Cargo e-bike ensures a unique riding experience

Profile

What was needed: plain bearings for tilting technology that do not require additional lubricants.
Requirements: wear resistance, low coefficient of friction, freedom from lubrication/maintenance, resistance to rain, dirt and salt
Area of application: bicycle industry

The Austrian start-up GLEAM is revolutionising mobility with its multi-use bikes. The cargo e-bike's dynamic tilting technology keeps the load balanced even when the bike is negotiating traffic obstacles. Various superstructures can be placed on the loading area. This enables craftspeople to transport tools and materials during the day and take their children for a ride after work.

Gleam cargo bike with transport trailer.

Problem

98% of all GLEAM customers are B2B customers. They include craftsmen and delivery services, who depend on a functioning means of transport. Therefore, it was particularly important for GLEAM to offer a robust, reliable vehicle. The bikes are in use eight to twelve hours a day and travel up to 40,000 kilometres a year. That's why the bike had to be designed to be relatively low-maintenance, like a car.

Solution

iglidur plain bearings are ideal for this area of application. Their special composition makes them extremely wear-resistant, resilient and self-lubricating. It is also possible to precisely determine their service life. With the online tool iglidur expert system 3.0, anyone can determine the service life for their application. The plain bearings contain, among other things, solid lubricants that are released in tiny amounts and thus reduce friction. This is sufficient to lubricate the bearing point, making maintenance superfluous.

"The fact that iglidur plain bearings require neither lubrication nor maintenance is ideal for use in our cargo e-bikes. They work reliably even in rainy, dirty and salty environments without the need for lubrication"

Mario Eibl, Founder of GLEAM

Three men stand beside a FA2222-4 GLEAM cargo bike in front of a building.

Gleam cargo bike with exposed rear wheel and drive components in the workshop.

Patented tilting technology for a comfortable ride

The special GLEAM cargo e-bike riding experience results from the patented tilting technology and suspension. Seven years went into developing the cargo e-bike's core technology: the unique dynamic tilting technology (DTT), as it is called, ensures a riding experience comparable to that of a normal bicycle. As with a conventional bike, riders can lean into the curve, and the DTT returns them to an upright position. DTT makes obstacles on the street easy to overcome. When you park, the tilting technology can be disabled with a lock, and the bike stays upright. The cargo e-bike's full suspension makes sure the load in the cargo area remains horizontal and protected, even on cobblestones or when one of the two rear wheels goes up over the kerb. The DTT easily compensates for such bumps. "We use iglidur plain bearings in the DTT, the locking mechanism and the suspension. The plain bearings are durable and dampen vibrations. This is ideal for our cargo bikes," says Eibl