The No.22 Reactor is the first 3D printed titanium aero bike

3D printing continues to make its way little by little into the manufacturing of the most exclusive bike frames. If last year Pinarello surprised us with the spectacular track bike they prepared for Filippo Ganna, printed in 3D in aluminum, now the American brand No.22 launches a spectacular aerodynamic bike partially made with this technology.

Aerodynamics and metal come together thanks to 3D printing

There is no doubt that 3D printing is advancing by leaps and bounds in all industrial processes, and the world of cycling could not be left behind. It began to be used with great success in the manufacturing of high-end saddles, which offer unmatched comfort and firmness according to the unanimous opinion of those who use them, and has evolved towards other components until reaching the manufacturing of a complete frame as Pinarello did with the Bolide that Filippo Ganna used for his hour record and which has since been extended to the Italian track team.

A manufacturing system that has expanded to other materials as is the case of the New York-based brand No.22, one of the many artisanal brands in the United States that has just presented its spectacular Reactor, a bike that combines titanium and aerodynamic shapes.

Like with the Pinarello bike, the No.22 Reactor uses 3D printing to achieve aerodynamic shapes in a material as difficult to work with as titanium (Pinarello did it with magnesium). In this way, they come up with a spectacular design with tremendously studied profiles that have nothing to envy to those achieved with carbon frames. Special mention to the well-crafted seat tube area that adopts an integrated seatpost.

From No.22 they affirm that, apart from being able to achieve these aerodynamic shapes in a metallic frame, 3D printing allows them to design internal reinforcements in the areas they desire to adjust the frame's behavior according to the needs in order to maximize stiffness where needed or achieve a point of flexion where convenient.

A bike that, for now, is a prototype but is expected to soon become part of the catalog of this exclusive brand.