MTRL, a Dutch bike rental startup, and igus, a German motion plastics company, have teamed up to produce a bike made entirely of recycled plastic waste, including the wheels, gears, forks, and frame. The igus:bike will be released by the end of the year.
For over half a century, igus has been working with plastic – with its tribologically optimized plastic compounds finding applications in the robotics, agriculture machinery, and automotive industries. For the first time in the US, its self-lubricating motion polymer technology was employed in a full-suspension mountain bike in 1990.
Over the years, we’ve seen several efforts to produce bikes from plastics, such as EOOS’s electric tricycle prototype, dubbed ZUV, made from 70 kilograms of recycled plastic packaging waste sourced from supermarkets. And Nespresso and Vélosophy also produced a limited-edition stylish bicycle, called RE:CYCLE, made from recycled aluminum coffee capsules.
In 2009, igus CEO Frank Blase came up with the idea for a corrosion-free all-plastic bicycle while on vacation in Florida after noticing that rental bikes were short-lived due to exposure to salt water, wind, and sand. In 2019, the long road to development began with an investment and partnership with MTRL (previously known as DutchFiets). The ultimate goal is to create a bike made entirely of discarded plastic, and their teamwork has almost completed that vision.
Currently, 90% of the igus:bike is made from plastic, including the planetary gears, chunky-style molded frame, freewheel, bearings, wheel rims, and pedals. Even the rim brakes are made of plastic, although brake pads must be added. As a result, every build is expected to contain roughly 35 lbs (16 kg) plastic waste.
The rims are encased in Continental tires, and all plastic components “have incorporated solid lubricants and guarantee low-friction dry operation.” Rider power is delivered from the crank to the back wheel via a Gates Carbon Drive belt.
This single-gear bike is intended to “have an extraordinarily long service life and can be passed down from generation to generation.” Due to the lack of a grit-attracting wet lubricant and the ease of hose-down cleaning, low maintenance is also guaranteed. In addition, igus plans to offer an upcycling service when the product reaches the end of its useful life.
While the igus:bike is still in development, a functioning prototype has already made its way into trade fairs, including Hannover Messe, where it recently premiered. In addition, other bicycle makers are being given access to the technical concepts and components to incorporate them into future models.
The first series-ready urban bike inspired by the igus:bike prototype is expected to hit the market later this year from MTRL, with an adult model made from recycled plastic costing roughly US$1,500 (€1,400). Unfortunately, a slightly cheaper version made from virgin plastic will also be available. There are also plans for models with many gears and an e-bike.
