Eurobike Gold Award indicates benchmarks for innovation and design

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1 30/08/2017 Presentation of the Eurobike Awards - Eleven companies receive Gold Awards - Green Award for sustainable innovation Eurobike Gold Award indicates benchmarks for innovation and design Friedrichshafen - The first evening of the Eurobike show was eagerly awaited by visitors and exhibitors alike. Tension was particularly high among the 43 winners of Eurobike Awards in 2017, because Wednesday evening marked the point in the Awards ceremony when the participants were announced who had been selected by the judges for the especially prestigious Gold Awards. One company was honored for an especially sustainable innovation with the Green Award while five new idea factories received a Start-up Award. The total of 458 applications for a Eurobike Award, which is celebrating its 13th edition this year, demonstrates once again the high level of innovative zeal within the bike market. A six-strong panel of judges possessing a great deal of expertise and holding different views of the bike segment took part in a two-stage process to select a total of 43 winning products from these entrants. The winners have been on show in a special Eurobike display in the West Foyer of Messe Friedrichshafen since the first day of the / 12

2 Bike fair. "We are delighted by the large number of entrants in the Eurobike Award and the high level of innovation displayed among them. This year s competition has shown once again that the bike industry is now one of the high-tech segments and in some areas, such as electromobility, materials technology and digitization, is actually assuming a pioneering role. Added to this is the fact that product design has long been a subject that suppliers in the cycle market master with aplomb, explained Stefan Reisinger, who as Head of Eurobike, is one of those responsible for the fair at Messe Friedrichshafen. For eleven companies, the number 13 turned out to be particularly lucky: the judges found their solutions to be particularly ingenious and to embody an exceptional level of innovation. The companies are therefore worthy winners of a Eurobike Gold Award, which is presented to those new products at the fair that redefine the benchmark for technical development within their specific segment. The winners of the Eurobike Gold Awards 2017 are: Påhoj Child Seat The child bike seat by this start-up from the Swedish bicycle centre of Malmö can be easily removed from the carrier rack and then used as a buggy thanks to its integrated wheels. "The concept is simply brilliant, was how the Eurobike Award expert panel described this product. Rohloff E-14 The Rohloff hub is a classic amongst bike transmissions / 12

3 which now, in collaboration with Bosch, is entering a new era as an electronically controlled version. "The new option delivered instant proof in a test ride, was the verdict of the Eurobike Award judges on this Gold Award winner. Linka Smart Bicycle Lock The Linka Smart Bicycle Lock not only looks good but also opens up new application horizons with its Bluetooth and smartphone lock control. The Award panel was greatly inspired: "Linka has developed an intelligent lock with an exceptionally high quality finish and design, considering the company is still in the start-up phase. Mokumono Delta Mokumono from the Netherlands is aiming to revolutionize the manufacturing process with its fully automatic production of laser-welded bicycle frames using aluminium profiles. "The concept enables added value to be increased in Europe, thus helping to keep transport routes short, was the panel s observation in reaching its decision. Adlerwerke Bicycle Carrier Under the traditional name of Adlerwerke, the bicycle manufacturer of the same name is presenting a new roof carrier, which impressed the judges with its minimalistic approach. "By attaching to the handlebars and saddle, this carrier system provides a quick and low-cost solution for transporting high-end bikes, they said. Durbanis LocLock The Spanish Gold Award winner Durbanis demonstrates that the ingenuity of many a solution lies in its simplicity. The Award panel came to the same conclusion: "The / 12

4 combination of cement for durability and a surface that reduces the risk of damage to frames is a very good idea. Tucano Urbano Magic Parka With its functional jackets, the Italian supplier Tucano Urbano is already a highly sought-after brand among motorcyclists. At the Eurobike Award, the Milan-based company was also presenting solutions for cyclists and instantly managed to impress the Award panel. "This really is the Swiss army knife of cycling apparel, the judges declared. Rondo Ruut CF1 Rondo has taken the young gravel scene by storm with its optically and technically inspired bike models. And the Award panel was similarly unable to resist the attraction of this start-up from Poland: "What makes the Ruut CF1 so special is the option of adjusting the forks, allowing the rider to adapt the bike for wheel size and terrain. Focus Project Y With its Project Y, the sporty bicycle manufacturer Focus is showing a new angle for the racing bike market, where members of the Award panel also see great potential: "Until now, the trend towards electrification had largely passed road bikes by. We are convinced that this is set to change with Project Y. Fazua Evation Integration is currently the magic formula for innovations in the e-bike segment. One company that provides the best possible conditions for this is the young drive producer Fazua: "Fazua is creating an entirely new segment with its / 12

