8 Environmental Initiatives in the Bike Industry: SRAM's Fiber Recycling Patent, Sustainable Production, & More

May 31, 2021
by Ed Spratt  
The inversion broke up just enough to let us peak down into Zermatt from the top of stage 3

The cycling industry gets away with some pretty wasteful practices, which it often waves away under the pretense of "it's bikes, so it's green." The reality is that buying less, repairing and reusing your things, and riding more locally are the best things for the earth; however, we applaud the brands that are trying to reduce their impacts on the environment too. The perfect is the enemy of the good, so it's great to see people working towards better.

2021 has seen some great new green initiatives with Endura reaching their one million tree planting goal, Trash Free Trails revealing they have cleaned 2,500km of trails and Five Ten's new Freerider shoes made from recycled ocean waste. Let's take a look at the recent announcements that move the industry forward in reducing its impact on the environment.



SRAM's Fiber Recycling Patent

SRAM is looking to secure a patent for a new technique centered around recycling carbon fibers.

The patent was filed by SRAM on September 14 2020 with a publication date of March this year and while it has not been granted yet it does offer an interesting idea for SRAM to drastically reduce waste made by carbon fiber manufacturing.

SRAM's patent describes this as "a method for preparing a fiber-containing molding compound includes the acts of a) providing a composite material which includes a first resin and fibers impregnated with the first resin, and b) mixing the composite material with a treatment medium which includes a diluent to form a mixture. The fiber-containing molding compound thus prepared has an adjustable fiber content." From what we understand this is SRAM's idea that it wants to create a new carbon fiber molding compound that isn't fixed to a predetermined level of fiber content, this means it can potentially adjust the strength or flexibility properties of the new material.

In the patent, SRAM points out that in the manufacturing of carbon fiber parts there is often a large amount of still usable material that goes to waste and this can become costly for manufacturers as some landfill services will charge a premium for carbon waste. It is noted that while the reusing of carbon fiber material is environmentally friendly it could also lower the production cost for carbon fiber products.

SRAM notes in its patent that recycling carbon fiber scraps is not new and while there are various other US patents for this issue it has found a new way of making a more usable final product from the carbon waste. SRAM claims that in other methods: "resin content in the products manufactured thereby is limited by the resin content in the prereg waste or the prereg scraps, and thus cannot be adjusted according to specific requirements of the products. Therefore it is desirable to provide a method for manufacturing a product from the prereg waste or the prereg scraps, so that the resin content in the product manufactured thereby is adjustable."

You can view the full patent application here.



Apidura Expands Repair Programme

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Apidura has extended its repairs programme with 18 partner stores now offering the free in-store service.

The Bikepacking brand believes that repairing its products is a central idea to their sustainability goals and now there are more ways to fix your gear if it should be damaged. The longer you can extend the life of a product the better its impact on the environment, this is why Apidura have sought to improve their repair service. Not only can riders send their kit directly to Apidura but there are now 18 stores offering a collection service.

Another benefit of the expanded services is that Apidura can work with the partner stores to consolidate the repairs into a smaller number of shipments, lowering the impact of sending products to and from their repair centers. The stores also and given Apidura's repair guides and are encouraged to share these with customers so that riders can make their own repairs if they can.

bigquotesWe know retailers are looking for new ways to engage with customers and find unexpected opportunities to create value and believe the In-store Repairs Programme is an excellent way to do just that. It’s a win-win for us as customers learn more about self-sufficiency and repairing their bikepacking gear and our retail partners benefit from increased exposure to customers. Tori Fahey, Co-Founder of Apidura

Products that riders needing repairs by Apidura do not need to be returned to the original store of purchase with any partner store open to accepting the repair programme.



French Government Launches Financial Incentive to Swap your Car for an eBike

France is set to offer owners of older cars the chance to scrap their vehicles in return for a €2500/$2975 grant to purchase an eBike.

This year Lawmakers in France's National Assembly have passed a preliminary vote on the incentive as an amendment to a Climate Bill that aims to reduce emission from 1990 levels by 40% in 2030.

