Final Randoms - Core Bike 2024

 YES!!!

 Would also love to see similar in blue/green and red/yellow.

 we want colours

 I don't know what the difference in cut is between the mens / womens version but from the website it doesn't look like much more than bringing the waist in a bit. Might just need to go up a size and boosh you can wear that one. It's not as if it's exquisitely tailored for form (at which point it would only fit one shape of woman anyway).

 @fracasnoxteam: Pink and black preferably

 Yeah, ever since my 1990 youth soccer team was sponsored by Generra Hypercolor with pink/purple Hypercolor color-changing team jerseys, I’ve wanted a Hypercolor MTB jersey like that (that will also match my 1992 pink/purple Klein). My teammate’s dad was a Generra executive, so maybe I’ll check and see if he wants to revive pink/purple Genera Hypercolor for the MTB market, with a limited edition jersey group buy, for Pinkbike =P

 @WRCDH: Hypercolour was bizarre even as a youth, still I had several, but doubt it would be particularly flattering on a middle aged guy, slogging up a hill.

 @pbuser2299: LOL! So true! Yeah, a Hypercolor MTB jersey would just color-code all of the sweaty bulging areas that are in contact with the jersey =P

 nothing more manly than riding in all pink

 Saw that, scrolled down to add the same comment. That pink jacket is hot.

 @secondtimeuser: I would say they must have more space for chebs, but as an ageing MTB rider, I'd need as much of that too, so you're probably right! Happy Friday!

 Probably the most typical thing I hear working in a ski/bike shop, men like the womens colors and women like the mens colors.

 As a woman, that's the first piece of pink women's kit I've ever wanted. Maybe only because it has physically damaged my retinas... but still, I think it looks sick.

 YES PLEASE

 Agreed! That purple pink gradient is the first piece of Endura kit I've ever seen and thought "I want that!"

 @secondtimeuser: Typically,
wider at the waist hips, and room for bust, slimmer, more shaped shoulders
Which can make for a very awkward looking/feeling fit on a man

 @secondtimeuser: It's not that simple. Women on average have shorter torso's (to go with those legs for miles, I'm sure), narrower shoulders, breasts, wider hips etc.
Going up a size will make it fit in the sense that you can get it on and close the zipper, but not fit in the sense of matching the shape of your body.

 AMEN BROTHER ID BUY 2x just so I can rock it for yearssss to come

 @WhateverBikes: "on average" being your key phrase there will still be plenty of men who can wear it with no issues. I sometimes use my wife's ski jacket when it gets sufficiently cold and she's not using it with no fit issues whatsoever.

 @secondtimeuser: Fair enough. In fact, I'm wearing a women's fleece jacket right now, lol.
I do think though that - on average - women's ski jackets are less contoured than cycling jackets, so ymmv.

 But the best thing about those Hope cranks is that you can recycle the foam filling into dragon skin tire inserts.

 Composite guy here. I do not have any info on their manufacturing process, but this is probably an expanding core that grows under the processing heat and compacts the laminate. This allows to make hollow structures without any openings and im one piece. So this is actually pretty fancy stuff there

 Just like your surfboard

 I was worried when the said "styrofoam" but then when they added "firm" I was reassured.

 @SleepingAwake: Composites guy here too (with MTB carbon fiber crank experience and McLaren Monocell / Monocage tub-chassis & McLaren Mercedes SLR styrofoam-cored structural roof pillar / chassis experience. Styrofoam doesn’t have enough expansion pressure from its blowing solvent/agent to provide enough compaction pressure for an uncured (prepreg or molding compound) composite laminate / material. On the SLR, the unexpanded styrofoam is blown into the hollow roof pillars (with carbon fiber plies forming the hollow pillar section, against the tool), then the styrofoam is subsequently heated and thus expanded in place, and then it’s all injected with RTM epoxy resin...the styrofoam provides just enough pressure to keep the preformed / precompacted dry (no resin, until injected) carbon fiber plies in place, and just enough expansion pressure to resist the hydrostatic resin / RTM injection pressure...the foam does very little compaction (1-2 atmospheres max, but likely around 1 atmosphere).

