MANCHESTER, N.H. (BRAIN) — Sigma is the latest addition to The Bike Cooperative's network of supplier partners; through this partnership members of The Bike Co-op will earn rebates on their purchases of Sigma-branded products, both direct and through distributors.

Bike Cooperative vice president of operations Carl Michelakos said, "We are thrilled to have a technology pioneer like Sigma on board as a supplier partner. As a leader in the bicycle electronics category since the early '80s, Sigma is a great brand that consumers recognize, with quality products and excellent customer support. Our member retailers are very excited to see Sigma as a Bike Cooperative supplier partner."

Sigma managing director Brian Orloff added, "The Bike Cooperative makes it easy for Sigma to reach their large dealer network of quality retailers. As we look to develop new partnerships and build on existing relationships with strong independent retailers, The Bike Co-op's dedicated team, innovative marketing programs and communication tools will enable Sigma to do so in a very efficient manner. We're looking forward to a great partnership with The Bike Cooperative and its members."

More information at thebikecooperative.com. 

FORT COLLINS, Colo. (BRAIN) — Niner on Wednesday announced a new model, the RKT 9 RDO. The new model is a lightweight short-travel (80mm rear/100mm front) endurance race bike.

The frame is constructed using Niner's RDO Carbon Compaction technology and its CVA linkage design. For the new model, engineers optimized the linkage and bearings to produce what they said is the lightest, stiffest version of CVA to date.

The new model has a 73mm PF30 bottom bracket that provides compatibility with the latest single-ring and multiple-ring drivetrains; it can be adapted to a threaded bottom bracket via adaptors. Frame sizes medium and larger have water bottle mounts on both the underside of the down tube and within the front triangle. The frame has titanium frame plates to guard against the potential of a dropped chain, while clear protective decals add impact resistance to common rock-strike and high-abuse areas.

The RKT is the first Niner with Boost 148mm x 12mm rear spacing and has clearance for up to 2.4-inch tires. Niner said the Boost spacing allows for a wider spoke interface and an overall stiffer wheel and swingarm combo. The RKT has the lowest standover height of any bike in Niner's line up. 

It will be available in several builds, including an XTR mechanical single-ring build with a RockShox RS-1 fork that retails for $9,500 and a SRAM XO-1/RS-1 build for $7,500. The least expensive build has SRAM GX-1 components and retails at $4,500.

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. (BRAIN) —  QBP and several co-sponsors are expanding a scholarship program that helps send women bike mechanics to an all-women's class in professional repair and shop operations at UBI. This year the program will provide 16 scholarships.

In its first two years of operation, the program accepted more than 1,200 applications. "Technical knowledge can be a huge barrier for women who want to develop their careers in the bike industry," said Alix Magner, QBP's national sales manager and scholarship program manager.  "This scholarship is one step in creating a better talent pool for the industry to pull from."

The scholarship opportunity is aimed at women who are aspiring or experienced bike mechanics as well as those looking to increase their technical knowledge to further their career in the cycling industry.

Recipients will receive a full tuition scholarship to attend UBI's Professional Shop Repair and Operations Workshop. Additionally, lodging will be provided at the Ashland, Ore., campus. Scholarship recipients must be available to attend the class from Feb. 29-March 11. Recipients will receive a small stipend upon completion of the class to help offset travel and meal expenses. Applicants must be currently employed at a bike shop, at least 18 years old, and a U.S. resident. Interested parties can apply at qbp.com/womensscholarship. Applications will be accepted from Oct. 1 through Oct. 31. Winners will be announced on Jan. 8, 2016.

Title sponsors for the upcoming round include QBP, SRAM, RockShox, Park Tool, and United Bicycle Institute, along with Gold-level sponsors Jagwire, Saris, Michelin, Liv, and Surly Bikes and Silver-level sponsors Ergon and Dero.

GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colo. (BRAIN) — Sampson Sports' new Conquest road pedal is being offered to help retailers compete with online discounters. It retails for $70 with dealer margins starting at keystone levels.

The company said the Conquest offers pro-level weight, finish and ride quality. It features a light alloy body with a stainless steel Sampson-designed No-Rock cleat platform for power, comfort and stability. It has a large front entry zone and an updated rear cam profile for fast entry. Release tension is fully adjustable.

The pedal spins on a cold-forged spindle with sealed composite bearings. A set of Sampson's upgraded walking style, floating 9 degree cleats are included. The Conquest weighs 135 grams per pedal.

"The Conquest has been developed to give retailers a top-quality product that will let them compete with the Look, Time, Mavic, or Shimano products commonly sold at very low prices by discounters such as Chain Reaction, and PBK in the UK, as well as Performance and Competitive Cyclist in the USA," Sampson said.

"If we want to sell a lot of pedals, it is our job to create products that are simply too good to ignore, at a price that is competitive in world markets, not just the USA, and stop whining about the distribution inequalities. The reality is that unless Shimano has the same distribution and pricing around the world, nobody is going to toe the line on price. Since Shimano and SRAM don't seem to be going anywhere, we need to raise our game to compete," said conpany founder Eric Sampson.

Sampson has also re-priced its entire pedal line, which includes models for road and mountain bikes, including its 120-gram Stratics Carbon pedal, which is now priced at $129.

The Conquest is set to be delivered around the end of the year. Dealers interested in selling the Sampson pedal line can email Sampson through sampsonsports.com and ask for a dealer pack.

WILSONVILLE, Ore. (BRAIN) — The Otto Tuning System combines an iPhone's camera with sophisticated visual alignment technology in a mobile app to help cyclists easily adjust rear derailleurs. The $39 product, which includes gauges that attach to the derailleur and cassette, is being offered by Otto Design Works, a new company headed by a Portland-area engineer and long-time bike racer.

The Otto Tuning System is currently being marketed primarily to consumers, not shop mechanics. But the company's president said the system could be used by shops to help document their work. The company also said that in some ways, the app allows more precise adjustment than even the best mechanic. 

Otto was founded by Jake VanderZanden, who has been developing the product for about two years. In addition to being president of Otto, VanderZanden is vice president of product development at DW Fritz Automation, a precision manufacturing company.  Otto DesignWorks is currently a unit of, and principally owned by DWF.

The Tuning System is currently sold consumer direct from Otto's website and via a few national specialty retailers, including Art's Cyclery and R&A. Otto exhibited at Interbike last month and is evaluating whether to begin sales through distributors. VanderZanden said he's had discussions with companies that sell complete bikes online; the Tuning System could presumably help consumers set up a new bike's shifting.

"Rear derailleur adjustments are well understood by some, but not understood by others. There are some people that just don't understand it," he said. VanderZanden said the app's visual alignment technology is capable of considerably more accuracy than is practical for derailleur cable adjustment, since cable tension adjustment is limited by the index clicks of the adjuster barrel. "A good mechanic could get within that range (of the app)," he said.

But he said when it comes to setting the derailleur's limit screws, the tool is capable of more precise adjustment than can be done by the human eye. 

VanderZanden said shop mechanics who visited the company's Interbike booth came away impressed.

"We get some negative feedback from comments online, from people who say, 'why did they possibly need to come up with this?' At the show, where people could actually see it and use it, all the comments were positive. Service techs came away saying, 'this is something I can use,'" VanderZanden said. He said some mechanics told him they would like to sell the tool to consumers who frequently pester them for quick, free, derailleur adjustments. 

The Tuning System gauges each have six visual indexing points, or targets. The app uses the phone camera to check the alignment of the derailleur relative to the cogs, then tells the user, with the iPhone Siri voice, which way to turn the cable barrel adjuster to improve shifting. The app also can tell the user if the hanger is bent; if it is, the app will suggest that the user bring the bike to a professional mechanic to have it aligned and/or replaced. Otto claims the app can provide barrel nut adjustments in under a minute and complete limit screw verification and adjustment in less than 10 minutes.

