My name is Renée van Hout, and I am a cyclist. Cycling is often seen as an environmentally friendly sport, but how green is it really? In this series, I explore the hidden environmental costs of (professional) cycling—from bike production to travel gear consumption, and more. By shedding light on these overlooked aspects, I hope to spark conversation and take small steps toward a more sustainable sport.
In the second article in this series I will dive into the impact of bikes.
Bikes
Nowadays, high-level racing bikes are made of carbon. While carbon frames are popular due to their low weight, they also have the largest carbon footprint. Trek was one of the first bike manufacturers to acknowledge in their sustainability report that carbon fiber processing is the most environmentally damaging aspect of bike production.14 Broken carbon frames often end up in landfills because they are hard to recycle, and replacing them is usually cheaper than repairing them. This makes their disposal at the end of their lifespan an ongoing environmental challenge.
In their study, carbon frames appeared to produce three times higher emissions than their aluminum counterparts. Trek's most popular bike is the Marlin mountain bike, made from aluminum. This isn't unique in the mountain bike world, as aluminum is known for being more shock-resistant. Aluminum, while also having a significant carbon footprint, can be recycled, unlike carbon. However, a huge amount of energy is required to refine from its ore state, bauxite. Ore refinement releases several toxic byproducts. Current aluminum production heavily relies of fossil fuels for power supply. The aluminum sector is a significant emitter of greenhouse gasses; around 2% of global emissions.15 Using recycled aluminum would save 90-95% of the energy required compared to using raw bauxite. And, recycled aluminum retains the same structural integrity no matter how many times it is recycled. There is enough material to recycle, but no supply chain in place to gather all of the material that can be recycled. In the Netherlands, the recycling system for aluminum is effective for cans but not for the more durable aluminum used in bike frames.
Starling Cycles followed Trek’s lead by examining the environmental impact of their steel frames. Their report claims a German steel frame requires 16 times less energy than a typical carbon frame. Producing one emits just 4.2 kg of CO₂, compared to 6.2 kg for an Asian steel frame and 52-68 kg for a carbon frame, aligning with Trek’s estimate for the Madone frame (57 kg CO₂). Steel also offers durability, repairability, and an established recycling system. Reynolds, a British manufacturer, found that making a steel frame cost 17.5 kg CO₂.16 The first independent study (not related to any brand) found that an aluminum frame with a carbon fork from Specialized emitted over 250 kg CO₂17, roughly 14 times that of a steel frame (without fork) as calculated by Reynolds.
All with all, exact numbers and studies done by the brand themselves are tricky, but in conclusion, the Trek report also shows that “each technological ‘advancement’ that is added to a bike – carbon wheels, electronic shifting, the addition of a motor – comes with an environmental cost,” as pointed out by Dr Bernhard Isopp (lecturer and researcher in the department of science, technology and society at the TU of Munich) in The Guardian.18 So, while these innovations have made us faster and more efficient, they carry a hidden toll on the planet. “Taken as a whole, the bike industry, including Trek, is not very different than any other industry; they rely on unsustainable, carbon-intensive, environmentally-impactful systems of (over)production and (over)consumption,” Isopp adds in another article, while also acknowledging Trek’s for being one of the first bike companies to keep track of their environmental impact.19
Next to production, transportation and distribution of their products is the biggest contributor to Trek’s carbon emissions as a brand. That also stood out in the report from Starling Cycles. There has been a global rise in demand for bicycles and they are moved all over the world via trucks, airplanes and ships over a collective distance of millions of miles every year. Air freight has 84 times the carbon footprint of shipping by boat, but the second is less attractive because it takes much longer. To protect bikes during shipping, a lot of plastic packaging is used, including zip ties, bubble wrap, and cassette protectors. This plastic is usually discarded after a single use, contributing to waste. Trek removed 196,677 kg of plastic from packaging in 2020, but this still highlights the vast amount of plastic used.
