lanister
Bicycle project designed and handcrafted for individual pursuits by Nicolas Backal at The California College of the Arts. Special gratitude to Joshua Muir who’s knowledge and teachings made this project possible.
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INDEX 5 The Human Powerplant
9 The Bicycle Abstraction
13 The Lanister Design Concept
23 Handcraft Build-Out
31 Branding and Finishing
35 Parts and Specifications
39 References + Acknowledgments
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“Man is the measure of all things, of things that are, that they are; and of things that are not, that they are not.� - Protagoras
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The Human Powerplant
THE HUMAN POWERPLANT The bicycle is a really efficient means of transportation. In fact, cycling is more efficient than any other method of travel including walking or running. The engine for this efficient mode of transport is the human body. Because bodies are fueled by food, diet plays an important role in how the body performs. Different muscle groups and types provide the power. Genetic inheritance, intensive training, and a competitive drive help top athletes push the boundaries of endurance and speed on the bicycle. It takes less energy to cycle one mile than it takes to walk a mile and can be up to 5 times more efficient than walking. If we compare the amount of calories burned in bicycling to the number of calories an automobile burns, the difference is astounding. One hundred calories can power a cyclist for three miles, but it would only power a car for 85 meters. A cyclist’s legs provide the power for cycling. The muscle attached to the thighbone (femur) and the shinbone (tibia) do the majority of the work. The thighbone works like a lever and if it’s longer than the shinbone it will provide extra leverage on each stroke of the pedals. The muscles receive messages from the brain, causing the fibers to contract. The main muscles at work in cycling are the quadriceps and hamstrings in the upper leg, and the gastrocnemius and soleus in the calf. These muscles contract in a sequence that creates the pedaling action. Every muscle is made up of two types of fibers. Fast-twitch fibers move 2 to 3 times faster than slow-twitch
fibers, but they tire more easily. Fast-twitch fibers, logically, are used for sprinting and quick ascents. Inversely, slow-twitch fibers are used for long rides of moderate intensity. Most people have half slow-twitch and half fast-twitch fibers in their muscles. However, genetics again plays a role. Some longdistance runners have as much as 80 percent slow twitch fibers, while sprinters tend to have more fast-twitch fibers. People who commute by bicycle or ride recreationally may not have the extreme determination that a pro cyclist has, but nevertheless cycling provides challenges and rewards to everyone who rides. Most cyclists agree that cycling not only improves their physical health but their mental outlook. A sense of accomplishment and a feeling of independence are feelings every cyclist shares. Perhaps that’s why cycling for many is more than a sport or even a mode of transportation -- it’s a passion.
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IMPEDANCE MATCH For a stationary bicycle, there is a maximum force that the cyclist can apply to the pedals. This will be the cyclists weight at zero pedal velocity. As the pedal speed increases, more work is done in moving the legs and the force that can be applied to the pedals decreases. The limit is reached when the legs can only just keep up with the pedals, but the cyclist is unable to apply any force to them. When operating close to the impedance match condition, the pedal force provided by the rider has the form shown in the image. Most of the revolution the rider can only apply positive force on the pedal. Under these conditions the foot is not used to produce an upward force on the pedal. Only under slow rotation conditions, such as during a hill climb, will the rider tend to pull up on the pedal as well as push down during the ‘power’ part of the stroke. As the rotation speed is increased, the magnitudes of the force vectors decrease, until at the maximum rotation speed of which the rider is capable the forces drop to zero. The forces are also time dependent at a constant rotation rate. At the beginning of a pedaling period anaerobic work can be done by the muscle using stored oxygen. As the pedaling time increases this oxygen is depleted and the activity requires an oxygen supply - an aerobic muscle activity.
Age and Gender also influence the work output of people. The power output capability is about 15 to 25% larger for adult men than adult women, and for both genders the peak of capability occurs between 20 and 35 years of age. Part of the gender difference seems to be due to the lean muscle weight, which is less in women, and to the hemoglobin content of the blood (and hence oxygen transport capability) which is also less in women. The decline in oxygen consumption rate with age is dependent on the general activity level of the person, being greater in sedentary people (by a factor of three) as compared to active people. In athletes the period of oxygen consumption rate decline may be delayed until 40 years of age. Estimates of the overall efficiency of participants in a cycling marathon yield overall mechanical efficiencies between 17 and 20%.
Image showing the impedance match forces of a regular cyclist. The arrows indicate the force and direction transmitted by the rider to the crankset.
