Q&A: Joachim Vanwalleghem on a new bike development spin-off

What will your company do exactly?
The aim of the spin-off is to support the bicycle development of small and large scale manufacturers in Belgium and other countries in Europe. We will be an independent test and knowledge centre for bicycle development, testing and research. We will not design or manufacture bicycles, but we aim to co-operate with other parties working in these areas.

Can racing bikes still be improved at this point?
Since the beginning of the 20th century, bicycles have evolved from a simple means of transportation to a high-end sports application. That’s the result of many years of trial and error, combined with a radical technological evolution in material selection, production and assembling techniques. That’s how bicycles for sports applications became subdivided into different categories – race, mountain bike, time trial, etc.

Recent evolutions in bicycle development focus on each discipline separately, as each one has its own requirements in terms of stability, comfort, sturdiness and aerodynamics. Our work starts here, by carefully studying and trying to improve these separate bicycle properties, and fulfil the needs of the cyclist in the process.

What aspects are you focusing on?
Besides aerodynamics research, which is most relevant for time trial applications, the performance of the bicycle is determined by the static and dynamic properties of its components. For example, by using carbon composite materials to build bicycle frames and front forks, bicycles have become lighter and stronger. This is of great interest to professional – and these days also amateur – cyclists because it reduces the effort they need to make for forward propulsion.

But it’s not just weight that matters; the frame should also be durable, comfortable to ride and impact resistant. This is all provided by our “experimental test platform”, where test setups and evaluation techniques are implemented.

What exactly is this experimental test platform?
The test platform supports bicycle manufacturers at several stages in the value chain, from product prototyping to the end user. For example, mechanical tests on bicycle frames or front forks determine the strength, the impact resistance and the durability. These tests can be implemented in the design phase to let the designer determine whether the frame or front fork properties meet the design specifications.