Carbon Tandems

In development since 2002, Santana's BEYOND uses two breakthrough technologies licensed from VyaTek Sports. The first technology, IsoGrid®, is a cutting edge method for building a carbon tube wherein a thin carbon skin is fused to a carbon skeleton in an extreme pressure / high temperature mold. The resulting tube—with a smooth exterior and a honeycomb interior—is not unlike the rib-and-skin construction of an airplane fuselage. As is the case with airplanes, an IsoGrid tube's skin-over-stringer process creates a failure resistant structure that is simultaneously stiffer and lighter. That's right, Santana's Beyond incorporates carbon tubes that are stronger, stiffer and lighter than the tubes found on previous bicycles.

The best part? Instead of being glued together, the tubes on our carbon tandems are welded together. Impossible? Nope, using VyaTek's second technology (Bi/Fusion®) each IsoGrid tube emerges from the mold wearing a pair of thin titanium sleeves that extend beyond ends of the co-molded carbon. These tubes—100% carbon composite except for the stylish titanium cuffs—allow us to miter and then TIG-weld these tubes in the same way we TIG-weld titanium frames. Welded carbon construction not only avoids the weight penalty of glue-and-socket system, it prevents carbon's most common form of failure.

Road Beyond
All-Terrain Dual Moto