INDIANAPOLIS (BRAIN) — Silca has expanded options for its wooden countertop displays and is offering retailers a seasonal margin boost on the sets with its “Spruce Up for Spring” program.

Silca's handcrafted wooden wine box-style display was initially used as POP for CO2 cartridges but is now also offered in options to include EOLO CO2 regulator kits and Silca’s NFS ProBlend lube.

“We noticed that certain dealers were moving significantly more EOLO kits, and one particular dealer had sold four times more NFS lube than any other.  What we learned in all cases was that the dealers had reconfigured our countertop boxes with a mixture of EOLO and lube, which significantly increased sell-through.  We love learning from our dealers and are thrilled to be able to share these learnings with the entire dealer base,” Silca president Josh Poertner said.

In addition to the new configurations, Silca is offering a limited-time margin boost on the display sets. For details, contact Silca at sales@silca.cc or (317) 964-0592.

MISSOULA, Mont. (BRAIN) — Adventure Cycling Association has released its Bicycle Route 66 map set, charting the course for cyclists to travel the famous corridor from Chicago to Los Angeles on roads appropriate for cycling, including sections of the historic highway. The 2,486-mile route is covered in a specially designed six-map set, allowing cyclists to tour the whole thing or ride a few sections.

“The vision for Bicycle Route 66 is the same as the original vision for Route 66, which was to connect the main streets of rural and urban communities,” said Ginny Sullivan, Adventure Cycling’s director of travel initiatives. “Bicycle Route 66 will be a perfect choice for traveling cyclists looking to explore the American heartland's natural beauty, history, and funky out-of-the-way places.”

The design of Bicycle Route 66 involved collaboration between Adventure Cycling, cycling organizations, government agencies and tourism bureaus already working to bring cycling to Route 66.

Spanning eight states, the maps feature turn-by-turn directions, detailed navigational instructions, elevation profiles and services cyclists will need along the route. “Now cyclists can explore at their own pace the surviving pieces of architecture, abandoned bridges, landmarks, businesses, and historically important communities from the golden era of U.S. Route 66,” Adventure Cycling stated in a release.

The maps sell as a set of six for $88.50 or individually for $15.75 each.

For more information about Bicycle Route 66 and to purchase maps, visit www.adventurecycling.org/bicycleroute66.

LONDON (BRAIN) — Six years since its introduction at the Taipei Cycle Show, the distinctive Gocycle e-bike is available for distribution in the United States. 

“The profile of a successful bicycle shop for us is usually one that’s into different niche categories. They may have super-cool urban bikes, folding bikes and e-bikes. Those people do very well with Gocycle,” company founder Richard Thorpe said.

The small-wheeled folding bike, now in its second generation, is unusual in many ways. Called the G2, its frame and wheels are made of magnesium. A small, 500-watt front hub motor pairs with a pedal-powered rear hub. 

Its 20-inch wheels, which Gocycle calls Pitstopwheels, are equipped with disc brakes and are side-mounted, so they remove quickly for compact stowage. Small doesn’t mean slow; the wheels were used to set a human-power speed record of 81 miles an hour in 2013.

A Shimano Nexus 3-speed internal gear rear hub shifts electronically. A smartphone app allows the cyclist to modify the bike’s performance parameters.

“Gocycle is an award-winning product. It’s revolutionary in many different ways. It’s portable. It’s one of the lightest e-bikes in the world. It has a place in an e-bike dealer’s shop — if they are serious about e-bikes,” Thorpe said. The bike weighs about 35 pounds.

Gocycle works directly with retailers, but has partnered with Advanced Sports International to handle warehousing and order fulfillment in the U.S.

Apart from electric bicycle dealers, Gocycle has had success selling through the marine and luxury yacht markets, Thorpe said. That in part reflects its premium price: $4,999.

The company chose an unusual venue for its U.S. debut: the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, where it hosted a soft launch of the G2. Thorpe said Gocycle has also found success in the RV, aviation and “supercar” channels.

Interested retailers can contact Gocycle’s sales director, Craig Nairn, at sales@gocycle.com.