Because each iPhone model camera lens is slightly different, the product includes a QR code that assists users in calibrating their phone camera.

VanderZanden, an avid road racer himself, noted that the product is useful when switching between wheelsets on his bikes. It's designed to work with Shimano or SRAM 9-through-11-speed derailleurs, including road and mountain bike derailleurs.

The company is developing tools that use similar visual alignment technology for other challenges on a bike, such as aligning handlebars and saddles. 

More information at ottodesignworks.com.

SAN FRANCISCO (BRAIN) — Chrome Industries is celebrating its 20th year in business with a celebration tour beginning at its New York City Chrome HUB location on October 7th. The New York event will be the first of seven held at each of Chrome's regional retail HUBS.

The events will celebrate each city's unique urban culture as well as Chrome's first 20 years. "The events will showcase local musicians, artists, designers, makers, food purveyors and of course, cyclists, that collectively form the vivid identity and unique character of each urban community that Chrome exists to serve," the company said. The events will also showcase Chrome's history, through a traveling collection of historic products, photography and other elements.

"You don't hit the 20-year mark without the loyalty and support of core customers, and it's for that reason that we want this tour to celebrate them, more than celebrating ourselves," said Chris Silverman, the president of Chrome Industries. "It's the core cycling community, and the unique urban culture it resides within, that inspires us to do what we do. Our brand and products are merely an extension of all that, and this tour will be our chance to say thanks."

Chrome's 20th anniversary tour includes the following events and locations:

• October 7: New York City HUB (238 Mulberry St. New York, NY 10012)
• October 10: Chicago HUB (1529 N Milwaukee Ave. Chicago, IL 60622)
• October 13: Minneapolis HUB (115 Washington Ave N Minneapolis, MN 55401)
• October 17: Denver HUB (1331 15th Street Denver, CO 80202)
• October 21: San Francisco HUB (580 4th St. San Francisco, CA 94107)
• October 23: Seattle HUB (1117 1st Avenue Seattle, WA 98101)
• October 24: Portland HUB (425 SW 10th Ave. Portland, OR 9720)

For more information on Chrome and its 20th Anniversary Tour, visit www.chromeindustries.com.

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, Colo. (BRAIN) — Moots Cycles announced Thursday that longtime owner Chris Miller has sold the titanium bike and component manufacturer to Brent Whittington, a former executive officer for Windstream Holdings, Inc, a Fortune 500 telecommunications company.

Whittington, a passionate mountain biker and road cyclist, purchased a 100 percent ownership stake in the company along with the Moots factory building in Steamboat Springs. Moots' world headquarters will remain there and all current employees, including company president Butch Boucher, will remain in place, the company said.

"It's incredible for me to have this unique opportunity to own one of the most respected cycling brands in the industry," said Whittington. "I'm excited to help the Moots team continue to develop their innovative designs as the brand prepares to celebrate its 35th anniversary in 2016. Maintaining its high quality standards, focusing on its handcrafted heritage and helping to support its talented team will be my main priorities as we embark on the next level of growth and service with our customers, dealer partners and distributor partners worldwide."

Miller said, "I'm very pleased to pass the Moots torch to an individual who possesses both a true love of cycling and a great depth of business experience ... Brent embodies everything we were looking for in the new Moots owner. The energy, skill set and business experiences he'll bring to Moots will continue to keep Moots a strong industry brand and certainly signifies a bright future for the company."

Boucher said, "Since Chris purchased Moots in 1995, the company has experienced steady growth, elevated innovation standards in titanium bikes and positioned itself well for continued success ... It's definitely an exciting time for everyone at Moots and I'm looking forward to leading this business as we begin a new chapter."

