Earthball Riders Foundation is the name of the new community that has taken up the cause of greater environmental protection in the bike industry. In particular, manufacturing processes are to be improved and made more environmentally friendly.

At the forefront of this movement are the parts manufacturer Spank Industries and the clothing and protector manufacturer iXS Sports. "It's not that we're anti-carbon fiber," says Earthball Riders Foundation founder and Spank president Gavin Vos,

"It's just that we're anti-carbon fiber.

"It's just that we're anti the way it's used in the bike industry. Consumers are bombarded with the marketing message that carbon fiber is best and we realize that this gives an over proliferation of carbon products in the mass market. And often these high-quality products are simply overqualified for the needs of the consumer," says Vos.

iXS sees carbon for very specific areas of application - not for the mass market

At Spank and iXS, words are followed by deeds. Pascal Haf, Brand Manager at iXS Sports, says: "We have made a special decision not to include carbon fiber in our award-winning trail and full-face helmet lines. While we know the virtues of carbon fiber, we believe it only has a place in a very small niche in the bike industry. And we do not support the overuse of this non-recyclable material in mass production."

"As a company that manufactures and markets cutting-edge sports textiles, we want to give due consideration to the aspect of sustainability not only in the area of raw materials, but also in connection with the sourcing and processing of these fabrics. Right through to the distribution of the finished product on the global market," adds Haf.

Spank relies on alloys - i.e. aluminum, as a replacement for carbon

Spank Industries has made a concerted effort to develop safe and affordable alternatives to the overuse of carbon fiber in the bicycle industry. "Our use of advanced alloys and foam damping systems are good examples of safer and responsible alternatives to carbon fiber. While we do not deny that alloy processing is not without environmental impact, the benefits of non-carbon clearly outweigh the disadvantages. These include the almost infinite life cycle of non-carbon products, recyclability and cost-effectiveness," says Vos.

www.earthballriders.org