An eco-friendly mattress company is building timber e-bikes, and they actually make a lot of sense.
Electric bikes are typically made from aluminum or (if you’re willing to pay a premium) carbon fiber – lightweight materials that are corrosion resistant, lightweight, and easy to work with. However, they’re not the only options, and wood is a surprisingly practical alternative. COCO-MAT.bike is a Greek company founded in Athens that’s aiming to prove that lithium and timber are a winning combination. It’s not just a proof of concept, either – COCO-MAT currently makes six bikes (Odysseus, Penelope, Telemachus, Mentor, Telegonus, and Argos), with various gearing options and two electric models. The bikes are certainly striking – the entire frame is made from pale wood, from the handlebars to the fenders – and they could soon be rolling through a street near you. TechRadar spoke to find out why your daily rider should be made from timber. If you’re thinking ‘COCO-MAT’ sounds like an unusual name for a bike builder, you’re right. The company, which was founded by brothers, Paul and Mike Evmorfidis in 1989, mainly focuses on sustainable furniture, bed linen, and mattresses. “Paul is a little on the crazy side,” says Dimitri Philippou, CEO of ARTC GLOBAL, which is bringing the bikes to the UK. “He’s the one who’s big on the environment – In fact, he’s on the Amazon on a river ride now. « A few years ago, he was riding in the Alps, his bike broke down, and he decided ‘I’m going to make a wooden bike’. That’s where it came from.” The first wooden bikes were built about six years ago.
