Igus designed the special iglidur J bearings that were fitted to the mountain bike ridden by Sabine Spitz when she won the Olympic gold in Beijing.
German mountain biker Sabine Spitz won the Olympic gold in Beijing by a solid lead of 41 seconds, thanks partly to her lightweight bike weighing just 7.3kg. Also clear winners were the lightweight iglidur polymer plain bearings from Igus that were installed in the precision spring fork manufactured by Magura, a specialist in brakes and suspension technology for bikes.
Igus' experts in polymer bearings developed a special bearing for the Magura Durin Race fork suspension used in the Olympic bikes. The particular type of bearing used is a weight-saving iglidur J special plain bearing. Polymer bearings made of this material are suitable due to the high wear resistance and excellent tribological performance. Four of these bearings are used in the suspension. The bearings are around one-fifth of the weight of metal bearings of the same size. The polymer components stood up to the constant impacts, edge loads, and dirt on the Laoshan Mountain Bike Course.
Polymer plain bearings for bicycles combine stiffness with comfort. The iglidur plain bearings are used in many bicycle applications, offering a superior alternative to traditional metal ball bearings. They range from cantilever brakes, gear shift units and derailleurs to rear swinging arms and shock absorber eyes, as well as seat posts, disc brakes and pedals.
More information on medal-winning races with iglidur polymer plain bearings in mountain bikes can be found at www.igus.eu/olympics. Racers won gold, silver and bronze medals at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens using bikes with Igus iglidur G plain bearings in the gear shift units.
Follow the link for more information about iglidur bearing materials