No.22 Bicycles, the celebrated makers of beautiful high-end titanium bikes, has initiated authorized motion in opposition to an alleged imitator and is warning the general public about fraudulent merchandise being offered below its branding.
Based in 2012, No.22 Bicycles has constructed a powerful fame for crafting high-performance titanium bicycles with a concentrate on modern options and beautiful finishes. In 2019, the New York-based firm expanded into carbon parts with the launch of No. 6 Composites, a sub-brand devoted to manufacturing high-quality carbon forks tailor-made particularly to the wants of customized body builders. No.6 forks are used not solely by No.22 but in addition by revered bike builders similar to Baum, Equilibrium, Firefly and English Cycles.
Presently, No.6 Composites solely sells carbon forks, however a fast on-line search reveals carbon wheels with related No.6 branding.
No.22 defined that in January 2024, it restructured its seller community and ended its long-standing partnership with Ken Goh of the Shanghai-based RideNow Cycle Membership. Shortly after the termination, Goh allegedly launched his personal “No.6” model, adopting a near-identical emblem to No.6 Composites, and utilized for trademark registrations worldwide.
(Picture credit score: No.6)
No.22 is contesting these logos and has filed a Discover of Opposition in america Patent and Trademark Workplace, objecting to Ken Goh’s use of the No. 6 mark on a number of grounds, together with fraud, non-ownership and probability of confusion. Biking Weekly is instructed that No.22 intends to take related motion in different markets the place Ken Goh is fraudulently utilizing the No.6 mark.
“We now have constantly aimed to function with the utmost integrity in all our interactions with clients, suppliers, and the framebuilder neighborhood. This integrity consists of guaranteeing that our clients know precisely whom they’re coping with when buying a No.22 bike or a No.6 carbon part,” said Mike Smith, Co-Founding father of No.22 Bicycles and No.6 Composites.
“Deliberately imitating the title and branding of No.6 as a shortcut to launching a knockoff wheel model disrespects clients, creates confusion within the market, and harms each customers and the trade.”
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(Picture credit score: No.6 Racing Wheels)
On his web site, Goh presents his No.6 model as a premium biking firm dedicated to “engineering biking’s most progressively designed wheels—crafted for the discerning athlete who calls for nothing however the most effective.” The web site states that the model was based in 2023, operates out of Singapore, Shanghai and Xiamen, and boasts a worldwide buyer base. It presently gives 4 fashions for street and gravel biking, beginning at $1,540 US.
“We’re the rightful house owners of No.6 trademark the world over,” Goh assured Biking Weekly. “We don’t know of their No.6 Composite regardless of being No.22 seller briefly in China. Our model No.6 don’t make forks and don’t copy any of their designs. As you possibly can see, we’re growing high-quality carbon racing wheels with progressive designs, nothing [about] our idea is ‘copying’ anybody.”
No.22 asserts that these merchandise usually are not affiliated with their No.6 model. What’s extra, the American model claims that the wheels are merely rebranded and marked-up Farsports wheels.
“We now have had an amazing relationship with Farsports through the years and infrequently spec their wheels on our bikes. After we realized in regards to the fraudulent No.6 model, we reached out to our contact at Farsports, who confirmed that the edges are certainly theirs.” Smith mentioned. “However Farsports instructed us they aren’t concerned with the branding or placing the fraudulent logos on the wheels.”
No.22 urges customers and trade professionals to be cautious and recognise that its carbon forks are the one professional No.6 Composites merchandise presently being offered.
