BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news

Tokyo's Mukojima Bicycle Art and Net Project put itty-bitty cameras on rental bikes in an art project to make people think about their surroundings. And the Shitamachi area of old Tokyo was also transformed by a 'road garden' made up of flowers planted in bicycle baskets...

Really? Not to the bike trade. It's been clear for many months that CVC has been grooming the retailer for a quick sale. Anyway, The Sunday Telegraph puts flesh on the bones: CVC is said to be close to appointing bankers to advise on the sale. And where did the Telegraph get this info? Could it be PR leaks from Halfords? Such briefings to the financial press are to be expected, as perceived value is added to the recent cash-gains thanks to the bouyant bike market and the car customisation cruiser craze.

Brian Montgomery probably isn't on many Chinese company's Christmas card lists and with his latest open letter to the trade - he claims China has "destroyed" the US cycle industry - he's not likely to be added...

German IBDs are considering legal action against Zweirad Stadler, Germany's biggest bicycle retail chain. In a test exercise, Stadler's Bremen store is not charging customers for bicycle repairs.

Whilst radio-tuning, latte-slurping, cellphone-talking motorists get little more than ticking offs for mowing down and killing cyclists, a US judge has banged up a reckless cyclist who caused the death of two passengers in a truck which was hit by a car swerving to avoid hitting the female cyclist. She was found guilty of 'culpable negligence manslaughter', a charge that is rarely enforced on motorists involved in similar incidents. She did, however, have previous driving and drug convictions so on a three-strikes-and-you're-out basis was handed a tough sentence. The trial was filmed for Court TV.