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The Human Powerplant
Top
Back
Front
Bottom
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“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving.� - Albert Einstein
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the bicycle abstraction
THE BICYCLE ABSTRACTION The human-power vehicle known as a bike or bicycle was first introduced as the “laufmaschine” in 1817 by Baron Karl von Drais, a german servant to the Grand Duke of Baeden. This running machine (as it translate to english) was the first successful humanpropelled and steerable device that was used for transportation. The machine was quickly called “draisine or velocipede” by the french press, and came to change the way we move for the centuries to come. After a few upgrades and changes the chainbased model was introduced around 1885, and that moment defined the way we see, use and think about bicycles now a days. Since then, there have been improvements on technology, details and materials; but the main scheme of a bike has been the same. The word “bicycle” was first introduced by the french press somewhere around the mid 19th century, and it was used to defined an unidentified two wheel vehicle: “the velocipede”. Within time, the bicycle main purpose became an effective way of transportation for many regions, even that it also started to adapt into new purposes such as toys, fitness, racing, and delivery. For some countries the bicycles are part of the transportation system and are found as an alternative option for cars or buses. But experiments done in poor countries in Africa show that families that own bicycles can increase their income by 35%. Taking into account that investment in roads and infrastructure have a macro impact in the nation, the bicycle can take advantage of this improvements in a micro-scale matter.
One of the profound economic implications of bicycle use is that it liberates the user from oil consumption. The bicycle is an inexpensive, fast, healthy and environmentally friendly mode of transport. Taking this into account, a government agency can easily invest into getting bikes for low income residences, given them the opportunity to reach more destinations, therefore expanding the possibly of generating income for their families. Other studies have shown that a bicycle increases the amount of weight a human can transport by 400%, and can reach distances 5 times farther compared to walking. Making every trip much more efficient for a business that depend on small scale transportation. Image: Vintage Motor Pacing. Old School Bike Race Training. Utah State History Society.
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ROAD BIKES The traditional racing bicycle which it is designed for going fast on smooth, paved roads. There are usually few concessions to comfort, and the position is long and low for aerodynamic benefits. Road bikes are built to be light but also stiff so that every bit of effort exerted by the rider shoots straight out of the back wheel. Frame sizes are usually measured in centimeters, with most good brands offering 2cm size intervals to ensure that their bikes fit most people. With the advent of high-quality, low-cost manufacturing in the Far East (usually Taiwan or China), frames are now sold in standard sizes. To ensure a good fit, it is advisable to visit a specialist bike shop that offers bike fitting services. Adjustments can be made to the riding position of the bike by using different stem lengths and angles, handlebar shapes and widths, crank lengths, and seatpost setbacks. Second to the frame, the wheels of the road racing bike are the next most important contributory factor to the way that the bike rides. Traditionally, racing cyclists would choose their own hubs, spokes and rims of preference and take them to their local experienced wheelbuilder. These days, factory-built wheelsets are much more common. These lightweight aluminium or carbon rims, butted steel spokes and stateof-the-art hubs are built by robots in a factory and are often finished by hand. Factory-built wheels are generally cheaper and often lighter than their handmade counterparts, but do not tend to last as long and are not usually as robust.
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Gearing on road racing bikes is usually very fast, with a narrower band of adjustment than other bikes. This is to ensure there are no big gaps between gears that would interfere with the cadence of the rider and therefore their speed whilst riding closely with others in a pack. Gears are shifted with integrated brake/ gear levers, and the way that they are operated varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. Battery-powered electronic drivetrains are becoming more and more popular at the upper end of the market, offering the advantages of lightning-fast reliable shifting, and all-condition reliability. Modern road racing bike design tends to be led by an emphasis on either light weight (for very hilly and routes with lots of climbing), or superior aerodynamics (for flatter courses) and many manufacturers offer options catering for both disciplines.
Image showing Roger De Vlaeminck on the Tour Paris-Roubaix in 1977. He won the this tour in 4 occasions.
the bicycle abstraction
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“Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.� - Steve Jobs
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The Lanister Design Concept
THE LANISTER DESIGN CONCEPT The Lanister project started with the understanding of the human geometry and its way of transferring power. Therefore the design was done with the expression of parameters and rules driving by these concepts. Taking into account the riders physical geometry, and goals requested for the bike, the design was tailored to fit the user. The bike is designed for a road racing environment, where the main goal is to go as fast as possible maintaining a stiff and safe ride. The distance between the wheels was shorten to create a fast turning bike, same as the distance from the crank / pedals to the cassette to bring a more responsive and faster machine. Even that today bikes can come in different shapes and with different materials. The main idea of the Lanister project was to design a light, yet efficient bike, by removing or avoiding any unnecessary extras in the tubings and parts. Therefore all the tubes where measured to the detail to make sure that only the exact amount of material was used.
