Case Study: Rolo Bikes achieves a 710g ultra-light, high-performance carbon bike frame with Altair HyperWorks composite optimization

Developing Ultra-Lightweight, High Performance Road Bikes

Rolo Bikes, a Swedish high-performance bicycle startup, needed to develop an ultra-lightweight, world-class carbon fiber road frame but lacked in-house CAE expertise to optimize layup, meet CEN and Zedler standards, and create efficient virtual testing. They engaged Altair (via Altair ProductDesign) to apply the HyperWorks simulation suite and CAE services to address the composite design and virtual test requirements.

Altair ProductDesign used HyperWorks and OptiStruct in a three-step composite optimization (free-size, size, shuffle), validated the design against industry tests, and delivered a manufacturable carbon layup. The work cut frame weight from the 829g baseline to 792g through optimization and down to a final 710g after manufacturing refinement, met all safety and performance targets with improved stiffness and durability, and gave Rolo repeatable virtual test rigs to reduce physical prototyping time. Altair provided both the tools and consulting expertise to achieve these results.

Rolo Bikes

Adam Wais

Founder