German design firm Designaffairs has unveiled its new Clarity Bike, which has been fashioned from the same materials used to create helicopter windscreens and fighter jet canopies.
The new city bike’s transparent frame is made from Trivex, an advanced polymer that is not only lightweight and flexible but also resistant to high impacts. Initially used in military applications, the injection-moulded polymer allows mass production while enabling unique form factors and a multitude of color combinations.
Although the Trivex compound has a lower density than polycarbonate and acrylic, its advanced performance includes exceptional impact resistance and ultra-lightweight performance. It also offers outstanding chemical resistance and thermal stability as it is virtually unaffected by most organic and inorganic chemicals and withstands very hot and cold temperatures.
Designaffairs believes that the Clarity Bike could be a giant leap forward in bicycle frame engineering and production. The design takes advantage of an advanced polymer which combines high impact resistance, lightweight properties and a gentle flexibility that usually would only be expected on an old Italian steel frame.
The firm contends it is a perfect material from which to create a low cost bicycle with unique style.
