International
World Micromobility News: Articles of interest to our readers pertaining to the latest news, views and trends overseas.
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Shimano Adopts Blubrake ABS
Frankfurt, Germany Anti-lock brake technology developed by Italy’s Blubrake is set to become widely available in Australia, with confirmation the fledgling company is partnering with Shimano. A smaller and lighter second generation of the Blubreak ABS system attracted the attention of Shimano, which announced the partnership at Eurobike 2022. Blubrake systems are already being used…
Sinking in the Boot for High Brow Commuting
Frankfurt, Germany Cycling shoes have hit a new high for fashion, with shoes specialist QUOC releasing the first elastic-sided boot with SPD compatibility. The UK-based business, with an office in Brisbane, released its Chelsea Boot just three weeks before displaying them at Eurobike. Founder Quoc Pham, who previously worked in the fashion industry, said the…
Maxxis in the Loop for Commuting
Frankfurt, Germany Rising numbers of bike commuters and cargo bikes around the world have triggered another major bicycle tyre brand to release an urban-specific range. The Metropass and Metroload ranges were a centrepiece of the Maxxis display at this year’s Eurobike. The Metroload tyres for cargo bikes come in 26-inch options, with a maximum load…
Boardman Appointed Permanently to Active Transport England
York, UK Former Tour de France yellow jersey holder and Olympic gold medallist Chris Boardman has been appointed as England’s permanent National Active Travel Commissioner, after initially serving in an interim role to establish the new Active Transport England (ATE) peak lobby group. Chris has served as Interim Commissioner since January and his permanent appointment…
Tern Raises Accessibility Bar by Lowering the Bar
Taipei, Taiwan Urban mobility specialist Tern this week unveiled a new ultra-low-step urban e-bike designed to “deliver the joy of cycling to a much wider audience”. Tern Team Captain Josh Hon said while the NBD is a particularly easy-to-handle bike for the average rider in crowded urban settings, “what gets us really excited about the…
Honda Backs New Balance-Assist Scooter
Tokyo, Japan A new Japanese start-up with strong backing from the Honda Motor Company has unveiled a balance-assist e-scooter scheduled for release by the end of the year. Honda announced last week Striemo Inc. and its “one-person, three-wheeled electric micro-mobility product”, also called Striemo, had originated from the Honda New Business Creation Program, IGNITION. A…
IRAP Brings Easy Evaluation of Safety for Cycling Routes
Ljubljana, Slovenia A new evaluation tool to assess the safety levels for cyclists on roads and bike infrastructure was launched at the Velo-city Conference in Slovenia last month. CycleRAP uses data about the features of a road, street or path to evaluate the risk of crashes for bicyclists and light mobility users. It has been…
Bike Lane Bounty to Curb Illegally Parked Vehicles
Austin, Texas Residents in the Texas capital of Austin are being invited to report vehicles illegally blocking bike lanes, to receive a share of the subsequent fine. A ‘bike lane bounty’ was last month unanimously endorsed by the city’s Urban Transportation Commission to help the city enforce laws on blocking cycling lanes. According to a…
Car Tyre Dust a Far Greater Threat Than Tailpipe Emissions
High Wycombe, UK Tyre wear emissions are many times worse for environmental and health issues than vehicle exhaust fumes from modern vehicles, according to a study by a UK emissions analysis company. Figures recently released by Emissions Analytics indicated tyre wear emissions in normal driving conditions are around 1,850 times greater than “real-world tailpipe particulate…
Igus Unveils First Bike Constructed Entirely From Recycled Plastic
Cologne, Germany The world’s first urban bike made entirely from recycled plastic has been unveiled by German company igus. The igus:bike, scheduled for release later this year, is being promoted as “tomorrow’s mobility from yesterday’s waste”. With recycled plastic used to construct everything from the frame to the bearings and toothed belt, igus says the…