Client Spotlight: A Bicycle Revolution for the Next Generation – COGO Bolt Bike

Background

Established in 2014, Clandestine Design Group (CDG) is an award-winning, multidisciplinary product design team based in Brisbane, Australia.

Recognised both nationally and internationally for outstanding achievements in industrial design, customer experience, and user experience, the team of talented designers assist their clients with their design journeys and most importantly, bringing their products to life.

After over a decade helping others, CDG turned their eyes to building an innovation and brand of their own… enter COGO and its innovative new range of Bolt Bikes.

The COGO Bolt Bike

The COGO Bolt is a first of its kind bolt-together bike system, designed to give kids the tools and confidence to build and customise their own bikes.

While conventional bike frames are hard to adapt to different rider sizes, the COGO Bolt provides a unique modular assembly that allows the frame to grow with the rider. This is achieved through multiple, interchangeable sections of the Bolt frame that allow for scalability of the frame size.

What’s more, the frame parts are skilfully designed to prevent incorrect assembly, providing a seamless puzzle-like process for children and caregivers to participate in. The Bolt is also designed for easy disassembly, allowing users to readily upgrade peripheral components such as the seat, handlebars or wheels.

In a world increasingly reliant on screens for education and entertainment, the COGO Bolt provides parents and children alike the opportunity to co-create and develop practical mechanical skills through a fun and educational process – in addition to providing an awesome riding experience!

Every part of the project, from concept and design, to manufacturing, branding and strategy, was passionately developed in-house by the CDG team. With 60+ years combined experience, the team enjoyed bringing the vision to life with passion, purpose and precision.

COGO Internationally Launched at Eurobike 2025

In June, CDG attended the global Eurobike event in Frankfurt, Germany. Running over four days, with more than 31,000 visitors and over 1500 exhibitors, the well-regarded show was CDG’s first trade show representing one of their own venture brands.

The CDG team who attended noted that the exhibition booth caught attention not just for the product, but for the display and branding.

Speaking with attendees including other designers, avid cyclists, distributors and retailers, the thinking behind the product really resonated as genuinely different and appealing.

“I couldn’t be prouder of the CDG team. Next is bringing the Bolt Bike to market, which we can do with confidence after receiving such a great response from Eurobike.”

– Neil Davidson, CEO + Design Innovation Director | CLANDESTINE DESIGN GROUP

 

IP Strategy and Protection for the Bolt

Neil and the CDG team are well acquainted with the value a solid IP strategy can provide, having worked closely with MBIP on securing protection for a number of breakthrough projects over the last eight years.

MBIP attorneys Andy Mukherji (Principal), Geraldine Rimmer (Principal) and Hamid Hamandi (Associate) assisted the CDG team in developing a broad IP strategy combining Trade mark, Patent and Registered Design rights to protect the branding, appearance and functional aspects of the Bolt.  

MBIP have employed this protection strategy for other clients to great success in the past, as it provides:

• protection against anyone seeking to capitalise on the reputation or success of an innovation, by copying the associated branding to market their own services or products,
• protection against anyone pushing to market knock-off products that copy the exact appearance of an innovation, and
• protection against more sophisticated competitors seeking to copy the functional or manufacturing advantages of an innovation, without necessarily copying its exact appearance.

This three-pronged approach to IP strategy effectively carves out a market segment for an innovation, inhibiting potential competitors on multiple fronts compared to when only one or two IP rights are pursued.

By employing this strategy, CDG ensures the R&D, innovation and expert design that went into the COGO Bolt is secure in the long run, allowing them to focus on what they do best, developing amazing products!

If you want assistance with transforming your idea into a fit-for-market product, consider contacting the CDG team. CDG provides full life-cycle design expertise including initial design and prototyping, R&D, manufacturing and tooling support, and market deployment.

Alternatively, if you or anyone in your network may be interested in wholesaling, retailing or simply purchasing a Cogo Bolt Bike feel free to contact Neil and the team.

Equally, if you’re in the innovation space and seeking to protect your creations, contacting an IP attorney that’s well versed in early ventures is vital to ensure your investment is well protected and future proof.

We’ve recently published a two-part guide sharing the most common IP mistakes early ventures make, check it out here on the MBIP blog: How to Sabotage Your IP Position – Part One  and Part Two.

For further expert assistance and advice, feel free to contact our MBIP attorneys.