3D Printing Offers Opportunity to Custom Bike Designers with Kris Henry of 44 Bikes

Bike enthusiasts understand the importance of quality welds, dynamic suspensions, and low-maintenance bikes. But to have a bike custom designed to their unique specifications is a dream come true. Today’s guest not only builds custom bikes he designs the parts using additive manufacturing (AM). 

 

Today, host Fabian Alefeld speaks with the owner and founder of 44 Bikes, Kris Henry, and EOS’ Spencer Thompson. Kris shares his passion for creating custom bikes and describes how he uses the design and supply chain aspects of AM to make handcrafted custom bikes accessible to a larger user group. Spencer offers insights into the state of AM adoption by small business owners, highlights the partnership opportunities available to manufacturers, and shares the hurdles independent builders face in the AM space.  

  

Comments about the show or wish to share your AM journey? Contact us at [e-mail]. The Additive Snack Podcast is brought to you by EOS. 

 

Key Takeaways: 

 

[2:11] 44 Bikes was born of Kris’ love of bicycles and his passion for designing things. 

 

[8:48] The benefits of additive manufacturing in building custom bicycles. 

 

[20:07] 3D printing offers small shop owners and bike enthusiasts a whole new level of design. 

 

[26:29] Supply chain challenges and speed to market increase AM adoption in small businesses.  

 

[34:22] When only a few parts are needed, finding manufacturers to partner with is a big hurdle. 

 

[36:03] The lack of protocols or universal standards for additive manufacturing creates a huge learning curve for independent builders. 

 

 

Resource Links: 

 

EOS 

44 BIKES 

Spencer Thompson on LinkedIn 

Creators & Guests

Host

Fabian Alefeld

What is Additive Snack?

Join host Fabian Alefeld and a range of guests as they discuss all things additive manufacturing (AM) and 3D printing news, with interviews and real-world stories to educate and entertain. Each episode, Fabian talks to AM experts, professionals in specialist fields, and 3D printing users from all walks of life to deliver a well-rounded view on the state of AM.

Cut through the confusion surrounding polymer and metal additive manufacturing solutions with our digestible, down-to-earth discussions that deliver insights into common mistakes and best practice tips so you can get a clear understanding of AM — layer for layer.

Whether you’re curious about 3D printing technology for the aerospace industry, a deep dive into post processing, or applications of injection molding — we leave no spare parts behind. We want to provide you with the additive insight needed to stay laser focused and leverage every opportunity 3D printing materials have to offer.

Join us for an Additive Snack and we’ll help you and your business achieve growth and success through the latest developments in AM.

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Get ready to feed your AM knowledge and find your path to success!