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Mythos 3D-printed titanium stems put a new twist on bicycle components

mythos ixo 3d printed titanium mountain bike stem
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Using additive manufacturing to “print” road and mountain bike stems out of 6/4 titanium powder, the Mythos stems use a uniquely open design based on the real-world stresses stems face.

Offered in two models -the road ELIX, and the mountain bike IXO- Mythos’s stems are designed in house in the UK, then printed by METRON Advanced Equipment for them. They say the stems are both torsionally stiffer and stiffer in bending compared to an equivalent alloy stem.

mythos ixo 3d printed titanium mountain bike stem

The IXO, shown above, comes in 40mm and 50mm lengths (£250 incl. VAT) with 0º rise and a 38mm stack height with a no-gap faceplate. Weight from 147g with ti hardware, they say it’s 16% stiffer torsionally and 11% stiffer in bending.

mythos elix titanium 3d printed road bike stem

The ELIX (above, £500 incl. VAT) road bike stem is made from Scalmalloy, which is a mix of Scandium, Aluminum, and Magnesium and is a substitute for 7000-series aluminum and is stronger than titanium. It comes in 100/110/120/130mm lengths with a +/-8º rise. It comes in three finishes and weighs as little as 150g including titanium hardware. They say it’s 15% stiffer torsionally, but has the same bending stiffness as a good alloy stem.

mythos ixo 3d printed titanium mountain bike stem

The stems use SLM Additive manufacturing, which essentially melts metal powder into a solid, layer by layer, to create a finished part.

mythos ixo 3d printed titanium mountain bike stem

The ELIX road bike stems are available now, and pre-orders are open for the MTB stems.

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Eggs Benedict
Eggs Benedict
1 year ago

The strength comparison to titanium alloys needs to clarified. This material has a higher specific strength. In outright ultimate or tensile strength, most titanium alloys will outperform this material.

Ian
Ian
1 year ago

Can someone explain how it is that 3d printed stuff, that seems to have edges and stress risers from grainy structure are said to be stronger and stiffer?! I can’t help thinking back to the high profile Aussie team pursuit 3d printed titanium handlebar failure. Milling marks are also stress risers on conventional stems (Thomson for instance) but this stem looks very grainy and has steps in the structure, as well as being grainy, that could give rise to faults?

blablabla
blablabla
1 year ago
Reply to  Ian

Since when surface texture is responsible for changing the forces inside the material? It’s all about shape. Grain textured pipe has the same tensile strength as a smooth pipe of same material and dimensions.

Dave
Dave
1 year ago
Reply to  blablabla

No one said the forces are changed. if the surface is rough, and/or has steps, then the cross sectional area changes, so the stress caused by the forces are not the same. That doesn’t account for the effect of sudden sectional changes (external stress risers or internal flaws) on the stress within the part (assuming similar dimensions).

I don’t know much about 3D printed materials, but I would expect that the effective strength would be less to account for the material ‘defects’ compared to a forged or ‘machined from bar’ part of a similar material.

Biker
Biker
1 year ago
Reply to  Dave

I think it’s to do with the shape and the weight. The article is not clear what exactly it means when it says “stiffer”. I assume it is comparing the 3D printed stem to a traditionally manufactured stem of the same weight. In that case, 3D printing allows for more complex geometries, so the material can be used in places where it has a larger impact on stiffness. The point about surface roughness is legitimate. High surface roughness can cause local stress concentration and promote cracks. Some 3D printed parts are bead blasted, or processed in another way, to smoothen the surface and to impart compressive stress in the surface to reduce the crack formation.

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