One week until the igus:bike tour begins

After 11 months travelling across the world, the igus:bike tour is a week away from its UK debut.

On the 15^th of September, a nationwide journey celebrating sustainable engineering, customer collaboration, and the power of motion plastics begins. To celebrate their 60^th birthday, motion plastics specialist igus set out in October 2024 to complete 6000 kilometres across the world on their recycled plastic bicycle.

Since its inception, the tour has travelled through several countries in Asia and Europe. From Germany, the team cycled through industrial hubs and scenic routes along the Rhine, engaging with engineers and students. There were memorable stops in Paris and Lyon, Milan and Bologna, with each stop sparking conversation around the unique features of the bike. Each leg of the tour has showcased how engineering and sustainability can go hand in hand and the UK tour is set to continue this, cycling across the country and stopping at iconic landmarks and customer locations to highlight real-world applications of igus technology.

The team plan to visit customer sites that reflect the diversity and impact of igus solutions. Among these are RS Components, a long-standing distribution company whose reach has helped bring igus products to thousands of engineers and manufacturers across the world and Sumo UK Ltd, where igus components are used in agricultural machinery to improve durability and reduce maintenance in demanding environments.

“This tour is about more than just cycling, it’s about connecting with our customers, celebrating innovation, and showing how motion plastics are making a difference in everyday life,” says Matthew Aldridge, Managing Director at igus in Northampton. “We’re excited to share our journey and the stories of the incredible businesses we work with.”

On the way to their final destination in Glasgow, the team plans to cycle the historical streets of Cambridge, visit well known landmarks in London and soak in the green valleys of the Peak District among many other locations, with different cyclists taking on the challenge through the trip.

The UK stages will be documented with daily entries on the igus blog, with behind-the-scenes content, and highlights from each stop available on social media platforms. The tour encourages engineers, students, and sustainability advocates to follow along at each stage.