IKEA bike Sladda test: Since its announcement, people in Europe have been waiting with great excitement for the first production bike from furniture giant IKEA. The two-wheeler, christened Sladda, will be available from August both in the branches and in the online shop. We had the opportunity to take a close look at the chic city runabout before it went on sale.
Update May 2018: Ikea recalls all Sladda bikes
Ikea recalls Sladda Fahrrad: This is how buyers get their money back
IKEA Sladda: The structure – initiative is required
As you know from IKEA, after unpacking the Sladda you have to take the initiative yourself: you have to assemble it yourself, just like with Billy, Pax and Co. But don't worry, because we can tell you in advance: The Sladda can be brought into a driving condition in a short time without previous knowledge and without existing tools. In the box, next to the Sladda itself, there is a small box in which we find not only the IKEA-typical assembly instructions, but also the necessary tools, a quick-release skewer, battery lights for the front and rear, a center stand, the front mudguard and simple pedals.
The bike Sladda itself is very well packed and padded. The rear wheel is already installed, the front wheel and seat post as well as the center stand still have to be assembled by yourself. Those who have never worked on a bike before will find the instructions very taciturn, with clear drawings explaining the work steps in a way that even newcomers can understand. All tools required for assembly are included: three Allen keys and one open-end wrench for different sizes. The assembly takes us half an hour, less experienced screwdrivers might need a little longer.
We noticed a few things during assembly: On the one hand, most of the components and the instructions in the manual are provided with torque specifications. Large parts of the target group should probably not be able to do much with that and a brief explanation in this regard would certainly not have been wrong. We also found the installation of the front wheel a bit problematic: both the stub axles of the hub and the quick-release skewer are generously prepared with lubricating grease and oil - this is praiseworthy on the one hand, but in connection with the disc brake there is a risk that the lubricant will eventually run out land on the brakes and cause major problems during operation - so caution is advised here.
The final assembly condition is satisfactory - but both the mudguard and the disc brake on the front wheel rub: Newcomers could be overwhelmed with the right alignment here, although the Sladda can of course also be ridden without this fine adjustment.
IKEA Fahrrad Sladda: Finishing and components - highlights and shadows
Now let's get to the bike itself: the Sladda costs €699, IKEA Family Card holders get it even €200 cheaper. At first glance, this seems to be a great deal in both cases: After all, the Sweden bike comes with a thoroughly successful frame, a belt drive, an Automatix hub from SRAM and a disc brake on the front wheel. But as a closer look shows, you can't do magic even with the furniture giant and it quickly becomes clear where the costs were saved on the Sladda in order to achieve the low price - but let's stay with the positive aspects of the Sladda for a moment.
The frame comes in a somewhat toned-down, matte white tone and makes a pretty good impression in terms of its workmanship. The welds are clean, we cannot find any sharp edges or other defects. The two mudguards appear robust, are made of aluminum and are kept in the same color as the frame: the IKEA Sladda certainly looks good. Large screws on the seatstay and on the head tube indicate the universal mounting options: in time for the market launch in August there should also be a basket for the front and a trailer for the rear - both can be mounted in no time at all thanks to easily accessible, coordinated mounts.
Now to the showpiece of the Sladda: the belt drive. This comes from Continental and offers a number of advantages over conventional derailleur chains that should not be underestimated: The belt, which is made of a special composite material, does not need a drop of oil or grease to run silently. It also stretches much less than steel chains. Both lead to a quiet and, above all, almost maintenance-free drive - whether in summer or in winter. The gears installed on the Sladda are just as easy to maintain: the Automatix hub from SRAM does not require a shift lever – how does that work? An internal centrifugal clutch changes between the two available gears depending on the speed driven. In addition to the clean look, the big advantage here is that the two-speed hub usually does not require any maintenance.
