No bearing clearance, no relubrication: iglidur in the foldable mountain bike

Profile

A folding-frame bicycle is folded and reassembled in four steps.

What was needed: Plain bearings for various bearing points in the folding mechanism of the mountain bike frame
Requirements: wear resistance, insensitivity to dirt, moisture, temperature differences and vibration, maintenance-free, low weight
Area of application: bicycle industry, mountain bike technology

The Austrian company Tonkel Om handmades in Salzburg develops extraordinary bicycles and bicycle components. Among the various design projects, the foldable mountain bike One is a particular highlight. The patent-pending frame can be folded to a pack size of 75 x 34 x 25 cm in just 90 seconds without any tools.

Problem

The mechanism of the folding frame has a large number of bearing points that are exposed to extreme loads when riding off-road. The bike is exposed to all kinds of weather conditions, so the bearings have to function perfectly in wet, muddy and dusty conditions as well as in temperature fluctuations. Given the large number and generous dimensions of the bearing points, Thomas Schwaiger aka "Tonkel Om" therefore needed a bearing material that was suitable for this load and also needed to be as light as possible.

Solution

iglidur ® plain bearings fulfil all requirements. The bushings made of high-performance plastic could be integrated into the folding mechanism without any problems. Not only the low weight and freedom from lubrication, but also the downtime is impressive: After a maintenance-free two-year test phase with several thousand kilometres in every conceivable terrain, no bearing clearance was detected. There was no need to replace the bearing. Should this be necessary one day, the replacement can be carried out easily and cost-effectively.