SAN DIEGO (BRAIN) — With sunny blue skies and temperatures in the 70s and 80s over the weekend, organizers of the Electric Bike Expo couldn’t have asked for better weather. Or better consumer turnout.

The second outside e-bike consumer demo, held a parking lot at San Diego’s Liberty Station — a former Naval training center turned mixed-used development center with shopping, housing, parks and offices  — attracted large crowds, particularly on Saturday.

“It was crazy yesterday [Saturday],” said Michael Kimmitt, owner of North County Family Bicycles in nearby Carlsbad. Kimmitt came down to work at Xtracycle’s booth, and to direct consumers interested in buying an electric-assist Xtracycle to his shop. “I’m the only Xtracycle dealer in the county. There was a lot of ‘I’ll see you tomorrow or next week,’” Kimmitt said about consumers stopping by at the booth.

“There was a queue to demo bikes until after lunch,” said Van Nguyen, president of Tempo Bicycles, another e-bike exhibitor, about Saturday’s attendance. “People here in San Diego are active and health conscious so they’re interested. Having an e-bike expo here brings awareness for the whole community.”

The turnout was such that some exhibitors noted that the demo track was intimidating because it was so crowded with e-bike testers — especially with riders of various riding abilities and experience levels. Some haven’t ridden a bike in a long time while others had a deep knowledge of e-bikes and came out to compare models.

“I had a guy come down from Santa Barbara and he knew everything about Bosch, Yamaha and other systems,” said Jonathan Weinert of Bosch. “He said, ‘I am down here to make my final selection.’ People are here to buy.”

Exhibiting companies included A2B, BESV, Bosch, Bulls, Easy Motion, Felt, Focus, Haibike, Gazelle, Izip, Kalkhoff, Polaris, Raleigh, Stromer, Tempo, Trek, Xtracycle and Yuba. The variety of brands available gave consumers the unique opportunity to compare them side-by-side, said Pete Prebus, chief marketing officer for ExtraEnergy Services North America, the group behind the event.

Prebus said 18 e-bike brands exhibited, bringing 125 different models for consumers to test, from mountain to cargo to hybrid to road. Five dealers also exhibited with their own booths — El Camino Bike Shop, Bicycle Warehouse, Moment Bicycles, San Diego Fly Rides and Pedego Temecula Valley — bringing the brand count up to 20.

Trek’s David Studner, assistant product manager for pavement bikes, said the San Diego market has a strong network of both e-bike specific and traditional bike shops that carry e-bikes that can support the event, which helps.

“Two big questions we heard in Tempe (where the first consumer e-bike expo was held in January) were, ‘Where do I buy them?’ and ‘How do I carry them?’ So that’s why we have dealers here working the booth. Many of the consumers in this market are already familiar with e-bikes, own bikes and are thinking of a second e-bike,” he said.

It’s also a strong bike tourism and vacation area, and local dealers and bike touring companies, like San Diego Fly Rides, have fleets of bikes they use for guided city tours.

San Diego Fly Rides, a five-year-old shop, had a small presence to promote its e-bike tours and also to show some models that it sells. “We’re here to sell bikes. We’re making room for 2016 models,” said Chad, a mechanic and tour guide. The store was offering a free BodyFloat suspension seatpost, valued at $249, to consumers who purchased a new e-bike by March 31. 

And a number of e-bike brands offered incentives such as $100- or $200-off coupons for in-store purchases. 

Prebus said similar to the first e-bike expo in Tempe, Arizona, about 1,200 consumers pre-registered to attend. “But I think the final attendance number will be much higher,” Prebus said on Sunday. Final numbers were not available Sunday afternoon. “We talked to local media ahead of the event, so I think a lot of people found out and decided to come out last minute.”

Organizers publicized the event through ads on local TV stations, newspapers and websites as well as through social media. And local TV affiliates for ABC and Fox came out to film segments while the event was going on, Prebus said.

“We’re trying to reach mainstream media to come here and ride. It’s so critical to understand how the electric assist works,” he added. “And working with local dealers is really important. Dealers have a lower rate to exhibit. They get a preferred rate and we ask them to help with local marketing. I’ll send them pictures and video to use on their websites and provide releases they can distribute to local media beforehand.”

