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Bicycles & E-Bikes

Sealing Solutions for Bicycles and E-Bikes –
Less Friction, Longer Service Life

Precisely Sealed from Suspension Forks to E-Drives

The global bicycle and e-bike market is growing at a remarkable pace. Driven by urbanization, sustainability goals, and a booming active lifestyle trend, manufacturers worldwide are under pressure to deliver components that are lighter, more durable, and require less maintenance—while minimizing friction. From cross-country mountain bike tours to daily commutes on e-cargo bikes: every rotation of the wheel, every suspension fork movement, and every pedal stroke depends on components that reliably seal against dirt, moisture, and wear.

Freudenberg Sealing Technologies has been developing precisely these solutions for decades. With deep expertise in tribology, polymer materials, and custom seal development, Freudenberg Sealing Technologies supports bicycle and e-bike manufacturers with advanced sealing systems that enhance ride quality, extend maintenance intervals, and reliably protect critical components under all conditions.

The Challenges of Modern Cycling

Today’s bicycles and e-bikes are used under extreme conditions. Riders navigate through mud, rain, sand, and frost, and expect their components to function just as reliably as they do on a dry summer day. Manufacturers face a complex set of requirements:

  • Lightweight construction without compromising sealing reliability
  • Low-friction seals for immediate response to terrain irregularities
  • Extended maintenance intervals to reduce total cost of ownership
  • Reliable protection against contamination—dirt, mud, moisture, and trail debris
  • Weather resistance across a wide temperature range
  • For e-bikes: additional protection for electric motors, drive electronics, and battery systems

The bicycle and e-bike market in figures

+10.3% CAGR
Global e-bike market volume in 2025
approx. $54 billion
Projected annual growth 2026–2035
$145 billion
Expected global market size by 2035
$18 billion
E-bike market size in Europe in 2025
90.6 million
Bicycles & e-bikes in circulation in Germany alone – of which 17.2 million are e-bikes

What Freudenberg Sealing Technologies’ sealing systems deliver in practice

Extended maintenance intervals

Advanced sealing systems reduce contamination and wear, significantly extending maintenance cycles

Improved driving experience

Low-friction seals enable a more responsive suspension response, more precise steering, and greater driving comfort on any surface

Lightweight construction without compromise

Polymer-based sealing elements reduce system weight without compromising sealing integrity

Weather resistance

Reliable sealing in mud, rain, dust, UV radiation, and temperatures ranging from −40 °C to +120 °C

Optimized e-bike range

Energy Saving Seals™ minimize friction losses in the drivetrain, thereby directly contributing to greater range per battery charge

Customized development expertise

Every application is different. The engineering teams at Freudenberg Sealing Technologies develop application-specific solutions from prototype to production-ready

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Brochure

Recreational

Efficiency, reliability, and low emissions. In the recreational market, these are the mega trends reaching across the world. Read now!

More details

Service

Material and tribology testing

In-house testing of friction values, wear rates, contamination resistance, and long-term service life under bicycle-specific load profiles.

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FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions

The most important answers for designers, developers, and buyers in the bicycle and e-bike industry:

  • Different protection requirements apply to e-bike components depending on their installation location. Motor housings and battery systems must generally meet IP54 to IP67 to ensure protection against dust and water exposure. For pedal-assisted e-bikes (pedelecs), the EN 15194 standard applies in the EU. Freudenberg Sealing Technologies develops sealing elements tailored to these requirements—including pressure equalization elements for temperature-induced pressure fluctuations in sealed housings, as well as shaft seals for high-speed applications in electric motors.

  • The decisive factor is the interaction between the main seal and the dust seal. The main seal keeps the fork oil in the system and ensures consistent damping characteristics. The dust seal prevents dirt particles from reaching the main seal in the first place. Freudenberg Sealing Technologies optimizes both components to be tribologically matched—this significantly reduces abrasive wear on both elements. In practice, this means significantly longer service intervals and more stable damping performance over the entire service life of the component. Specific interval specifications depend on the respective application and usage profile— , please feel free to consult our application engineers.

  • Yes, Freudenberg Sealing Technologies supports manufacturers from the initial idea through to production readiness. For the early development phase, Freudenberg Xpress® is available: turned and milled seal prototypes with short lead times for rapid iterations. For series production, 47 production sites worldwide are available, ensuring consistent quality and delivery reliability even for high volumes.

  • Durable seals reduce the frequency of maintenance interventions and thus resource consumption over the entire product lifecycle. Lightweight polymers replace heavier materials and contribute to weight reduction—which directly improves range efficiency in e-bikes. Freudenberg Sealing Technologies also pursues a binding corporate goal: By 2030, the company aims to source all of its electricity exclusively from renewable energy sources, and by 2045, Freudenberg Sealing Technologies aims to be completely climate-neutral. In addition, the company is actively researching sealing materials based on renewable raw materials as a replacement for conventional fossil-based raw materials.

News & Stories on Recreational Vehicles

Info Graphic - CO2 Footprint of Wet Chemical Bonding Agent vs. FACT

Technology & Innovation

FACT Surface Technology for the Environment: An Adhesive Bonding Process Without Wet-Chemicals

22.04.2026 | Press release

Can bonding processes be designed to work without wet-chemicals? Yes. With FACT, Freudenberg Sealing Technologies is establishing a new, cost-efficient, and sustainable manufacturing process.

Read more

Freudenberg 94 AU 30000

Technology & Innovation

Not Afraid of Extreme Conditions

27.05.2021 | Press release

Freudenberg Sealing Technologies’ 94 AU30000 sets performance benchmark, gains traction and praise with customers.

Read more

TrekSupercaliber

Technology & Innovation

Crossing the Divide

13.10.2020 | Press release

Freudenberg Sealing Technologies supports Trek Bicycle’s innovative suspension.

Read more

Automotive & Transportation

E-Bikes in the Fast Lane

20.05.2020 | Story

What is predicted for cars has already come a long way with bicycles: rapid growth in electrification. E-bikes are the latest trend.

Read more

    Related Documents

  • Recreational

    Efficiency, reliability, and low emissions. In the recreational market, these are the mega trends reaching across the world. The demands brought on by legislation, along with competitive markets, are driving factors in most countries experiencing these trends.

    English | PDF | 3370 KB

    Go to detail page Download

  • Energy Saving Seals—ESS™

    Freudenberg Sealing Technologies radial shaft Energy Saving Seals (ESS™), demonstrate significant reduction of power loss in drive assemblies as opposed to standard sealing elements.

    English | PDF | 539 KB

    Go to detail page Download
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