Next, the Hope cranks are said (by Hope) to be made from “moulding compound” (which by definition should be a discontinuous-fiber molding compound with likely 1” to 2” long carbon fibers in epoxy or vinylester resin), but with a twill weave 1k carbon fiber surface layer. Hope say they “mould a foam core” for the cranks that damps vibrations — meaning they pre-mould a styrofoam core (in a standard heat or steam expansion-molding process) which is then likely bonded into the crank when the two pre-cured compression-molded crank halves are bonded. Molding compound is often formed at around 1500psi (102 atmospheres) in matched metal tools (usually steel, but sometimes aluminum at up to about 800psi for production), often molding cranks in non-hollow-core half-sections (that would need to be bonded). But Race Face would mold their single-piece hollow carbon fiber prepreg cranks around a “eutectic salt” water-washout core — as that eutectic salt molded core has enough compression strength to allow the carbon fiber prepreg to be molded against it and around it at several hundred psi, in matched steel tools. A hole is drilled after, and water is squirted into the hole to “wash out” the core.

But Hope’s crank uses a styrofoam core that cannot resist compression molding pressure — so yeah, the crank is almost certainly molded carbon fiber halves that are then bonded together with the styrofoam core being bonded inside during the same process. The styrofoam core could also help excess adhesive from forming globs or drips or pooling inside. But I expect the core is primarily for vibration / acoustic damping, and secondarily as a bonding process aid (to prevent excessive adhesive pooling / globs). Some composite molding processes use a nylon or latex or silicone bladder over a styrofoam core...but Hope’s cranks appear to not have any sort bladder or co-molded / co-bonded “fly away” / “ride away” bladder inside.

However, Hope could maybe do a hollow eutitic salt “wash out” core like Race Face, or they could possibly use a low-temperature-melting cast alloy metal core that they compression mold around and then melt-out after curing the carbon fiber material; melting it out through a hole, at 275F to 500F...and then unexpanded styrofoam could be blown-in, heated, and expanded into place. However, that styrofoam core could rattle around over time if done this way, as there’s nothing like liquid RTM epoxy resin to bond it and keep the styrofoam firmly in place over time. So I’m guessing Hope use the bonded-halves with co-bonded pre-molded styrofoam process I mentioned above.

Oh, I almost forgot, I helped Simon (Hope’s former co-owner) get into composites back around 2010...I helped him define a technical and commercial route to market, recommended material and tooling suppliers, local British consultants, etc, including recommended regional economic development grants...cool dude, a great company, and they really seem to value those who can help them achieve their goals (especially if they’re mountain bikers as well, who understand ride quality, durability, and myriad other dynamic performance characteristics). That was just after I finished the McLaren work...and Hope was just as enjoyable for me. Lots of amazing composites work in England and the UK! And Barnoldswick is an interesting place too...but it’s quite a train journey to get there from London (and Seattle =)

 @WRCDH: Easily the longest PB comment I've ever read in full.

 @Tambo: Thanks for reading! But if you didn’t get your fill... =P

After thinking a bit more, Hope might actually mold a C-section portion of the crank, including the BB interface, with either bladder molding or trapped-rubber compression molding (at likely between 45-200psi judging by the porosity in the material at the crank interface in other Hope crank photos) using compression molding compound + twill weave surface ply. Then, a rear semi-flat composite cap plate could be bonded on with the styrofoam molded core and any additional metal inserts inside...all bonded together at the same time (with appropriate insert alignment tooling, if there are bonded inserts). Just some final thoughts & SWAG’ing (Super Wild @$$ Guess’ing =)

 @WRCDH: is your swag assuming that moulding compound is used for the majority of the body if the crank, not just the insert pieces at pedal and BB? Would it change anything if the body was entirely woven, and moulding compound only used for the inserts?

 @Tambo: I'm thinking about adding carbon consultant to my linkedin now too as I know all bits I need

 @browner: put black stringy stuff in hole with glue, cook for a while...win? Right?

 @SleepingAwake @Tambo: Well this is awkward, haha...

I had interpreted Hope’s not-so-elegant sales marketing lingo (written on the plaque in the PB picture) fairly well, but it turns out PB & Hope only told us half of the story...

