Tech Week 2023: 11 Manufacturers Offering 3D-Printed Bike Gear

Oct 26, 2022
by Brian Park  
photo


Excuse me, do you have a moment to talk about my lord and savior additive manufacturing? Yes, it's me again with some 3D-printed stuff. I swear I'll write about something else sometime, but to be honest, I've got a second batch of 3D-printed products coming later this week. In the meantime, here are some amazing (and occasionally questionable) 3D-printed things you can buy right now.




Lal Bikes DAGR Tool

Lal DAGR
Derailleur Alignment Gauge Repurposing.

Cedric Eveleigh, the inventor of the Lal Bikes Supre Drive, is so sure that his design will render derailleur alignment gauges obsolete that he wanted to give them a new purpose in life. DAGR stands for Derailleur Alignment Gauge Repurposing, and it's a tool for easy and accurate handlebar alignment. The DAGR tool mounts to fork stanchions, and it works with your existing derailleur alignment gauge.

The system works by using fork stanchions as the reference point for aligning handlebars. You clamp it to your stanchions by rotating a knurled wheel which moves two self-centering plastic jaws in and out. Then after attaching a derailleur alignment gauge you can touch off on both sides of the handlebar to check for straightness.

I've used a few other handlebar alignment devices before, as well as an early prototype of this DAGR tool, and I've become a big fan of Cedric's design. It's easy to use, and because it references points far from the steering axis it makes misalignments really obvious. It's also great for dialing in your brake levers, grips, and other controls. Throwing a leg over a bike and eyeballing things seems a bit caveman now—it's way nicer to dial it in the stand.

Lal Bikes DAGR
Install on your fork...
Lal Bikes DAGR
...then add your hanger alignment gauge.

Lal Bikes DAGR
Touch off the same point on either side of your bars to align them.
Lal Bikes DAGR
Works on your controls too.

Details
• Repurposes a standard hanger alignment gauge to align your bars and controls
• Allows for quick, accurate alignment in the work stand
• Self-centering opposing threads (opposite spirals) move 3D-printed jaws in and out. The threads are coarse enough that the jaws move in and out quickly
• Has an integrated loop for hanging on the tool wall
• Works with everything from narrow non-boost XC forks all the way up to Fox 40s
• Made of aluminum (for stiffness), and 3D-printed plastic and rubber (to avoid damage)
• Will be manufactured by Lal Bikes in BC, Canada
• Pricing and availability are yet to be determined
• Sign up for DAGR updates at lalbikes.com/dagr






CMH Printed Designs

CMH Printed Designs Scruler
The Scruler is either the best or worst name in tools.

I recently had a chance to chat with CMH Printed Designs aka Chris Heerschap as a guest on the CyclingTips Podcast, and he's been making and selling 3D-printed things for a while now. He does a lot of general bike tools and stuff for shop organization, as well as some very slick brake bleed/exposure blocks.

CMH Printed Designs Scruler
Bolt length readable to half a millimeter
CMH Printed Designs Scruler
Quickly check diameter.

The Scruler - or screw ruler - allows you to quickly check the diameter, length, and screw pitch, enabling you to sort screws you've got on hand or double-check a size before trying to use a fastener. Ranges from M3 to M10 cover most of the commonly used sizes found on bikes, with aluminum inserts for more precise and durable threads on the most common small sizes.

CMH Printed Designs Bleed Exposure Blocks
Top load bleed blocks are so much nicer.
CMH Printed Designs Bleed Exposure Blocks
The exposure block lets you pump out the piston(s) just far enough to clean and lubricate them.

Shimano supplies bleed blocks with their brakes, but they can be a pain to load up from the bottom. And if you want to expose the pistons for cleaning, they want you to cut down one of their brake blocks with a hacksaw. Instead of that, these brake and exposure blocks insert from the top so they're quick and easy to use. Available in Shimano two-piston and four-piston MTB sizes as well as two-piston road, with sizes for SRAM and others under development.

Details
• 3D-printed with PETG and PLA plastic
• Scruler measures M3, M4, M5, M6, M8, and M10 sizes, as well as the length of the screw and common bike thread pitches M3x0.5, M4x0.7, M5x0.8, M6x1.0, M8x1.25, M8x1.0, M10x1.50, and M10x1
• Scruler includes a pair of magnets in the back which allow it to stick to any ferrous surface
• Bleed/exposure blocks allow for easy top-loading, just like brake pads on their higher-end brakes
• Piston exposure blocks allow for cleaning and lubricating pistons by pumping the piston but stopping it before it pops out.
• Bleed/exposure blocks available for Shimano MTB two-piston and four-piston calipers, as well as Road two-piston calipers
• Price: $20 USD for the Scruler and $8 USD for the brake bleed blocks
• @chrisheerschap
• Available via Etsy worldwide, or Beaut Bike in Australia and New Zealand






76 Projects

76 Projects
For people who insist on colorful bikes.
76 Projects
They've recently made some iterative changes to help avoid damage in crashes.

Unlike a lot of small-batch 3D-printed stuff, 76 Projects uses an industrial multi-jet-fusion system to do its prints in nylon. I've used a similar system to print some things before and the quality and consistency is amazing. It just looks, feels, and acts like traditional injection molded nylon.

And now, for the misguided souls that feel the need to color match everything on their bikes, they've introduced Cerakote colored versions of their Enduro computer mount. Cerakote is incredibly thin so the fit of the mount to computers stays accurate, and in my experience, it's fairly tough.

They've also updated the design so that it deflects in a crash rather than staying rigid, so the mount and computer are less likely to be damaged. 76 Projects tell me that they were able to iteratively test the impact of each design change and landed on this one as a good balance. I love additive manufacturing's ability to do running updates as soon as they're available (rather than requiring new tooling), so this is great to see.

Details
• Self-adhesive computer mount using 3M VHB tape
• Designed to hold your computer on your top tube behind your stem
• Manufactured in-house with a Multi Jet Fusion industrial 3D-printer, then shot peened for surface toughness
• Options for flat-ish and rounded tubes
• Available for Garmin, Wahoo, and Polar computers
• Available in Black, Bronze, Magenta, Titanium Blue, Dark Cherry, and Robin's Egg Blue (flat mount Garmin version only for now)
• Price: £18.50
• More info here






Bearclaw Holsters

Bearclaw Holster
Levy's going to be so mad about the lack of water bottles on this setup.

Bearclaw Holster
Bolt on or strap on.
Bearclaw Holster
Left, right, or center pull models available.

Bearclaw Holster is made in Whitefish, Montana, where they have big, mean bears. Their bear spray holster is designed for mounting standard 8oz bear spray canisters on your bike. 3D-printed with PETG filament, it comes in right, left, and straight-pull versions. These mounts are popular with the bike packing crowd, so there are a ton of mounting options via bottle cage bolts, zip-ties, or straps to wherever is most convenient. As someone with a healthy respect for animals that can eat me, I appreciate that he's put a lot of thought into deployment. I'm not totally sold on bike-mounted bear spray (it usually lives on the side of a hip pack), but I'm tempted to try it out next summer.

