Riding bicycles off-road over rough terrain is definitely hard work, but any mountain biker will tell you that there is nothing like the thrills of hitting the dirt, climbing steep slopes, and then going downhill with a grin from ear to ear. Italian e-bike manufacturer Thok Bikes knows exactly what riders need to make ascents a bit easier while also providing the performance and handling they need on the way back down.
At the recent Eurobike event in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, e-bike manufacturer Thok revealed the prototype for what will eventually become a production carbon-fiber, full-suspension electric mountain bike. But since prototyping a brand-new bike model in carbon can obviously be time-consuming and costly, the Italian brand has chosen to use 3D printing technology to prototype a rideable e-MTB frame for its upcoming Project 4.
Thok is one of the industry leaders when it comes to high-end electric mountain bikes, and it is also in a partnership with Ducati, under which it produces models such as the TK-01RR and MIG-S for the brand. Now, the e-bike manufacturer made it clear that it wants to enter the ultra-lightweight e-MTB sector with the P4 model.
Even if the P4 is just a prototype, it still needs to be able to withstand the forces of real-world use. That's why Thok has collaborated with Belgium-based Materialise, a company specializing in 3D printing technology for the aerospace, automotive, and medical sectors, to bring this latest concept to life. They employed Materialise's proprietary tech called Selective Laser Melting (SLM), which used lasers to melt metal powder.
The P4 prototype consists of six 3D-printed pieces that were made using an alloy of aluminum and silicon and then welded together. Normally, taking a product from design to production takes approximately two years. 3D printing has considerably accelerated the process, allowing the company to show the world a rideable concept much sooner. Moreover, Thok claims they are the first to use this type of prototyping for a full-suspension e-MTB, adding that they have already tested the bike concept on the technical trails of Finale Ligure in Italy.
Photo: Thok Bikes
"It is impossible to obtain a rideable prototype and reproduce the necessary battery and motor integration with a traditional method. There are components that are made by hydroforming, which require molds, and which would not otherwise be prototype-able. Even carbon prototypes are not functional, they do not hold up on long field testing sessions. In this sense, the first fully molded full-suspended e-bike we made solves a big problem," explained Thok’s industrial designer Luca Burzio.
The Project 4 electric mountain bike is still in the development phase, which means the final full-carbon fiber frame of the production version will differ from what we see here, as it is meant to further undergo geometry, battery positioning, motor integration, and technical tweaking before the bike's final release, which is expected to take place sometime in 2024.
Spec details are rather scarce at the moment, but we do know that the new Thok e-MTB will be equipped with Bosch's Performance Line SX system, which features a magnesium casing and is one of the lightest available at the moment. A wide selection of battery packs is expected to be offered, with riders able to choose from 400, 500, 625, and 750 Wh options.
After spending a few years as a copy editor, Ancuta decided to put down the eraser and pick up the writer's pencil. Her favorites subjects are unusual car designs, travel trailers and everything related to the great outdoors. Full profile
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