While most of the attendance was local, there were a few people who flew out from as far as New Hampshire and Ohio, an attendee who drove out from Missouri, and a woman who came from Albany, New York. San Diego is a popular vacation destination so the demo was able to draw in out-of-towners on holiday, Prebus said.

The next e-bike expo takes place March 11-13 at the Rice University Stadium in Houston.

“We’re excited to see what Houston brings,” said Trek’s Studner. “It’s a less entrenched e-bike market but a very affluent market with lots of neighborhoods with connected trail systems.”

Prebus said organizers are hoping to incorporate more parts and accessories companies into future e-bike expos including car racks, bags, panniers, helmets, lights, saddles and tires. “P&A exhibitors may not have to commit to all six events,” like e-bike brands do, he added.

NAMPA, Idaho (BRAIN) — Deity Components has expanded its U.S. distribution by signing with Bicycle Technologies International (BTI), which will stock the rider-owned brand’s lines of handlebars, stems and pedals.

“Partnering with BTI is a perfect fit for Deity and has been a long time coming,” Deity co-owner Sadie Davies said. “As all our authorized dealers know, Deity is dedicated to developing and protecting our relationships with our dealers and we feel BTI embodies Deity’s customer support and outlook on the IBD.”

In addition to BTI, Deity is also distributed through its U.S. headquarters in Nampa, Idaho, where the company’s full line of components and softgoods are stocked.

“With the addition of BTI to the expanding Deity USA distribution network, Deity is poised to expand globally as we move forward with a multi-tier product launch schedule and strategic growth in new International markets,” Deity stated.

SAN MATEO, Calif. (BRAIN) — GoPro Inc. announced agreements this week to acquire mobile video editing apps Replay and Splice. Merging Replay and Splice.

“Splice, Replay and GoPro will combine to deliver what we believe will be the fastest and most enjoyable mobile editing experience,” GoPro founder and CEO Nick Woodman said. “We believe the accessibility, speed and efficiency of mobile will make it the predominant editing platform of the future.”

In the GoPro’s fourth-quarter and year-end earnings call in early February, Woodman acknowledged that the company needed to make it easier for consumers to offload and edit their GoPro footage.

Replay, developed by Stupeflix in Paris, France, allows users to quickly select video clips and photos and automatically combines them into a single video complete with transition effects, graphics and synchronized music. Splice, developed by Vemory in Austin, Texas, is a mobile editor that allows users to manually create customized edits with advanced features normally found on desktop editing applications, but with the speed and efficiency of a mobile app interface, GoPro stated.

Both apps are currently available on iOS, with Android releases planned for later this year. Both teams will maintain operations in their current locations.

GoPro’s stock is traded on the Nasdaq exchange under the GPRO symbol. Its stock performance is tracked on BRAIN's stock page.

VANCOUVER, Wash. (BRAIN) — Swiss Protection brand iXS and Taiwan component maker Spank Industries have signed with QBP for additional distribution starting in March, stated The Gravity Cartel, the U.S. sales office for the two brands.

“As the largest distributor in the USA, supplying over 4,000 bicycle retailers with unmatched reliability, we couldn’t wish for a better distribution partner than QBP,” said Gavin Vos, president of Spank Industries and co-founder of The Gravity Cartel.

Pascal Haf, iXS brand manager, said: “With QBP alongside iXS’s U.S. sales and service center, The Gravity Cartel, we have the right combination of dealer support and product availability in the U.S. market. This will boost the brand to be an even stronger player in the U.S. market for protective gear, as riders look to us for innovative protective gear and riding apparel.”

Spank continues with distributors and KHS and Bicycle Technologies International (BTI), the latter of which also distributes iXS.

MADRID (BRAIN) — Rotor Bike Components has signed with Quebec City-based On the Edge for Canadian distribution, effective March 1. Rotor was previously distributed in the market by KHS Canada.

“We are excited to add Rotor to our lineup of brands,” said Jean Philippe Da Silva, director of sales and marketing for On the Edge. “Since 1998 we have prided ourselves on offering the best and most innovative brands through Canada’s finest retailers. Today with the mountain of information available online, the demand by consumers for high-end quality brands like Rotor has never been better.”