Hope compression mold the composite inserts which mate with a relatively high-density and stiff polystyrene / styrofoam custom-molded semi-structural core material. It might actually be polypropylene-bead foam, too. See this picture sourced from another website:
www.pinkbike.com/photo/26267690/?s5

So the composite “molding compound” is just for the insert areas — which is good, because those pre-cured compression-molded inserts will tend to bond well with co-bonded / co-molded Toray T700 carbon fiber & epoxy prepreg. Hope is using a fairly standard over-molding approach for the industry, it appears — compression-over-molding the T700 prepreg, but Hope uses compression molded composites inserts instead of metal inserts. The strain, surface bonding, CTE, strength, modulus, etc, of the composite inserts will match well with the over-molded carbon fiber T700 prepreg...they’ll match much better than most metal options. This is reassuring...it’s one of construction methods and architectures I’d be more inclined to ride myself (coming from decades of ultra-high reliability XTR cranks, Saint cranks, and steel Profile cranks).

Those compression molded inserts are probably molded at that 1500psi range I mentioned (but I can’t tell if they have fiberglass, carbon, or a mixture of fibers in the inserts). I’m guessing the T700 final over-molding is done at 50-200psi. I doubt the foam core expands with much (or any) pressure during the 275F-range over-molding process...but it might expand slightly (due to CTE); just not much pressure. It would actually be good if the core didn’t soften and expand during the compression-over-molding process...that way the foam core can take the consolidation pressure of the laminate during the compression-over-molding process without collapsing / compressing.

I didn’t read anywhere if it’s actually styrofoam...I was basing that on other people’s comments — I expect Hope is actually using stiffer & higher-temp-capable polypropylene bead foam, or similar foam, that will resist the compression-over-molding pressure & temperature.

Okay, I’m finally exhausted now =P

 @WRCDH: CTE?

 @Tambo: The fuzzy PB pic was challenging for me too — this pic I posted above was clear as day to me, as soon as I saw it!
www.pinkbike.com/photo/26267690/?s5

 @pbuser2299: Ah, Coefficient of Thermal Expansion =). Sometimes you can get high residual strain at interfaces between carbon fiber cranks arms and aluminum inserts, because the aluminum expands so much more than the carbon during the curing process. Composite inserts minimize that CTE mismatch.

 @WRCDH: so you worked in sheffield?

 @browner: to be fair mate these days you would get by doing just that

 @WRCDH: this was the way I assumed it was done. Polystyrene/similar core just used as an integral bladder essentially. Nice when my non-expert ponderings are validated by someone who actually knows what they're talking about! cheers

 @Compositepro: Oh, we did a lot of the engineering, R&D, and prototyping work in Seattle, and some at our facility in Andover UK, but I went to the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking a lot — all from 2005-2010. Then I did some additional McLaren Applied Technologies projects for several years.

As for the carbon tub, we backed out of producing the tub/chassis for McLaren and Carbotech in Austria took over when we didn’t want to take on the financial risk associated with McLaren’s quite-optimistic sales projections. Apparently Carbotech was almost sunk because of that issue (specifically, the lower cash flow from lower volumes in the first years made it difficult to recoup their investment and difficult to cover high overheard costs associated with the program). That’s one reason why McLaren moved production in-house to their new(ish) custom-built Sheffield facility a few years ago. The “patented” 4-hour “single piece” manufacturing was my contribution =). It’s actually a lot more than 4 hours — it’s just a 4-hour mold utilization cycle...with dozens of hours of other labor prior to, and after, that 4-hour mold cycle time.

The crazy thing is, I was supposed to be a summer manufacturing intern on the McLaren SLR in 2005 — it took about 9 months to arrange the internship with McLaren, being from the US. But then I broke my back snowboarding and had a spinal cord injury, a few months before the internship was due to start. I called McLaren’s HR manager from the hospital and she told me I was SOL — the internship wouldn’t happen due to my required recovery time. I was crushed. I didn’t know what to do if think, nor did I know if I was going to be able to walk, so I simply prayed for an opportunity to work with McLaren in the future. Amazingly, that put me at peace about it.

A few days later my friend Nichole visited me in the hospital...super cool and smart gal who loved cars and had a rad VR6 GTI. We got to be better friends during my recovery, and one day a few months later she told me her dad does aerospace composites, kind of like the automotive composites I was keen on, and that I should meet him. When I met him, he offered me a tour of their Seattle aerospace composites facility. A few weeks later the tour day was approaching and his engineering manager called me and told me to bring my resumé. I was stunned — my medical insurance had changed and I was going to no longer be receiving medical coverage in a few months, and at the time I wouldn’t be able to get new independent medical insurance due to my “preexisting” spinal cord injury (a rule which changed with Obamacare). But the tour went well, they liked my resumé, and they hired me a few weeks later — and I got full medical coverage, despite my “preexisting” (and expensive) SCI.

