Hello and good day to you from episode 17 of our podcast series Project Breakaway. A metaphorical and literal time in the day when we here at Predator Cycling take some time away from working in the back shop to come and share with our listeners what we're doing, how we're doing it, what it takes to do it, our ideas, our innovative success stories, and even our missteps and failures. If you find yourself with an interest in bicycles, composite manufacturing, out of the box design, or even curiosities beyond, I encourage you to stick with us, settle in and learn a little. I'm Courtney B, co-owner and project manager of Predator Cycling. I'm here with my partner, Arm Goan, the other co-owner, CEO, lead designer and engineer, and fearless leader of Predator Cycling. How's it going, Arm? Pretty good. I'm I'm glad to know that I'm the fearless leader. I always thought that was you. Well, I'm kind of running out of things to switch that last one too. It's okay, you just got to be more creative. And I put in, I literally, this is what I did, I went to thesaurus.com and I put in, I put in like a team leader and it came up with fearless leader. So there we go. I have to say this is kind of the highlight of the week when you say nice things about me. And I need the source to do it. Ouch. Okay, so, um, welcome back, we took a little unplanned break last week. We did. Uh, honestly, we just could not fit a podcast session into our busy, busy days. Yeah, it was pretty crazy. You know, mom was here for a week or so and she is now back in California. She is. Uh, we spent last week, uh, working on the water bottle cage prints. Yep. Um, we were putting up a, uh, coating station. Yep. Um, to help with the ceramic coating for the water bottle cages, for other products we have coming out, um, and then hopefully we'll use that same little station for when we start the bars here towards the end of the year. Yep. And then we also, uh, it was Easter. We were, we were finishing our son's push bike, um, in time for the Easter Bunny to deliver it. Um, we, it's been done for a while, but we had put it in the hyper mode there. It has, it's kind of been on this. Santa fell off Santa's sleigh and the Easter Bunny picked it up. Yeah, it's a good thing the Easter Bunny was there. So, we were also, uh, I've been rebuilding stock for our DIY kits, our carbon repair DIY kits. And we have been, uh, finishing our new bike fitting product that I mentioned that we will be highlighting in next week's episode. Yep, that should be fun. You also, uh, continued your streak of 3:00 a.m. wake up days to work on your recordings for both, uh, GTC conference and Semiworld conferences. Yep. Um, those recordings are now complete. Yep. And they will debut at their respective virtual conventions this week and next week. So, we had a lot of things, uh, spinning around last week. Um, oh, and then we spent a day, we did a big grown-up thing. And we bought a minivan. We did. Um, uh, it was it's like looking into the future. I've been missing out for a decade. We trade we traded in our 2009 Hyundai, we have two 2009 cars. We traded one in and entered the world of the new tech of the Toyota Sienna Hybrid. Yes, it's pretty cool. There's so many bells and whistles and computers and monitors and buttons and I'm. It is overwhelming. Um, for our, uh, three-mile commute to work. Yes. But it's the first car I've ever owned where you don't actually like need a key. There's a button. I know, it's trippy. We went all out, there's an entertainment system. Yep. Yeah, it's uh, it's about as high-tech as our shop. It is. I was just thinking like all this technology in this car and I know that our partners, um, like Ansis and Autodesk, they work with these companies. Oh yeah. And I just I'm like, wow, they should highlight that tech more. Or maybe just because I have been driving my 2009 for so long. Yeah, yeah, I mean, yes. Yes, I it's it's uh, it's pretty cool. Um, there's a lot of, there's a lot of crazy tech in it and like how it it learns your driving habits. And like adjusts the the. Yeah, I don't like that part because it's already told me on the app like I've had 11 harsh cornerings. Uh-huh. I've had two harsh accelerations. Which are you by the way? One. No. Well, one definitely for sure because you can only accelerate so quickly in eco mode. Which you're not allowed to leave. Which yeah, which I've never had modes in cars. My mode's always just been drive. Yeah. Yeah. Formula One mode. Um, and then uh, yeah, so that's exciting. But yeah, all