Reality Redesigned: The GAUNTLET Ep7:HAB-1

May 18, 2012
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The GAUNTLET:
Episode 7 of The GAUNTLET: a behind the scenes look into what goes into critiquing, analyzing and scoring the top 9 designs in the Reality Redesigned contest.
To win the GRAND prize, each of the top 9 Reality Redesigned contestants come face to face with our 7 Judges in The GAUNTLET video series. Coming at us from the suspension category, the HAB-1 Interlocking Adjustable Suspension System qualified as one of the Top 9 designs! Kudos to Brian for his design! Let's watch as the Judges give their analysis on his suspension...

Reality Redesigned - Gauntlet-EP7

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DESCRIPTION: The frame is set up for full suspension, with the rear wheel's travel radially pivoting from the crank housing (reducing weight and excess parts).
The spring and absorber are mounted to the frame and 2 flanking slides.The slides have reliefs machined into them so that mating locking pins located on the front mounting shaft can be rotated 90 degrees to either allow full suspension travel or none.

People s Choice Award description picture

HAB1 suspension

HAB1 suspension

HAB1 suspension

HAB1 suspension

HAB1 suspension

HAB1 suspension

HAB 1 suspension

HAB 1 suspension

HAB 1 suspension

HAB 1 suspension

HAB 1 suspension

HAB 1 suspension


Posted In:
Reviews and Tech


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132 Comments

  • 233 3
 seems hazardous to have a big compressing spring right on your top tube, inches away from your balls. Imagine getting pinched in between the coils.
  • 40 2
 Or have an air shock Smile
  • 71 12
 wtf, why do people insist on trying to completely redesign the way bikes are built when they already work great. i mean theres huge companies out there that spend millions on finding out the best design for what ever situation it is needed for, but for some reason these small engernering firms think they know better? i mean dont get me wrong, im not a close minded person at all, infact i like new design but seriously of all the designs you could have come up with, you went with one that not only looks like a fat persons bike but is also horribly hazadess to the rider, i mean i would hate to see someone loose their footing over a large jump or something.
  • 6 16
flag patsis (May 18, 2012 at 1:10) (Below Threshold)
 with air shock already exist . The Pronghorn mountain bike frame with APLS - the suspension unit is mounted on the top tube of the frame to help riders extract more energy from the chain.the Focus Debuts Prototype FSL Lightweight Full Suspension XC Racer. they are too many frames and similar projects
  • 22 1
 The day you think walmart bikes can't get worse, this pops out. Of course, you can solve 'can't wee anymore' issue with seat post mounted fender, or air shock, but overall idea is just horrible! How much does it cost to develop new bb, shock and frame to suit each other, and what about spare parts.. sorry, but this is definite no no.
  • 4 1
 hahaha
  • 11 2
 No one said that Cannondale did a bike with a similar system for Aaron Chase a few years ago after his back injury !
  • 28 0
 forget the fender.. how do you mount a seat post with a seat tube curved like that lol
  • 3 0
 good point. i knew some technology was missing here ap1.pinkbike.org/p5pb8080384/p5pb8080384.jpg
  • 14 1
 well its ugly as fuck regardless how well it will perfome, will stick with my demo thanks.
  • 15 0
 don't even know were to start with the flaws.....
  • 1 7
flag jar862 (May 18, 2012 at 6:02) (Below Threshold)
 I'm kinda digging the ultra narrow rear end. 73mm spacing, perhaps 83 on the DH version. But at least it's got a through axle.
  • 2 0
 And a humongous BB.
  • 8 0
 how did it get this far is it because he done it on CAD? lol. i think i should start pumpin out sum drawings. at least i would have use my comon sense.
  • 17 3
 pile of crap. sorry. over.
  • 13 3
 While I realise this is a far from perfect design, at least the guy tried doing something new and innovative. We wouldn't be where we are today if people didn't give things a go.
  • 2 0
 The frame design appears to have a way too high weight/strength ratio. If you looks closely, youll see that the triangle of the frame begins at the midpoint of the downtube, which means theres huge amounts of torque on the downtube. The force from the fork would wreck the downtube in no-time if it wasnt bulky enough. If it was, the frame would almost certainly be much heavier than a classic geometry frame with the same strength.
  • 2 1
 To all the people talking about pinching your balls, put a carbon fibre or fibre glass guard with maybe padding on it..Problem solved
  • 2 0
 What the heck is with the massive spring replica in the vid!
  • 1 13
flag Stewartlowe (May 18, 2012 at 14:09) (Below Threshold)
 I think its a good frame.
  • 1 1
 This could have been sold as a part for bikes with linear suspension designs and instead of making a whole new frame and shock he could just taken the mechanism on the outside of the shock that locks it out and mount it on frames and it could be used to lockout your rear travel if you had a coil shock on your bike.
  • 3 0
 looks like they welded a spring loaded chode to the bike
  • 3 0
 what's the benefit: A flexible frame, nut cracker, and paper weight all in one.
  • 1 0
 what the hell is this monstrosity you have made into a hideous bike frame shape ???
  • 1 0
 the top tube will keep on snapping on every first ride . . . LOL
  • 24 4
 I'm trying my hardest not to vomit all over my PC. It's a challenge with shit like this on the screen. Not even funny. Awful fail.
  • 18 1
 Terrible placement. My nuts would break that spring in a second if I slipped and they got caught in there.
  • 12 0
 Horrible design.