If the measure passes through the French parliament it will make France the first county to offer the ability to trade in an old vehicle for an eBike.



Selle Italia Eyes Shift to Sustainable Production


We previously reported about Selle Italia's sustainable saddle but now the Italian brand is eyeing a 40% growth with a shift to a new production process.

Over the next few years, Selle Italia is expecting a 40% growth as it expands the sustainable production process named Green-Tech. Developed by it Chairman Giuseppe Bigolin, this form of manufacturing is focused on the central idea of creating environmentally friendly products that can be made quickly for low prices. The result of this process can already be seen with its Model X Green Superflow saddle featuring an eco-friendly construction with a price of just $50.

Selle Italia expectation from using Green-Tech is an increase in turnover of 40% with a 50% rise in the volume of production. Bike.eu reported Giuseppe Bigolin, Chairman of Selle Italia said: "considering the difficulties that many bike manufacturers can expect to encounter during 2021 in procuring accessories from Asian markets, returning to an entirely Italian supply chain will be the key to success in the coming years."



Thule Sets Sustainability Goals

Thule Helium

Thule has published its sustainability numbers for 2020 with a 46% reduction in greenhouse gases from its production sites compared to 2019.

After announcing new sustainability targets last year, Thule has published some of the data it collected as it tried to hit the new goals in 2020. Alongside the reduction in greenhouse gases, Thule also ran its manufacturing sites and offices on 100% renewable electricity.

bigquotesAs a company, we have a long-term dependency on our employees, customers and consumers being able to enjoy an active life in the great outdoors. In October 2020, Thule Group’s Board of Directors resolved on new sustainability goals in line with the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and we signed to commit the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), a global standard for climate goals originating from the goal of the Paris Agreement to limit the increase in the planet’s average temperature to 1.5°C.

Our focus areas within climate and environment are based on a life-cycle concept: from how we design, manufacture and distribute our products to how the products are used and finally cared for, so that their components and materials can be reused and recycled in the best possible way.
Thule

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4iiii Launches Crank Arm Recycling Program

4iiii has announced a new buyback program for left hand Shimano crank arms.

For anyone upgrading to a crank power meter setup or with specific left crank arms lying around can send them to 4iiii for up to $45 in cash. Once a crank arm is received 4iiii will install them with a power meter and sell them as a 'reCYCLED' model. The refurbished cranks will sell with a 20% discount on a brand new model.

bigquotesWe're very excited to introduce this new initiative. Everyone benefits from a circular economy where we reduce waste, reuse products and preserve resources in an effort to protect our environment. 4iiii President Phil White

Riders can also opt to donate the cash for their crank arms to a cycling charity or one of their own choosing. 4iiii is currently partnered with Trips4Kids in the US and TwoWheelView in Canada. These two charities work to provide development programs, trips and bikes to underprivileged kids.

At the moment 4iiii is only offering this service in North America but there are future plans to expand it globally.



Specialized Brings its Battery Recycling to the UK

2020 Specialized Turbo SL

Specialized has announced it will be bringing its battery recycling program to the UK after its launch in North America.

In March we reported Specialized's new partnership with a co-founder of Tesla, now it is planning to offer UK eMTB riders a chance to recycle their batteries.

For its UK recycling solution Specialized has partnered with Ecolamp Recycling Solutions to recycle 100% of all the batteries they receive with none going to landfill. While the North American program will be rolled out by the end of this year, Specialized expects to have a bigger rollout of this service in other countries by 2022.



Shred Goggles Launches a New Range made from Recycled Bottles

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Goggle brand Shred has launched the BigShow line with a strap made from recycled plastic bottles.

The new range of goggles from Shred will feature a strap made from 84% recycled material. Shred estimate that for every 100 goggles made they will be reusing material from 170 plastic bottles.

bigquotesAfter having completely eliminated plastic from our packaging, we decided to take it another step further by pioneering an innovation we are incredibly proud of.

