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On November 13, 2021, these bike enthusiasts tested the prototypes of the sustainable bike in cool, wet weather. Helena Rupp (second from right) and Thomas Hofmann (far right) tell how they found the bikes.
Barbara EhrenspergerEditorial Green
What is a sustainable bike? One that is used for as long as possible – finds a study by ETH Zurich Juniors. This study was commissioned by the bicycle and accessory specialist Veloplus from Wetzikon ZH with eleven shops in German-speaking Switzerland. The company wants to build a bike that is as sustainable as possible – and thanks to Helena Rupp (37) and Thomas Hofmann (54) it now knows how the prototypes are received by customers.
«I am very interested in sustainability. As a family of five, we don’t have a car. That’s why we travel a lot by bike,” says Helena Rupp (37) from Aargau. That’s why she took a whole day to test the bike called “Cumpan”.
«screw on the weight»
Together with Thomas Hofmann (54) from the canton of Zurich and other testers, she drove to Wetzikon on November 13, 2021 and from there cycled around 40 kilometers on the Cumpan prototypes in wet and cool weather.
“Basically, it worked,” says Hofmann. “There are only small details that can be improved.” You can tell that professionals are at work. From his point of view, the weight of the bike could still be screwed up, i.e. make it lighter. The bike fan covered 13,000 kilometers on his bike last year and spent eight weeks in Andalusia as a bike tour guide.
“It was a real dash on the Cumpan bike that was ready for me,” says Helena Rupp enthusiastically. “I’ve been toying with a belt drive and hub gears for a long time, so that would have been my favorite to test,” she says. She then also briefly tested this prototype and realized for herself: It doesn’t suit her. “I’m missing a very small gear, because I have to go up the hills at home with a lot of luggage,” she says.
Everyday cyclist and hobby cyclist
Rupp is an everyday cyclist who often travels with luggage. Hofmann is a bike commuter, but above all a hobby cyclist who is sporty. But both draw the same conclusion: they would recommend the Cumpan bike to their friends. Why? “Because the idea of offering a bike of the highest quality that can be repaired and converted as easily and effectively as possible convinces me,” says Rupp. And Hofmann is considering whether he should buy one as an everyday bike for commuting.
“Cumpan” – the idea of the sustainable bicycle
The idea has been floating around in people’s heads for a long time, says Christoph Ruprecht (45), project manager of the Cumpan bike at Veloplus. After a customer workshop and an online event, the Wetziker company commissioned a study from the ETH Juniors to clarify how sustainable bicycle construction could be dared.
The bike and accessory specialist had already had an idea of its own: an e-bike called Blizz. However, the developments in this area were so rapid that they could not and did not want to keep up. In addition, there were too many ambiguities and uncertainties for a project of this magnitude. It was decided not to release the Blizz.
They learned a lot about sustainability from the Cumpan bike, says Ruprecht. “For other products, too, it is not so important where it comes from, but how it is produced and how long it is used,” he says. Therefore, “Bike for life” is a frame that can be equipped with new components such as brakes, gears or luggage racks if necessary.
The idea has been floating around in people’s heads for a long time, says Christoph Ruprecht (45), project manager of the Cumpan bike at Veloplus. After a customer workshop and an online event, the Wetziker company commissioned a study from the ETH Juniors to clarify how sustainable bicycle construction could be dared.
The bike and accessory specialist had already had an idea of its own: an e-bike called Blizz. However, the developments in this area were so rapid that they could not and did not want to keep up. In addition, there were too many ambiguities and uncertainties for a project of this magnitude. It was decided not to release the Blizz.
They learned a lot about sustainability from the Cumpan bike, says Ruprecht. “For other products, too, it is not so important where it comes from, but how it is produced and how long it is used,” he says. Therefore, “Bike for life” is a frame that can be equipped with new components such as brakes, gears or luggage racks if necessary.
Lifespan is crucial
How does a bicycle become more sustainable? “The service life is crucial,” explains Christoph Ruprecht (45), project manager of the Cumpan bike at Veloplus. Therefore, the bicycle frame is designed in such a way that it can be equipped with different dropouts (the ends that are pronounced on the bicycle frame or on the fork, which hold the axle of the wheels) and can thus accommodate components with different installation standards – i.e. axle widths and diameters.
The best choice for Veloplus is a steel frame and fork. On the one hand, a high-quality steel frame is more durable than an aluminum or carbon frame and is easier to repair. «The CO caused during production2 and the practically unlimited recyclability of steel have clearly confirmed our choice of frame material,” says Ruprecht. From ore and mineral mining to the finished steel frame, emissions amounting to around 11 kg of CO2-equivalents expelled. This value is six times higher with an aluminum frame and nine times higher with a carbon frame.
The way is not the goal
The whole bike is made in Taiwan. Why not in Europe? “Because most of the components are already in Taiwan,” says Ruprecht. He explains it using the example of the frame: The variant with ore and mineral mining in China and the production of crude steel and high-quality frame tubes in Taiwan ensures less CO2 than the variant manufactured in Europe. According to Ruprecht, it often looks like this: iron ore from Brazil, which is processed into steel in Germany, into a steel tube set in Italy and into a frame in the Czech Republic.
The lasting advantage is that more or less all parts such as gears from Shimano are available in Taiwan. The complete bikes then arrive in Switzerland in a shipping container.
However, it will be a while before the 777 Cumpan bikes arrive in Switzerland. The bikes are planned for autumn 2023 and the price is not yet known. “We’ve already calculated this, but we’re still waiting – after all, there are always surprises – but the bikes won’t cost 3,000 francs.”