This Is RCYL, a Bike Made Almost Entirely Out of Plastic

In early 2020, the first signs of trouble appeared, followed by a complete shuttering of most businesses as the international health crisis unfolded. Those who still had to go out but relied on public transport had to reorient themselves, and as it so happened, e-bike manufacturers were paying attention.

Since 2020, we've witnessed the most incredible boom on the niche of motor-assisted bicycles, with more recent models bringing extended range, more techy features, lighter weights, enhanced performance, and more reliable components. The downside to the increase in production is an increase in waste, which holds true for every segment of the market, not just e-bikes.

Proof of that increase in waste is in the abandoned ride-sharing fleets of e-bikes or e-scooters or the deplorable state of those not yet abandoned, found littering many of the world's largest cities. RCYL is one attempt at mitigating waste: the world's first bike made almost entirely out of plastic, recyclable itself, and with a multi-generational lifecycle.

RCYL isn't out yet, not properly so. Earlier this year, plastics specialist igus and partner MTRL announced that the first 100 units are going into limited production, with plans to scale up production later, to 1,500 units per year if there's enough interest in the product.

If RCYL looks familiar but the name doesn't ring any bells, that's because it's been around for at least a couple of years, though under a different name. It was introduced as a concept called igus:bike in 2022 and has since gone through several stages of development. That includes one stage in which the project was called off altogether.

Back when we first covered it, igus:bike was aiming for more than 90% plastic parts, but it still features some metal components. Later iterations focused exclusively on replacing those with plastic counterparts, so that the newly-christened RCYL, the fourth-gen prototype, can now boast of being 92% plastic.

That's no small feat, either. RCYL includes plastic handlebars, customizable for the final color and shape, a plastic frame, plastic one-piece wheels, plastic pulley for the Gates drive belt, plastic crank and wheel bearings, plastic gearbox, plastic freewheel, plastic brake levers, and plastic pedals.

What's not plastic is still made of metal and other materials, like some bolts, the light, the tires (skinny Continental for city riding), and the disc brakes.

All plastic parts are produced by means of rotational and injection molding from recycled plastic. That's win number one for the planet: to make this bike, igus is using plastic waste that would otherwise litter our oceans and suffocating our planet.

Win number two for the planet is that the bike itself is recyclable at the end of its extended lifecycle since, duh, it's made of plastic.

igus says that, unlike most bikes made of aluminum alloy or other metals, the RCYL is weather-proof, maintenance-free, resistant, vibration-dampening, and ultimately very lightweight despite its rather chunky appearance. It won't rust, doesn't need oiling and constant readjusting, and will basically last you a lifetime. Customization is also possible, to a certain extent. Like, what's there not to love about it?

Speaking of weight, ignus estimates the RCYL will tip the scales at about 17 kg (37.5 lbs). They're also working on an electric version, but since that would make the use of plastic components all the more difficult, there's not even an estimated timeline for a prototype.

For the time being, the company is investing all efforts in bringing the standard pedal-powered model to market. To that end, the pre-order books are open. Reservations are non-binding, so we're guessing pre-orders are more of a tool to gauge interest and not a way to raise some capital, as is the case with other startups. However, there's no word of the estimated delivery date.

Designed as a single-speed, no-suspension city bike with applicability on the daily commute or as part of rental fleets, the RCYL comes with a price tag of €1,200, which is approximately $1,300 at the current exchange rate.

It's true, for this kind of money, you can get a decent mid-range e-bike today that would bring extra convenience in terms of the ease of moving about town. And it could even have a multi-speed gearbox and suspension, as well as some other fancy features. But you wouldn't get the easy conscience of knowing you did some good for the planet by buying a bicycle made of recycled plastics made to last a lifetime – and more. It's an option worth keeping in mind if you're the eco-conscious type, without a doubt.