The Return of Italian Made Carbon Bikes

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Inside the 3T factory to discover a unique method of making frames in Italy

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Most carbon frames have one thing in common. A made in Taiwan sticker somewhere on a frame. And that’s just fine. But what if that sticker said made in Italy instead? For decades, nearly every big bike brand has relied on factories in Asia to make the carbon frames. It’s efficient. It’s proven. It’s low cost. And it’s how the bike industry works. But now a few brands are trying to change all that by bringing carbon manufacturing back home. And one of them, 3T, is doing things in a very different and unique way. I got the chance to visit their factory in Italy recently to see how carbon bike frames are made from start to finish. And as you’ll see in this video, the process looks nothing like the more traditional mold and layout method we’re all used to seeing in the bike world. What makes this factory so interesting isn’t just where the bikes are made, it’s how they’re made. Because instead of sheets of carbon fiber being handlaid into molds, the way most frames in the world are built, these ones actually start as a long thin carbon filament. This filament is woven together into tubes using a fully automated machine, a process called filament winding. It’s a similar process to some other bike manufacturers like time, but has one key difference. The filaments are woven together into tubes with mandrels dictating the shape of the eventual tubes. Once that’s done, the tubes are set using resin transfer molding, a technique that gives a frame its final stiffness and strength without the messy, laborintensive process most factories use. Making carbon bike frame does sound very complex indeed. But you know what isn’t complex? Making websites with today’s sponsor, Squarespace. Decades ago, I designed and built websites for a living. But now, with Squarespace, anybody can build a professional looking website in minutes. It really is that easy. I love how you can choose from a massive library of templates to suit your website needs, the colors, the layout, the text, and everything on that website, and then easy customize it with a drag and drop interface, adding plugins for e-commerce, newsletters, social media networks, videos, and much, much more. If that’s not simple enough, there’s even blueprint AI, which generates a fully custom website in just a few easy steps. It really is simple and easy. Anybody can build a website. So whether you’re selling bike products or running a bike shop or want to share your cycling stories, photos, or videos with the world, building a website with Squarespace is a smart and easy choice. And you can sign up right now for a free trial at the link down below. And if you do enjoy it, and I’m sure you will, here’s my special discount code for 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. Right, let’s see how a car frame is actually made. At 3T, we have developed a pretty unique uh production process which is completely different from the standard one uh used in Asia which called prep. In here we’ve developed a technology which based in phamin winding. So we have samin winding machines that they cannot be shown at all. uh but uh but they are able to produce on an automated way uh all the tubes of the bikes and uh and the particularity of of this machine is that it is able to create or to produce uh not drown cubes but complex shapes dry fiber and a stable preform. No, as I say this is the the real the real deal of the of the of the process. So the this process uh starts with uh it’s based on three pillars mainly. One of is is the automation. So you can see here how a machine is is making all the tubes of the bikes. The second thing is that is based on on you know how we purchase the raw material as the supply chain of the raw material and in this case the beginning of the process is the carbon filament is the carbon thread. So there’s no easier way of buying carbon fiber, right? So so so this is the the second advantage of the process. And the third therapy is that since we don’t work with prep, our raw material can be stored at room temperature, right? If you if you are to work with prep, you need to storage the row of carbon fiber on a freezes because otherwise the resin will cure. So right now what we have on on the machines is that they’re making uh all the tubes of the main triangle. This particular case is the extrema. Okay. So now it’s making the head tube of the extrema. It did in the in the in the past the the down tube and then it will move to to zip tube to top tube uh etc. Is that an advantage over the more common pre- prag? Well, as I said it it’s pros and cons, right? like every every part of the process. So if you see here, this is process which is is running really long fiber. It’s a it’s a process which offers a really uh long it offers fiber continuity. Okay. Sorry. While while in prep you have to put this small one on top to the other and at the end a carbon prep um frame is made about what 400 500 little pieces. This this puzzle is is definitely smaller. So the fiber continuity right we are connecting the main loads point of the bikes we are connecting them with a single framement. So performance-wise and and feeling wise of the bike, this is clearly an advantage and that’s why I think the well I think we measured that that’s why the made in Italy frames they behave different than the made in Asia ones