BROOKLYN, NY (BRAIN) — While many bike retailers in New York City and New Jersey remain closed, New Yorkers are finding bikes the best way to get around with the city's mass transit system crippled by the storm that hit Monday.
"Pedal power is the only way," said Aldo Diaz, general manager of R&A Cycles in Brooklyn. R&A remained open during much of the storm this week and on Wednesday, Diaz said the shop was busy fixing flats and selling commuter gear.
"We've had four flats already this morning, there is a lot of debris in the streets," he said. "We did have quite an interest in hybrids yesterday. People are looking for commuter bikes, lights, locks, rain gear ..."
New York's subway system is still shut down and may remain that way for days or weeks. The bus system is operating but roads are clogged with traffic and most tunnels are still closed. Many gas stations are closed because they can't receive fuel shipments, they lack power or their tanks are flooded. Bridges — and their bike and pedestrian lanes — are re-opening, however. On Wednesday New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced steps to limit the number of cars entering Manhattan.
"Everyone in New York City: if you have a bike. Now is the time to use it. Forget about driving anywhere. It's a mess out there." — Tweet on Wednesday.
Another Brooklyn shop, 718 Cyclery, is doing steady business serving locals with a new-found interest in bike commuting, said 718 employee Ben Newell.
"We've had a lot of people in suits riding their bikes, coming in to buy U-locks because they've never had to lock their bikes before," Newell said. Newell said the store was largely untouched by the storm, although its credit card system was not working Wednesday. 718 employees are anxiously waiting for freight deliveries to resume; the store specializes in custom builds and needs parts orders to complete some builds.
BROOKLYN, NY (BRAIN) —It's difficult to assess the extent of damage that bike retailers and suppliers suffered from this week's storm, which slammed the East Coast from North Carolina up to New England. While news reports suggest that many stores along the coast were devastated, especially near Atlantic City, New Jersey, and on Brooklyn and Long Island. But BRAIN has not been able to reach owners of those stores to confirm.
BRAIN was unable to reach any retailers in Manhattan, where phone lines are still down or operating poorly Wednesday.
However, the Toga! chain tweeted out a message and posted an update on its Facebook page, saying that all three of its stores were open, although its Gotham Bikes location in Lower Manhattan and its Nyack location were operating without power or phones.
Bicycle Habitat, which has one location in Brooklyn and one in Manhattan, also was advertising a special post-Sandy discount on the bikenyc.org site.
Brands Cycle & Fitness, in Wantagh, Long Island, will be closed as long as the electricity remains out owner Gary Sirota told BRAIN Wednesday. He said he's heard estimates that the power could be out for the rest of the week or even longer.
"Right now all our services are down: computers, phone, lights. We can't open ... it's the first time in 58 years we've been closed for more than one day," said Sirota. He said the shop was not damaged by the storm
Sales rep Harry Schwartzman is based in Brooklyn and services his clients via bicycle. Reached Wednesday, Schwartzman said he's heard that several of his clients suffered minor flooding at their stores.
"All of my guys downtown (Manhattan) are shut down without power," he said. "The shops along coastal Brooklyn are shut down with no re-opening in sight."
Schwartzman said that even shops that aren't damaged by water will be harmed by any lengthy store closures, given the area's "ridiculously high rents."
It's likely that several stores along the New Jersey coast, including Atlantic City, and perhaps some on the Long Island and Brooklyn shores were severely hit by the storm, but BRAIN has been unable to confirm specifics.
Kickstand maker Greenfield Industries' building is located just a few feet above sea level on Long Island and was likely flooded by Sandy. Watch for updates on this website and please contact Steve Frothingham at sfrothingham@bicycleretailer.com if you have any information.
Action hit hard, other suppliers re-opening
Action Bicycle Inc., the parts and accessories wholesaler in Carlstadt, New Jersey, was hit hard by Sandy, Action's Ed Boyak said in an email to BRAIN.
"A local levy was breached in neighboring Moonachie, NJ. The area surrounding our building was under at least 5-6 feet of water. About a foot of water entered our warehouse floor. The extent of the damage is still being accessed by the few employees that have been able to reach the building,"Boyak said.
