MONTARGIS, France (BRAIN) — After more than three years in development, Hutchinson Tires has launched its ElevenStorm compound, which the company is now using for its Fusion 5 tubeless-ready Galactik race, Performance and All Season road models. It will bring the new compound to its tubeless and tubetype tires later this year.

Hutchinson showed the new tires to the media in May at an event at its factory and headquarters in the small city of Montargis, France, located one hour south of Paris. As part of the launch, editors toured the factory, which has been in the same place since the company was founded in 1853, and met with Hutchinson designers, engineers and other staff.

"We had one simple request: to develop the best compound on the market. The goal was to improve grip, puncture resistance and rolling resistance," said Stehane Gonnet, research and development manager for Hutchinson's tire division. "It wasn't so easy — every manufacturer can make tires with good grip or good puncture or rolling resistance, but doing all three at once is a big challenge. We have developed countless versions and tests to achieve this new compound."

ElevenStorm is a completely new technology for Hutchinson, which began making bicycle tires at its factory in Montargis in 1890. The ElevenStorm name was inspired by the Beaufort scale, which is a measure of the maximum level of power of a storm, with 11 being a step below the hurricane classification. The company said the reference underlines the compound's extreme side and ultimate performance.

Hutchinson tested ElevenStorm in the field and in various laboratories, focusing on grip, mileage, comfort, rolling resistance and puncture resistance. Due to differences in construction, tests were split by tire model and type – tubeless, tubetype and tubeless ready.

"Having exceeded laboratory results with field tests has been a key point to optimize development," said Joel Baez, service course manager at Hutchinson. "Duplicating the three constructions and three dimension with convincing results from ElevenStorm was another challenge.

Baez said that using ElevenStorm for Hutchinson's Fusion 5 Galactik race tire, improved rolling resistance by 6 percent, mileage (tested for wear at 40 miles per hour for 5,000 kilometers) by 14 percent, and grip was improved 6 percent on wet surfaces and 2 percent on dry.

With its Fusion 5 Performance model, available, rolling resistance improved 14 percent, mileage improved 19 percent, wet grip by 11 percent and grip on dry surfaces improved by 3 percent. For its All Season model, the main goal was to improve mileage, and Baez said that improved by 22 percent, but rolling resistance also improved by 11 percent, grip in wet conditions by 6 percent and on dry surfaces by 3 percent.

But another test criterion is comfort, which Hutchinson's chemistry and materials manager Audrey Foricheir said is a bit more subjective and harder to measure. Tire weight also improved with the use of the new compound. Each ElevenStorm Fusion 5 Galactik tire weighs 180 grams.

"Comfort is one of the most important and depends on so many factors," Foricheir said. "You have to consider vibration absorption, casing behavior and feedback from the road. Many criteria have improved, and I think we maybe have the lightest tire on the market now."

Tubeless ready Fusion 5 Galactik, Performance and All Season models using ElevenStorm are available now for $86.99. Hutchinson currently has 700x25c sizes in stock with additional widths becoming available in the fall. Tubetype and tubeless versions will also be available this fall. Hutchinson will also begin using new packaging and provide ElevenStorm POP displays later this season.

Look for more about Hutchinson's factory in Montargis in Bicycle Retailer's September 1 Eurobike issue.

MIAMI (BRAIN) — Quad Lock, an Australian based brand, has announced J&B Importers as a distribution partner for their smartphone cycling mounts in the U.S.

J&B will provide nationwide sales and support for Quad Lock from its 11 fulfillment centers.

Quad Lock launched on Kickstarter in 2011 and is now sold in over 100 countries, shipping more than 1 million units to date. The company recently introduced a Samsung Galaxy line to complement its iPhone offering.

More information: quadlockcase.com | JBI.BIKE.

IRVINE, Calif. (BRAIN) — Felt Bicycles has promoted Michael White to senior marketing and communications manager.

