AI's Impact on Bike Design: An In-depth Review

At this point, it would be naive to think that there are any industries yet to be influenced by artificial intelligence. Chances are, most of us are benefiting from the power of AI on a daily basis, even if we aren’t regular users of Siri or her personal assistant brothers and sisters.

Construction, farming, manufacturing, energy, finance, travel, supply chain, and retail industries are all long-time users of the technology. Its power is even being harnessed in healthcare; this 2023 study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology concluded that “AI imaging algorithms coupled with breast density [measurements] independently contribute to long-term risk prediction of invasive breast cancers, in particular, advanced cancer”.

SRAM have been known to use AI software Autodesk for the prototyping of new crank arms – Will King, Senior Design Engineer at SRAM, said, “=We design products to get to the podium in the Tour de France, or to hope for medals in the Olympics. This helps us get to the finish line faster and more educated—to see where material needs to be, and where it can be removed. Generative design has a great app for our traditional construction materials, helps us understand loads and constraints, and pushes ideas we can evaluate.

How is Artificial Intelligence Used in Bike Design?

As a cycling industry journalist, I’m interested to know how brands and bike designers are using artificial intelligence to inform bike design. If the technology can help clinicians diagnose and predict cancer prognosis, surely it can help frame engineers develop lighter, stronger, or more aerodynamic frames and components, more efficient suspension and braking systems, or at least make improved personalized bike setup suggestions.So, is Artificial Intelligence being used to design your next bike? We’ve been in touch with Canyon, Trek, Pinarello and Yeti to learn more.

Canyon

Velo  Do you currently use Artificial Intelligence to assist in any aspects of frame or component design?

Canyon  Yes, we do! AI tools are now a key part of developing our next-gen models in next gen products. Currently, we’re using AI-supported simulation tools that leverage machine learning algorithms.

Design of the Canyon Speedmax CFR Track Bike (recently raced at the Olympics by Chloe Dygert and co) made use of artificial intelligence – Josh Ross recently learned more about how athlete feedback supported the development of it.

Velo  If so, are you able to share the ways in which it is being used?

Canyon  These AI supported simulation tools are turning out to be a game-changer for speeding up our development cycles and design loops. We’re using machine learning to crunch the numbers on CAD and simulation data, plus real-world test results. Here’s what AI is helping us with at the moment 

Strength and stiffness  Machine learning algorithms can quickly analyze 3D designs, materials, and tube profiles to optimize for strength and stiffness.

Weight optimization and material usage  AI helps us spot where we’re overusing or underusing material, so we can shave off unnecessary weight without sacrificing performance.

Aerodynamic performance  This might be more of a roadie thing, but aero is a big part of road bike performance. AI-driven simulations and analysis help us fine-tune frame and component profiles to find faster designs before heading into wind tunnel and real-world testing.

Velo  Are there plans to expand the use of it in the future and if so, in what areas do you foresee it being most useful?

Canyon  Absolutely, we plan to keep leveraging AI to speed up the design process and handle a lot of the time-consuming heavy lifting that development cycles have historically needed. This lets our engineers and designers focus on new innovations and other areas of product R&D, while also streamlining real-world testing and prototyping.

Trek

From Mio Suzuki, Trek Bicycle’s Director of Advanced Technologies 

“While direct AI application in CAD or design models isn’t part of our current practice, we did leverage AI in 2022/2023 to assist the Road team. AI helped us to develop a progressive sizing options that are more inclusive of all riders. Our R&D team is beginning to explore AI tools, and Advanced Tech is developing an AI-powered consumer feedback engine for product development use. While AI can enhance and streamline engineering and design processes, currently, it remains a supplementary tool rather than a replacement for our skilled development team. Besides, the product development journey is complex and relies heavily on human expertise and creativity. I personally think a lot of our unique “Trek only” engineering and design features that make up our Products We Love cannot be born out of machine computations alone. I am dreaming of AI upping its game and becoming an interesting idea-generation buddy to creatively expand our development efforts.”

Pinarello

From Massimo Poloniato, the R&D Manager for Road Bikes at Pinarello 

“We (Pinarello) are not currently using AI in the strictest sense of the term, in our design processes. We do, however, make use of advanced algorithms to explore certain elements of design, especially in the field of computational fluid dynamics (CFD).

Once we have programmed the defined design variables and performance goals of our parametric models, we let AI generate numerous design solutions for us and then conduct a series of automated optimization processes to uncover the most promising designs.

We are constantly searching for new solutions and technologies to improve our products and our design processes. In the future I am sure proper AI will play a more significant role in these areas as it will allow us to explore more design possibilities in much less time”

Currently, we are exploring how we can integrate AI tools into our bike development and design process. However, the insights behind our frame and suspension kinematic designs are still very firmly grounded in human and rider insights, which are at the core of Yeti’s philosophy to make mountain bikers faster.”

Autodesk is a multinational software corporation that makes software for the architecture, engineering, construction, manufacturing, media, and entertainment industries. Autodesk is headquartered in San Rafael, California, and has offices worldwide. Trek Bicycle is a global leader in the design and manufacture of bicycles and related products. Trek is headquartered in Waterloo, Wisconsin, and has operations in various countries around the world. Canyon Bicycles GmbH is a German manufacturer of road bikes, mountain bikes, and other types of bicycles. Canyon is headquartered in Koblenz, Germany, and has a strong presence in the global cycling market. Pinarello is an Italian bicycle manufacturer that produces high-performance road bikes and other types of bicycles. Pinarello is headquartered in Treviso, Italy, and has a strong following among professional cyclists and enthusiasts. Yeti Cycles is a US-based manufacturer of high-performance mountain bikes. Yeti is headquartered in Golden, Colorado, and is known for its innovative designs and commitment to producing high-quality bicycles. SRAM Corporation is a global leader in the design and manufacture of bicycle components and other products. SRAM is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, and has operations in various countries around the world.