Design & Innovation Awards 2023: five winners of the Bike Oscars

The Design & Innovation Award is presented every year by a 30-member interdisciplinary team. As the jury writes on its website, the products are tested and analysed from as many different perspectives as possible. This year, the team of international journalists, professional test riders and industry experts again scrutinised the most interesting gadgets around the bike for the year 2023, according to its own information. The test winners also include some products that are already available in the Galaxus range or will be in the next few weeks.

Magped Gravel Pedal

According to the judges, this magnetic mechanism pedal combines the beginner-friendliness of a platform pedal with the efficiency of a clipless pedal. It gives more control and connection to the bike without restricting in exit comfort. A strong magnet is attached to the pedal and a metal plate cleat to the shoe. The magnetic force connects pedal and shoe in a similar way to a clipless pedal. This enables ergonomic pedalling with push and pull movements. This makes the Magpeds especially interesting as an upgrade to platform pedals.

I have been riding with these pedals on my bike for three quarters of a year and am super happy with them.

Pedals

189.–

Magped GRAVEL

Selle Italia Model X

Selle Italia takes regional and sustainable manufacturing to a new level with the Model X saddle. According to the award team, all parts come from suppliers located no more than 15 kilometres from the headquarters in Asolo in northern Italy. This reduces CO₂
-emissions in the supply chain and strengthens local value creation. No solvents are used in the production process for the saddle and, according to the jury, the manufacturer does not use any adhesives at all thanks to its in-house Greentech technology. To ensure that the saddle's resources are not lost even after its service life on the bike, it can be completely recycled by Selle Italia. . I have been using another Selle Italia model for almost two years now and have never regretted it for a second.

Bike saddles

43.90

Selle Italia Model X Green Comfort Plus Superflow

Racing bikes, Gravel

3

Schwalbe Marathon Efficiency

The Schwalbe Marathon Efficiency is the result of decades of racing experience, writes the jury. And this very knowledge has now been transferred to the urban sector. The city and touring tyre combines the fast rolling behaviour of a sporty road bike tyre with the safe ride of a city bike tyre. Schwalbe achieves this symbiosis through a smooth tread on which the profiled side lugs do not stand out from the height of the tread, allowing the highest possible battery range. This positions the Marathon Efficiency as a particularly efficient e-bike tyre on the market.

Bike tyres

45.60

Schwalbe Marathon Efficiency

Leatt Mono Suit MTB HydraDri 5.0

The Mono Suit from Leatt also receives a Design & Innovation Award this year. And this is because it is a robust one-piece suit that protects against bad weather. The jury goes on to write: "The indestructible HydraDri MAX material withstands a 30,000 mm water column and at the same time offers high breathability at 30,000 g/m². The slim and cycling-optimised cut makes the rain suit look sporty and thanks to its abrasion-resistant coatings on the elbows, shoulders and knees, it also survives the odd fall unscathed, which significantly increases the suit's lifespan." .

Jackets

325.–

Leatt Mono Suit MTB HydraDri 5.0

Knog Scout

The Scout from Knog secures the bike and even finds it again if necessary. According to the award team, the tracking works via Apple's "Where is?" network, with which Knog uses the same Bluetooth tracking as the AirTags. Connected to the Knog app, the Scout's motion sensor can be armed via smartphone: A shrill alarm tone with a volume of up to 85 dB sounds if the bike is moved without authorisation. .

Trackers

56.90

knog. Special lock Scout Bike Alarm & Finder

16

The list with all winners of the Design & Innovation Awards in the various categories can be found here.

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