Inspired by what leading clothing and outerwear brands have done for years in their space, we thought to show that other categories can do their part as well, and inspire others to do the same.
Shred Co-founder, Chairman, and two-time Olympic Champ Ted Ligety

bigquotesNot easy for a small and independent eyewear and protection brand, but that’s what makes this achievement even more special for us.

After being the first goggle brand to remove all plastic components from goggles’ packaging already in 2020, we challenged ourselves to raise the bar again. We know we won’t be changing the world one goggle at a time, but we want to bring awareness to the issue of single-use plastic and inspire change.
Shred Co-founder and CEO, Carlo Salmini

Shred is also planning to remove all plastic from the packaging of its helmets, protection and other products.




Author Info:
edspratt avatar

Member since Mar 16, 2017
2,851 articles

99 Comments
  • 174 4
 Because patenting recycling encourages the practice?
  • 50 6
 I was going to ask why the words "Environmental Initiatives, Fiber Recycling Patent, and Sustainable Production" were all in the same title but that^ is a better way to put it. Grow up SRAM. If you really want to help the world make the tech opensource so others can build on the idea.
  • 18 3
 Here's my article if you'd like to learn about the technicals.

wheelbased.com/2021/03/28/recycled-fiber-material-and-method-by-sram
  • 21 2
 There are always flaws to point out in everything, but the general trend of the article is encouraging. What would you prefer? No recycling news or progression?
  • 11 2
 They do the leg work to figure out how to do it with a desirable end product. They then sell the technology to anyone who is interested in using it. One of the largest companies in cycling showing that recycling can produce a good end product also pushes their competitors to go in that direction less they be left behind.
  • 6 1
 @MGPnzl: You know what pushes the competition even more to move in the same direction? Allowing them to do so.
  • 6 0
 @loganbeck: idk man maybe something along the lines of actually impactful ecologic action, instead of just trying to pass on the ideia that your company is green and cool
  • 16 10
 Arg
Nothing recycling related should have a patent attached to it.
Fu%k sram for trying to make money off the planet
  • 6 1
 @loganbeck: Industry wide collaborative recycling initiatives. period.
if sram want the PR exposure then they can be the once to bring the rest of the industry to the table.
I'd imagine most bike shops have access to the SRAM distro/dealer network and be able to facilitate a collection and recovery program for failed/beyond service life components. There could be a buy in, or bottle deposit/ car tire/paint eco fees, 2% for the planet etc funding applied to support the scheme.
IIRC Some companies are using recycled carbon as injection moulding material. For example, Orbeas Fibrelink could presumably be made in this was along with all other bike linkages...or non bicycle applications.
  • 6 15
flag PACNW-MTB (May 31, 2021 at 17:28) (Below Threshold)
 @macarthur: If you are so concerned about the planet, quit your job and devote YOUR time to figuring out greener ways to do things......

Oh, and do it for FREE, of course!.....
  • 21 0
 Correct me if I'm wrong but my understanding is that sometimes it makes sense to patent something and then let everyone know you'll essentially make it open source (won't sue for patent infringement).

If an idea just goes un-patented there's a risk that someone else will patent your process and then make you pay to license it.

Amazon did something similar (maybe it was a copyright though) with a plain white background for product pictures just to ensure no one else snapped up the idea to make everyone pay to use it.

