I was bored so I thought id do some research. I came across this cool bit of information. I dont know if its old or new, but the cost of synthesizing them is becoming much much cheeper. I cant believe it was $1000/gram before! Its still a lot now, but its going to get cheeper I'm sure. Here is the link from what I am talking about: http://nepp.nasa.gov/index_nasa.cfm/769/#Synthesis (From Nasa's site).

Ahh, I think I remeber reading this once before - Nasa were going to use it to create a space station that was tethered to the earth, pretty crazy stuff. From a MTB perspective, I'm guessing that in the future (or now if you had the cash), it could possibly become an incredible carbon 'fibre' mesh replacement. Strong as a dimond along it's length, light, and possibly self healing!! How cool would that be! As nonotunes are 'grown' rather then contrsucted or machined, if this growing proccess could be controlled, your future [insert riding style here] bike could infact fix itself on the fly..... crazy!

Also, as nanotubes can be created as an electrical insulator or conductor, you could easily make inbuilt electronics a reality, no more wires on your bike computer, internal lighting systems......

Here are a few more links:

http://www.pa.msu.edu/cmp/csc/nanotube.html

http://www.personal.rdg.ac.uk/~scsharip/tubes.htm

http://www.worldlink.co.uk/discuss/msgReader$227

http://news.com.com/2009-7337-5091267.html

http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_277486,00040001.htm

http://mmptdpublic.jsc.nasa.gov/jscnano/Arc%20Facility%20Photo.htm

http://www.stp-gateway.de/Archiv/archiv730-e.html

http://www.ipt.arc.nasa.gov/nanotechnology.html

All of this is well and good, and pretty exciting to think about BUT, is it really needed?? I kinda like bikes how they are at the moment! :) O.K, I'm not going to jump on a singlespeed brakeless pennyfarthing anytime soon, (although I have thought about a singlespeed MTB from time to time) but when does it get to the point that tehnology will 'spoil' what the sport is really about?

Don't get me wrong, I love 27speed gears, Luxeon LED lighting systems, and SPV forks and shocks, and technology is a HUGE patr of cycling, but when does it go too far??

Cheers, Dave.

Don't get me wrong, I love 27speed gears, Luxeon LED lighting systems, and SPV forks and shocks, and technology is a HUGE patr of cycling, but when does it go too far??

Cheers, Dave.

It gets too far when we are no longer pedaling our bikes.

I think there will always be the retro trend in biking, so even if we had bikes that were 24# w/ 6" of travel front and rear there would still be people on fully rigid bikes. I don't think tech can totally make up for skill.

Ahh, I think I remeber reading this once before - Nasa were going to use it to create a space station that was tethered to the earth, pretty crazy stuff. From a MTB perspective, I'm guessing that in the future (or now if you had the cash), it could possibly become an incredible carbon 'fibre' mesh replacement. Strong as a dimond along it's length, light, and possibly self healing!! How cool would that be! As nonotunes are 'grown' rather then contrsucted or machined, if this growing proccess could be controlled, your future [insert riding style here] bike could infact fix itself on the fly..... crazy!


Well, not trying to rain on anyone's parade here, but the main problem with carbon nanotubes at the present is getting them in useable lengths. I think the longest are only a few mm, which is incredible compared to their diameter, but compared to regular carbon fibers, it's far too short to make good composites.
Also, there's some problems finding a suitable matrix to embed the nanotubes in. Due to their tiny diameter, they'd pull out of the usual resins pretty easily, so some sort of chemical bonding to the matrix material has to be developed. At the end of the day, a composite is only as good as the weakest link, and present-day resins and thermoplastics are very weak compared to nanotubes.
However, I do believe the possibility is there, and with research, we'll figure out ways to grow useful fibers, and find reasonable matrices for them. Actually, the carbon/carbon composites are probably where the first steps will be taken.
Me, I'm waiting for construction diamond, or at least diamond coatings on parts. Imagine a chain that lasts practically forever...

It gets too far when we are no longer pedaling our bikes.

I think there will always be the retro trend in biking, so even if we had bikes that were 24# w/ 6" of travel front and rear there would still be people on fully rigid bikes. I don't think tech can totally make up for skill. I feel like my FS has way too much technology and my backpack has even more! The cool part is that the weight of my gps, camera, spare batteries, cell phone, etc, offsets the weight lost on the bike for only a thousand dollars or so.:p

I feel like my FS has way too much technology and my backpack has even more! The cool part is that the weight of my gps, camera, spare batteries, cell phone, etc, offsets the weight lost on the bike for only a thousand dollars or so.:p

My bike only gets heavier, but i've only added a camera to my backpack. But then i also have a fully rigid bike; every one needs a retro grouch machine even 20 somethings like me :) .

technology is never too much...

you can ride whatever you like, the choice is what all these new gadgets give us. i can't afford to ride the fancy stuff, but it looks good to me...

Damn! I made this same subject a few months ago (under the title "frame material of the future") and was totally poo-pooed.

To see another cool use of carbon nano-tubes, do a search on "nano emisive display".

Isn't NASA using this to produce the elevator to the moon?
If so, I am sure there are lengths long enough for a toptube............................

Ha saw a related article on how Nano tubes would be replacing silicon in computer chips. Theoretical end result is that the Nano tubes have less resistance than the silicon oxide layers thus higher frequencies without the over heating issues.

Yeah, I've read about all of the last few comments, it seems it's just as good electrically as physically, pretty unreal stuff!! I do recall NASA dreaming about a teathered space station, they were going to use it to launch all of their fancy spaceships using less fuel too. The amount of material needed would be crazy, not too mention the cost. A possibility?? YES, but practability?? Not sure on that!!

Cheers, Dave.

Thought that I'd bump this up seeing that Easton are now making handlebars and seatposts out of nanotubes. I head that there is a roadie wheel manufacturer making rims from nanotubes too.

I keep thinking back to JW25's comments, I wonder how they are making the final composite??

Cheers, Dave.

Nuh- uh!

Seriously...nanotube are still to small and expensive to make a decent structural material. They might put a little tube in there for a marketing gimick, but I doubt there will be any products that get most of their strenght from nanotubes for awhile.

Do you have any links

I only have this link to a previous post in Passion:

http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=46163&highlight=nanotubes

I'm only saying what I've heard. Not sure what percentage of the material is actually made out of nanotubes, if any. You're spot-on. "Nanotube enhanced" sounds like a gimick.

Having said that they did mention something about a technique to avoid "clumping" of the fibres, so they might actually be playing with this stuff. I guess an E-mail to Easton might have to be sent... see what they're actually up to......

Cheers, Dave..

But I still want something that bend before breaking in critical parts like handlebars, posts, etc.

I would take a composite frame, fork, heck! Even a shock made out of it... nothing that would be in close contact with me.

Should they be using nanotubes the way maxm mades the reinforcement to their carbon parts?? (By using some inside net)

Me, I'm waiting for construction diamond, or at least diamond coatings on parts. Imagine a chain that lasts practically forever...

I don't think a diamond coated chain on a steel cassette would be a good idea for the same reason that you don't use a diamond blade to cut steel (The diamond coating in the blade quickly wears off and diffuses into the steel due to the carbon in both).