German Company Igus Launches High-performance Friction Plastic Technology

Many designs of German igus bicycles, whether cargo, city or sports models, use new components made of high-performance plastic technology.

Friction plastics have been touted as an alternative to metal solutions moving forward in the e-bike industry. These new plastics can be used for lightweight and lubricant-free polymer bearings, wear-resistant gears for electric motors and durable rod ends. The polymer they used was iglidur M210.

In most suspension systems, manufacturers rely on metal solutions, however in Frankfurt, igus announced that they have "lubrication-free plain bearings made of high-performance plastics, proven to be easier to maintain, 80% lighter, and resistant to dirt. "

igus presents a new range of bearings made of iglidur M210 polymer – the result is a bearing that can be replaced faster and has many other advantages.

Due to their higher flexibility and resistance to tension, polymer bearings also damp vibrations more effectively than metal-based solutions, ensuring better shock absorption and greater rider comfort.

Polymer bearings are also ideal for the bicycle industry due to their dirt resistance. The outer coating of the part uses a technology that is more resistant to everyday stress - meaning it will last longer than usual.

For better protection against dust, igus is also presenting the new iglidur "SG03 series" plain bearings with felt seals. In addition to providing additional dust protection, it also runs smoother compared to metal bearings. They also showed that igus has specially developed plastic plain bearings of the iglidur E series for linear motion, which can be used in suspension forks.

igus has also made improvements to the electric motor, the heart of the e-bike. They present high-performance gears for gearboxes made from iglidur, which they claim "significantly outperform other plastic alternatives in terms of service life". These gears are also quieter and lighter than those made with metal solutions, and can often be delivered faster. Thanks to advances in 3D printing technology and injection molding, designers can now create and debug gear in minutes.

Finally, igus shares the "igubal 2.0 series" metal-plastic hybrid bars for cargo bikes. These components combine the advantages of stainless steel and plastic to ensure high stability and excellent vibration damping. To ensure high stability and vibration damping, these mixing rods combine the advantages of being lubrication-free, maintenance-free and dirt-resistant. In addition, igus shares a rattle-free solution for the manufacture of cargo bike sliding doors; a further innovation from the German company.

igus also showcased further innovations from the German company with a concept of a bicycle composed of more than 90% plastic, from the frame to the bearings to the toothed belt. Most of the raw materials needed for this product can be forged from recycled plastic.

As a partner of igus, the dutch startup "mtrl" presented their first model. They will start producing and selling mtrl.bike products by the end of 2022.

igus is a family-owned company headquartered in Cologne, Germany, with operations in 35 countries and 4,500 employees worldwide.