Bearclaw Bear Spray Holster Details
• FDM 3D-printed with PETG filament
• Water, Heat, and UV resistant
• Holds 8 oz bear spray canisters
• 3 mounting configurations: Left Pull, Right Pull, and Straight Pull
• Mounts at bottle cage mounting locations, with zip ties, or with the BearGrip Strap System
• Bearclaw bear spray holster price: $45.00 USD
• BearGrip strap system available for alternative mounting
• FDM 3D-printed with TPU filament
• BearGrip strap system price: $35.00
• More info at bearclawholster.com
• Available online at jefe.bike


Bearclaw Holster

Bearclaw Holster
Bearclaw Holster
Five models will be available soon.

Okay yes, that is a bike-mounted, 3D-printed handgun holster. I'm sure I'm going to regret including this when my whole team storms off the job after having to moderate the comments, but regardless of what you think of carrying a gun on your bike, it's too wild not to share. Chuck from Bearclaw has just started selling these yet, and he says he's gotten a lot of interest from the e-bike/hunter market as well as those who do big rides in grizzly country and believe that more safety is better safety.

It's very cool, but personally, I think I'll stick with bear spray. And if I'm honest, when a griz charges I'm most likely just doing a poo in my pants and accepting my fate.

Bearclaw Gun Holster Details
• FDM 3D printed with PETG filament
• Water, Heat, and UV resistant
• Mounts with 3 included zip-ties to left or right side of bike
• 5 be available: Glock G20/G29/G40/G21/G30/G41, Glock G17/G19/G34/G22(not gen 5)/G27 (not gen 5)/G44, Glock G43X/G48, Sig P365/P365XL (w/ red dot), Springfield XD-10/XDME 10 (w/ red dot)
• Price: $73.00
• Reach out at bearclawholster.com
Views: 2,214    Faves: 4    Comments: 5







Cycle Solvers

Cycle Solvers

Cycle Solvers
Holds a couple of C02 canisters and a multitool/tube.
Cycle Solvers
Flexible filaments are so cool.

The UK's Cycle Solvers is about to launch this clever little frame wrap that holds two C02 canisters and a multitool/tube. It's quite cleverly printed because it has a rigid ASA spine for the C02 clip and strap locks, but it's inserted into a TPU sleeve that also acts as a frame strap. It's done by pausing the print halfway, inserting the rigid part, and then over-printing it. It's still in final testing and iteration, but once it's live you'll be able to find it at cyclesolvers.co.uk.





Dosenbier Can Holders

Dosenbier can holder
Studies show that 90% of 3D-printed accessories revolve around beer and weed.

Dosenbier can holder
25ml, 330ml, 344ml, 440ml and 500ml options available.
Dosenbier can holder
Custom colors and designs available.

The Dosenbier can holder does what it says on the tin: holds cans. On your bike. It's super clever, using the lip of the can to hold it tight. Dosenbier has recently updated the design to require less clearance angle to snap the can into place. There are also options to attach it with zip-ties — even on some frames where a full bottle wouldn't fit. The maker claims the design has survived everything from enduro races to the Megavalanche — which is pretty damn impressive.

Dosenbier

Details
• 25ml, 330ml, 344ml, 440ml and 500ml sizes available
• Custom colors, designs, and hole patterns available
• Attaches via bottle cage mount or zip-ties
• Price: the 0,33l version is 15€ and the 0,5l version is 17€
• An online shop will launch in the next few weeks, but in the meantime, they're available directly via @teamdosenbier






Momentum Cycle Tools

Momentum Cycle Tools

Momentum Cycle Tools
The crank
Momentum Cycle Tools
The bearing kits

Momentum Cycle Tools 3D-prints bearing presses in Quebec City, Canada. They've recently launched an updated version of all their bearing press kits so that they now apply pressure only on the outer race of the bearings. They offer an aluminum crank and a variety of 3D-printed bearing press kits.

Momentum Cycle Tools

Details
• Crank includes anodized aluminum handles and 100mm stainless steel threaded rod
• Bearing kits specifically made for suspension bearing maintenance
• Bearing numbers are engraved on each part, and identified with "EXT" and "INS"
• INS section applies pressure only on the outer race to protect your new bearings
• Developed and made in Canada
• Price: $68 CAD for the crank, bearing press kits from $16 CAD
• More info at momentumcycletools.com






Cyclo3D

Cyclo3D 3D printed TPU storage pouch
What were you making when you were in Grade 9? Probably just fart jokes.

Cyclo3D 3D printed TPU storage pouch
TPU is so cool to work with.
Cyclo3D 3D printed TPU storage pouch
Fits all kinds of stuff.

Jack Lauzon is a Grade 9 student on Vancouver Island and has been 3D-printing stuff for a little while now. He was selling firewood to make some bike money, and Emory from Farside Components offered up his own original gear pouch files for Jack to put his own twist on. Since then Jack has made some improvements and has started selling them through local shops and Instagram.

If you're in the market for on-bike storage, these 3D-printed TPU pouches are available through Instagram at @cyclo3d, or in person at Goldstream Bicycles and Fuca Cycles.

The accessibility of 3D-printing is opening up all kinds of opportunities, and I look forward to what Jack and other entrepreneurial middle-schoolers create in the next few years. Absolutely awesome.





Hope Open Source Tools

Hope 3D printed brake tool
Love this.

Hope 3D printed brake tool
Piston service tool
Hope 3D printed brake tool
Full pad spacer

Hope 3D printed brake tool
Thin pad spacer
Hope 3D printed brake tool
Piston seal service tool

This doesn't quite fit into the 3D-printed things for sale theme of the article, but I did want to mention that earlier this year Hope Tech released a bunch of open-source 3D printed tools for their brakes. They've released printable files for a thin pad spacer, full pad spacer, piston service tool, and piston seal service tool for the E4/RX4+ Caliper, V4 Caliper, and X2 Caliper. They recommend printing with PETG at >70% infill, and have excellent, detailed instructions on hopetech.com.

This is a great trend and I hope to see more brands provide open-source tools for home mechanics.





Jank Components

Jank Components SRAM AXS Battery Holder
Two is one and one is none. Side mount option.

Jank Components SRAM AXS Battery Holder
Side mount.
Jank Components SRAM AXS Battery Holder
Vertical mount

Matthew Fairbrother's 2022 adventures are legendary at this point, riding inhuman distances to attend EWS races. At some point, he ran out of AXS batteries and had to ride single-speed for a day, so Eric from Jank made him a spare AXS battery holder. It's available now in three mounting configurations. Super handy!