On the Edge also distributes Pivot Cycles and Enve Composites for the Canadian market.

SAN DIEGO — Lake Cycling has launched the MXZ400,  a winter boot boasting double the warmth and coverage than the Dutch brand’s MXZ303.

Lake starting making winter cycling boots in 1996, introducing the MXZ300. The MXZ400 is the culmination of 20 years of product development and design in the category.

Key features include 400 grams of Thinsulate insulations (twice that of many competitors), 100 percent Outlast temperature regulating fabric, all waterproof leather upper construction, Click Fit Boa Buckle System for easy adjustment with cold fingers, and the Lake Winter Last, boasting a roomy toe box for superior heat entrapment.

The MXZ400 is slated for delivery in September at a suggested retail price of $425. Lake is currently taking preorders.

TAIPEI, Taiwan (BRAIN) — Tim Krueger, the founder of Advocate Cycles, a boutique off-road bike brand from Minnesota, is prepping a line of tires under the Wend label. Krueger will launch the full line at the Interbike show this fall.

Krueger is a former product manager for QBP's Whisky Parts Co. and Salsa brands. With help from a Kickstarter campaign, he launched Advocate Cycles last year. The company is registered as a Minnesota Specific Benefit Corporation, and has pledged 100 percent of profits after taxes to bike advocacy efforts.

The new tire brand will be restricted to the brick-and-mortar retail channel. Wend will be distributed dealer direct and via distributors. 

Krueger is showing off a single Wend model at Taipei. The Wazia model is a 4.6-inch studable fat tire. Krueger said studs are a good "insurance policy" for snow riding. Trails that are groomed specifically for snow biking get hard packed and can become icy in some conditions, making studs necessary, he said.

KENT, Wash. (BRAIN) – Raleigh Bicycles has hired Scott Schilling as director of marketing. With a background in digital marketing, Schilling will be responsible for all aspects of marketing and communications for the Raleigh Bicycles brand.

“The addition of Scott to the Raleigh team affirms our investment in digital marketing,” said Larry Pizzi, senior vice president of Raleigh Bicycles. “We headed into 2016 with a great product line and new brand message. By focusing on fun and great starts, we want to make Raleigh bikes appealing to a larger group of prospective consumers in North America and inspire the nation to choose our bikes. Scott brings the skills and experience needed to help us reach our goals.”

Schilling joins the team with experience in e-commerce, brand development and omnichannel marketing. He started his career at SKORA, a startup running shoe company, as brand content manager. Most recently, Schilling was with Stanley & Aladdin Brands as digital marketing and e-commerce manager.

Raleigh unveiled its 2016 line with an updated, interactive website. Schilling will work on ensuring RaleighUSA.com remains enjoyable to explore for retailers and riders.

“I am excited to be a part of this passionate and talented team at Raleigh,” Schilling said. “I look forward to connecting us directly with customers to share the joy of riding a bike. With a nearly 130-year history, Raleigh is an integral part of many riders’ stories. That’s a legacy we’ll honor and continue to build. We, meaning Raleigh, our retail partners, and our customers, plan on having a whole lot of fun while we do.”

Schilling can be reached at SSchilling@accellna.com.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (BRAIN) — The Alliance for Biking & Walking released its biennial report on Bicycling and Walking in the U.S. Wednesday. The 198-page report compiles data from all 50 states, the 50 most-populous U.S. cities and 18 additional cities.

The Alliance has been tracking data across the U.S. since 2003. Every two years, it releases an updated report with the most recent data available. The report provides information on the states and cities where people walk and bike to work the most, gender gaps in bike commuting, health issues in states and large cities, what states and cities are doing to encourage biking and walking, the cities with the highest and lowest fatality rates for biking and walking, where cities and states find funding for bike and pedestrian improvements, and more.

The Benchmarking Report compiles data from more than 150 studies from a variety of sources including the Census’ American Community Survey, research by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Federal Highway Administration, the League of American Bicyclists, the National Complete Streets Coalition and PeopleForBikes, among others.

