After I first noticed the RS Gravel bike at Eurobike, it was the mix of the placing traces of the titanium lugs, slim carbon tubes, and large tire clearance that drew me in. Then I observed the wild one-piece handlebar/stem/aerobar/gentle setup. On the time, there was nobody round to ask any questions, however there was a QR code on the wall, so I scanned it after which examine one thing much more shocking – this bike has a tuned mass damper (TMD) within the fork (technically two, one in every leg)
Simply what’s a TMD? Basically a weight suspended between two springs, TMDs are used to damp vibrations or undesirable motion. On a big scale, they can be utilized to counter motion from skyscrapers like the huge Taipei 101 tower. On a smaller scale, they’re attracting the biking world as a technique to counter vibrations and highway/path buzz earlier than they’ll attain the rider. We’ve seen extra curiosity within the MTB world these days from manufacturers like Rimpact, however it’s not shocking that the gravel world would not less than be curious as effectively.
Later within the present, I acquired an opportunity to speak to Rolf Singenberger, who’s the namesake for RS-Growth. Rolf might be greatest identified for his 14 years with BMC, however he and a small crew have been busy the previous 11 years working with purchasers for RS-Growth.
Rolf confirmed us the TMD cartridge that will likely be stashed inside every fork leg. The system provides simply 200-250g of weight to the bike, and it may possibly even be eliminated in case you’re using purely pavement. It’s additionally claimed to wish zero upkeep, and doesn’t require any energy to work.
There will even be the flexibility to tune the TMD to rider weight, with cartridges being simply swapped after eradicating a cap on the fork leg with two Allen bolts.
The bike does have an influence supply, nevertheless, as there’s built-in lighting in each the handlebar and the seat stays. On the seat stays, Supernova hind lights are cleanly built-in into the 3D-printed titanium lugs.
Lighting is discovered up entrance as effectively, with this loopy handlebar idea. Geared up with two mounts, the bar is sufficiently big to run a full-size cellphone on the decrease mount, plus a full-size bike laptop on the higher mount.
There’s additionally a dynamo hub up entrance with a self-contacting system to energy each the lights as you journey. And never simply the lights, there’s an built-in USB to energy all these electronics on the bar as effectively.
Along with the TMD, the body has been engineered to flex between the rear dropouts and the seat publish, to additional add compliance.
The Swiss-designed prototype body itself was created in partnership with German carbon specialists, MEBCarbon. It combines 3D-printed titanium lugs (aluminum can be apparently an possibility) with custom-wrapped carbon tubing, and is engineered and assembled in Germany. Based on Rolf, the manufacturing course of is all automated to permit for repeatable and constant outcomes, and the parametric design and geometry are created in a method that they are often tailor-made to virtually any dimension for a similar value.
Even with the vast fork legs and built-in lighting, the body and fork have clearance for large 700c x 55mm tires. Between that and the TMD, this looks like it may provide an impressively easy journey.
When will the RS Gravel bike be obtainable?
Sadly, this bike is just not headed to manufacturing any time quickly. The mission was to showcase the talents of RS-Growth and hopefully high-quality companions within the trade to carry it to market. From the sounds of issues, Rolf is already fielding loads of curiosity and never only for gravel – there was curiosity within the triathlon world as effectively.
To us, plainly with a design this intriguing, it may possibly’t be lengthy till we see related choices obtainable on the market.
rsgravel.com
