3D printed bikes and bike accessories have risen in popularity in recent years, and it’s easy to see why. 3D printing cuts down production costs and offers limitless personalization options, all while taking less time than getting something equally custom using traditional manufacturing.

3D printed Bike

3D printed bike parts are not only lighter, they’re also surprisingly cheap, costing only as much as the filament and files. 3D printing materials are often low-cost compared to the kinds of metal and alloys used in traditional bicycles, all without compromising safety if carefully designed and constructed.

In this article we’re going to look at some of the best examples of 3D printed bicycle projects, the benefits of 3D printing bikes, and even some different bike accessories.

Best 3D Printed Bike Projects

The Bolide F HR 3D – The World Record-Breaking 3D Printed Bike

Manufacturer Pinello, known in the bike industry for their high-performance and multi-purpose bikes, released an upgrade to their Bolide F model with the Bolide F HR 3D.

Known as the first high-performance 3D printed bike, it broke the hour record before it was officially released by reaching a whopping 56.792km in just 60 minutes. This record was achieved by Italian cyclist Filippo Ganna in 2022 and remains the the longest distance ever cycled in one hour to this day.

To put this record into context, a typical city speed for a car is around 50km/hr.

This is the world record for bikes in general, not just 3D printed bikes, which of course prompted the argument that it’s a fine example of how additive manufacturing holds a very important place in the competitive cycling circuit.

Using 3D printing to achieve shapes and forms not possible, or at least not easily achieved, with traditional manufacturing techniques, the Bolide F HR 3D’s performance comes largely from its aerodynamic design. The build also takes advantage of 3D printing’s lightweight nature to make a bike that’s both strong and easy to manoeuver.

The handlebars, while also 3D printed, are made of titanium to ensure strength and movability, making the Bolide F HR 3D easy to control even at top speeds, making it not only the fastest 3D printed bike ever made, but also one of the safest.

Arevo’s Superstrata – A Peek at the Future of 3D Printed Bikes

In 2020, Silicon Valley-based startup company Arevo unveiled their first fully formed 3D printed carbon fiber bike frame, emphasizing the increased impact resistance 3D printing can offer.

Because the Superstrata is 3D printed as a single part, Arevo have been able to save money by not needing to import other parts often needed for assembly, and eliminating labor costs for soldering, welding, or gluing.

3D printed bike frame superstrata arevo

So while high-performance carbon fiber bikes often cost upwards of $4,000, the Superstrata range starts from just $2,800.

The single piece design also means that the carbon fiber frame is less prone to breaking under pressure than traditionally made bike parts. There’s no wear between joints, because there aren’t any!

On this difference in manufacturing and product costs, Arevo founder Sonny Vu has said ‘We don’t really care about margin that much. This is about almost a market demonstration of the tech.’

Kingdom Bike’s The Void – The Importance of Field Testing

In January 2021, Kingdom announced their new 3D printed bike frames made from titanium material, which they have named The Kingdom Void.

3d printed bikes kingdom void

The Void was made with the idea of lowering the carbon footprint that comes as a result of traditional manufacture by reducing wasted material and limiting the need for imports and extra tools.

Kingdom’s commitment to safety and reliability through testing process is made simple on their website:  ‘We will ride and ride and ride until the wheels fall off.’

3D Printed Bike Parts

Bicycle maintenance is an important part of bike ownership. Worn frames and parts will not only impede your bike’s performance, but also put your safety at risk.

3D printing bike parts is not only safe, but also a convenient and inexpensive way to keep your bike in top shape without sacrificing security

3D Printed Tires

3D printed bike tires don’t rely on air or innertubes, making them immune to punctures and flats, which are an expensive inconvenience at best, and very dangerous at worst.

bigrep 3d printed bike tires
BigRep 3D printed bike tires.

Not only are 3D printed bike tires safer, they also offer customization options for treads, meaning you can perfectly engineer your tires to handle whichever kind of terrain you’re planning to tackle.

3D printing company BigRep developed the first commercially pliable 3D printed bicycle tires, which you can see in action below. BigRep boasts that these Pro FLEX tires offer rigidity without compromising flexibility, as well as boasting high heat resistance and durability.

3D Printed Chain Guard

While professional cyclists argue that the extra weight isn’t worth it, 3D printed chain guards are light enough to serve their purpose without adding too much extra heft.

3D printing chain guards is cheaper than purchasing them, and also lets you find the exact right size to fit your bicycle, be them for a kid’s bike or your personal ride, personalizing any guards to be the right shape, size, and even design to suit your own tastes.

3D Printed Pedals

Bike pedals don’t wear as fast as other parts, but replacing and upgrading them is still important to keep your cycling time safe and comfortable.

By 3D printing your own pedals, you can customize the grip surface, size, shape, and even color depending on your needs and preferences.

Anti-slip pedals are perfect for adding safety by preventing your foot from sliding off mid-cycle, while toe cage pedals make cycling more comfortable whether you’re commuting or mountain biking.

Any 3D printed bike pedal can be made to be lighter and stronger than traditionally manufactured models, and they’re far easier and cheaper to resize and customize to your liking.

3D Printed Saddles

3D printing bike saddles is a great way to replace worn ones or just make your bike more comfortable to ride.

Simple bike saddles are easy to find in places like Cults3D, while more aerodynamically designed saddles are perfect for those of you who prioritize both comfort and speed.

The most practical bike saddles, like this one from Printables, are both comfy to sit on and designed for extra additions like backlights and even saddlebags.

3D printed bike saddles can be customized to match your bike and help support your personal body type with a few minor alterations.

Whichever style you choose, we recommend printing your bike saddle with PETG because of its strength and temperature resistance. PLA may be cheaper, but it can be brittle, which is definitely not something you want in a seat.

3D Printed Bike Accessories

From bottle holders to phone mounts, 3D printing bike accessories may not seem like the most important add-ons, but once you have them you’ll wonder how you ever went without.

3D Printed Bottle Holders

Since not all store-bought bottle holders will fit all bottles, 3D printing your own is the best way to make sure yours fits as snuggly as possible.

You can even incorporate personal or professional logos and words on your bottle holder as well as using different colored filaments to match your bike’s frame.

3D Printed Bike Accessory water bottle holder

This free model is designed to be shatter and weather resistant if printed in PETG. It’s designed to be thick and sturdy, and be easily resized pre-printing to fit different sized bottles thanks to the included .blend file for easy alterations.

If you prefer something tastier than water, you can also print this bike bottle holder to fit a standard Sodastream bottle.

3D Printed Phone Mounts

3D printing a phone mount for your bike is a great way to get the exact kind of holder you need depending on the size and weight of your device.

The universal phone mount from Thingiverse is a great and free project that can be made with any FDM printer. It’s adjustable and designed to fit most modern smartphone sizes, meaning you can print several of them for you and your friends even if you all have different devices.

If your phone supports wireless charging, then you can even incorporate this 3D printed phone charging mount to keep your device full and ready to give directions for long-haul journeys.

3D Printed Mudguards

3D printing mudguards is a great way to add the extra flaps you need as well as make sure they fit well onto your bike while still leaving room for other additions like lights.

Wide mudflaps like this one from Thingiverse provide better protection against wider splashes like particularly long or deep puddles, while smaller ones like this simpler design will help stop smaller sprays from more urban cycling routes from hitting you.

3D Printed Valve Caps

While every bike will already come with one, it can still be fun to 3D print customized valve caps to further personalize your bike.

Customized valve caps like this thumbs up are fun, easy to print, and help keep your bike looking cool and working efficiently without risking any damage, and you can make just about anything you want provided it’s small enough like this cute little mouse or even R2D2.

3D Printed Accessibility Aids

3D printing accessibility aids for bikes helps those who suffer from injury, nerve damage, arthritis, or other potentially debilitating inflictions that may hinder, or even prevent, someone from safely riding a bike.

3D printing artist and designer Kurt Boutilier has released several 3D printed add-ons for bikes to aid in maneuvering, braking, and overall comfort for bike riders who may be suffering from such afflictions.

3D printed bike accessories for acceisibility

These designs include a bracket to help with handlebar grip, stabilizers to help those with potentially poor coordination to stay steady and steer with confidence, and brake aids so people with arthritis or nerve damage will still be able to stay safe while on the road.

3D printing for accessibility is just a small example of how additive manufacturing can be used to help mankind. To find out more, you can check out our article on 3D printed prosthetics to learn a little more about how 3D printing is being used to improve the lives of the differently abled.

3D Printed Tire Levers

Store-bought tire levers can be quite expensive, costing up to $12 for what is essentially a small plastic crowbar. 3D printing tire levers helps you cut down this cost for an arguably invaluable tool.

Tire levers like these models from Thingiverse are hookless for simpler tires, though you can also opt for hooked versions to make the job a little easier.

If you decide to 3D print your own tire levers, you should also consider 3D printing a holder for them to make them easier to carry while you’re out and about.

How Much Does a 3D Printed Bike Cost?

3D printed bicycles vary in cost depending on the brands and specs, but most aren’t affordable for the average consumer just yet.

Startup company Arevo’s Superstrata, for example, sells at a retail price beginning at $2800 for the classic version, or $4000 for the electric model not including customization options.

The record-breaking 3D printed Bolide F HR 3D, however, retails at over $67,000 which includes custom 3D printed handlebars.

3D printed bike frame

In between these is the upcoming Pilot Cycles Seiren, due to begin production in October 2023 and become available for sale in early 2024, will retail for just under $20,000.

While we expect 3D printed bikes to become more affordable in the future, the currently limited technology means we’re a long way off from fully 3D printed bikes being household regulars.

Should I 3D Print My Own Bike?

We do not recommend attempting to 3D print an entire bike, or even bike frame. This is advice we share with the larger 3D printing bicycle community.

Most professionally 3D printed bikes are printed using metal material, which isn’t feasible for the average home printer to do.

Even non-crucial additions can pose great risk to both your safety and your wallet. Any printed part, a phone mount for example, will become loose and fall off mid-ride if improperly made or fitted.

Bike accessory phone mount

Always be sure to follow the designer’s instructions and do some testing before you take your 3D printed bike accessory on the road. If you’re designing from scratch, be sure to triple-check your measurements and fittings too.

If you’re new to 3D printing or engineering in general, then it’s best to stick to easy and low-risk bike additions like valve caps and tire levers.

How much does a 3D printed bike cost?

3D printed bikes go for anything between, but not limited to, $300 – $4,000 retail depending on the brands you’re looking at. To print yourself, you can expect to spend at least $150+ depending on your material and design method, though this is a very low estimate, and you should budget around $350+ if you’re planning to create a bike yourself.

What is the world record 3D printed bike?

The record for top speed reached with a 3D printed bike was set by Filippo Ganna on a model known as The Pinarello Bolide F HR 3D. The record, set in 2022, reached was a whopping 56.792km in one hour, riding at an average speed of around 35mph in part thanks to its light body.
 
Not only is this the world record for 3D printed bike speeds at the time of writing, it’s also the world record for bikes in general, which of course prompted the argument that it’s a fine example of how additive manufacturing holds a very important place in the competitive cycling circuit.

Was this content helpful? Give us your feedback here.

Thanks for your feedback!