Have you ever heard of POSCO bicycle? What is the connection between POSCO, a world leading steel company, and bicycle? Well, here’s the outlook.
Image Credit: kitoy
Weight and solidity is the key for determining a good bicycle. The lighter the bicycle, the faster it rolls, and the sturdier it is, the bike can be used longer and safely. Hence, various bicycle manufacturers strive for better materials. Let’s take a look at what kinds of materials are used for building a bike and how POSCO’s approach differs from the traditional manufacturing approach.
To make a bicycle lighter, Chromoly Titanium and Aluminum are often the primary material candidates.
Chromoly was originally used to produce aircraft frames in the 1970’s. Its extremely robust and high elasticity enables to make thinner frames. Chromoly is often used for luxurious bikes along with Titanium.—But manufacturing such bikes are extremely costly, ranging from $1000 USD, all the way up to $10,000 USD easily.
Aluminum is also considered a light metal which is good for building a lighter bike. However, Aluminum is not strong enough to make a thin frame due to its low solidity. Bicycles made out of Aluminum cost more than $1000 USD, weighing around 12 to 15kg. The more expensive the bike is, the lighter it gets.
Then the key to buying a good bicycle is to choose one that probably made of lighter yet stronger material that doesn’t cost a fortune to ride around for your enjoyment. Good news, there are bicycles that weigh less than 10kg and costs only about couple of hundred dollars: the POSCO bicycle. The bike was created out of a collaboration of POSCO and a bicycle manufacturer. Since the POSCO bicycle is made of high-solidified steel plating originally used for automobiles, it is light yet strong, and most importantly, sold at an affordable price.
POSCO Bicycle
POSCO’s high-solidified Dual Phase (DP) Steel for automobiles is a unique steel plate. The relatively tender first phase allows the metal to stretch easily and steadily. When the rigid second phase is initiated the metal can be flexibly bent and simultaneously hard when manufactured. Moreover, when comparing Titanium and Chromoly, one can make an extremely lighter and affordable bicycle.
If we look closely at the hood of some cars, some consist of a pave patterned style, which is only possible thanks to the hardness and the flexibility of Dual Phase (DP) Steel, the key material of hoods made today. Making bicycles using POSCO DP steel has allowed us to create light, sturdy bikes at an affordable price.