TAIPEI, Taiwan (BRAIN) – Clear blue skies welcomed visitors from all corners of the world and the industry to the 29th Taipei Cycle Show, which opens this week in Taiwan's capital city. This year's show, which opens Wednesday, will feature 1,112 exhibitors displaying all manner of bikes, components and accessories in 3,330 booths in about 65,000 square meters of the Nangang Exhibition Center on the western edge of the city.
The Taiwan External Trade Development Council held a pre-show press conference to announce the winners of the show's 5th annual d&i awards. Co-organized by TAITRA and the Taiwan Bicycle Association and executed but iF Design Asia, the awards recognize leaders in product innovation.
A total of 182 entries from a record 19 countries entered this year, with overseas entries increasing by 39 percent. The awards' jury panel selected 47 products entered into four categories including bicycles, components, accessories and e-bikes/pedelecs.
The jury panel includes Harry Chang of Gearlab Co., Rikaulau's Cheng-non Hsu, Adriana Monk of Monk Design, Ken O'Rourke of KOR Design, Belgium-based European Cyclist Federation's Kevin Mayne, Francois Liang of Taiwan's Cycling and Health Technology Industry R&D Center, and Markus Storck of Germany's Storck Bicycle.
"The entries this year are quite equally represented from each sector of the cycling industry," said Gearlab's Henry Chang. "There are as many daily living cycling related products as competition-related products. It is a very positive sign that cycling is developing evenly in all aspects."
Winners were selected based on the following criteria:
• Degree of innovation/creativity
• Quality of design
• Workmanship
• Material
• Sustainability
• Utility value
• Ergonomics
• Safety
• Functionality
• Universal design
Of the 47 winners, the following six companies received the gold award:
• Chuhn Chuan Corp. for its X-mini kids' push bike featuring a folding mechanism making it a unique alternative to wooden push bikes currently available on the market.
• Gigantex Composite Technologies for its disc brake-compatible carbon wheel with adjustable carbon spokes.
• Super B Precision Tools was recognized for its chain whip pliers, which use spring tension to fit the pliers to the cassette for easy removal.
• HydraKnight Innovation's warm and packable inflatable jacket
• BESV's CF1 city e-bike includes built-in lights, rack, lock and battery in an upright and comfortable frame.
• Coast Cycles won the gold Young Enterprise award for its Quinn compact commuting bicycle, which combines the chunky strength of a BMX frame with all the features ideal for urban riding.
All 47 d&i winners' products will be on display at the show, which runs March 2-5 at the Nangang Convention Center in Taipei.
