Analysis
Merida’s Tour de France ambition
Merida Industry Co., Ltd, Taiwan’s second largest bicycle manufacturing company after Giant Manufacturing Co., Ltd, is now actively pursuing entry to the Tour de France. But first, the brand needs a team. Cycling iQ spoke about the barriers to entry with Merida VP, William Jeng, at Taipei Cycle show last week.
Middle East cycling | Lost in Asia?
In 2005, the UCI introduced major reforms to disrupt the Euro-centricity of professional cycling and promote the sport’s “globalisation”. Tomorrow, the 2.HC-ranked Tour of Qatar will initiate the 8th UCI Asia Tour season. Cycling iQ investigates the reform’s outcomes in the Middle East and asks a former UCI administrator for his take.
Full circle? | Bicycle brands resist costly China
In an effort to curb the rising costs of doing business on the mainland, Advanced International Multitech Co Ltd (AIM), a publicly-listed OEM to some of the world’s most evocative bicycle and golfing brands, intends to migrate Chinese production lines back into its Taiwan operations.
Pro Cycling | Where are all the riders from?
Country of registration – and even sponsor origin – is only a base indicator of professional cycling’s national roots. The regional creep of cycling’s popularity is globalising the professional peloton, especially at the UCI Continental level. Cycling iQ looks at the national makeup of each UCI division for the 2012 season.
Is Tour of Australia needed for Down Under’s rise?
Watching Special Broadcasting Service’s (SBS) live coverage of the Australian national road cycling championships last weekend, it was impossible to ignore the weight of UCI WorldTour team jerseys. Whether Australia is a globally competitive road cycling nation is no longer a question.
PureBlack Racing | cycling dream needs sponsorship edge
Lately, sponsorship uncertainty has shadowed the apex teams of professional road cycling like a Grim Reaper. Potentially, this creates a trickle-down alert for prospective sponsors seeking to engage even at UCI Continental levels – destabilizing the sport’s future funding pipeline. It’s diligent to have a wider arsenal.
Marginal gains | Giant Bicycle’s China yield play
From rather humble beginnings as a maker of bicycle products for other brands, to becoming the world’s largest manufacturer of bicycles, Giant Manufacturing Co Ltd has pioneered global brand development in the bicycle industry. From the outside, it might appear that Giant has done it all, and has it all.
Princes, thieves and make-believe | Pinarello fights for its name
‘Chinarello’ has become the lead character in a new online fantasy world where eager players can select a favourite bicycle hero, dress him with a personalized costume – or leave him in default stealth black – then acquire tools (called “components” in this game) that give their hero increasing mobility as they navigate an increasing … Continue reading
Taiwan’s quality strategy | why your $3,000 bicycle comes from China
Any attentive cyclist riding Melbourne’s Beach Road regularly in recent years would have noticed two things; there are a lot more people cycling, and; there are a lot more people cycling on nice bikes. It would appear that, in order for leisure riders to truly express themselves as cyclists, a quality composite bicycle is de … Continue reading
More Wiggle room | UK online retailer settling into Australian home
Wiggle, the UK-based e-commerce giant that last year claimed to ship more than 400 individual parcels per day to Australia, has announced a partnership with two bicycle “service points” in Sydney and Melbourne. In an email sent out to its Australian customers earlier this month, Wiggle announced the new initiative, which will no doubt cause … Continue reading
