OCLV800 carbon is the one used for top-of-the-line bikes Trek. It's an one-of-a-kind composite fabric and used by the American brand only for the bikes at the top of the catalogue, marked with the SLR suffix, Emonda and Madone in the road sector. This type of carbon has totally changed the top level bikes of the American brand and its The development, application and production process lasted over 2 years.
A fiber that carries with it several messages, one of which is that it can still be improved and that The carbon we find on a bicycle is the result of a long and complex process that has lasted for more than 25 yearsWe were at home Trek and in this regard we had a chat with Haley Ludwick, Corporate Communications Manager at Trek.
Trek OCLV800, the differences
Compared to OCLV700 fiber used for the high-end projects of the “old course”, the new fabric composite increases its resistance by 30% and has a scale value that is 60 grams lower. These numbers are to be considered for the same surface area used. The switch to OCLV800 fiber for the high-end, It marked a big step for Trek and allowed them to take advantage of different bicycle shapes.
What timeframe did you have for developing bikes that use this composite fiber?
We started working on the new material in 2018, two years before the official launch of the Emonda model. Emonda is the first to use the new OCLV800 fiber.
What are the main characteristics of this type of carbon and what are the differences when compared with the “old” OCLV700?
The immediately tangible benefits refer to a 30% increase in stamina, if we compare the new OCLV800 fabric with the previous 700 matrixThey are two different generations of composite, considering that the 700th century provided excellent technical feedback. And then we have to consider another aspect.
What?
That the differences are not only given by the typology of carbon fiber, but also from how this is worked and applied.
Tell us better ...
Taking as an example OCLV800 carbon, this It allows us to use less fabric and at the same time have a better technical performance. This factor is also combined with a weight saving, always if we compare the 800 fiber with the 700. If we compare the steering tube of the new Emonda with the previous version, we have a weight saving of close to 60 grams.
The feeling, however, is that this "new direction" is the first step in a further evolution. Is that true? Is it still possible to reduce the weight of bicycles?
Materials, processing and production technologies are constantly evolvingProgress, with its many facets, is something you can't stop. Whether it's higher-performance fibers, development tools, or even the study of the application of composite fibers... Yes, there is room for further improvement.