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The Lanister Design Concept
parametric design The project started with the understanding of the human geometry and its way of transferring power. Therefore the design was done with the expression of parameters and rules driving by these concepts. The parametric design is a process based on algorithmic thinking that enables the expression of parameters and rules that, together, define, encode and clarify the relationship between design intent and design response. The main parameters that were taken into account are the riders geometry and ergonomics such as height, arm and leg length, and flexibility. Other parameters that were consider are the relationship between the wheels and the floor to create a race road bike as the design was originally intended. As the design moved forward the “three rings” relationship in the frame appeared as a result of the balance between the wheels. By taking into account the wheel dimension and applying this same “ring” into the front triangle we can conclude that the relationship of the components is balanced.
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The Lanister Design Concept
ergonomics form Handling Three measurements where taken into account for an accurate design handling: head tube angle, fork rake (offset) and the fork trail. The fork trail is the result of the other two, and summarizes the availability of the rider to make a turn. Less trail equals faster steering while more trail creates a more stable bike for longer rides. Rider scale The stack and reach as shown in the adjacent diagram represent the relationship between the rider and bike. In order to have a perfect fit these concepts need to work together along with the bicycle design for performance. Race form While the rider height needs to be cleared by the top tube, the distance of between the two wheels need to be a mastered as a result of the rest of the components. A higher wheelbase distance will create a more stable bike for longer rides, while a shorter one will be faster and easier to turn. Image: Photo of the top tube and seat tube on top of the drawing.
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36 kg
18 kg
569
46.5º
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107º 120.2º
73º
50
7
65º
427
62
9
531
70º
412 R1 33.65 kg 56.08%
63.5º
59.8º
R2 26.35 kg 43.92%
6 kg
177 590 745 997
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The Lanister Design Concept
force distribution The bicycle frame is the main load bearing structure of the bicycle and in order to select materials for its construction or to make an efficient frame design the loads carried by the various components must be evaluated under realistic conditions. The diagram shows the frame geometry of a conventional bicycle. It is important to determine which components are in tension, which in compression, which experience bending forces, and what the magnitude of the forces and moments on the components are under normal use conditions. This is done by considering the structure as made of tubes with pin-joints rather than welds. The pin joint does not allow a moment transfer from one tube to another and so they are all either in tension or compression. When the system is in static equilibrium under the applied forces, each element must experience zero net force and zero net moment. Image: Photo of the top tube and seat tube lug with the seat stay blazed in place.
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drawings The detailed drawings were created to have a full scale base for the workshop. The multiple dimensions that can be seen in these drawing were used at different moments during construction. An enlargement if the top view os the rear triangle is shown to understand the main relationship between the rear wheel, tubes, and components involved in this particular moment. Left Image: Photo of the lugs on top of the drawing. Right image: Elevation and top view.
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The Lanister Design Concept
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“It isn’t the material, it’s what you do with it.” - Sacha White
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HANDCRAFT Build-Out
HANDCRAFT BUILD-OUT The project was developed with the focus on using high quality steel for de frame. Depending on the quality, strength, and budget of the frame, the bike can by built with different kind of steel alloys. In this case the chosen alloy was: OX PLATINUM (P) by True Temper. Based upon state of the art steel metallurgy, True Temper began with aero-space grade air hardening steel and modified it to enhance its properties for lightweight bicycle frames. The result is the industry’s strongest tube-set. This brings a great opportunity to create a solid stiff bike which will resist enormous amount of force, but at the same time retain its lightness and stable control.
As for the joints, the method for design chosen included lugs. The mass produced lugged bicycle is long gone. Today, lugged construction is found primarily on quality, hand made bicycles. The added technical and esthetic values offset the added labor of lugged construction. Custom bicycle enthusiasts appreciate the technical superiority, better reliability, longer life, and great looks of a well made lugged frame. Silver brazed construction with lugs reinforces the joints, so the frame has added strength where it is needed. Building with lugs also allows for a more design esthetic in the bike details.
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Construction Process These photos show some of the machines and processes used during the frame construction. Even that the general built out was done by hand some machines are used to create accurate cuts for the tubes to fit in perfectly.
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HANDCRAFT Build-Out
Assembly Diagram This diagram shows the different parts that were taken into account for the frame design and building process. In order to have a balanced and aligned frame is important to understand the relationship between each part by following the dash lines, and understanding them as connections.
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building process
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HANDCRAFT Build-Out
Construction Fitting These photos are a summary of the construction process that took a month to be completed. The image on the right show frame placed in a gig to fit all the parts prior blazing in order to have an aligned bicycle, and to avoid having to manually hold each part during blazing.
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Assembled Diagram Once all the parts are placed together and the frame is built, it is important to make sure that the general parts are aligned and in balance. This diagram shows the full frame assembled to be used as a guide line during construction.
