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Lightweight & durable bearing technology for Crankbrothers pedals

igus® plain bearings also impress on tough trails in MTB pedals from Crankbrothers

Bicycle pedals with iglidur plain bearings

Smooth running and long service life

The US company Crankbrothers is a firm favourite among mountain bike fans. Maintenance-free bearings from motion plastic specialist igus® are used in the manufacturer's pedals. Tests at igus® and at Crankbrothers confirm an eight times longer service life compared to alternative solutions. With bicycles, the different types and superstructures are as varied as their purposes. For some, they are simply a means of transport for everyday use, while for others they are fitness equipment, company vehicles or even equipment for leisure activities. In the latter case, there are also big differences - from cool city cruisers to all-terrain mountain bikes, where the components sometimes have to withstand hard knocks. This is where products from Crankbrothers in the USA come into play. The company manufactures components for mountain bikes - from wheels and handlebars to pedals. The company from California develops its products together with professional cyclists and stands for innovative design combined with premium components for the highest demands of users.

Problem

Crankbrothers was looking for a suitable solution for the pedal bearing. Among other things, the focus was on weight reduction and a long service life. However, the previously tested solutions could not achieve the desired objectives and were sensitive to dirt accumulation.

Solution

Thanks to plain bearings made of the material iglidur® JB, the company was able to achieve a service life 8 times longer than the previous solution. Furthermore, the weight could also be reduced at the same time. The bearings are insensitive to dirt and can be easily cleaned without any loss of performance.

Bicycle pedals with iglidur plain bearings function despite dirt

Durable premium components from Cologne

With the newly developed pedals from Crankbrothers in particular, the manufacturer advertises the use of premium components. These include iglidur® bearings, which are optimised for friction and wear. Long service life combined with very low weight are important criteria in the bicycle industry. As our bearings are dry operation, no dirt can stick to them. This means that the bearing points remain smooth-running even under the most adverse conditions. "In addition, the bearings sometimes have to withstand very high impact loads off-road," explains René Achnitz, head of the iglidur® bearings division. "Here, however, our solutions can easily keep up with the specifications of metallic alternatives." However, low weight is at least as important for cycling as the functionality of bearings, as every gram that has to be moved requires additional force from the rider.

Convincing test results in the laboratory

Among other things, Crankbrothers has revised its entire portfolio of pedals for 2016. In the past, the company had considered cheaper alternatives. However, it soon became apparent that these could not fulfil the required service life expectations. "We set up a customised test for Crankbrothers in our laboratory in Cologne," reports René Achnitz. "The result was that the iglidur® bearings achieve a service life that is 8 times longer than the solution originally envisaged by the manufacturer." Following this test, Crankbrothers also set up a test in-house, where the bearings were tested in contact with dirt under real conditions. The result was even 74 times better in terms of service life. These test results underpin Crankbrothers' high quality standards and its promise to use high-quality components in the latest generation of its pedals, which lead to greater longevity, durability and performance.