CRI听力:Bike Expo 2013 in Shanghai

China Cycle 2013 kicked off on May 6th at the Shanghai New International Expo Center, where more than 1,300 exhibitors from 24 countries and regions across the world displayed their newest concept bikes.

With the theme of this year's event as "Cycling Culture, Inspiring Cycling Fashion," bicycles with traditional Chinese motifs took center stage. These Chinese-style bicycles exhibited several traditional elements, a popular one being bamboo.

One bicycle manufactured from bamboo was very popular because of its traditional folding fan design. The bike's designer replaced several parts of a metal-frame bike to assemble his creation.

The designer of the bike says he hope his bicycle can change people's views about bamboo and even change their views about bicycles.

According to the maker of the set, 60 percent of the bicycles are made out of bamboo. To keep the bamboo from cracking and incurring wear and tear, the entire bike has been specifically manufactured with special durable parts.

The durable technology allows each bike to last five to eight years.

Another designer exhibited a "bicycles for couples" set which included two bikes, one designed for women called the "Qing Mei" and another for men called the "Zhu Ma," the two names of which mean "childhood sweetheart" when added together in Chinese.

The couple's bicycle set will debut in July with a price tag of more than 3,000 yuan. That's about 480 U.S. dollars.

Another highlight at the expo included a high-tech tricycle dubbed "China Wind." This particular contraption is equipped with a propeller to help increase speed while a rider uses the pedals. The exhibitor says the bike's speed can match that of an automobile.

With mobile phone applications widely used now, bikes have been updated to connect to cell phones.

A smart bike at the show has sensors on its wheels so that riders could download an app on their cell phones placed in the middle of the handlebars to display information from their bikes, including speed, distance, time, calories burned and heart rate.

A carbon fiber bicycle was also on display in the expo, it's only half the weight of an aluminum bike, so the power that riders exerted would not be wasted on moving the bike's own weight.

Jia Gang, deputy director of the China Bicycle Association, says such extremely light bikes are custom made for people with special needs.

"Coal fiber bikes are used in high-end bicycle races. The coal fiber bike stretch lets riders make the best use of their strength. It's more suitable for athletes in fierce competitions."

China Cycle 2013 runs four days until May 9th.

For CRI, I am Li Dong.