ENGLISH TAITRA The Official Show Newspaper www.BikeShowDaily.com Organized by: March 19, 2015 日 本 語 中 文 TAISPO Cyclist-in-chief Power hungry 4 Taiwan President Ma opens Taipei Cycle 12 PowerTap extends its range ‘Blood, sweat, fear’ Pleasantly plump 8 Hong Kong director promotes cycling film 14 The growth of plus-size wheels Less is more Eye on TaiSPO 9 3T simplifies its product line and its ownership 36 See the news from our sister show Thursday, March 19, 2015 3 Table of Contents ENGLISH TODAY Cyclist-in-chief March 19 Taiwan President Ma opens Taipei Cycle ...................................................................................4 Vox Pop TAIPEI How have recent currency fluctuations affected your business? .....................................6 0 0 Off in a new direction 26 C (78 F) Design-centered Lezyne launches line of cycling computers ..............................................7 Mostly sunny ‘Blood, sweat, fear’ — and cycling Hong Kong action director Dante Lam promotes cycling adventure movie ..................8 Quick change artist TONIGHT TOMORROW Steve Metz says he’s got a better quick release ..........................................................................8 0 0 0 0 Less is more 19 C (66F) 26 C (78F) 3T simplifies its product line — and its ownership structure ..............................................9 Chance of showers Mostly sunny Seen at the show The action from the first day of Taipei Cycle, and the Velo/Wellgo party ................10 Contact Us Tapping into more power Here's how to reach the key PowerTap launches new kinds of power meters .................................................................. 12 staff of the Taipei Cycle and TaiSPO Show Dailies: Pleasantly plump Wheels and tires embrace “plus” sizes ..................................................................................... 14 Advertising Tom Kavanagh, Publisher All wound up [email protected] Velocite winds its carbon fiber wheels ..................................................................................... 15 Taipei Cycle Show Daily The X Factor Doug McClellan, Editor-in-Chief TranzX eyes the U.S. and China for upcoming expansion .............................................. 15 [email protected] +1.505.660.9957 Making its move After nearly 60 years, Sturmey-Archer relocates in Europe ............................................. 16 TaiSPO Show Daily Barbara Smit, Editor On the cover: Taiwan President Ma Jing-yeou (right) with luminaries (from left) [email protected] Tony Lo, Robert Wu, Catherine Wang, and King Liu at yesterday's opening ceremony. 4 Taipei Show Daily LIVE FROM THE SHOW Thursday, March 19, 2015 Pomp and circumstance as President Ma opens show Taipei Cycle opened Wednesday with a commotion as Taiwan routes this year. related stories on page 18.) President Ma Ying-jeou addressed a standing-room-only crowd This isn’t the first time Ma, a former Lo said Taipei Cycle will move its dates at Nangang. Taipei mayor, has appeared at Taipei earlier next year, to March 2-5, to align Cycle. He also opened the 2012 show with the Velo-city dates. during a re-election campaign. “Taipei Cycle will be really linked with Although Ma currently has low Velo-city. It’s a great opportunity for the approval ratings in Taiwan, the cycling world to see Taiwan’s bike influence,” Lo industry has embraced him and his said. pro-trade stance. After Ma’s speech, he and other Tony Lo, president of the Taiwan industry dignitaries — all dressed in Bicycle Association and CEO of Giant matching black and white athletic Bicycles, also spoke briefly at the opening warm-up jackets — posed on a stage with ceremony. bikes, and then set off fog machines and He emphasized Taiwan’s progression confetti by inserting flags in the bikes’ from a cycling “desert” a decade ago to its seat posts. current status as a bicycle “kingdom.” Photographers swarmed Ma as he Taiwan’s cycling credentials will left the room to visit three booths, receive a further boost next year when clicking their cameras while running to Taipei hosts Velo-city Global 2016. keep up with the entourage. Ma briefly The conference will bring leading stopped at displays for the Cycling & transportation planners, economists, Health Technology Industry, the Taiwan health experts, cycling advocates, cycle Excellence and the d&i awards for tourism promoters and politicians requisite photo-ops before leaving the together from all over the world. (See show. ■ NF Ralph Wiegmann (right) of the iF Design Forum walks Taiwan President Ma through winners of the d&i awards. Through a translator, Ma spoke of Mainland China. The “early harvest” list Taipei Cycle’s stature as one of the most refers to products that received priority important buying platforms in the world, for the tariff reductions. given the island’s current ranking as the “Some people might say the ECFA is No. 2 exporter of bikes and the No. 4 bike serving only big enterprises, but