Other uses for motion plastics in the bicycle industry

1 Folding mechanism folding bike

Ideally small enough to travel on the train free of charge as a piece of luggage or be stored in the car to save space: folding bicycles are currently undergoing rapid development with the change in mobility - with less weight, more comfort and sophisticated folding technology that is quick and easy to use. With our bushings made of wear-resistant high-performance plastic, such as iglidur J3, we offer a lightweight and corrosion-free alternative to metal bearings for the many joints in the folding mechanism, which require neither lubrication nor maintenance. Opening and closing, often and over a long period of time, without squeaking or rattling.

Plain bearing iglidur J3

• Excellent coefficient of friction
• Excellent wear resistance
• Low moisture absorption
• Good wear resistance under water and high media resistance
• Resistant to edge pressure as well as shocks and impacts
• Insensitive to dirt and dust
• Lightweight
• Lubrication-free

No bearing clearance, no re-lubrication: iglidur in the folding mountain bike
The Austrian company Tonkel Om handmades in Salzburg has developed a mountain bike that can be folded to a pack size of 75 x 34 x 25cm in just 90 seconds without any tools. For the many bearing points in the folding mechanism, the developers were looking for a resilient, wear-resistant bearing material that was as light as possible and resistant to all kind of weathering effects. iglidur bushings are the perfect solution ...

2 Steering head bearing and bottom bracket bearing in a children's bicycle

iglidur J3 plain bearings are also used successfully in the headset and as the inner bearing of children's bicycles. The reason is simple: they are robust, cost-effective and resistant to moisture, dirt and impacts - ideal specifications when you consider that a children's bike is not only exposed to all sorts of weather conditions, but also falls over, or ends up in a puddle or in the sand on a playground. You are spared problems with conventional ball bearings, which become rickety due to dirt ingress, loss of lubricant and rust.

Plain bearing iglidur J3

• Excellent coefficient of friction
• Excellent wear resistance
• Low moisture absorption
• Good wear resistance under water and high media resistance
• Resistant to edge pressure as well as shocks and impacts
• Insensitive to dirt and dust
• Lightweight
• Lubrication-free

3 Trike's front suspension

Still a niche, but increasingly popular: recumbent bicycles, especially three-wheeled ones, are probably the most comfortable way to ride a bike. Depending on the intended use and ground, there are now many types on the market, including spring-mounted and agile speedsters for rough off-road terrains. iglidur G plain bearings are small, lightweight, resistant to dirt, water and shocks. Due to these specifications, they are successfully used, among other things, in spring-mounted front suspensions.

iglidur G plain bearings

• Excellent coefficient of friction
• Resistant to edge pressure
• Insensitive to shocks and impacts
• Particularly resistant to dirt and dust
• Resistant to high loads (>60N/mm²)
• Lubrication-free

Small, light, robust: iglidur plain bearings in the Azub trike
With the "Trike of the Year", Azub Bike was already able to secure a renowned award for its TRIcon 26 with its innovative rear fork in 2015. For the new Ti-FLX recumbent bike, the company also relies on high-performance components such as high-strength Grade 5 titanium in the front wheel suspension. This is complemented by dry-operating plastic bearings made of iglidur G. The all-round bearing is lubrication-free and maintenance-free. Resistant to dust and dirt, it can achieve a long service life. Unlike metallic plain and ball bearings, it is also corrosion-free and many times lighter.

4 E-Scooter head tube

For several years now, electric scooters, in particular rental scooters, have been conquering cities. Ridden in wind and weather and on different ground conditions, with changing users who don't always handle them carefully, the scooters have to withstand a lot. With our lubrication-free plain bearings, maintenance costs can be reduced, and the scooters do not need to be removed from service for bearing maintenance, which increases their use efficiency. The range of the battery benefits from the light weight of our bearings. Bushings made of iglidur E material are particularly suitable for suspension forks, they are vibration-dampening and have virtually no stick-slip effect. For use in the head tube, we recommend our heavy-duty iglidur Q plain bearings.

iglidur E plain bearings

• Wear-resistant material for continuous operation
• Low coefficient of friction
• Suitable for linear movements
• Particularly long service life in combination with aluminium shafts
• Vibration-dampening
• Max. long-term application temperature 90°C
• Max. short-term application temperature 120°C