that tech, so I assume that our partners have worked on some of that stuff. Yeah. I was actually, yeah, they have, um, I I've watched a couple of the demos they do. Um, I don't know about Toyota. work, guys. Yeah, it works really well. I enjoy it. The hybrid system. Yeah, the hybrid systems and then now like all of the collision detection systems and the the virtualization of those worlds like to to design and build those. Um, um, all of, I mean, Nvidia, uh, Ansys, um, Yeah. uh, Lenovo is big in the car industry on the hardware side. Maybe we can get Toyota as a partner now. Toyota, I need a bike rack and I need floor mats. Come on. I mean, I know I could have purchased them with the car, the weather ones. I just assumed the normal old floor mat would come with the car. The normal floor mats weren't an option. You know, in 2009, floor mats came with the car. Uh, it came with uh, Bluetooth, entertainment system, uh, all-wheel drive, all-wheel drive. You know what it didn't come with? Floor mats. Well, yes, but also, I I I think it's a vital part of technology, a CD player. I mean, come on. My kids in daycare and my kids extracurricular activities, they give me a CD to listen to their music. Yeah. And the two I was probably the only mom with my 2009 Honda that could play that CD in her car. It was pretty high-tech. And now I can't. No. So those are just a waste of tech. It is. I we were actually talking about this with my mom and she was complaining her car doesn't have one either and she complained to the dealership. And their solution was nothing. I don't think Porsche offers that option. They really should. They really should. Yeah, they should. So, they should call it the retro kit. They put in a CD player, they put in the vinyl track. The cassette. I think it would be amazing. Yeah, it would. I mean, the dash is big enough, you could fit that and a latte maker, coffee espresso machine. Oh, there's an idea. All sorts of doohickeys could go in that front dash. I'm sure there's plenty of stuff behind it that I don't know. Probably. Anyway, okay, enough about my new exciting car. Um, so let's go back to Easter. Yes. Um, our uh, two-year-old finally uh, the bunny delivered his first uh, uh, his first and Predator Cycling's first and only toddler push bike that we constructed. Uh, all carbon fiber, uh, you made little toddler major bars. I did. I made a custom fork for it. So I mean, we've touched on it before, but we built it in conjunction with a composite uh uh course on LinkedIn, uh, the first of which is dropped and the second course should come out soon and the in the next I think month or so the second course comes out and the third and I'm just finishing it up. Mhm. Um, but talking about composite construction, so I tried to build the bike in a very interesting way. Um, so that I could kind of use it as a teaching example and um, our son would have a really cool bike. Yeah. So, uh, we've been working on this bike for longer than we should have. But in the middle of uh, your designing and I think we'd already actually started laying up the part. Um, I saw on Instagram, I got an ad, uh, Specialized came out with a toddler push bike. Oh, yeah. And I was like, well, I mean, not that we were going to market with it, but I was like, we should have just bought that. It would have been a lot quicker. Um, but uh, which is cool, their bike's cool. Um, ours is cooler. Tell me why. Um, well, the thing that's I think interesting about our bike is uh, it's actually, well, somebody actually jokingly said it called it a righty. Cannondale makes a bike a fork called the lefty, which is a mono side. So it's only has one side of the fork. Um, our bike has only tubing on the right side, so the rear wheel is only held in place by one tube. Um, that holds it from the right only. Um, so it's kind of cool. And the same with the fork. And what was your thinking other than material cost? Uh, well, it was actually just molding construction, um, so that you could simplify the mold to make it. And then, um, it made it a little more interesting on the simulation side because then the the loads and forces that are being applied are a little more interesting because it's coming from the the load gets transferred from right to left a little differently, so it's not symmetrical. Um, so it just makes the process of designing the part a little more interesting on the simulation and and um, topology optimization side and some of the some of the simulation for the composites. Mhm. Um, and it was I thought it was super cool. Yeah, it looks super cool. You can check out a picture up on our Instagram page. Yeah. Um, and it also made it um, a lot simpler to do some of the molding for it. We could do it in one shot. So it just has one tool. Right. So that made it um, more cost effective to make the bike. So the pros and cons of the bike. Bike's cool. But the cons are, I think you made it too fast. It's it's too light. For a push bike. Our kid. It's too light. And um, it rolls really fast. Yeah. And the headset has no preload almost, so it it just turns the handlebars really smooth. I mean, he'll figure it out. So far he's just kind of walking on it. He hasn't learned. We had to cut the C tube down even further. So he's a short little guy. Yeah, so he's he I mean, he loves it. I love it. He doesn't let anybody touch his bike. He goes, my bike. Yeah, not poor clear coat. Oh my god. It's like a whole two days. And of course, I mean, you give a bike to a two-year-old and the first thing it does is it gets thrown on the ground. Yeah, he drops it. He just lets go of the bike. Um, yeah, um, so it's it's a little too quick. We should have probably also maybe put some like armor plated like reinforcement on the sides of it. I know, we spent so much time on the on the cool graphic chrome chrome graphics and the clear coat. I probably should just rub it wrapped it in bubble wrap and called it a day. Yeah. Or like reinforced tool and steel or something. Something. Whatever, he'll figure it out and we have the ability to fix it. Yeah. So, um, anything else about the bike? Um, no, we've talked about doing a push bike years ago. We've had customers kind of bring it up, but it's always kind of been complicated actually because of tooling and stuff. So this was kind of a new approach to it. Mhm. Um, and it was fun. I had a really good time making it. And it's cool to watch. I mean, our little boy riding one of our bikes. riding on a little predator. Yeah, and it's like, you know, we built the bike, built the fork, built the bars. Um, it's pretty dope. So. Yeah. I dig it. Cool. So, also, I mentioned we have been working on the water bottle cages. That we did an episode about. Um, the pre-orders. They'll begin shipping this week. Um, I just got cute little inserts made and writing little personal notes and. Yeah. Gonna bag them up and ship them out. Um, and then in conjunction with that, we, uh, you, I watched, uh, constructed a coating station here at the shop to ease our finishing work. Yeah, so it's new. Well, um, yeah, it's exciting one that the cages will all get shipped out. All the pre-orders will get out this week. And we'll have. I mean, we've printed a butt load of them. Oh, yeah, there's tons of them. It's just a matter of just we got to coat them and finish them. Yeah. And it just the way we had set up before was great for testing and prototyping the cages, but once we actually got all the orders in, it was a little overwhelming, but we were able to get through them, but it just wasn't smooth. So, um, this new coating station will be really helpful. So we can get them done a lot faster. And as we have more and more products that are going to need coating, um, we'll be prepared for it now. Yeah. Um, so it's it's new for us because this coating system is a little different than anything else we've used for coats. Um, so it's uh, it had some special requirements. So, um, we got all that set up and we are ready to go now. Mhm. So. It should be up and running and coding this week. Yeah, and we've been talking about, um, you got to shoot a bit like a little video with the cage. Yeah. Um, we got. Yes, we do. We have all the tools. We have them an awesome camera. We just need to make the time to mount it and make a cool little video and show the, you know, how it works and how awesome it is. And. And just like and kind of tell this, I mean, help explain it better to people. Um, because I mean, it's it's cool because it it visually, I think people as soon as they see it are attract, I mean, they just, especially if they know anything about us. Um, they know that it's not just. There's something behind it. Right. And so I think we just we need to have a little video that explains. Just to see it and use our marketing department. It's just horrible. That's me. Uh, yeah, we're going to get on that. And then. Uh, anything else about the cages? Um, no, it's been pretty exciting. I mean, it's been really exciting the feedback we've gotten from people. I mean, from so far, it's been pretty cool. Um, and I'm really excited to get some more people using them and see what people think. And, um, and kind of just get it out into the market more. Yeah. So. It's exciting. Cool. Um, I've been working on the DIY kits. Um, because you know, we're gearing up for the broken carbon frame season. Yeah. Um, each kit. is handcrafted by me. Yes. It sounds like I work at a vintage market. Um, but in all seriousness, I do spend quite a bit of time resizing all of our materials down to fit, um, into, um, each kit comes with the exact amounts of carbons and epoxies and sandpapers and brushes and cups and everything you need. Um, and, um, yeah, just got to build that stock back up because we really hit a highlight in the sales in June, July. Yeah, it's it's been surprising how much those kits have been picking up. Uh, yeah, we started the kits what, six years ago? Five, five years ago? Oh, for longer than that. Six. Yeah. Anyway. Yeah, so it's kind of the alternative because we don't really offer a lot of repair services anymore. Unless you're super local. Um, but yeah, we just we don't have the bandwidth to do repairs in house. And, um, the kits actually, it's been it's interesting to see what people repair with it. Um, there's a lot of people that use, I mean, we've seen like fishing poles, car parts, um, oil. boating. Some. Oh. We always get these. You say oil? Yeah, oil and mining industry keeps. We've been sending a bunch of kits to people. that. I don't know. I have no idea what they use it for. I know it's I just recently sold a bunch to some universities. Yeah. So, it's kind of like I'm like a professor. Yeah. Professor Courtney. Oh, that's scary. I think one just went to John Hopkins. I just my somebody accolades. You just you're amazing. Like that time Bobby Lee went to the Olympics. I also went to the Olympics. Well, I mean essentially, right? You help make the bars. Mhm. Um, is there anything else you want to hit on before I talk about things to look forward to? Um, kind of a short one today, but Yeah. We got a lot of work to do. We do. We have a lot of work to do. Um, no, I think you kind of covered everything that's been going on. Yeah. Um, we've just really been kind of just um, um, behind a little bit with all the projects and things, but it's cool. Things are coming to we finished a lot of our projects. The push bike is done. It's conferences. conferences. Yeah. Yeah, those power those PowerPoints and getting it all set up and all the requirements for each one's a little different. I think it's just the zoom after zoom after zoom. I'm leading up to what the thing and a thing and a thing. I think it's been a year now. We all know how to operate a zoom call. Yeah. And like, Well, and I actually have to say that like it's interesting because a lot of these classes that we've been doing, I have to I have to self-record. Mhm. Um, and put it all together. I'm kind of really happy that I started like a year ago doing uh uh LinkedIn classes and teaching them. Because I got all the equipment set up. I got all the audio recording set up. capture systems and I've actually like learned how to do it. Because apparently I talk with my mouse. Your mouth. Yes, with my mouth. Um, and I've learned how to not talk with my mouth. Oh. So, little little things I learned. Um, so I've gotten pretty good at that my pre-recorded. Yeah. sessions. Okay. Well, I guess that segues into things to look forward to. You're going to look forward to my mouth talking. Uh, No. Uh, look out for our recorded course for Nvidia's GTC conference here this week. I believe it's 3:00 p.m. Central time. Well, it's 3:00 p.m. in our calendar. So I assume we put it in there for Central time. Yeah. And that one is uh semi live. So I haven't gotten that far yet. Oh, sorry, sorry. I let me read my pre-done notes here, bud. Apologies. Hi. Uh, it's 3:00 p.m. Central time. Wednesday, April 14th. It's recorded. However, it's also semi live. And I believe it's open for real-time questions. You'll be logged on and ready to go. Is that true? Is that what you said? This is this is all true statements. It will be uh me and um uh Mike Guyer from Nvidia. We'll be both on there chatting away. Um, is it like type type chat box or you're Oh, so you're not wait. It's a Someone types you a question and you you answer. Yeah, so it may be a disaster. No, uh with text. Oh, no. It may be a disaster. Are you typing it? Apparently, yes. Is there auto correct? I hope. Should I be your what is it called? A ghost stenographer? Is that what they do in the