Most road racing professionals have at least five bikes—training, time trial, reserve, and race bikes—which are often replaced yearly.20 The Trek Madone, used by the Lidl Trek team, emits 197 kg of CO2 for production.21 Multiply that by 5 for the bikes per person. Then multiply that by 30 riders in the men’s team plus 19 riders in the women’s team (in 2024), and you get 48.265 kg CO2 emitted for the bikes. This omits to account for the carbon frames that get broken during a racing season. To put this in perspective, 1 ton (1000 kg) of CO2 represents a one way trip from Paris to New York by plane per passenger.22
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The components of your bike, i.e. anything from your drivetrain to your wheels, handlebars and saddle, - can vary in materials, much like your bike frame. As seen in the stats from Trek, your wheels can contribute to quite a chunk of emissions. It’s like that you will opt for carbon as the material of choice because of its performance benefits. Again, like the frame, this has a negative environmental impact.
It would be interesting to know how many chains, cassettes, and other components a professional cycling team goes through in a year. In 2019, the Belgian WorldTour team Deceuninck–Quick-Step voluntarily calculated and offset its carbon emissions. The team consumed 280 bikes, 600 chains, 300 groupsets, and 400 wheels.23 A lot more than I would have calculated.
Until a few decades ago, most bike components were interchangeable between different frames, years and brands. Component compatibility increases the lifetime of a bicycle, because it is easy to maintain and repair. Bike manufacturers are introducing more proprietary parts and frequently updating standards, which makes it tricky to find compatible replacements for older models—even within the same brand. For example, if your bike’s shifter breaks after a few years, you will likely need a new one from a newer series. But that might not work with your current derailleurs, meaning you would have to replace those too. The same problem exists for drivetrains: the move from 10-speed to 11-, 12-, and now 13-speed cassettes has made older wheels and components obsolete, forcing unnecessary upgrades. Disc brakes, now standard on nearly all new bikes, come with a wide variety of axle designs, each requiring specific spare parts. They have also necessitated redesigns for shifters, forks, frames, cables, and wheels, making them incompatible with older setups. This growing reliance on proprietary components makes maintaining, reusing, or refurbishing bikes harder. As compatibility decreases, bike shops struggle to stock all necessary parts, and if a manufacturer goes under, their proprietary components disappear entirely.24
Every time we brake, accelerate, or corner, tires wear down into tiny particles that pollute the air, water, and soil. While bike tires produce fewer microparticles than car tires, they are far from eco-friendly. Many are made from natural rubber, sourced from tropical rubber trees, which require long-distance transport to production facilities. The alternative, synthetic rubber, isn’t much better—it is derived from crude oil, a non-renewable resource.25
As tires wear, they release plastic polymers that become airborne and contribute to air pollution. Tire particles on roads are a significant source of microplastics entering the soil, impacting soil organisms and plant growth.26 In the UK alone, 44,000 tons of waste bike tires and inner tubes end up in landfills annually.27 Decomposition can take up to 50 years, during which tires release harmful chemicals into the soil and water.
Landfills emit methane—a greenhouse gas far more potent than CO2—when waste decomposes. Methane emissions from landfills are a significant yet often overlooked contributor to climate change; in fact, landfills are the third-largest source of human-related methane emissions in the United States.28
Cycling is getting more tech-heavy, and many of us carry a bunch of gadgets: GPS computers for routes, heart rate monitors, power meters, lights, and maybe a smartwatch. If you train indoors, that extends to smart trainers and sensors. The industry thrives on new products—Garmin alone drops around 100 a year. While progress and innovation are exciting, they also fuel consumerism, with constant upgrades and new gear. The tech industry accounts for 2% to 3% of global greenhouse gas emissions.29 Producing electronic gadgets involves substantial energy consumption, from the extraction of raw materials through mining to the manufacturing. The production of tech devices consumes significant amount of rare earth elements, lithium, gold and silver, which leads to deforestation, soil degradation and water pollution.30 In 2022, a record of 62 billion kg of electronic waste was generated. It is expected to only rise from here. Formally only 22% of global e-waste gets recycled.31 The remaining 78% often ends up in landfills. Common e-waste components include lead, mercury and cadmium, and improper disposal and treatment lead to leaching of toxic substances, which pose severe environmental and health risks.
