BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news
AND I’M SPENT. Bank holidays leaping straight into Eurobike, returning to the BikeBiz Bible, merged with the print deadline of this very magazine – it’s been a busy one. No rest for the wicked, however, just a week down the line the Outdoors Show, Cycle Show and the BikeBiz Awards hit, among other things scribbled into a well-thumbed diary. We will, of course, have coverage from each, which will hopefully be handy if your diary is anything like ours at this time of year.
Admittedly, a hectic schedule has thrown me slightly out of touch on what’s gone on in the rest of the industry in the past month, so while I’m playing catch up, let me fill this space with a few highlights from Friedrichshafen to be aware of in the coming year.
BIGFISH: Quick release clamps are fine, but buttons are better. Introducing these to the new ‘Line’ bike and retrofitting to the original, Bigfish have cut shop floor demo times.
CLARKS CYCLE SYSTEMS: Few would have claimed to have had near 60 new products on their stand. Clarks did, however, as well as a new BMX specific, pocket-money components brand dubbed C4. This entirely separate entity offers brakes and gyros, grips and also told BikeBiz of cranks in pedals in the design stages.
ELECTRA: Though retaining some Electra flare, the brand has released a mainstream line of leisure bikes in what it confesses is an area for sustained expansion for the firm.
BikeBiz will soon carry an interview with the brand, so keep your eyes peeled for that.
KOGA: Scooping a gold award for its WorldTraveller 29er and introducing an online custom build service, Koga can offer customers a tailored build from the tyres upwards, all while tracking weight and price. I recommend logging on to see this service for yourself.
OSPREY: I have to confess to using a Raptor 10 pack around the woods lately and highly recommend it. That, however, isn’t the reason I’ve flagged Osprey as a highlight.
Aside from having a comprehensive range for all sectors, this firm has some genuinely innovative ideas going into its packs, from rigid bladders and magnetic hose fasteners, to detachable backpack straps for business types looking for a cycling-compatible briefcase.
WELDTITE: Another demonstration that screamed ‘why has nobody done this before’. Look out for Weldtite’s new detachable workshop stand component that is about to make mechanic’s lives a heck of a lot easier.