ATLANTA (BRAIN) – Bicycle Retailer & Industry News editors and sponsors hit the road Tuesday for the first Dealer Tour of the year in Atlanta. Fifteen riders will visit more than a dozen retailers over the next three days by bike, trying to keep dry in what has been forecasted to be a wet week with temperatures ranging from the mid-40s to the mid-70s.  

The Dealer Tour will visit shops along the Atlanta BeltLine and in the suburb of Decatur on the first day, including Intown Bicycles, Outback Bicycles, Decatur Bikes and Bicycle South. To gain a perspective on other specialty retail in Atlanta, the tour will also stop in at Big Peach Running Company, which operates seven running stores in Georgia, including several in the Atlanta metropolitan area. 

The second day will take riders east to Smyrna and back to midtown and Buckhead, stopping in on Smyrna Bicycles, Peachtree Bikes, Atlanta Cycling and Performance Bikes along the way.

On the final day, the group will take the local rail system (MARTA) part of the way as it heads north to Roswell to visit Roswell Bicycles and CycleWorks. On the way back to central Atlanta, the BRAIN crew will stop in at All3Sports and Free-Flite Bicycles. The tour will end with a reception at Free-Flite hosted by PeopleForBikes.

Cole Smith of the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition will serve as the ride guide for all three days, giving participants a brief overview of the city’s growing bike infrastructure and its impact on the local market.  

The BRAIN Atlanta Dealer Tour is sponsored by Advanced Sports International, Hutchinson, Finish Line, Bell Helmets, Interbike and PeopleForBikes.

Readers can follow along on social media including Twitter via the #braindealertour hashtag, Facebook and Instagram. Watch for Web updates during the week and a full report in the April 1 issue of the magazine.

ST. PAUL, Minn. (BRAIN) — Park Tool has hired industry veteran Karl Wiedemann as the company's new director of marketing and communications. Wiedemann was most recently the communications and sponsorship manager for Thule.

"I have used and trusted Park Tool products since I worked in a bike shop in high school. I have watched the company grow over the years and I am thrilled that my professional career path has landed me in this position. I am excited to get to work increasing the exposure for the brand and their amazing products," said Wiedemann.

Eric Hawkins, president and owner of Park Tool, said, "Karl's vast knowledge and experience doing marketing, public relations and sponsorship for companies like Pedro's and Thule make him the ideal choice for this position. We are looking forward to having him be part of the Park Tool team."

Wiedemann will be based out of the Park Tool office in St. Paul, Minn., and will start on March 3. He can be reached at karl@parktool.com or (651) 777-6868.

MONTEREY, Calif. (BRAIN) — The Sea Otter Classic already had plenty to celebrate as its 25th edition approaches in April. Now the annual Monterey festival is also reveling in surging numbers for exhibitor sales (up 45 percent), athlete registration (up 17 percent) and camping reservations (up 23 percent).

Sea Otter has grown in size and scope beyond its cycling core, with more product categories on display, organizers said. To meet the increased demand, the Sea Otter Expo has been expanded. 

“For 25 years Sea Otter has been a celebration of cycling, reflecting the enthusiasm, activities and momentum of the industry. Endemic cycling brands have embraced Sea Otter as a key opportunity to launch new products and interact with consumers,” said Frank Yohannan, president and CEO of the Sea Otter Classic.

“Today’s enthusiasts are participating in many activities both on and off the bike. Savvy marketers understand that the audience at Sea Otter is not just cyclists; it’s an expanded audience that plays a key role in influencing mind share and purchase decisions for their families and friends. As a result we're seeing increased participation from not only the cycling community, but also the outdoor lifestyle, electronics and other categories,” he added.

The Subaru Sea Otter Classic Powered by SRAM is set for April 16-19 at Laguna Seca Recreation Area in Monterey, Calif. For festival information, visit www.seaotterclassic.com.

ELKTON, Md. (BRAIN) — Gore Bike Wear has signed Hawley LLC as its U.S. distribution partner. The brand’s products will also continue to be available to retailers direct from Gore.

“The decision was made in response to retailer demand for increased availability of Gore Bike Wear products — particularly with regard to high-volume in-season items,” Gore stated in a release. “The move makes the best-selling Gore Bike Wear items available to a larger range of retailers and adds another convenient ordering option for all Gore Bike Wear retailers through Hawley.”