"The water has receded from the building and continues to leave the region ... Power is out and will hopefully be restored soon. Clean up efforts have begun and will intensify more through the week once transportation has returned to normal. We will resume business as soon as possible, we hope in a few days. Please send our empathy and good wishes to our bicycle dealers in the region that may have experienced even worse damage than us, especially those along the NJ and Long Island shorelines. Please reassure them we will be up and running soon."
Wholesaler QBP re-opened its Pennsylvania warehouse Tuesday after shutting down early Monday. Site manager Dave Smith said shippers are operating again and QBP is shipping and receiving as normal. In Maine, wholesaler Downeast Bicycle Specialists is operating as usual. Mavic, Inc., in Massachusetts, also is open and operating as usual, a spokesman said.
Advanced Sports International, in Philadelphia, is also up and running, ASI president Pat Cunnane said. The company has set up a web portal, www.bikesandy.com, to help bike commuters in New York gather and share information.
However, phone lines appeared to be down at Action Bicycle Goods in Carlstadt, New Jersey, and Security Bike Supply in Hempstead, New York.
On Long Island, Finish Line Technologies re-opened Wednesday, but so far has been unable to ship any orders, company president Hank Krause said.
Krause said that while the company's headquarters was largely unaffected by the storm, some employees have had their own challenges. One employee remains trapped on the second floor of her house as her first floor is flooded, he said.
"She can't get out, but I guess her cell phone is working again," he said.
Other employees have seen damage to their homes and power outages. Krause said his neighborhood is without power and will likely remain that way for a week.
Krause said he was heartened by the many calls and emails he's received from around the world.
"People have been getting in touch and asking how we are doing and offering to help in any way. It feels good," he said.
BOULDER, CO (BRAIN) — Jenn Dice is joining Bikes Belong next February as vice president of government relations. In her new role she will work with members of Congress, the administration, key federal agencies and national bicycling organizations, including IMBA. She also will head the Bohm Strategy Center, a new Bikes Belong project.
The Bohm Strategy Center is named after longtime Bikes Belong board member and staunch bike advocate Leslie Bohm, who passed away earlier this year. It will be based in Boulder, Colorado, and serve as “bicycling’s war room” according to a release from the national advocacy group. It will be a repository of information on bike businesses, key contacts, allies and supporters, and it will be made available to Bikes Belong’s partners and allies.
Dice led the International Mountain Bicycling Association's government affairs department for more than a decade, during which time the national trail advocacy group secured partnership agreements with the National Park Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service. Outside Magazine included Dice in its list of top 25 outside influencers last November.
“Jenn is dynamic, smart and focused,” said Tim Blumenthal, president of Bikes Belong, who originally hired Dice to work at IMBA when he was that organization’s executive director. “She will help Bikes Belong and bicycling become more politically effective. She, and everyone at Bikes Belong, will also continue to work closely in partnership with IMBA on key trail access and trailbuilding opportunities.”
Dice previously worked as a lobbyist for city and county governments and as a press director for both the Colorado state House and Senate. She has completed the Leadville 100 mountain bike race 13 times. She also is a longtime member of the Coalition of Recreational Trails, Outdoor Alliance and the America Bikes Coalition.
BROOKLYN, NY (BRAIN) — Sandy may have wiped out or shut down many bike shops, but it's also a boost in the arm for bike commuting in New York City. With phones and power down, many folks are taking to social media to share information abou the situation. Below is a live look at a social media feed.
Related:All BRAIN coverage of Sandy
LAGUNA HILLS, CA (BRAIN) — Bicycle Retailer & Industry News' staff is now working on its annual Industry Directory & Index.
The annual directory lists more than 1,700 companies and non-profit groups serving the industry's retailers. It is a separate publication included with the January issue.
This season's new directory features a general category index making it easier for dealers to find companies manufacturing or distributing specific products.
"For example, 'wheelsets' is a key category today," said Julie Kelly, the publication's manager. "We'll generally list independent wheel suppliers under that category making easy for dealers to find a specific company," she said.
However, now is the time to send in updated contact information to be included, Kelly said.
"I need that information by Nov. 26 to make sure it's included in the 2013 directory," Kelly said.
Ironically, demand for the printed directory has seldom been higher among dealers, said Marc Sani, the magazine's publisher.