courts? I don't know. I don't do all short hand. I have no idea. Uh, yeah, no. Oh, so I assume people would type you a question and then you would just answer like. No, I I I message them back. It's a message board thing. Oh, Nvidia. Yeah, so it'll be good. Oh, yeah. Sounds like a fun time. Um, Yeah, so if you guys have questions about If you have questions, type them in. I'm get back to you in four to six weeks. Ouch. Um, you also have Ansis's uh simulation world virtual conference the following week. week. Which looks to be available on April 21st at 10:15. I also think that's central time. I'm not sure. I looked at the website this morning. It just said 10:15. It didn't have like. Yeah, and I think it's actually playing twice. I listen. I haven't gotten that far either. Oh, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Stop jumping ahead in my notes. Apologies. Uh, it then repeats again at 3:15 the same day and again the following day, April 22nd at 3:15. Yes. That's only a 15-minute um. Yeah. Uh, it is. Yeah. I thought it wanted it to be longer. Well, I thought for some reason it was 20 minutes. I had that in my notes that it was 20 minutes. And so I So you had to cut a little down. Yeah, the day of. I had to cut five minutes out and it was a joint thing. It's me and Mike Guyer are both on it talking about it. And Mike talks kind of from the Nvidia side and I talk from the Predator application side. Um, so yeah, we had to um, we had to take five minutes out. You had to work it out. I mean, it came out fine. I think it gets the point across. Um, but it's actually really hard some of these classes because like I think both Mike and I do really well on the in the open forum, like the question side of it. Yeah. Because I think what we're doing is pretty interesting and there's so many avenues that that you could talk about. So, anyways, um, I think the two of us together made it made that a little bit, but it would have been Well, I'm sure if they still like us in a year, it'd probably be in person. Yeah. Maybe. Maybe. Maybe they like us, maybe if it's in person. Maybe they'll like it less if it's in person. Because I think I I from what I read, uh uh Autodesk uh University's uh conference this year is going to also be virtual. Yeah. Which I don't think we're going to participate as a course in, but. I don't know. Be there. Yes, for sure. In spirit. Uh no, it'd be fun to listen and see see what other people are doing, but no, I think I'm I I I think I'm coursed out. Yeah. For now. Yeah. I need a course vacation. Okay, so we're also uh next week, we're going to take a deep dive into our new 3D printed bike fitting cleat adjusters. Um, Arm's going to talk about why we are going to be offering them. Mhm. Um, the options that will be available, the sizing, the degrees, the custom versions versus the stock versions, and the simulation that went into them. Yep. And then we'll also be talking a little bit about um where we're going with it. Um, we'll kind of just give you show you our kind of talk about our road map. Mhm. Um, so it should be fun. So, yeah. That episode will be a little bit more uh um uh in depth and not hodgepodge like today's. Yes. So, uh, look forward to that one. Anything else before I wrap it up? No, I think that's it. I just I think you need to get to work. You got marketing department slam. I know, marketing department is so far behind. And the handcrafted kit department. My handcrafted vintage DIY kits. And uh yeah. I got a lot to do. And then I probably got to go take a spin in my new Toyota Sienna. Yeah, go pick me up uh lunch. Go pick me up a potato burrito Taco Bell back. Oh my God. Okay, so. We thank you for choosing to take some time with us. And we look forward to future breakaways. Look for us on Instagram and LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and in person here in Tennessee. We ask our listeners to please share, like, and subscribe. We're available on all major streaming platforms. Thanks for listening, have a good one and find some time to break away.
EpisodeApr 12, 2021 · 22:15
← Podcast
Project Breakaway with Predator Cycling
17: Monday Roundup...Back At It, EP. 17
Hosts Courtney B. and Arm Goan return for Episode 17 after an unplanned break, sharing a busy week of updates from Predator Cycling, including setting up a new coating station and completing their son's custom carbon fiber push bike. They also delve into conference recordings, their new high-tech minivan, and tease an upcoming bike fitting product.
Loading player…