Taipei Cycle Show 2023: The 25 most exciting new products from the bike show

Visiting the Taipei Cycle Show - Asia's largest bicycle trade fair. Of course, a bike show is always an exciting opportunity to feel the pulse of the industry and discover new products. But a bike show in the centre of the bike industry is doubly exciting. The Taipei Cycle Show has a strong focus on exhibitors, which is not aimed at end consumers or bike shops, but at the manufacturers themselves. Suppliers from all sectors exhibit their products in Taiwan: from suppliers of 3D printers to screw and tyre manufacturers to paint specialists. But among all the Chinese, Japanese and Taiwanese companies, there are also familiar names such as Giant, Maxxis and Magura. Unfortunately, there were no ground-breaking innovations to be seen here.

New products came mainly from Asia itself, but not only. What was clear to see at the bike fair was the industry's focus on even more e-mobility. At least 12 suppliers of e-bike motors showed mainly mid and rear wheel motors. Frame manufacturers with names that we probably never hear in the West, but do ride their frames, presented welding and printing techniques. And of course there were countless complete bikes with motors on display, which may be mass-produced but will never be available on the European market.

Our selection: The top 25 new products at the Taipei Cycle Show 2023

After a few kilometres at the trade fair, a few coffees and a few conversations, we dragged home a colourful basket full of news. Some of it will be on the market in four weeks' time, we've already had a few things to test in the BIKE editorial office and others won't be coming to us in Europe until 2024 - if nothing comes up.

Kind Shock suspension forks

Kind Shock, or "KS" for short, have been known for their dropper posts for many years. But at Eurobike 2022, they presented their first Suspension forks announced. At the Taipei Cycle Show, there was another surprise: a prototype of a rather impressive upside-down MTB suspension fork with 165 millimetres of travel and the name E3.6. This could indicate the stanchion tube thickness of 36 millimetres - but we were unable to measure it. There was also no information on the weight, as not everything has been finalised yet.

In addition, a KS gravel fork with 40 millimetres of travel and a stated weight of 1445 grams was hanging further back on the stand - somewhat in the twilight. It goes by the name of GTC and comes together with other components specially designed for gravel bikes, such as the stem, handlebars and dropper post.

Sram Level and Code Stealth brake levers

Sram did not present any completely new brakes, but an update of the existing Sram brakes Level and Code - sensible and chic. Unlike before, the brakes on both models now run parallel to the handlebars, which has a very positive effect on the look and keeps the handlebars a little tidier. The little helpers, which are screwed onto the stem and secure the brake hoses with a clamp, offer a further plus in terms of peace and quiet. The MTB brake lever versions Level Bronze and Silver as well as the Code Silver were on display at the bike show in Taiwan.

Tektro (TRP) now also relies on ABS from Bosch

Tektro/TRP will be the second brake manufacturer to use the Anti-lock braking system (ABS) from Bosch set. At the last Eurobike, the major Swabian company announced its cooperation with Magura - now the cooperation with the Taiwanese company follows. The ABS will be available in three models. For sporty MTB use, they are combining the TRP Trail EVO brake with the Bosch system. For e-bikes, the Tektro Dorado comes with an anti-lock braking system and for the trekking sector, the Tektro Volans with ABS will be installed.

Kai Liao, co-responsible for the collaboration and engineer at Bosch, explains that it took a good two and a half years of work and fine-tuning. In particular, connecting the ABS to the Tektro brakes took a lot of effort (pictured above). However, the aim was to broaden the range in which the Bosch braking system is installed. More information can be found in this article: >> ABS for e-bikes: Tektro shows brakes with Bosch anti-lock braking system >>

TranzX electronic variable seatpost JD-EDPO1

Not only the big names are in the business with electronic dropper posts, there are now also some from the (cheaper) competition: TranzX, for example, from the neighbourhood of Tektro (also from Taichung), is presenting its idea at the trade fair in Taipei. With a stroke of 125 to 200 millimetres, the dropper post marketed under the name JD-EDPO1 can be used for the three common diameters - but is not yet available. "The first European dealers are currently placing orders - the US market will come first," says an employee at the trade fair stand.