"A lot of retailers are frustrated when trying to track down contact information on websites. '
"If you're a dealer, try to reach sales by going to a company's website; they seldom offer a direct route to sales, a frustrating and time consuming experience for dealers. It's even more critical for companies that sell dealer direct to have a complete listing in the directory, including an inside sales number," Sani added.
As in years past, every retailer in the U.S. and Canada will receive a directory free of charge with the January issue of the magazine. The directory comes in a standard magazine-size format that's quick and easy to use.
"Once again, we will deliver a useful product that dealers use and the directory is one of them," Sani said.
ALMERE, the Netherlands (BRAIN) — Pon Holdings continues its buying spree with the addition of Union Bicycles to its fast-growing Pon Bicycle Group division.
The international trading and service company has acquired the Dutch manufacturer of city, lifestyle and e-bikes in business for more than a century. Pon will market the brand in the Netherlands and other Northwest European countries, the company said in a press release. The acquisition allows Pon to grow in multiple segments in Western Europe.
“In a short period of time we’ve grown to become a significant player in the European bicycle market. With the acquisition of Union we’ve strengthened our market position and are able to offer our retail partners an even more complete, premium quality product line," said Janus Smalbraak, chairman of Pon's executive board.
Pon plans to extend and strengthen the Union brand in the coming years and will continue partnering with the Dutch dealer network.
Union dates back to 1904, and saw its heyday in the 1960s when it was producing around one million bikes in the Netherlands. In 2005, it was acquired by the Dutch Bicycle Group, an arrangement that strengthened its business through an agreement to sell Union through retail giant Halford’s in the Netherlands and Belgium. The brand is also sold in Germany, and in 2011, began exporting one classic model to the U.S.
“People were really enthusiastic about the brand and therefore Union decided to add some more models for 2012. Especially since the demand for Dutch bicycles is growing in foreign countries,” according to Union’s website.
Union Bicycles is the fourth brand under Pon’s bicycle group in addition to Cervélo, Derby Cycle and Gazelle. Pon, a family owned powerhouse in the Netherlands with annual revenue around 7 billion euros, first entered the bike business with its acquisition of Gazelle in mid-2011.
BOULDER, CO (BRAIN)—In announcing the hire of Jenn Dice, a longtime IMBA staffer and face for the trail advocacy group in Washington, D.C., Bikes Belong has set the wheels turning on a new initiative that it’s calling the Bohm Strategy Center.
Dice, who will start her new job as vice president of government relations at Bikes Belong in February, will head it up and determine its structure, goals and a work plan, said Tim Blumenthal, president of Bikes Belong.
In a call Wednesday with BRAIN, Blumenthal said much of the details are still being ironed out and ultimately won’t be set until Dice comes on board. But the general goal for the Bohm Strategy Center is for it to function similar to a war room during political campaigns—a place where strategic information is gathered and acted on.
“Leslie [Bohm] was always so politically minded,” Blumenthal said of the founding board member of Bikes Belong, who passed away earlier this year. “It’s a great way to honor him.”
Some of what the staff working at the Strategy Center would do could include keeping track of members of Congress and their staffs and their bike-related votes and cycling connections; identifying business and community leaders who bike or have a track record of supporting cycling as well as pro athletes, celebrities and other influencers; keeping tally of all bike businesses by Congressional district and mobilizing them; tracking media coverage of cycling; and maintaining a schedule of major bike events, bike facility ribbon-cuttings and large conferences and working to get elected officials to attend them.
“This is not a re-crafting of stuff we were already doing,” said Blumenthal. “This is new. [The idea] came out of our work on the last transportation bill. Clearly, we have a ways to go when it comes to drawing on all of our available contacts. If we had done a better job of mobilizing the bike industry, suppliers, retailers, distributors and added to that by doing a better job of mobilizing the society leaders who ride bikes and are customers of bike stores, maybe we would have had more success with key players who in the end didn’t stand as tall or as strong for bicycling.”
"We need to know who we can call,” when funding dollars for bike infrastructure are on the line, Blumenthal said. “What are our assets? Who do we know?”
