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Where’s the seat tube? Urwahn updates Softride 3D-printed steel frames with “groundbreaking” technology

Urban and gravel models are available in a design that “elastically suspends the rear wheel and guarantees noticeable ride comfort"

Germany’s Urwahn has updated the technology behind its 3D-printed Softride steel frames, “achieving improvements of up to 30% in weight, stiffness, innovation, and cost”, it says – so let’s take a look.

2025 Urwahn Stadtfuchs rider  - 12025 Urwahn Stadtfuchs rider - 1 (credit: Urwahn)

Urwahn has been 3D printing bikes for a few years; it's at the heart of what the brand does. We reported on the Urwahn and Schmolke collaborative road bike back in 2020, for example, and our friends on ebiketips covered the Platzhirsch, a 3D-printed e-bike with smart lighting and fully integrated cables, later that year. 

> Urwahn & Schmolke team up for striking 3D printed steel bike

Putting the 3D printing to one side for a moment, the first thing you notice about Urwahn’s design is the lack of a seat tube. Or half a seat tube. Or a combined seat tube and seatstays. However you want to describe it, what’s the idea?

2025 Urwahn Softride 2.0 complete bike2025 Urwahn Softride 2.0 complete bike (credit: Urwahn)

Urwahn says that its Softride design “elastically suspends the rear wheel and guarantees noticeable ride comfort without sacrificing bottom bracket stiffness”. It’s our good old friend vertical compliance, then.

There are a fair few bikes out there without seat tubes, including the Baldiso One that we told you about a couple of months ago

Now Urwahn says, “By combining state-of-the-art Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) technology with innovative engineering, a new generation of Softride steel frames has been developed, achieving improvements of up to 30% in weight, stiffness, innovation, and cost.”

2025 Urwahn Stadtfuchs riding - 12025 Urwahn Stadtfuchs riding - 1 (credit: Urwahn)

Urwahn says it has developed its new frame platform, with the working title Softride 2.0, in collaboration with fellow German companies Trumpf (no relation!) and H+E.

“The additively manufactured frame components are produced using LPBF technology, a process that utilises high-powered lasers to selectively melt fine metal powders, resulting in exceptionally high material density and precision,” says Urwahn.

2025 Urwahn Softride 2.0 drive system 2025 Urwahn Softride 2.0 drive system (credit: Urwahn)

“The advantage of this method lies in the complete design freedom it offers, enabling the creation of complex structures with internal cavities that would be impossible to achieve using conventional manufacturing techniques. Through topology optimisation, load paths have been enhanced, leading to increased stability while simultaneously reducing weight.”

Topology optimisation? That just refers to the most efficient material distribution to maximise performance while minimising the amount of that material required.

Urwahn says that as well as saving material, the efficiency of the production process has been improved. 

“The new Softride steel frame has been specifically designed to meet the requirements of the additive manufacturing process,” it says. “Trumpf provided the cutting-edge machinery and material parameters, while H+E, as an experienced partner, established the entire process for serial production and contributed valuable feedback to optimise the frame design. Urwahn consolidated all insights and integrated them in line with its own development requirements.”

That’s a namecheck and a big pat on the back for all involved, then, but what’s the benefit of using this tech?

2025 Urwahn Softride 2.0 carbon drive2025 Urwahn Softride 2.0 carbon drive (credit: Urwahn)

“A key advantage of LPBF technology is the precise control over layer construction, allowing for fine-tuned mechanical properties of the final product,” says Urwahn.

“The use of high-alloy steels and specially developed alloying additives has resulted in an extraordinary combination of strength and elasticity. Additionally, the additive manufacturing process reduces post-processing steps such as welding or extensive mechanical machining, significantly enhancing efficiency.

“The result is a milestone: the innovative Softride steel frame combines the lightness of aluminium with the aesthetics of a modern monocoque carbon frame.”

2025 Urwahn Waldwiesel  2025 Urwahn Waldwiesel (credit: Urwahn)

Okay, that’s enough of the PR spiel. The top and bottom of it is that these three companies reckon that they’ve quickly worked together to produce “a true revolution on two wheels” in the shape of the new Softride steel frame.

If you’re interested, you can go through a UK retailer like Cycle Race in London. Urban and gravel options are available, with and without electrical assistance.

Check out loads of other Bikes at Bedtime here. 

www.urwahn.com

Mat has been in cycling media since 1996, on titles including BikeRadar, Total Bike, Total Mountain Bike, What Mountain Bike and Mountain Biking UK, and he has been editor of 220 Triathlon and Cycling Plus. Mat has been road.cc technical editor for over a decade, testing bikes, fettling the latest kit, and trying out the most up-to-the-minute clothing. He has won his category in Ironman UK 70.3 and finished on the podium in both marathons he has run. Mat is a Cambridge graduate who did a post-grad in magazine journalism, and he is a winner of the Cycling Media Award for Specialist Online Writer. Now over 50, he's riding road and gravel bikes most days for fun and fitness rather than training for competitions.

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7 comments

Avatar
Secret_squirrel | 51 min ago
0 likes

Im dubious this is anything new apart from "because we can".

Its perfectly possible to, indeed, preferential to design the kind of compliance in with regular tubes at larger scale.

Ultimately the limiting factor for "buzz-killing" flexibility is not the flexibility of the material but the damping required for the rebound.   Im willing to be proved wrong but Im betting even the 3-d printing cant generate a sufficent difference between compression and rebound in a material like steel.

There is a reason that when presented with this problem nearly everyone has opted for a damped softtail design.  See Moots, Dekerf and others from late 90's MTB, and Pinarello from the 2010's Dogma K8s for Paris-Roubaix.

Avatar
wtjs | 1 hour ago
1 like

The fact that they're selling off the e-bike version at half price at Cycle Race leads me to suspect that there's a lot of suspicion around that these trendy LPBF frames will just break at the obvious places within 5 years and won't be repairable- I have no evidence to support the suspicion, of course

Avatar
Rendel Harris | 5 hours ago
4 likes

There's going to be some fairly serious sales resistance to having a bike with "TRUMPF" emblazoned on the side, isn't there?

Avatar
cyclisto replied to Rendel Harris | 4 hours ago
7 likes

Maybe adding a U on the end, would make a key selling point for the exact same market group.

Avatar
Accessibility f... replied to Rendel Harris | 1 hour ago
0 likes

It's a nice looking bike but yep, no way would I touch anything with a name like that.  Unfortunate, but there it is.

Avatar
Sredlums replied to Rendel Harris | 1 hour ago
0 likes

I don't think they plan to sell them with that logo. Seems to me that was just a bike to showcase what they made and emphasize their contribution.

Avatar
levestane replied to Rendel Harris | 1 hour ago
0 likes

Maybe have TRUMPFfffffffff...

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