Jank Components SRAM AXS Battery Holder
Matthew Fairbrother rocking the AXS spare and a Jank soda holder. Photo: Sven Martin courtesy Jank Components

Details
• Holds a spare AXS battery (not included)
• 3D printed with NylonX filament
• Mounts under your bottle cage with horizontal, vertical, or side-mounted options
• ~16g each
• Made in Bellingham, Washington
• Price: $24.99 USD
• Available now at jankcomponents.com






Bounce Cycles/Profin

Bounce Cycles Profin 3D printed products
Pike/Lyrik/Yari volume spacers

Bounce Cycles Profin 3D printed products
Float X2 volume spacers.
Bounce Cycles Profin 3D printed products
DPX2 volume spacers

Bounce Cycles/Profin use 3D-printing to make tooling and volume spacers. They also use 3D-printing to make tool cases for their products such as their CNC Garmin mount and Fox-compatible spring/damper tools.

Bounce Cycles Profin 3D printed products
Fox spring and damper release set.

Frank at Bounce says the material they use is minimum 95% recycled locally sourced PETG, which is itself widely recycled. They'd wanted a packaging option that was robust, made from recycled products, and could be recycled again—with light infill and very little energy consumption during printing, printed cases seemed an obvious answer.

Bounce Cycles Profin 3D printed products
He also printed up a visual prototype of a 5-axis CNC generative design stem. I wonder how far I'd make it...

Bounce Cycles is UK-based and sells direct via bouncecycles.co.uk.



Tech Week 2023 is a chance to get up to speed on the latest mountain bike components, apparel, and accessories. Click here to view all of the related content.



Author Info:
brianpark avatar

Member since Dec 29, 2010
214 articles

215 Comments
  • 149 2
 The Handgun on the bike made me laugh. When are they just going to listen to cyclists and make headset integrated hanguns already.
  • 39 0
 The road market has a need for this as well
  • 104 1
 To be fair it feels like anything called a SWAT system should really have had integrated firearms already.
  • 32 2
 If it was on a bike with thru headset cable routing it'd result in a lot of suicides!
  • 13 0
 I watched a video of a standoff between a cougar and a man with a handgun. Dude shot at this cougar like three times about 10 feet away. Basically no effect on deterring it. Obviously hitting the cougar would help but I was surprised by the lack of care of the cougar. Good luck hitting it at full sprint while it jumps from 20 feet away.
  • 69 28
 I’m just stoked that the market is finally meeting the demand for dealing with trail dogs.
  • 26 2
 Looks like a great solution for the next time I can't pass someone because their earbuds are too loud. I feel so fortunate to live in this age where there is a solution for any possible inconvenience.
  • 7 1
 @kokofosho: this! I'd rather pepper spray when faced with a cat or bear
  • 3 0
 @plume: Danny Summerhill did it first
  • 12 0
 @wobblegoblin: the ATF just called, you said something about dogs?
  • 13 0
 Built in flame thrower would be my pick, banana peel dispenser out back would be pretty cool too.
  • 7 1
 Pretty sure these were purposely made for riders in the Oakland Hills.
  • 10 1
 @kokofosho: lol the lack of care by the cougar. You are assuming the cougar realizes that it's a handgun shooting bullets that can kill it and is actively deciding to risk being shot.
  • 7 0
 @warmerdamj: I think he's commenting more on the fact that it wasn't put off by three of the loudest bangs it's likely to have heard in a while. Guns are relatively noisy.
  • 4 0
 @kokofosho: So you're saying there's a chance.
  • 3 0
 It's a miss that tgere is no spare mag holster with it...
  • 3 1
 @kokofosho: dude I just got that cougar video short recommended too. Couldn't believe how long he took to finally shoot. Mountain lions aren't supposed to be seen, when it's already following you something is seriously wrong. He was easily within striking distance if it jumped on him.
  • 2 1
 @brianpark: I thought SWAT stood for, Social Workers And Therapists!
  • 3 0
 @rivercitycycles: I think thats a Sacramento thing.
  • 2 0
 I know right. im glad they included it rather than being politically correct lol.
  • 1 0
 @kokofosho: three times with no care? Your not talking about this video, right? What would you do? Do you think a handgun is gong to kill a 150# mountain lion/cougar or piss it off even more? I think there was great care not to harm the animal. youtu.be/jxCyQStwLUE
  • 102 0
 That beer holder looks awesome. I have been puzzling forever how I can both make my beer as warm and frothy as possible for when the ride is over. Problem solved!!
  • 8 0
 Yeah I've always been puzzled on how anyone brings a canned drink with them on a ride that doesn't explode all over them at the end.
  • 9 0
 @MT36 I thought everyone knew at this point that the proffered method of bringing a beer on your ride is to shove it in the insulated compartment of your hydration pack next top the bladder. Put ice in your water and it stays super cold too!! Cool
  • 2 0
 I live near a bunch of breweries but also nice parks. Plenty of times I've wanted to cruise down and grab a beer then pedal a few blocks to hang at the park and drink that beer. A good idea if you're not travelling too far. Might be worth coming up with a triangulated one that could hold two for those special occasions.
  • 3 0
 I've never been able to get my after ride beers shaken enough.
  • 14 0
 Whiskey isn't carbonated.... jus sayin
  • 1 0
 Reverse have had one for a while
  • 1 0
 Although it's a perfect addition to my dedicated ''bike & beer'' ride for those pub crawls on two wheels... beats having my can fall out of a regular bottle cage between two stops...
  • 3 0
 I thought those two side pockets on my hip bag are for beer cans
  • 6 0
 Remember The Simpson’s episode where Bart took a can of beer to the paint store and shook it up? That was my thought.
  • 2 0
 I use a frame bag on my gravel bike and keep the beers next to the water bladder. keeps them pretty co.
  • 5 0
 Not much of a beer drinker myself, someone should make a holder for a can of Coke .
  • 1 0
 @ChazzMichaelMichaels: it doesn’t. Years of weekly Friday night beer lap with a big crew. Never once really had an issue. Have tried many option to hold it, but never an issue with whatever can of craft I can snag from the local Fresh Choice on my way out. This thing is such a win.
  • 1 0
 @tmwjr777: why not put beer in the bladder? That seems to work for the festival people over here.
  • 2 2
 @Mac1987: because the gas will leak out and your beer lost all the sharpnes and taste, basically what you get if you order beer in US
  • 1 0
 @Mac1987: Well, for one. Nobody really wants to have beer as their only option to drink on their entire ride. Besides the fact that it would loose carbonation, probably taste like crap AND make your water bladder taste reminiscent of beer for many rides afterwards. No thanks, lol.
  • 1 0
 @tmwjr777: should've added /sarc off
  • 81 22
 a gun holster for a fucking bike. Americans are nuts
  • 46 38
 Yes we are. I dont feel like fighting animals by hand that could EAT me.
  • 36 11
 @nug12182: stopping something that can eat you with a handgun is pretty wishful thinking. Going to need the frame mount for a slugged 12ga for that effort.
  • 9 12
 @nug12182: Agreed 100%
  • 20 5
 @Cantle406: 10mm has become the go-to backup for grizzly country
  • 23 8
 @bearclawholster: +1. @Cantle406 10mm sidearms are actually quite popular, and effective, for bear defense. Quite common do see people who spend a lot of time in bear country bringing them along. Personally I find the integrated holster to be an excellent concept.
  • 26 4
 To be fair, there are a lot of trails in the states where you are not at the top of the food chain. There isn't enough space in Europe for apex predators, but we have grizzlies and mountain lions. They will fuck you up and you are at a big disadvantage with hand to hand vs those guys
  • 69 15
 Americans think they can aim and hit a target close-range under duress with a little bullet. Whereas enveloping it in a cloud of pepper spray that doesn't require as precise aim seems to be the 2nd option. If you MTB in bear country in Canada, you carry bear spray. There is no one shouting for our gun laws be changed due to bears.
  • 16 12
 @excel: Nothing wrong with having backup systems in place, as far as we see it. What happens when you have deployed your spray and the bear is still there and pissed off? I hope to never experience that, but I'd also like to have a chance to survive in the worst of scenarios. Plus, to be honest, drunk rednecks are dangerous too, just saying.
  • 52 13
 I don't get justifying guns on bikes as a wildlife safety thing. Where I live we've got black bears in abundance, grizzlies and cougars. First rule is check trail advisories and follow guidance regarding closures particularly with regards to grizzlies. This is about your safety as much as respecting the bear's habitat and not disturbing them. Second be wary of black bears but realize they have as little interest in tangling with you as you do with them. Give them room to move and if you've got to pull the plug on the ride so be it. If I'm riding more local trails where there is lots of human activity I'd never bother to carry bear spray. When we go further back country I'll carry bear spray as a precaution but my main strategy is to ring a bell when I don't have clear sight lines and am not sure what's around the corner. Cougars just aren't a real threat. 27 fatal attacks in the last 100 years in North America. If the cougar is hell bent on attacking you unprovoked my guess is that he's going to be quicker than you are getting access to you gun. At the end of the day I don't really care if you ride with guns on your bike but it seems disingenuous to claim it's for your safety. If it was you'd have noticeable statistical differences in the number of wildlife attacks resulting in injury/fatality between Canada (where you're not allowed to carry a handgun) vs. the US. I don't believe that difference exists.
  • 42 2
 Fear is a great marketing tool
  • 24 44
flag onawalk (Oct 26, 2022 at 13:06) (Below Threshold)
 @bearclawholster: get the flying fu$k out of here, what absolute dumbassery!
You’re just trying to live out some strange superhero fetish with your hand guns and ridiculousness.

