plastic for Bikes - plastic bicycle components from igus®

igus® has been producing plain bearings for the bicycle industry for over thirty years and is now becoming a manufacturer of bicycle components. The know-how from plastic processing and the development experience of the plastic bicycle presented in 2022 RCYL will flow into the new products. The components are made from high-performance plastic using the injection moulding process, which enables cost-effective series production. Following the completed development and ongoing production of plastic e-bike frames for city and trekking bikes, we are also developing modular frame concepts. In addition, igus® offers bicycle handlebars, wheels, cranks and other components made from high-performance plastics.

To the bicycle components

To the warehouse technology application examples

Discover our expertise

Download our bike technology brochure

To the plain bearings for bicycle components

Our products in use

Discover our bike made from recycled plastic

Contact our expert

Areas of application for igus plain bearings and bicycle components

Sustainable bicycle components made of plastic

igus focuses on high quality and sustainability in production - but how do sustainability and plastic go together? Quite simply, plastic bicycle components require less energy to produce than aluminium or carbon and have a smaller CO2 footprint. Recycling is also significantly easier than with competing materials. In addition, some recycled materials are already used in the production of igus:bike® components.

It is the company's goal to manufacture the products entirely from recycled materials and to take them back at the end of their service life. These are then used for new products - creating a circular economy. Another factor: thanks to production in Cologne, there are no long transport routes with container ships.

Application examples of our storage technology in MTBs and cargo bikes

igus® Bearings in the bicycle industry - for over 30 years

Mountain bikes
Durable bearings for pedals, shocks, seatpost, rear triangle, etc.

Further application examples for E-MTBs

Cargo bikes
Robust bearings for handlebars, box flaps, bike stands and more

Further application examples for cargo bikes

Further areas of application
Durable components for other bike types, bicycle accessories and other means of transport

Discover more application examples

Our expertise - from the idea to the product and beyond

design
The developers at igus combine design and function - for products that not only function perfectly, but also look good.

Development
Product development is the driving force behind igus - up to 150 new product launches per year from in-house development demonstrate the innovative capacity of igus.

Prototypes
Rapid prototyping - initial samples can be produced within a few days using 3D printing, SLS printing, turned from bar stock or from a fast-line mould.

Simulation
Various simulation options for perfect products.

In-house compounding
Material development for high-performance plastics.

In-house toolmaking
The award-winning in-house toolmaking department allows for rapid development of customised injection moulds.

Own test laboratory
Safety is the top priority at igus®. igus has its own test laboratory, which covers an area of 3,800 square metres. All bicycle components, e.g. frames, handlebars, wheels, and cranks are tested here on over 25 bicycle test rigs.

High volume production
With over 800 injection-moulding and rotomoulding machines in Germany and additional production facilities at the igus locations around the world, we guarantee short distances and fast delivery times.

Recycling/sustainability
With chainge®, igus® relies on its own sustainability programme and thus ensures the cycle for its own products.

Tomorrow's mobility from yesterday's waste

A solid plastic bike that doesn't rust. Without maintenance, without lubricants. Together with mtrl, igus® is building the urban bike of tomorrow: robust, durable and sustainably produced from 50 % recycled plastic waste.

Find out more on the RCYL website

Tested for real use in the igus® test laboratory

Tested for continuous load, media resistance and low-noise operation

In the largest plastic test laboratory in the industry, iglidur® bearings are put through their paces. The focus is on tensile and shear forces, coefficient of friction, wear as well as abrasion and drive force at different speeds and loads of the bearing. The results are fed into our tools for calculating service life and enable precise predictions to be made about durability.

Upon request, igus® also carries out customer tests to test the use of the products under very individual conditions.