Application status and development trend of plastics in the bicycle industry

China is the world's largest producer of bicycles and electric bicycles, and its output is maintained at 85 million. More than 55 million of them are exported and 30 million are sold domestically. The production of electric bicycles is maintained at 25 million units, which is basically domestic sales. Bicycle lanes, cycling sports and competitions are being built throughout the country. Cycling has just promoted the improvement of bicycle consumption, and the sales of medium and high-end bicycle products are strong. China's electric bicycle production accounts for 90% of the world's production, and its technology level has reached international leadership and has complete intellectual property rights.

Advantages of using plastic parts for bicycles and electric bicycles

The development of plastics and the emergence of new composite materials are the main sources of weight loss for bicycles. The use of plastics and composites on bicycles and electric bicycles has five unique advantages over metal materials:

1. Lightweight. Generally, the specific gravity of plastics is very low, and the proportion of fiber reinforced composites is much lower than that of metallic materials. Therefore, the application of plastics is an effective way to reduce the weight of the vehicle body. In addition, the combination of components with hard metal particles has high mechanical strength, which can replace most of the bicycle parts.

2. Forming is easy. Plastic injection molding simplifies the processing of parts with complex shapes. For example, there are many steel processing steps for the bicycle saddle floor. The plastic can be processed in one time, the processing time is short, and the appearance is beautiful.

3. Strong corrosion resistance. Plastic damage will not corrode, and the lacquer surface of steel parts will be damaged or it will be easy to rust if it is not well protected. Bicycle parts made of plastic or overmolded are particularly suitable for use in areas with high pollution.

4. Optional materials are sufficient. It is possible to change the mechanical strength and formability of the material by adding different additives to the plastic to adapt to the requirements of different parts, such as the bicycle frame to have high mechanical strength, and the saddle pad and the cover There must be softness. Plastic colors can also be produced by additive coloring. Some plastic parts can also be plated, such as high plating ABS plastic can be used to make mud boards and chain covers.

5, can be easily made into optical parts. Bicycle reflectors (taillights) are important parts to ensure the safety of bicycle riding. By improving the precision of plastic molds, various bicycle reflectors can be made to meet safety requirements.

The development trend of plastics in the bicycle industry

In recent years, plastics have been used more and more on bicycles, and now they have been developed in the direction of all bicycle parts except transmission parts and high-strength structures. From the characteristics and development prospects of plastics, the parts processed and produced can replace more than 70% of existing parts of bicycles.

1. High-grade bicycles use carbon fiber and plastic composite materials in large quantities.

Bicycles are lighter in weight and are made from high-strength, lightweight materials such as carbon fiber and plastic composites. Carbon fiber bicycles are mainly used in sports. Almost all parts except carbon are made of carbon fiber. There are currently less than five manufacturers with production capacity in China, and the total output of the whole vehicle is about 70,000, which is mainly for export. With the popularity of bicycle racing in China, it has provided a broad market for the development of carbon fiber bicycles. The gap between China's carbon fiber technology and developed countries is mainly in the production of polyacrylonitrile precursor and carbon fiber.

2. Plastics are indispensable for the development of public bicycles and public electric bicycles.

The public bicycle project in China has received the government's attention. With the success of the "Mobike" public bicycle rental model, it is foreseeable that public bicycles will experience explosive growth. The storage, turnover and use of public bicycles are all in an open air environment. In order to make the car corrosion-resistant, less maintenance, and low failure, many plastic parts are used.

3, the plastic parts of the stroller are in great demand

Baby carriages account for about 15% of China's bicycle production, and their plastic parts are widely used. The use of plastic on the stroller is also easier to solve, and the price is not a key factor. The use of plastic parts has been fully utilized.

4, electric bicycles can not be separated from plastic

China's electric bicycles account for 90% of the world's production. The plastic parts of electric bicycles are irreplaceable. The price of plastic parts is not high in the overall car, accounting for 8%, but the absolute value is very high. With the increase in the number of exports and the renewal of varieties, the demand for plastics for electric bicycles will increase substantially.

5, the development of all plastic bicycles is expected to achieve breakthroughs

With the fierce competition in the bicycle market at home and abroad, it is necessary for bicycle manufacturers to continuously innovate bicycle materials, styles and appearances. The all-plastic bicycle not only brings about a significant reduction in the weight of the entire vehicle, but also brings about new changes in the appearance and production process of the bicycle.