Whittington, 44, served as COO at Windstream Holdings from 2009 to 2014. He oversaw the company's business sales and service, network operations, engineering, information technology and enterprise marketing. Prior to that role, he served as executive vice president and CFO of Windstream from 2005 to 2009. He has been an independent director at RigNet, Inc., a leading global provider of digital technology solutions to the oil and gas industry, since 2010. He serves on the board of trustees of The Nature Conservancy of Arkansas.

The sale is effective immediately. Financial terms were not disclosed.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (BRAIN) — Cyclocross races are often held in public parks where officials and user groups are concerned about events’ impact. At the cyclocross national championships in Austin, Texas, earlier this year, for example, racing was delayed a day because a local tree advocacy group feared damage from the combination of a large rainstorm and the racing.

USA Cycling is now working with New England landscape architect Josh Burgel to develop a technical guide for cyclocross promoters working in public parks. The manual will set standard for course layout, preparation and renovation.

“We are excited about partnering with an expert like Josh Burgel to help cut through the myths and misunderstandings about the impact of cyclocross bicycles to landscapes and vegetation,” said Micah Rice, USA Cycling’s vice president of national events.

“We are very aware of the difficulties that cyclocross race directors are encountering when talking with their parks departments across the United States, and we look forward to creating a healthy discussion about cyclocross. Communication between race directors, parks-and-rec managers, arborists and landscapers are critical to the health of this quickly growing sport, and USA Cycling endeavors to be a resource for all of these groups. As cyclists and outdoor enthusiasts, the love of nature and respect for our parks is important to all of us.”

Burgel worked with a team of other landscape professionals, including Eric Papetti and Donald Bishop, during 2014 to conduct frontline research using penetrometers (an instrument that measures how much force it takes to drive a rod or needle into soil) to determine the real impact of cyclocross on Roger Williams Park in Providence, the site of two national championships and six editions of the KMC Cyclo-cross Festival Presented by Maxxis, which is being held this weekend.

“As a landscape architect who designs parks and a dedicated cyclocross racer, it is an honor to combine my two passions to benefit the sport and our shared open spaces,” said Burgel. “This kind of event takes careful planning and communication between director and steward, and the end result is a great collaboration. My goal is to help navigate the sometimes treacherous landscape between a race director's goals and a park steward's mission.”

Burgel’s work both in Providence and for USA Cycling will guide both race promoters and park managers to create exciting events that, if properly managed, can revitalize park usage for the 21st Century.

Providence park superintendent Wendy Nilsson said, “We are redefining the ways our parks are used; not only through the amenities we offer, but how we work with residents and community partners to bring relevant programming and activities into our parks that engage and inspire … Cyclocross is one of those non-traditional activities where there is clearly a demand and is suitable for many abilities and generations. We are looking at creative ways of keeping the historical context and beautiful landscape, while providing unique experiences to explore and play in our parks.”

LAGUNA HILLS, Calif. (BRAIN) – Bicycle Retailer & Industry News and PeopleForBikes are collecting updates for the 2016 Industry Directory. According to a recent survey of retailers, more than 76 percent of respondents will use the 2016 Industry Directory, so make sure to submit or update your organization’s listing by Nov. 6, 2015.

The Industry Directory is the most complete listing of more than 2,200 North American organizations serving the bicycle industry and its retailers. It will be mailed to BRAIN subscribers polybagged with the January 1 issue. The 2016 Industry Directory will again feature a category index and include a dedicated section for distributors and their lines. In response to retailers’ feedback, the index will be reorganized and include two new categories: Point of Sales Systems and Mechanic/Technician Training.

Inclusion in the Directory is free, but companies are responsible for supplying updates and additions no later than Nov. 6, 2015. For anyone listed in the 2015 Industry Directory, a request for verification will be emailed directly to your organization. Last year, 30 percent of the industry responded to the listing update survey; make sure your organization’s information is accurate and be sure to respond this year!

For all new directory listings, fill out this online form to be included.