“So much invaluable information is veiled in bureaucracy, hidden in plain sight in tables and spreadsheets and databases that are difficult even for experts to discern,” said Christy Kwan, interim executive director of the Alliance. “The Benchmarking Report pulls together a wealth of government data and adds to our arsenal with direct city surveys — information that isn’t available anywhere else.”

According to the report, biking and walking are seeing a steady increase nationwide, most notably in larger cities. Here are a few of the report’s findings:

• Large cities have seen bicycling grow 71 percent from 2007 to 2016, compared with only 50 percent for all states.

• Even in the most-populous cities, women are vastly outnumbered by men, making up just 29 percent of commuters who bike.

• Commuters of color represent a higher percentage of those who walk and use public transit than their representation within the total commuter population.

• There’s been a continued uptick in fatalities for people who walk or bike — especially among low-income, seniors and people of color populations.

• In almost all states, commuters with low income represent a higher percentage of those who walk and use public transit than their representation within the total commuter population.

• Infrastructure for biking and walking makes a difference. Protected bike lanes have been shown to increase biking levels between 21–171 percent, says the report.

• States and cities have seen economic development benefits from their investment in biking and walking. For example, a study of 10 Complete Streets projects found that 8 saw increased values for properties near the improved areas. A recent survey of businesses located near Capital Bikeshare (CaBi) stations in Washington, DC, found that 20 percent of businesses saw an increase in their sales, and 70 percent said they saw a “positive impact” on the surrounding area.

The nonprofit acknowledges that what the data shows is often in conflict with what appears to be happening in real time: “There is still a large gap between what we see in the data and what we see in our communities,” says the report. “The American Community Survey (ACS), for example, only asks for the primary travel mode a commuter used on the day of the survey. Thus, we are limited to data that capture survey respondents who walk or bike for the majority of their commute to work. These data miss pedestrian and bike trips for utility and recreation, as well as multimodal trips (e.g., a trip that includes a walk to a transit station).”

The 2016 Benchmarking Report is funded in part by the Centers for Disease Control Prevention and AARP.

Click here to download the free report.

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, Calif. (BRAIN) — Interbike has redesigned its website to provide a user-friendly experience with improved navigation and functionality. The site has several new features including a web design compatible across mobile, desktop and tablets, simple navigation with fewer clicks and more video content and expanded resources.  

Visitors can apply to exhibit, register to attend and view the show’s floor plan and the exhibitor list from any page on the site.

The website also has a new photo gallery, links to event videos, exhibitor resources, retailer education information, hotel and travel details and a section for media resources.

Interbike is also selling advertising on the site. Sales are being handled by Andria Klinger, Interbike sales director.

BOULDER, Colo. (BRAIN) — Membership at the International Mountain Bicycling Association hit a record high of almost 42,000 in February, up 15 percent from a year earlier. With the exception of June 2015, IMBA has had 31 consecutive months of record membership, the association reported.

“Mountain biking as a sport is continuing to increase, from growth in high school teams through NICA, growth in IMBA chapters and emerging female-specific brands. The engagement we are seeing from the mountain bike community on advocacy and trail access is at an all-time high and this is reflected in IMBA’s membership records,” said Kevin Adams, vice president of chapter and membership services.

On Tuesday, IMBA launched its Spring Membership Drive to further expand the group’s chapter member base. “Ninety-eight cents of every membership dollar is reinvested into IMBA’s chapters through direct due payments to the chapters and indirectly funding IMBA’s regional based staff who support our chapters” said Joshua Lawton, IMBA membership manager.

Running through May, the drive will include prizes donated by corporate sponsors and limited-edition IMBA gear for individual and family members who register, join or renew.

To join or renew, visit the IMBA membership page.

KENT, Wash. (BRAIN) — Diamondback has unveiled its new suspension system — a patent-pending short-link four-bar design called Level Link — in two new aluminum-framed models available at retail next week: the 27.5-plus-wheeled Catch and 27.5-inch Release.

Diamonback says the Catch is designed for adventure, with its oversize wheel/tire combo delivering added traction and flotation in loose trail conditions. It’s available in two spec levels.