A fu$kin bike mounted handgun holder, I swear, I could never have dreamed of something as wacky as this.
‘Montana, where we have big mean bears”
I expected the term tactical, and military to be used more on your website…..

Fu$kin bike mounted hand gun holster!
Thank you so much!
  • 9 4
 @excel: If you expect to hit anything you have to train regularly. Just like if you expect to clear a double, you have to practice.
  • 17 8
 It's a shame in the US it's illegal for certain agencies to collect information on gun related violence. My question is really how many injuries/deaths have been prevented by caring a firearm with you vs. how many have been CAUSED by having a firearm with you in a situation that wouldn't have resulted in bad injuries if there were no firearm. See the history of stand your ground laws in the US. Being an a*shole is not a reason to get shot by someone. In my opinion at least.
  • 28 1
 @MT36: That was a really sad story. A few things to note. They had food in their tent which was the initial draw for the bear. Always cache your food and if you want to be uber cautious cache the clothes you cooked in. The bear went on to another camp site and was effectively repelled by bear spray. The bear then returned to the tent where it had originally found the food and Leah was killed. A handgun may have prevented her death or it may not have. But basic bear country safety should have been the starting point. It also strikes me that the whole 'it prevents wildlife attacks' ignores that the risk of a mishandled firearm or accidental discharge is far greater than that of an actual wildlife attack. In both cases risk can be mitigated by training, knowledge, thoughtfulness and/or caution but the risk can't be 100% eliminated. If that is the case and safety is your concern then the numbers are more in favor of not carrying the gun than carrying the gun. TLRD you're more likely to have an accident with the gun than you are being attacked by a bear.
  • 8 17
flag MT36 (Oct 26, 2022 at 13:34) (Below Threshold)
 @gb8561: Thank you for that thoughtful analysis. Up until now I just thought bears in Montana like to eat Californians because they tasted better. I'm glad you cleared that up for me.
  • 11 5
 @FMHUM: The stats are out there, just doesn't fit the narrative you're already falling for.
  • 8 3
 If I was doing a long touring ride I wouldn't mind having it. I've had 2 pretty scary incidents with phsycos on country roads that lead me to carry mace on the gravel bike. I have a sub compact handgun. If I was bike packing and camping in goofy remote areas, yes please I'll take a holster and my 9mm
  • 3 0
 @Squinned fair enough, I learned something new here...
  • 12 6
 Yeah…. Not taking self defense advice from Germany.
Just saying/not saying..
  • 5 3
 @gb8561: I ride so slow, I don’t project as prey.
I’d rather have 9 shots than no shot.
  • 10 17
flag wburnes (Oct 26, 2022 at 15:04) (Below Threshold)
 @excel: "Americans think they can aim and hit a target close-range under duress with a little bullet."

We think this, because it is true. A grizzly is a huge target.

"Whereas enveloping it in a cloud of pepper spray that doesn't require as precise aim seems to be the 2nd option."

Bear spray is not as effective at stopping bear attacks. Guns are also more reliable and easier to use.
  • 10 12
 @Cantle406: Only someone who has no idea what they are talking about would say this. Shotguns are arguably the worst firearm for self defense, and have been for at least a century. A slugged 12 gauge is also a terrible round to use in this scenario.

Handguns are very effective against bears, grizzlies have been killed on multiple occasions with 9mm handguns.

A bigger or more powerful gun or round does not mean better, it usually means worse (shot placement, ammo capacity, overpenetration, etc).

Please stop spreading misinformation on firearms.
  • 10 13
 @gb8561: "the risk of a mishandled firearm or accidental discharge is far greater than that of an actual wildlife attack....the numbers are more in favor of not carrying the gun than carrying the gun."

You're literally just making shit up.
  • 5 0
 @wburnes: Relax bro, it’s a comment meant to be funny on what a shotgun frame mount would be. We get it, you’re an educated firearms enthusiast, as am I and many others on here. No need to take the comments section so serious.
  • 32 3
 @wburnes: In 2021 there were three bear deaths in the US and that was unusually high. I think the long term average is closer to one. If you're trying to tell me there is less than 3 deaths in the US per year due to mishandling or accidental discharge of firearms I think you might be making stuff up?

Also guns are easier to use than bear spray? It's literally an aerosol can with an lock on it. I've used oven cleaner aerosols that are more complicated. It's effective range is 25 feet + and disperses in a relatively wide field. Is it really easier to hit a moving target with a bullet than it is to spray a aerosol can in the general vicinity of the bear?

