A hands-on training event for professional bike shop mechanics.

DENVER, CO (BRAIN) — Sampson Sports has started production on its new 35 mm diameter CN stem and carbon bar.  

The new 35 CN stem is an oversized version of Sampson's existing Stratics 31.8 size stem, machined from a block of aluminum to eliminate welds and keep precision tolerances in the center bore and clamp. 

The new Stratics carbon 35 bar features a 35 mm center section, and tapers to a hand-friendly flat-top bar with a new short-reach, long tail design. 

There are depressions molded into the bar for seamless cable routing "without drama." The Stratics 35  Bars will be available in 40, 42 and 44 sizes, and stems range from 80-130 mm with a +/- 6 degree rise.  A 110 cm stem and 42 cm bar combo weighs about 359 grams. MSRP for the stem: $179; MSRP for the bars is $339.  Expected delivery is January 2013. 

More information: SampsonSports.com

BERKELEY, CA (BRAIN) — The board of directors for the nonprofit that runs high school cycling leagues has shuffled the organization’s top-paid position, replacing recent executive director hire Doug Selee with Austin McInerny, a seasoned member of the National Interscholastic Cycling Association, or NICA. 

Selee, formerly vice president of operations at the American Cancer Society, was hired in mid-June as NICA founder Matt Fritzinger transitioned from executive director to a focus on new league development.  

The board of directors, however, soon realized that Selee wasn’t the right fit for the role, board president Rick Spittler said Wednesday. Citing personnel issues, Spittler did not elaborate on why Selee apparently didn’t mesh at NICA.

“We have no bad, ill-will feelings toward Doug at all,” Spittler said. “It was one of those things. It wasn’t the right fit, and that became more and more obvious to us as time went on. Once the board identified that it wasn’t working, we moved pretty quickly."

The board let Selee go after four months on the job and promoted McInerny, who had been working on contract as NICA’s education programs director. McInerny has been involved with NICA since its inception in 2009, serving as a member of the founding committee. Before that, he was a coach for the Berkeley High School mountain bike team and president of the NorCal league’s board of directors, NICA’s precursor. He also serves on the board of directors for the San Francisco Bay Area Ridge Trail Council and the International Mountain Bicycling Association’s California Regional Leadership Advisory Council.

“Austin’s achievements and efforts have already garnered respect from NICA’s board, sponsors and fellow staff members, and we are thrilled to announce his new role as executive director,” Spittler said in a press release. “His knowledge, passion and proven ability to lead give us confidence that this seamless transition will strengthen NICA in achieving its goals.”

Spittler said the board would like to hire a new education director and make that position full time versus contract. 

McInerny will head NICA as it continues through a 10-year growth period. The organization, which runs on an annual budget of about $1 million, has developed 10 high school cycling leagues in nine states over three years, with a goal of having coast-to-coast leagues by 2020. 

EVANSTON, IL (BRAIN) — Wisconsin’s Wheel & Sprocket, the BRAIN Gold Star Retailer owned by Chris Kegel, is opening its first location in Illinois, taking over the space being vacated by Evanston’s Ten 27 Cycles, formerly Turin Bicycles. 

The shop rebranded as Ten 27—named after its street address at 1027 Davis Street—in late spring of this year. Less than six months later, however, owner Chris Mailing announced he was closing and liquidating all inventory and fixtures. 

Ten 27 is a separate business from Denver, Colorado’s Turin Bicycles, which sold the majority of its Evanston store to Mailing and licensed the Turin name to him eight years ago. Mailing took over sole ownership ahead of rebranding as Ten 27.

“Denver has been nothing but spectacular all this time. It’s been having nothing but good years, and we couldn’t be happier with how that’s been going,” said Turin owner Lee Katz, who opened the Evanston store in 1971. (Editor’s note: Check back at the BRAIN website later this week for news about Turin’s expansion plans.)