you know have this reactiveness this responsiveness right that than I I think and this is due to the the long fiber the fiber continuity about 70 to 80% of the fiber weight of the frames depending on on the model it’s produced with these machines. So we are we are able to automatize a huge amount of fiber placement uh onto the frame while we prep is clearly 100% manual. So I’m not sure that that type of process will work on western cultures to be honest. Uh so that that’s why this is a process that you know it works also better with a with a with a life and we have with our work philosophy which is really important as well if you want to if you want to succeed here. So the first part of the process as you saw is the is the winding. Then after that there’s a manual cutting process in which we start creating what’s going to be later the connection between the different tubes. In this case, this is the the the down tube of the of the strata, right? And in here, we we you can see now what’s going to be later on the connection with the head tube and was going to be the connection with the bottom bracket, but also with the with the seat tubes in here. And I’ve said many times, the real deal is that I can hold in my hands a complex shape because this is not a round tube. This is a complex shape um preform which is hollow on the inside you know my hand. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. But it’s stable. Okay. I can it is very delicate. Okay. I cannot push it harder but but it’s stable. So it can be manipulated. I can install the bladers inside. I can add uh the reinforcement I need to. So we we don’t need to have a inner core in which lay the fibers. So this is a huge advantage for for them for the process right we we don’t need those inner core because the preforms by themselves not that stables it’s very kind of frayed at the end it is because because what what we say about the fiber continuity at the end you have these filaments here these filaments they need to be placed and laid in the mold properly afterwards but you know they run all the way until the very end so we are actually This is a process which which guarantees a proper fiber continuity. If I will put this filament, I don’t want to do it because otherwise I will destroy the preform. But this filament it’s going all the way until the bottom bracket. So we are the main load points of the bike they are connected with a single filament. In this case this is the city above the sha which we are able to do also with the with the phamin wing machine. very comp complex shape. Yes, it is. So, actually in in the in the seat tube we have some angles limitation to be produced. So, so C tube is half produced with the machine then the the the production uh uh operator will do a manual reinforcements on the on the tube and then the machine will will continue. So there are some limitations to the process but you worked around them with Exactly. So, so at the end it’s not there’s no one technique to produce all you know you you you mix different techniques in in our case filament one techniques is 70% of of the construction of the frame h while the remaining 30 to 20% it is it is a manual uh hand liar process right the kit is where uh we start putting together all the tubes of the bike so kits is a sort of a preassembly Okay. Uh we do before going to the mall. Okay. And and and in here we will do some of tubes connection. We will put all the bladers inside. But also we will complete the missing fiber weight of the of the frame. And a good example of how efficient our process is compared with the traditional prepress is is this small piece. This small piece is done like with the traditional hand lie up process. Dry fiber but still hand lie up. And here is where the system will be bonded afterwards. But what you can see in here is a small piece made out of three type of material. So this is one type of material. This is a braided tube. This is another type of material. This is a twill is a fabric. But also on the inside that’s also running some unidirectional. That’s the kit. was going to be later on. Uh so everything on that tray, huh, is going to there. Exactly. Yeah. Exactly. Exactly. And these bits are sort of joining. Exactly. So joining sections at the end, they are like sort of the traditional process, but they’re very few. Okay. Very few compared with the 400 ples that um yeah, the standard prep uh technology will will will use. What’s this piece here then? This is to to reinforce the wall to reinforce for for the corner because the corners are hard to fill with fibers. So we use a sorry we use another another material. This is actually part of our uh recycled fiber. Okay. We use this recycled fiber to fill uh to fill the gaps or or to fill a spaces where later on some um some resin will go. The bottom uh head tube insert. This is the bottom bracket. How do you ensure bottom brackets are like tolerant and round and because this is a a a lathe part. Okay. So like like you know this is a CNC part that you can really ensure proper tolerances and then they get bolted one on two to the other. So to be sure that this perfectly straight and they are perfectly aligned. This is short fiber but we use to fill gaps you know to fill gap. quite a shortcut to having the the the pieces pre-made over there that they go in the mold with just a bit of Yeah, you I mean it it’s it’s not that short process this one, but yeah, I think the fact that you already have preassembled uh most of the frames It definitely helps you know