BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news

Many of the 'announcements' in John Reid's White Paper are far from new (Booost's tax-efficient bike purchase scheme, the National Standard on cycle training, Sustrans' National Cycle Network exists) and the plugs are rather drowned out by the 'smoking to be banned' media coverage but, still, it's good to see a government document so positive about cycling.

The trade sector that would benefit the most from helmet compulsion is against helmet compulsion. Huh? But what about all the juicy profits from selling millions of helmets? For sure there would be an initial rise in helmet sales but at a massive cost: less cyclists in the long-run. Less cycling equals more pollution, more congestion, more kids on sofas and not saddles.

On Tuesday, the Health Secretary, John Reid, is expected to unveil a White Paper on public health which will cover obesity, smoking and sexually transmitted diseases. Cycling will be lauded as key way of getting about and keeping fit, but the mainstream media will likely major on 'traffic light' food labelling, junk food ads bans, and 'free' training by 'lifestyle gurus', anything but suggesting people get out of their cars...

BBC.co.uk took the award for General Excellence in the fifth annual Online Journalism Awards, administered by the Online News Association and the University of Southern California's Annenberg School for Communications. But AFP's graphically-compelling Tour de France coverage won in the 'creative use of the medium' category.

An announcement about the establishment of the factory, close to Tianjin airport, was made in March 2003. At the time, it was said the $15m plant would be operational by April 2004.