The top-end Catch Two (MSRP: $3,500) has a 130mm Fox Float 34 fork, RockShox Monarch RT3 shock, SRAM GX 1-by-11 drivetrain, and SRAM Guide R brakes. The Catch One, featuring SRAM GX and DB3 components and 2-by-10 drivetrain, retails for $2,500.

The three-model Release 27.5-inch trail bike line has 150mm of front and rear travel and features a long toptube — as long as 660mm in the XL size— and a slack 66-degree head angle. The top-of-the-line Release Three ($3,900) is equipped with a RockShox Pike RCT3 fork and Monarch Plus RC3 DebonAir rear shock, SRAM X1 drivetrain and SRAM Guide brakes. The midrange Release 2 ($3,500) gets a RockShox Pike RC fork, Monarch RT3 DebonAir shock and SRAM GX 1-by-11 drivetrain, while the Release 1 ($2,500) is outfitted with a RockShox Yari RC fork, Monarch R DebonAir and SRAM 2-by-10 drivetrain.

BOULDER, Colo.­ (BRAIN) — The North American Handmade Bicycle Show (NAHBS) wrapped up a record show at the Sacramento Convention Center, with its highest number of exhibitors and a bigger crowd than ever before.

“This is yet another example of the amazing cycling culture in Sacramento and Northern California. The exhibitors were happy, the attendees were happy, the media was happy, and that makes me happy,” said Don Walker, NAHBS’ founder and president.

The three-day 2016 event saw over 6,500 paid attendees, hundreds more media, volunteers, VIPs and an impressive 179 exhibitors. 

“I’m very pleased with how the show turned out, and all of the exhibitors and attendees I talked to strongly echo that feeling,” Walker added.

Plans are already in the works for NAHBS 2017, which will take place at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. NAHBS is set for March 10-12, 2017. 

“The huge Outdoor Retailer Show is held there twice a year, and the city handles it beautifully. There’s already plenty of action on the pre-registration side of things,” Walker said.

This will be the first time NAHBS will be held in Utah. The 2017 NAHBS website will go live soon.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (BRAIN) — National sporting goods retailer Sports Authority has filed to restructure under Chapter 11. The move has been several months in the making, and reports of the company’s pending bankruptcy had come out in recent days.

The retailer said it expected the restructuring would provide access to $595 million in financing. That along with cash from operations would provide liquidity to restructure.

Sports Authority, headquartered in Englewood, Colorado, said the majority of its stores and its website would remain open. However, it plans to close or sell 140 stores and two distribution centers in Chicago and Denver in the coming months as part of the restructuring. The company currently operates 463 locations across 41 states and Puerto Rico.

It sells a broad range of sporting equipment including bikes, helmets, cycling shoes, apparel and other accessories from such brands as Diamondback, Mongoose, Schwinn, Pacific Cycle, Giro, Bell, CatEye, Blackburn, Canari, Thule and others.

The retailer said the decision follows a strategic review of its business and the impact of online shopping. The process will allow it to shore up its finances. 

“As a result of these changes in consumer buying patterns, Sports Authority determined that it needs fewer stores as part of its long-term business model,” the retailer stated. “Therefore, the company has filed a motion with the court seeking approval to proceed with store closing sales at the identified stores, after which those stores are expected to be closed or sold. The store closing process is expected to take up to three months.”

“We intend to use the Chapter 11 process to streamline and strengthen our business both operationally and financially so that we have the financial flexibility to continue to make necessary investments in our operations,” CEO Michael E. Foss said in a press release. “We are taking this action so that we can continue to adapt our business to meet the changing dynamics in the retail industry.”

Foss said that there’s “strong interest” from third parties in investing in or buying some or all of the company. 

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (BRAIN) — Performance Bicycle is expanding to South Carolina with the opening of its first store in the state at the Gallery Shopping Center in Greenville. Set to open in late spring or early summer, the new location will increase Performance's national network to 106 stores.

"We're thrilled to open our first South Carolina store in Greenville," said Chris London, Performance Bicycle’s community relations manager. "We look forward to becoming an integral and active member of the Greenville cycling community by helping and encouraging cyclists through our Great Ride Series group rides and partnering with local clubs to grow the already vibrant cycling culture and get more people on bikes."

