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Annual Contest in Taiwan Pedals Ahead Innovative Bicycle Parts

2009/12/14 | By Quincy Liang

Once the world's largest production bases of bicycles of all kinds with an annual export volume of almost 10 million units, Taiwan has been forced by low-priced competitors from mainland China to upgrade to the front ranks in the world to roll out high-end bicycles.

Just a few years ago, "Think Taiwan, Think Bicycle" was only a slogan thought up by the government as part of its plan to upgrade the island's bicycle industry from low- and middle-end products to high-end, high-priced models. Today, the slogan is deeply ingrained in the minds of bicycle aficionados all over the world.

A good bicycle is a collection of less than 100 parts. Bicycle assemblers, for the most part, are responsible mainly for the design and development of overall styling and for the vehicle frames.

Knowing that the root of Taiwan's bicycle industry lies in its bike-parts sector, the Taiwan Bicycle Exporters' Association (TBEA) inaugurated an Annual Innovative Products Competition Award a few years ago to encourage the vigorous development of the local bicycle-parts industry--and, especially in recent years, to guide the global market by setting new trends and standards.

TBEA Chairman Yang Yin-ming, who is also chairman of Kenda Rubber Ind. Co., a major bicycle tire maker, is enthusiastic about the innovative products award competition, which is jointly organized by TBEA and the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA).

"Faced with the constant changes in the international market, all industries are striving to escape fierce competition through continuous efforts at innovation and research," Yang says. "The purpose of these efforts is to develop a wide variety and a uniqueness of products; achieve differentiation in the market; build up respected brand names; and elevate the competitiveness of the companies involved. Both the government and the private sector have realized that 'innovation' is the only way to create new value. It is the key to ensuring the vitality of the companies and maintaining their sustainable competitive advantages."

With the support of the government and the collaborative efforts of private-sector companies over the years, Taiwan's bicycle industry has achieved an outstanding performance in terms of production, branding, and sales-channel management, and has won wide recognition in the international market. "While continuing with our efforts on the basis of our existing foundation," Yang stresses, "all of the companies operating in Taiwan's bicycle industry will work for strong vitality and innovative dynamism in their own respective areas."

With the enthusiastic participation of TBEA member companies, the 2009 Annual Innovative Products Competition attracted a large number of outstanding products--assembled vehicles, parts, and accessories--to compete for the highest honor in the local bike industry. A total of 42 products from 35 manufacturers won awards this year.

Following are some of the prizewinners in different categories. These are the companies and products that will lead the global bicycle market into the future.

Product: City Speed Life-style Bike

Category: Complete Bicycles

Award: Champion

Company: Giant Manufacturing Co.

City Speed was developed on the concept of combining relaxation and pleasure with speed through avant-garde styling. The core of the bike's re-engineered minimalist design approach is the reflection of form, function, and technology, all leading to a refreshing riding experience.

Product: Bamboo-Carbon Trekking Bike

Category: Complete Bicycles

Award: Second Prize

Company: Awise Fiber Technology Co.

This innovative bamboo-carbon trekking bike features a frame of reconstructed bamboo material that makes use of the stress construction characteristics of bamboo fiber, joined with carbon lugs. The unique advantages of the bicycle frame include better strength, higher toughness, and lighter weight, all of which enhance riding comfort.

Category: Accend Life-style Bike

Category: Complete Bicycles

Award: Third Prize

Company: Giant Manufacturing Co.

The Accend fulfills the fundamental needs of cycling--simplicity, comfort, and fun. A dual-suspension system assures the relaxation and pleasure of cycling through minimalistic styling. The core of the bike's re-engineered design is a minimalistic design approach reflected in appearance, form, function, and technology, leading to a refreshing riding experience.

Product: Quick Release Pedal

Category: Pedals

Award: Champion

Company: Wellgo Pedal's Corp.

Two major structures make up the brand-new design of the spindle for this quick-release pedal: the thread housing, and the main spindle. The innovative idea is to fix the thread housing onto the crank, helping the spindle to be attached or released from the housing quickly by a single lock system.

Product: Pedal-Kickstand

Category: Pedals

Award: Second Prize

Company: Tsai Jung Enterprise Co.

