Dassi Bikes winds up UK-made high-tech cycling biz
UK-based carbon fibre and graphene specialist Dassi Bikes has entered voluntary liquidation, reports Cyclist.
Notoriously an ambitious company, with innovations delivered in the world of graphene and pro cycling, Dassi has now appointed liquidator Anthony Batty & Company.
CyclingIndustry.News interviewed founder Stuart Abbott in November of 2018, where at the time he was enthused about graphene’s potential to revolutionise pro cycle sport in much the same way the technology has been deployed to Formula One.
The thinking was that, thanks to the wonder material’s conductivity properties, frame makers could feed live data during a race on the condition of the bike and the rider; something that could be particularly useful during a sprint finish or mountain stage. A partnership with Team Dimension Data was formed, partly on this basis.
At the time Abbott said: “With electrical conductivity, bicycles and smart clothing become highly capable data transmitters. Despite representing just 3% of our prototype by weight, we have been able, at an atomic level, to coat every fibre with Graphene. This ultimately means we are able to generate metrics on rider performance beyond that of any powermeter. That data comes in real time too, so you flip on its head the ‘what could have beens’ instantly into real time competitive advantages, much like you’d see in Formula One. This gives an immense new strategic tool kit to riders and race directors, but also to broadcasters trying to illustrate to the viewing fan why strategic decisions are being taken in races.”
The technology initially featured in the firm’s £5,995 frameset, the Interceptor. The firm claimed that, with graphene utilised on a micro level, as much as 30% of the weight could be taken out of the frame design, yet still achieve double the strength of a pure carbon fibre construction.
The company, which manufactured at an F1 factory in Banbury, had appeared to recover from an earlier closure warning in the summer of 2017 when it failed to submit paperwork on its operation.
The Dassi Bikes website remains live at this time.
