BASF aids three-in-one transport

A new multifunctional bike, dubbed the Triobike, combines a bicycle, carrier and pushchair in one. The Danish inventors behind the product said they could envision parents using the pushchair to drop off their children at day care, and then later, with a few quick dismantling moves, ride off on a bike.

The product uses a plastic developed by BASF. The material, called Luran S, is an acrylonitrile-styrene copolymer modified with an acrylic ester rubber (ASA) that meets high requirements in terms of safety and resistance to weathering and UV light. The sandwich structure of the pushchair panels consists of two co-extruded sheets and a polyurethane foam filling in between. This layered structure accounts for high stability and low weight.

According to Sammy Hessburg-Eisinger, the Danish creator of the Triobike, Luran S turned out to be the most stable and by far the most UV-resistant of all materials tested at Triobike. 'Triobikes that came back for inspection after one year still looked as good as new; the housing did not show any signs of degrading,’ he said.