Hawley president Steve Hawley said, “We’re glad to be able to work with a brand like Gore Bike Wear. They have long been known for their excellence in product design and innovation, particularly with regard to their Gore-Tex and Windstopper offerings.”

ATLANTA (BRAIN) — The 2015 Dealer Tour of Atlanta got underway Tuesday as BRAIN editors, tour sponsors and guests visited four bike shops and one running retailer  in Atlanta and Decatur, Ga.

The group started out in Atlanta's Buckhead district in a cool, steady rain. After a soaking first leg to Intown Bicycles, the day's weather slowly began improving and our socks were nearly dry by the end of the day.

Along the way we toured part of Atlanta's Beltline, a former rail corridor being slowly turned into a multi-use trail system that will circle the downtown core. Our ride guide was Cole Smith from the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition. We rode a total of about 26 miles altogether.

Our shops for Tuesday: Intown Bicycles, Outback Bicycles, Decatur Bikes, Big Peach Running Company, and Bicycle South. 

Watch for full coverage of the Dealer Tour in BRAIN's April 1 edition. You can follow along this week on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (hashtag #braindealertour).

The three-day Dealer Tour continues Wednesday with a 29-mile route that will take us to five shops, in Smyrna, Midtown and Buckhead. Thursday we will get outside the I-285 Perimeter to visit retailers in Roswell and Atlanta. 

GREENSBORO, N.C. (BRAIN) — Cycling tech blog Bikerumor.com has added three new writers from diverse backgrounds, spreading its geographical reach in the process.

Perhaps most recognizable is Anna Schwinn, daughter of Richard Schwinn and former design engineer for Zipp’s carbon components and, more recently, QBP’s All-City, Foundry, Whisky Parts Co. and Civia brands. In addition to designing frames and components, her duties at Minnesota-based QBP included blogging about product development on the brands’ websites.

“Anna’s knowledge of the technical aspects of frame and component design and the industry as a whole is amazing,” said Tyler Benedict, Bikerumor’s founder. “Her insider’s perspective and ability to translate technical details into entertaining stories mean we all have some incredible things to look forward to.”

Also joining Bikerumor’s team are Jayson O’Mahoney, founder of GravelCyclist.com, and Steve Fisher, a mountain biker and journalist from Pemberton, British Columbia.

A Florida transplant from Australia, O’Mahoney has more than 20 years’ experiencing racing and riding gravel and ultra-cross and will “lend a passionate and experienced voice on one of the industry’s fastest-growing segments,” according to a Bikerumor release.

“Fisher combines years of North Shore travel and tourism journalism with a love of enduro, freeride and ‘Canadian XC’ mountain biking to bolster Bikerumor’s presence in a riding mecca,” Bikerumor added.

 “Combined, these folks bring a wide range of experience and variety to our already amazing team,” Benedict said. “We’re always looking for fresh voices, and to be able to add them in such diverse places like Florida, Minnesota and B.C. means we’re able to cover even more ground.”

SCOTTS VALLEY, Calif. (BRAIN) — Fox Factory Holding Corp.’s sales rose 12.5 percent last year to $306.7 million despite a 1 percent decline in mountain bike product sales as the company’s first-quarter acquisition of aftermarket suspension distributor Sport Truck contributed to a 39 percent surge in sales of powered vehicle products for the full year.

Fox attributed the flagging mountain bike sales in part to industry supply chain issues, increased competition in certain categories and weaker sell-through than in previous years.

“While we are very pleased our mountain bike sales increased 2.3 percent in the fourth quarter, we believe competitive pressure will continue to hamper our current-model-year sales well into the second quarter,” CEO Larry Enterline said. “We are looking forward to the launch of our model year 2016 product line in the spring. Our Factory 36 all-mountain suspension fork, which we believe has been very well received by our customers as well as the trade media, continues to give us confidence that we are well positioned to see improvements in our mountain bike business when our model year 2016 begins shipping in volume.”

Although Fox was largely able to mitigate negative impacts from the West Coast port slowdown during the fourth quarter of 2014, the worsening labor situation affected the company’s ability to manufacture and transport its products internationally in the first quarter of 2015, Enterline noted.

