Video: 77Designz's Frame Reaches Completion in the Final Episodes of 'We Develop a Bike Frame'
It's three years ago when Giacomo developed the kinematics for the Kavenz VHP16 during his stay in Vancouver BC. Our YouTube documentation "We Develop a Bike Frame" has 26 episodes by now, and we inspired people all over the world to follow our path and start building their bike frames. If you have followed our journey from the beginning, you know that this was not an easy path, and we sort of kept failing our way to success. What we learned is that it's all comes down to how determined you are about your goals and that failure is nothing but another lesson learned and another improvement to the final product.
Mistakes and fallbacks are as much a part of product development as the glorious moments where you or your test riders end up on a podium on the bike you designed. Nothing beats that feeling.
We are thrilled to announce that with this final article of "We Develop a Bike Frame" the Kavenz VHP16 is finally available for preorder.
We are confident that we go to market with a "ready to shred" product that can make you faster and is reliable enough to be taken out for the big stuff for many years. That's why we will open up for preorders very soon on 77-store.com. The frames will be tailor-made and the first batch is scheduled for delivery in January/February 2020 and limited to 50 frames. All the new market-ready frames will receive further improvements to clear them for DH level riding (ASTM Cat. 5) with our partner Test Lab EFBE.
The Head Tube area is finally strong enough to withstand even the toughest riding for many years.
We where all relieved after the Kavenz VHP16 passed the statical destruction test at EFBE.
Kavenz VHP16 Frame Assembly:
As we manufacture our frames in Germany, we do also assemble them in House. Watch Marvin from Marv's Bikeshop doing his job, the high tolerances we apply make the assembling process smooth and easy.
Assembling happens in house with great attention to all details
Marvin from Marv´s Bikeshop is our freelance Bike Mechanic
Enjoy a few of our favorite frames of the BETA BATCH:
How about Raspberry Red Powder Coated
Raw Aluminium will be an option too, this is our longest frame with 540mm Reach.
Sandblasted, chemically polished and Black Anodized makes the finest finish we can think of.
Learn more about the project and sign up for our Newsletter on kavenz.com
If you need more information about the project you can read the previous articles right here on Pinkbike:
Developing-a-bike-frame-enduro
Designing-and-manufacturing-a-bike-frame
video-building-and-testing-a-prototype-long-travel-29er
77designz-takes-their-prototype-to-the-lab-for-fatigue-and-load-tests
More-prototype-failures-in-another-episode-of-we-develop-a-bike-frame
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Mistakes and fallbacks are as much a part of product development as the glorious moments where you or your test riders end up on a podium on the bike you designed. Nothing beats that feeling."E
As a product manager I can't stress enough that if this isn't the attitude that you have, you will not be successful. There are so many challenges and setbacks during development of a new product that you (and your team!) need thick skin and the ability to push through in order to succeed.
I wish all of life worked like that.
Good on the Kavenz guys for pushing through to produce a compelling final product. Hope you sell a good few of them!
Will it require a lower chain guide due to less chain wrap as a result of the upper chain guide? Do these HP bikes, when designed correctly, really have a lot more drag?
I love my bikes, but when I look at this burly design I imagine it being better suited to an e-bike design where I don't mind the extra weight and pedaling resistance. Would be cool if that upper pulley was the motor drive sprocket.
It looks fine to me. Especially considering a lot of frames I’ve had recently do the same thing with little carbon fiber ears sticking off the frame.
Bikes that appeal to me are the ones that prioritize efficiency and simplicity.
I do get what you're saying. If you want to sell a lot of widgets, you don't rock the boat or, try to challenge as few perceptions as possible. I do personally appreciate the boutique approach of "this works, take it or leave it." Its how things slowly evolve.
Pricing looks like s works/evil pricing which ia def premium
Can still be adjustable....
These guys built bikes out of straight tubes, not hydroformed tubing so it's more practical. It's maybe similar for the headtube, Giant can control the thinkness of their tubes in that area, here they can only use a butted tube, so if it's not enough they need a gusset.