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Is it really impossible to build such a bike? Given a strong enough material it would be possible. I have not idea about the structural analysis in this case. Does such a material exist?


Likely not impossible, but the crucial weak point would probably be the connection with the seat tube. Independent of the material, that place would need some heavy gusseting/reinforcement. That particular bike also has a very vulnerable connection to the head tube, as only the down tube connects to it.

There are bikes without a rear triangle, but they (almost?) always lack the seatstay instead of the chainstay or have what could be considered something in between a chainstay/seatstay. Here are some examples:

http://i.imgur.com/F1xkdc1.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/oTFbEy7.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/XxRNe5y.jpg


"I have not idea about the structural analysis in this case."

There's your problem. The chainstays are there for Good Reasons. http://www.mece.ualberta.ca/tutorials/ansys/BT/Bike/Bike.htm... If you take them out, now most forces on the bike effect one point in the frame, right beneath the saddle. Making the frame stronger requires more material (=weight) or better material (=price), whereas a rhombus of two triangles solves the problem efficiently.

In other words, you are proposing a problem to which the current bike design is the solution.


I can't see what the advantage would be though - if you do have a wonder material better to go with a more standard frame design and increase stiffness and/or reduce weight.

NB ~20 years ago I did have an "elevated stay" frame which was neat in some ways - no chain slap and the chain didn't go through the frame. However, the frame failed catastrophically while I was at traffic lights....


In practice, bikes that diverge from 2 triangles eschew the support between the rear hub and the seat:

https://www.google.com/search?q=carbon+fiber+bike+frame

(the results are mostly traditional, there are some with a different configuration for the frame supporting the rear hub)




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