by Michael Smith (Veshengro)
From Olympic stars to handle bars and everything in between the London Cycle Show at Earls Court Exhibition Center in London from October 7 to October 10 gives cycling enthusiasts, an d those thin king about cycling for health and the environment a 'one-stop-shop' chance to have a look at and even try out new bikes and accessories.
The London Cycle Show 2010 opened to trade and media on Thursday, October 7 and to the public on Friday, October 8 and runs until Sunday, October 10 at the Earls Court Exhibition Center and can be easily reached via public transport, or even cycling from the various railway stations.
I must say that, unless I am seriously mistaken, this year's show is somewhat bigger than that of 2009 and a fair number of new products and new vendors and makers were present this year. Then again some of those that were there last year or the year before were absent for reasons not known to me.
Some of the good old and long established makers of bicycles were presented and the one that always, in my mind, stand out of the crowd, Pashley, was there with a stand, as per usual, and the range of the beautifully made bikes, still make in the UK, always makes me drool. But then I am a cyclist and those bikes a just a pleasure to behold.
On the new front, so to speak, what spoke to me more than fancy bikes were rebuilts and those that are back in the way of the bicycles of old with the single speed freewheel or even the single speed fixed gear. A bike like that is simple with very little being able to go wrong and nigh on everyone can repair and care for one of those. This is the very reason that I am converting all the old bicycles that come my way in to single speed ones, as the Shimano derailleur gears, and other gears, are more often than not a pain in the backside in that they need almost constant attention.
Other new products – or to me new products – that caught my attention was “bootbag” from Hebie, a German company from Bielefeld, the boot, or trunk (no, not elephant), for your bicycle, enabling a little more proper carrying of goods from the stores. The Hebie bootbag was shown by the German company Patria.
The other product – new to me – that caught my attention was the Quick-Rack from the Swiss manufacturer Pletscher, represented by Wildoo Ltd., of Bletchley. This innovative carrying rack can be put on and taken off a mountain bike, for example, within seconds, thus enabling the bike to be used, with carrier and even paniers, during the week, and able to be converted, without the need for tools, in an instant to go off-roading. http://pletscher.ch/wDeutsch/pages/Demos/quickrack.php
The London Cycle Show 2010 has got something for everyone, from the occasional cyclist to the professional and everything that you may want or need to go with it. Go and have a look and see whether you could not also make the switch, at least for the silly journeys of 3 miles or less, to a bicycle.
© 2010
