How much impact does the production of bicycles have on the environment? Ride compiled answers to this question in issue N°85. At the time, Christoph Ruprecht had already been working on the same topic for several years.

He hired the ETH Juniors spin-off to carry out an analysis. The young engineers came up with some interesting findings. The drive, brakes, bearings etc. account for the largest proportion of a bicycle's CO2 emissions over its entire service life. These are usually made from newly extracted aluminum and are replaced several times until a bike is no longer used. The transportation of a bike from the production facility in Asia to Europe is less significant.

Another important factor is how long a bike is in use. People who ride high-quality bikes often replace them after just a few years. Even if they put them on the second-hand market, they drive production.

Steel frame, modular and repairable

Based on the analysis and workshops with interested parties, Veloplus has developed a bike that is made of steel in Taiwan. This is also because steel frames last longer than those made of aluminum or carbon. Veloplus relies on high-quality components and add-on parts, as these are also used for longer. In addition to the durability of the design and construction, the Cumpan developers also focus on high repairability and easy replacement of parts. They are convinced that this extends the bike's service life practically indefinitely.

The Cumpan makes a stylish, spartan gravel bike. As a city runabout, it also looks very contemporary in its reduction to the essentials. It is not designed as a mountain bike, but if you want to experience the trail feeling of the 1980s, you can try it out. After all, the brakes are much more powerful. However, the Cumpan should give pleasure for longer in the versions intended by Veloplus.