Please contact JJ Trout at JJ@peopleforbikes.org with any questions regarding a listing or update. For any companies interested in advertising in the 2016 Industry Directory, please contact Megan Tompkins at mtompkins@bicycleretailer.com.

BEAVERTON, Ore. (BRAIN) — Kevin Chudy, owner of three Bike N Hike stores in Beaverton, Milwaukie and Hillsboro, plans to retire from the business after 31 years. Chudy is putting the three stores on the block as he transitions into retirement by the end of this year.

The Bike N Hike stores in Corvallis and Albany, owned and operated by the chain’s founders Al and Dorothy French, are not affected by this transition. The Frenches founded the Northwest Oregon chain in December 1971 to sell quality outdoor products at reasonable prices.

"I have in excess of 480 consecutive months of doing this,” Chudy, 57, told BRAIN. “That’s a long time. I really have had an awesome and great ride. We’ve got a building that’s paid for and the business has helped feed me and my wife and I’ve created this machine that’s fed my employees.”

Chudy leases two of the buildings and owns the third. He said over the next few weeks he’s positioning the business for sale by reducing inventory and is holding storewide clearance sales to liquidate older models.

“The bike business has been a little bit challenged, that’s no secret,” Chudy said. “But if there’s a retailer looking to expand or broaden their market or move, we have a pretty good reputation and customers have been riding to our storefronts for many years.”

Chudy has worked in bike retail his entire adult life. Al French hired him at the tender age of 16 to work at Bike N Hike’s original Albany location. Shortly after he turned 20, Chudy was promoted to manager of the Corvallis store. He became a partner in the business five years later, when he opened the Beaverton store. Chudy has owned as many as four Bike N Hike stores in the Portland metro area.

In 2014, Chudy closed the 7,500-square-foot Portland store due to soft sales and increased market saturation. His suburban stores have fared better. Chudy said sales this year have been up thanks to lifestyle and 700c flatbar city bikes as well as mountain bikes.

Chudy said he and his wife would like to travel more. “But more important, I have three bikes that need to be worn out and I’ve got friends to ride with,” he said.

Interested buyers can contact Chudy at (503) 780­4991 or kevinchudy@bikenhike.com. Chudy has also hired a broker to help with the sale. Randall Bogrand can be reached at (503) 799­7067 or bogrand@westerncap.com.

BOULDER, Colo. (BRAIN) — Verde Brand Communications is launching an online training program tailored to retailers, reps, manufacturers, guides and other members of the bike industry focused on the women’s market.

The Colorado-based PR, marketing and events firm focused on the outdoor, ski and bike industries, assembled the panelists and speakers for the Women’s Collective, a new area at the Interbike trade show. The 30-minute seminars over the first two days of the show covered topics such as designing female-friendly environments, best practices from women-focused retailers, the latest data on female cycling participation, trends in women’s gear and sales, and lessons from a 125-member women’s cycling group in Boulder, Colo.

“Verde’s panels were standing-room only and we had great audience engagement,” said Kristin Carpenter-Ogden, founder and CEO of Verde Brand Communications. “It was fantastic to be a part of the energy of this show and to truly feel that the bike industry is committed to growing the ranks of female cyclists and learning how to authentically serve women.”

That content is serving as a launching pad for Verde’s online training called What Women Want: Cycling. The program covers the power of the female economy, identifying customer needs and preferences, best practices in merchandising, strategic buying, marketing, hiring and community-building events.

The five-part series consists of podcasts. Each audio training module includes downloadable worksheets to guide implementation. Retailers who complete the online course will receive a certificate that can be displayed both online and in the store.

Verde developed a similar educational series focused on the business of the backcountry that tackled safety issues and how to sell backcountry products. It drew experts such as avalanche forecasters and head of sales for major companies in that category.

