[IC] Bias

[Baionlenja]

Bias R2 by Baionlenja

Years of work and 7 unique prototype rounds later, Bias is ready to be made public.


Quick Info


Group buy thread

Discord
Instagram
Youtube
Interest Check Form

Pre-order info

620 USD
VAT included for EU buyers

Raffle on 16th of November 2021
100 units available
Ships from Finland Q3 2022 or before
Bias will be retired after this group buy


More detailed information at the end of post


Who are you?

Hi, I'm some person from Finland who LOVES making keyboards.
Making keyboards hits that spot for me, I find it to be exceedingly fun all the way from the design to planning logistics.
My real name is Magnus, but everyone calls me Baion.
I've made a bunch of boards already and I've only ran private buys until now.


Here are some of my previous projects for the curious:

Ikirouta
Bias OG
Bias BE
Bias 1.5 and 2.0
WB
Larva
Ophanim

Sob Story AKA Why You Haven't Seen Me Before / Origin of Bias


TMI incoming skip if you don't like cringe things like emotions or feelings.

I just wanted to write this to give interest checks something more than the usual pretentious corporate speech by works.studios.

I going to be completely honest, making an Interest check like this is really difficult for me.
I've struggled with PTSD and severe insecurity my entire life.
I haven't dared to show anyone my work in the fear of being ridiculed, so I just quietly learned and improved my skills in making keyboards. 
This hobby doesn't make it easy and I've definitely been part of the problem myself. All the fear and anxiety I feel towards my own designs I tried to vent to others.

I rarely show off any designs until they're absolutely finished and perfect. It's why I haven't posted any IC's or promoted my boards much outside my Instagram.
And to me, my designs are never finished or worth showing. I do not feel I am worthy.

One day a couple years ago,  I gathered my courage and offered a few discord members to design a custom TKL for them, this ended up being one of the best decisions of my entire life. They invited more awesome people and together we made a new server to brainstorm the keyboard in.
The positivity and encouragement they gave made me realize that I have worth. I even gained the confidence to post it to a several discord servers to a good reception. This was the original Bias.
This gave me the energy and push to seek professional help. It took about a year of therapy and new medication this summer, but my life has changed for the better.
I am finally on the track to finish my studies and the development of Bias took on whole new wings.
Now here I am, writing a stupid sob story for an overpriced rectangle in a nerd forum. But for me it is proof that I am finally getting better.

But not everyone is as fortunate as I am

You who are reading this: Please take mental health seriously.
Being depressed, lacking energy and anxious all the time is not supposed to be norm.
Getting diagnosed can be a life changer for the better.
I wanted to write this to hopefully encourage others to speak of their issues more freely. There is no shame in showing weakness.

Thanks for reading this, I'm still gonna be a nervous wreck when I post this IC, but I feel like I am finally ready.

Now, give me your money.








Bias

OG Bias group buy was ran invite only in 2020 and I have been getting tons of requests from vendors and fans of my designs to sell it publicly.
Instead of just using the original design to cash out, I wanted to improve Bias as much as I could to make it worthy of your consideration.
Thus began a wild ride of endless prototype rounds, thousands of hours of testing, development, sourcing and learning.
And finally here we are. I sincerely hope you will appreciate the passion and commitment I've put to every single millimeter of Bias.

Photos & Renders

Main Features

Fixed WKL TKL layout
17.5mm front height
7 degree typing angle
"Seamless" HHKB Sides
M3 Hex screws flush to the surface
All this and the mounting system fits inside the classic bezels without dodgy thin walls
Very grabbable sides
Recessed USB-C port angled to the table
Bumpon cutouts
40$ more expensive than Bias R1, but with significantly upgraded features and materials



Evolved grommet mount

I wanted to make a mounting style that had the isolated plate and softer typing feel like gasket mount, but without the faffing around with foam stickers, misaligned plates or trying to get the stickers off when swapping plates.
In 2020, I started experimenting with rubber grommets and made a couple projects around them (WB for example).
With what I learned I decided to continue improving the design and this is the result.
These custom injection molded silicone grommets easily snap onto the plate and automatically align the plate assembly to the center.
They're removable, and you will receive two sets of different softnesses for more customization.



Leaf spring cuts

Additionally I experimented with leaf spring cuts on the aluminium plate.
I included them in several projects (Bias 1.5 and 2.0) but with Ophanim and WB I combined the milder leaf cuts with the custom grommets which yielded excellent results.
What you are seeing in Bias is the result of all this work. The polycarbonate plate option does not have leaf springs as it would be so flexy it would be unusable   



BAION WAVE ^TM (patent pending) /s

These distinct waves on the case floor allow the pcb to flex more without the switch pins contacting the case.
It's among the many interesting machining details for those who enjoy exploring the insides of every keyboard.



PCB Film

Another thing I've been working on for a while. I'm a big fan of offering built in sound customization options that do not affect typing feel.
It's a glossy film with a thin poron layer which goes on the pcb and under the switches.
It creates a more firm connection from switch to PCB and results in an interesting sound profile without muting the entire distinct sound of the board.
It's extremely tough which lends to good durability when redoing builds, and it's completely optional, not affecting typing feel with or without.

I recommend trying it! I personally like it with Gateron switches, but prefer to take it off for Cherry switches.




Two colours

Radiant sunshine battery acid eggplant atrocity  Black
Emerald sugarplum starshine cerebrospinal fluid  Silver




Click here for more renders
Click here for more prototype photos

Many of the features in this keyboard are to address my personal grievances

• JST cable channel is widened for ease of building. (You'll thank me when you're building it.)
• Screws are thick and flush to the surface. No more deep screw tunnels that end up in you scratching the sides of the screw hole because your screwdriver is too short.
• All case internal geometry is extra thick and robust.
• No glue involved in the mounting system.
• Grommets can be replaced with standard grommets found in mcmaster catalogue.
• Case and plate align themselves.
• Screws and mounting points are very carefully placed to minimize bezel sizes.
• PCB has some very specific design features which increase longevity such as spare diodes.
• Case is very easily liftable because "someone" dropped their Ikirouta on their finger once and vowed for such tragedy to never happen again.

So as you can see my personal obsessions experiences over the years have influenced this keyboard's smaller features heavily.
I hope that you will appreciate them as much as my poor fingers do!
Additionally I have gathered tons of feedback and suggestions from other hobby veterans.

Layout

• Winkeyless only
• Fixed ANSI with optional stepped caps lock
• Optional fixed ISO plate with optional stepped caps lock
• Plate files for more layouts will be released before Bias is shipped so that you can get your own plates made ready

Typing test

Pre-Order Information

• Group buy format: Raffle
• Group buy date: 16th of November, 2021
• Raffle window: 48h
• Available units: 100
• Ships from Finland

Raffle form, updates and future projects will be posted in Geekhack and in my Discord

Estimated shipping date: Q3 of 2022 or earlier
Extra units available after shipment

Base kit includes

• Bias Keyboard
• Stainless steel multicolor weight
• Custom PCB by Yiancar (case is also h87 compatible)
• Aluminium plate
• Two sets of custom grommets at different softnesses
• 2 x Custom molded poron PCB film
• Carrying case with custom molded interior
• Hardware and stickers
• 2 Year warranty

Pricing

Bias Kit

• 620 USD

For EU buyers EU price includes VAT For those outside EU, check your local tax rates for importing.

Shipping

• International 45 USD
• Europe 35 Euro

Extra parts

• Extra PCB with daughterboard: 60 USD
• Extra aluminium plate: 50 USD
• Polycarbonate plate: 60 USD

I will be stocking replacement parts such as PCB's grommets and PCB films.
Additionally I will provide a 2 year warranty for the buyer with quick and easy replacements.
A keyboard such as this is a big investment and I want to make sure you can find spare parts whenever you need them.


Please fill the Interest Check Form It's a great help!



One more thing
Bias has been a wild journey for me, but after this group buy Bias will be retired. So I wish you the best of luck and hopefully you will look forward to my future designs.


Edits:

Added more IRL pictures of the board insides

Changed EU pricing to fit the limitations of Shopify in my country. (Shopify doesn't support multiple currencies in Finland) EU buyers will have to pay in USD. VAT is still included.
Updated shipping prices to be more accurate. Earlier prices were done with an estimate, this time they are done with a proper quote from DHL. This means EU shipping price went up slightly.[/list]

[Baionlenja]

UPDATES


Sample for the carrying case arrived, see the album for more photos.



Album with carrying case photos

[hali]

oh shoot

[BouncyChillups]

oh ****, Im so in

[rookb]

this looks great, i think the IC form is restricted btw

[Baionlenja]

this looks great, i think the IC form is restricted btw

Thanks for the heads up! I fixed it!