But 8 weeks after starting at that aerospace company, the sales manager called me to his office to discuss new market opportunities like nanocellular foams + composite skins, and single-crystal sapphire bulletproof armor windows with bulletproof composite doors for military vehicles. But when I was waiting outside his office, I heard him on a phone call discussing “McLaren.” I was mystified. When the call ended, he called me into his office and I asked about “McLaren.” He said “Oh no, you don’t know these people, they’re in England.” And I said, “No, I do know them, I was supposed to be working there as a college intern right now!” He was just as surprised as I was. Turns out McLaren had come knocking on our door (well, through the phone), as our company’s UK site made the carbon fiber fabrics and flat-pack CNC-knife-cut carbon fiber preform kits for the McLaren SLR program. McLaren wanted us to bid on their new car program...the program for engineering and prototyping and manufacturing the carbon tub for their next vehicle (just like is used on all McLarens today!). It was a 5-year R&D + Prototyping program, and then a $250,000,000 multi-year manufacturing contract =o ! We were all amazed by the situation — they had hired me to help them get into new markets, but they didn’t expect a perfect fit like this!

Two weeks after that, I was at McLaren Technology Centre bear London giving a sales / technical / business proposal presentation with our team, to the senior engineering & business leadership of McLaren — and after talking all lunch with their otherwise-reportedly-mute engineering director (where we accidentally invented McLaren’s hydraulically-controlled suspension-roll-control-system based on my similar Formula SAE system), we ended up being awarded the R&D contract! I couldn’t believe it.

The next day, we went to the McLaren SLR production facility in Portsmouth. While there, the manufacturing engineer who was supposed to be my internship mentor told me that the HR manager, Lynne, was in the office. We both realized we had to go talk to her, as just a few months earlier, she had to end my internship...all while I laid in the hospital, unable to walk. I walked in, Graham was smiling, and I introduced myself and Lynne had a look on her face like: “I told you no months ago, and I’m not changing my mind, I don’t care how far you flew to talk to me.” But then I told her that McLaren came knocking on our door in Seattle and that I was going to be the lead R&D engineer on manufacturing their next new McLaren carbon fiber vehicle structure. She couldn’t get her head around it. It made no sense to hear. Graham was just laughing at the stupefied, perplexed, almost-alarmed look on her face. She asked how this could have possibly happened. I told her I didn’t know, other than that I had prayed for an opportunity to work with McLaren, moments after I had last talked to her, when the internship fell through. None of us had ever experienced anything like that before, so we all just talked through it a bit...it was a fun conversation =). But she was just amazed that I was supposed to be a lowly production intern, making SLR’s all day for minimal pay, and now I was in charge of development their next carbon fiber car structure that would replace their SLR and replace their Portsmouth facility. It still doesn’t make sense to me today, aside from a direct answer to prayer in a crazy semi-miraculous way...including learning to walk again just months before! But yeah, I’m still waiting on that McLaren 720S in British Racing Green prayer =P

 @WRCDH: you should change your username to TLDR, jus sayin

 @WRCDH: Interesting read, tanks for the info

 @WRCDH: Not saying this sarcastically, but I enjoyed the life story.

 @WRCDH: Great story and great insight into the carbon production process. I hope you share more thought sin the PB comments section in the future!

 @WRCDH: Amazing!
Thank you for all that detailed info.

Sometimes the PB comments can be an incredible place of learning!

 @WRCDH: Nichole FTW. I used to have a MK2 Jetta that I shoved a VR6 into. Great sounds, rubbish car.

 @Tambo: Haha, yeah...but Mk2 Jettas and Golfs had a certain charm through their imperfection though, huh?! But yes, they often left a lot to be desired =P =)

Nice work on the VR6 swap! What color and what mods did you do? Not sure I’ve seen a Mk2 VR6 Jetta swap — rad!

