Or ... they dont need to bother with: R&D, passing bicycle standards, having insurance, making marketing materials, materials testing, using strong bolts, belts, etc. etc.

I doublt they have come up with ANYTHING creative except ways of getting away with selling rubbish dressed up as another product. And this is bad for all because people (who maybe know nothing about bikes) WILL be fooled into thinking it is the same bike they might have seen someone else with, but at a bargain price.

Although this thread has been most entertaining I sniff a lot of justifying - .... the same as often heard about copying DVD's, MP3's, software etc. we know its wrong, but try and make a case for it being OK. The consequences for small brands like strida and brompton could be bad ... likewise A-Bike (too small for me - but great innovation) ... have the many fakes killed it ?