Expiring patents and new inventions can be a hot topic in business. Patents are often mentioned as limiting the release of a new product from more than one manufacturer. Which of course, is exactly how the patent system is [...]

  The rise of design patents means that bike and accessory companies are increasingly using the US patent system to protect the appearance of their new products. In the US, patents come in two flavors: utility patents, and design patents– [...]

In the last decade, helmet companies patent MIPS alternatives, which has has seen a surge in new technology for bicycle helmets. Much of the development has focused on systems that address rotational-type forces, which may be a factor with head [...]

With bicycle patents, there may be a love-hate relationship. Common bicycle industry chatter:  “That product is a rip-off, a total copycat”. Yet also heard frequently: “Patents stifle new ideas  – only the lawyers win.” Which of these opposing points hits [...]

Smart bike and virtual cycling patents surround the electronics and internet connectivity that have become woven into indoor trainers and stationary bicycles over the last decade. Performance metrics like power measurement are now standard-issue for cycling enthusiasts who ride indoors [...]

Recently published US patent applications show electronic bicycle shifting from Tektro – a brand known mainly for its bicycle brakes. The Taiwan-based company has submitted over 65 US patent applications in the last 10 years, and least two dozen of [...]