The new Greenville location will feature a new store design in a little over 5,000 square feet and will carry more than 3,000 items. It will include Performance’s Spin Doctor Service and Repair department, offering services from minor repairs and installations to complete overhauls. Bike parking will be available, as will free around-the-clock access to a tool and inflation station outside the store.

Additionally, Performance recently announced that it has joined the Outdoor Industries Women’s Coalition. As an OIWC member, Performance will develop best practices that encourage women to grow in their careers in the outdoor industry and specifically in cycling with Performance, the company stated.

“We are thrilled and honored to become members of the OIWC,” Performance CEO David Pruitt said. “This organization has done so much to attract women to the industry and promote workplace inclusion and diversity. We look forward to tapping into their best practices, educational resources and networking opportunities to help all of our associates, and especially our female associates, build rewarding careers with us.”

TAIPEI, Taiwan (BRAIN) — E-thirteen has created a stronger DH rear wheel design by reducing the space between its proprietary 7-speed cassette and the hub's drive-side spoke flange. The new LG1R Carbon wheel is going to be raced this season by DH star Aaron Gwin.

The wheel's special cassette has the freehub pawls attached to its largest cog, which is an aluminum 21-tooth. The design saves wasted space between the cog and the spokes, allowing the right flange to be moved over and creating a more symetrical spoking pattern for strength. The rest of the cogs are steel, with a 9-tooth smallest cog. 

Because of all available axle spacing options, front and rear, E-Thirteen is moving away from selling pairs of wheels, which required dealers to stock too many SKU's to meet all the demands, a company spokesman said. So the new LG1R Carbon rear wheel will be sold separately, for about $1,100 retail including the cassette, available in late April. 

TAIPEI, Taiwan (BRAIN) — The venerable aftermarket wheel brand American Classic is looking for growth through an original equipment program it has launched. The company, which has its own factory in Taichung, Taiwan, announced the program at this week's Taipei Cycle Show, with an eye at selling wheels, hubs and rims for 2018 and 2019 model year bikes.

The 34-year-old company has previously sold its hubs on an OE basis to wheel makers including Stan's, but otherwise has never really had an OE program, said AC's general manager, Ellen Kast. 

American Classic is showing a new line of OE wheels, rims and hubs specifically designed for the OE market at the Taipei show. Graphics on the rims and hubs are more conservative than American Classic's aftermarket offerings, with a laser-etched logo on the hubs and a small American Classic sticker on the rims. For bike brands that like the "matchy-matchy" look, custom graphics colors will be available for an upcharge, Kast said.

She said the OE parts are aimed at bikes selling at "the lower part of the midrange" of the market. 

At the heart of the new OE effort is a new hub that company founder Bill Shook designed specifically for OEMs. The hub features four fully sealed steel bearings and the company's own steel cassette body. To save cost for the OE market, the new hub has a two-pawl cassette system with 74 engagement points, instead of Shook's more sophisticated six-pawl design, a key feature of American Classic's aftermarket hubs. The hub weighs 250 grams.

The new OE hub will be available in six-bolt or Centerlock disc rotor mounts or in a rim brake version. A SRAM XD Driver version will be available soon.

Aside from the hubs, the program includes a variety of OE-specific rims. It includes mountain bike rims in "good,""better" and "best" quality levels, with the best rim category including two models: one that is 34mm wide externally and one that is 38mm. American Classic also will offer good, better and best rims for 700c disc-brake wheels for gravel, cyclocross or road, and two quality levels for 700c rim brake wheels.

Kast said the OE rims generally have thicker walls than the company's superlight aftermarket models, to save production costs and better suit heavier riders. Some of the OE rims are variations of previous American Classic aftermarket rims, while others are new designs. OE wheels will be built at the company's Taichung factory; all will be hand finished. 

Kast said the OE effort has been a big investment for the relatively small company, and of course OE sales will be lower margin than aftermarket sales. For those reasons, she said the program is a bit of a gamble. But she said OE sales are necessary for the company to stay vital in a tough market, which Kast expects to get tougher in the coming years. 