Here’s my old VR6 1977 GTI...I hope to buy it back later this year or next, after the current owner is willing to part with it...it’s the most enjoyable car I’ve ever driven. It was utterly dialed in every way, and sounded amazing with the Schrick 268 cams. And yeah, Nichole LOVED “The Thunderbunny” almost as much as I did =). My other gal friend, Carolyn, went out and bought a Mk3 VR6 Jetta the same week she first rode in The Thunderbunny...she was in love with The Thunderbunny and VR6’s, haha. Some pics:
www.pinkbike.com/photo/26270738
www.pinkbike.com/photo/26270739
www.pinkbike.com/photo/26270740
www.pinkbike.com/photo/26270744
www.pinkbike.com/photo/26270741
www.pinkbike.com/photo/26270742
www.pinkbike.com/photo/26270745
www.pinkbike.com/photo/26270746
www.pinkbike.com/photo/26270747

The VR6 1977 GTI specs from my sale ad:
www.pinkbike.com/photo/26270753
www.pinkbike.com/photo/26270749
www.pinkbike.com/photo/26270750
www.pinkbike.com/photo/26270752
www.pinkbike.com/photo/26270754

A few of my old R32 GT-R with Nismo R34 crate engine (for your viewing pleasure!):
www.pinkbike.com/photo/26270755
www.pinkbike.com/photo/26270767
www.pinkbike.com/photo/26270756

And a few of my current Honda DC5 Type R. I really want to build a Right Hand Drive 1976-1978 Rabbit GTI with a Honda 220hp K20A engine like the engine in my blue Type R:
www.pinkbike.com/photo/26270765
www.pinkbike.com/photo/26270763
www.pinkbike.com/photo/26270766

 @WRCDH: Mine was pretty much just stuff in the engine and go. It was my first car Car was a 1990 1.3 that a neighbour gave me because he'd run it into the ground, but the chassis was solid. I threw in the front end from a 98 VR6, and the brakes, and some steel wheels, and called it done. I didn't even wash it - there was moss growing around some of the windows etc. it was a crusty old sleeper! I sold it for very little when I had no money in 2012.

VR6 is one of the best sounding engines, but it always pained me how it was strong right up until coolant temp hit 70degC, then it was pretty flat. A friend has an old Caddy with a turbo VR6 in it...

 @WRCDH: but yes, you're right; charming. Charm and understeer

 @WRCDH: haha what did I kickstart here... anyway after looking at some pictures in hope instagram feed again I think you might be right.
Just for reference tho there are expanding core materials (like excoretechnologies.com) that are intended for this exact application. Never worked with this myself tho, so not sure on the limitations and what kind of pressure one can achieve.

 @WRCDH: Great to hear you're walking again! What a great story - thanks for sharing.

 Loving the endurance inspired by shell suits worn in Liverpool in the 90s colourways

 ENDURA

 I don't care about any of that.. all I wanna know is, how fkn hard is it to install...

 What the hell is a golf putter

 @mrgonzo: it's the equivalent of a Friday fail

 100%. Let's go el Hombre JA21

 Guess you guys are retiring from the sport this year with Eli then. Nobody else has anything for Jett unless it's a mud race, like it or not.

 Any particular reason?

 @Glory831Guy: when KR94 is on a roll, he's a real threat

 why not?

 @FoxRedLabs: Because they're haters pretty much. Pretty sad when Jett just went undefeated in his rookie 450 MX season.

They'll be doing mental gymnastics for the next 5 years as Jett Wins everything, trying to convince themselves and everyone else why they still hate the guy, when really they're just haters. If wanted to be that petty, I'd probably watch football, not Supercross and downhill.

 @vhdh666: Kenny is a beast when he's 100%. I love seeing him do well on the kickstart Zook also!

 @vhdh666: Roczen is probably one of the best racers ever at getting a good start, and building an insurmountable lead within the first few laps. If he keeps getting good starts, everyone else is in trouble. Lately, he's been known to fade physically as long series go on. I really hope he's able to keep going strong til the end this year. The racing is better when KR94 is in the mix!

 @FoxRedLabs: I'll help you out, because Jett's haters don't wanna speak up.

Jett did an interview with the moto media before this SX season, and he said his career goal was to beat Jeremy McGrath's 72 Career wins and become the new King of Supercross. People got all kinds of butthurt over this comment and felt like Jett was proclaiming himself the King of SX before he had won a race.