The highlight of the TranzX dropper post is that there is an easily removable battery in the electronics on the saddle, and a USB charger is included. The controller on the handlebars contains a normal button cell. The price for the TranzX Dropper is said to be around 400 US dollars. There was no information on the weight.

Selle Italia goes Taiwan: Premiere for the Novus Boost Evo saddle with 3D structure

Saddle manufacturer Selle Italia used the bike trade fair in Taiwan to present a new model in its still young portfolio of 3D saddles. The Novus Boost EVO 3D is aimed at sporty riders - Selle calls it "Road Use" - because the saddle tends to be firmer. What's new is that the different structures also change the firmness. Towards the rear, the Novus Boost provides a lot of support, while at the edge of the cut-out it is quite cushioning. Its profile is slightly wavy.

As always with Selle Italia, the entire saddle is made in Italy, from the carbon struts to the 3D structure. The Gravel saddle Short-Fit 2.0 3D, which has a noticeably shorter nose and is a good deal softer, is also fairly new on the market. This saddle is not available with carbon struts, but with a more flexible titanium substructure. This is aimed more at us MTB riders.

Bikepacking at the Taipei Cycle Show 2023

The Merida Silex 7000, which is fully equipped with bikepacking bags at all attachment and fastening points, serves as a symbolic photo. One trend that many manufacturers are now following is touring bikes. At the bike show in Taipei, there were several suppliers offering completely colourful, plain black or (trend?) earth and natural-coloured frame and handlebar bags. Perhaps the discussions between the suppliers and importers at the trade fair stands will reveal which of these will end up here.

Dirty Sixer - 36 inches for really tall people

36-inch wheels appear in reports with a certain regularity - most recently in the form of the steel Chicken bikes with sleeves from the 3D printer. You hardly ever see them out there in the real world. The Dirty Sixer of 2.08 metre man David Folch is real - and very big. The wheels alone reach up to the BIKE editor's belt (1.72 metres). However, the US designer doesn't want his bike to be seen as a gag, but wants to dedicate it to people who are taller than average. His customers, says David, are usually over two metres tall and weigh at least 100 kilos.

Hence the specs: Unicycle rims, double brakes with 200 mm discs at the front, extra-reinforced bottom bracket, fatbike hubs, 180 mm cranks, palm-sized pedals and grips as thick as Lyon sausages. It is obvious that the weight of the 36er bike is not so important: probably around 19 kilos, according to Folch. It should be as robust as possible, he adds, from size XL to 5XL. And there may be an e-bike version at Eurobike 2023.

The market for children's bikes is growing

Bike manufacturers and their upstream producers see a market in high-quality children's bikes. Woom and Vpace are aware of this, and some of them have realised this at the trade fair in Taipei and are presenting their models for the little ones. The three models from X-mini, which have already exhibited at Eurobike and won design awards, are intended to be a model of this. But other Asian manufacturers also have a lot to offer, from pushbikes to 24-inch fullys - even children's e-bikes.

Sunrace MZ 12-speed drivetrain

BIKE had already tested the Sunrace MZ drivetrain some time ago. In Taiwan there was only a small update: new colours for the cassettes, now also suitable for Microspline and a new shifter variant with modified shifting logic (push-push vs. push-pull).

But Sunrace was by no means the only manufacturer with its own shifting groupsets. In addition to the TRP EVO was also L-Twoo with the already familiar gearstick to see, Microshift was represented with various quality levels of its drives, which were used, for example, on the Fatbike Salsa Mukluk will be used. Will there be real competition for Shimano & Co.

Clever idea: detachable pedals from Wellgo

Thanks to a small idea, Wellgo was able to win a d&i Award (Design & Innovation) at the Taipei Cycle Show this year. Thanks to a simple mechanism, the pedal can be removed quickly and yet there are no loose small parts. This can certainly help in a cramped bike cellar or during transport.

Mortop. Carbon & Kevlar spokes

Not the first Wheels with spokes made from fibresbut always beautiful to look at. These spokes from Mortop consist of a Kevlar core and a carbon coating. This is intended to give the wheel both stability and a certain amount of damping. The spokes are to be launched on the market individually, but also as a complete wheel. Blythe Chuang from Mortop is already looking forward to presenting the 1200 gram wheels at this year's Eurobike.