"Pedal-Kickstand" is a pedal that can immediately turn into a bike kickstand. All you have to do is push (kick) and release button and let the released pedal frame rest against the ground. What a great idea!

Product: Magnetic 3D Water Transfer

Category: Accessories

Award: Champion

Company: Transart Graphics Co.

Created with advanced magnetic technology, the Magnetic 3D Water Transfer can be used with a variety of decal types. With a delicate gradation of spots, the Magnetic 3D Water Transfer not only offers gradation but also makes the image stand out from the design for added realism. You can even see motion by viewing the graphic from different angles. The Magnetic 3D Water Transfer can be coated at a high temperature, adding additional value to bicycles with its high-tech and style.

Product: Bottle Cage

Category: Accessories

Award: Second Prize

Company: C.C. Components Co.

Choosing and alloy as the main material makes the bottle cage tight, slim, and graceful, and the elastic strap is flexible enough to hold bicycle bottles, as well as drinks sold on the market, with a diameter 65mm to 85mm. The cage adjusts automatically when the bottle is inserted, eliminating any other need for adjustment with a separate device.

Product: High-illumination LED Bike Light

Category: Accessories

Award: Third Prize

Company: Marwi Taiwan Industrial Co.

This LED bike light is specifically designed for bike riders to use during times of dawn, dusk, and darkness. The primary light provides up to 30 Lux at 10 meters with a high/low power management switch. The secondary light comes with adjustable solid and flash modes to serve as a warning light while riding.

Product: i-flexPplus Bicycle Saddle

Category: Components

Award: Champion

Company: Viscount Industries Co.

This patent-pending, cutting-edge i-flex plus saddle provides comfort to riders with shock-absorbing and heat-dissipation functions. A spring plate used in medical applications is used to create an air chamber inside the saddle for better adjustment to the rider's body weight and riding distance.

Product: SPT (Shared Pivot Technology)

Category: Components

Award: Second Prize

Company: A-Pro Tech Co.

SPT (Shared Pivot Technology) uses a single point of attachment for the main pivot and the shock. The system provides a simpler and lighter-weight solution to suspension. It is placed to optimize pedaling efficiency and provide a neutral feel when pedaled. Shock placement and linkage design provides a shock rate that is supple and smooth over the small bumps, plush in the big bumps, yet stable in pedaling.

Product: Black Diamond Chain

Category: Chains

Award: Champion

Company: KMC Chain Industrial Co.

The Black Diamond chain adopts the new DLC coating technique to redeem the insufficiency of metal material, increasing the chain's strength, durability, and performance; all test data show great improvement compared to traditional chains. The DLC technique is already used in electronic products to produce a hard layer, and KMC is the first company to apply the technique successfully to chain products.

Product: SL210 Titanium Chain

Category: Chains

Award: Second Prize

Company: Yaban Chain Industrial Co.

The SL210 Titanium Chain is the lightest chain on the bicycle market today, with a weight of only 210g-a 30% weight saving compared with conventional chains. Chromium carbide technology increases the hardness of the chain pin surface; titanium material and Titanium coating are used, along with special self-lubricating chain material. This innovative chain offers double the durability of a conventional chain.

Product: APG-FC2 Suspension Fork

Category: Front Forks

Award: Champion

Company: Kind Shock Hi-tech Co.

The APG-FC2 is an air-spring suspension fork that comes with a pressure gage to show the pressure value. Riders can adjust the pressure any time, any place to fit their riding behavior, weight, and road conditions. The pressure gage gives an accurate indication of pressure.

Product: SPF ONEPS Road Fork

Category: Front Forks

Award: Second Prize

Company: Kinesis Industry Co.

To improve on traditional production processes and create high-value products, Kinesis has carried out research on lightweight material using its exclusive SPF technology for aluminum to generate brand-new one-piece SPF aluminum fork blades with press-in steering. The result is a product that is 110g lighter than a normal front fork. This high-tech revolution in aluminum material will bring aluminum front forks back to the forefront of the market.

Product: Suspension Seat Post Pump

Category: Stems & seat posts

Award: Champion

Company: Dahon & Hon Industrial Labs

The Suspension Seat Post Pump is an ingenious product designed to allow dual use: to provide air for suspension, or for tires by use of an adapter for the valve. All a rider needs do to use the pump is remove the seat post from the frame and select an option on the adapter, attach the valve to the wheel for air or switch to suspension and pump, using the saddle as the handle.