“While we certainly are pleased the parties have reached a tentative agreement, the slowdown and subsequent clearing of the port congestion will have a negative impact on our operations in the early part of this year,” he said.

The shift of Fox’s fork manufacturing from California to its Taichung, Taiwan, factory continued apace in 2014, with 44 percent of forks manufactured on the island during the year. The full transition remains on track to be completed in fiscal 2015, reducing lead times and production costs and shortening the supply chain, Enterline said.

Fox also began producing some of its rear shocks in Taiwan during the fourth quarter, and expects to manufacture 80 to 85 percent of its shocks there by the end of 2015.

Looking ahead, Enterline highlighted Fox’s acquisition of wheel and component maker Race Face/Easton, completed in December, as a potential new driver of growth in Fox’s bike business. “We had identified wheels as a target-adjacent product category, and are very pleased to be working with the team at Race Face/Easton,” he said.

Fox Factory president Mario Galasso noted that the 2016 suspension line has been well received by OE customers, and that Fox has ratcheted up its marketing timeline to get media members on 2016 product well ahead of the seasonal kickoff at next month’s Sea Otter Classic.

The continuing proliferation of wheel sizes — not only the shift away from 26-inch to 27.5-inch but also the growth of fat bike sales and emergence of what Galasso termed “semi-fat bike” wheels and tires — presents new opportunities for Fox, he said.

“We see these as positive dynamics for bike sales in the mid- to long term as it opens up the addressable market and provides an incentive for the current enthusiast to continue to add to their quiver in bicycles,” said Galasso.

RICHMOND, Victoria, Australia (BRAIN) — Light and accessories brand Knog is launching an online film competition and festival that will award $15,000 worth of prizes to winning filmmakers who chronicle their nighttime adventures.

“Bike, skateboard, surf, dive — Knog wants to see it,” the company said in announcing the No Ordinary Night film contest.

Entrants are encouraged to use action cameras paired with a video light, such as Knog’s new Qudos action-cam light, or even a bike light as they film their evening escapades.

“Deciding to run a film comp celebrating those heroes of the night, those guys who are out there smashing the mold and creating awe-inspiring action videos in the dark, seemed like an absolute no-brainer to us. And having just released the (Qudos) action light for GoPro, this is a perfect opportunity to do something and celebrate,” said Knog CEO Hugo Davidson, who will serve as a judge along with Rolling Stone Australia editor Mat Cotye and Ben Welsh, executive creative director at advertising and marketing firm M&C Saatchi in Sydney.

No Ordinary Night runs through May 24, with the global film festival set for June 6. Prizes will be up for grabs from brands including Burton, Rapha, Levi’s, CamelBak, Timbuk2, Cycles Galleria and Tern.

For more information or to upload a video, visit noordinarynight.com.

SAN DIEGO (BRAIN) —Maxima Racing Oil has signed an exclusive agreement with Live to Play Sport to handle distribution of the Maxima Bike line throughout Canada. Canadian IBDs and suspension service centers will now have access to the entire Maxima Bike product line.

“With the ability to promptly supply dealers from East to West we are excited to be servicing Canada exclusively with Live to Play Sports. This is a great relationship for Maxima,” said Maxima Bike brand manager Sean “Griz” McClendon.

“We are excited to be partnering with Maxima for Canadian specialty bicycle dealers,” said Martin Tammik, vice president of the aftermarket division at LTP Sports. “Their track record of innovation in cycling component fluids for OEM brands, combined with their history of expertise in motorsports, means cyclists will now have a wider range of class-leading technical lubricant products.”

All Maxima Bike products are manufactured in-house at Maxima’s San Diego headquarters. They are available immediately across Canada through LTP Sports.

MINNEAPOLIS (BRAIN) — With a goal of improving efficiency and providing better customer service, Kinetic has expanded its warehouse capacity in the U.S. and moved its European base from the Netherlands to Austria.

The company recently doubled its Minneapolis warehouse from 3,000 square feet to 6,000 square feet in order to accommodate an increase in demand for current Kinetic products and to prepare for the arrival of 2015 products.