Limar Etna Enduro helmet

The Italian helmet manufacturer Limar is expanding its range of MTB helmets. The three new trail helmets are called Tonale, Delta and Etna. The Etna in particular caught our eye with its "ear rings". Bianca Bernardi, responsible for exports at Limar, emphasises the all-round protection of the enduro helmet. "It is of course a little heavier than our road helmets, but has top ventilation and the MIPS Air Node System." Heavier means that the Etna helmet weighs 450 grams in M. It has a very nice magnetic lock on the chin strap and comes with two pads of different thicknesses for the ear parts. According to Bernardi, Limar also offers a 50 per cent discount as a crash replacement.

Recyclable carbon rims from Gigantex

Another symbolic image! The carbon wheel from Gigantex, which has won a d&i award, is recyclable. It is neither particularly beautiful nor particularly light, but if it really can turn old carbon parts into sustainable products instead of hazardous waste, then this is the future. Unfortunately, it was not possible to find out much more about the bike without being able to speak Chinese. And although the motto of the Taipei trade fair was "sustainability", the focus at the other stands was more on e-mobility than on recycling, conserving raw materials or CO2 emissions.

Birdy GT - the MTB folding bike for the forest

Because people with an affinity for MTBs also want to go on trips or have a small alternative to hiking boots in their luggage, Birdy (Pacific Cycles) has a foldable full MTB with 20-inch tyres. We think so: It looks strong, is easy to pack in the car or as luggage on the train and is certainly a bit off-road capable - but with the chainring it's certainly no climbing artist. Oh yes: it can also be used for bikepacking. The industry now even offers solutions for folding bikes.

The truly completely silent hub from Foss

The language barrier between the developer (Chinese only), translator and BIKE editor and the highly technical subject of a completely silent hub made it impossible to find out more about the technology. But one thing is certain: These hubs make no sound in the freewheel. This also means that the lack of friction in the mechanism should enable longer rolling. Foss is still looking for manufacturers who want to install the hubs in their bikes.

Foss also sells hoses that promise to keep the air in even if something has pierced the cover. It only escapes when it is pulled out. This would significantly improve many a city tour with drawing pins in your coat.

Pump with dual scale for low pressures

Actually a completely normal floor pump from a manufacturer based in the bike hotspot Taichung, Taiwan. But the idea of displaying the exact tyre pressure in the lower section of the scale is as simple as it is ingenious. After all, when it comes to MTBs, it really matters whether the tyre pressure is 1.3 or 1.7 bar. Go-Luck Enterprise manufactures literally dozens of pump models - but this one was honoured at the Taipei Cycle Show.

Ritchey: news from Paulo Alto

It really is as beautiful as it looks! With the anniversary frame of the legendary Ultra Tom Ritchey want to celebrate the 50th anniversary of his company with his fans. Classic colours, steel frame, but designed for modern specs such as 120 mm forks and 27.5 or 29-inch wheels. At 2.57 kg and with a more traditional geo (68.5° head angle and 74° seat angle; size M), it is certainly more of a retro statement than a basis for race files.

In contrast, two new components are contemporary: the Corralitos gravel handlebars and the ultra-short Comp Trail stem. The handlebars have a rise of 16 mm, reach of 52 mm, drop of 67.5 mm and an almost extreme 24° flare. This makes it almost cosy on the gravel roads. The stem is only 45 mm short and also features the new Logic-E Universal Headset from Ritchey, which allows the cables to be integrated.

Safety on the road: flashing helmets for the night

More and more helmets are coming with integrated lighting solutions. The CRNK Genetic Alpha (first two pictures) was even honoured at this year's Taipei Cycle Show. Its light flashes in three modes and is said to be visible for 50 metres. The battery is claimed to last eight hours. Overall, when it comes to safety (and lighting), the bike industry seems to be focussing more on people who commute or use their bikes for less sporty purposes. Many light manufacturers showed various lamps for the bike or for the helmet.