Since Sea Otter is going on this week, we’ve got more than the usual bicycle coverage. This is a company that’s local to me, and familiar to anyone following the IsoTruss® technology.
– Brian
Razik recently exhibited at the North American Handmade Bicycle Show, and held an open house for friends and family at its new Springville facility, but it considers Sea Otter as its official introduction to the cycling community.
The distinctive IsoTruss® frame design debuted in bicycle frames several years ago under the brand name Delta 7, which lost the licensing rights to the technology. Understanding the advantages and capabilities IsoTruss® adds to a bicycle’s construction, a completely new company, Razik, acquired the rights and has spent more than a year in development of an entirely new chassis and product lineup.
The company’s new road frame, the Vortex, is 100 percent made in the USA, and is completely redesigned inside and out with additional patents pending.
Arguably the most distinctive-looking bike on the market, the Vortex’ “tubes” use an open lattice structure made up of three-dimensional pyramid-shaped trusses consisting of carbon fiber and Kevlar strands–all meticulously wrapped by hand, instead of molded sheets of carbon fiber. The design delivers vibration damping and incredible handling in a bike that is sub-13 pounds, depending on component selection.
“The unique capabilities of the IsoTruss® design allows us to tailor the properties of each characteristic of the ride,” explains Ryun Noble, president and director of engineering at Razik. “What’s truly astounding is its ability to absorb energy-robbing vibration while maintaining strength and rigidity to transfer power and deliver precise, razor-sharp handling all in an incredibly light frame.”
Razik offers the Vortex frame and fork for $3,999, with full builds starting at $5,799 with Ultegra components–excellent pricing especially considering the intensive labor and painstakingly, meticulous care that goes into the creation of each chassis. Razik has worked hard to improve the quality of the product without increasing prices. Many will remember that previous bicycles using IsoTruss® technology sold at nearly $9,000 for the frame alone. In addition to the improvements and cost conscious pricing, Razik frames also come with a lifetime warranty and a generous crash replacement policy.
“Vortex is just the beginning,” says Philip Boyack, direcrtor of sales and marketing at Razik. “Later this year we will offer hardtail and full-suspension mountain bikes. Both of these bikes feature several design innovations such as the capability to interchange 29, 27.5, or 26 inch wheels on the same frame, a revolutionary suspension system, as well as other patent-pending advancements.”
For more information on Razik Bicycles, go to www.razik.com.
ABOUT RAZIK BICYCLES
Established in 2013, Razik offers unique, cutting-edge bicycles featuring IsoTruss®, open lattice tubes made of three-dimensional pyramid-shaped trusses of carbon fiber and Kevlar. For more information, visit www.razik.com.
IsoTruss Technology and Design Overview
IsoTruss® open lattice structures are made up of three-dimensional (3-D) pyramid-shaped trusses formed by combining two-dimensional (2-D) trusses, such as the kind commonly used in architectural design. The pyramid-like structure of an IsoTruss® lattice utilizes the geometry of a triangle with two equal sides (an Isosceles Triangle) to create a shape with a very high strength-to-weight ratio. Hence, the name IsoTruss® comes from the “iso” in isosceles, while “truss” comes from the architectural design known as trusses.
IsoTruss® was developed at Brigham Young University and is a registered trademark of the school. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.