White joined Felt at the start of 2016 as the company's communications and media relations specialist. Prior to that, he spent nearly six years as a journalist and editor for several titles at Hi-Torque Publications, most notably Road Bike Action. White also has several additional years of sales and marketing experience in the motor sports industry.

"Felt Bicycles is home to the most dedicated and passionate cycling enthusiasts in the industry, and it's an organization that I've admired long before I became an employee," said White. "I'm proud to have worked with such an incredible team and been part of the company's growth over the past year and a half. Looking ahead to the future, I'm excited to continue our terrific momentum in order to exceed the expectations of Felt retailers, elevate the impact of Felt athletes and enhance the buying experience of Felt customers worldwide."

Adam Micklin, Felt's vice president of sales and marketing, said, "We're very excited to have Michael on board to continue his efforts in expanding and improving Felt's global marketing reach. Thanks to his unique perspective from his journalism experience and his immense passion for all things cycling, we're confident that Michael will excel in this new leadership role at Felt Bicycles."

PORTLAND, Ore. (BRAIN) — Stages Indoor Cycling has acquired VismoX, a group cycling software platform developed by Virtual Cycling AS of Norway.

Stages has been the global distributor for VismoX and the acquisition is effective immediately.

VismoX is the software at the heart of Stages Flight, a suite of indoor cycling experiences and management tools. 

"At Stages Cycling we're focused 100 percent on cycling. Our goal is to help commercial studios create the best cycling experience possible and to help their members be their best - the acquisition of VismoX builds on our ability to do just that," said Jim Liggett, the CEO of Stages Cycling. "We now have the capability to offer our customers an industry-leading ecosystem that is unrivaled."

Stages Cycling also announced record-setting Q1 financial results. The privately held company said Stages Indoor Cycling "is the fastest growing indoor fitness equipment company in the world with 163 percent growth in 2016."

The company said strong sales of Stages SC studio bikes and global deployment of the Stages Flight group cycling platform contributed to the financial performance. 

NEW YORK (BRAIN) — Rodale Inc. has launched Bicycling in the Netherlands in a partnership with WPG Media. The new edition will feature an online platform (www.bicycling.nl) and a quarterly print publication that hits newsstands this month with the June 2017 issue.

The launch expands Rodale's relationship with WPG Media, who also publishes an edition of Runner's World in the Netherlands.

"We are thrilled to work with WPG to bring the Bicycling brand to the Netherlands, where cycling is woven into the culture and daily life," said Kevin LaBonge, Rodale's executive director of business development and global licensing. "As cycling publications in the Netherlands currently cater primarily to an elite sport and spectator audience, we see an incredible opportunity for our brand to capture and address the cycling lifestyle in a more inclusive and accessible way for riders of all levels."

Dutch professional road racer Laurens ten Dam of Team Sunweb, will lead Bicycling NL as editor in chief and brand ambassador. Ten Dam recently completed the Giro d'Italia alongside teammate Tom Dumoulin, who won the race. Ten Dam announced plans to extend his career one more year as he begins to look ahead to life after pro cycling.

"Driving the editorial vision for Bicycling in the Netherlands is an opportunity I didn't want to miss out on," said ten Dam. "It's a way to share my love of the bike and everything around it with the people of The Netherlands."

Ten Dam, who is featured on the cover of the inaugural print issue, led a kick-off ride in Amsterdam on May 31 with local cyclists to celebrate the new Dutch edition.

CITY OF INDUSTRY, Calif. (BRAIN) — Populo Bicycles' new Sport model is a singlespeed urban e-bike that retails for less than $1,000.

"We designed Populo Sport to be a bike that anyone can jump on and ride. There is no derailleur to damage when you lock up your bike in urban environments and no shifting to learn — just select one of eight power settings from the handlebar-mounted controller and start pedaling. The 250-watt electric motor turns on automatically; stop pedaling (or squeeze the brakes) and the motor stops," the company stated.

The bike includes extra USB ports so so users can charge phones or other devices.  The maximum pedal-assist speed on the Sport is 20 mph (falling into the California Class I e-bike category) and range can exceed 30 miles using the 36V electrical system and 8.7Ah lithium-ion battery.