Retailers can sign up to receive a free summary of the Interbike merchandising tour led by Mercedes Ross of Merchandising Werx! The summary offers merchandising insights retailers can implement immediately in their stores, and scratches the surface of the more comprehensive tools and ideas in the complete What Women Want: Cycling training program.

The summary is available at verdeacademy.com. 

Verde is offering the full online training program for an introductory rate of $197 until Oct. 5. After that, it will be priced at $297. The program will launch in mid-October.

“Since our founding 14 years ago, Verde has served the bike industry. Through this training, Verde is giving something very meaningful back to one of our founding markets — opportunity for sustained growth,” said Carpenter-Ogden. “We want to create lifers. That’s done by knowing how women develop and experience a passion for a sport or fitness outlet, and how we like to shop and interact with brands. Women love being part of a community. We’re incredibly loyal when we feel included and we love to share great experiences,” she added.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (BRAIN) — Montague's new RackStand serves as a bike's rear rack, fender and a kickstand or workstand. It's compatible with 700c, 26-inch or 27.5-inch wheels and will work with quick release or bolt-on axles. It also is available for OE sales.

"We wanted to create a product that could do it all," said Jonathan Vandenberg, Montague's product manager. "Cyclists have long had to purchase several accessories separately; racks, fenders, and kick stands, and they've struggled with making drivetrain adjustments without expensive dedicated work stands. The RackStand combines all of these into one versatile product."

The RackStand was the winner in the Accessories category at the 2015 Eurobike Awards.

"We are thrilled to have our RackStand recognized with a Eurobike Award," said David Montague, the president of Montague. "This award has always sent a clear message to the industry that these are the best new innovations of the year."Several bike models from Montague's 2016 line of full-size folding bikes will come equipped with the RackStand. I

More information at montaguebikes.com.

MOAB, Utah (BRAIN) — Outerbike, a consumer demo event held just outside this mountain bike destination, opened Friday with its traditional stampede as riders rushed in to grab their preferred demo bike as soon as possible (as show in the Vine video below, posted by the Bureau of Land Management office). This year's three-day event features about 55 exhibitors including, for the first time, an e-bike exhibitor, Haibike.

Haibike USA brought a demo fleet of Bosch-equipped XDURO3 bikes, as well as its Yamaha-powered SDURO models to Outerbike.

"ePerformance mountain bikes are fun to ride and Moab is a premier destination for mountain biking," said Ken Miner, Haibike USA's director of sales. "Outerbike gives us the opportunity to showcase our 2016 product with the greater mountain biking community. While there are discussions about trail access and e-mountain bikes, we encourage everyone to test an e-bike on the trails and experience the ride."

The Bureau of Land Management has clarified that e-bikes are allowed on trails and roads that are open to motorized vehicles in the Moab area. They are not allowed on trails that are designated for use only by bikes and hikers, which includes the Bar-M trail system, which is adjacent to the Outerbike expo area. However, Outerbike organizers have set up an e-bike demo trail complete with Moab's famous red sand, slick rock and climbing in an area adjacent to the Bar M trail system.

Other exhibitors at this fall's Outerbike include major bike brands like Specialized, Scott, Giant, Pivot, Santa Cruz. Rocky Mountain, Salsa and Niner, as well as accessory brands ranging from Thule to Pit Viper.

Retailer Jenson USA is exhibiting, offering free coffee as well as demo bikes, including Spot Bikes' new full suspension model, the Rollik. Jenson USA also planned to have six Yeti demo bikes set up with Shimano's Di2 XTR group.

Outerbike's attendance is limited to 1,000. Organizers said they expected to approach that limit this weekend. Outerbike also holds a spring event in Moab and a summer event in Whistler, British Columbia.

PITTSBURGH (BRAIN) — Dirt Rag's art director for the last seven years, Matt Kasprzyk, is moving on to a new career at Scott Sports. Kasprzyk's vacancy will be filled by long­time Bicycle Times art director, Stephen Haynes.

Dirt Rag's Issue #188 will be Kasprzyk's last with the magazine.