Plain bearing iglidur Q

• Resistant to high loads (>60N/mm2)
• Specially developed for extreme loads
• Resistant to shocks and impacts
• Excellent coefficient of friction
• Corrosion-resistant
• Small installation space required
• Lubrication-free

5 Cantilever brake

V-brakes are the classic bicycle brakes as they are lightweight, cost-effective and easy to repair and maintain thanks to their simple design. As far as maintenance is concerned, you can do without, at least at the bearing points, if you use our dry-running plastic bushings, which are vibration-damping, weather-resistant and lightweight. iglidur J is the perfect material for use on V-brakes and classic cantilever brakes.

Plain bearing iglidur J

• Good wear resistance at medium temperatures
• Excellent coefficient of friction
• Low moisture absorption
• Resistant to edge pressure
• Insensitive to shocks and impacts
• Resistant to dirt and dust
• Lubrication-free

6 Bicycle assembly stands

People who often repair bicycles use assembly stands to securely fix the bike at a comfortable working height. In addition to simple models, there are also electrically adjustable high-end versions that offer, e.g. mechanics in workshops the possibility to lift heavy bikes such as e-bikes in a way that is easy on their backs. Various igus products are successfully used in such lifting platforms: lubrication-free and maintenance-free drylin linear rail systems, resilient chainflex cables, which are specially made for moving applications, and compact e-chains from the E2 series, which ensure a particularly long service life for the cables.

drylin W linear guide

• 14 rail profiles, 50 carriage versions
• 100% maintenance- and lubrication-free
• Corrosion-free and wear-resistant
• Resistant to dirt, dust and humidity
• Extremely quiet operation
• Up to 40% more cost-effective than recirculating ball bearing guides

e-chains E2 series

• Reliable protection for moving cables
• Light and strong
• Quiet operation
• Easy and fast filling
• Available open with crossbars or closed as a tube

chainflex cables

• Specially developed for movement
• Suitable for small installation spaces and particularly tight bend radii
• 48 months chainflex guarantee
• Available from stock, from 1m length within 24 hours

7 Bicycle rack

Bike racks that are mounted on the roof or rear of the car are the perfect transport solution for anyone who doesn't have a trailer, pickup truck bed or motorhome bike garage. Particularly popular: foldable models that can be easily transported when dismantled and stored compactly, equipped with a tilting mechanism that allows access to the trunk. Manufacturers use plain bearings and thrust washers from our iglidur J series to ensure that folding and tilting work easily for a long time. Moisture, dirt, impacts and edge loads are no problem.

Plain bearings and thrust washers iglidur J

• Good wear resistance at medium temperatures
• Excellent coefficient of friction
• Low moisture absorption
• Resistant to edge pressure
• Insensitive to shocks and impacts
• Resistant to dirt and dust
• Lubrication-free

More about iglidur J plain bearings and thrust washers in the shop

8 Bearings in prams

People who spend a lot of money on a pram expect it to work reliably. Even after long periods of use in any weather and harsh environments, such as on playgrounds or beaches, where the material comes into contact with sand and sea water. In these situations, metallic ball bearings and bushings with PTFE coating suffer particularly. Sand adhering to the lubricated bearings, loss of lubricant/sliding layer and rust are problems that can be avoided with our dry-running plastic bearings. No more jamming or squeaking wheels, no more rickety bearing points. iglidur G plain bearings are lightweight, cost-effective and robust - just right for use in folding and articulated joints, height adjustment, swivel wheels and wheel hubs.

iglidur G plain bearings

• Excellent coefficient of friction
• Resistant to edge pressure
• Insensitive to shocks and impacts
• Particularly resistant to dirt and dust
• Resistant to high loads (>60N/mm²)
• Lubrication-free

Lightweight, cost-effective, uncomplicated: igubal spherical bearings in the jogging pram
The JogAlong pram combines the usual transport function with sporting activity. It has ergonomically shaped arm levers that imitate the natural swing of the arm. The heart of the construction are igubal spherical plain bearings made of solid plastic. They enable three degrees of freedom, reduce the complexity of the assembly and thus reduce costs and weight compared to the originally intended designs. Being lightweight, lubrication-free and corrosion-free makes them the perfect alternative to metal bearings.