--- title: "Injection Molded Kids Bike Focuses on Safety, Sustainability" id: "1815" type: "post" slug: "injection-molded-kids-bike-focuses-on-safety-sustainability" published_at: "2023-09-08T17:59:12+00:00" modified_at: "2026-04-29T18:34:27+00:00" url: "https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2023/09/injection-molded-kids-bike-focuses-on-safety-sustainability-001815/" markdown_url: "https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2023/09/injection-molded-kids-bike-focuses-on-safety-sustainability-001815.md" excerpt: "Weber Fibertech, a specialist in long fiber-reinforced thermoplastic parts, has partnered with KraussMaffei and a pair of former professional cyclists to produce a safe, sustainable children’s bicycle via the injection molding of nylon 6 reinforced with 40 percent recycled carbon..." taxonomy_category: - "Design" - "Equipment" - "Injection Molding" - "Materials" - "Process" - "Resins" - "Sustainability" - "Trending" taxonomy_post_tag: - "Bicycles" - "Carbon fiber" - "hollow molding" - "Krauss Maffei" - "Lion Bike" - "nylon 6" - "Water-assisted molding" - "Weber Fibertech" --- [Home](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/) » [News](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/news/) » [Materials](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/c/materials/) » Injection Molded Kids Bike Focuses on Safety, Sustainability # Injection Molded Kids Bike Focuses on Safety, Sustainability Tony Martin (left), Marcel Kittel (center) and Lion Bikes co-founder Franz Blechschmidt at the launch event for their new bike. Photos courtesy of René Vigneron unless otherwise noted### **Water-assisted injection molding used to make Lion Bike out of carbon fiber-reinforced nylon 6** Weber Fibertech, a specialist in long fiber-reinforced thermoplastic parts, has partnered with KraussMaffei and a pair of former professional cyclists to produce a safe, sustainable children’s bicycle via the injection molding of nylon 6 reinforced with 40 percent recycled carbon fibers. They call it “a groundbreaking new and resource-saving material mix in the bicycle industry.” Munich-based plastics and rubber machinery giant [KraussMaffei](http://www.kraussmaffei.com/) will display the [Lion Bike](https://lion-bikes.com/) on its booth at the [Fakuma](https://www.fakuma-messe.de/en) trade show in Friedrichshafen, Germany, Oct. 17 to 21. [Marcel Kittel](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcel_Kittel) and [Tony Martin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Martin_(cyclist)) , former professional cyclists, designed the bicycle. On their website they state that “After a million kilometers in the saddle, [Kittel and Martin] have put their passion into developing a bike that redefines safety, innovation and design for young cyclists.” The bike’s design integrates a rear running light for added visibility and safety. With a focus on enhancing safety, Lion states: “We make you stand out in all directions on the way to school or friends with our light system with daytime running lights and with a particularly visible paint. ## **Water-Assisted Molding Process** Tony Martin displays sample bike seats at the launch event. “For our frames and forks, we use a state-of-the-art injection molding process from the automotive sector, which allows us to produce our frames and forks in Germany. This allows us to build slim, chic bikes with lightweight materials. For a clean look, we have integrated our self-developed light system and cable guides into the frame,” the company states. In February 2020 [Weber Fibertech](https://en.weber-fibertech.eu/) of Markdorf, Germany, [acquired](https://en.weber-fibertech.eu/news/detail/weber-fibertech-acquires-pme-fluidtec) Ettenheim, Germany-based [PME fluidtec GmbH](http://www.pme-fluidtec.com/) , whose fluid-assisted [water injection technology](https://www.pme-fluidtec.com/portfolio-en.html) (WIT) it is using to produce the Lion Bike frames. To ensure that the bike’s frame and fork are stable while also requiring less material, Weber Fibertech uses the KraussMaffei MX 1600 injection press in combination with the WIT process. Water injection molding is ideal for producing functionally complex, highly integrated plastic components with hollow body construction at reduced cycle times. PME is using the mass back-pressure method in the WIT process for bicycle frames for the first time. The melt displaced by the water is pressed back into the plasticizing unit and reused in the next shot for the frame or fork. This means that there is no waste during production, which saves material and is beneficial for the carbon footprint. ## **Reduced Carbon Footprint** “The focus on sustainability is an important part of our mission,” says Lion. “We want to keep our ecological footprint as small as possible. Our bike frames and forks are made with recyclable materials and an injection molding process that reduces emissions by around 67 percent [compared to aluminum extruded frames] for every bike produced. Weber Fibertech uses a KraussMaffei MX 1600 injection press to mold the hollow fork and frame of the Lion Bike. Courtesy KraussMaffei “In addition, final assembly and quality control of the bikes take place in a modern production facility in Belgium. To keep transport distances as short as possible, we concentrate as many production steps as possible in Europe.” While Weber Fibertech is best known for work in the automotive industry, it is expanding its activities in the bike sector. The company has set up a new division called [Fi.Bi.Tec](https://fibitec.com/en/) (Fibretech Bike Technology) “to focus on the growing interest from the bicycle industry for close-to-market frames and other components.” It says the division is able to support OEMs from a feasibility study to large-scale production in Germany. Commenting on the KraussMaffei injection press being used in the process, Weber Fibertech CEO Friedbert Schmitt says: “The technical performance of the MX series has won us over, and there’s no turning back. In particular, we were impressed by how, with a screw diameter of 120mm, injection was carried out at 300mm/second, thus achieving a large volume with rapid mold filling.” KraussMaffei plans to deliver the press to Weber Fibertech in November, with the first finished Lion Bikes available on the market from spring 2024. By **[Robert Grace](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/author/bobrcgrace-com/)** | September 8, 2023 ##### [Robert Grace](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/author/bobrcgrace-com/) [+ postsBio ⮌](#) ### Other posts you could read [April 7, 2026Biodegradable Planting Bags: A Solution for Agricultural Plastic Waste](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2026/04/biodegradable-planting-bags-a-solution-for-agricultural-plastic-waste-011023/) [April 14, 2026How to Test for Chemical Resistance in Plastic Components](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2026/04/how-to-test-for-chemical-resistance-in-plastic-components-010963/) [April 15, 2026ANTEC 2026: Rheology Understanding Leads to Competitiveness](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2026/04/antec-2026-rheology-understanding-leads-to-competitiveness-010797/) [April 9, 2026RecyQMeter: Quantifying Recycled Plastic Quality](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2026/04/recyqmeter-quantifying-recycled-plastic-quality-010917/) [April 8, 2026Recycled Carbon Fiber from Automotive Waste](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2026/04/recycled-carbon-fiber-from-automotive-waste-010930/) [April 10, 2026In Vivo Plastic Waste Upcycling](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2026/04/in-vivo-plastic-waste-upcycling-010935/) [April 17, 2026Conveying PCR: Reducing Fines, Angel Hair, and Scrap](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2026/04/conveying-pcr-reducing-fines-angel-hair-and-scrap-011052/) [April 16, 2026Artificial Rattan: Furniture from PolyAl](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2026/04/artificial-rattan-furniture-from-polyal-011037/) ## Share Your Thoughts [Cancel reply](/2023/09/injection-molded-kids-bike-focuses-on-safety-sustainability-001815/#respond) - [https://twitter.com/share?url=https://www.plasticsengineering.org/?p=1815&text=Injection+Molded+Kids+Bike+Focuses+on+Safety%2C+Sustainability&via=Plastics_Mag](https://twitter.com/share?url=https://www.plasticsengineering.org/?p=1815&text=Injection+Molded+Kids+Bike+Focuses+on+Safety%2C+Sustainability&via=Plastics_Mag) - [https://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://www.plasticsengineering.org/?p=1815&t=Injection+Molded+Kids+Bike+Focuses+on+Safety%2C+Sustainability](https://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://www.plasticsengineering.org/?p=1815&t=Injection+Molded+Kids+Bike+Focuses+on+Safety%2C+Sustainability) - [https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://www.plasticsengineering.org/?p=1815&title=Injection%20Molded%20Kids%20Bike%20Focuses%20on%20Safety,%20Sustainability&summary=Weber+Fibertech%2C+a+specialist+in+long+fiber-reinforced+thermoplastic+parts%2C+has+partnered+with+KraussMaffei+and+a+pair+of+former+professional+cyclists+to+produce+a+safe%2C+sustainable+children%E2%80%99s+bicycle+via+the+injection+molding+of+nylon+6+reinforced+with+40+percent+recycled+carbon+fibers.+They+call+it+%E2%80%9Ca+groundbreaking+new+and+resource-saving+material+mix+in+the+bicycle+industry.%E2%80%9D+&source=Plastics+Engineering](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://www.plasticsengineering.org/?p=1815&title=Injection%20Molded%20Kids%20Bike%20Focuses%20on%20Safety,%20Sustainability&summary=Weber+Fibertech%2C+a+specialist+in+long+fiber-reinforced+thermoplastic+parts%2C+has+partnered+with+KraussMaffei+and+a+pair+of+former+professional+cyclists+to+produce+a+safe%2C+sustainable+children%E2%80%99s+bicycle+via+the+injection+molding+of+nylon+6+reinforced+with+40+percent+recycled+carbon+fibers.+They+call+it+%E2%80%9Ca+groundbreaking+new+and+resource-saving+material+mix+in+the+bicycle+industry.%E2%80%9D+&source=Plastics+Engineering) - [https://www.reddit.com/submit?url=https://www.plasticsengineering.org/?p=1815&title=Injection+Molded+Kids+Bike+Focuses+on+Safety%2C+Sustainability](https://www.reddit.com/submit?url=https://www.plasticsengineering.org/?p=1815&title=Injection+Molded+Kids+Bike+Focuses+on+Safety%2C+Sustainability) - [/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#edd29e988f87888e99d0bd818c9e99848e9ecda8838a848388889f84838acdc0cda48387888e99848283cda08281898889cda684899ecdaf848688cdab828e989e889ecd8283cdbe8c8b889994c1cdbe989e998c84838c8f8481849994cb8f828994d08599999d9ed7c2c29a9a9ac39d818c9e99848e9e88838a848388889f84838ac3829f8ac2d29dd0dcd5dcd8](/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#edd29e988f87888e99d0bd818c9e99848e9ecda8838a848388889f84838acdc0cda48387888e99848283cda08281898889cda684899ecdaf848688cdab828e989e889ecd8283cdbe8c8b889994c1cdbe989e998c84838c8f8481849994cb8f828994d08599999d9ed7c2c29a9a9ac39d818c9e99848e9e88838a848388889f84838ac3829f8ac2d29dd0dcd5dcd8) - [#comments](#comments)