5 evation drive. Motor and battery can be easily removed so that a normal bike remains, was the panel s comment on this Gold Award winner. Van Nicholas Skeiron Titanium is among the classic materials for frames and one that is known to send bike fans into raptures. This modern implementation by the Dutch manufacturer with its new Skeiron model also managed to produce an ecstatic reaction from the Award panel: "The market for titanium road bikes may be small, but the Skeiron particularly impressed us with its classic retro design and its unique integration of cables in the cockpit and frame. The Eurobike Green Award Winner - Green Compound by Schwalbe: However, the judges for the Eurobike Award not only observed innovations in the technical development and design of bicycles but also in the sustainability of products connected with the bike. The tyres from the new Green Compound by Schwalbe particularly impressed the panel members, who judged it to be deserving of a Green Award: "With its Green Compound, Schwalbe is setting a new standard in the use of recycled materials. Through their very different views of the bike market, the decisions from the six-strong jury were preceded by intense and sometimes controversial discussions. Comprising the judges panel for the Eurobike Award 2017 were the designer Tomas Fiegl, the test technician Ernst Brust, the trade journalists Julia Milan and Fran García, the cycling transport planner Anna Luten and Joel Natale, Head of / 12

6 Purchasing for the British chain of stores Evans Cycles. The winners of Gold, Green and Eurobike Awards will remain on show at the Bike fair until Saturday, 2 September, in a special display in the West Foyer of Messe Friedrichshafen. For more information please visit: The Eurobike Gold Award winners and the respective statement from the judges panel: Skeiron by van Nicholas "The market for titanium road bikes may be small, but the Skeiron particularly impressed us with its classic retro design and its unique integration of cables in the cockpit and frame. The price is also extremely attractive for a titanium bike with disc brakes. Mokumono by Mokum Mono BV "The Mokumono has fully redesigned bicycle production, thus increasing added value in Europe and helping to keep transport routes short. We also found the design instantly appealing. LINKA Smart Bicycle Lock by Linka "LINKA has developed an intelligent lock with an exceptionally high quality finish and design, considering the company is still in the start-up phase. It also provides anti-theft protection. The smartphone connection eliminates the need for a key and is ideally suited for bike sharing schemes. Påhoj by Påhoj / 12

7 "The concept is simply brilliant, and the prototype itself is very impressive. Creating a product that combines child seat and pushchair is a very good and useful idea. Rondo Ruut CF1 by Rondo "Even though still a young company, Rondo produces an astonishingly high quality of finish. What makes the Ruut CF1 so special is the option of adjusting the forks, allowing the rider to adapt the bike for wheel size and terrain. Rondo is thus injecting versatility into the gravel bike segment. Project Y by Focus Bikes "Until now, the trend towards electrification had largely passed road bikes by. We are convinced that this is set to change with Project Y. The future trend is already apparent in the prototype with its inspired design and integrated evation drive. Magic Parka by Tucano Urbano "This really is the Swiss army knife of cycling apparel. Made of breathable material, it features an array of zip fasteners, pockets and thumb loops to effortlessly manage the transformation from all-weather cycling apparel with waterproof knee protection to normal street wear. Evation by Fazua "Fazua is creating an entirely new segment with its evation drive. Motor and battery can be easily removed so that a normal bike remains. Lightweight design and ease of handling are further awardwinning features of the evation drive. A number of bike producers have already come to the same conclusion and are using the system in their pedelecs - including those intended for the road bike segment / 12

8 Rohloff E-14 by Rohloff "Together with the E-Shift function of the new Bosch drive, the Rohloff 14-speed hub gear now also switches electronically. The new option delivered instant proof in a test ride. This is the result of a cooperation between a major automotive supplier and a small-scale quality manufacturer. Bicycle Carrier by Adlerwerke "Thanks to the small pad size, this carrier system can be easily fitted to existing support rails. By attaching it to the handlebars and saddle, it provides a quick and low-cost solution for transporting highend bikes without any risk of damage to the frame. Its overall simplicity is very impressive. LocLock by Durbanis "The LocLock provides a useful incentive for town planners to design more attractive street furniture and improves the infrastructure for urban cycling. The combination of cement for durability and a surface that reduces the risk of damage to frames is a very good idea. With their bright range of colours, these stands also present an interesting opportunity to include corporate design. The Eurobike Start-up Award winners and the respective statement from the judges panel: LINKA Smart Bicycle Lock by Linka "LINKA has developed an intelligent lock with an exceptionally high quality finish and design, considering the company is still in the start-up phase. It also provides anti-theft protection. The smartphone connection eliminates the need for a key and is ideally suited for bike sharing / 12