Sometimes stuff that seems malicious is really just covering your pass (other times it's legit malicious).
  • 6 0
 @doggparadox: Thanks for the alternate view on the subject. I didn't know that was a thing.
  • 6 0
 @rosemarywheel: Looks like more about marketing to sell more stuff. Companies want to sell as much stuff as possible which is a conflict with the carbon environmental narratives. Can't have it both ways.
  • 1 0
 because looking after the environment is only interessting if you can make money with it
  • 6 0
 @doggparadox: The Volvo 3-point seatbelt patent from the 1950's is a very good example of this. Volvo apparently gave the patent away for free because they decided that the invention was so significant, it had more value as a free life saving tool than something to profit from.
  • 3 0
 @loganbeck: People like to be pissy on the internet. It's the craze of the decade.
  • 1 0
 @macarthur: ok? How are you seeing this? Why do you even buy/look at cycling related anything, how is the air up on you high horse?
  • 1 0
 double post
  • 69 1
 SRAM product packaging is excessive. The amount of cardboard, plastic, and foam used for individual components at retail is way beyond what it needs to be.
Burden for disposal/recycling is on the end purchaser or the bike shop doing the install.
SRAM could do a far better job of convincing their customers that they are trying to make a difference by reducing the amount of material in their packaging and actually directing/instituting change vs passing the responsibility on down the line.
SRAM is an industry leader, but they are way off the back when it comes to packaging and waste.
  • 10 0
 Companies seem to go out of their way to put a lot of effort into enviro initiatives but overlook the simplest things.

Reduced packaging and more recyclable packaging (i.e. less printed film, plastics, foam). Don't be like Apple and make the box part of the "brand experience". It's such a simple thing to do and has a real benefit.
  • 3 0
 You touched on one of the largest issues that, imo, can be resolved easily, package burden. Corporations love passing on the finical burdens onto the customer and the easiest way to do that is packaging. Look at coca-cola, they are the worlds worst plastic polluter and shrug it off with half-assed recycling initiatives (plus plastic isn't really recyclable). There was a time when glass buy back programs dominated, it was cheaper to collect and reuse glass bottles that it was to make new glass bottles. This needs to be re-established, making it the company's burden to consider the end life of a product and we may see a similar program re-surface.
  • 1 0
 @adrussell: SRAM is a drop in the bucket. Ever heard of Amazon? I try to avoid Amazon. Do you?
  • 1 0
 @Monsterman156: Every drop contributes to filling the bucket. This is why things don't change, it's always someone else who is worse who should change first.
  • 56 5
 If only they stopped creating pointless new standards all the time in pursuit of making everything obsolete to maximise profits. All the firms need to do more to be backwards compatible if they were remotely concerned about being sustainable. Finding a new way to market a new fancy plastic bike is beyond lacking.
  • 4 0
 This should be at the top of the article as it would have the greatest impact. COTD vote.
  • 8 0
 Nah man melting all the ice caps was totally worth that new 2.899% increase in stiffness. My bike was totally unridable before.
  • 1 0
 Its a consumer based industry, if consumers buy the new product then they will make it. But if consumers don't buy the product then the big companies don't make so much money, people lose their jobs or have to diversify.
  • 34 0
 Apidura's focus on repair is a good one. However it's funny that the COVID-induced parts shortage will probably make people focus more on repair and maintenance than all the greenwashing from the bike industry put together
  • 40 3
 Do you know what else is bad for the environment? E bike batteries...
  • 6 7
 Just this morning a friend sent me a picture of a burned ebike. He told me it got him thinking about how many forest fires would start there in Portugal because of exploding battery packs now that the dry season is coming. It might be the time to manufacture stronger water bottle cages which might hold a fire extinguisher. And make them mandatory.
  • 4 7
 @southoftheborder: I just saw a picture of a Kenevo ( I think it was a Kenevo ) online with a burned up battery pack! Killer fire danger in California right now! Scary stuff! The technology is still not totally proven safe. They should be outlawed IMO.
  • 5 4
 Ebike battery waste = 3 bad for the environment units*
Cracked carbon fiber ebike = 5 bad for the environment units
Driving a car to work for a week = 6 bad for the environment units

For goodness sakes get more people on these bad for the environment ebikes!!! Its right there in the first paragraph "The perfect is the enemy of the good". A non-sarcastic HOORAY for France!

