16. September 2024
Diablo Fatbike Infringes on KNAAP BIKES' Design Rights
On 11 September 2024, the District Court of The Hague ruled in the case between KNAAP BIKES and Europe Cycle Company. The court issued an injunction against Europe Cycle Company’s for offering the Diablo fatbike, deciding that its frame is nearly identical to KNAAP BIKES’ Community Design Right, which protects the design of the frame of the KNAAP RTD. KNAAP BIKES was represented in the proceedings by Maarten Rijks, Lucas de Groot and Faziel Abdul from Taylor Wessing.
Background
KNAAP BIKES, known for its popular fatbikes like the 'KNAAP AMS' and 'KNAAP RTD,' discovered in March 2023 that Europe Cycle Company planned to launch a fatbike under the name 'Diablo.' This model closely resemblances the KNAAP RTD, whose frame design is protected by a Community Design Right. The KNAAP RTD and the Diablo are both depicted below:
Image extracted from the verdict
Due to the similarities and the potential harm to its reputation, KNAAP BIKES acted swiftly by filing for an ex parte injunction with the interim relief judge on 26 April 2023. This is a fast, temporary injunction that was granted on 4 May 2023, without Europe Cycle Company being heard.
Court's decision
To make the preliminary injunction permanent, KNAAP BIKES brought the case before the District Court of The Hague. The court ruled in favour of KNAAP BIKES. Attempts by Europe Cycle Company to invalidate KNAAP BIKES' Community Design were unsuccessful. The court found that the design of the KNAAP RTD as registered meets the requirements of novelty and individual character compared to the frames of earlier fatbike models.
Furthermore, the court confirmed that the Diablo fatbike infringes KNAAP BIKES' valid Community Design Right. According to the court, for the 'informed user', a legal fictitious standard, the frame of the Diablo does not create a different overall impression compared to the frame of the KNAAP RTD. The differences between the two designs were deemed insignificant, and Europe Cycle Company's arguments were dismissed.
As a result of this decision, KNAAP BIKES successfully prevented the Diablo fatbike from entering the European market, thereby protecting its reputation and preventing any potential damage to its success.
Diablo fatbike maakt inbreuk op het modelrecht van KNAAP BIKES
Op 11 september 2024 heeft de rechtbank Den Haag uitspraak gedaan in de zaak tussen KNAAP BIKES en Europe Cycle Company. De rechtbank heeft een verbod opgelegd op de verhandeling van de Diablo fatbike, omdat het frame van de Diablo nagenoeg identiek is aan KNAAP BIKES’ Gemeenschapsmodel dat betrekking heeft op het ontwerp van het frame van de KNAAP RTD. KNAAP BIKES is in deze procedure bijgestaan door Maarten Rijks, Lucas de Groot en Faziel Abdul van Taylor Wessing.
Achtergrond van de zaak
KNAAP BIKES, bekend van onder andere de fatbikes 'KNAAP AMS' en 'KNAAP RTD', ontdekte in maart 2023 dat Europe Cycle Company voornemens was een fatbike op de markt te brengen onder de naam 'Diablo'. Dit model lijkt sterk op de KNAAP RTD, waarvan het frame modelrechtelijke bescherming geniet. De KNAAP RTD en de Diablo zijn hieronder naast elkaar afgebeeld: