igus:bike: The first bicycle made entirely of plastic – now on tour

This article was first published on 11 July 2023 and has Here's an update receive.

By now, everyone must surely be aware that the world is drowning in rubbish. The vast amounts of rubbish ending up in the oceans pose a threat to both animals and humans. This makes the concept of sustainability all the more important.

With the igus bicycle, made entirely of plastic, the manufacturer is taking a step in the right direction. The bright orange Urban Bike is said to be more durable and robust than other bicycles. What is particularly noteworthy is the focus on recycling. A version is set to be launched in which a large proportion of the material is recycled plastic.

“The plastic in the world’s landfill sites is becoming a valuable resource,” says Frank Blase, Managing Director of igus. He came up with the idea for a sustainable and durable bicycle whilst on his summer holiday, after learning about the problems with the beach bikes there, which, due to the weather, salt and sand, could usually only be used for a few months.

Plastic is easy to clean

Unlike with other bikes, owners of the igus:bike don’t need to worry too much about maintenance. On the contrary: “As all the components are made of plastic, nothing on the bike rusts,” explains Blase, adding: “Even in the gearbox. A plastic bicycle gearbox was unthinkable for a long time.” That’s why all you need to do is give the igus:bike a quick rinse with a garden hose, and it’ll look as good as new again.

The entire igus:bike is made of plastic. Consequently, this also applies to the ball bearings in the wheel hubs and the plain bearings in the seat post. Low-friction dry running is guaranteed by the integrated solid lubricants, which require no lubricating oil. No oil means no dirt sticks to the bike, and your fingers stay much cleaner during maintenance.

However, Igus’ Tribo plastics have not only been used in this bicycle, but have long been fitted in other modes of transport and machinery, such as cars.

igus:bike – an invitation to collaborative innovation

Eight people are currently responsible for developing the moving parts of the new igus bicycle. Under the leadership of Andreas Hermey, the long-standing head of development, and through collaboration with the start-up MTRL, the team has developed not only gearboxes and drive systems but also brakes, sprockets and ball bearings.

As igus’ Tribo plastics are already being used successfully in other industries, the company was able to draw on these and simply had to adapt them for use on bikes. The igus:bike platform now offers other manufacturers the opportunity to benefit from these developments in plastic components.

However, you can not only make use of the plans and designs for the plastic parts, but also play an active role in their further development. In addition to suppliers interested in manufacturing plastic wheels, the platform is also intended to serve as a point of contact for component manufacturers wishing to produce individual plastic parts.

To this end, all developments relating to the individual components of the igus bicycle are published on an ongoing basis. “Our aim is to enable the bicycle industry to produce bikes made from plastic,” explains Frank Blase. Helix.eco, a company specialising in recycled plastics, is one of the first partners in this collaboration.

MTRL as a promising partner for the igus bicycle

The Dutch start-up MTRL, another partner in the collaboration, has already sold 400 bikes with plastic wheels and frames. “In the founders, Johannes and Benjamin Alderse Baas, we have found partners who share our vision 100 per cent,” says igus Managing Director Blase, who has invested in MTRL himself. “Together, we are tackling the further development of all-plastic bicycles.”

The cycling start-up plans to launch its first models by the end of this year – one for adults and one for children. From 2023, the bikes will also be available in Germany. E-bikes are even a possibility for the future.

With regard to sustainability, there are plans to produce not only a completely new plastic bicycle but also a version made from 100 per cent recycled material. Old fishing nets, for example, have proved to be a successful material in the prototypes that have been tested.

However, the recycled version comes at a price. Instead of the 1.00 euro charged for the adult version of the igus bike made from new plastic, the sustainable version costs 1,400 euro. In future, the Dutch start-up plans to relocate its production to sites near plastic waste landfills – all over the world.

“From ocean plastics to motion plastics – the igus:bike concept has what it takes to become an eco-friendly high-tech product,” says Blase. “We still have lots of ideas, such as incorporating condition monitoring using igus’s smart plastics. This would allow you to see on your smartphone how many thousands of kilometres the bike still has left in it. And hopefully this will help us win over many people who are still sceptical about plastic today.”

Update (15 October 24): The igus:bike is on tour

The igus:bike is setting off on a world tour. To mark igus’s 60th anniversary, the bright orange bicycle made from recycled plastic will travel around the world for a year. The aim is to introduce industrial partners, media representatives and consumers to an innovative form of urban mobility that combines both riding enjoyment and sustainability.

This unusual urban bike showcases its advantages: it is corrosion-free, requires no oil and is virtually maintenance-free. Neither the ball bearings nor the drive mechanism and freewheel require lubrication, as they are made from high-performance plastics.

The igus:bike’s anniversary tour kicked off at the igus factory site in Cologne Porz-Lind; over the course of a year, the plastic bicycle will be on display in 16 countries, including Germany, Italy, the USA and China.

As a company that has been manufacturing industrial plastic components for moving applications for 60 years, we are committed to driving forward the transition to a sustainable circular economy. - Frank Blase, Managing Director of igus

Fishing nets are turned into bicycles

Plastic waste from landfill sites around the world could serve as raw material for the igus:bike in future. igus manufactures the individual components using rotational moulding and injection moulding – from the frame and bearings right through to the drive system. Since development began, materials researchers have succeeded in gradually increasing the proportion of recycled plastic to 50 per cent, and the trend is upwards. This means that disused fishing nets, as well as shampoo bottles and other plastic waste, can be converted into regranulate for the rotational moulding machines and thus processed into a valuable resource.

The igus:bike is a significant milestone on this journey. We hope that, as we move forward, we can inspire many businesses and end users to commit to sustainable plastic solutions as well. - Frank Blase, Managing Director of igus

Under the name RCYL, the igus:bike has gone into series production and is available for 1,243 euros at igus.bike order.