*units made up but the point stands
  • 6 2
 @Sardine: except when 99% of these people buy ebikes ( I'm talking about off road e mtbs, not e commuters since this is mtb website ) they do not give up cars. A small percentage use them as a sort of replacement, then in that case your argument holds water. That's not the majority, especially in the e MTB segment. Add fire danger from batteries as well.
  • 3 0
 @southoftheborder: The fire extinguisher would work fine for the forest, but wouldn't do anything for the battery. ABC, Purple K, CO2, Halon, don't work for Li-Ion battery fires. The best way to stop a Li-Ion fire is good ol' H2O. Make sure your water bottles are full.
  • 3 0
 Being an Ebike enthusiast on PB = 1M GTFU units
  • 3 0
 I’d imagine the majority in France taking the government up on this initiative will be commuters. Battling city core congestion is an actual thing there. Probably not many e-enduro bros getting a new Levo to throw in the back of their taco?
  • 28 4
 lol Patenting a green initiative is not environmental, if anything it makes it cost prohibited for others to utilize. fuck off SRAM.
  • 12 0
 Just because they patent it, doesn't mean they will charge others to license the patent. There are plenty of examples of patents that were pursued purely to afford the inventor the recognition they deserve and not as a means of stifling the progress of their competitors.
  • 24 4
 Aluminum is recyclable, carbon fiber is not. There you go!
  • 12 5
 Carbon can be easily repaired, aluminium really can't. There you go!
  • 16 2
 Steel is recyclable, and easily repaired. There you go!
  • 13 0
 I like trains
  • 17 0
 I like when people are nice to the earth.
  • 6 0
 Could be nice but most people don't care about the earth, they just care about themself.
  • 12 0
 I'm interested in what happens to an ebike motor unit when it gets replaced under warranty. I've understood that pretty much any mechanical failure like a drive belt snapping or busted bearing means replacing the whole unit... like wtf. I don't replace my car engine when an alternator goes bad, I replace the alternator Big Grin
  • 1 0
 Definitely not what I've seen. Bearings and drive belts are all replaceable. However, if the electronics break then that's a different story and that all seems to be pretty integrated with the whole motor.
  • 9 0
 My friend had a loose BB bearing on her Levo SL, and they replaced the entire motor assembly. Seems a bit wasteful.
  • 5 1
 @Skooks: it's cheaper, simple as that.
  • 4 0
 @kanioni the motor is the alternator!
  • 4 0
 From what I understand, at least on the Specialized side of things, the "bad" motors go back to Brose, get torn down and cleaned, fixed up, and sent back out as warranty replacement motors. You're normally getting a refurbished motor and rarely a brand new one.
  • 3 0
 Already been said but worth piling on here, your "replaced alternator" has about the same amount of metal and plastic as an ebike motor, just less machining. The tech at a bike shop who is trained on truing wheels is not set up diagnose a blown power transistor with an oscilloscope. But they can install a rebuilt unit from a service center that is.
  • 13 2
 Patenting recycling lol Maybe remove that section from the article, that's everything but ecological ahah
  • 10 0
 We can’t not ride bikes; I appreciate the afford and “try” despite the cynics out here.
  • 11 2
 The bike industry is so far behind the rest of the human powered outdoor industry in terms of environmental initiatives that this article is embarrassing.
  • 4 0
 Can you give an example?
  • 1 4
 @cedric-eveleigh: he is correct in many respects.
Can't give examples as I don't have an NDA with the world Wink
  • 2 0
 @cedric-eveleigh: the transparency around manufacturing of goods. Do you know what goes into manufacturing your bicycle? I mean really? If you ask a skier who is environmentally conscious they'll tell you what wood their skills are made from and where it was harvested. Watersports are constantly working together developing new coatings for canoes and kayaks. The concept of bluesign is new to mountain biking, in other industries it's the bare minimum for a garment.
  • 12 2
 Sram, you've learned nothing
  • 7 1
 Revel bikes should get a mention as apparently their carbon is recyclable, they're already making other parts ie tire levers out of the product. Their website says their wheels are made out of the material, I'm not sure on the frames.
www.revelbikes.com/our-bikes/revel-wheels
  • 6 1
 and guerilla gravity
  • 7 0
 Or.. drop the fast fashion mentality that has gripped mountain biking. Innovation is all well and good, but a bike should last a person years with only a few upgrades. Stop moving 'standards'!!!
  • 4 0
 Bike.eu reported Giuseppe Bigolin, Chairman of Selle Italia said: "considering the difficulties that many bike manufacturers can expect to encounter during 2021 in procuring accessories from Asian markets, returning to an entirely Italian supply chain will be the key to success in the coming years."

