The Swedish Bike Project
- Tooling

The Swedish Bike
Project - Tooling

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GOTHENBURG - 6/5 2026

The Swedish Bike Project began as an idea to explore what is actually possible when development, materials and manufacturing are brought together in a new Swedish context. A project with the ambition not only to design an advanced carbon fibre frame - but to gradually develop the conditions required to produce it entirely in Sweden.

 

In the first chapter we introduced the vision behind the project and presented the partnership with Aston Harald Composite - a partner whose experience in advanced composite manufacturing makes the project possible.

In chapter two we took a deeper look at the material selection and why we chose to work with TeXtreme® carbon fiber - a material used in some of the world’s most demanding applications.

In the third chapter the project began to take physical form. From the first sketches and CAD models to the 3D-printed prototype that made it possible to experience the bike’s proportions, lines and overall presence in reality for the very first time.

With the design defined and the 3D prototype in place, the project now moves on to the next major step in the process. The work on the tools and moulds that will form the foundation of the carbon fibre frame manufacturing now begins.

This is where chapter 4 of The Swedish Bike Project begins - Tooling.

On the outskirts of Gothenburg, in the heart of Sweden’s automotive industry, Cliff Models in Torslanda has been transforming ideas and design concepts into physical reality since the late 1980s.

With roots in advanced model making and prototype development, the company has spent decades building specialist expertise in precision machining, engineering and tooling - serving industries with exceptionally high demands on quality and technical control. 

By combining traditional craftsmanship with advanced 5-axis CNC machining, Cliff Models today works across everything from automotive and marine development to medical technology and advanced composite projects.

This is also where the moulds behind the project’s first carbon fibre frame are now beginning to take shape.


From CAD to finished mould - step by step

01. CAD model

The design is divided into multiple sections where parting lines, tolerances and tooling geometry are defined.

02. Tool design

Each mould section is engineered to handle both the manufacturing process and the final surface finish.

03. 5-axis CNC machining

The moulds are machined with high precision from epoxy blocks supplied by Modelco, using advanced multi-axis machining.

04. Refinement & surface finish

The surfaces are refined and polished to achieve the finish and accuracy that will later be transferred to the carbon fibre frame.

05. Ready for production

Once the tooling is complete, the work on the carbon fibre construction itself can begin.

FACT: The surface finish of the moulds directly affects the final result of the frame - every detail in the tooling is later reproduced in the carbon fibre.

To manufacture the moulds, materials supplied by Swedish company MODELCO are used - a family-owned business specialised in advanced materials for tooling, prototyping and composite manufacturing.

With customers across the automotive, aerospace and composite industries, they work daily with materials developed for advanced applications with exceptionally high technical demands. 

For the moulds, an epoxy-based tooling board is used - developed for processes where dimensional stability, surface finish and temperature resistance are critical throughout manufacturing.

The material, RAKU® TOOL, was developed in close collaboration with Italian company Dallara - a name well known within advanced racing and composite engineering.

Its dense structure and high stability make it possible to create moulds with an exceptional level of detail, while allowing the material to retain its shape even as temperatures fluctuate during production.

These are qualities that become essential when tolerances are tight and every detail in the mould is later reproduced in the finished carbon fibre frame.
At Cliff Models, the work begins by machining the tooling boards into finished mould sections.

Using advanced 5-axis CNC machining, each surface is carefully shaped from the digital CAD model with a high level of precision. Parting lines and transitions must align perfectly - not only visually, but functionally throughout the entire manufacturing process.

Once the machining is complete, the work continues with refinement, surface finishing and fitting between the mould sections - stages where even the smallest deviations can have a major impact on the final result.
After the first stages of machining, the moulds gradually begin to take their final form.

What previously existed only as sketches, CAD models and prototypes now exists as physical tooling - developed for the next phase of the process.

For the first time, the project is beginning to approach the stage where materials, engineering and manufacturing come together in the same real-world component.
Behind every finished bike are layers of decisions, materials and processes.

In this chapter, The Swedish Bike Project has taken the next step - from design and prototypes to physical tooling developed for the next phase.

Step by step, the work continues towards a finished construction - ready for the start line.

Press Contact

Allebike / Vincents Alingsås
Jessica Blomqvist
Email: jessica@allebike.se

TeXtreme
Tomas Josefsson
Email: tomas.josefsson@textreme.com

Aston Harald Composite
Lars Idmyr
Email: lars.idmyr@astonharald.com 

Cliff Models
David Halling
Email: david.halling@cliffmodels.com

MODELCO
Carl-Johan Stråhle
Email: carl-johan@modelco.se