“We were at the limit of what we could accommodate in our existing facility and with the addition of new products such as Z-Rollers, the cycling accessories product line and others still in the development pipeline, we needed to pull the trigger on the expansion,” said Paul Carlsen, division manager at Kinetic. “By expanding our warehouse we will have inventory on hand to meet demand year-round and be able to consistently meet key delivery dates.”

In order to manage inventory more efficiently and better service its European distributors, Kinetic has moved its logistics base on that continent from the Netherlands to Graz, Austria. The new location allows for more shipping options and shorter lead times. Kinetic’s European sales manager, Bruce Fina, will manage the warehouse.

“Our customers in Europe required shorter delivery times, replacement parts and faster service overall,” Fina said. “Moving our European warehouse to a more central location allows us to satisfy the demands of our distributors and gives us the ability to better manage inventory and quality-control procedures.”

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (BRAIN) — The Mann Group has added Mercedes Ross from Merchandising Werxs as an adjunct professor for the March session of its Mann University retail education program.

Ross has more than 20 years of visual merchandising experience in the motorcycle and bicycle industries and is collaborating with a local specialty retail store in The Mann Group’s hometown of Asheville, N.C., to be a lab for the Mann University course. She will spend time in the store with the students and then deliver a class titled “Creating Merchandising Guidelines.”

“You don’t have to do a whole remodel — sometimes you only have to make small adjustments to increase sales,” Ross said. “It’s where and how you put things that matters. I am so excited to teach this to the students at Mann University.”

Dan Mann, president of The Mann Group, said, “We are very excited to have Mercedes as a professor at Mann University. Mercedes’ history in specialty retail in regards to visual merchandising is invaluable to owners, managers and visual merchandisers.

Mann University is a three-day course in Asheville covering retail leadership, retail tactics and profitability, augmented with small-group interactions using a proprietary ORBT (Optimized Reality Behavior Training) methodology.

To learn more about Mann University, visit www.manngroup.net. For an in-depth look at the program, see Bicycle Retailer’s report in the upcoming March 15 issue.

BOULDER, Colo. (BRAIN) — PeopleForBikes and the Alliance for Biking & Walking have published a new report exploring the topic of equity in national bike advocacy efforts. The report is titled “Building Equity. Race, Ethnicity, Class and Protected Bike Lanes: an Idea Book for Fairer Cities.”

A committee of transportation equity experts from city government, advocacy and academia provided guidance for the 36-page report. It features stories from planners, activists and leaders in communities of color that are collaborating to build bike networks, including protected bike lanes, for all ages.

“This new idea book is a resource for city staff and bicycling advocates across the country, as well as anyone motivated to help create more diverse and equitable American cities,” said Martha Roskowski, PeopleForBikes’ vice president of local innovation. “We hope that it can be a useful tool to help people better understand these complicated and crucial topics.”

The report includes profiles of 10 people of color from around the country who are advocating for protected bike lanes in their communities, a collection of statistics reflecting the intersections of race, income, ethnicity and bike infrastructure, and an in-depth analysis of the role of good bike infrastructure in advancing equity in other countries.

“Through curating these stories, we learned that advocates and cities need to work with underserved communities in thoughtful and proactive ways, as they have the potential to benefit from advanced bike infrastructure like protected bike lanes the most,” said Jeffrey Miller, president and CEO of the Alliance for Biking & Walking.

Download the report for free here.

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif. (BRAIN) — The Vapur Shades is a light and flexible “Anti-Bottle” that is designed to stand when full and can be rolled, folded or flattened when empty. The 0.5-liter (18-ounce) bottles easily fit into a jersey pocket and are much lighter than traditional rigid bottles.

The custom SuperCap makes taking a swig on or off the bike easy, and the array of colors allows riders to accessorize with any jersey. The Vapur Shades is made with a durable three-ply construction and is BPA free and dishwasher safe.

MSRP: $9.99

CASTLE PINES, Colo. (BRAIN) — Italian Bicycle Group NA, a bicycle import and wholesale distributor of Italian cycling products in Canada, Mexico and the U.S., has expanded its brand portfolio is offering IBDs up to 20 percent off wholesale pricing on all preseason orders.