The bikes has a double-butted aluminum frame with internal cable routing and weighs in at 36 pounds in a size medium, which the company said is light enough to be carried up to a second-floor apartment or loaded onto a car roof rack.

Sport is offered in matte black, polish, and gloss blue at an MSRP of $999.

More information at populo.com.

DENVER (BRAIN) — Boa Technology Inc. has named longtime footwear industry executive Shawn Neville its new CEO.

Neville was formerly chairman and CEO of footwear company Aerosoles Group. He remains a board member of Zildjian Percussion. Neville also previously worked as president and CEO at Footaction USA, where he oversaw the company's acquisition of the Saucony shoe brand.

"I am very fortunate to be joining Boa at this exciting time in its history. I am very impressed with Boa's deep commitment to creating high-quality innovative solutions that improve the fit and performance of our brand partners' products, and I look forward to our next chapter as we invest further in innovation, our brand partnerships, and the Boa brand and team," Neville said.

Gary Hammerslag, chairman of the board at Boa, said, "I am confident that with Shawn's successful track record and passion for innovation, brand building, team building and this industry, the next chapter of Boa will be even stronger.

"From our humble beginnings in 2001, when we created a breakthrough closure system for snowboard boots, Boa now works with over 300 premier brand partners around the world that have created products with over 80 million Boa dials, improving how consumers experience fit and performance. And we have only just begun," Hammerslag added.

Boa has more than 20 footwear partners in the cycling industry, including Shimano, Bontrager, Specialized, Giant, Scott, Garneau and Five Ten.

PORTLAND, Ore. (BRAIN) — With more than 1,000 responses already received, a university researcher is asking the industry to promote an online survey on how consumers use e-bikes. June 23 is the last day to take the survey.

John MacArthur, manager of the university's Sustainable Transportation Program, said responses have come in from 48 states and six Canadian provinces since the survey launched on April 23. He is especially interested in getting more responses from California users.

"I feel CA has the most e-bikes in the country and getting (a) more geographic spread of SoCal and NorCal would be great," MacArthur said in an email. He is also looking for responses from other states with big populations, including Florida, Texas, Ohio and Illinois.

Shortly after the survey launched, MacArthur said he hoped to receive at least 2,000 responses. That would make it the most comprehensive study ever done in North America of how consumers use their electric bikes, and is expected to be of great interest to e-bike suppliers and retailers.

Portland State is working with PeopleForBikes and the Bicycle Product Suppliers Association to help promote the survey. The groups are asking bike brands and retailers to spread the word through their websites, email lists, and social media accounts.

The university conducted a similar survey in 2013, which attracted some 550 respondents. North American e-bike sales have grown significantly since then, and MacArthur said he is interested to see how the demographics and usage patterns have changed.

People who take the survey are eligible to win one of 10 $50 Visa gift cards.
The survey takes about 15-20 minutes to complete. MacArthur suggested that industry members use the following language depending on the channel they use to promote the survey:

For email lists and social media accounts:

Do you own an electric bicycle? We are partnering with researchers at Portland State University to learn more about why you decided to purchase an e-bike and how you use it. Take the survey and enter a drawing for chance to win one of 10 $50 Visa gift cards: https://tinyurl.com/ebikestudy

For Twitter:

Do you own an e-bike? Take this survey for a chance to win one of 10 $50 Visa gift cards: https://tinyurl.com/ebikestudy #ebike

Short version:

Take this survey and help us understand e-bike use in North America: https://tinyurl.com/ebikestudy #ebike

MOUNT PROSPECT, Ill. (BRAIN) — The National Sporting Goods Association has appointed Kevin Bezanson of Cleve's Source for Sports and Greg Miller of Universal Athletic to its board of directors. Each will serve a three-year term that started June 1, following the association's annual conference and summit in May.