The Bohm Strategy Center will be based in Bikes Belong’s Boulder, Colorado, headquarters, but will have a presence in Washington, D.C., as well, since that’s where much of the talk about funding and legislative decisions take place.
Blumenthal said that while it’s a Bikes Belong initiative, the national group will work with state and local advocates as well as the League of American Bicyclists, the Alliance for Biking and Walking and IMBA. “Our intention is not to make this a closed thing,” he said.
The Bohm Strategy Center will launch early next year and be put into action as the new Congress gets going.
MANHATTAN, NY (BRAIN) — Who needs electricity to run a bike shop?
A handful of Manhattan bike shops re-opened Wednesday following post-tropical storm Sandy, as the city was flooded with bike commuters.
Bicycle Habitat opened its Manhattan location without electricity on Wednesday. Employees had to manually override the store's metal gates to open and then did some repairs on the sidewalk for better light, owner Charlie McCorkell said.
The store was doing free bike safety checks for riders nervous about re-mounting rarely used machines.
NYC Velo opened at its power-less East Village location where shop staff kept busy pumping up tires, answering questions from new bike commuters and processing a few sales for lights and helmets.
"A lot of bikes haven't been maintained in a long time," said shop owner Andrew Crooks, pausing to tell an employee to get the credit card number of a customer in order to enter her purchase into the computer system when power is restored. "There is a lot of debris on the streets right now."
Crooks' staff was also serving coffee out on the sidewalk, with hand-grinded beans heated on a camping stove.
The Toga! chain also kept all three of its locations open, even though its Gotham store and Nyack store were without power.
Spokesman Cycles opened three of its five stores Wednesday, co-owner Carlos Dall'Orso told BRAIN. Dall'Orso said opening the Manhattan Velo store on East 17th Street was the biggest challenge.
"It took a little while to track down a generator and then an open gas station to power it, but people were really happy to see us there," he said.
"Lots of regular customers plus a good number of people who are digging rarely used bikes out of storage to get around while subway service is suspended. We do rental bikes too, and think that might pick up more once word gets out that we're open," he said.
He said the chain's 60th Street store, right off the bike path on the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge, had one of its busiest days ever.
Roy's Sheepshead Cycle, near Coney Island, re-opened Thursday. Owner Allen Trepel said the store suffered no damage but did not have electricity until Thursday. "We've had a few customers who were flooded, we've had people birng in bikes that were in storage sheds under 7, 8 feet of salt water."
Several stores in Brooklyn also remained open.
Not all good news
It's not all good news for New York-area retailers, however.
Several shops on the New Jersey shore, Long Island and New Jersey's Long Beach Island suffered significant damage, although in most cases the owners have not been able to visit the shops yet to assess the damage.
Thomas Walters, owner of Walters' Bicycles in Surf City, New Jersey, said his store is undamaged but he can't get to it. "The building stands, it's in good shape, but I don't know when I'll be able to see it. My sons are there with a gas generator," Walters said Thursday. Walters was at his house farther inland, that had no electricity so he kept the conversation short to save his battery. "It's flashing red, I need to go, sorry," he said.
In Forked River, New Jersey, Bicycles Unlimited's building was largely undamaged, owner Kenny Disharoon said.
"We are open for business and cleaning up. But it's 2pm and we haven't had a customer yet. Everyone is in clean-up and recovery mode," he said. Bicycles Unlimted is two or three miles from the ocean and is located in a new brick and mortar strip mall. Disharoon said businesses and homes closer to the shore were heavily damaged and much of the town is still without electricity. "This town is pretty torn up, to say the least," he said.
Much of Long Island is still without electricity, and retailers there are choosing to remain closed as the region lacks Manhattan's commuter/transportation clientele.
TRENTON, NJ (BRAIN) — Hutchinson Tire is launching a dealer direct sales program in the U.S. The company's first regional sales rep for the new program is road and track racer Rahsaan Bahati, who will cover Southern California.
"This new endeavor will put Hutchinson tires and products in front of dealers and ultimately in front of consumers," said Kevin Buchet, Hutchinson's North American sales and marketing manager.
Hutchinson will continue to sell through distributors as well; the company is lowering its MSRP prices by 25 percent for road tires and 10 percent for mountain bike tires.