it is it definitely helps. You’ve seen all the molding process where all the preforms all the different patches they are placed mold is closed mold stays within this table we don’t use presses okay we we close them all with bolts and they all are selfheated okay they all have their own resistances that’s why um like I say part of the process being more efficient than the traditional prep pre is not only because of the prep needs to be storage on a freezer but it’s also because we heat what we need to heat. We don’t use presses with heat plate. So we heat directly the molds and also the temperatures we use are lower than prepress. So our curing times are at a lower temperature but also they are shorter because we have free choice of of resin. So mole is closed on one side of the mold. We put vacuum and then on the other side of the mold we put resin under pressure and the resin will go and impregnate all the fibers until the resin comes out. When resin comes out then you know we let it cure. At the end the quality the surface quality of an RTM because this process is called RCM resin transfer molding. It’s usually better than preplex cuz keep in mind that we are sort of continuously you know putting resin in. No. So, so if there are small gaps or whatever they get uh they get filled. So the the the outer quality of not not the structural but the outer quality it’s usually better on resin trans than preplex. [Music] of the advantage of the process compared with prep because in prep the the looking of the frame is is really depending on how you place the first layer. In this point since you know resin is let’s say flowing let’s call it this way the resin that flows it close the potential gaps you know they remove it when when still hot to this might be like now 65° this is more so this is now the perfect spot to to get it Yeah. Be careful because now this is uh And there we are. Done. Done. This is the frame out of the out of the mold. Exactly. And uh yeah, this is just out of the m uh resin is already in. It cures, it hardens. So now we have a proper uh composite part. You see all the fibers pattern, all the different patches. And now it’s one piece. It’s one one together. So just that’s just excess. Yeah. This is the excess of resin. Resin. Okay. Yeah. This is resin. And then this later uh it goes into the finishing process in which it gets deeper, it gets drilled and it gets prepared for for finishing and and it gets prepared for for painting. It’s not possible to do a frame in one process just the size of mold. It it it’s making it more complex because the less insert it has the easier is to work with the job of the people the you know the better quality you are going to get. So so it can be made but but for us it works uh it works well this way. So that creates a very strong joint there I guess. Yeah because at the end you know the female part is created by the rear triangle uh mold and the male shape is created by the main triangle mold. So actually you have here a in this area you have a overlap of fiber. So actually people will say ah this is this is the weak part of the frame. It is not is the strongest. This is sort of a preassembly check. So we check seat posts, we check uh hangers, we check beings, we check bottom brackets. Do you get many that have to go back or don’t make it? Yeah, at the end it’s a bit of a back and forth. No, I mean when they make it to this process because at the end each step they have its quality checks. No. Okay. So, so, so, so yeah, what Lucas doing now is being sure that what everything has been done before is been done properly. So, every frame gets the same process. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. 100% 100%. Frames are QC approved here. Frame is ridable. Clear. It is a rough frame. need to be painted and but but eventually but eventually it can be assemble as a bike if you if you wish no no I’m the more steps you have on the production process the longer it takes to get the frame into real serial production so actually we have launched in the we launched the extrema end of 23 the first two sizes, but in less than one year and a half, we’ve launched two models with four sizes if you think about. So, and this is not because of I think we we’re good at we we’re good at what we do, no? But it’s also because the process allow us to to to do that, you know, it’s so so simple in a way, you know, and you can make changes and updates more easy, different standards or Yeah. Yeah. We we I mean we all the managers seen like pictures that are 3D printed or so so we are really quick on on adapting on adapting the process because you know like you at first you you know it’s 100% right so you know you go on the process you adapt it but I think the important thing is that to be quicker to be quick at that because if you get discover let’s all let’s call it that way an issue with an Asian product until that that issue is fixed It takes months but the thing is that during those months they’re making frame you know there’s not something you stop if we find something we are here we stop it we move to another one we fix it and then we continue and then it take days you know it takes days [Music] So that is how 3T has managed to bring carbon fiber manufacturing back to Italy. It doesn’t replace the frames that are made in Asia, but sits alongside them for those customers who want a frame made in Italy. And I’ve been fortunate to ride one of these Italianmade bicycles. And you can see my review of the Strata Italia on a video right here.