"I've been challenged and inspired during my tenure at Rotating Mass Media and Dirt Rag Magazine. I've met some of the best people in my life and have developed genuine friendships because of the opportunities my position afforded me," said Kasprzyk.

"Any job at Dirt Rag is what you make of it, and after seven years I feel that I've made significant improvements to the title. I'm looking forward to challenging myself further with Scott Sports and I am excited to see what the future holds for the independent mountain bike title that put a lot of faith in my skills," he said.

Haynes said, "As a longtime fan of Dirt Rag, I'm super geeked and honored to be given the opportunity to build on the solid visual foundation that Matt and others have had a hand in over the last 25-plus years," Haynes said. "I look forward to adding my own dorky, demented, and often damnable and alliterative touch to one of the bike industry's long­standing publications and one of the art world's unsung champions."

With Haynes' transition to Dirt Rag, Rotating Mass Media is currently accepting applications for the role of art director at Bicycle Times. More information at rotatingmassmedia.com/careers. 

WATERTOWN, Mass. (BRAIN) — Seven Cycles has added two custom titanium fat bike models to its lineup.

The Treeline S and Treeline SL are built with straight-gauge and double-butted titanium respectively.

Seven Cycles' founder Rob Vandermark said, "As with most of the bikes we build, the Treelines answer a need in our own riding. We are New England cyclists. We ride through winters. It's what we do, and a fat bike gives us one more good way to get around, whether commuting through snow storms or riding snowy trails during the cold season."

The Treelines are available in 170mm or 197mm rear spacing, for QR or thru-axle set-ups, and come with 100mm threaded bottom brackets. Riders have a choice of SRAM or Shimano build kits, as well as complete freedom with other build out options. Frames can be built with or without rack mounts, for suspension or rigid forks, straight or drop bar.

Vandermark added, "As custom builders, we're not big fans of narrow categories. The Treelines are mountain bikes, too. You can ride them with fat tires, but you can also swap out to 27.5-plus and ride them in a different way. They can be winter bikepacking bikes. You can ride trails on them in summertime. For us, it wasn't about trying to have a fat bike, but really to have a different kind of mountain bike that lets riders have a different set of experiences from the bikes we're already building."

The Treeline S frame retails for $2,995. The SL is $3,695. Seven plans to produce 20 Treelines before the end of the year, then the bikes will be available on the same timeline as other Seven custom models — currently about 7 weeks. 

More information at sevencycles.com.

SACRAMENTO (BRAIN) — The California Bicycle Coalition (CalBike) will host its bike summit Oct. 25-28 at the Wyndham Bayside Hotel in San Diego, Calif. The theme of the conference is equity with seven tracks focusing on open streets, building better bikeways, movement building, prosperity, education, enforcement and communications.

Sunday’s opening plenary “Springboard Into Action” will be hosted by Monique Lopez, Transportation Justice Policy Advocate for the Environmental Health Coalition, David Alvarez, Member, San Diego City Council and Genoveva Islas, Director, Cultiva La Salud.

The summit will also open with a tribute to Deb Hubsmith of Marin, California, the dynamic founder and past executive director of the Safe Routes to School National Partnership, who died in August.

Plenary talks include Malcolm Dougherty, Director, California Department of Transportation, on Caltrans’ strategic goal to triple bicycling in California, and Hamzat Sani, Equity Initiative Director of the League of American Bicyclists, for a national perspective on equity in bicycling.

San Diego will be well represented at the summit with plenary talks by California Assembly member Toni Atkins; San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer; San Diego Supervisor Greg Cox; Andy Hanshaw, Executive Director of the San Diego County Bicycle Coalition; Sam Ollinger, Executive Director of Bike San Diego; and Howard LaGrange, Chair, San Diego County Regional Bike/Walk Alliance, among others.

