Customizing a Mountain Bike with SLS 3D Printing
Sintratec service technician Dario is a passionate mountain bike rider. To optimize his bicycle, he redesigned various components and 3D printed them on the Sintratec S2 system. Once assembled, the parts were successfully put to the test on a downhill trail.
Custom Grips
Dario designed ergonomic handle grips for his mountain bike to better absorb the vibrations while driving. The part consists of a soft TPE elastomer surface with a solid PA12 nylon core and was 3D printed on the Sintratec S2 System. Unlike conventional manufacturing, rapid prototyping allowed Dario to quickly test and adjust the geometry of the surface.
Chain Guide
Laser sintered with stable Sintratec PA12 material, this custom chain guide needs to be robust enough to withstand impacts while keeping the bike chain in place. To reduce weight, Dario constructed the part by means of a generative design, thereby making 3D printing the only viable option for manufacturing.
Shifters
These small shifter plates were 3D printed with soft Sintratec TPE powder and – after testing a number of variations – subsequently glued to the gear shift of the bike. The grooved surface provides a better grip, especially in wet conditions.
Action Cam Mount
To securely attach his Action Camera to the bike, Dario printed a sturdy PA12 mount with adjustable joints. He adapted freely available designs from Thingiverse to perfectly fit the mount to the diameter of his handlebar.
The Downhill Test
On a downhill trail in Switzerland, Dario got into gear and relentlessly put the SLS parts to the test with high speeds and daring jumps – successfully so! All components proved to be well suited even for such extreme conditions, making the SLS technology an interesting choice for all kinds of customized bike applications.
Convince yourself!
Do you want to print your own bike components? Then download all the STL design files for free via our Thingiverse page.
Are you instead interested in the quality of our SLS 3D prints? Then don’t hesitate and order your individual sample part today via our print service!