The liquidation at Ten 27 continues through the end of the year, and Wheel & Sprocket plans to open its new store in the space later in the winter. Several employees from Ten 27 will continue to work under the new ownership, with Mailing serving as store manager, said Kegel. 

“We’re hoping to put together a really good team, and Chris already has a good one,” Kegel added. “We’re going to be moving in and updating a few things and modernizing a bit. But it’s a great space and a great neighborhood and we think it’s going to do very well.”

Although the space is on the small side for a Wheel & Sprocket location, Kegel predicts sales volume will be on par with that of his other stores. “I think we can do better than average per square foot,” he said.

He also foresees a smooth transformation from Ten 27 to Wheel & Sprocket. “[Mailing] already carries the same brands we carry, so it should be pretty seamless,” Kegel said. “That should help with training, too.”

Wisconsin’s largest bike retailer — with six stores and an online business employing more than 150 at the height of the season — Wheel & Sprocket will celebrate its 40^th anniversary next year.

CHICAGO, IL (BRAIN) — SRAM is adding to its marketing muscle with the hires of Elayna Caldwell and Chris Zigmont. Each will be making the move to Chicago as they take on their new roles next January. 

Caldwell becomes director of brand marketing for mountain bike and Zigmont assumes the role of director of brand marketing for road. Both positions are new and add a new layer of management. Individual brand managers for each of SRAM’s brands will now report to Caldwell and Zigmont.  

“With our growth we’ve just found the need to put additional layers of responsibility,” said David Zimberoff, SRAM’s global marketing director. “Bringing Chris to head up road and Elayna to head mountain bike helps us react to the market very quickly. They’re both seasoned veterans in the industry and great new additions to our team.” 

Caldwell is relocating to Chicago from Southern California, where she moved close to two years ago when she joined Interbike as marketing director. Before Interbike, Caldwell was marketing manager for Fox Racing Shox for seven years. 

“I’ve enjoyed working with the Interbike folks; it’s a great job and team,” Caldwell said. “It’s sad to leave that because we’ve had great success but I couldn’t pass up this opportunity.” 

Zigmont is relocating from New Hampshire. He most recently was communications director for Lifeboat Events, organizer of DealerCamp and PressCamp. His past experience includes stints at Pedro’s and Mavic.  

Zigmont and Caldwell will start their new jobs in mid-January. 

HOFHEIM, Germany (BRAIN) — Benchmark Drives develops e-bike drivetrains and lightweight, low-maintenance belt-drive systems that hold a lot of appeal. But the high belt tension of current designs stresses bearings and makes it difficult to read drivetrain tension, an integral part of efficient e-bike drivetrains.

Benchmark approached Continental’s Contitech Power Transmission Group, which already makes industrial and automotive drive belts, for help designing a lower-tension bicycle drive belt.

The resulting design, Conti Drive System, uses notably larger teeth than Gates Carbon Drive belts, and those larger teeth require deeper-toothed cogs, so there will be no sharing parts between the two systems.

“The larger teeth of the design allow a lower tension, and therefore spare the bearings and offer a better sensor measurement of drivetrain tension,” said Richard Hilgart, Benchmark Drives’ product manager.

Because the Conti Drive System is a jointly developed product, Benchmark is the exclusive sales source at this time, and the company is still finalizing its sales approach in the U.S. as well as determining on price.

However distribution is finalized, Brett Hahn, Continental brand manager for bicycles in the U.S., said he expects some North American retailers will see the system first as an OEM drivetrain on European e-bikes.

“E-bikes are still a developing market here, so I don’t think Conti’s belt is going to be common in our market at first. How readily available it is for aftermarket sales will depend on demand,” Hahn added.

Benchmark may have targeted development to its e-bike drivetrains, but Hilgart says the system is equally at home in other uses.

“The belt drive is not simply meant for e-bikes but for all bikes including single-speed and internal gear hub bikes,” he noted, saying the lower tension system will extend bearing life in those applications as well.

DUARTE, CA (BRAIN) — Dahon has added a Russian distributor, Veloolimp Ltd., for its folding bikes. 