"We are looking forward to the addition of Kevin and Greg to the NSGA board. They each bring with them a rich history in the sporting goods industry and have been engaged participants not only in the industry, but in NSGA," said Matt Carlson, NSGA's president and CEO.

Bezanson is president of Cleve's Source For Sports, a family-owned sporting goods chain in Canada with 18 locations in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. Cleve's is part of the Sports Distributors of Canada, a 125-member, 200-store-plus Canadian buying group

Miller is president of Universal Athletic. Headquartered in Bozeman, Montana, the sporting goods retailer has 12 stores in Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Arizona, Minnesota and North Dakota.

SALEM, Ore. (BRAIN) — Bike retailers in Oregon are being urged to contact state lawmakers over a proposed 3 to 5 percent tax on new bikes retailing for more than $500. The tax proposal is part of statewide transportation funding package.

PeopleForBikes is reaching out to Oregon IBDs to ask them to contact their state representatives and members of the Joint Committee on Transportation.

"While we support increased investments in infrastructure, the proposed bike tax is an inefficient way to raise new revenue," PeopleForBikes said in a letter to Oregon shops this week. "The bicycle tax will unfairly target locally owned bike shops and will not result in meaningful contributions to Oregon's bike infrastructure. Lawmakers may advance the bill this week, so we need you to weigh in now."

PeopleForBikes has instructions to help retailers contact their state representatives on the organization's website.

Public hearings are planned for the transportation bill this week. The proposal calls for the bike excise tax to be imposed on bikes with 26-inch or larger wheels. 

Some cyclists and bicycle organizations in Oregon are of mixed opinion on the bill, which contains investments in road infrastructure, safe routes to schools, and public transportation. The Oregon Environmental Council said the bill makes "a small nod" toward improved biking and walking facilities and said the proposed bike tax is "frustrating."

According to Bike Portland, about 20 Oregon-based bike business owners and employees are sending a joint letter to legislators this week to oppose the tax.

OSAKA, Japan (BRAIN) — Shimano's latest iteration of its Ultegra road group includes cassette options with up to 34-tooth cogs, Ultegra-branded disc brakes, a low-profile Shadow rear derailleur design, refined Di2 options and new wheels.

The new R8000 group will be available with rim or disc brakes, with Di2 and mechanical shifting options for either brake system.

Cassettes will be available in 11-25, 11-28, 11-30, 11-32, 12-25, 14-28 and 11-34 tooth sizes. The 11-34 requires a long-cage rear derailleur.

A new four-arm crankset will be available in 53-39, mid-compact 52-36, compact 50-34, and cyclocross-specific 46-36. The company said "Redesigned chainring tooth profiling increases clearance between chain and leading teeth to provide compatibility with frames featuring 135mm O.L.D. and 410mm chainstay length," which should improve chainline and reduce noise on disc-brake road bikes with normal road bike chainstay lengths.

The group's disc brake calipers and rotors resemble the new Dura-Ace disc brakes, with a nearly solid brake rotor.

The company said the rim brake/mechanical shifting components will be available this month; Di2 and disc brake components are due in August.

More information: bike.shimano.com.

CARLSBAD, Calif. (BRAIN) — Canyon USA now has 20 employees, with the hiring of new staff in the operations, sales and IT departments.

The company has brought on former Specialized manager Keith Hnatiuk as its director of operations, former Castelli USA sales manager Katie Araujo as inside sales manager, and international IT expert Malek Awar as IT manager. Canyon also has added eight inside sales agents and four bike mechanics recently.

"Whether it's Keith's insights, Katie's drive, Malek's technical support, or the diverse skills of the rest of the staff, we are setting up Canyon USA to be the best bike company," said Blair Clark, the president of Canyon USA.

Hnatiuk was at Specialized 15 years, where he served in a variety of roles doing forecasting, strategic planning and product line management. Prior to Specialized, he worked as an investment manager and as a controller. "Keith has a very curious analytical mindset which will serve us well as we scale. His depth of understanding of the business model and the market conditions make Keith a unicorn for us" said Thomas Baumann, the general manager of Canyon USA.