[creampudding888]

Thanks for fixing the IC - I've filled it out . It might just be me, but I couldn't join your discord link above either 

[Wanchnn]

glwic , I'm into it 
P.S. I can't join discord link

[Reiniidevil]

Thanks for fixing the IC - I've filled it out . It might just be me, but I couldn't join your discord link above either 

The server requires a phone number linked to your account to be able to access it to avoid spammers and bots. Could that be it?

[creampudding888]

Thanks for fixing the IC - I've filled it out . It might just be me, but I couldn't join your discord link above either 

The server requires a phone number linked to your account to be able to access it to avoid spammers and bots. Could that be it?

Hmm. I dont think so? I tried on both PC and mobile and it didnt work (I have this all setup for other servers that require it, such as Keycult) Nvm got it working

[ThePanduuh]

LET’S ****ING GO BAION

[hover0423]

Love it. I can't get in your discord from the link you provided. Mind checking it again?

[L4ll1g470r]

Aaah, the legend is finally arriving…

[Reiniidevil]

Thanks for fixing the IC - I've filled it out . It might just be me, but I couldn't join your discord link above either 

The server requires a phone number linked to your account to be able to access it to avoid spammers and bots. Could that be it?

Hmm. I dont think so? I tried on both PC and mobile and it didnt work (I have this all setup for other servers that require it, such as Keycult) Nvm got it working

Can you let us know what did you do to get it working? Seems that others are having the same issue as well

Love it. I can't get in your discord from the link you provided. Mind checking it again?

We're looking into it right now, apologies. I tried generating a new link but that doesn't seem to be working either.

It was some kind of a weird formatting issue, but it should be working now!

[creampudding888]

Thanks for fixing the IC - I've filled it out . It might just be me, but I couldn't join your discord link above either 

The server requires a phone number linked to your account to be able to access it to avoid spammers and bots. Could that be it?

Hmm. I dont think so? I tried on both PC and mobile and it didnt work (I have this all setup for other servers that require it, such as Keycult) Nvm got it working

Can you let us know what did you do to get it working? Seems that others are having the same issue as well

Love it. I can't get in your discord from the link you provided. Mind checking it again?

We're looking into it right now, apologies. I tried generating a new link but that doesn't seem to be working either.

It was some kind of a weird formatting issue, but it should be working now!

I used the link on IG vs. the one in GH. But the URL now looks to be the same on both, so it should be good now!

[Zyrophr]

Very cool.

[proelio]

Yes please. Also the rainbow weight looks so good. Definitely in.

[3yatt]

I've been waiting for the day

[Zurg Eon]

Wow! Definitely in

[Zach]

I need.  GLWIC

[BaltO]

What a grand reveal, congrats on the journey Baion

[Gnome]

I've got a few questions...
1) What does the warrenty cover?
2) Is VAT included in the estimated EU price? I know its common now after the new vat rule to write prices without VAT.
3) Is there any build streams before the raffle? The existing ones are not up to date.
4) Why are the renders so grainy?

[Zestrion]

Take my entire wallet. My body is ready

[Kinesiologist]

oh boy

[hpkb]

this is hot

[GMK83]

Discord link isn’t working

[Ustinj]

Been watching for a long time, your designs are pure excellence

[MIGHTY CHICKEN]

My wallet is about to die

[BouncyChillups]

Discord link isn’t working

There was a formatting issue earlier, but it should be fixed now. Otherwise check the link on Baions instagram, that worked for others too

[Baionlenja]

Been watching for a long time, your designs are pure excellence

Likewise!

[Baionlenja]

I've got a few questions...
1) What does the warrenty cover?
2) Is VAT included in the estimated EU price? I know its common now after the new vat rule to write prices without VAT.
3) Is there any build streams before the raffle? The existing ones are not up to date.
4) Why are the renders so grainy?

Warranty will cover PCB malfunctions for example or other manufacturing defects.
VAT is included in the price!
No build streams of this version of Bias due to time constraints unfortunately.
Renders are grainy due to my laptop heavily struggling with rendering  It did a decent job though

[Jacki]

Yes love this.
Would prefer either screw top mount or burger mount.

[fishbiscuit13]

I have a 1.5 prototype and it has not left my desk since I got it. From what I've seen of this board, it beats the snot out of mine. Sad I can't join in on this but it's 100% worth considering, Baion is an actual genius.