Established in 1995 as a private trading company selling bicycles to the Moscow market, Veloolimp now serves over 330 dealerships across the country, 79 in Moscow and the greater metropolitan area. The firm specializes in the wholesale distribution of pre-assembled bicycles, parts and accessories. 

"We are excited about the prospects this formidable bicycle professional is bringing to our international distribution network," said Eddie Eccleston, Dahon's global sales and marketing director. "Veloolimp has followed a vaulted career upwards, and Dahon sees great promise in the opportunities available with this exceptionally enterprising partner within the folding bicycle market unfolding today in Russia."

HAYWARD, CA (BRAIN) — Bianchi has recently relocated its U.S. headquarters to a larger warehouse and office space in Hayward, California, not far from the company's previous location.

The company said the new facilities provide a more efficient layout and increased space for the warehouse.  "We've grown over the last several years and we had just reached the point where we needed more room to accommodate our growing needs for both office and warehouse space," said Bianchi USA president Rod Jewett.

The new address is:

Bianchi USA
2536A Barrington Ct.
Hayward, CA 94545

BOULDER, CO (BRAIN) — VeloPress' latest book, The World's Toughest Endurance Challenges profiles 50 of the most extreme marathons, triathlons, bike rides, adventure races, climbs, open-water swims and other iconic endurance events from around the world.

The book includes full-color photographs and insider commentary from top athletes and is now available in bookstores and online. See the list of 50 events and preview the book at www.velopress.com/tough.

Co-author Richard Hoad is a certified triathlon coach, regular competitor in triathlons of all distances and a sub-10 hour long-distance triathlon finisher. Co-author Paul Moore is Head of Digital for Triathlete Europe magazine. He is also a competitive triathlete and multisport racer.

The World's Toughest Endurance Challenges is available in hardcover with jacket. Full-color photographs throughout and is 208 pages. MSRP is $29.95.

LONDON, United Kingdom (BRAIN) — Tour de France hero Greg LeMond is the latest to join the self-described "global pressure group" Change Cycling Now, which is holding its first meeting and press conference in London this weekend. The group was formed after the Lance Armstrong doping scandal broke and is pushing for changes to professional cycling in general and at the the international cycling union, UCI, in particular.

“The report from the United States Anti-Doping Agency into the Lance Armstrong affair has to be a watershed moment for professional cycling,” said LeMond. “There is still an opportunity to ensure cycling presents itself as a genuine world leader in the elimination of doping and drug taking in sport. But to do that requires a determination to force change and I am delighted to be part of a group that is full of people who are committed to the cause.”

 "We believe a new and alternative approach is required to how the sport is managed by its governing body, the Union Cycliste Internationale"— Change Cycling Now

The group is being coordinated by Jaimie Fuller, the founder and chairman of the Australian-based Skins clothing brand. Fuller announced earlier this month that the company would be suing UCI over its handling of doping in the sport.

In a press release, the group said its mission was "creating an opportunity for EVERYONE to help generate positive changes for the future of professional cycling. We believe a new and alternative approach is required to how the sport is managed by its governing body, the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI). We also believe the implementation of independent anti-doping controls are of paramount importance NOW."

Besides LeMond, other new members of the group who will be at the London meeting are Garmin team director and former pro racer Jonathan Vaughters and retired pro racer and former Cofidis team manager Eric Boyer. Former world champion Gianni Bugno will address the group in his capacity as president of the Association of Professional Cyclists.

Other attendees at the London meeting and news conference are Dr. John Hoberman, a professor at the University of Texas at Austin; Hajo Seppelt, a freelance journalist and commentator; Dr. Michael Ashenden, a blood doping expert; Paul Kimmage, a sports journalist and a former professional cyclist; and David Walsh, the chief sportswriter for The Sunday Times who has written four books on Lance Armstrong. The cycling fan who goes by the Twitter handle "Festinagirl" also will attend, as will Andy Layhe, the co-founder of anti-doping organization Bike Pure.