Do you also feel that the flip phones we used to have lasted longer than the present-day smartphones? That feeling might be correct, because these days many tech devices are designed with a limited lifespan. In research this concept is known as planned obsolescence. It encourages consumers to keep purchasing newer models.32
Erik Bronsvoort suggests that this “designed to fail” is the case for more bike parts. In From Marginal Gains to a Circular Revolution, he writes: “Bike parts fail because, for example, too little material was used in critical places. Often this concept is justified with the argument that a product needs to be as light as possible. An example is a saddle, which hardly ever outlasts a frameset because it cracks at the bottom of the shell. A little extra material would make them last forever. Instead, the entire saddle is thrown away, and a new saddle is picked up at the shop.”33
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Bike cleaning products are easy to overlook, but they often contain chemicals harmful to both our health and the environment. Consider items like bike cleaner concentrates, chain lubes, degreasers, and sprays. Many of these contain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a group of man-made chemicals known for their water, grease, and dirt-repellent properties. While these qualities make PFAS effective for cleaning bikes, they are also a serious environmental and health concern.
PFAS don’t occur naturally and are released into the environment through emissions from factories that produce or use them. When we wash our bikes, these chemicals can enter waterways and soil, contributing to their widespread contamination. As a result, PFAS are now found in the blood of people and animals worldwide, as well as in various foods. Exposure to these substances is linked to health issues such as an increased risk of certain cancers and reduced fertility.34
Luckily, some brands are working to develop PFAS-free cleaning products, offering safer alternatives for both cyclists and the planet.
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What can we do as individuals?
- Keep your bike components clean and well-maintained to prolong their lifespan. Opt to repair rather than replace whenever possible—either by fixing items yourself or taking them to a bike shop. When replacements are necessary, consider second-hand components where possible.
- Choose biodegradable products to clean your bike.
- Choose brands that demonstrate a commitment to environmental initiatives, even if they can't yet fully integrate recycled materials into their products. Every thoughtful choice contributes to a more sustainable cycling experience.
- For professionals it’s not attractive, but for amateur riders; consider buying durable, repairable frames (e.g. steel or aluminum) and prioritize quality over trends.
- Use local recycling facilities for tires, tubes and frames.
- Try to reduce E-Waste by only upgrading gadgets when necessary and recycle old devices properly.
What can teams do?
- Partner with manufacturers to reuse and recycle materials.
- Collect worn out parts such as chains and tires and bring them to recycling facilities.
- Reduce the number of bikes and components issued per rider per season.
- Use low-emission transportation for moving equipment and personnel.
What can manufacturers do?
- Develop recyclable carbon fiber and switch to recycled aluminum where possible.
- Set up global networks to collect and process used bikes and components.
- Eliminate single-use plastics in shipping and use biodegradable materials.
- Publish independent environmental impact reports and address greenwashing.
- Avoid planned obsolescence and make bikes/components compatible across models and years.
Sources:
[1] (Translated) “Tour de France 2023: La culpabilité du coureur Guillame Martin par rapport au climat,” Le Figaro, 28 Jun 2023, https://www.lefigaro.fr/sports/cyclisme/tour-de-france/tour-de-france-2023-la-culpabilite-du-coureur-guillaume-martin-par-rapport-au-climat-20230628
[1] “Downhill from here: cycling report.” POW UK.
[1] Lab of Thought. "Formula 1, Tour de France, TDF." LinkedIn, 2024, https://www.linkedin.com/posts/lab-of-thought_formula1-tourdefrance-tdf-activity-7232387860828426240-ozbw/.
[1] “Carbon offset and contribution.” Le Tour de France, https://www.letour.fr/en/our-commitments/its-my-turn-im-taking-action/carbon-audit-and-offset
[1] "Carbon Emissions Calculator." International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), https://www.icao.int/environmental-protection/CarbonOffset/Pages/default.aspx.
[1] “Trek Bicycle 2021 Sustainability Report.” Trek Bicycle, 2021, https://view.publitas.com/trek-bicycle/trek-bicycle-2021-sustainability-report/page/1
[1] IAI, “1.5 Degrees Scenario: A Model to Drive Emissions Reduction,” October 2021, https://internationalaluminium.org/resource/1-5-degrees-scenario-a-model-to-drive-emissions-reduction/.