that’s manufacturer. not true,” he added. “Values of over 50 “In 2012, we officially signed the ECFA percent are from small and medium (Economic Cooperation Framework enterprises.” Agreement). With bikes on the early Ma, who described taking a 12-hour harvest list, complete bike exports have ride on a “very old bike” around northern grown 12-fold. It’s [had] really great and Taipei when he was in high school, positive momentum under that,” Ma said. lauded the growth of cycling routes in The ECFA is a controversial trade pact Taiwan. The island nation is expected to that reduced tariffs on products bound for have 4,700km (2,920 miles) of cycling Taiwan President Ma (left) inspects a Strida folding bike. What's on today Thursday, March 19 All events are at the Nangang Conference Room 401 4F 5:30 p.m. Exhibition Hall unless otherwise Agenda: www.tpf.itri.org.tw/ Conference Room 402 Tern Social Ride noted agenda-e.html Take an easy 15km (9 mile) ride 10 a.m. – 11 a.m. down the riverside bikeway to the GENERAL SHOW 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Taipei Cycle Meet and Pitch Day Three Lions Inn, an English-style INFORMATION LEV Test & Drive Technology Session pub and restaurant. Bring your own ExtraEnergy Presentations by First Components, bike and helmet. Taipei Cycle Show 4F O-Ta Precision, Kind Shock and Outdoor Demo Area Hours: 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. Cargo Ramp Tribull Tent T0022 4F Venues: Nangang Exhibition Hall 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. R455 Buyer's Lounge 6:30 – 9:30 p.m. and Taipei World Trade Center Asian Cycling Forum LEVA Networking Dinner (TWTC) Hall 1, 2nd Floor. Chang Yung-Fa Foundation 11 a.m. – 12 noon Royal Host Held in association with the Taipei 10th Floor Taipei Cycle Meet and Pitch Day No. 66-1 International Sporting Goods No. 11 Zongshan S. Road Innovation Session Jingmao 2nd Rd. Show (TaiSPO), Taipei International MRT Stop: NTU Hospital Station Presentations by Soosi Flinger, Taya (Across from Nangang Exhibition Sports Textile & Accessory (Line 2) Chain, Joy Industrial, Avola and Sun Center) Expo (SPOMODE) and Taiwan www.asiancyclingforum2015.com. Chang Visit www.levassociation.com/ International Diving and Water tw/en 4F calendar to register Sports Show (DiWaS) at the TWTC. R455 Buyer's Lounge EVENTS Are you putting on an event you’d ALL DAY 1:10-4:30 p.m. like to list in tomorrow’s Taipei Show 9:30 a.m. – 12 noon Electric Bicycles Seminars Daily? Email your information to us 8:30 a.m. – 6 p.m. The Bicycle Innovative Services & ExtraEnergy Test Reward by 2 p.m. at TaipeiShowDaily@gmail. Taipei Power Forum / Electric and Creative Business Planning Ceremony com. Include the event time, booth Two-Wheeler Symposium Competition Award Ceremony 4F number/location and your contact 4F and Presentation Conference Room 402 information. 6 Taipei Show Daily Thursday, March 19, 2015 Vox Pop How have recent currency fluctuations affected your business? Wouter van Doornik Mario Armando Peraza Viveros Holland Mechanics A la Montaña Ciclismo Purmerend, the Netherlands Mexico City, Mexico For us as an export-oriented company, The Mexican peso has lost 20 percent the low euro is a blessing. We have of its value compared to the dollar in seen a lot of interest, especially from the last three months, largely due to American companies at this show. Since government politics. So of course all the wheelbuilding machines are a capital products are getting more expensive for investment only done every five to 10 us as purchasers. I have no choice but to years, we are kind of a special case. raise prices, but I cannot do so on a short Given the current low interest rates, it’s a term. And of course doing so will make it good time for large investments. harder to compete on the market. Hugues Espesset (left) Todd Seplavy and Joyce Huang GT Bikes Buzz Rack Wilton CT, U.S.A. Taichung City, Taiwan On a short term these currency As a manufacturer of bicycle racks, Buzz fluctuations are a big concern, but on Rack is in a special situation. We produce a longer term I think it all comes back. in Taiwan while most of our competitors Nobody expected this situation to come produce in Europe. This poses quite up six months ago, and it might well be a challenge to us. Our competitors’ gone in another six months from now. products are getting cheaper without Companies who played it smart are not them having to do anything for it, and in that much trouble. But admittedly customers ask us to reduce our prices the effects are very regional and brand — or else they might switch to products specific. from a European manufacturer. Bernd Kästle Martin Vogt Magura Marwi Europe Bad Urach, Germany Rotterdam, the Netherlands For Magura it’s a double-edged sword. The politics of both the American Federal Our production in Germany gets Reserve and the European Central Bank cheaper, but all purchases in U.S. have weakened the euro substantially.