International
Hargroves Rebrand Completes 99 Bikes Purchase
Southhampton, UK Pedal Group has begun a rebrand of the UK retail chain, Hargroves Cycles, it purchased recently. The Queensland-based company last week began converting the four Hargroves outlets into 99 Bikes stores, consistent with its retail operations in Australia. Hargroves founder Peter Hargroves said on social media site LinkedIn the rebranding was an end…
Product Briefs: Mavic E-Bike Motor, Greater Bosch Security and More
Annecy, France French brand Mavic has unveiled its own superlight e-bike motor, the X-Tend, as the company searches for a partner to help take the motor to production. The X-Tend’s release prompted recollections of another electronic innovation by Mavic, when it led the shift to electronic derailleurs with the launch of its Zap system in…
Recall for Shimano’s PRO Vibe Stems
Eindhoven, Netherlands Shimano has issued a ‘stop riding’ and recall notice for a range of head stems sold under its PRO brand, after it was discovered they were prone to developing cracks. Shimano Europe B.V., the owner of the PRO brand, issued the recall on 30th March for certain PRO Vibe alloy stems purchased during…
Taipei Cycle Award Refocuses Attention on Sodium-Ion Batteries
Taipei, Taiwan Chinese manufacturer Phylion has triumphed at Taipei Cycle’s 2023 Development & Innovation Awards with its first-generation sodium-ion battery cells, as the technology firms as an alternative to lithium-ion batteries for e-bikes. Phylion used Taiwan’s global bike trade show to highlight its self-developed sodium-ion battery cell models, the Golden Brick Version 30110 and 19118…
Letter from America – New Bugbears for US Industry
SANTA FE, New Mexico It seems the US bicycle industry has set aside – at least for the moment – worries over supply chain disruption, overseas shipping costs, and tariffs on some Chinese imports. That’s not to say these concerns are unimportant, but the industry is moving full speed ahead into other hot button issues.…
Giant Foreshadows Delayed Economic Recovery
Taichung City, Taiwan Inventory issues and the “headwind of economic outlook” will continue to affect short-term revenue and earning performance in the global bicycle industry, Giant Group declared in its 2022 financial year report released this month. The Taiwanese company says the bike market’s balance of the supply and demand is yet to normalise, although…
Shimano, Trek, POC Release New Urban Products
Osaka, Japan Bike commuting’s global emergence into the transportation mainstream has been highlighted by the recent releases of three major players in the industry. Shimano, Trek and POC have unveiled new products with features targetting the practical needs of “everyday” cyclists. Shimano says its newly launched Cues line-up of components represents “a brand-new approach to…
BikeExchange Scraps Kitzuma Ready-to-Ride Delivery Service
North Carolina, US Online bike retailer BikeExchange (BEX) has announced it is scrapping the ready-to-ride bicycle delivery service by its Kitzuma subsidiary in the US, which it had earmarked to be replicated in its existing markets. During BikeExchange’s half-yearly financial report to shareholders last week, the company declared it would not be resuming Kitzuma’s ready-to-ride…
Production Breakthrough for Chainless Drive System
Munich, Germany The horizons for future e-bike designs opened considerably last month, when Munich-based e-cargo bike company Mocci became the first brand to go into production using a chainless drive system developed by fellow German company Schaeffler. The Free Drive system, unveiled back in August 2021 and now incorporated into Mocci’s Smart Pedal Vehicles, opens…
SRAM’s $490 Million Commitment to Taiwan
Taichung, Taiwan SRAM Group is investing A$490 million (10 billion New Taiwan dollars) in a new Taiwan plant, the US company announced last month. The new plant, in Taichung’s Tanzi District, will consolidate all of the company’s existing production facilities in the east-Asian country, developed during the company’s three decades in Taiwan. SRAM’s vice president…