The English brand Mythos presented its 3D printed bicycle stem, Elix, now available on the market for the sum of 500 pounds. The stem is the spare part that connects the handlebars to the steerer tube of a bicycle. It would be a world first, made from an alloy of scandium, aluminum and magnesium, originally developed by APWorks, the subsidiary of Airbus. Dimitris Katsanis is behind the design of this component, he who had already equipped racing bikes with 3D printed parts. The stem is available in several sizes, with a starting weight of just 150 grams.
The design of the piece is unique, thought for the fabrication additive : as we can see, it incorporates a lattice structure, with material only on the stressed areas. Moreover, Mythos explains: We wanted to eliminate areas of high tension with small local reinforcements, and reduce weight around other areas by skillfully removing any non-essential material. As a result, the brand says it made a part that was 15% more torsionally stiff without touching the flex stiffness.
Photo credits: Mythos
The teams tested several iterations by performing FEA simulations – Finite Element Analysis or finite element method in French – and relying on CAD software to find areas requiring less material. Mythos adds: Plus, the fact that it all happens in-house, without the need for any part-specific tooling, means we can create unique products and prototypes in days that would normally take months.. »
Additive manufacturing will therefore have enabled the English brand to gain flexibility and bring a part to market more quickly. The component costs 500 pounds – around 588 euros – and is therefore one of the most expensive parts available today. It measures between 100 and 130 mm depending on the bike it will be mounted on, with a starting weight of 150 grams. The stems will all be made in the UK and come in silver or black. You can already order your part ICI.
The 3D printed part (photo credits: Mythos)
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