Country Swap – Bike Swap: The Backstory
Michael Poepke | 10. July 2025
Since mid-October, the igus:bike has been pedaling its way around the globe, already clocking over 2,000 kilometers. In Germany, it tackled forest trails, muddy terrain, and snow and ice. In Asia, it braved sweltering heat and high humidity.
In Europe, it was submerged in the sea, rode down flights of stairs, and conquered steep climbs and descents on famous Tour de France routes. The bike has been pushed to its limits, experiencing conditions far more extreme than what the average urban bike would encounter in everyday use.
Meanwhile, back in Cologne, development has been full steam ahead—tweaks and improvements have been in the works. We’ve added a quick-release seat post, new handlebar grips, a refined freehub, and a new generation of wheels and bearings. These new components are, of course, tested in our lab—but wouldn’t it make even more sense to put them to the ultimate test during the igus:bike world tour? After all, why test outdated components when there are new ones ready to hit the road?
That’s why we’ve decided to swap out the original tour bike for one equipped with the latest and greatest components. This way, we get to test them all over the world, in real-world conditions, as rigorously as we do in the lab—letting the wild truly put them through their paces.
