MeAlex
- Member since Apr 21, 2009
- Male / 34
-
Exeter , United Kingdom - 9 Followers
- 0 Trailforks Points
Once I bought a Commencal. Won't make that mistake again.
Recent
MeAlex mikekazimer's article
Dec 23, 2020 at 10:12
Dec 23, 2020
Pinkbike Awards: 5 Products That Have Stood the Test of Time
Surely as a lifetime award the Shimano DX M647 pedals should be picked over the XT's, given that they have remained unchanged for north of a decade, outliving many generations of XT pedals as well as the DX range from which the came!
MeAlex jamessmurthwaite's article
Dec 15, 2020 at 7:15
Dec 15, 2020
Knolly Bikes Suing Intense for Alleged Patent Infringement
@Paulsen801:
Good point, I referenced the commencal as i had one and couldn't really be bothered to look for a better example, but I am sure they are there if you look, you would only need to find one for it to count as prior art.
@MikeGruhler:
If the patent stands only in the US, sure then it wouldn't apply to EU market bikes, the issue is whether the patent should be granted in the first place. Something doesn't have to be patented to count as prior art, it just needs to have already been presented / placed in the public domain. so if something incorporating the ideas presented in the patent was available in the EU, someone else wouldn't be able to rob the idea and patent it in the us as it would be prior art.
MeAlex jamessmurthwaite's article
Dec 15, 2020 at 5:28
Dec 15, 2020
Knolly Bikes Suing Intense for Alleged Patent Infringement
@mashrv1: As I understand it, their "invention" is to use a straight seat tube, a slack seat tube angle and offset the seat tube forwards so it intersects the down tube forwards of the BB, in order to make better use of long travel dropper posts. See old commencal metas (circa 2007) for why this is not novel, exists in prior art and their claim is, in my opinion, bulls**t.
MeAlex RichardCunningham's article
Feb 19, 2015 at 2:39
Feb 19, 2015
Shimano’s Official Di2 XTR Launch
SRAM are bringing the wireless shifting to the road: http://www.bikeradar.com/road/gear/article/sram-red-wireless-electronic-group-details-discovered-42174/
MeAlex pinkbikeaudience's article
Feb 13, 2015 at 7:40
Feb 13, 2015
Solid Bikes Launches UCI DH Team
They are German and from a quick google search it looks like they don't export to the US. The US patent system doesn't work hence lots of frivolous things get patented, like lots of variation on 4 bar suspension. In the EU the patent system works a bit better and there isn't the stranglehold on four bar designs. e.g. vitus bikes only sell in the EU, use a fsr linkage and don't pay royalties
MeAlex lunatyk's article
Dec 2, 2014 at 6:20
Dec 2, 2014
Megavalanche at Reunion Island: Final Results
Reunion is a French département so there are only 2 non Frenchies in the list!
MeAlex mattwragg's article
Nov 24, 2014 at 5:10
Nov 24, 2014
Commencal Meta Hip Hop - Review
"We like the fact they make their bikes a bit heavier so they can take a beating", I for one call bulls**t. The 4 meta 5.5 frames I cracked, the 3 supremes my mate snapped and the countless other cracked metas you see and hear about say otherwise
MeAlex JordanCarr's article
Mar 31, 2014 at 8:06
Mar 31, 2014
Felt Virtue Nine 20 - Reviewed
True, the US patent system is f**ked and as a result a good (read as expensive) attorney can argue and win most cases from either side so whoever has the deeper pockets tends to win.
For a topical trademark case just look at the Specialized Roubaix case. From my reading into that I think Specialized themselves aren't that evil. The attorneys they hire however...
MeAlex JordanCarr's article
Mar 31, 2014 at 7:33
Mar 31, 2014
Felt Virtue Nine 20 - Reviewed
If you publicly display a design before patenting you can no longer patent said design as it is considered to be in the public domain. That said any patents felt file relating to the design would also be void.
That and the 6 bar linkage used couldn't be used to produce a curve significantly different from what could be produced using a 4 bar linkage (vpp, Horst link, maestro etc) and it comes with the added bonus of more bushings to wear out and replace.
MeAlex leelau's article
Mar 15, 2014 at 12:41
Mar 15, 2014
Learn More About Your Local Bike Shop
Best advice i could give is to go out and ride with the folks from your LBS. They work there 'cos they ride and if they know you they will look after you better.