Stage 1: The igus:bike UK Tour Begins!

Erin Powell | 19. September 2025

The UK leg of the tour has finally arrived! We kicked off bright and early with energy, excitement, and a sense of purpose, determined to see as many customers and landmarks as we could. Leading the charge was our Managing Director, Matthew Aldridge, who set off on the first leg of the journey to RS in Corby, one of our long-standing partners.

Lasting connections: RS

Founded in 1937 and rebranded in 1971, RS has grown into a global distributor of industrial and electronic products. With over 500,000 items in stock, RS has been a key player in bringing igus motion plastics to engineers and innovators across the UK and beyond. A true testament to the reliability and versatility of our technology.

After a warm welcome and some great conversations surrounding the bike and the trajectory of the tour to come, we said our goodbyes and continued the journey eastward, heading toward the historic city of Cambridge to meet our next rider and dedicated technical sales engineer, Michael Argent.

Great minds and masterpieces

In Cambridge, we swapped modern industrial parks for cobbled streets and centuries-old architecture. With Michael leading the way as the local engineer, we toured the city in search of engineering marvels, cultural landmarks, and a touch of academic legacy. Our first stop: the iconic University of Cambridge.

University of Cambridge

Established in 1209, the University is one of the oldest and most prestigious academic institutions in the world. Its halls have nurtured generations of thinkers from Isaac Newton to Charles Darwin, and Stephen Hawking. We’re proud to have collaborated with the university in the past both with student and wider-scope projects, supporting research and innovation with our range of solutions.

Corpus Clock

We then made our way to the peculiar Corpus Clock. Unveiled in 2008 by Stephen Hawking, this hypnotic timepiece features a “Chronophage” or “time-eater” grasshopper that ‘devours’ each passing second. Designed by inventor John Taylor, it’s a reminder of time’s relentless march and a marvel of kinetic engineering.

Newtons Apple Tree

Newton’s Apple Tree was a place not to be missed when celebrating some of the greatest minds in history. Outside Trinity College stands a grafted descendant of the tree that inspired Newton’s theory of gravity. Planted in 1954, it’s a living tribute to one of science’s most transformative moments.

We stopped off in the Cambridge Market Square, a bustling hub that has witnessed everything from medieval trade to the Peasants’ Revolt of 1381. It remains a vibrant centre of local life, integrating food and culture from across the world.

After a day jam-packed with globally recognised landmarks and scenic streets, we decided to take the bike on a well earned “punt” down the river Cam. Punting is a very popular tourist attraction in Cambridge so seemed like the perfect way to end day one in the UK.

Moving forward

Stage 1 kick started our celebration of partnerships, progress, and the power of engineering that shapes the world around us. Let’s see what stage 2 has to offer….

Our Riders

Matthew Aldridge

Matthew has been with igus for 28 years and having turned his hand to many roles within the business, from a sales engineer to bearing director, he took over as Managing Director of igus UK 13 years ago. We couldn’t think of anyone better to start the UK leg of the tour.

Michael Argent

Michael has been with igus for the past 2 years, as a technical sales engineer for East Anglia. Having previously worked as a Military Combat Engineer and an avid adventure junkie, the bike tour was “an opportunity not to be missed”