As already mentioned at the beginning, not all that glitters is gold on the IKEA Sladda either: A bicycle consists of more than a frame and drive and especially with the attachments, the bike from the furniture giant has a few weaknesses, two of which are particularly important: The cockpit and the brakes. The former consists of a height-adjustable stem, a very narrow riser handlebar and slip-on hard rubber grips. The handlebar-stem combination in particular didn't make a particularly reassuring impression on us: Although stems that can be adjusted in terms of angle and height always flex a little more than simple models due to their construction, the die-cast aluminum part on the Sladda leans alarmingly left and right when subjected to one-sided loads. The same applies to the handlebars: These are not necessarily a miracle of stiffness either and make the cockpit a rather spongy affair the first time you sit down. The cheap handles are not that important, even if you certainly shouldn't expect miracles of comfort here.
When it came to the brakes, the developers of the Sladda used a combination of a mechanical disc brake on the front wheel and a back pedal for the rear wheel. Although both types of brakes fit the requirement profile of a low-maintenance city bike, experience has shown that neither are necessarily among the strongest representatives of their type. The front disc brake is a combination of a Tektro MD-M280 brake caliper and a no-name brake lever, in which also has a small but loud bell integrated. Even the dry run while standing is not all that convincing: The brake lever moves quite sluggishly and rather stiffly.
IKEA Fahrrad Sladda: Ride Report - High comfort and weak brakes
Okay, the Sladda is set up and ready for its first test drive. As already mentioned, we still have to readjust the mudguard on the front wheel and the brakes a bit until everything runs smoothly, and then we can start. As was to be expected, you sit very upright on the IKEA bike, which is very comfortable and probably nobody wants to break speed records with it anyway. The drive is impressive: the belt doesn't make a peep and does its job unobtrusively. The automatic gear change on the rear wheel works fairly well and reliably, but the selected gear ratio is quite sporty in both cases: If it's a bit steeper uphill, we start to sweat quite a bit and without pedaling out of the saddle is the end anyway - untrained drivers in hilly regions should get the Think carefully about your purchase. Speaking of kicking out of the saddle: Here again it becomes abundantly clear what had already become apparent. The Sladda is quite "soft" - the cockpit flexes a lot under high loads and the frame also twists noticeably. Not all that tragic and probably not necessarily noticeable in everyday use for most drivers, but we were a bit surprised in view of the maximum permitted system weight of 160kg (including basket and luggage rack). The Sladda itself, including the supplied pedals, weighs 15,6kg.
The brakes gave us the most trouble during the test drive. Even our lightweight test rider needed some persuasion to achieve acceptable braking on the front wheel. Although this should improve during the braking process, it is at best within a sufficient range. The same applies to stepping back: After a short period of getting used to it, it works intuitively, but it takes a lot of pressure to lock the rear wheel. In any case, the brakes on the IKEA Sladda are sufficient for comfortable rides, but as soon as it gets faster or longer descents are waiting, you have to drive with foresight.
The tires without imprint make a pretty good impression: reflective strips, decent semi-slick profile and approx. 42mm wide, they ensure the necessary comfort even on cobblestones, even if you have to do without a puncture protection insert. Even after a long ride, the background noise is particularly noticeable: the robust mudguards don't rattle, nor does the belt drive or other attachments.
IKEA bike Sladda: conclusion
Rarely has a bike left us with such a mixed feeling as the IKEA Sladda. On the plus side of the city runabout are the really successful optics, the drive that is great in this price range and a universal fastening system for trailers, baskets and luggage racks. However, the noticeably soft cockpit and the weak brakes significantly spoiled the positive first impression during our test.
So is the Sladda a bike for everyone? Certainly not - the sporty translation of the two gears alone should only make the Swedish bike interesting for a few for hilly or mountainous areas. However, if you are looking for a simple, beautiful, universal and, above all, almost maintenance-free bike for a more leisurely pace in town and country, the Sladda should be the right choice. The price is particularly attractive for holders of the IKEA Family Card: for €500, you get a lot of bikes for the money. However, we find the standard price of €699 a bit high given the weaknesses mentioned.