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Ikea might be famous for its self-assembly furniture and Scandinavian style, but bicycles? In a surprise announcement, the Swedish furniture company has revealed the Sladda, a straightforward machine for the urban rider.
Delve a little deeper and it makes perfect sense. Ikea is, it claims, keen to encourage a sustainable lifestyle and environmentally friendly transport options, but is aware that many people are put off by the maintenance required to look after a bike – chain cleaning, black messy grease, and so on.
So the company has created ‘Sladda’, a bicycle that’s designed to make life as easy as possible for the owner. “The focus has been to develop a bike that needs little maintenance, and is a viable transportation option for the urban environment,” the company commented in a press release.
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Reliable, functional
No chain here, but a belt drive instead – good for 15,000km of maintenance-free riding
Sladda, which translates as ‘skid’, is a unisex bike and hosts a raft of features that Ikea feels are ideal for the rider who wants a reliable, functional steed. A belt drive does away with the need for a dirty, oily chain, and is good for 15,000km, according to the company. The integrated full mudguards are a good idea for year-round use, as is pannier rack and front basket, and there’s a matching trailer available too, to take bigger loads.
The bike features a click system that allows the easy attachment of racks, and a pannier bag that doubles as a rucksack. Ikea also states that the bike is designed with an eye on future compatibility with third-party products.
Award-winning design
You can read more at BikeRadar.com
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