After its first stop in Germany, the lubrication-free and low-maintenance bike will now travel through Singapore to raise awareness for the “circular economy of plastics”
On October 15, the igus:bike made from recycled plastics started its world tour to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the motion plastics specialist igus. Since then, it has already travelled 365 km through Germany and now has made its way to the second stop: Singapore. The vibrant city-state provides the perfect setting to highlight the importance of sustainability, featuring stops at landmarks like Marina Barrage, the Singapore Flyer, the iconic Helix Bridge, Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, and Merlion Park. The goal is to raise awareness about the “circular economy of plastics” by combining fun with sustainability while displaying the durability and robustness of the igus:bike and its motion plastics components.
From ocean plastics to motion plastics: this is the goal that igus, the specialist for high-performance plastics, is pursuing with the igus:bike. An Urban Bike that is made from recycled plastic waste such as old fishing nets. For one year, the bicycle will be on display on the streets of various countries across the globe to show. The goal: Showing that plastic does not have to end up in incineration or landfill but can be used as a valuable resource to shape the urban mobility of tomorrow – and that new types of mobility can help combat the global flood of plastic. At the same time, the bike represents many of the advantages of the igus motion plastics: it does not rust, requires no oil and is maintenance-free. The ball bearings, drive and freewheel also do not need lubricating as they are made from high-performance plastics.
Kick-off at SIA Sports Club & Inspiring Students at Crest Secondary
The Singapore leg of the igus:bike world tour is set to begin with an exciting kick-off event at the SIA Sports Club, a vibrant hub for sports and community activities. The highlight of the evening will be a friendly soccer match between the igus team and the “Surprise” team. Before the match, attendees will have the chance to test ride the innovative igus:bike, a bicycle made entirely from recycled plastic, displaying the possibilities of eco-friendly transportation. The match promises to be filled with energy, sportsmanship, and camaraderie—a fantastic way to officially launch the Singapore tour.
Following the kick-off, the journey will head to Crest Secondary School, where the igus:bike will be introduced to students and educators. This visit is about more than just presenting a bike; it is an opportunity to spark conversations about sustainability and innovation. By displaying how recycled materials can be transformed into practical, eco-friendly solutions, the visit aims to inspire young minds to imagine and contribute to a sustainable future for urban mobility.
Night cycling through Singapore
After the kick-off, the tour will continue with a scenic night cycling session at Marina Barrage, offering a spectacular view of the city skyline. The initiative not only promotes eco-friendly transportation, reducing carbon footprints, but also highlights the health benefits of cycling at night in a bustling urban environment.
Over the next three weeks, the bright orange igus:bike will explore Singapore’s iconic locations, from the vibrant colours of Little India and the artistic charm of Arab Street to the historic beauty of Cavenagh Bridge and the modern marvels of Marina Bay Sands and the Singapore Flyer. The tour will also include stops at iconic spots like Merlion Park and the Helix Bridge, inviting passersby to take a closer look and even test the bike for themselves. This is an exciting opportunity to experience firsthand how a bicycle made from recycled plastic can be both incredibly fun to ride and remarkably low- maintenance.
Sustainable, low-maintenance and lubrication-free
As the bike is made exclusively of plastic, it is weather-resistant and corrosion-free. For example, you can hose down your bike to clean it or leave it outside overnight – whether it is at campsites, harbours, festivals, or company premises. In addition, the components made of high-performance plastics allow for low-friction dry operation without additional lubricants, which often become dirt magnets on conventional bicycles. This also eliminates the need for time-consuming relubrication and cleaning. The bicycle thus symbolises the many advantages of igus motion plastics, which everyone can experience during the world tour. Many engineers will also be able to discover new things on the bicycle’s journey around the world. As a pioneer, igus has done a lot of development work to make the first bicycle made from recycled plastic ready for series production. Material experts have developed a plastic compound that is both robust and lightweight and now allows a recycled content of over 50 percent – and the trend is rising. In addition, production techniques such as injection moulding and rotational moulding have been combined in such a way that, with the exception of individual components such as disc brakes, almost all bicycle components can now be made from plastic: not only the frame, the seat post and the brake levers, but also the drive unit, which was long considered technically unfeasible in the industry. “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,” said Lena Tan (Operations Director Asean).
Learn more about the igus: bike at www.igus.bike.
Follow the bike tour live at www.igus.eu/blog.
For more information, click on: igus Singapore Pte Ltd
