This 3D Printed Titanium Road Bike Will Demand a Knee-Weakening Amount of Cash To Own

One team that's incorporating 3D printing into the wonders they put into the world is none other than Pilot Cycles, a little under-the-radar cycling crew from the cycling capital of the world, the Netherlands. With such a rich history in pedaled two-wheelers, it's no wonder that this crew is incorporating the freshest tech around to whip out the bicycle we'll be talking about today, the Seiren.

But, before I get to the Seiren, it's important to note something about Pilot. For over the past ten years, this crew has specialized in manipulating a particular type of material known to literally outlive its owners. Nothing other than titanium is what Pilot uses to bring each tailor-made bike to life.

If you're aware of this building material and why it's so sought-after by cycling builders, it's because of its inherent chemical properties and, above all, its weight-to-strength ratio. Sure, titanium fights off the elements like a beast, but it's that weight-to-strength that everyone is talking about and wants.

Well, according to Pilot's website, that's precisely the base material used to bring the Seiren to life, and the way they do it is becoming more and more commonplace in the industry. Yes, I'm talking about incorporating 3D printing processes into bringing this bike's tubes to life.

Why 3D printing and not just good old classic tubes? Well, the main reason is that 3D printing breaks the limits as to what's possible in terms of design, dynamics, and production. This is why the Seiren comes across as sharper than a knife made from Damascus steel.

One aspect we need to consider whenever we talk about a 3D-printed bicycle frame is the fact that the whole is actually crafted from several smaller sections, eventually welded together. This is true for other similarly crafted two-wheelers, too. After all, Pilot isn't the only team working with this building technique. Teams like Germany's Urwahn and even Fernando Alonso and his Kimoa rely on 3D printing, to name a couple.

Now, there's a method to Pilot's madness, and all of it revolves around creating a road bike that's comfortable, strong, light, and able to let you reach that wattage output you want or are aiming for. Best of all, a completed frame weighs no more than 1,150 grams (2.5 lbs). That's a bicycle frame that weighs less than a bag of oranges. Take a moment to really take in the result of Pilot's work.

Notice the head tube and its shape, which is very similar to that seen on Urwahn's machines, the near teardrop top tube, and my favorite, the way the seat tube is suspended in the air, a feature possibly borrowed from Trek's Madone. The latter is bound to have a softening effect on anything the road throws your way.

Other than the frame, there seems to be only one other 3D-printed component on the Seiren: the saddle. The seat we see is made from nothing more than carbon fiber and was brought to life by Selle Italia with, yet again, this newfound manufacturing technique.

There are just a few catches we need to be aware of before you ever decide that the Seiren is for you. First off, we're looking at a completed bike, but what it's going to take for us to get there is going to be outside the average Joe's pockets. Then again, this isn't an average bike.

The completed version we see here includes carbon fiber rims, a carbon fiber fork, and most likely the cockpit, too, and that's bound to tack on a few thousand dollars more. Did you notice the Dura-Ace drivetrain? That can fetch as high as €3,000, depending on where you get your gear from and if it's Di2 (wireless shifting) equipped.

That brings me to the next catch: this thing's price! According to sources, the Seiren is priced at around the $18K (€16,300 at current exchange rates) price range, give or take, and that's a price tag higher than any other production bicycle I've covered this year. Another titanium manipulation team that gets close to this digit is good ol' Moots.

Finally, sources also talk about the problems they spotted while this machine was on display during Eurobike, from how the tubes are shaped to how they're bonded. Opinions point to this being nothing more than a prototype. Yet, it's planned to go on sale in 2024.

What does all this mean for folks like you and me? Well, it means a bicycle that will surely be for those of us who cycle or have cycled for a living, not just on weekends, and if Pilot does unleash this machine onto the public, you can bet your bottom dollar you won't be seeing any hanging around shop windows. After all, each one will be specifically made for just one rider. Sure, it may not be for everyone, but it helps to see what the industry is experimenting with these days.