As someone else noted you seem to be passionate about guns. I'm not making an anti-gun argument. I'm questioning the effectiveness of the gun in this particular use case. If you want to say that you like riding around with guns strapped to your bike cool, I could care less, no matter how foreign it is to me. But that's not the argument folks are making. There saying they need them for protection from wildlife. That's just not true. There are way better options if you have concerns about wildlife encounters.

Maybe I'm somewhat blase about bears as we coexist with them. They come through my backyard, they wander our street (including a grizzly this year which was unusual) and we encounter them regularly riding. My kid, 9 years old, has a 10 minute walk to school. In spring the bears will be in the ditch feeding on the dandelions alongside the path he walks. When he spots them he knows to cross the road and give them space. I'm more worried about him crossing the road than the bear. I can't really see strapping a gun to his backpack.
  • 7 0
 I tell everyone that the 3D bear spray holster on my handlebars is for bear encounters... but actually with it attached to the handlebars it is easier to aim the aerosol at boomer hikers while descending. I don't have to take a hand off the grip that way.
  • 1 0
 @onawalk: I thought it was pretty cool.
  • 9 7
 @wburnes: Congratulations on typing the dumbest thing I've read on the internet short of MTG's twitter feed.

"Bear spray is not as effective at stopping bear attacks. Guns are also more reliable and easier to use."

Please provide a source for this claim. Please, I'm serious. While you're at it, provide a source for all the other pro gun garbage you're spewing.
  • 9 0
 @gb8561: I was trying to think of the Australian equivalent and it would be a handgun mounted to your surfboard for sharks.
  • 17 0
 @fektor-b: shhhhh I'm about to launch into the untapped market of SUP-mounted firearms.
  • 1 0
 @nug12182: agreed 100%
  • 1 0
 @Judith22: out of curiosity, do you follow most American politicians? I'm always surprised how many canadians closely follow american politics.
  • 7 4
 Freedom is pretty cool, you don't have to own a gun, but you can if ya want. If you ever been in area of Glacier National Park you'd know there are grizzly bears, black bears, wolves and mountain lions, which can all kill you. Not far away from there are meth users which can also be a danger when bike packing. Like many tools in life, I would rather have it and not need it, rather than wish i would have brought it. Just like an extra tube and an air pump.
  • 1 0
 @gb8561: Found the bears
Pinkbike account
  • 6 0
 Bear spray for four legged predators. Glock spray for two legged predators. In some areas (like the Oakland hills or accidentally riding too close to an illegal grow site) you have a much greater chance of being attacked by a human than a bear or mountain lion.
  • 6 1
 @Judith22:
"Please provide a source for this claim."

For the record, I'd like to point out that I'm being asked to provide a source for a common sense claim by someone who called what I wrote stupid, while simultaneously admitting to being fully sucked into fake American political theatre, to the point of being unable to understand your perceived (not actual) political adversaries.

www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/exploration-survival/does-bear-spray-work

www.ammoland.com/2021/06/handgun-or-pistol-against-bear-attacks-104-cases-97-effective/#axzz7iu9mhmcN


"While you're at it, provide a source for all the other pro gun garbage you're spewing.”

Pro gun? A gun is simply a tool, I guess I'm also pro hammer, pro axe, pro wrench?

I don't even like guns, but they are objectively the best tool for the job. What garbage are you referring to exactly?

If a bear is acting aggressive toward you, would you rather be holding a loaded gun or a spray canister?
  • 2 8
flag wburnes (Oct 27, 2022 at 1:59) (Below Threshold)
 @gb8561: How many people died last year from a negligent discharge of a firearm while defending themselves from aggressive bears? I'll hazard a guess and say zero.

"Also guns are easier to use than bear spray?"

Yes. I've used both.

"There saying they need them for protection from wildlife. That's just not true. There are way better options if you have concerns about wildlife encounters."

Really? What, other than a gun, would be a better option after you've sprayed a 1,000 pound grizzly, and it is still being aggressive?

Bear spray gives people a false sense of security. It should literally be banned, and every adult should be legally forced to carry firearms, whether they want to or not.
  • 5 0
 @gb8561: Look, I'm not a gun nut. I believe in stronger regulations on fire arms in the United States.

Having said that...A lot of folks who argue against using guns for defense (in any context - animal, human, etc) tend to make statements along the lines of "I just try to avoid the situation where I need to use one." We all do. The nature of life is that sometimes you have the situation thrust upon you despite your best efforts. No matter how hard you try to avoid the situation or de-escalate, sometimes a cougar (or an armed robber) has your number. (Insert puns here).
  • 2 1
 @beagle-biker: good point - I don't have to practice to hit the bear with spray. I'll keep using it.
  • 5 1
 Here in 'Murica we have a constitutional right to arm bears. All bears are issued a Colt 45 semi-auto at three years of age, and you wouldn't want to bring a knife to a gun fight now would ya.
  • 1 0
 @bearclawholster: Go to back-up for putting your half eaten bud out of their misery?
  • 4 2
 @MT36: the Montana grizzly bear population is pegged between 1000-2000 in your approx 380,000 sq kilometres.
BC’s grizzly bear population appears to be close to 10 times that, in a land area of not quite 3 times that (14,000-18,000 in 940,000 sq kms).
Not sure why there’s a belief that Montana’s bears are mean, but i sure they’re pissed off about their loss of habitat.
I’ve lived, worked, and recreated all over Northern and Interior B.C, and spent countless hours hiking in Glacier, Watertown, and Whitefish parks.
It’s the risk we take for the enjoyment we experience, and the thought of carrying a handgun on my bike is the absolute silliest thing I could think of.

Good luck to you out there
  • 4 0
 @nug12182: Wild animals aren't the biggest threat out in the woods either.
  • 1 1
 @onawalk: Thats very reasonable. I wouldn't actually carry a gun because I think it is not my thing... but I also have never been attacked by a bear and I respect if people want to stack the odds in their favor, because getting torn apart by a grizzly seems like a pretty painful and scary way to go and I have to assume all grizzly bears are mean if you startle them. I can't blame people for having a sense of self preservation. Sure, I am way more likely to die in a car crash driving to the trailhead than get mauled by a bear, but I think it's reasonable to be wary of apex predators.

