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How feasible is what is now Kickstarter's most-backed bike project? (self.shittykickstarters)

danwin が 投稿

Campaign here:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/speedx/speedx-leopard-the-first-ever-smart-aero-road-bike

Looks like they have a full prototype for the bike, though the video doesn't show the computer and bike working in tandem. Honestly, I was only initially suspicious when I saw that it claimed to be based out of San Jose but has no physical address. That, and the promise of mass production and delivery of the bikes by July, even though there's only currently a prototype. Has any million-dollar crowdfunded physical product been able to go to prototype to shipping in 3-4 months?

Also, the same company has previously created an ongoing Indiegogo campaign for just the computer-part of the bike:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/speedx/speedx-leopard-the-first-ever-smart-aero-road-bike/comments?cursor=12955625#comment-12955624

Looks reasonable...though it's already a month overdue, due to a last-minute message from the FCC to supply more information about the battery...In that same comment, they say they are in the process of opening up an office in San Jose.

This article explains that they have some VC funding and bigger ambitions:

https://www.techinasia.com/chinese-smart-bike-strong-lift-lamo-smashing-crowdfunding-records

I don't know a lot about biking, other than that $1,300 is a very good price for the affordable-end of serious bikes, and that's without the built-in computing. This seems like it'd be a difficult project to pull off for an experienced manufacturer, nevermind a newcomer. Hope this doesn't turn into the Coolest Cooler of bikes...

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[–][削除されました]  (4子コメント)

[deleted]

    [–]SodaAnt 19ポイント20ポイント  (1子コメント)

    My problem if they are using a Chinese frame is that they aren't calling it out. They are claiming all sorts of proprietary methods, which they of course don't explain.

    [–]OurEngiFriend 4ポイント5ポイント  (1子コメント)

    Erm...what's a stem? Google only gave me shopping results

    [–]TK82 12ポイント13ポイント  (0子コメント)

    it's the part that connects the fork to the handlebars

    [–]yeahifuck 29ポイント30ポイント  (2子コメント)

    I'll tell you right now, the price will not happen if it's got decent carbon.

    The tech all exists, trek madone, bontrager transmittr lights, Garmin edge 520, and electronic shifting will get you this, minus the integration. Embedding lights in carbon seems silly, but okay.

    Then comes carbon manufacturing. It's really hard to get started in that, but maybe they have the right people.

    Source: I sell bikes for 30 hours a week.

    [–]InTheBay 16ポイント17ポイント  (1子コメント)

    I've been in your shoes, and then moved on to work in the carbon side of the industry (cranks, specifically). I can with almost a 100% degree of certainty tell you that the frame will be made by only a small handful of manufacturers in Taichung. Giant or BEV would be my top guesses. The thing with making anything from carbon is that it requires a lot of R+D work. Think hundreds of iterations and iterations on those iterations and material testing, stress testing, layup modification, it goes on. The quality from anyone making carbon frames at at least a moderate volume with the knowledge that their bikes are being held to a standard will be fine.

    The adherence to the standard is the important part, however. There are a few, but the most important are CEN and JIS standards. I'm not sure about the legal requirements for adherence to those standards, but I do know that the company I worked at did sign off at the P.Eng level to declare conformance. I would be very curious if these guys will do the same, or have done so already (I haven't checked)

    [–]chain_letter 10ポイント11ポイント  (4子コメント)

    2nd sentence in the video. Materials are also used in aerospace. I thought "aircraft grade aluminum" was just a joke around here.

    [–]government_shill 1ポイント2ポイント  (3子コメント)

    I think the term does refer to a specific set of alloys. I'm sure the kickstarters featured here aren't above playing fast and loose with it though.

    [–]BrainSlurper 2ポイント3ポイント  (0子コメント)

    It does, but the alloys aren't expensive or advanced or anything, it's just a cliche marketing term. A product of mine uses the same aluminum that planes use and it costs single digit dollars per unit.

    [–]chain_letter 1ポイント2ポイント  (0子コメント)

    Right? Seems odd to consistently put it front and center for products that don't have anything to do with that application. You don't see "We utilize nickel and zinc, which is also found in coins". It's like "Space Age Design!" from the 60's and 70's, they take their cheap, low-quality products and buddy up with actually impressive engineering.

    [–]psycoee 0ポイント1ポイント  (0子コメント)

    I can't really think of a common metal or alloy that ISN'T used on some aircraft for something (like parts of the seat mechanism). So technically almost anything is "aircraft-grade."

    [–]WasteOfLife 9ポイント10ポイント  (0子コメント)

    Geez. I can't even imagine spending that much on a Kickstarter. I was bummed when my $28 spinning top KS didn't pan out.

    [–]joebooty 10ポイント11ポイント  (0子コメント)

    It is feasible.

    Bike computers 3-4 years ago required a pretty large investment ($4-500) to get all the things you could want (GPS, Maps, Pulse, Cadence, speed, etc.) Now you can find bike computers that give you everything but maps for $30 and ones with nice maps for $150-200. Having the unit integrated into the frame will allow for some nice internal wiring though which is a plus.