Fuller announced the formation of the group earlier this week. 

“In the two days since the announcement of our group, we’ve had phenomenal support and that couldn’t be better emphasized by the quality of the members we have on board," he said. "As a Tour de France winner, Greg LeMond’s involvement should send the clearest message yet that we are a serious group with serious intentions and genuine motives. To have other former athletes and eminent academics joining us too will make for an interesting and I hope, rewarding weekend. The sheer fact that these people are prepared to give up their time and travel, in some cases halfway around the world, to participate reflects both their passion as well as their desire to see cycling achieve the best outcome.” 

The group will meet privately over the weekend and hold a news conference Monday at London's Hilton Metropole Hotel, where the group will release its charter.

More information: www.changecyclingnow.org.

SAN DIEGO, CA (BRAIN) — Falconhead Capital, the owner of Competitor Group Inc., has sold the company to another venture capital group, Calera Capital Partners according to reports.

CGI publishes Velo and Triathlete magazines and their associated websites. The company also owns the Rock 'n' Roll marathon series and other events and media properties. Falconhead began to roll up the titles and events under the CGI umbrella late in the last decade, buying Inside Communications, VeloNews' parent, in 2008.

DowJones.com reported early Thursday that the two firms were in talks. Later Thursday SlowTwitch.com reported that the deal was completed. CGI had no comment and CEO Scott Dickey was not immediately available to comment Thursday. An employee at the San Diego-based company said that the news was correct, however. "Yeah, it's a done deal, I guess," the employee told BRAIN. The employee asked to remain anonymous as he was not authorized to announce the sale and he was told the official response to media inquiries was to be "no comment."

Another person close to the sale said it has not been concluded yet, but said the expected purchase price is about $220 million.

According to its website, Calera's portfolio includes Sleepy's, a mattress retailer, and forest products brand Crown Pacific. The company manages $2.8 billion in capital.

BOULDER, CO (BRAIN) — More than 40 percent of independent bicycle dealers report stronger Black Friday sales this year than in 2011, according to research firm Leisure Trends Group.

Leisure Trends broke out the IBD data for BRAIN from a broader survey of sporting goods and footwear retailers it conducted Monday and Tuesday following the busy Thanksgiving shopping weekend.

Some 44 percent of IBDs said sales increased compared with 2011’s Black Friday, while 23 percent reported flat sales and 33 percent indicated sales declined.

As the holiday selling season continues, 48 percent of surveyed IBDs expect sales to increase compared with last year’s period, 32 percent forecast flat sales, and the remaining 20 percent are braced for declines.

In the larger survey of sporting goods and footwear retailers — including specialty run, snowsports and outdoor dealers in addition to bike sellers — 62.5 percent expect sales to increase through year’s end, while 21 percent are forecasting flat sales and 16.5 percent expect declines.

DHAKA, Bangladesh (BRAIN) — The company behind a new factory in Bangladesh says business is picking up, with the ink drying on a deal to produce a half-million bicycle frames for a European supplier for the next five years. 

GermanBangla Bicycle Ltd. — a partnership between Germany’s Panther Bike and Bangladesh Power Trade Group — has signed a contract worth $90 million in the first three years to manufacture 500,000 aluminum frames for a supplier to the mass market in the European Union, said Sazed Alam, CEO of GermanBangla Bicycle. 

Alam would not identify the supplier due to a confidentiality agreement. Production is set to start in February.

The 150,000-square-foot, $7 million factory opened in 2008 outside the city of Dhaka in anticipation of growing demand in the face of rising labor rates and instability in China. Labor rates in Bangladesh are around 23 to 25 cents per hour, roughly one-third the cost in China.

The new order marks a positive turn for the business after a major setback earlier this year when investor Panther pulled its production from the factory. Although still an investor, Panther stopped using the Bangladesh factory for its entry-level bikes just a few months before it shifted its remaining production in Löhne, Germany, to a plant in Lithuania.