Time uses carbon, Vectran and Kevlar fibers in the construction of our frames. So our frames are really "composite" frames rather than just another carbon frame.

So what is Vectran? Vectran is a fiber, like carbon, that we built into our tubes for vibration damping. We use Vectran on the leading and trailing edges of fork blades, the top and bottom of stems and frame tubes, the front and back of seatposts. Using Vectran in these areas allows the tubes to flex in one direction but stay stiff in the other. Our goal is to build a frame, fork, stem and seatpost that is very stiff laterally but compliant along the plane of the bicycle. So the frame stays rigid for out of the saddle climbing or sprinting, but absorbs vibration coming up from the road to reduce vibration induced fatigue. Vibration damping in the frame also improves the handling of the bicycle on rough surfaces.

TIME is the only company that uses Vectran fibers woven with carbon fibers. TIME alone uses the technology in manufacturing to blend these fibers together in a process called Resin Transfer Molding, RTM.

Other companies building carbon frames buy their carbon material in pre-impregnated sheets that must be stored in a refrigerated room and used before their expiration date or discarded. These companies build their frames by laying these sheets of carbon, "wet" with resin, over an air bladder that is shaped to look like the end product, a bicycle frame. As they lay these sheets of carbon fabric over the bladder, air pockets can develop between the layers of fabric. Also, because the bladder is a compliant surface, the wall thickness can vary as more sheets of carbon are laid on if the bladder deforms at all. Air pockets and varying wall thickness will not affect the integrity or durability of the product, but they will certainly affect the way the product flexes under load and ultimately how the product will handle.

TIME buys it's fibers in dry form, on a spool. TIME then weaves these fibers together to create their own dry fabric. TIME sews this fabric into a sock and then pulls up to seven layers of this sock over a steel mandrill that is forged into the shape of whatever composite item they are making: frame tube, fork blade, stem, etc. TIME can orient the fibers of each layer so that they have one layer that is unidirectional fiber, one layer that is bi-directional fiber, one layer with the Vectran fibers, etc. TIME also orients the Vectran fibers in the correct place so that they will provide the correct vibration damping. TIME then places the mandrill with the fiber layers into the mold, injects the resin and pulls the resin all the way through the mold. This guarantees that they do not have any air pockets left once the composite item sets up. The tube cures and dries and they then pull out the mandrill and finish the tube and they are left with a seamless composite tube with a consistent wall thickness throughout. TIME then bonds the tubes together with aluminum lugs and sleeves to create the frames. TIME uses this same process with Kevlar, instead of Vectran, in the steering column of their forks to guarantee durability and stiffness. There goal is to create the exact same item, every single time and guarantee that this item will perform as designed.

Other unique things about the TIME frames include the bi-elliptical downtube that is 40% stiffer than an aluminum frame. TIME’s wishbone seatstay is light and stiff while still being able to damp vibration coming from the rear wheel. They use asymmetrical chainstays to reduce frame deflection from the force exerted from the drive train being on the right side of the bike. There is a molded composite cross-hair reinforcement running half way up the fork steering column to provide more stiffness at the junction between the steerer and the fork crown. Pretty cool stuff!

As you can see, it's a very complicated process but the end result is like nothing else in the industry. TIME is the only company to use RTM in the bicycle industry and thus the only company that can weave different fibers together to build their composite tubes. In order for anyone else to use this same process they would have to gut their factory and start from scratch. It's a special process that yields a special bike.