Scott at esselle

I don’t think Scott does them due to copyright. I do know theres a bloke in Bolton does them, speedy pole repairs.

well known shop in yorkshire does them for £10 when you buy the kits from them, £15 if you bring your own.
I asked about patent,as i didnt want to loose my top kits, and it only has patent applied for not a patent yet, acording to the shop.

Once a patent is applied for it gives the idea the same protection that a granted patent does. It’s just to allow time for the patent office to check that the application is valid.

If the shop were to read the patent (it should be available on the patent web site) they may find there is a way to produce a similar item without infringing the patent. For example if the patent says the elastic is put through a round hole and they make a square one then they would be OK.

It is very unusual to find ways around someone’s patent as nowadays they are usually well written. At the end of the day the patent is there to protect the work that someone has put into an idea, often at great cost. This allows them time to make a profit before everyone else can copy the idea. Were it not for patents there would be very little original invention as it would just not be cost effective.

@nitro wrote:

checked speedy pole repairs, looks good but £17 each is a bit steep~sick must be some way to do it yourself…

I thought that was reasonable. There is a shop near me that charges £18 but they don’t double bush them like he does(bush on inside and out).
Me and our kid have done some of ours with a kit he got from a company his firm deal with, it cost £35.

Preston have a european patent I have said this before I would be very careful if i was speedy or whoever doing these for the sake of a few quid and losing eveything when a company the size of preston decide to sue….not worth it for me ta.

If Preston have a patent whats the difference with Shimano “elasticgate”?

As I understand it the concept near identical bar one has a bead/stopper on the elastic and one a whipped on elastic retainer.

I have had a look at the Preston patent and, as would be expected, it seems well covered. Shimano would not risk a patent infringment so they must have found a gap in the patent. Companies pay a geat deal of money to patent lawyers for just this sort of thing.