Material evaluation for the Hardtail MTB Frame of a bicycle to increase its fatigue resistance, year 2024 (#444)

Authors

Albino Palacin, Daniel Junior

Lozano Salazar, Jorge Luis

Abstract

Abstract: The study analyzes the fatigue strength of Hardtail MTB bicycle frames using simulations with ANSYS Mechanical,comparing materials such as steel, aluminum and carbon fiber.Numerical results indicate that Von Mises stresses in the structure reach a maximum of 6.5959 × 10⁹ Pa in critical areas, such as the connection to the rear wheel, suggesting that these areas may need reinforcement due to high loading. As for the deflections, the maximum observed was 0.079544 m in the rudder area, and 0.010866 m in the pedal area, indicating adequate stiffness in most of the structure, but with points requiring improvement. The safety factor analysis shows that, in general, the structure has a factor between 5 and 15, which is adequate, although in certain joints, such as in the pedal area, the factor drops to a minimum of 0.15966, which can be critical under extreme loads. In addition,stresses under compressive and vertical loads also reveal areas of high stress, with values of 8.26 × 10⁹ Pa in compression, indicating that the joints should be strengthened and the frame geometry improved. Finally, it is recommended to consider materials such as high-strength steel alloys or chrome- molybdenum, and to optimize frame geometry to increase durability and safety under demanding conditions Key words: Frame, steel, simulation, ANSYS, factor of safety.