Personally I am fine just carrying bear spray on my backcountry rides. Also gives me a sense of security with some of the MAGA redneck nutters around here.
  • 1 0
 10/24/22 A Wyoming hunter accidentally shot himself in the leg while trying to fight off a grizzly bear attack

www.postregister.com/news/regional/wyoming-hunter-shoots-self-while-fighting-off-grizzly-attack/article_16f54a83-6fa0-5e93-8912-06281f9448cd.html
  • 4 2
 @MT36: @MT36: @gb8561: @wburnes
some quick numbers for ya,
The number of bear attacks in Montana is somewhere around 1-2 annually, with 11 fatal attacks in the last 50 years.
The number of unintentional firearm injuries in Montana is around 140 annually, in fact it looks like unintentional injuries from firearms is 6-7 (60-70%) times more common than than any other mechanism (self harm, assault, etc).
By my best estimation you are 70% more likely to be unintentionally injured by firearms, than by bears.
Obviously I stopped doing any sort of research once I had found info that backed up my presumptions. Both seem fairly credible.

discoveringmontana.com/bear-attacks

dphhs.mt.gov/assets/publichealth/EMSTS/Data/FirearminjurySurveillanceReport2019.pdf
  • 1 1
 @ninjamunky: amazing
  • 1 0
 I think this is intended for safety in grizzly country though?
  • 2 0
 @onawalk: HA! dude you are literally pulling numbers out of your ass.

"Obviously I stopped doing any sort of research once I had found info that backed up my presumptions"

Doesn't sound very thorough to me. I think the technical term is bias.
  • 5 1
 @MT36: nope, I pulled the numbers right from the links I posted, so not out of my ass.
Little tongue in cheek comment there for sure, glad you were able to pick up on that.

Obviously there’s tonnes more going on than the numbers in those articles can accurately portray, and I don’t think, any of us could accurately unravel the bias’ that are going on. I just wasn’t going to spend much more time trying to sort it out. I did find it interesting that the amount of unintentional injuries was so high compared to all others. Statistics can be interpreted in so many ways, and those smarter than me have usually been able to point out things I never would thought about.

There does seem to be a bias in the belief that owning a gun, and having it with you, provides you with a matter of security, that I just don’t think exists. I think you’re more likely to get hurt, or hurt someone else, when you have such easy access to a gun.
And let’s be honest, your big mean Montana grizzly bears aren’t really that big a threat, you just want to feel like a cowboy (I get it, cowboys are friggin cool)

So go on Tex, ride yer steel horse (or aluminium, or carbon) with yer hand gun dangling from the top tube off into the setting sun, secure in the knowledge that you’ll prolly bumblef*ck your way into shooting yer (or more likely yer buddies) foot if you ever come across one of the 1000 grizzlies out there!

No offence intended, it’s all just good fun
  • 2 0
 @WaterBear: after quickly going through the documented bear fatalities in Montana over the last 50 years, lots of them aren’t at all trying to avoid the situation. Hell one documented instance was a woman who had been actively feeding the bears at her home.
I think there’s a measure of misunderstanding with wild animals, and people with a general understanding of what being in the backcountry is, can’t fathom the naivety of others who don’t understand.
  • 30 0
 Beer can holder, hand gun holder, and some mace. where is that f*ck around and find out meme....
  • 20 0
 I've lost water bottles, I'd hate to lose a gun on the trail!
  • 15 1
 The spare axs battery is gneuis
  • 13 2
 It's too bad there aren't options other than single-speed that don't require batteries.
  • 13 0
 Left off the AD-Biking AXS Quickshift. Seriously, check it out, it made me actually like the AXS remote.
  • 7 0
 Oh wow, that is actually really slick.
  • 8 0
 +1000 it's so much better than either AXS paddle that I can't believe SRAM hasn't copied it already.

EDIT: www.ad-biking.com/product/sram-axs-quickshift
  • 13 0
 @ThermalAttorney: they will, they are just working out how to copy it, patent it and also sue the creator concurrently.
  • 11 0
 I align my handlebars by standing 3 feet in front of my bike and saying "that looks close enough".
  • 9 0
 that bearing press kit seems like a decent value. I'd love to give it a go.
  • 8 1
 You should check www.altalt.ca because you can get a full kit for a lot less $.
  • 2 0
 @lRaphl: Good call. thanks for the link
  • 3 0
 I bought Momentum's bearing press kits last summer and used it on a few bikes already. Worked really well and looks nice in my personnal bike shop!
  • 13 7
 My problem with these is that plenty of these parts started off as free parts someone was kind enough to share on the internet, and some money-hungry dick decided they were just going to take it, print it, and slap a price on something they didn't even design. We have a local guy that's trying to make like $25 on a design that's literally found for free for GoPro mounts. Total knob.
They're like Edison, except with less thought.
  • 4 0
 You're not paying for the CAD file. You're paying for the product
  • 15 0
 Everyone I’ve shared here is an actual designer selling their original designs.
  • 4 0
 For someone who doesn't want to buy a printer but wants the part, having sellers is pretty convenient.
  • 8 0
 Get to the bottom of trail…. Good news beer is still on the bike… bad news the loaded hand gun isn’t
  • 12 9
 The gun is going nowhere. We have over 5000 gravel miles with various gun makes and they are 100% secure in the holster. No rattle, no movement, no kidding. we take safety very seriously and you can trust these holsters with your life, just like we do.
  • 10 0
 @bearclawholster: I must not be gravel riding hard enough
  • 5 0
 As someone who rides extensively in bear country, please don't mount your spray to your bike! Surprise bear encounters often result in a crash, or hopping off the bike quickly, in which case you separate from where the bear spray is. I use the Evoc Hydro Pro vest/pack and the spray slots nicely into the front pocket. Stay safe out there!
  • 8 0
 I have a Lal Bikes DAGR Tool and this thing is awesome.
  • 1 0
 FINALLY!!! This tool makes total sense. I need one.
  • 1 0
 t'en a un?? I think I want one too!
  • 7 0
 All I can picture is Bobby asking Hank Hill if he can put a gun rack on his bike.
  • 7 3
 Bearclaw’s 3D printed holsters are sweet. I’ve used the bear spray holster for awhile now. It’s more accessible mounted on my bike than when mounted on my hip. The design is well though out, and if I was a gun guy I wouldn’t hesitate to buy the gun holster. All the comments from folks that don’t ride in bear country seem a bit uninformed.
  • 5 0
 Kind of funny how upset people get at just having a product like that exist. The company seems to be posting and drawing lots of down votes. If you don't like it, don't buy it. Others do see a use.
  • 5 2
 @DylanH93: because I don't want to ride around people carrying guns on their bikes.
  • 2 0
 Thanks you, sir, for the kind words! After seeing plenty of bruised bodies and broken bearsprays (not to mention unexpected spray deployments), we, too, prefer not carrying the canister on our person.
  • 3 1
 @SkullsRoad: every time you're in public I can guarantee there are people with concealed carry firearms all around you and you don't even realize it. Concealed carry owners have an extremely low crime rate too. I'm not personally carrying a gun on my bike but I don't mind if someone else wants to.
  • 8 3
 The handgun system is just what i need when riding down highways in our area
  • 2 0
 Yeah, this is the future. Parametric CAD modelling plus 3D printing. I believe its what Atherton bikes are using to input customer specific geometry, to then print custom frame lugs etc. Only takes a couple of minutes to update the CAD files and output the 3D print code with some good workflow. Agree there are good applications for bike contact points like grips/saddles/levers etc, but the safety critical aspect of some components needs careful consideration. If you're interested in this type of stuff, I've got a parametric CAD model for generating water bottle mounts for awkward frames (shock clearance issues etc). Customers can measure up where they need to move their bottle and a bespoke mount can be printed for that frame. Done lots of Marin eBikes and a few Starlings, plus the occasional Bird. Link here: www.cyclesolvers.co.uk/custom-order
  • 6 1
 You can't write an article about 3D printed stuff without telling me where to download the model. That's rude.
  • 6 0
 That stem is one big stress riser.
  • 2 1
 Not really? No sharp corners in high stress areas. Whether or not the designer put high enough force data into the generative design tool is a whole other question of course!
  • 2 0
 @L0rdTom: with something like a stem I’d be hitting the 100x button on them forces! Unless they have measured experimental data.
  • 1 0
 @dirtyburger: ...and the print it terrible....
  • 4 0
 Can someone find a way to make a brake mount facing tool with a 3D printer? One of the only commonly-used prohibitively-expensive tools that almost everyone needs
  • 4 0
 Good idea. Hopefully someone’s reading in here.
  • 6 0
 I imagine such a tool needs to be precise, rigid and sturdy, with a solid attachment for the cutter… not sure if this is a good use case for some squiggly plastic.