[Heritage.T.A]

Definitely one of the perfect keyboards

[TheTriggeredPony]

**** if i dont get a w on suit im going for this for sure, love it

[-_-]

khyyl

[totalemon]

I've been thirsting after this board since I saw it last year, super excited to see a public buy is finally going ahead. a little disappointing there aren't any interesting colours to choose from, but I'll take what I can get. On another note, I'm really sorry to hear you've been dealing with mental health stuff, it can be really difficult and I'm glad you're at least a little better now. And your designs are gorgeous, legitimately. Hopefully I can snag one!!!

[Hi !!]

Saw some Bias pics few times in the wild over the past year, but never really get a chance to look at the inside of the case until this IC. I really interested with the overall design, the thoughts of internal design and respect for the long rounds of prototyping. Really really glad that there is a chance to acquire one. 

[Surefoot]

Definitely interested, also supporting an EU project for once is nice

[Baionlenja]

I've been thirsting after this board since I saw it last year, super excited to see a public buy is finally going ahead. a little disappointing there aren't any interesting colours to choose from, but I'll take what I can get. On another note, I'm really sorry to hear you've been dealing with mental health stuff, it can be really difficult and I'm glad you're at least a little better now. And your designs are gorgeous, legitimately. Hopefully I can snag one!!!

Thank you for the kind words, it means a lot to me! Really.

Don't feel sorry for me, I simply hope this could encourage people to talk about such things more freely! No shame in showing weakness.

[VXQN]

Lovely board! I'm a bit sad to see that there are no "interesting" colour options.

[YMwoo]

Just dropping by to say it's a great design and glad to hear that it works out for you in the end. Mental health is something I'm struggling normally too so stories like yours give me hope too!
As for the board, unfortunately TKL isn't for me so I'll pass. I'm looking forward to what you have in the future though and also more color options too!
GLWIC!

[Diggidy]

.

[Baionlenja]

So the 620 USD is including VAT? That means if someone in the US wins a spot, VAT will be subtracted from that price?

No, the board costs 620 USD and 520 euros for EU citizens. 
I will update the IC to more clearly display that!

Would you be able to post any prototype pictures of the full inside of the case?

On it! Check back in a moment and I'll have it posted here!



Took a while since I ran out of sunlight, but here you go!

[gunchi]

Excited for the group buy! Lovely board.

[darthcapn]

Hottt

Sent from my SM-G988U using Tapatalk

[Neptune Keys]

Seems interesting.

[Bultiz]

ughhhhhhhh, LOVE this.

[brunosan_.]

 love the attention to detail that you have put on this project, I'm sure you won't have issues selling all of your units, also I loved the illustration work and the renders as well. GLWIC & GB.

[Diggidy]

.

[peaceperfection]

Loving this so much! Thank you!

[Baionlenja]

So the 620 USD is including VAT? That means if someone in the US wins a spot, VAT will be subtracted from that price?

No, the board costs 620 USD and 520 euros for EU citizens. 
I will update the IC to more clearly display that!

Would you be able to post any prototype pictures of the full inside of the case?

On it! Check back in a moment and I'll have it posted here!

Did you post it - I don't see it?

Pics are up!

[thestrayed]

I honestly don't use TKL but after reading through the whole thing. This will be the one. Love your attention to details. Finger crossed on 16th Nov for the raffle.

[SmitH1y]

Really liking this!

[Baionlenja]

I will also be posting pictures of the silver prototype and carrying case once I have them in my hands. Should be in about a week!

[honeybee]

Love this, just wish there were a WK variant.

[herbologist]

I will absolutely be trying for this.

re: your mental health points, I totally get it. it's difficult and facing criticism isn't easy, easy here, but you've got something great and it's amazing to see a public buy for bias! 

[jpg2401]

This is easily the best IC I have ever seen. I appreciated all of the details and revisions you showed. I am very interested in this. Beautiful.

[mcmcmc]

so gud

[andyduong]

I cant waitt

[unusuaL_]

duuuude this is very naice

[windlabs]

nicccccce

[Totoro]

Loving this so much! Thank you!

nice，i want it！

[actress]

Very nice. Just sucks that there's such a small chance to get one.
Also will the WB ever run? Look very nice as well.

[mr.bean]

Discord links seems broken or it's just me?