"The industry is going through a dark period and it will get darker before we get through this tunnel and see the light on the other side," she said. But she said American Classic can weather the coming challenges and is well positioned to work with the lower OE margins. 

"We are doing it because we can," she said. "Because we don't have huge marketing budgets and we don't have debt, we can afford to do this and we will come out the other side of this dark period intact."

TAIPEI, Taiwan (BRAIN) — The World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry has made headway on the bike industry's behalf with the UCI and the International Olympic Committee, it announced at a public session at the Taipei Cycle Show on Thursday. 

With the UCI, the organization negotiated an overhaul of rules governing carbon wheels used in road racing, which had been criticized by many wheel makers. Under previous rules, the UCI had a destructive wheel test intended to prevent use of wheels that could lacerate racers in a crash. But many wheel makers said the test was bad science. Worse, the UCI required the test be performed at only one lab, in Belgium. 

But the WFSGI negotiated a new test that members see as more reasonable. And the test can now be conducted by the manufacturer or at a third-party lab. The new rules took effect Jan. 1 this year. 

The next step? The WFSGI is working to have the international standards group ISO adopt a similar wheel test, making the UCI's rule redundant and unnecessary. The UCI has also abandoned plans to develop a "UCI Approved" sticker program for wheels, similar to the sticker program for frames. 

Robbert de Kock, the WFSGI's secretary general, said the UCI has become much more cooperative with the industry since Brian Cookson took over as president two years ago. "It's been a very big change, it's been very positive," de Kock said.

Outside of wheels, the WFSGI is next looking to relax the UCI's rules governing aerodynamic shaping on frames and other components, and to take a new look at minimum weight rules for complete bikes. A WFSGI working group plans to spend the next year developing proposed changes to both rules.

The WFSGI also has made headway with the IOC ahead of this summer's Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro , de Kock said. 

At Rio, cycling athletes will be able to use equipment with the manufacturer's branding normally used on the parts, including bikes, components, wheels, shoes and helmets. The only restriction is that third-party logos — such as trade team sponsors like Sky or Rabobank — can't appear on the equipment. Previously, even manufacturer logos were restricted to a certain size, forcing riders to switch equipment or cover up graphics with tape. Cycling clothing brand logos will generally be allowed as long as they are the same as what has been available on the market in recent months. 

Outside of competition rules, the WFSGI is largely staying out of the effort to modernize rules governing standards for rims and tires, which manufacturers say is needed (BRAIN wrote about the topic in our December 2015 issue). ISO is working on it, and the WFSGI has requested a liaison status with ISO so the organization can keep its members up to date on ISO's work. But the WFSGI is being careful to not duplicate ISO's standards development efforts. 

TAIPEI, Taiwan (BRAIN) — The WFSGI's anti-counterfeiting program for the bike industry has eliminated more than 160,000 online listings for counterfeit bike products in the past three years, the group announced Thursday at the Taipei Cycle Show.

The program, conducted by Convey, an Italian company, monitors about 50 online platforms, including Alibaba, eBay and similar sites. Convey's Michele Provera said the program has stopped sales of counterfeit products worth more than 9 million euros ($9.8 million). About 85 brands, all WFSGI members, are participating in the program. 

"WFSGI members are protected," Provera said. "The counterfeiters have shifted to easier targets. ... The war is almost won."

Provera said the program is expanding to better protect more of brands' intellectual property.

"At the beginning we were focused on protecting trademarks, but we are expanding to protecting copyrights, design rights, and utility and design patents," he said. 

DERBY, Vt. (BRAIN) — Custom onesies and twosies? No problem, says Louis Garneau, which is now offering no minimum order quantity on custom apparel out of its North American production facilities in Quebec, Vermont and Mexico.

“We already outfit hundreds of teams.  We saw an opportunity to serve more riders by allowing small orders,” said Vincent Gauthier, Garneau’s custom sales manager. “Offering no minimums is an incredible way to create something exceptionally unique just for you. The only limit is your imagination.”

Garneau also offers the DreamFactory Custom Paint Program for Garneau bikes. 

Customers can place their orders — and get live help online — at custom.louisgarneau.com.