Fairbicycle - Steel mountain bike crankset
Material and process investigation and development of a light, strong, low-cost bike crankset for mountain bike application.
Description
This project aims to identify and use cutting-edge engineering & manufacturing techniques, which will, in combination with high-grade steel, lead to the development of an innovative, lightweight and high-performance steel mountain bike crankset that is on par, or better than the currently available cranksets.
This demonstration should motivate other companies to reconsider steel and encourage the bicycling industry to move towards a more sustainable path.
Durability is another motivating aspect of this project: in comparison to aluminum and especially carbon composite, steel offers unparalleled longevity regarding the exposition to scratches and hits that a high-performance crankset faces in exigent applications. Durability is key to a low CO2 footprint for any product, as it promotes the first “R – Renounce” of the sustainability pyramid.
Key Data
Projectlead
Project partners
Studio From Scratch GmbH
Project status
ongoing, started 04/2025
Institute/Centre
Institute of Product Development and Production Technologies (IPP)
Funding partner
Innosuisse Innovationsscheck
Project budget
15'000 CHF