While trawling through the outer reaches of the Taipei International Cycle Show, these smart thru-axles caught my eye. ShunXin, an OEM manufacturer of thru-axles, showed me its prototype for a safety device built into the axle to alert you when it is left open. Just when you thought there weren't enough batteries on your bike. Nick Clark / Our Media The device sounds an alarm whenever the quick-release is left open, ensuring you dont forget to tighten it before setting out on your ride. There is also an LED light built in to the design to signify when the mechanism is left open. The design is still in the prototype stage. Nick Clark / Our Media While this isnt a problem Ive ever encountered, if you were to leave your thru-axles open and they came loose on a descent, youd be in a bad way. The company plans to develop the technology into a slimmer design that is indistinguishable from its other options. More from the Taipei International Cycle Show X-Fusions new 32in Rezza XC fork has up to 130mm travel and theres a gravel version This new ebike conversion kit offers 51km range, weighs only 3.8kg and will fit in your backpack X-Fusion's E-Manic 2 electronic dropper post looks to be everything we wanted from the original Steel tubes, lugs... and an electric motor?! This could be the perfect retro e-bike DVO returns after post-COVID slump with more tuneable luxuriously smooth fork and shocks This wild steel gearbox enduro bike could convince me to drop the derailleur Wheeltop expands its challenge to SRAM and Shimano with new wireless groupset Xcadey's new bike computer is another cut-price challenger to Garmin and Wahoo These new smart thru-axles sound an alarm to prevent you crashing