Bicycle manufacturers and suppliers are making contingency plans for a possible
labor strike by US longshoremen that could close shipping ports along the entire US
east coast beginning October 1.

This past May, Giant President and bicycle ambassador King Liu, along with 40
other Taiwanese riders, was in Japan to cycle around the Seto Inland Sea at the
invitation of Tokihiro Nakamura, governor of Ehime prefecture.  Liu and his
companions, who also included Giant CEO Tony Lo, rode 264 kilometers in six
days, taking in local museums, hot springs, and the spectacular Shimanami Kaido,
a series of nine suspension bridges that span the islands of the Inland Sea from Ehime
to Hiroshima prefecture.  Ehime prefecture is located on Shikoku, the smallest and
least populous of Japan's four main islands, and Governor Nakamura had invited Liu
to give advice on popularizing Ehime as a bicycling tourism destination.

SpokesWomen, a professional networking group for women in the bicycle industry,
has announced two networking events at Interbike in Las Vegas next week.

WD-40, maker of the ubiquitous penetrating oil and water repellent that's been a
staple of American toolboxes for over 50 years, is launching a new business unit.  
WD-40 BIKE, which will focus exclusively on bike-specific products, will make its
debut at next week's Interbike and OutDoor Demo.  The initial WD-40 BIKE
product line will include a foaming bike wash, a heavy-duty degreaser, wet and dry
chain lubes, and a frame protectant.

The Thule Group, a Swedish company best known for its roof racks for skis,
bikes, and outdoor gear, is launching a new product line for bikes called Pack n' Pedal.  
The Pack n' Pedal product range will include saddle bags, panniers, and racks, in
addition to handlebar-mounted sleeves for iPads and iPhones.

The idea behind the Pack n' Pedal line is to provide multi-purpose practical bags
and panniers for modern commuters who take their tablet pads, smart phones, and
laptops with them on their bikes. Thule has slated 20 products for the inaugural
Pack n' Pedal line, but the US$850 million company has much bigger plans for its
expansion into the bike accessories market.

Pioneer folding bike maker Dahon has teamed up with US e-bike company Currie
Technologies to create a folding e-bike specifically designed for the US market.

The cooperative effort, dubbed the IZIP E3 Compact, is scheduled to premier at
Interbike next week. The bike is powered by a 36-volt Currie Electro-Drive system
with high-capacity Samsung Li-ion battery, and includes Currie's PAS/TAG system,
which allows riders to switch between power-on-demand or pedal-assist modes. And
for ease of security and portability, the removable battery pack is integrated into the
rear carrier.

Giant Bicycles president Tony Lo has confirmed at that the world's largest bicycle
manufacturer will set up a new research and development building and global
headquarters in the Central Taiwan Science Park in Taichung.

The world's top two bicycle manufacturers posted record highs last month.
Revenues for Giant's Taiwan plant increased by 33.47% over the previous month,
and Merida's Taiwan plant monthly revenue was up by 16.8%.  Both Giant and
Merida use their Taiwan factories to make their highest-end models, and both
companies export those bikes to the European and American markets.

After almost 20 years in and out of the bike cable business, US-based Gore is
shutting down its bicycle cable operations by the end of the year.  The company has
advised all interested consumers, retailers, and distributors to order now before
production halts and supplies run out.  A number of Gore's top distributors in Europe
and the US, in addition to some of Gore's key OE customers, have been assured that
orders will continue to be accepted through October.

* 09/22 - 09/24: Expobici / Padua, Italy
* 10/02 - 10/04: Kielce Bike Expo / Kielce, Poland
* 10/03 - 10/07: Intermot / Cologne, Germany
* 10/04 - 10/07: Bike Brno - International Bicycle Trade Show / Brno, Czech Republic
* 10/12 - 10/14: Bike Motion / Utrecht, Netherlands
* 10/12 - 10/14: The 33rd Zhejiang China International Bicycle Electric-Cycle Exhibition / Zhejiang, China
* 10/12 - 10/14: Ausbike / Melbourne, Australia
* 10/14 - 10/16: Brasil Cycle Fair / Sao Paulo, Brazil
* 10/20 - 10/22: The 30th Jiangsu China International Bicycle, Electric Vehicle & Parts Fair / Nanjing, China
* 11/02 - 11/04: Cycle Mode IInt'l Show / Tokyo, Japan
* 11/13 - 11/16: Taichung Bike Week / Taichung, Taiwan
* 11/16 - 11/18: Shenzhen International Bicycle Festival / Shenzhen, China

Super 8 Enduro Race - November 11, 2012.
Super 8 Enduro Race is an annual MTB event in Taichung City, This year is the third time for this event. The first two were so successful that it became soon well known. Big name bike companies, such as Scott, Trek, Sram, know about this event.  Super 8 Enduro Race had over 400 riders in the race last year, international riders are included...

French bike company Mavic is renowned throughout the cycling world for its high-end wheels, but until now the company really hasn't done much in the aero wheels market. After spearheading the industry push toward aero wheels in the mid-90s, Mavic scaled back and stuck with the company's tried and true aluminum/ carbon hybrid rims. Things changed a few years ago, however.

Wheel Giant has been actively involved in the bicycle industry for over thirty years. From reporting on the latest news from the bicycle industry in Taiwan to organizing Taiwanese manufacturers at major bike shows worldwide, Wheel Giant has accumulated a generation of knowledge and proved its worth time and time again in the international information arena.

On Tuesday, August 28, 2012, the picturesque German town of Argenbuhl was transformed by bikes the world had never seen. Held under sunny skies, the sixth Eurobike Demo Day again gave industry visitors and journalists the perfect opportunity to put the latest innovations of the 2013 biking season through their paces.

The number of existing bicycles in Germany in 2011 was approximately 70 million units. Bicycle retailers sold about 4 million bicycles in the last year, bringing in revenues of 2 billion Euros. The sale of textiles, replacement parts and repair services totaled 1.45 billion Euros, meaning that the industry was able to achieve total revenues of 3.45 million Euros. Specialty stores and shops sell 70 percent of all units sold; this amounts to a 78 percent share of revenues. Both figures represent a light increase over the previous year. The Statistische Bundesamt registered an increase in revenues of 6.4 percent. Research by the VDZ, the German bicycle retail association, which is based mainly on information provided by specialty retailers, indicates an average increase of 8 percent during the same period.