So, what's hot, then? Did the Taipei trade show light any beacons for the global bike trade to follow? But, more importantly, did any urinals get knogged?

Taipei trends (or, where have all the scooters gone?)

As is now to be expected it was a curate’s egg sort of a show: good in parts.

There were a load of skidding trike clones, mini-recumbents almost, and the show was awash with road bikes dripping with carbon fibre kit (much of it now at consumer-friendly price-points ie a lot cheaper than last year). But you’d be looking in vain for the ‘next big thing’.

There were, of course, lots of little things to keep interest alive.

An Australian design company had a booth full of interesting knick-knacks, including an Oz-version of the Danlite, the Welsh handlebar flasher previewed at last year’s cycle show at the Business Design Centre but which, for a variety of reasons, including Chinese ones, has not yet made it to market.

The handlebar LED type thingy and the pannier bag seen below were designed by Catalyst of Victoria, Australia. They are being marketed under the brand name, we knid you knot, of Knog.

So, where did that name come from? Shakespeare, perhaps?

The Merry Wives of Windsor, Act III Scene I, A field near Frogmore:

SIR HUGH EVANS: "Pless my soul, how full of chollors I am, and trempling of mind! I shall be glad if he have deceived me. How melancholies I am! I will knog his urinals about his knave’s costard when I have good opportunities for the ork. ‘Pless my soul!"

Nope. The name came from one of the first products considered for the range – a full face polystyrene helmet, a thing that protects the noggin…

The UK distributor for Knog products will be Extra.

hugo@catalyst.net.au

http://www.catalyst.net.au

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