BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news

Paligap and R J Chicken & Sons join the eight high-end suppliers who last year created the single-venue hotel trade show, Core Bike. Resisting the temptation to book an expo hall and fill it with suppliers of second-tier brands, Core Bike remains in the West Brom Moathouse.

At last night's Lance Armstrong Foundation Gala in the Waldorf-Astoria hotel in New York, $4.7m was raised for LAF's advocacy, public health and research programs. The bike adorned with gold and man-made yellow diamonds sold for $75 000, making it the world's most expensive bicycle.

The November issue of Bicycling South Africa, sister title to the US magazine Bicycling, is the 'sex issue', stating that more cycling equals a better sex life. But some readers may be shocked to find they have an unusual fetish: the mag asks "what's a bigger turn on, a carbon fibre bicycle or silk lingerie?" and reveals "the most erotic bike part."

Six 'bike beacon' towns in England will share £17m to promote cycling.

It's not the just the bicycle industry that is faced with carbon fibre price hikes and shortages. Other "recreational sporting goods" markets are being impacted, too. A US high-end kayak paddle maker has told a composites forecasting newsletter that carbon manufacturers are "abandoning the recreational markets to chase long term aerospace contracts."