Theory
The mid-1990s were a fertile time for bicycle designers. New materials (aluminum, carbon fiber) created a lot of new possibilities beyond the "double triangle" design of bicycle frames that had dominated the market. While steel was strong, it needed to be reinforced geometrically in order for thin tubes to be used; large, unsupported beams were impossible unless designers were willing to add pounds and pounds of steel to hold them up. But with aluminum and carbon fiber, newer, more creative designs became possible.
During the late 1990s, a number of "non-traditional" designs launched onto the market. While the Zipp 2001 may be one of the better known products, other frames made in this era included Hotta, Softride, Trek's Y-foil, and the Cheetah Cat.
Read more about this topic: Zipp 2001
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