a price over $250 American ? Would you want to sell any prototypes or anything? I'm looking to lighten my uni, with the hopes that it will improve my jump. Seeing those pins also makes me want to prectice stand up ww. Just curious, has anyone had their chlothes caught by the pins?

Can't wait till January, I hope to be able to scrape up the cash for one soon.

[SEMPER_UNI]

GerbilFranklin,
I currently have the three above mentioned frames (2 20" and 1 24"). And as I said if I still have them and Mr. Atkins hasn't blown his up, I'd be comfortable selling two of them for a discounted price. The other one, I'm currently riding and would like to keep for it's sentimental value.

As far as retail goes, it's still up in the air. I want to keep it reasonably priced, but they're not cheap to make. I'll have a better idea after I talk to John Drummond from Uni.com. Chances are they'll be a bit more than 250 American.

I've yet to have the set screws interfere with any of my riding. they are set in pretty far on the crown and I doubt anyone will catch their pants on them.

Thanks again to every for the encouraging responses.

[merrill]

How much does the 24" frame weigh? Has it also been stress tested?

Thanks

[scot]

Just checked out the pictures and that frame is the coolest thing I've seen in unicycles lately. Nice job on the crown.

[Monkey Juggler]

I remember when they were still made from paper. Its nice to see the real thing.

[jagur]

Originally posted by Monkey Juggler
I remember when they were still made from paper.

ORigami MUni's??



link

[SEMPER_UNI]

Yes, Origame. It's the new coolest thing. lighter than composits and unbelieveable ride quality...

Sal is referring to my origianal "model." the frist two frames i made were constructed of a machined seat tube and bearing clamps. the legs and crown were constructed of two peices of sheet metal. same shape and general design (without the mill work on the crown) but a entirely monocoque design. I had a paper cutout of the laser cutting file all scotch taped together and was showing the guys who came to flint. It wasn't very elegant and i don't think anyone really could see what they were going to look like from it, but at the time it seemed like a good idea.

I have two 20" frames constructed in this manner from mild steel. they are very stong (could hardly move the material to align it after welding) but very heavy. they were early prototypes of what were going to be sheet aluminum versions, but they would have been too hard to make in quantity and there was over sixty inches of weld on a twenty inch frame. all the welds are ground off of the one I ride and it looks pretty sweet. i'll post pics if i ever get one of those camera contraptions.

Merril,
Wieght on the trials frame without the steel bearing holders was 1 pound, 4 ounces. the frames that ryan and jeff are riding have steel bearing holders for street style riding. ryan has requested a pair of aluminum replacements that i will be making for him this week.
the 24" frames will come standard with aluminum bottom clamps (steel will be an option for those interested) there isn't much material in the bearing clamps, and aluminum is light, so add three ounces for that maybe. other than that the frames are the same except there is three more inches of leg between the bearing holders and the crown, add maybe another ounce.
I'm pretty sure the final weight, including my magura mounting idea (flush mount, so when you'r not using brakes there are no bosses,) will way an oune or two more than the wilder frames posted weight of 1.44 pounds.

As far as Stress testing goes, My swanky new dell laptop should arrive in the nest few days on which i plan to run Some FEA Analysis using Altair Hypermesh (Plug for the company i work at: Altairs analysis software is the whip.) these results will be reflected in the final production design. I don't see much changing though, the same seems very over built even at it's current low wieght. if anything guage analysis on the seat tube and leg material will lead to a lighter stiffer frame.
Current "stress" testing for the trials frames are being done by Ryan and Jeff, who seem pleased thus far, though it's been only a few days of riding. When I get back to school, Kettering University (check the website, apply there, I need somone to ride with) I'm going to throw one on a tensile and compression testing machine and see what it takes to blow one up.

That's all for now. thanks again to everyone, without constantly reading this forum I could never have gotten this far.

[johnfoss]

I especially liked the pins on the crown, a great innovation! Because they are screws, riders should be able to adjust them for less grip if they get too hung up.

Like Nathan said, if it holds up under Ryan Atkins, it should work for anybody!

[harper]

The frame looks nice and the folded sheet for light weight and strength is an interesting concept which you have proven is workable. How do you do the tight folds? Over a mandrel?

I would recommend staying with a steel bottom clamp for the bearing holders. They don't add much weight. The advantage of having a split holder here is that the bottom can be armored. I've seen how quickly the bearing holders get banged up doing crank grabs that miss slightly. The aluminum would get gouged too quickly. The aluminum bearing holders on my SH MUni sport some nice, deep scars. The KH trials uni that I have just shows scratches.

You do the heat treating to T6 after all the welds, I presume? Do you accurately know the weight difference between one of the CrMo trials frames and yours with the required bearing hardware attached?

Anodized finishes are fantastic. And, by the way, if you want that frame tested, don't let Jeff or Ryan use it....they're too graceful. You need a klutz like me banging it up. I land like a buffalo.