[Bachoo]

The Bias is one of my most wanted keyboards on my 'grail' list. I really hope I'm financially ready for when this drops.  I wish you the best endeavors for this and all future runs. But please consider running multiple rounds of this because the aftermarket pricing on this keyboard will be brutal.

[Gnome]

Definitely down and I think the price is fair.
I can tell a lot of work has gone into this project and I can understand why you would want to move onto other projects after you've ran this.
Personally wouldn't mind you running this again in the future with other colors. The colors and versions of prototypes and earlier runs were super pretty.

Hopefully I've saved up my luck through the months of skipped Group Buys to secure myself a Bias.
I wish you smooth sailing.

[namidettje]

First time a board screams at me to get it.

Just the interior, which will remain unseen most of the time , is a mesmerizing thing of beauty. The Chromish effect of the weight, the recessed usb, the sideprofile...It is beautiful AND functional.
Maybe it is the little suntime or the weird suomi up there but OP what you did, to me, is incredible.

Hopefully got a W for this raffle.

[alwaysbless]

Very naise I will take 10. Thanks

[Baionlenja]

Discord links seems broken or it's just me?

It should work, but specifically on Iphones the invite link has a high chance of causing trouble

[NotBing]

I remember seeing this board posted a couple of times on reddit and I've been interested in getting one ever since. Love the backstory and the meticulously thought out details. Best of luck to Baion, and best of luck to all entering the raffle.

[Capsy]

Always loved seeing limited glimpses of this board. The red with the white infilled BIAS logo is one of my all time favorites.

Never knew the story behind it so it was lovely reading it. Glad you're doing much better than before too 

Good luck and I'll hopefully be in for one.

[Puddsy]

this is, as far as i am aware, the first high end custom board that comes with a warranty

there's some trivia for you

[Oblotzky]

this is, as far as i am aware, the first high end custom board that comes with a warranty

there's some trivia for you

2 Years warranty is required by law for EU vendors. It's not even mentioned most times because it's implied. Not to take away from the runner of course, always good to be open about that.

[Puddsy]

this is, as far as i am aware, the first high end custom board that comes with a warranty

there's some trivia for you

2 Years warranty is required by law for EU vendors. It's not even mentioned most times because it's implied. Not to take away from the runner of course, always good to be open about that.

oh i actually did not know this, cool fact, i was wrong

[Luxo]

Really hope for a W. It looks amazing.

[Baionlenja]

Indeed it's the perks of EU consumer protection! I want to make it clear for non-eu buyers as well that their purchase will also be covered by the warranty!

[μ]

Been following the progress of this board for like a year now. Glad the GB is finally happening.

[Baionlenja]

Prototype for the carrying case arrived. Pictures of it will be posted under the OP.
I will be ordering another prototype to test a more elegant solution for pcb and plate storage 

[L4ll1g470r]

Case is a bit heavy on the logo, but digging the zipper pulls and the interanal setup from what I can see!

[Baionlenja]

Case is a bit heavy on the logo

I agree! Will be tweaking the prints for the next sample. This one is already really good, but I want to try more stuff and see what people think

[androo]

Fantastic IC and beautiful board. Really hoping to get lucky. Does anyone have an updated discord invite link? The posted one seems expired.

[Bobatype]

Case is a bit heavy on the logo

I agree! Will be tweaking the prints for the next sample. This one is already really good, but I want to try more stuff and see what people think

This is very subjective, but if I could pick I would personally prefer the script logo 'Bias' (seen on the front) over the current logo (which looks super nice (by the designer of Aphex twins logo)), but its not my style -  on both the case, and also on the backweight. I find it more aesthetic/elegant.

[Reiniidevil]

Fantastic IC and beautiful board. Really hoping to get lucky. Does anyone have an updated discord invite link? The posted one seems expired.

The link should still be working, it was a forever link.

[Que7797]

Beautiful board. Love the attention to detail.

Also, thank you for speaking openly about your mental health.

Goodluck with the groupbuy!

[noorejji]

I’m a bit late to this GB but I just want to say that I really enjoyed reading your opening post. I like your humor and appreciate the openness. Wish you the best with the production of this board and your future endeavors.

[macclack]

This board is absolutely lovely in every way. Congratulations on the launch of the GB, and thank you for the heartfelt background

[treeleaf64]

I
 appreciate the mental health notice

how does this work for the sound?

[Reiniidevil]

how does this work for the sound?

It's not meant for sound, and has no real advantage or disadvantage for it.