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e

Bikes

Ikea to Begin Selling a Chain-less Bicycle

The low-maintenance Sladda appears to be aimed at non-cyclists

By Rain Noe - April 12, 2016

Ikea has announced they'll be selling an item whose name you can not only pronounce, but that you can ride. The furniture giant is releasing a unisex bicycle "designed to fit an urban lifestyle" called the Sladda.

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Gokiso wheels, Shimano shifters? Not exactly. Ikea seems to have recognized that bike-lovers already have bikes, and the Sladda—created by by Oskar Juhlin, Jan Puranen and Kristian Eke of global design consultancy Veryday—appears to be aimed at those who don't. Thus the emphasis is on low maintenance, and it seems Sladda owners will never have to touch a bottle of Tri-Flow: The gears are tucked away in a sealed hub in the rear wheel, and in place of a chain is a corrosion-resistant, maintenance-free cogged drive belt that Ikea reckons is good for 15,000 kilometers (9,320 miles). The image below is clearly a rendering, but we've zoomed in on it anyway to see what the belt might look like:

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The frame is made from aluminum, with the aim being to keep the bike light enough to easily carry up and down stairs. It's coated in two layers of lacquer to protect against mud, salt and scratches. The handlebars are height-adjustable, and by offering a choice of either 26- or 28-inch wheels, the company says the bike is good for everyone from 12-year-olds on up.

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For accessories, the Sladda features an otherwise undescribed "click system" whereby the rider can easily attach accessories. Thus far they only describe a basket, a rack for panniers and a cart, but designer Juhlin hints that third parties might create more: "Sladda is like tablet apps: you can add endless accessories to enhance ease of use."

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"This bike," he continues, "is an environmentally friendly replacement for your car and can help you live more sustainable, more active lives."

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The Sladda has already scooped up a Red Dot Design Award and is slated to go on sale, in Europe at least, this August. The projected price is €699 (USD $797) for the general public, and €499 (USD $569) for members of the Ikea Family loyalty program.

Rain Noe

Rain Noe is a writer and industrial designer based in New York City.

11 Comments

Kai Jokela

2 years ago

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The current price is 399 euros
It has eccentric bottom bracket for belt tension adjustment
If I didn't have too many bikes, I would buy one an "pimp it" with fancy paint job and maybe front basket.

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Jonathan Lloyd

3 years ago

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Although the minimalist design looks very cool,at the projected selling price it's just too expensive for what it is. Here in Asia people can buy cheap Chinese made bikes (brand new) for as little as USD 50, and something a little bit better for USD 100. For USD 569 you'd at least expect that front disc brake to be hydraulic. I like the idea of that belt drive though. I wonder how long before that appears elsewhere.

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michael willysson

3 years ago

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Rohloff is expensive, heavy and overkill for most people. This bike likely uses something like a SRAM 2-speed Automatix. I'd be interested in knowing whether the cloned Gates carbon drive is available commercially.

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Bruce Schneider

3 years ago

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Whatever happened to the Lime bike that IDEO designed about a decade ago? Similar to this Ikea bike, it was designed for people who wanted a simple bike. It had automatic gears—no manual shifting required.

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- Kevin C
  
  Bruce Schneider
  
  3 years ago
  
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  Reply
  
  Bruce - there's a good article here about why IDEO & Shimano's Coasting failed here:
  
  https://yannigroth.com/2010/05/12/what-caused-shimanos-coasting-program-fail/
  
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Pim Hansen

3 years ago

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I like the concept, especially the modularity of it. But if the projected price holds true here in NL it will not take off due to competition in this space (simple, decent bicycles with some style to them) like http://veloretti.com/nl/shop/fietsen/

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Mya S

3 years ago

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It's not clear to me how many gears this IKEA bike will have. Does anyone know? Also, this bike reminds me of the Classic bike at Priority Bicycles. I have one of those, which only has 3 gears and I find it's not enough. http://www.prioritybicycles.com/store

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Pa Bicycles

3 years ago

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Very nice design... I like the simplicity. Being cost sensitive we introduced a similar low maintenance bike. We found the riders wanted at least 6 speed and the linear brakes are easier in maintenance. We used a KMC durable chain and if ever needed to be replaced the cost is low. http://www.target.com/p/forge-womens-coco-15-comfort-style-bike-brown/-/A-10502172#prodSlot=medium_1_3&term=forge+bikes

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Mark Thomas

3 years ago

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In case you don't know, it's a "clone" of Gates Drive:

http://www.gatescarbondrive.com/

Gates drive and IGH (internal gear hub) is the future, but here now! They are great. Check out the best at www.rohloff.de

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- Famer Tom
  
  Mark Thomas
  
  3 years ago
  
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  The Target bike has the complicated, external, fiddly gears that people do not like. Internal hub gears are the way to go. Belts are superior to chains-- greaseless, quiet and durable. The Ikea bike costs too much but the comparison is bogus.
  
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  - Famer Tom
    
    Famer Tom
    
    3 years ago
    
    Z
    
    Z
    
    Sorry, that was directed at the Target bike, not Mark Thomas
    
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