MILWAUKEE, WI (BRAIN) — The BiKASE IKASE holds an iPad on bike handlebars for use on stationary trainers.
The product allows users to read books, check emails, watch movies, or use a trainer app. Charger and headphone cords can be plugged in from the side and the device can be rotated for landscape or portrait viewing. The cover allows the touch screen to work.
MANHATTAN, NY (BRAIN) — The bike industry in New York and nationally is pitching in to help commuters use bikes in post-Sandy New York City this week.
The industry and advocates are making the most of an opportunity to help people use their bikes, in hope that they will continue to do so when transportation in the city returns to normal.
Advocacy group Transportation Alternatives set up aid stations on three bridges into the city on Thursday, and also is manning a station at mid-town on 6th Avenue, one of the busiest bike routes in the city.
The stations offer maps, route advice and tips, mechanical assistance, floor pumps and coffee, TA executive director Paul White told BRAIN Thursday.
"By all accounts there are thousands of new bicyclists on the streets today," White said. "There is a lot of bicycle ownership in New York City; what we are seeing is people putting those bikes to work."
White said the bike industry has stepped up to help, as well. Several retailers are offering post-Sandy discounts and free safety checks, and extending the Transportation Alternative member discount to all New Yorkers.
White said Fuji and Trek have offered to help any way they can and Planet Bike is shipping cases of blinkie lights to be distributed to new commuters free.
Non-cycling businesses also are chipping in, with some restaurants offering food at the aid stations. Brooklyn Roasters is providing the coffee.
Manhattan employers are being encouraged to allow workers to bring their bikes into their buildings for parking this week.
Sandy is presenting the best opportunity since a 2005 transit strike to help New Yorkers see bikes as viable transportation, White said. During the transit strike, however, temperatures were frigid. By comparison, New York has been enjoying dry, cool conditions since Sandy departed Tuesday.
Transportation Alternatives is tracking bike use at several bridges Thursday and plans to release some statistics later showing bike use his week compared to previous studies.
OSAKA, Japan (BRAIN) — Growing sales in North America and Asia boosted Shimano’s sales over the first nine months of the year to $2.3 billion (182.7 billion Yen), compared to $2 billion (161.6 billion Yen) over the same period last year.
Sales of Shimano’s bicycle products are up 14 percent to $1.8 billion, bicycle products now account for 80 percent of its overall business. Sales in the company’s fishing division are up 12 percent, now 20 percent of the overall business. Sales from Shimano’s other businesses continue to fall, down 30 percent from last year.
The company reports that sales into Europe were virtually unchanged from last year, partly due to the wet spring and deteriorating economic climate in southern Europe. And while sales into China have been growing strongly, they have slowed slightly. However sales into Southeast Asia and South America are growing strongly.
LOUGHTON, U.K. (BRAIN) — Austin, Texas-based urban bike company Fairdale has picked up Triton Imports as its exclusive distributor in the U.K.
Triton will be importing the full range of Fairdale bikes and accessories with the first stock arriving in mid-March. Fairdale is the brainchild of legendary BMX rider Taj Mihelich, and was born out of the design office at Odyssey BMX. Its catalog includes a small range of commuter and city complete bikes, one frame/fork combination, racks and bars. Its currently sold through a small network of bike shops in the U.S.
“We are over the moon to be working with Fairdale and Taj directly. We’ve been watching Fairdale since its inception. The quality and simplicity of the bikes is great and we’re proud to be bringing the brand to the UK,” said Luke Edwards, director of Triton Imports.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (BRAIN) — LTP Sports Group Inc., the new distribution arm of Norco Bicycles, has taken over ownership of Norco dealer John Henry Bikes, a fixture on Vancouver’s North Shore for 20 years, following the retirements of owners John Henry and Willie Cromack.
"As a part of the Norco Partnership program, LTP Sports has invested in the John Henry brand and culture. John Henry, Willie and key staff confirmed their wishes for the store to continue to be an exclusive partner of LTP Sports Group," said Norco president John Williams. The shop will continue to operate as Norco John Henry Bikes.
"Having watched the cycling boom take place over the last 20 years I am proud to have been a part of this industry," said Henry. "I am excited about taking my bikes on some long trips, continuing to be a part of events and our cycling club and to enjoy watching the riding community continue to grow. It has been a wonderful ride and our family is thrilled with the legacy we are leaving behind."