Product: Seat Post with Angle Adjustment Structure

Category: Stems & seat posts

Award: Second Prize

Company: Hsin Lung Accessories Co.

This design features an inner alloy bushing inside the seat post; this links to the connector, the connector joins to the saddle clamp, a connecting shaft runs between the seat post and connector, and the pushing structure pushes the inner alloy bushing and the seat post. The inner alloy bushing moves so that the angle of the saddle can be adjusted.

Product: KENDA-BOBI STAR

Category: Wheel Set Group

Award: Champion

Company: Kenda Rubber Industrial Co.

KENDA BOBI STAR is a pioneer in the tire industry, running from bead to bead under the tread to prevent pinch flats. It can be installed in any suitable bicycle tire to provide puncture resistance and add strength to the sidewalls, thus preventing "snake bite" when ridden at low pressure.

Product: Low Wind Drag and High Rigidity Full Carbon Wheel Set

Category: Wheel Set Group

Award: Second Prize

Company: Joy Industrial Co.

The new "W999/W960 CRAFT" full carbon fiber tubular wheel set has a uniquely styled hub that employs advanced carbon forming technology to provide an oval shape that produces less side wind drag compared to disc carbon fiber wheels. With a 60mm front profile and 99mm full carbon tubular rims, this set offers the best aerodynamic wheel and most uniquely stylish hub compared to the standard flanged wheel set in the time trial and triathlon market.

Product: HammerSchmidt Integrated Transmission

Category: Derailleurs

Award: Champion

Company: Sram Taiwan

The HammerSchmidt integrated transmission system utilizes the planetary gear system on the crank-set coupled with the brand-new trigger shifters in a complete front transmission system. Features include precise and fast shifting with no delay; OvrrDrive technology, shift on demand, shift under load or coasting; higher ground clearance than other gearing of the same type; and funnel chain retention.

Product: microINDEX 30/20 Speed Road-bike Carbon Bar-end Shifter

Category: Derailleurs

Award: Second Prize

Company: AD-II Engineering Inc.

This 30/20 speed "Bar End Shifter" for triathlon bikes uses carbon and aluminum material to achieve a total weigh of 146g. (It's lighter than big-brand products at 178g & 163g.) The innovative one-way pawl and micro-index mechanism create super low friction and precise shifting.

Product: Elixir CR Hydraulic Disc Brakes

Category: Braking Systems

Award: Champion

Company: Sram Taiwan

AVID's original TaperBoreTM technology integrates the reservoir into a master cylinder featuring sleek appearance and reduced weight. The independent, tool-free reach adjust and pad contact point adjust allow rider adjustment according to terrain and user preference in a much faster and more convenient manner.

Product: Power Modulator ABS

Category: Braking Systems

Award: Champion

Company: Lee Chi Enterprise Co.

This is an individual part that goes between the oil hoses of hydraulic discs and calipers. The power modulator has a piston, a spring, and a regulator. The spring's elasticity is adjusted by the regulator, and this influences the brake force of the caliper to achieve a brake buffer effect.

Product: BUZZRUNNER BMP103

Category: Others

Award: Champion

Company: King Rack Industrial Co.

This carrier can transport three bikes at once. Its features include a patented cam lever ball-mount attachment system that fits a 50mm tow ball; anti-theft pin lock; adjustable wheel trays and strap length to fit various wheel sizes; easy tilting for gate access; license plate holder with lights; quick U-frame release system for easy bike installation; three clamps (two of which are lockable) for better bike retention; and TUV approval based on XP R18-904-4 norms.

Product: TWINS Multiple-Function Folding Tool

Category: Others

Award: Second Prize

Company: T-One R&D Corp.

TWINS is a multiple-function folding tool that includes devices which are frequently needed while cycling. The main feature of TWINS, and one that most folding tools lack, is the unique handle of the chain breaker; it provides sufficient leverage and a comfortable gripping sensation, without compromising the size of the tool. It is compact when folded; each of its tools can be operated without interference, and with a great grip.