Where is the front wheel supposed to go on this frame without hitting the downtube? Unless the design calls for a 16" wheel mated to a 180mm fork.

No way to drop the seatpost down, unless they start making curved seatposts.

Way too much distance between seat collar and the junction to the middle tube. That means there will be twice as much leverage on this joint, then with conventional designs.

No structural rigidity on the rear end. Possible solution would be to add an asymmetrical upright bar between the left chainstay and left seatstay (ie: Santa Cruz Blur). Unless the chainstay to seatstay junctions are pivots?

Top tube is not connected to the seat tube. The heat tube to down tube junction will not only support the impact force of the fork, it will need to support the impact force of the rear suspension.

Is GT's still using its bottom bracket pivot I-Drive system any more? Seems like the pivot location would yield very pronounced pedal bob as a straight pivot (and did not use an I-Drive like system).

Massive coil-over shock with addition of side plates for lock out. Seems a bulky and heavy shock design.

It is maybe unrealistic from a legal/engineering standpoint that someone would catch his scrotum in the coil over shock, but it certainly would be a concern from a marketing standpoint. This frame would be an uphill battle to sell to male riders. That kitchenware salesperson can tell me all about how safe the new thigh-mounted cheese grater might be, but I sure won't be buying one.

And the bottom line. Modern shocks have all manner of lock out and/or pro-pedal options, so it seems pointless to introduce a wide host of new weaknesses. Take a proven suspension design and add a lock out rear shock and avoid this mess of a frame.
  • 13 1
 this series and especially this episode and the design are an insult to mechanics and intellect. probably just a way to make some advertising for some companies.
  • 5 0
 I am not a bike designer, however, Placing the shock up top in that position increases the effective swing arm and lever length amplifying any bending moment acting around the ends of the rear axel meaning you would need allot more reinforcment in the z direction on the crank housing and top tube aswell as a much beefier swing arm to overcome the lateral forces. The weight saving claimed would be offset by the gurders you would need to prevent flex, yielding and snap. There are a whole load of other fundamentals that have been overlooked, what is the point to this!!! Anyone interested in giving me a job pleae get in touch.
  • 2 0
 Not to mention the fact that all that added leverage above the top tube will most likly break at the headtube.
  • 7 1
 I wouldn't wanna get my nuts trapped in there !! Girls only shock placment ?
  • 2 2
 maybe use an air shock instead?
  • 6 1
 You ruined everything.
  • 11 0
 Ribbed for her pleasure...
  • 2 0
 To diverge from all the ball-pinching comments here - I really liked what Mike said this time. Made me laugh like crazy. Also, the series began a bit awkward but I'm starting to look forward to the episodes. I hope they do this again next year with some polishing. I'm guessing they learned a tonne doing this. Anyways, if you caught you nut-sac in there and couldn't get unstuck while the spring repeatedly scissored your man-bag...THAT would really suck
  • 2 0
 hahaha owwwww
  • 5 0
 anybody else notice how they list "coffee" under the costs section? bahaha. also, am I the only one that finds the co-hostess extremely attractive?!
  • 3 0
 she seems very saucy
  • 4 0
 If they're going to toss 10K away on this, I wonder how much I could get if I stood outside their building with a pipe organ and a dancing monkey.
  • 8 0
 I would pay at least.........$7 to see that. As long as it's one of those grinder style organs with the crank....and the monkey wears a funny hat.
  • 3 0
 wouldnt the seatpost just fail quick time. i think the power ranger paper mache frame would have been stronger even if paper and glue were used for a testing prototype. lol
i would only buy a frame that looks like it will never snap!! Would any1 else???
RULE NUMBER 1 MAKE IT STRONG
  • 4 0
 Besides my nuts being stuck in a coil in the worst case, the connection between seat tube and head set would never be as stiff as it should for a bicycle.
  • 1 0
 Thats what i noticed first. I blanked that shock simply because lockout shocks aint new and it looks like it was taken from a car. i like the idea behind lockout rear shocks as i have to ride for 30 mins just to get to the bottom of my closest mountain.
  • 2 0
 yeah, first thing I thought was "that's gonna be flexy as f*ck", not to mention the fact that you won't be able to actually put a seatpost in that seat tube, and the lockout function looks like it either wouldn't work, or would break very quickly. In short, awful idea, god knows how it got this far into the competition. That said, all the other entries were gash as well.
  • 7 0
 maybe they only had 10 entrants?
  • 3 0
 My main concern is the frame snapping at the dropouts, is that all that holds the seatstays in place otherwise with the hinged shock whats stopping the seat stay from traveling up instead of forward compressing the shock?
  • 1 0
 you are so right.
  • 8 1
 One word - WALMART
  • 1 0
 I want to know why bb concentric is not used more, and why it is mostly used with single speed applications. What I have read so far alludes to torsional forces, no explicit mention of pedal bob. Does this imply that the chain line would steer the rear axle and main pivot so that the stays and rear hub are off track?
  • 6 1
 The chain would try to compress the suspension and it would bob a lot more than most other designs. It's mostly used on single speeds because there is no chain growth so you don't need a tensioner. Main pro and con I can think of.
  • 1 0
 Thanks, neg prop wasn't me! and to all of you who fear injury from this design, they could use a boot or a cover or wrap the action around second top tube like on a cruiser, or a sleeve like they have for the elastomer on a softail.
  • 3 0
 Also, you can't get much of a rearward axle path without having a crazy high BB, so square edged hits would be really rough.
  • 9 3
 S. T. U. P. I. D.
  • 11 2
 Oh dear !! I blame the judges for actually putting this nonsense forward
  • 1 0
 it might be ok for xc because the energy from your pedal stroke wouldn't be absorbed as much by the shock. but i think the centre of gravity on this bike would be way to high to be comfortable. theirs a reason why a lot of DH bike have their rear suspension mounted as low as possible.
  • 1 0
 Where do the wheels go? All the tubes are bent in the wrong direction...

