Im a runner and will prolly get reamed for not knowing what this means in relation to bike frames since im relatively new to Tri…but…when a frame is monocoque carbon or AL what does that mean?
Im a runner and will prolly get reamed for not knowing what this means in relation to bike frames since im relatively new to Tri…but…when a frame is monocoque carbon or AL what does that mean?
A monocoque frame is a frame having no lugs (welded or glued together parts. i.e all one piece). I believe first made famous by Kestrel. Mr. Trimble (helped start Kestrel) also designed this beauty. One of the most aero bikes ever designed (man I which he would update it. :-)
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Monocoque means 1 piece. Any time you weld or glue bits together, it’s not monocoque.
With bikes, if you use standard tubes (whatever shape tubes you choose) then weld them together, or use lugs or whatever, you don’t have a monocoque. It’s sorta like unibody cars that use the body panels as the structural part of the car, rather than having a separate frame and body, where the body is just along for the ride.
Check out the Cervelo P3. It’s not monocoque, but the P3C IS monocoque. I know the P3C is essentially glued together bits of carbon fibre, but think of it like a cake. A cake is flower, eggs etc all glued together during the baking process. A P3C is like a cake, where the P3 is more like steak and eggs. STill a great feed, but it will always be steak and eggs, not “steggs”.
Can you tell I’m hungry? MIght be time for cake
It’s related to gay marriage.
A vow of mononcoquism is sworn at the ceremony. It means promising to be faithful till death do you part.
Check out the Cervelo P3. It’s not monocoque, but the P3C IS monocoque. I know the P3C is essentially glued together bits of carbon fibre…
And that’s what makes it not a monocoque…
yeah, yeah yeah. I know carbon fibre is a COMPOSITE, and that aP3C is many essentially flat pieces glued together, but the entire frame becomes one piece in essence, just like a nice chocolate cake. I think I’ll have one piece of chocolate cake NOW!
Stop splitting hairs. Now back to our program already in progress…
yeah, yeah yeah. I know carbon fibre is a COMPOSITE, and that aP3C is many essentially flat pieces glued together, but the entire frame becomes one piece in essence, just like a nice chocolate cake. I think I’ll have one piece of chocolate cake NOW!
Stop splitting hairs. Now back to our program already in progress…
A carbon lugged frame (Trek, Colnago, Calfee etc.) is many pieces glued together whereby the entire frame becomes one piece, but it’s still not a monocoque.
Take care.
Your hair splitting is starting to make ME look rational and well adjusted. I don’t like that. I prefer to be the weirdo anal retentive part of this Slowtwitch party. Let me have my chair back!
“Hair splitting” is such a cop-out excuse 
Go eat your cake.
Hey! There’s a hair in this cake! Did you do that?
yeah, yeah yeah. I know carbon fibre is a COMPOSITE, and that aP3C is many essentially flat pieces glued together, but the entire frame becomes one piece in essence, just like a nice chocolate cake. I think I’ll have one piece of chocolate cake NOW!
Stop splitting hairs. Now back to our program already in progress…
A carbon lugged frame (Trek, Colnago, Calfee etc.) is many pieces glued together whereby the entire frame becomes one piece, but it’s still not a monocoque.
Correct. I believe the term monocoque (when talking carbon) is used for each piece coming from its own individual mould. Modular monocoque if you will. When “glued” together they don’t require any additional structural components (i.e. lugs, For example Kestrels and Trimbles ).
Exactly… Kestrel’s KM-40 was a monocoque, i.e. the entire frame came from a single mould. Its replacement, the “Airfoil Pro”, is a monocoque front triangle bonded to a monocoque rear triangle and is creatively called a “modular monocoque” by Kestrel.
Also, the gang at Aegis has a good explanation …
it’s the singular version of duodick
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