A rust-free bike made of recycled plastic

Igus:Bike, a collaboration project between German motion plastic company Igus and Dutch start-up Mtrl, is an urban bike made almost solely of recycled plastic, making the bike both rust- and nearly maintenance free.

Nearly all components of the bicycle are made of plastic: the rim brakes, the freewheel, even the gearbox. The rim brakes are compatible with common V-Break brake pads. The gearbox was one of the biggest challenges, even initially ‘unthinkable’ to make it entirely of plastic, according to Igus. However, the planetary gearbox is indeed made of all-plastic and has very good efficiency, according to the companies. The design of the component is reduced to make it maintenance-free and durable. In addition, it is light, quiet and has integrated solid lubricants.

The lightweight bike will be made of recycled plastic. The successfully tested prototypes were made of recycled fishing nets. This means that the bicycles can also be produced locally, which cannot be said from common metal bikes. In addition, because the bike is made mostly of plastic, it cannot rust and is nearly maintenance free. The bicycle is said to be fully recyclable at end of life.

Mtrl, which was founded by the same people as the plastic Dutchfiets (read more about it here), produces and recycles with renewable energy in their lab in Nijkerk, the Netherlands. The bicycles have been tested for safety and approved according to European guidelines. The bicycles are currently available to pre-order for Dutch and German customers.

Images: Mtrl