Also, this completely skips over the main reason to have a pivot around the bottom bracket, which is that allows you to run a single speed setup without a chain tensioner. Commencial, Kona, and a number of others make a bikes with bottom bracket pivots for that reason: www.commencal-store.com/Files/32557/Img/14/11KCABSSX_600.jpg, www.konabikeworld.com/images/frames/2K8_COWAN_FRAME_med.jpg

That shock placement is terrible as well. Having a partial top tube like that creates a massive bending moment about the end connected to the head tube. Basically, the basic idea is alright for a 4x or slopestyle bike, but it isn't particularly innovative and this particular execution is poorly done.
  • 2 0
 I've been spending the past few weeks wondering if this competition is a joke. And now it is confirmed. That's the dumbest thing I've seen in a minute for a multitude of reasons
  • 1 0
 What a crap design. it looks like it has been designed pre 1967. My 2007 SX Trail rocks. Why do people even bother investing cash in such old school projects. Get with the times dudes and dudettes!!!!! A cruiser does need any suspension.
  • 1 0
 If someone were to loose their footing on this thing it would be horrific (and hilarious). Not only would they experience the usual intense ball buster off the "crosser", they'd also experience the added benefit of having their balls CRUSHED in a metal spring. QUALITY! Razz
  • 5 1
 This isn't a bike frame, it's a anti-baby bike..
  • 4 2
 Don't neg prop me, but I don't ever see this becoming mainstream. I have my reasons, but am way too lazy right now to list them.
  • 3 1
 HAHAHHAHAHHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHHAHAHAHA This show must be an elaborated attempt of trolling. I won't even bother to explain all the defects in this design.
  • 5 1
 I have shat better looking things than this.
  • 1 0
 Fugly all that stress being pushed into the head tube . i bet if you run stress analysis on that head tube under a sharp jolting load it would be like looking at a car crash. Halfords might buy it
  • 1 0
 am i the only one who feels like when the shocks on the fork and frame are compressed, the wheels might hit the frame?

or am i wrong...? seems like top notch engineers would know what they're doing.
  • 1 0
 The title should read "The Gantlet", unless they really mean for the title to be about a glove.

latimesblogs.latimes.com/readers/2010/10/gloves-come-off-over-headlines-use-of-gantlet.html
  • 1 0
 Oh dear. Mike and the assistant girl in the yellow jacket have nothing to say still.

