BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news

Here's why: a bright spark cut through their phone lines earlier today. The tel no is currently diverted to a cellphone, so don't expect ten lines and an instant, North-of-the-Border cheery answer

XMAT of Austin, Texas, has launched a recumbent bike that kids use to power their video games. No pedalling, no game. "In the 6-17 year old age group, it is estimated that children play [video games] on average 8.3 hours per week. We thought, 'What if we could turn this completely sedentary time into 100% physical activity?'"

Wheels for All of Manchester is organising a 'networking and training' conference on this topic on Wednesday 9th March.

BA president Phillip Darnton was interviewed by Radio Five Live on Friday. He called for government departments to spend £70m on funding Cycle England, the organisation that has replaced the National Cycling Strategy Board, which ceased to exist on 31st January. BBC websites and The Independent have followed up on the radio interview, claiming the Cycle England chairman is 'at war' with the Department for Transport. The BBC reports are confused: on the news site there's a quote from 'Philip Darlton', on the Newsround site there's the same quote from Neville Darlton...

Last week, BikeBiz.com reported that Greg LeMond, the three times Tour de France winner, testified in court that his was as big a name as Lance Armstrong's and that PTI Holdings of New York reneged on a ten year deal contract to produce LeMond-branded cycling accessories for discount retail chains. The judge ruled in favour of LeMond in the contractual dispute and a jury awarded the former champion $3.46m.