The aim of the work is to use SolidWorks for the selection of the most suitable material for the bicycle frame, which meets the criteria of strength characteristics for the manufacturing of a lightweight bicycle structure. The choice of material for the bicycle frame is one of the important aspects of the final product. It has an impact on the rideability, comfort, appearance, durability and the price of the overall product. Strength analysis allows us to determine the suitability of the selected material for the chosen load and based on its results we can select the right material. In this work, three types of 3D models of bicycle frames have been created, keeping the standard dimensions. Based on the results of the strength analysis and by comparing the maximum stress and the resulting weight, the most suitable material among the analysed materials was selected. The design with changed head tube diameter and thickness was considered as the best bicycle frame. CFRP composite and 6061-T6 aluminium alloy were evaluated among the most suitable materials for this type of frame that met all the criteria.

Acknowledgement: This research work has been supported by the by the project: Advancement and support of R&D for "Centre for diagnostics and quality testing of materials" in the domains of the RIS3 SK specialization, Acronym: CEDITEK II., ITMS2014+ code 313011W442.