News
New Dates and Bigger New Venue for Handmade Bicycle Show Australia
After two successful years at the historic North Melbourne Meat Markets, the Handmade Bicycle Show Australia (HBSA) is moving to a new venue and later dates for 2020. The HSBA will now be held from Friday 16th October to Sunday 18th October at Seaworks, Williamstown, Vic. Williamstown is a historic waterfront suburb of Melbourne on…
It’s Not Just Bicycles and Toilet Paper in Short Supply
Recently my wireless keyboard started doing thisssssssssss, as they have a habit of doing after 12 months or so in our throw away society where new keyboards start at under $10. So I visited my local Office Works and walked across to the computer and peripherals section, that I hadn’t visited since the pre-virus era.…
‘Bicycles Are the New Toilet Paper!’ Aussie Dealer Comment Goes Global
When Australian bicycle shop owner Grant Kaplan of Giant Sydney made this throwaway line to a journalist last month, he probably didn’t expect it to go global. But in a world that’s bored, desperate for some good news and starved of some comic relief his quote has gone global. Grant’s exact quote, according to The…
From Corporate Servicing to Cobweb Removal
Thomas Treloar’s business The Rolling Fix has established a profitable niche over the past seven years. Unlike most other mobile mechanics who go house to house, Thomas usually works in the underground car parks and bike parking facilities of the large office towers in Sydney’s CBD. Working with major corporates and building managers to a…
Shimano Cycling Sales Down 15% for Jan to March
For the quarter ended 31st March 2020, Shimano’s net sales from the bicycle components segment decreased 15.4%, compared like-for-like with the same period last year, to 58,868 million yen, (A$841 million) while operating income decreased 26.1% to 10,298 million yen (A$147 million). In Europe, Shimano noted strong retail sales of completed bicycles, particularly e-Bike’s, but…
French & UK Governments Subsidising Bicycle Repairs
The French government is tackling the travel challenges of the pandemic lockdown directly by offering its citizens €50 (A$85.50) to spend getting their bicycles repaired. Members of the public can spend up to €50 at registered mechanics as part of a €20 million (A$34.2 million) scheme. That cash total will also be used for cycle…
Colnago, Italy’s Iconic Brand, Sold to Abu Dhabi Investment Fund
Abu Dhabi fund, Chimera Investments LLC, has announced the acquisition of the majority of Colnago’s shares. In their statement, the fund, which is headed by Dubai’s royal family and also owns the UAE Emirates Team World Tour pro cycling team that is equipped with Colnago bikes, publicly thanked “Ernesto Colnago, master of the design and…
Global Move to Increase Cycling has Accelerated Due to Covid-19
Lately there has hardly been a day go by without another city or nation somewhere around the world announcing temporary cycle lanes, increased cycling infrastructure funding and other steps aimed at facilitating more cycling. In this article we’ll give a brief summary of some of the latest developments. United Kingdom U.K. transport secretary Grant Shapps…
Shimano Files Patent for Artificial Intelligent System to Detect Parts Wear
Could a ‘Check Engine’ light be coming to bikes? Shimano is thinking that way, and has filed a patent application for using artificial intelligence processing paired with sensors to monitor wear and maintenance of bicycle components. US Patent Application 20200010138, published on Jan. 9, gives a glimpse of a system for bicycles analogous to the…
You Can Now Sign a Petition Calling for Safer Cycling
In our previous newsletter we posted this article about a letter signed by over 100 leading Australian health and transport experts, calling upon all levels of government to make cycling and walking safer. Now this letter is open to be signed by any interested party via an online petition that has already gathered thousands of…