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Ikea’s Flatpacked, Chainless Bicycle Now for Sale in U.S.

When we announced Ikea’s chainless bicycle last year, there was no word on a U.S. release date. But the company has just announced that the Sladda is now available here–at a lower price point than expected–and we’ve finally gotten a closer look at some of the features.

First off, to refresh your memory the SLADDA is not a replacement for your carbon fiber racing bike; instead they’ve created a basic, utilitarian and unisex bicycle designed to encourage non-cyclists to use it for commuting or running errands. 

To make it low-maintenance, the chain has been replaced by a cogged silicone belt, obviating the need to oil it. The belt comes with a 10-year warranty.

The frame, which comes with a 25-year warranty, is made from aluminum, with the aim being to make the bike light enough to easily carry up and down stairs.

The bike’s utility comes by way of accessories that can be mounted and demounted by the user, allowing a measure of customizability. They currently offer the following:

Front Basket

Cargo Trailer

Rear Rack

Saddlebag That Doubles as a Backpack

While the aft-mounted accessories appear to be attached by (of course) an Allen key, up front we see the basket has a bracket with two keyholes in it, which hangs onto two bosses:

At first I thought this was a tool-less connection–a bad idea in New York City at least, where anything that isn’t nailed down has a tendency to walk–but if we examine the photos closely, we can see that there’s at least one hex bolt securing the basket to the frame.

In our write-up from last year, the U.S. price, converted from the projected price in Euros, was a pricey $797; but Ikea’s now announced that the SLADDA costs $499, or $399 for Ikea Family members.

Here’s Ikea designer Oskar Juhlin on what motivated them to design a bicycle:

The SLADDA is available for order now on Ikea’s U.S. website, and you’ll start seeing it in their stores next month. Lastly, yes, the bike arrives flatpack and is user-assembled.

http://www.core77.com/posts/59655/Ikeas-Flatpacked-Chainless-Bicycle-Now-for-Sale-in-US