Feb 21, 2020
With the help of our earliest backers, we smashed our £100,000 stretch goal during the FLIT-16 Kickstarter campaign last autumn. To celebrate, we promised back then that we would laser etch the handlebars on your FLIT-16s with unique numbers, identifying them as being from the first batch.
We’ve been testing different types of fonts and laser etching styles over the past couple of weeks, and today we can give you a sneak peek of how it will look.
HEADSET UPDATE
More good news… we told you all the story behind the redesign of the headset in our previous manufacturing update. We’re pleased to say that the new headset design has now been manufactured and is about to go in for testing!
The testing process takes around 1-2 weeks. It is a fatigue test in which a large force is repeatedly (up to 100,000 times!) applied to the fork. This checks that the front assembly can withstand the normal wear and tear that comes with being ridden thousands of miles and going over hundreds of potholes.
Below is some video footage from the factory so you can see what the fatigue test looks like.
TAIWAN TRIP & COVID 19
In our last update we told you that Dave would be travelling to Taiwan to visit the factory and personally check on progress. We can now confirm that Dave will be flying to Taiwan on Monday for a 3 week trip. We’ll have a big update once he’s back including a lot more behind the scenes footage from the factory.
This trip is about a week later than we had originally planned, due to the uncertainty around the ongoing coronavirus epidemic. Originally, the plan was for Dave to head to Taiwan for a combined trip to visit the factory and attend the Taipei Cycle trade show to meet other suppliers. However, although coronavirus in Taiwan remains very much in control, the health authorities have cancelled large shows like Taipei Cycle as a precaution.
Most of the manufacturing for the FLIT-16 takes place in Taiwan, but preventative measures to contain the spread of the virus in mainland China mean that a couple of our suppliers there remained shut for an extended Chinese New Year holiday.
As of this week, all suppliers are back up and running, but there are some supply shortages as they make up for lost time. We have assessed our timelines and currently don’t think that this will delay delivery. However, we want to let you know the situation as it remains quite uncertain.
Dave is excited about the trip and we’re looking forward to sharing more with you soon.
In the meantime, if you have any questions about our latest update feel free to get in touch!
