Year: 2022

Shawn Small, founder and engineer at Portland-based carbon fiber repair shop Ruckus Composites, wants to shake up the world of bicycle science. Right now, he says, this field relies a lot on anecdotal evidence, and data that is collected is difficult for average bike consumers to understand.

Small thinks bike science has the potential to grow into a well-respected field and he’s taken a big step toward making that happen: Ruckus Composites has launched a dedicated bicycle science program that utilizes engineering, chemistry and physics to look at fields relevant to the bicycling world, like sustainability, maintenance and repair.

The hope, Small says, is that scientists, bicycle technicians and consumers will all benefit from the research this program will produce.

“We’re trying to make people more aware of the products they’re using, whether it’s from a safety perspective or just trying to dispel some of the pointless myths around cycling technology,” he tells me.

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