    In the end, nice bikes have always been about choosing nice components and putting them together as opposed to getting a stock unit. This is great for the consumer as there are many tiers of parts so that you can get components that make sense for you. It will be hard to develop a cost competitive off the shelf solution that makes a large audience happy.

    Things to worry about on this bike.

    Bike fitting is tricky. The Stem is one of the most useful parts for getting a bike fit just right as it can change the height and distance of your bars. That seems to be gone on this bike with the integrated computer.

    I also have doubts that anyone willing to spend this much will be happy with a stock saddle and no name wheels.

    Though I personally find the 105 group to be good, a lot of riders would scoff at it.

    This last part is just speculation but I am a little put off by them having no pictures of that guy actually riding in the sitting position. The video has a quick shot but really very brief. I only bring this up because the bikes obviously do not fit those riders. Maybe they just got some demo frames that were very small but it is jarring seeing riders on frames that are so much smaller than they should be.

    [–]IzzyNobre 2ポイント3ポイント  (0子コメント)

    I can't get over the fact that you can barely hear the dude in the KS video, the fucking music is so loud.

    [–]Inquitus 2ポイント3ポイント  (1子コメント)

    The price is a bit too competitive, $1,399 for a Carbon bike with Shimano 105 Groupset and a gps bike computer wouldn't leave much margin, Canyon are probably the best bang for buck out there on the road bike market and even wiht their huge buying power they come out 40-50% more expensive than this. Just my 2c

    [–]JohnMcL7 0ポイント1ポイント  (0子コメント)

    Agreed, Rose bikes are nowhere as cheap either nor are the likes of Planet X and Ribble in the UK who also mostly ship direct using some of the cheaper, unbranded carbon frame designs and high volumes. Even just an Ultegra Di2 groupset from Merlin Cycles is around £900 on its own yet the Leopard Pro is using that same groupset yet only costs $2000

    There's also the issue that you have to be careful with carbon quality, there are some decent unbranded carbon parts that are good quality but some cheap carbon stuff is not an adequate standard and very dangerous on a road bike. I don't think any of the sites such as Dcrainmaker which they quote on their site will have a chance to ride the bike before the Kickstarter finishes.

    Perhaps they can deliver on what they claim but it's not a risk I'd take as aside from the usual KS risks, the bike is just so stupidly cheap - even if it was a fairly generic carbon bike I'd be suspicious of the low price but the fact it's a fairly complex frame with electronics is worse in that regard.

    [–]_Xaver 1ポイント2ポイント  (0子コメント)

    Here is the previous post with the Head of Marketing of SpeedX giving some insight.

    Behind the scenes we're a $15mil USD venture backed company and worked on this project for more than a year. With the money we made strategic investments in factories and R&D.

    [–]dougb 1ポイント2ポイント  (0子コメント)

    He innovated a $1300 yuppie bicycle.

    [–]morto00x 1ポイント2ポイント  (0子コメント)

    I like how the creator posted an update explaining that they got delayed because FCC wanted more details about their battery. For most situations, the entities in charge of certifying batteries would be UL and CE. FCC applies mainly to communications and radio waves.

    [–]superserious1112 1ポイント2ポイント  (0子コメント)

    Also, the idea of buying a bike without seeing it specifically for its stem is silly, as most road bikes need to be fit to the rider one of the first things is to swap out the stem for one with a different angle / length

    [–]I_have_teef 4ポイント5ポイント  (5子コメント)

    If cables create enough wind resistance to worry about, why don't more cyclists shave their eyebrows to cut down a few nanoseconds?

    [–]JustCallMeBen 1ポイント2ポイント  (4子コメント)

    Professional cyclists shave their legs.

    [–]Rockran 4ポイント5ポイント  (0子コメント)

    Not for aerodynamics.

    Cyclists shave their legs for:

    • Physiotherapy massages, as JustCallMeBen mentioned - Try getting a rub down with hairy legs, not that fun, i've tried both.

    • Cycling tights have a sticky material in the end of them to keep them in position. This hurts when the sticky stuff pulls on your leg hair. Removing leg hair resolves that issue.

    • If a cyclist falls over, it's easier to clean the wound of a bald leg than a hairy leg.

    • Cyclists may need to use sports strapping to deal with and prevent injury, strapping tape hurts if you have leg hair.

    • Looks mint. Everyone likes seeing jacked calves, why hide them.

    [–]qmriis -3ポイント-2ポイント  (2子コメント)

    Which is useless.

    [–]JustCallMeBen 4ポイント5ポイント  (1子コメント)

    For aerodyniamics, sure.

    They actually do it because it because they constantly get leg massages to take care of their legs, and shaved legs are easier, and more pleasant to massage / get massaged.

    [–]Gumbee -1ポイント0ポイント  (0子コメント)

    Also you look way cuter when you get back to the villa in France an hop into the tub with all of your fellow cute hairless riders.

    [–]happyjared 0ポイント1ポイント  (0子コメント)

    Nothing special about the bike or its claims. The stretch goals are very odd ($1 million for them to drill two more holes for another water bottle cage?)

    [–]keanex 0ポイント1ポイント  (0子コメント)

    My thoughts on Kickstarter is that I'll buy the product if it's any decent once it's released. The amount of quality goods from Kickstarter pales in comparison to the amounts of shitty ones that received funding.

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