The new brands are:

• BikeRibbon: Bags, disc brake pads and rotors, handlebar grips and tapes, and rim tape.
• Gioma Bikestand: Bicycle display and work stands and workbenches
  Gipiemme: Accessories, clothing, handlebars, hubs, rims, seats, seatposts, tools and and wheels.
• Milani Cicli: Lugged and stainless steel road, track and urban framesets.
• NISI Cerchio: Handlebars, rims and wheels.
• Scagliarini Corse: Colored brake hoods for Campagnolo, Shimano and SRAM.
• Sapo: Bicycle, floor and hand pumps, CO2 adapters and cartridges, and tire pumping stations.
• Silva: Framebuilding supplies, handlebar tapes and tools.

Italian cycling brands already carried by IBGNA include Almarc, Bistark, Cecchini Team, Chiossi, Ciocc, Columbus, Ghisallo, Handcraftednobrand, Hersh, Italia76, MagicGuanto, Prodigiosa, Scatto Italiano and Wheelsbike.

“In order to jumpstart the 2015 cycling season we are offering retailers up to 20 percent off our wholesale pricing,” spokesman Antonio Urillo said. “The offer is valid through March, and the discount is 5 percent, 10 percent, 15 percent or 20 percent when one, two, three or four articles are purchased within a single brand, respectively.”

Italian Bicycle Group NA is finalizing its dealer base, and 2015 dealer applications can be found online at www.ibgna.com.

COSTA MESA, Calif. (BRAIN) — The National Bicycle Dealers Association has opened up applications for its annual list of America’s Best Bike Shops. Launched in 2013, America’s Best Bike Shops recognizes excellence in bicycle retailing in the areas of customer service, knowledgable staff, operational excellence, marketing excellence, community involvement and bicycle advocacy.

Applying retailers will be mystery shopped, and winners will be supplied with marketing materials to help promote their nomination to local consumers. Selected recipients are announced in the fall in Bicycle Retailer and Industry News magazine and are honored at a reception at the Interbike expo at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas.

The deadline for submissions is March 31. To apply, click here.

SEATTLE (BRAIN) — REI has been named to Fortune magazine’s list of the 100 Best Companies to Work For an 18th consecutive year. Ranked No. 58, REI is one of five companies listed annually since the recognition began in 1998, and one of three companies headquartered in Washington state.

Fortune partners annually with the Great Place to Work Institute to conduct the most extensive employee survey in corporate America to identify the 100 Best Companies to Work For. Two-thirds of a company's survey score is based on the results of the Trust Index Employee Survey, which is sent to a random sample of employees from each company. This survey asks questions related to employees’ attitudes about management’s credibility, overall job satisfaction and camaraderie. 

The other third is based on responses to the Culture Audit, which includes detailed questionnaires about pay and benefit programs and a series of open-ended questions about hiring practices, methods of internal communication, training, recognition programs and diversity efforts.

The nation’s largest consumer co-op, REI has more than 5.6 million active members and 138 stores in 33 states.

To see Fortune’s full list of the 100 Best Companies to Work For, click here.

TWIN FALLS, Idaho (BRAIN) — Bike fit tool manufacturer Purely Custom has introduced its latest product, the Fit Bike Pro 1. Designed to simulate true riding conditions, the Fit Bike Pro 1 features a load control transmission that uses Purely Custom’s Powerbahn technology. Powerbahn electronically samples and controls the bike’s load up to 1,000 times per second to accurately mimic outdoor cycling conditions to help fitters achieve the most natural riding position possible during the bike fit process. 

“While the programming of the Load Control Unit Transmission accounts for pertinent factors to simulate the feel of a true ride, the high sample rate and control of the unit will allow for accurate readings and corrections concerning to velocity and inertia to deliver an unparalleled pedal stroke simulation,” said Eric Saunders, design engineer at Purely Custom. 

Riders can also shift gears and change the grade while riding the Fit Bike Pro 1, and because all adjustments can safely be made with the rider on the bike, fit time is reduced. Other features include a step-through design for easy mounting and dismounting, a rechargeable, battery-operated driver for making quick vertical adjustments and single-bolt clamps for easy saddle and handlebar set up and changes. Custom branding is also available. 

The Fit Bike Pro 1 retails for $11,995 and includes the Powerbahn unit, Purely Custom’s PureLogic fit software and one-year Pure Position Web app subscription.