But then I don’t understand why this article even exists. Having a production method and asking “what can we make with this” seems like a rather backwards way of design and engineering.
  • 2 0
 @dirtyburger: The production method means you don't need to invest in expensive injection mould tooling for a very limited run of niche products. You can also go from an idea to a functional object in less than a day (which is both good and bad if the idea is questionable!). Ultimately it allows niche products to be created quickly and cheaply, many of which would have zero business case if up-front tooling investment was required. I agree that for generic mass produced products, there is little benefit over traditional methods.
  • 8 2
 As expected, lots of butt-hurt over that bike holster.
  • 5 0
 @scary1: and they are all with canadian falgs lol
  • 4 0
 Was kinda surprised the BearClaw stuff wasn't from Darren and his bro! haha.
  • 5 0
 im in grade 9 running my own mobile bike shop.
  • 1 0
 Hell yeah! There's nothing better than having your own money when you're young.
  • 1 0
 On one of my US bike trips asked a couple of the lads who were carrying if the guns were for bear protection. They said they were more for shooting yourself after the bear has finished mauling you and left you in the forest. I think they were joking
  • 25 25
 Love the handgun mount for adventure/backcountry exploring. Hopefully never necessary but peace of mind is great. Also downvote all you want but I'd be lying if I didn't say I think it looks pretty badass. Not saying having a gun strapped to you makes you a badass, but the little boy in me says it's cool.
  • 10 5
 'Downvote me all you want' has got to be the online equivalent of 'I know shouldn't say this but....'
  • 12 3
 @TerrapinBen: No, I'm saying "You may disagree with me, but". I don't feel as though I shouldn't say it, I just say it knowing it may be unpopular amongst the people on this site. I don't think that is a bad thing.
  • 12 8
 Not badass and it’s pretty well proven that bear spray is FAR more effective than a gun
  • 12 0
 'Downvote me all you want' is the text equivalent of "hold my beer"

Thankfully, now that I have a 3-d printed beer can holder for my bike I can hold my own beer and do sketchy crap without a witness.
  • 7 2
 @notthatfast: Badassery is a matter of opinion and can't be quantified. Spray in a can may indeed be FAR more effective than a gun, but it's about 69% less badass. Which of course is just like, my opinion man.
  • 4 0
 @gaberoc: I can carry my beer and handgun unconcealed on my Surly. Now those Floridians can't complain that bikes aren't made for their trails.
  • 1 0
 @notthatfast: for bears...yea
  • 2 5
 @notthatfast: Bear spray is NOT more effective than a gun.
  • 3 3
 ‘Little boy’ says it all really.
  • 4 2
 @wburnes:
Maybe do some research…
  • 2 3
 @notthatfast: I have done research, you have not.

Guns are ~97% effective against agressive bears, spray is ~44% efffective against aggressive bears.
  • 3 0
 @wburnes: def depends on the gun, a 2 will piss it off, a 9mm get it really angry. You need something that packs a pretty good punch to take out an angry pair in time to stop it from tearing you apart unless you get lucky and hit the brain
  • 4 1
 @wburnes: not sure what an anecdotal story of a guy who got lucky is showing. 9mm in general should
Not be your weapon of choice against bears. As I said, something that packs more punch is a better choice. This guy was also using deep penetration bullets.
  • 1 1
 @bmied31: a 9mm is more than sufficient to penetrate a bear skull, that is one of many examples. Even .22 has been used to kill a bear
  • 2 1
 @bmied31: Your weapon of choice against bears should be whatever is easiest to get shots on target. Anything with more kick than a 9mm is probably a bad choice
  • 4 1
 @wburnes:
Anyone can make up statistics on the internet…
  • 2 1
 @wburnes:
And that is the problem, almost nobody has aim that good, even those that think they do. The reason that bear spray is so effective is that somebody with worse aim than Stevie wonder can use it effectively. The chance of your average person hitting a charging bear in the skull with a handgun is so low that there’s next to no point carrying one.
  • 1 1
 @notthatfast: literally everyone with functional arms has aim good enough to hit a charging bear, and it gets easier to hit the closer it gets
  • 4 1
 @wburnes: you need to understand sampling bias.

The Outside article actually touches on this, in that if the same methodology applied to firearms were applied to bear spray incidents, the effectiveness of bear spray goes up to 85% (at least in the studies and samples they were presented with).

As someone that has previously qualified using an M9, I would personally use bear spray instead of carrying.
  • 1 3
 @XC-Only: you should fully read the article.

Not carrying is not a smart choice
  • 3 0
 Signed up for the Lal Bikes DAGR Tool. That is a must buy for my OCD brain.
  • 4 0
 These are some great ideas. Keep them coming.
  • 2 0
 Does everyone that uses handlebar alignment tools also check whether theirs arms are the exact same length? I haven't but I know my legs are about an inch/2.5 cm different.
  • 3 0
 It's awesome that Hope open sourced brake tools. Makes me even more keen about the Tech 4s that I have one the way.
  • 3 0
 Me: Who the f*ck needs a can holder on their bike.

