Igus Celebrates 60th Anniversary with Recyclable Bike

To mark its 60th anniversary, igus has launched its innovative and environmentally friendly bicycle — called the igus:bike — on a world tour, underscoring its commitment to sustainability. Made from recycled plastics, the bike will spend a year traveling through 16 countries, signaling a new form of urban mobility while demonstrating the success of a circular economy of plastics. A champion of sustainability, igus has steadily been increasing the proportion of recycled plastic since the start of development to 50 percent — and the trend is rising. This capability makes it possible to process used fishing nets, shampoo bottles and other plastic waste into regranulate for rotational-molding machines. As the igus:bike is on display during its world tour, igus’s mission is to show that plastics don't have to end up in incineration or landfill but can be used as the raw material for other products. “As a company that has been manufacturing industrial components for movement from plastic for 60 years, we are committed to driving forward the transformation to a sustainable circular economy for plastic. The igus:bike is a milestone on this journey,” says igus CEO Frank Blase. “On this trip, we hope to inspire many companies and end consumers to also commit to sustainable solutions when using plastics.” Made from high-performance plastics, the igus:bike's ball bearings, drive and freewheel don’t require any lubrication, which can become a dirt magnet on conventional bicycles. This design also eliminates the need for time-consuming relubrication and cleaning. In addition, the bike is weather-resistant and corrosion-free, enabling riders to hose it down for cleaning or leave outside overnight. The igus:bike has already gone into high-volume production under the name RCYL and is available for ordering on the company’s website.