Jett battled with Jason Anderson in a muddy, one lined race. Jett was exceedingly cautious with passing Anderson and was frustrated at the end of the race, because he felt that Jason had raced him dirty, and didn't yield the premier race line, when he(Lawrence) felt that he was clearly faster. The race ended and Jett waited for Anderson at the finish. Jet verbally blasted Ando as he passed by, Anderson stopped, and then Jett grabbed Anderson's helmet. Ando grabbed Jett's helmet in retaliation and shook Lawrence off of him without trying very hard. Jett looked spoiled/entitled/karen-ish because of his reaction to how the race unfolded.

So basically, people want to crucify this poor chap because he let his emotions get the best of him and he got into a physical altercation because of a Supercross race (OH the horror l, that's never happened before). And they want to call him overly cocky because he has lofty goals. Both might be true, but shit if you can't appreciate the Fastest rider on track doing what he's doing, then maybe you aren't a true fan of the sport, that's all I'm saying.

Wish I had an undefeated MX season under my belt, leading the SX championship at 20 years old, regardless of the drama. Cheers Pinkbike

 @Glory831Guy: is this the same attitude they had towards Herlings when he showed up and destroyed the entire field and even now peopek refuse to recognise it as one of the all time great rides?

 @FoxRedLabs: I really don't know the context of that race very well, tbh. The Jett hate is just typical American football fan BS. I like what I like, and F the rest. How dare this foreign kid come over here and claim he's gonna beat McGrath's record, and try to be bossy to our great homegrown talent. Nevermind that many of the same people claim that Jason Anderson is overrated and got lucky to win his SX title in 2018.

IDK, personally I feel like NFL football "fans" suck and they take their stupid, toxic form of Fandom into everything popular. They love to argue constantly about who's the G.O.A.T. and bitch and moan about who should be hated that week. MX and MTB have gotten too popular, and now we have all these special-needs football fans killing the vibe.

 @Glory831Guy: it was the same hate of someone foreign comming in and making the whole field look like amateurs that was directed at Herlings . There's a really good video about it here
youtu.be/R-BleZkNdEU?si=gbybsG6nGs4dKrKr

 @Glory831Guy: That's a very good summary, thanks.

In my opinion Jet made 2 mistakes: firstly, being vocal about such a huge goal before even winning SX races and secondly, letting his emotions take over after the race, in whcih he passed Jason who was just racing him and doesn't have to let him by easily. That was childish.

The haters might hate him for being childish, for taking victories away from American riders, for becoming very succesfull within a short period of time and for whatever Jett achieved that they (the haters) never will be able to.

 @Glory831Guy: He get bent over Anderson not yielding his position or the better line? Wait till he has a run in with Webb or better yet Bam Bam... (tho they, esp the latter are no where near as fast as Jett now).
He doesn't bother me....Sexton, on the other hand I find annoying.

And I will freely admit, that as a mountain biker who rooted for The GOAT, aka John Tomac, I will always root for Eli over anyone.

 @FoxRedLabs: People dislike Jett because of his attitude and the Jason Anderson incident only served to reinforce that sentiment. That said, he does tend to race pretty clean and you can't question his talent/skill. Barring a significant injury, it is not hard to see him besting RC's, Bubba's, and JM's records by the end of his career.

A lot of folks seem to think he is hated because he wins most everything but I would have to disagree with that.
Nobody was hating on Eli or Hunter when they were dominating their respective classes in Supercross most of last year. They are class acts on AND off the bike.

 @jnroyal: ok i get it i just watches the races and dont involve myself in the soap opera of personalities and drama that surrounds it all

 @FoxRedLabs: Jeff's the man, we all know that

Altough last Sunday in a UK interview he said, Jett's faster

youtu.be/L5l5a_ZxUWU?si=Hz5VmG7lNjvz_F-i

 @vhdh666: was interesting wasnt it when he made the ama field look like amatures

 From what I understand there will still be a Singletrack onesie but the MT500 range will just have dungarees.

 In the mt500 range, yes, but the onesie lives on in the single-track range

 @edspratt: Makes sense. I tried some MT500 onsies on and they were either so big they'd flap in the wind and probably get caught or gave me a massive wedgy...

 Yes with 25 percent more stiffness at 0 psi than the previous model

 tests???? it's dragon scales! Why have facts when you've already got fantasy!

 Most BMWs can do this