|
Josh Pell's Home-Made Carbon Fiber Triathlon Bikes |
|
|
|
Tweet
Follow @sheldonbrowncom |
October, 2000. The latest from Josh Pell!
(Click on any image for a larger version.)
These pictures are of my frame that I used for my year 12 Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) Technical Design and Development class. It is the result of much research from the first prototype frame that I made [photos below]. It is only part of the assessment, the main part was a 45 page development folio to go with it. This covered finishes, design options and constraints and briefs. I put a damn lot of muscle and hard work into this and the mark that I received paid off.
(Click on any image for a larger version.)
I have designed my own logo for my frames now, "It is a rider going very fast on a Josh Pell carbon frame!"
I also gained some sponsorship in the form of the styrofoam, supplied by Chris Ryman at Aerodynamic Developments in Sydney (which I might add is the best you can get!). His support has just been fantastic :o) Thanks, Chris.
(Click on any image for a larger version.)
The frame has many benefits: internal cables, very aerodynamic, stiff short triangles, low center of gravity and has great shock absorbing characteristics.
After tackling projects like this that were such a dream to me it has made me realize that if you want your dream bad enough for long enough anything is possible. Even if people think you're mad and your dream is out of reach. That's the challenge: to show them and your self what you can do if you set to it in life.
Josh Pell (E-mail Josh at [email protected])
(Click on any image for a larger version.)
Hi Damon,
Hi my name is Josh Pell. I'm 18 still going to school in Australia and I have built a couple of carbon frames too!
I saw your site the other day and I thought it was really relevant to what I have done! But I wish I had found it 2 years ago! It would have been a great help to me but anyway that's the way it is. Now I have also built two carbon frames. I designed them and built them myself. I have built mine similar to your first frame.
(Click on any image for a larger version.)
I shaped it out of styrofoam and then laminated over the top of the foam with carbon.
I am really really interested in this kind of work. But where I live there is nothing like this, so I just do it for fun.
The only way my parents would let me get started into it, was if it was part of school so I used it for my tech design class as a product that I had designed. I finished the 2nd frame nearly 3 months ago. I built a prototype frame last year and that worked rather well, it is still going now and that was my first attempt with using composites.
I am now looking at building a frame from a mold. Well that is my next challenge anyway. I am going to build it from styrofoam (from Aerodynamic Developments) and glass, as it is the best choice of material for this project!
I have also made a couple of carbon seats, but they are rather hard!! As you could imagine!
(Click on any image for a larger version.)
Two sets of time trial bars, I still have the 2nd set on the go at the moment.
I mucked around a bit with a couple of key rings and i made a carbon superman mold to make the superman s symbol from, they turned out pretty slick too!
(Click on any image for a larger version.)
I have a few photos of the first frame that I built, this was my first attempt at one.
I should have some more of the 2nd frame that I built soon, I'm still getting the components for it. Dura-Ace! Costs a packet too!
Hope to hear from you soon!
Yours in carbon ;o)
Josh Pell (E-mail Josh at [email protected])
Last Updated: by Harriet Fell