This guy and the others bringing manufacturing home will be rewarded. We think the Covid-19 supply chain issues are bad but that will be nothing compared to the looming Taiwan-China conflict.
  • 4 0
 "buying less, repairing and reusing your things, and riding more locally are the best things for the earth"

Thats great and we should absolutely do that...but you and I aren't going to make a dent. The myth of individuals being able to address a global problem comes from the very industries that made the mess! That 80's commercial with the Native American's single tear at seeing litter? It was produced by the packaging industry...to get people to make their states to clean up trash so people wouldn't feel guilty throwing everything away...so they could sell more disposable junk! If you really want a trip, see what Exxon's been up to for the past 40 years.

We need institutional change. PB Canada, lobby your government to shut down the tar sands. Stop the BLM from leasing oil rights. etc.
  • 4 0
 For some reason I want to go and buy all these products. Seems counterintuitive. Am I being advertised to in order to make me buy more thus undoing the whole purpose of these companies green agendas?
  • 8 1
 *8 green washing initiatives in the bike industry
  • 8 3
 what a f*cking joke. pro e-bike propaganda "polls" one day, and articles about environmental initiatives next. hypocrisy at its finest.
  • 3 0
 How comes most of the products made with recycled bottles (5-10 and Adidas shoes, Levi's jeans, etc) are more expensive than their counterparts sourced from non-sustainable materials? If you want to change the trend, put a surcharge on the depletion of those resources, and use the extra cash to subsidize the recycling. Otherwise you're milking those who choose to consume in a more sensible way and encouraging the purchase of the less green options.
  • 2 0
 It's really nice that manufactures offer recycling but the bigger problem it to get people to not throw everything in the dump and take the time to bring thing back to be recycled. I'm curious how many recyclable aluminium frames are actually recycled compared to carbon which is not.
  • 2 0
 I presume these so called initiatives are created by the marketing departments as there is nothing green about mountain biking and the less said about the environmental impact of ebikes the better. Have any of the marketing types who write these PR statements ever seen a lithium mine and the extraction process?
  • 3 0
 So the only thing left in the bike industry to patent is recycling techniques now? Can't wait to buy an $800 Sram adaptor so I can have my bike recycled.
  • 1 0
 6 weeks ago I crashed bad and my helmet is no longer useable. The manufacture told me that they have no helmet recycling, my city doesn't either so it has to go in the bin. :-(

BTW, if you do crash and need a replacement helmet, my manufacture gave me a coupon code to purchase a new one ... roughly a 30% discount ... and this in the era of covid supply constraints.
  • 4 3
 Get batteries out of the bike industry. They are horrific to recycle and the economy of scale is coming from China and the forced labor camps. Human dignity trumps electronic gadgetry. Metals are the most recyclable materials on earth with low energy input. Until Bamboo can be held together with the performance expected, aluminum and responsible coatings would be best.

Lets use Nuclear if you want out of combustion methods (the china syndrome was wrong) to close our gap of what ever year the politicians say the world is going to end.
  • 1 0
 So are Specialized declaring their battery import into the UK by weight and already contributing to the recycling scheme? Which all manufacturers are supposed to do... now they are adding an additional recycling step or are they just adhering to UK legislation?

Would be good if the next step for the goggles was to use recyclable plastics which are now available.


Only Thule put up the UN 2030 goals (good on Thule)!

www.un.org/development/desa/disabilities/envision2030.html
  • 1 0
 Unfortunately, the words SUSTAINABLE and SUSTAINABILITY are just buzz words to make everyone feel better. While we might be able to make things in a LESS DAMAGING manner we will always be stripping resources and poisoning the earth.

