In the innovative world of Lauf Bikes, ICE isn’t about frozen water; it stands for Integrated Compliance Engineering. But what exactly does it mean when Lauf says they’ve “ICE’d” something? It’s their philosophy of focusing engineering efforts on achieving controlled suspension and flex, without resorting to complex, heavier, and maintenance-intensive solutions.
This approach is rooted in Icelandic wisdom, echoing the saying: “don’t cross a river for water.” Lauf believes in simplicity – if something can be done effectively in a straightforward manner, there’s no need to overcomplicate it. This principle is at the heart of their design for lauf bikes.
ICE’d at the Front: The Smoothie Handlebar
The Smoothie handlebar has become a prime example of Lauf’s ICE concept. Many cyclists upgrade to carbon handlebars seeking enhanced compliance compared to aluminum. Lauf took this a step further with the Smoothie. By ingeniously using impact-resistant, high-end glass fibers in the central section, the Smoothie achieves double the compliance of its carbon competitors. This translates to a significantly improved ride quality, absorbing vibrations and shocks for a smoother experience on your lauf bike. All this is achieved without added complexity – no links, pivots, or proprietary standards. It’s pure, integrated engineering.
ICE’d at the Rear: The Lauf Seigla Frame
When developing the Lauf Seigla gravel bike, a top priority was to ensure the rear of the bike matched the front in terms of comfort, traction, and speed – qualities already delivered by the Grit fork and Smoothie handlebar. Lauf achieved this rear compliance through a smart combination of five key design elements:
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Slim Top Tube & Virtual Pivot: The slender rear portion of the Seigla’s top tube transforms the top tube and seat tube junction into what acts as a virtual pivot point. By using a standard seat clamp, this pivot is positioned optimally to maximize its effect.
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Vertically Slim Seatstays: The seatstays are designed to be slim vertically, allowing for effective up and down flex, while their wider lateral dimension maintains stiffness against unwanted side-to-side flex.
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Dropped Seatstays & Ground Force Redirection: The dropped seatstay design strategically channels ground forces to bend the seat tube. Combined with the flex allowed by the top tube and seatstays, this results in a rearward and downward movement of the saddle, effectively providing a dose of rear “travel”.
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Offset and Tilted Seat Tube: Beyond providing tire clearance, the Seigla’s offset and tilted seat tube geometry contributes to a more vertically downward suspension path for the saddle. It’s the downward component of seatpost flex that enhances comfort, not rearward flex alone.
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Increased Exposed Seatpost: The Seigla features a longer exposed seatpost compared to previous Lauf models like the True Grit and Anywhere. This increased length (+14-20mm depending on frame size) allows for more seatpost flex, further enhancing compliance.
The result of these integrated design features is that the Lauf Seigla boasts approximately three times the saddle-towards-rear-axle compliance compared to the Lauf True Grit. This means a significantly smoother and more comfortable ride, allowing you to tackle rough gravel and varied terrains with greater ease and speed on your lauf bike. Lauf’s ICE philosophy demonstrates that clever engineering and simple solutions can often outperform complex designs in delivering real-world performance benefits.
