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« on: November 03, 2009, 23:10:04 PM » |
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Well anyone know about the milyard, it seems it was all the rage and then nothing ? Im just curious really  |
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« Reply #1 on: November 03, 2009, 23:58:29 PM » |
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More of a phenomenon than a rage i think. I guess he can't produce a ground breaking bike every year!
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« Reply #2 on: November 04, 2009, 00:14:14 AM » |
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I was also wondering about him/them the other day- wasnt there talk about one of the big bike companies teaming up with them?
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« Reply #3 on: November 04, 2009, 00:14:27 AM » |
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well seeing as he's just (well a while back now) finished a V10 motorbike, which was pretty damn impressive btw, means that obviously not all of his time was spent on mtb's.
but he's still around
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« Reply #4 on: November 04, 2009, 00:25:06 AM » |
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Mr Millyard worked mainly on motorbike projects and just built the mtb for his soon.
He did a lot of inline 5 Suzuki engines by taking 1.5 cylinders off the end of each block and welding them back together.
Some neat design features on the Millyard bike, but it really wasn't all that. Nice bike, but not as jizz worthy as all the kids make out
Smithy
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« Reply #5 on: November 04, 2009, 00:50:15 AM » |
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Some neat design features on the Millyard bike, but it really wasn't all that. Nice bike, but not as jizz worthy as all the kids make out Go an have another look at the mk2 and say that with a straight face, super thin bike with one sided chainstay with enclosed drivetrain and gearbox and disc bolted to axle so rear wheel was removable in seconds. Add to that a custom nitrogen charged shock that was a scaled down model of a top of the range tank shock, with geometry based on a 224 and a sunday, all in a relatively lightweight package and build in a shed. BELIEVE THE HYPE! |
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« Reply #6 on: November 04, 2009, 00:58:29 AM » |
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They live down the road from me, Steve and Allen. Ive had wheels built up by them and I ride alot with Steve. So I know them well...
As Far as Ive heard from speaking to him is that it started as a bike for steve but then got spotted due to its amazing design, etc. But it was never meant to be more than a few builds (just like the V10 bike) and I don't believe that it will go further than the few bikes hes got- the mk1, 2 and then HT version. Im sure he'd let me know if anything changed.
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« Reply #7 on: November 04, 2009, 01:01:07 AM » |
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In all the pinkbike videos he mentioned he was talking to big companies, little guys like that often sell their designs on. He said he'd love to start his own company around the designs though.
I for one would love a millyard, even If it just had a standard shock and regular chainstays, Im all for gearboxs and enclosed drivetrains.
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« Reply #8 on: November 04, 2009, 01:16:45 AM » |
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 It's a neat bit of packaging. I wouldn't put making a shock past someone of Millyards standards, but if it were just a remodelled version of a tank shock, then how is that special? Proven technology, take it, adapt it. That's just good engineering sense? The frame baffles me, though maybe it's an engineering work around? The twin top tube design has been used by Ancillotti for ages for added torsional rigidity, so why the trellis in between? Single swingarm has been done on and off for donkeys years, but not adopted/developed due to mainstream hubs? Running the chain in an oil bath is cool, but I fail to see what problem it solves unless it completely eliminates chain wear? Otherwise it hinders checking and replacing of said chain. Gearbox is a 'heavily modified shimano nexus hub to cope with the forces of dh' which I imagine means stronger bearings and custom axle though not seen any more details than this. The bike as a whole has been the vision of DH bikes for as many years as I've been riding (a fair few now), but has never come to be due to mtb company engineers being to retarded to make it work, or market pressures (too many custom parts required when the big S pumps out adequate parts for pennies for OEM purpose). For instance, the bike manufacturer would have to make the shocks in small volumes to a standard capable of matching that of Fox and RS who have thousands at a time made and benefit hugely from economies of scale. Good bike, so why aren't we all riding one? Smithy |
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« Last Edit: November 04, 2009, 01:25:03 AM by Miffy »
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marin rider
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used to be 'mongoose rider' lol
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« Reply #9 on: November 04, 2009, 03:24:48 AM » |
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Good bike, so why aren't we all riding one? because the father built it for his son and not for manufacturing? |
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« Reply #10 on: November 04, 2009, 09:32:28 AM » |
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I'd bet that the creator probably met with one (or more) large bike companies and sold off the rights to the shock/bike design. The big company will then shelve the idea and use it if/when desired, and we'll probably hear no more about it until they want us to.
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« Reply #11 on: November 04, 2009, 09:38:50 AM » |
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Because he wouldn't be able to sell it at a cometetive price. There isn't a market for it! Look at all the welding! Also Why try to save weight with a one sided chainstay and then put in about 3 miles of welding up front. Its a good project with all kinds of inovative ideas in there the only problem is there inovations for problems that don't really exist.
The other thing is the whole bike is full of engineering oxymorons (opposites) Weight saving by having a one sided drop out then filling it with oil? Custom tuned tank air shock to save weight and then a custom nexus hub with tank bearings in to cope with the forces that dh generates. Basically all the weight he saves he just puts back else where.
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« Reply #12 on: November 04, 2009, 10:50:32 AM » |
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He's been a little busy building the fastest production motorcycle in the world lately.
He's recently finished a V10 Dodge Viper engined bike that he and MCN tested to the fastest speed ever recorded on a "production" bike as he's planning making them to sell IIRC.
Oh, and the DH bike was THAT good.
Miffy you seem really negative yet you've covered all the plus points of the frame. The enclosed, oil bathed chain does eliminate chain as well as keeping the entire drivetrain encased and out of the way, keeping it damage free which is pretty much the holy grail of bike design.
The geometry was good and that shock was stunning. I still don't understand how it felt so ordinary on the flat yet rode so damn well on the track.
The swing arm wasn't done purely for weight, Allen mentioned doing it more as a demonstration that he COULD do it and make it work without being weak. And as far as I know, he was considering selling the design to a company but didn't for exactly the reasons you've mentioned Flan.
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« Reply #13 on: November 04, 2009, 11:13:42 AM » |
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Why is enclosed transmision the holy grail of bike design? Don't get me wrong it is amazing; however I can't really think of any vehicle that has an enclosed transmission except for maybe a military vehicle. Motorbikes don't have it, cars, busses etc don't have it. I don't get why its at all important.
I understand why he designed and built a bike that is totally different from the norm, because he can. I don't think that there is really a market for such a thing though.
Also never ridden one so I have no idea how good it is. I do know that alot of bikes don't live up to the hype that precedes them. I'm sure its an excellent ride but the next step in how a dh bike should be? Perhaps not!
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« Reply #14 on: November 04, 2009, 11:18:10 AM » |
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How many times have we heard talk of gearbox's and getting rid of hanging rear mechs? What I mean is that by enclosing the transmission and the gear system it's out of the way of any of the damage that we all complain about.
Think of it as a prototype a la the car market. Showing all the ideas that he thinks/thought were "next steps" but not necessarily as they'd be in the production market. Personally I think, having ridden it that it pretty much is how DH bikes should be moving. But that's down to individual opinion.
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Hello