9 schemes. Påhoj by Påhoj "The concept is simply brilliant, and the prototype itself is very impressive. Creating a product that combines child seat and pushchair is a very good and useful idea. Rondo Ruut CF1 by Rondo "Even though still a young company, Rondo produces an astonishingly high quality of finish. What makes the Ruut CF1 so special is the option of adjusting the forks, allowing the rider to adapt the bike for wheel size and terrain. Rondo is thus injecting versatility into the gravel bike segment. Cowboy by Cowboy "The Cowboy from the start-up of the same name is an urban pedelec with a cool design simply because of the battery included in the seat stem and the nicely integrated light. It helps to fill an existing gap on the market. Together with the accompanying app, this attractively priced pedelec also offers anti-theft protection and GPS tracking - an impressive all-round package. MTBNB App by MTBNB "The airbnb concept has already spread to numerous other areas. In the case of MTBNB, it is not only any excellent way for mountain bikers to find the most interesting trails when on holiday but also offers them a chance to make new friends. And of course, it also displays the range of accommodation options. The Eurobike Green Award winner and statement from the judges panel: / 12

10 Green Compound (Road Cruiser) by Schwalbe "With its Green Compound, Schwalbe is setting a new standard in the use of recycled materials. It s an important step towards sustainability if existing products that are used thousands of times over can be produced in a greener and more environmentally friendly way. Even used rubber gloves and door seals are now enjoying a new lease of life as bicycle tyres. Biographies of this year s judges panel Anna Luten was appointed Bicycle Mayor of Amsterdam in June 2016 and has since been working to improve safety and increase adoption of bicycling. As a true Dutch girl, Anna grew up riding a bike, but she was drawn to the Bicycle Mayor programme through her passion for truly human-centric cities. With positions at Nike and later Giant Bicycles, Anna combined an active lifestyle with a career in marketing. Anna moved to New York City in 2017 to establish a Bicycle Mayor there. The Bicycle Mayor Program is an initiative of CycleSpace, which wants to inspire the next billion people to start cycling. After many years of working for FAG and as technical director for a bicycle manufacturer in Schweinfurt, Ernst Brust decided to found velotech.de in With his company, the German has created a service centre for product safety, development and the execution of new testing methods for the safety inspection of muscle-powered equipment. Since 1992, he has also worked as official technical expert authorized by the state to evaluate bicycle damages and certifications - currently the only one in Germany evaluating e-bikes / 12

11 Fran García is an experienced sports journalist, who has been working in the cycling sector for more than a decade. During this time, he has managed important print- and online-specialized media in Spain - from his beginnings at Ciclismo en Ruta to today's work with TopBici.es. Additionally, Fran gathered experience as press officer working at various international sports events (motorcycling, sailing, handball, skiing, athletics among others) and in the communication department of renowned companies such as Nike. In her 20+ years as independent journalist and copywriter in corporate publishing, Julia Milan has developed an expertise in the fields of travel, outdoor sports and cycling. She has done editorial work for the German magazines TOUR and E-BIKE by the Delius Klasing publishing house for the past 15 years. Additionally, the certified MTB trail scout has worked in communication for cycling-focused hotels and travel agencies as well as cycling events. Being a passionate yogini, Julia manages to find the right balance to her busy work life. Current projects for the German are first and foremost the project coordination of the magazine E-BIKE and classic agency work in marketing, advertising and PR for the first class shopping location "CityQuartier FÜNF HÖFE in the heart of Munich. Joel Natale has worked in cycling for over 15 years. Starting on shop floors and now managing all bicycle purchasing for Evans Cycles 60+ stores and web site alongside. He is also responsible for own Brand product developments across five brands. Joel has done most things on a bike, from racing road, time-trial, mountain cross country and downhill, triathlons and bike-packing trips. Combined with living in London and not having a car, this also makes for many / 12

12 short journeys by bike. During his 25 years of work experience in product design, Tomas Fiegl managed, among others, the department "cyclingdesign, which was newly introduced to his design agency Artefakt in Deriving from great passion a significantly growing business model was formed. During this time, numerous award-decorated products for renowned brands were developed. Next to the performance-focused brand CANYON, KLEVER mobility and SCOTT are part of the client portfolio in the field of e-mobility. Current developments of e-bike components will complete the future product portfolio. Note to Editors: Characters (with spaces): In case of further questions please contact our press department. They will be glad to help you / 12

Bike industry celebrates winners of the Eurobike Award

31/08/2016 51 winners, twelve Gold Awards and one Green Award - Prize-giving ceremony on the first Eurobike evening - Products on show in the Innovation Area Bike industry celebrates winners of the Eurobike