Mike: "it looks like a caterpillar"

Yellow jacket girl: "smile and agree, smile and agree"
  • 1 0
 this frame is proper retro i like it but i cant see it ever getting into production that spring is worryingly close to the genetic legacy
  • 6 3
 It's a joke, right? Big Grin Big Grin Big Grin
  • 4 1
 So is this is bike or a vasectomy device?
  • 6 3
 How can a stupid idea like this enter the last ten??
  • 6 3
 why the hell do i still watch this...
  • 2 0
 such a joke of a series ay
  • 4 1
 also it would make the center of gravity way higher on your bike.
  • 3 0
 im pretty sure all they did was stick a shock on a beach cruiser...
  • 1 0
 How have none of them pointed out the fact that there is no basic triangulation? The rear end would literally snap like a twig
  • 3 0
 no one has mentioned the MENTAL seat tube yet, so i thought i mite, LOL
  • 1 1
 This design is in SUSPENSION category, so technically the specifics of the frame are irrelevant. That’s why they only printed the shock.
  • 1 0
 or I mean seat tube, not frame, but whatever
  • 4 1
 thats fuckin retarded.....
  • 3 0
 Double suspension banana (beach cruiser)??
  • 2 0
 Sick beach cruiser. All it needs is a springer fork and a basket to hold my wife's Starbucks and poodle.
  • 3 0
 Please tell me this is a joke
  • 1 0
 its allways good to see new ideas. better then others or realy funcional!!! let the creativs do their job probably this is could be a good base for a nice bike in the future
  • 2 1
 I wouldn't even want to think of what would happen if my nuts got caught in there.
  • 3 2
 How did this design even get to this point in the competition? It is ridiculous.
  • 2 1
 im guessing mike liked this im not watching the vid... loooks like something he would enjoy
  • 2 0
 Not much clearance for the front wheel with that curved downtube either.
  • 2 1
 At least Cannondale made a safe bike that also looks good unlike the sh*t you see here
  • 1 0
 Anyone know where one can buy curved seatposts to fit into that seat tube? lololol
  • 1 0
 The seat and chain stays will have tons of lateral flex= crap ride - your balls.
  • 1 0
 It does not see like a great allocation for a shock since almost every shock has lock out or pro pedal
  • 3 1
 very poor design sorry!!!! wothless!!!
  • 3 1
 They should have saved this for April 1st, cause it's a joke.
  • 1 0
 I thought we were heading towards more slacker and lower cog bikes, this is like going in the opposite direction.
  • 1 0
 I'm not gonna hate: Make me one of these and I'll race Fort William on it...
  • 2 0
 This series is like a train wreck. It's awful but you cant stop looking.
  • 1 0
 I want one in the same colours pictured. Can they design a matching fork for it?
  • 1 0
 Convex downtube has got to be weak as. this frame looks like it may snap before you ride it.
  • 1 0
 not trying to be mean, but this is probably the worst design i have seen yet.
  • 1 0
 Holy God! What a great invention for blowing off balls and prick! How much do they hate men?!
  • 2 1
 seems like a great place to pinch yer nuts
  • 2 1
 That would hurt your nuts if they got caught
  • 3 2
 i might looking to buy a correct seatpost forever . . . . Big Grin
  • 3 1
 Cant stop laughing..
  • 3 1
 not really convincing
  • 4 0
 infant engineeress on tricylce. Awful thought process, serving coffee at starbucks might be a better career choice. Know how they mistick - had some in my design engineering class....
  • 4 3
 This whole "Reality Redesigned" series suck.
  • 1 1
 Oh my...extrusions and sweeps. Contact me for some legit Solidworks surface modeling.
  • 2 1
 i would not want to get my balls stuck in there.
  • 1 0
 I think this is a beautiful FAIIILLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • 1 0
 what about the low bb rise??
  • 2 1
 This whole competition has become a sick joke.
  • 1 0
 Bad design, creating new problems in order to fix one that doesn't exist.
  • 1 0
 Cheap supermarket novelty bike!
  • 1 0
 I don't want my balls getting jacked up.
  • 2 1
 Shit loads of thought went into desinging this....LOL
  • 1 0
 Hes got a pin here not sure how it would be when out riding... I loled
  • 1 0
 nbghbghyghgftgftgftgftggttgfffvgujhyhtgy6u7y6ui78io890io89uio89uio89
  • 2 0
 One look at that first pic is all it took for me to turn in disbelief, a second look to laugh hysterically, and a third look to put an imprint of my keyboard on my face, from dropping my head on it, from the apparent loss of brain cells. Now to watch the vid, just cause I'm curious and want to laugh at their reactions.
  • 1 0
 That was doesn't need suspension!
  • 1 0
 This bike is for douche waffles
  • 1 0
 I'd hate to get my balls trapped in that spring..
  • 1 0
 i agree with mike, put a nice big seat on it and you are ready to go Big Grin
  • 1 0
 not gonna lie, JoAnn's partner is pretty sweet...
  • 1 0
 what software do u guys use to desing the bikes?
  • 1 0
 Nice Beach Cruiser....
  • 1 0
 I was thinking the same thing.

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