Said Cromack “We are so proud to have been a part of this phenomenal community and to have been able to contribute. We look forward to seeing the legacy continue. I am personally excited about dedicating more time to our Escape Adventures Camps for kids, our charitable enterprise CYCLE4:What Matters Foundation, our media arm FMG and whatever fresh challenges come our way.”
DENVER, CO (BRAIN) — Sampson Sports has released two new versions of its Stratics Carbon pedals: the Carbon Ti and Carbon Steel.
Both models feature a long-strand injected carbon body for light weight. The new pedals also provide a 65 mm wide platform for power and support, with Sampson's No-Rock design that keeps the cleat from rocking for smoother pedaling. Other features are a very low platform height, easily adjustable tension, and a fully sealed bearing system. The pedals are sold with one set of co-molded walking-style cleats, with standard 3-hole mounting that offer about 12 degrees of float.
The difference in the two pedals is in the spindle. The Stratics Carbon Tifeatures a hard-coated 6/4 titanium spindle which reduces the pedal weight to 97 grams per pedal. The Carbon Steel weighs 123 grams. The cleats and hardware add 69 grams.
MSRP is $349 for the Carbon Ti version, and $249 for the Carbon Steel. Both are available now.
DAVIS, CA (BRAIN) — The U.S. Bicycle Hall of Fame will induct four new members this Saturday at UC Davis.
There will also be a Road & Track Legends Symposium earlier on Saturday afternoon. The symposium features eight panelists; this year is the third edition of the symposium and will focus on the history of cycling in the 1960s.
Induction ceremony
The induction ceremony will be 6:30-10:30 pm Saturday at UC Davis' Freeborn Hall (about three blocks from the Hall of Fame).
Inductees are Tom Ritchey, Rob Parsons, Erin Hartwell and Susan DeMattei.
BOULDER, CO (BRAIN) — Wholesale sales to bike shops climbed by 6 percent during the first nine months of the year, while unit shipments were up 3 percent, according to Bicycle Product Suppliers Association’s September report.
Despite the overall good news, 26-inch mountain bikes sales are dropping like a proverbial stone, losing $35 million in sales so far this year. By category, 26-inch full-suspension sales are down $15 million and front-suspension sales are down $20 million.
On the bright side, mountain bikes' larger wheelsize, 29ers, did $45 million more in sales this year than last, and 29er full-suspension bikes outsold 26-inch full-suspension by $20 million. The contention that 26-inch full-suspension will remain a viable category seems to be untenable, especially noting the category is down 63 percent in sales so far this year.
Pavement bikes still dominate the picture; hybrid and road bikes sales topped $500 million, whereas sales of mountain bikes of all wheel sizes hit only $271 million. So far 700c wheel bikes are 57 percent of total sales.
CHICAGO, IL (BRAIN) — Colnago America has launched a partnership with Speedgoat to become the brand’s newest authorized online retailer in the U.S.
Chicago-based Colnago America has named Speedgoat an authorized online reseller for the brand's line of bikes, frames clothing and accessories. The decision was spurred by “Speedgoat's close alignment with Colnago's core values, and an appreciation of the storied brand's history,” Colnago America said in a statement. Additionally, Elgin, Illinois-based Speedgoat's close proximity to the company's U.S. headquarters in Chicago makes a close partnership possible.
“Colnago America is pleased to have Speedgoat as a valued retail partner,” said Billy Kanzler, national sales manager for Colnago America. “Speedgoat’s primary commitment to customer service, while marketing the latest Colnago products through high-visibility media, will not only benefit the end consumer, but our existing retail network and the Colnago brand in the U.S. market.”
Colnago road, cyclocross, and time trial bikes and frames are available now to purchase on at Speedgoat.com. Select parts, accessories and apparel are also available.
“I’ve been a huge fan of Colnago since the Mapei days,” said Speedgoat managing director Andy Clark. “Nobody else’s frames undergo the same trial-by-fire testing, no one else has the same rich heritage, and with bikes like the C59 disc, they’ve positioned themselves at the front of the pack once again.”