An e-bike panel with Claudia Wasko of Bosch eBike Systems; Larry Pizzi of Currie Technologies; Jeanie Ward-Waller of the California Bicycle Coalition; and Steven Cliff of Caltrans will discuss how the new law governing e-bikes will impact bicycling in California. And a CalBike effort to encourage the state to fund bicycle subsidies to make e-bikes and all types of bicycles more accessible to low-income residents.

Around 300 urban planners, equity organizers, health advocates, corporate leaders, transit agencies, and bicycle advocates from around the state will attend the summit for three days of interactive panels, inspiring presentations, bike tours, and training sessions to share knowledge, build skills, and network.

The California Bicycle Summit is held every two years. The 2013 Summit in Oakland, Calif., sold out.

For more details go to calbike.org/2015bikesummit. 

Taichung Bike Week is an OEM event, open to product managers and local suppliers, but not to the wholesalers or the general public. Taichung Bike Week is solely for competitive OEM bicycle components producers and their high-end brand customers. Taichung Bike Week takes place at three hotels in Taichung–The Evergreen, The Tempus and The Splendor Hotel. Each hotel can provide different sized booths and meeting rooms to meet exhibitors requirements.

KONA, Hawaii (BRAIN) — Topping the top three bikes at the most recent Ironman World Championship this past weekend: Cervélo, Trek and Specialized, once again. Lava Magazine has tallied the bikes and components used by more than 2,000 athletes competing in this year’s event, held on Saturday.

Here are the top 10 bikes and top five in accessory categories, as published by Lava Magazine. For the full list of bikes and parts ridden this year, go to Lava's 2015 Kona Bike Count Results. How does this compare with 2014? See last year's counts. 

Bikes

Cervélo – 522

Trek – 275

Specialized – 218

Felt – 153

Argon 18 – 101

BMC – 93

Scott – 88

Quintana Roo – 81

Cannondale – 76

Ceepo – 74

Wheels (individual)

Zipp – 2,006

Enve – 308

Reynolds (carbon) – 237

Mavic (carbon) – 227

HED – 210

Saddles

ISM – 732

Fizik – 396

Specialized – 294

Cobb – 228

Selle Italia – 143

Pedals

Shimano – 739

Look – 702

Speedplay – 387

Garmin Vector – 236

Time – 86

Helmets

Rudy Project – 639

Giro – 369

Specialized – 257

Garneau – 135

Casco – 104

FRIEDRICHSHAFEN, Germany (BRAIN) — Eurobike is moving its starting time back by 30 minutes for next year’s show. On the trade days, Wednesday through Friday, the show will run from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and only be open to trade visitors. On the two consumer days, which Eurobike is calling “Festival Days” and are held the weekend following the trade days, the show will open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

At the end of the show this year, Eurobike organizers announced that a second public day would be added and that the outdoor demo would expand from a single day before the show to being held throughout all five days of the show, Aug. 31 to Sept. 4.

Since the initial announcement, organizers say some changes are taking shape. The Festival Days will include “a mixture of technology, tests, entertainment, competition, information and music will serve as the framework for two action-filled bike days that will strengthen the connection to consumers,” Eurobike said.

OEM exhibitors will be able to keep a B2B focus and limit their attendance at the show to three days.

“This will mean that certain parts of the fairgrounds, namely those which will not be filled during the festival weekend, will remain closed,” organizers said. 

Test ride opportunities will be expanded. Visitors will be able to take test rides on demo tracks at the northeast corner of the fairgrounds and at the new Eurobike demo area for the duration of the show. Exhibitors’ test stations won’t be set up at the Carpark East 1, but rather in the demo area between and behind the B halls. This area will also house e-bike exhibitors, who previously were at the Open-Air Area East, which will now be used as regular exhibition space. (See site plan below).

“This will eliminate the numerous hazards posed by the pedestrian crossing from Hall B4 to B5 and the new test stations along the B row will be more conveniently located than they were at the previous Demo Day property,” said Dirk Heidenreich, project leader.