Made from "100% recycled material" but was the machinery used to make it 100% recycled material? How about the power used to drive it or the power to produce it? What about the efforts to produce that machinery? It all trickles down. What about your staff, how did they get to work, did they walk? Likely not, how about the buildings you are in? It's a doomed cycle.

Should we be supporting better efforts to make things more conscious? Of course, we should. Is it sustainable? Hell no, consumerism isn't designed to be nor will it ever be.
  • 2 0
 So the base price of a shitbox car in France has now become $2400? I feel bad for everyone not wanting to buy one and immediately surrender for an Ebike credit!
  • 1 0
 Maybe having a better way of package/shipping materials..
The amount of plastic/cardboard/and other hard to recycle wasted that we all end up to deal with every time a new bike build.
  • 1 0
 No matter how cynical we are about how companies are going about things... recycling, repair and re-use is all very good things in my book! And it will make me consider a brand i may have ignored before.
  • 1 0
 If you want environmentally friendly packaging, don't buy Merida, they are really terrible in that regard. Sooo much wrap of all sorts going to waste.
  • 1 1
 With all the money I will save scrapping my old car for an e-bike I can afford a newer more powerful car :-)
Sarcasm aside, it has to start somewhere so fair play.
  • 1 1
 Hey Thule, if you want to improve your sustainability, maybe try making your products last longer than 2-3 years before they rust?
  • 4 3
 How about stop trying to get Mountain Bikes into Wilderness Areas. That would be a great environmental initiative
  • 1 0
 There isnt much 'Wildrness Area' i'm glad there is no mechanized vehicles
  • 2 0
 Trails were so much better before the mtb tree hugger emergence
  • 1 0
 I have already installed a Battery Recycling pack it runs with Pizza and Beer
  • 2 1
 Umm just lose the motor and the battery? The fact e-bike technology is included in this article is a complete joke imo.
  • 2 1
 committing to non-motorized bikes is the best environmental initiative of all.
  • 1 2
 Some people need motors or else they can't be out there. Maybe you should amend your statement to say "committing to non-motorized bikes for people who don't need them."
  • 1 0
 bikes
  • 12 14
 MTB is a luxury so - stop selling MTB - greenwashing - stop claiming being green. Only one possible choice.
  • 9 2
 Obviously mtb will always have an impact but you can always do better, don’t be ignorant.
  • 12 1
 I'm not sure "bike brands should all stop selling mountain bikes" is a viable choice here...

Yes making less things and buying less things is the best thing for the planet, but luxuries can still do a better job reducing their impact. Our industry isn't going to save OR destroy the world here, so I appreciate that some brands are trying to improve.
  • 4 5
 @brianpark: There is "doing better" in absolute, and there is orders of magnitudes of the issue and the "solutions". I wrote three choices, maybe only one of them isn't dumb.
  • 32 3
 My second car is an EV, my third house has a solar roof and my fourth bike is made of bamboo! #savingtheplanet
  • 3 0
 Underrated commet@Adamrideshisbike:
  • 12 0
 @Adamrideshisbike: when I exercise I hold my breath to avoid pumping carbon dioxide out.
  • 7 0
 @bigtim: I knew a guy who held his breath so long he stopped emitting carbon completely
  • 1 1
 @GBoyd: the sad reality is that many won't even get the joke
  • 4 1
 Putting batteries in pedal bikes when the world is in a climate crisis is a f-ing joke.
  • 2 0
 @Adamrideshisbike: brilliant. "Reduce, reuse, recycle", there is only one of those that has real impact and 1st world humans do none of if. (hint: it's the first one of the three).

Every manufacturer should focus on quality over quantity, not BS ways of justifying quantity. I love the pic of the Thule tray rack. What an epic POS. 1UP shows us what a one time purchase rack is. Campagnolo used to build road stuff that lasted as long as you wanted with very, very minor maintenance: it could be serviced.







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