Sustainable stylish and springy wooden e-bikes make a lot of sense

Date:
Sun, 13 Feb 2022 12:00:32 +0000

Description:
An eco-friendly mattress company is building timber e-bikes, and they
actually make a lot of sense.

FULL STORY ======================================================================

Electric bikes are typically made from aluminum or (if youre willing to pay
a premium) carbon fiber - lightweight materials that are corrosion resistant, lightweight, and easy to work with. However, theyre not the only options, and wood is a surprisingly practical alternative.

COCO-MAT.bike is a Greek company founded in Athens thats aiming to prove
that lithium and timber are a winning combination. Its not just a proof of concept, either - COCO-MAT currently makes six bikes (Odysseus, Penelope, Telemachus, Mentor, Telegonus, and Argos), with various gearing options and two electric models.

The bikes are certainly striking the entire frame is made from pale wood, from the handlebars to the fenders and they could soon be rolling through a street near you. TechRadar spoke to to find out why your daily rider should
be made from timber. Branching out

If youre thinking COCO-MAT sounds like an unusual name for a bike builder, youre right. The company, which was founded by brothers, Paul and Mike Evmorfidis in 1989, mainly focuses on sustainable furniture, bed linen, and mattresses.

Paul is a little on the crazy side, says Dimitri Philippou, CEO of ARTC GLOBAL, which is bringing the bikes to the UK. Hes the one whos big on the environment In fact, hes on the Amazon on a river ride now.

"A few years ago, he was riding in the Alps, his bike broke down, and he decided Im going to make a wooden bike'. Thats where it came from. (Image credit: COCO-MAT)

The first wooden bikes were built about six years ago. At first they were
used as a marketing tool, but they proved surprisingly practical and people were so interested that the brothers decided to turn them into a proper business. They began selling wooden bicycles soon after, and three years ago branched out into e-bikes as well.

The bike frames are made of American ash from forests that are dedicated to growing trees for lumber. Its very environmentally focused and very durable, Philippou says. From each tree we can make 50 bikes, and our commitment is that we plant a tree for every adult bike we sell, so its a net positive.

The frames are cut by machine, then sanded and assembled by hand a manufacturing process that releases much less carbon than traditional bike building. Grit, wind and fire

Philippou says that riding the two-speed and seven-speed models feels just like a regular bike. They arent meant for off-road use, but they can handle gravel, and the springiness of the wood provides a little natural shock absorption.

Still, the climate in Athens is very different to northern Europe how can a wooden bike handle the notoriously wet UK climate? The wooden bikes are treated to repel water, he explains.

In fact, the frames that originally had a three-year warranty are now going
to have a lifetime guarantee. In the process of time weve seen how durable
the bikes are, and now we feel confident. The non-wooden components,
including the gearing, has a one-year warranty, and the warranty for the battery is two years.

The company assures riders that wooden e-bikes need no more TLC than conventional ones (check out our complete guide to e-bike maintenance for details).

Their minimal design and operation leaves almost no space for things that can go wrong, says Philippou. Drum brakes and automatic gears ensure almost a lifetime operation without maintenance. If anything fails in the course of
the years though, our expert cycle repair shops partners in the United
Kingdom will do the job.

Drum brakes and automatic gears ensure almost a lifetime operation without maintenance Dimitri Philippou

The use of wood raises a question about flammability, though. TechRadar recently spoke to the Fire Protection Research Foundation about best practice for avoiding e-bike fires, but does a timber frame pose an additional risk?

The frames, of course, are treated for fire so theres no problem there and there is short circuit and thermal protection through the battery pack's management system, Philippou explains.

In accordance with EU laws, the motor only kicks in while the rider is pedaling. The current battery has a range of 40-50km, much like a
conventional mid-range e-bike, but the company is currently working on a new model that will keep rolling for up to 100km on a single charge. Its also investigating the possibility of using Tesla batteries in future bikes.
What's next

The UK business will begin online at first, with the official launch
happening around March 18 to tie in with Ride to Work Week. Later on,
COCO-MAT hopes to open several stores in cities like Oxford, Cambridge, and London where riders will be able to buy and rent the bikes.

You can have cycle tours, and that will be exciting, Philippou says. In addition to all the beautiful sightseeing locations around the UK, you get to experience it on an iconic, sustainable bike. The excitement is to see the bikes on the streets. The best folding e-bikes



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/news/sustainable-stylish-and-springy-wooden-e-bikes- could-be-the-future-of-commuting/


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