New wheels from igus reduce maintenance costs in urban traffic – and still function reliably in tests after 10,000km under high loads

In more and more cities, food distributors are offering delivery to your doorstep by cargo bike. However, cargo bikes have a weak spot: their wheels bear higher loads than those of normal bicycles. As a result, defects occur time and again, resulting in delivery failures and expensive repair costs, making this means of transport less cost-effective. The solution from igus: robust wheels that are manufactured in one piece from plastic using rotational moulding.

A wheel made of plastic? That sounds unusual at first. However, the idea is no matter of chance. In recent years, the plastics specialist igus from Cologne has gained experience with the igus:bike: a bicycle that is made of over 90% plastic – 50% of which is made from recycled material such as old fishing nets. “During hundreds of test rides and the igus:bike world tour, which covered thousands of kilometres on various continents, we discovered that the wheels in particular are extremely robust,” says Jan Phillip Hollmann, Head of the Bicycle Components Business Unit at igus. “We have therefore decided to offer the plastic wheels in 24″ and 26″ as a separate product. This gives manufacturers the opportunity to make their cargo bikes even more fail-safe.” Whether last-mile delivery in densely populated cities, transport of bulky goods or regular use in harsh weather conditions: the wheels impress with their high load capacity and reliability.

Still working reliably even after 10,000km of riding over potholes

Electric cargo bikes are bear higher loads in road traffic than normal bikes. With food for numerous households on board, the total weight is often up to 300kg. Correspondingly high forces act particularly in the bends. Added to this is the ride over kerbs, potholes and cobblestones, which puts above-average stress on the spokes, rims, hubs and bearings. “Tests in our in-house laboratory in accordance with DIN 79010:2020-02 have shown that the new plastic wheels meet these high requirements,” explains Hollmann. The wheels were subjected to a load of 120kg per wheel on a wheel test rig. There were bumps on the track roller that caused a shock with each rotation, similar to going over a pothole. “Even after 10,000km, the wheels still operated reliably. We can therefore assume that significantly fewer changes will be necessary in day-to-day deliveries by bike – a decisive factor for fleet operators in the delivery business.”

Reduced maintenance effort

Cargo bikes are comparatively high-maintenance. Many delivery services regularly have to tighten spokes and have the wheels re-centred, resulting in additional time and effort. This is now a thing of the past as the wheels are manufactured by igus in one piece. This is made possible by the rotomoulding or rotational-moulding process. It works with a rotating negative mould of the wheel, in which molten plastic powder is evenly distributed on the inner walls and hardens. “This creates a seamless, dimensionally stable component with a high load capacity and a carbon look that also enhances the bike’s appearance,” explains Hollmann. The high torsional strength is a decisive advantage in cargo use with sudden braking manoeuvres, frequent stop-and-go cycles and poor road conditions with bumps and potholes. To ensure the necessary strength and robustness, the wheels require a relatively high wall thickness. The weight therefore varies between 2.2 and 2.5kg for bikes between 24″ and 28″.

Once the wheels have reached the end of their useful life, they can be simply returned to the material cycle via igus. This is a clear advantage for bike manufacturers and fleet operators who not only focus on efficiency and durability, but also take environmental considerations into account when selecting components.

You can find more information about the bicycle components from igus here: https://www.igus.eu/industry/bicycle