Shock waves travel in straight lines, so when most bikes hit potholes, the shocks run through the frame and into the rider. One way to avoid the discomfort that can cause is to channel those vibrations onto another path, as the Tortola RoundTail road frame does.
THE TECH
When this bike hits a bump, shocks are transferred into two hollow steel circles, which replace the typical rear triangles. The hoops force the waves into a spiral, where their energy dissipates. In the lab, the RoundTail cut vibration 50-fold.
THE TEST
For one week, two bikers rode the RoundTail on every tooth-rattling road they could find in Vermont, comparing the vibration they felt in their backs and arms with what they felt on carbon-fiber and titanium frames.
THE RESULTS
Bikers had no pain after riding for 50 miles on the RoundTail, while they ached on other frames after only two. Outfitted with a Shimano kit, it matched the ride and speed of any other road bike.
Tortola RoundTail: from $2,000; Roundtail
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