Scrolls down and sees a photo of Fairbrother...
  • 1 0
 I was hoping to find ProBike3D in here. They make some great compact Gopro mounts custom fit to the chin bars of most popular full face helmets, along with line of other clever bike goodies.
  • 2 0
 I have had some Dosenbiers with the guys behind the holders. They test a lot to get their products perfect.
  • 1 0
 @brianpark: haha! “Just doing a poo in my pants”. Spit my flat white through my nose in the dentist’s waiting room. Classic.
  • 13 13
 Funny how everybody is talking climate change 'n stuff, but we continuing producing more and more (plastic-) stuff that we been fine living without with until now.
  • 3 2
 Speak for yourself. I have never been fine living without plastic. However, 3D metal printers are becoming more affordable.
  • 2 0
 its not the one-off plastic 3d printed parts that's the issue, very little carbon released in such parts and typically don't end up in the environment. It's the more ubiquitous single use plastic that ends up everywhere that poses environmental issues by simply existing that's the problem. Albeit single use plastics aren't that bad from a purely carbon emissions perspective.
  • 5 0
 PLA (polyactic acid) filament is the most common 3dp material and it is made from corn.
  • 2 0
 @JLantz: don’t know about the specific details of PLA, but the origin of the precursor material tells you nothing and out how it degrades and interacts with organic matter and biological systems.
  • 2 0
 Plastics don't really contribute much CO2 through their production. Sure they cause environment damage, but not really global warming.
  • 1 0
 @JLantz: basically all of these items are Nylon, sometimes glass filled. PLA sucks for high strength parts.
  • 2 1
 I can bearly wait to hear all the well thought out claw-ments about plastic.
  • 1 0
 How did this product not make it into the list!?

bouncecycles.co.uk/product/strava-wanker-coaster-set
  • 3 2
 That dude has so many accessories on his bike, only thing hes missing is a motor
  • 2 1
 Still waiting someone to 3d print a tool/stem cap to turn my steerer tube into a bong.
  • 1 0
 Why don't fork manufacturers print a line on the steerer tube or a shallow groove ? Is it really that hard ??
  • 2 0
 it wouldn't be very accurate because it's right on the steering axis. 0.5° off there would be pretty crooked at your hands.
  • 1 0
 @brianpark: Ah ok, didn't think of this. But maybe some "progressive" markings could work. Take a "V" shape for instance, the stem would cover most of it but the tip, so to center it you'd need to see the tip as symmetrically as possible.

Or if everyone was a bit smarter and cooperating, they'd put a line on each side of the steerer tube, and an anodized marking on each side of the stem hole, and bingo, just align them.
  • 3 0
 DOSENBIER SAUFEN!
  • 2 1
 No need for a gun if you bike with Chuck Norris!
  • 1 0
 Your question is, what is .stl? This is the extension of the file format for 3D print files.
  • 2 0
 @vinay: I think he was making a joke. Whenever anyone posts a 3d printed design on forums, the very next post will be "STL?"
  • 2 0
 @thingswelike: Ah, I see. I should really update my forum humor.
  • 1 0
 @vinay: yes it is a 3d printing joke.
  • 8 8
 reminder that 3d printing is a bad final production process for almost everything
  • 1 1
 Yeah, for one thing most of these parts would take hours each for me to print at home. And then the stuff here just looks like open source gizmos that people post on thingiverse, not for-profit consumer items.
  • 1 0
 Idk why people are downvoting this. It's true.
  • 2 1
 Although printing isn't the most efficient in terms of speed, or component cost, it's generally less wasteful than injection moulding in terms of raw material used.

The big environmental win for printing is in the supply chain if enough local printing facilities/shops exist. You go straight from raw material, to printed part, to customer. No C02 heavy distribution chain between the injection moulding process and the end user.
  • 2 0
 @jimherefordbmx: Not sure whether printing is less wasteful than injection moulding. The cut offs (runners, flash if it's there) can just be shredded and go back into the hopper, can't it? In 3d printing you're going to create supports and a baseplate which need to be removed, but take a bit more work before you can turn it back into a filament. Obviously how much material ends up in the product depends on the design of the product itself. With injection moulding you can create much more hollow shapes so for bigger parts they'll often be lighter. But for something like a disc brake spacer, the injection moulded part would be solid whereas the printed product could be largely hollow with some lattice inside.

For the niche market of course, methods of mass production will always end up with either way too many or too few products. So that's where slow parts production like CNC machining or printing by demand would be better. But the energy consumption goes through the roof when you start printing household buckets instead of just moulding them, even if they then have to be shipped across the continent. After all, is all the filament produced locally or does it (at least the amount of mass of the final products) ship across the continent anyway?

One thing in favor of filaments vs pellets (for injection moulding). I was cleaning a beach once and found loads of these tiny pellets. It was pretty much impossible to clean remove it all, let alone from the sea (or from inside the stomachs of the sea animals). At least it would have been easier to clean it if there just a bunch of bobbins of filaments there.
  • 1 0
 @vinay: Yeah agreed with most of your points. Depends on the type of plastic as to whether the runners/flash can be re-ground and fed back into the hopper. A good 3D printing designer will try and limit the supports required through good design practice. I only use supports on my designs if I can't see any way around it. Most FDM printers don't need to print a baseplate either, so almost no wastage from filament roll. Most parts designed for 3D printing can be optimised to reduce waste.

With regard to injection moulding vs 3D printing, you have full flexibility as a designer to tune wall thicknesses and infill parameters as you wish, so you can mimick an injection moulded part (with ribs or not) if you want. You are much more constrained with internal features when designing for injection moulding, as undercuts and any complex internal geometry adds significant additional cost and complexity to the mould tool. Injection moulding does win on tolerances and isotropic material properties though, as you don't need to worry about layer lines (from FDM printers at least).

Totally agree on disadvantages for printing common mass produced household goods, but for low volume specialised bike parts I think it's great!
  • 1 0
 @jimherefordbmx: We agree, that's great Smile . The products in the article were proper niche so that's where 3D printing makes a lot of sense. But remember that even though our sport may be somewhat niche, the spin-off is quite big. I wouldn't be surprised if the likes of Magura and Shimano sell more mtb components to be used on commuter and trekking bikes than on actual mountainbikes. Magura is the master of injection moulding and for the kind of volumes they sell, it makes absolute sense to use that. But there can be room for a personal touch. Remember how they developed the brake lever for Bruni? (www.pinkbike.com/news/development-story-loic-brunis-custom-magura-levers.html) They used an aluminium base and tried different plastic printed saddles. Obviously they gave him a complete metal printed lever and eventually even made a production version available to the customers. But this first step, offering a base structure and then allowing people to put their personalized saddle on it, I think some would appreciate that. For the brake lever, for the shifter paddle, dropper paddle... Magura may a bit careful that someone would create something potentially unsafe (like a saddle that could come off) but I can imagine Hope may be up for this. Gone are the days that people had to do with applying grip tape, cutting the lever to size or drilling it. Just have it printed exactly the way you want it and maybe tweak it in a later iteration.
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 The idea that 3d print is a bad final production process is just dumb. But it is affordable for small runs, allows quick turn round and small runs and is strong enough for many things. It also allows some geometries to be made easier then other processes.
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 Studies show that 99% of 3D-printed accessories hold blunt.
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 That beer can holder reminds me of:
youtu.be/qfzg8oDhLHc

Enjoy
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 Last foto...terrible print for a mock up Frown
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 Of all things: why Moretti????
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 can we have a listing of bike parks where it's allowed to ride with a gun?
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 I'll wait for the stem mounted mini-mini-gun
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 "Here....Open my Beer"
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 Kis my dagr







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