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HANDCRAFT Build-Out
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“the details are not details. they make the design.� - Charles Eames
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Branding and Finishing
BRANDING AND FINISHING The project was developed with the focus on using high quality steel for de frame. Depending on the quality, strength, and budget of the frame, the bike can by built with different kind of steel alloys. In this case the chosen alloy was: OX PLATINUM (P) by True Temper. Based upon state of the art steel metallurgy, True Temper began with aero-space grade air hardening steel and modified it to enhance its properties for lightweight bicycle frames. The result is the industry’s strongest tube-set. This brings a great opportunity to create a solid stiff bike which will resist enormous amount of force, but at the same time retain its lightness and stable control. As for the joints, the method for design chosen included lugs. The mass produced lugged bicycle is long gone. Today, lugged construction is found primarily on quality, hand made bicycles. The added technical and esthetic values offset the added labor of lugged construction. Custom bicycle enthusiasts appreciate the technical superiority, better reliability, longer life, and great looks of a well made lugged frame. Silver brazed construction with lugs reinforces the joints, so the frame has added strength where it is needed. Building with lugs also allows for a more design esthetic in the bike details.
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Branding and Finishing
lanister logo The logo came from a sketch of the original lanister as a result of the relation between the two wheels and the crankset. The shield represent the strength and firm standing of the frame while the simple lines and abstract drawing represent the minimalist yet simple approach of the branding. The curved retro font was used to remember the origin of the bicycle and its history. And as a complement for the simple drawn solution used in the shield and the rest of the logo. Image: Photo of the head tube with the logo placed facing forward.
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“The bicycle, the bicycle surely, should always be the vehicle of novelists and poets.� - Christopher Morley
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Parts and Specifications
PARTS AND SPECIFICATIONS FRAME Tube Set Bottom Bracket Lug Set Brake Bridge Silver
True Temper oversized tapered Verus alloy. Henry James Oversize. Nova Cycles lugs road OS. Nova Cycles brake bridge 506. Henry James 56% silver wire 1oz.
COMPONENTS Fork Groupset Wheels Tyres Headset Handlebar Stem
Nashbar carbon road bike fork 1 1/8”. Shimano Sora. Mavic Akisium One. Continental Gatorskin 700c x 23. Velo Orange Grand Cru 1-1/8”. Velo Orange Grand Cru Course Handlebar. Velo Orange Stem 26.0 +/- 6 Rise.
Bottle Cages
Velo Orange Moderniste MK2 StainlessSteel.
Seatpost
Velo Orange Grand Cru 0 Setback Seatpost.
Saddle
Charge Spoon Saddle Brown Chromo Rails.
Bar Tape
Deda MISTRAL Bicycle Bar Tape.
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FINAL PRODUCT
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Parts and Specifications
The photos show the final product as a result of a couple of months of hard work and dedication. After taking it for some rides we can say that the bike performed even better than expected.
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REFERENCE Paterek, T., & Gunelson, J. (2004). The Paterek manual for bicycle framebuilders (3rd ed.). Redondo Beach, Calif.: Henry James Bicycles. Chimonas, M. (2013). Lugged bicycle frame construction. Place of publication not identified: Createspace Independent. Hallett, R. (2014). The bike deconstructed: A grand tour of the modern bicycle. Princeton Architectural Press. Science of Cycling: Human Power | Exploratorium. (n.d.). Retrieved July, 2015. Royce, B., & Smits, L. (1997). The Bicycle and the Engineer. Retrieved July, 2015. Road Bicycle. (n.d.). Retrieved July, 2015, from Wikipedia. Bicycles. (n.d.). Retrieved July, 2015, from Wikipedia. The science of bicycles. (n.d.). Retrieved July, 2015. from ExplainThatStuff. Lugged steel frame construction. (n.d.). Retrieved July, 2015. from Wikipedia. Lugged bicycle frame construction. (Part 1, 2 and 3). Retrieved July, 2015. from Youtube. Software: RattleCAD. http://rattlecad.sourceforge.net BikeCAD. http://www.bikecad.ca Rhinoceros. https://www.rhino3d.com Adobe Creative Suite. http://www.adobe.com
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Thank you! To my mom Liora, without her support this project would not have existed in the first place. To Josh Muir, whose knowledge and teachings made this project a reality. To my sister Alexa, her imagination and ideas helped tailor more than the bike name. And to Mariana, the love of my life who listens and supports all the crazy ideas I have.
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References + acknowledgments
THE LANISTER PROJECT DESIGN AND BUILT BY NICOLAS BACKAL IN SAN FRANCISCO, CA. SUMMER 2015