High-Tech Adhesives and Composites Enhance Bicycle Performance
Adhesives selection is an essential aspect of bike and component assembly. The materials must bond a variety of substrates with dissimilar coefficients of thermal expansion and produce joints strong enough to withstand exposure to vibration, temperature extremes and corrosive substances such as salt spray.
To satisfy these diverse requirements, LP Composites, White Salmon, WA, relies on Araldite 2015 epoxy to build ergonomically improved bar ends, grips and seat posts for mountain and road bikes. Before specifying the high-performance epoxy paste, LP investigated a number of adhesives from different manufacturers. Technicians found that 2015 provided the handling ease and physical properties needed to securely join braided carbon/aramid fiber components to aluminum alloy end-fittings used in bike accessories.