No Major Surprises at EICMA 2000

MILAN, Italy (19 September 2000) -- For many, EICMA Bici is an off year, much smaller and much less crowded (and thus less interesting) than its crowded cousin EICMA Moto & Bici held every other year. There is of course some truth to this, as the show, held from 16 to 19 September, only utilized six of Fiera Milano's halls, or some 16,000 square meters. But with 500 exhibitors from 15 different countries, EICMA Bici still ranked as one of Europe's most important shows this year, and definitely its most prestigious in terms of racing models and e-bikes and pedelecs. The biggest stunt at this year's show came from Colnago. The Italian high-end bike maker unveiled a limited edition road bike designed in cooperation with Ferrari's R&D department that will be sold both through Colnago and Ferrari dealers. The number of new electric models on display was headlined by the Italian firm World Key, which unveiled its EDY models with a battery radius of 60-80 kilometers. According to the company, charging time will be brought down from five hours to three hours in the next two months. A complete review of EICMA 2000 will appear in the September issue of Bike Europe. (JW)