[Closed] This new super springy metal.

flexier frames? 🙂

They've said nothing about its strength/weight ratio (maybe it's too new to have got to all of that).

I suppose it's use will be limited to items that traditionally suffer from fatigue failure, although it depends if the strength and ductility is comparable to the alloys it will replace.

Interesting article though, and nice to see it not being dumbed down too much by the BBC.

Very exciting stuff.

Some of the new materials being developed with nano tech are amazing,but nature can still kick ass 🙂

diy adjustable geometry?

a) get out the scaffolding poles, and bend yourself a new head angle.

b) get out the hairdryer to 'reset' your frame.

'Horst Link' type pivots. Remember the Yeti ASR and 575 'hinges' at the chainstay/seatstay junction that eliminated the usual bearing or bushing? Something like this that would eliminated bearings and bushings from suspension pivots that have a very low angle of rotation.

Maybe in pilotless frames, but it's already been shown that bendy stays work in conventional aluminium alloys, Ti and CFRP, and they've still not become mainstream.

I wonder what a leaf springed frame with this stuff would be like weight ride quality ow my imagination is kicking in now.

Raceface could try using it for their stems

I wonder what a leaf springed frame with this stuff would be like weight ride quality ow my imagination is kicking in now.

There was a Ti frame years ago that used a carbon fibre leaf spring under the down tube to pivot the swing arm. In summary it was crap because there's nothing to stop the back end wobbling around so it needed a linkage anyway, a bit like leaf springs on cars, if you want to make a classic car go fast the first thing you do is fit panhard rods, trailing arms, etc to stop the leaf springs deforming sideways, axle tramping etc.

i think a few people have missed the point.

this new alloy is not exciting because it's extra bendy, or whatever.

it's a memory alloy! that can return to an original shape even after it's been 'permanently' bent.

bend it to a new shape, it'll stay there. heat it up to a critical temperature, and it'll unbend itself by magic.

memory alloys are not new, i remember seeing them on tomorrow's world. and that statement alone should tell you how long ago that was.

the exciting thing about this new alloy, is that it can perform it's shape-shifting magic trick millions of times before the pixies get worn out.

Yep, not that new. We've been using them for a while but note, only single use in this country.

http://www.coltene.com/en/products/19/details/2749/HyFlex®_CM™_NiTi_Files.html