[1] “Our Environmental Impact Study,” Reynolds Technology, 2022, https://www.reynoldstechnology.biz/company-butted-steel-tubing/our-environmental-impact-study/
[1] Johnson, Rebecca, Alice Kodama, and Regina Willensky. “The complete impact of bicycle use: analyzing the environmental impact and initiative of the bicycle industry,” 2014, https://dukespace.lib.duke.edu/dspace/bitstream/handle/10161/8483/Duke_MP_Published.pdf
[1] Isopp, Bernhard. “Why aren’t more big bike firms tracking their environmental impact?” The Guardian, 23 Sept. 2021, https://www.theguardian.com/environment/bike-blog/2021/sep/23/why-arent-more-big-bike-firms-tracking-their-environmental-impact#:~:text=Bike%20manufacturers%20have%20had%20a,environmentally%20impactful%20forms%20of%20transportation.
[1] “CI. N Issue 002 / 2022,” stagpublications, Mar 1 2022, https://issuu.com/stagpublications/docs/cin02_2022_web
[1] As I got told by Ellen van Dijk from Team Lidl Trek
[1] “Trek Bicycle 2021 Sustainability Report.” Trek Bicycle, 2021, https://view.publitas.com/trek-bicycle/trek-bicycle-2021-sustainability-report/page/1
[1] Valepiano, Valentina. “What Is a Ton of CO2, and How Much CO2 Do We Emit?” Tapio, 9 May 2023, www.tapio.eco/blog/what-represents-one-ton-co2-emissions.
[1] Bicycle Retailer and Industry News. “Deceuninck–Quick-Step Become a Carbon Neutral Cycling Team.” Bicycle Retailer and Industry News, 12 Jan. 2020, www.bicycleretailer.com/announcements/2020/01/12/deceuninck-%E2%80%93-quick-step-become-carbon-neutral-cycling-team.
[1] Erik Bronsvoort & Matthijs Gerrits. “From marginal gains to a circular revolution”. Paperback (full-colour): 160 pages, ISBN: 978-94-92004-93-2, Warden Press, Amsterdam. https://circularcycling.nl/product/from-marginal-gains-to-a-circular-revolution/
[1] “Tyre Wear – an Underestimated Source of Air Pollution That Needs to Be Tackled - ECOS.” ECOS - Environmental Coalition on Standards, 30 Aug. 2024, https://ecostandard.org/news_events/tyre-wear-an-underestimated-source-of-air-pollution-that-needs-to-be-tackled-in-the-eu/.
[1] Kim, Lia and Department of Environmental Health Science, Konkuk University, the Republic of Korea. “Toxicity Assessment of Tire Particles Released From Personal Mobilities (Bicycles, Cars, and Electric Scooters) on Soil Organisms.” Journal of Hazardous Materials, vol. 437, 129362, June 2022. ScienceDirect,https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.129362.
[1] Morley, Rebecca, and Rebecca Morley. “National Bicycle Tyre Recycling Scheme to Launch Later This Year.” BikeBiz, 21 July 2020, https://bikebiz.com/national-bicycle-tyre-recycling-scheme-to-launch-later-this-year/
[1] “Basic Information About Landfill Gas | US EPA.” US EPA, 20 Sept. 2024, https://www.epa.gov/lmop/basic-information-about-landfill-gas#:~:text=When%20MSW%20is%20first%20deposited,the%20waste%20and%20generate%20methane.
[1] United Nations. “Climate Change and the Tech Industry.” United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), 2020, www.unfccc.int/resource/techindustryemissions.pdf.
[1] Huang, Yinlun. “Technology Innovation and Sustainability: Challenges and Research Needs.” Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy, vol. 23, no. 6, July 2021, pp. 1663–64, https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10098-021-02152-6
[1] “The Global E-waste Monitor 2024,” ITU, 20 March 2024, https://www.itu.int/en/ITU-D/Environment/Pages/Publications/The-Global-E-waste-Monitor-2024.aspx
[1] University of Groningen. "Planned Obsolescence in Smart Devices." University of Groningen, 2021, www.rug.nl/research/sustainable-society/planned-obsolescence-smart-devices.
[1] "Circular Cycling Book Shines Spotlight on Trade’s Sustainability Record." CyclingIndustry.News, CyclingIndustry.News, 2023, https://cyclingindustry.news/circular-cycling-book-shines-spotlight-on-trades-sustainability-record/.