Beast — Folding Carbon Bike

Beast set out to build a folding carbon bike that didn't make the compromises that folding bikes typically make. The brief was demanding: full carbon construction, a fold mechanism that doesn't add weight or complexity, and a frame architecture capable of withstanding the structural loads that a performance rider puts through a bike — all in a package that folds small enough to take on a train or store in a car boot.

ZÆT led the carbon frame development from architecture through to mold testing. The folding mechanism was defined first — the geometry of the fold point, the load path through the joint under pedalling and braking forces, and the layup specification for the carbon at the fold zone. 3D printed prototypes were produced to validate the fold mechanism geometry and the overall form before committing to carbon tooling.

With the geometry validated, ZÆT coordinated the development of the full carbon mold — tooling specification, layup schedule, and the on-site factory visit to oversee the first mold test pulls. The factory visit is the critical step: it's where the gap between design intent and manufacturing reality is closed, and where quality decisions get made with all the right people in the room.