Araujo most recently led regional custom and team sales at Castelli USA,. Previously she worked in sales and marketing management roles at A-Line, SPY Optic, and Emerald Connect. She also is a racer who recently competed at the Ironman World Championships and the ABSA Cape Epic. "Katie is a competitor, the perfect blend of missionary and mercenary that we need to drive Canyon USA inside sales," said Clark.

Awar holds an Executive MBA degree from ESCP, a graduate business school with several campuses across Europe. He previously led all IT operations at Premiere Services and has been responsible for an IT Group of 75 people across 15 countries. "We are so grateful for Malek's contribution and he could not be more perfect for our US business needs," said Baumann.

CHIUDUNO, Italy (BRAIN) — Italian helmet brand Kask will open a dedicated Cycling Division office in Melbourne, Australia, in October to serve the Australian and New Zealand markets.

Kask cycling products have been available in the two countries since 2010 from local distributors, but Kask will begin working directly with dealers to deliver Kask helmets and Koo eyewear there once the new office is operational this fall.

"Kask Cycling in Australia will have a team dedicated to sales, marketing and events, with a focus on customer communication and logistics," the company stated. "Stock and availability of models will be increased and Kask will now meet directly with cycling enthusiasts at local events and demo days, deepening Kask's understanding of the Australian and New Zealand cycling market, and helping the customers' understanding of Kask's cycling products."

Kask CEO Angelo Gotti said, "The Australasian market is of huge importance to us and we look forward to interacting more directly with the Australian and New Zealand market, improving both our service and offering."

MINNEAPOLIS (BRAIN) — Wolf Tooth Components has re-branded and re-launched its line of elliptical chainrings for 1x drivetrains for mountain bike, cyclocross and gravel bike use.

The rings are now branded as PowerTrac, which is lazer etched on the products. The company is promoting the rings' shape, which has 10 percent ovality — less extreme than some other rings on the market. The ovality is positioned at 112 degrees, which the company said is more aggresive than others. The result, the company says, is that the the rings produce a smoother power application from the rider, which improves traction, while the shaping is less noticable while pedaling. 

The PowerTrac rings are made in the U.S. and are available in stainless steel or aluminum, for direct mount cranks or for use with various spider configurations.

More information: wolftoothcomponents.com/collections/powertrac-elliptical

WASHINGTON (BRAIN) — Cycling Sports Group is recalling about 1,240 GT mountain bikes because the handlebars can crack.

GT sold about 1,000 of the bikes in the U.S. and 240 in Canada. 

Consumers can contact Cycling Sports Group at 800-726-2453 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, email at custserve@cyclingsportsgroup.com or online at www.gtbicycles.com and click on Recalls under the Recalls & Safety tab at the bottom of the page for more information.

The recall involves 2017 model year Karakoram Sport, Karakoram Comp, Aggressor Sport, Aggressor Comp and Aggressor Expert. The bikes were sold in a variety of colors including, black, blue, gunmetal grey and neon yellow. Only models with a solid black GT logo on the downtube and a stem marked "Ø31.8 9-10N.m" are included in the recall. The bikes were sold from June 2016 to August 2017 for between $440 and $800.

For a complete list of GT Mountain bicycles included in this recall, visit GT's website. Consumers are being told to immediately stop using the recalled bicycles and contact an authorized GT dealer or Cycling Sports Group to schedule a free repair of the handlebar and stem.

There have been no consumer incidents or injuries reported as a result of this issue.

According to a GT representative, "In certain cases, the handlebars may develop small fatigue cracks over time, which if not identified, may continue to grow larger and eventually lead to a fracture of the handlebars."

CHICAGO (BRAIN) — SRAM went public Thursday with its GX Eagle group, which offers most of the features of its 12-speed XX1 and XO1 Eagle groups at a lower price.

Like the more expensive groups, GX Eagle has a 10-50T cassette, offering a 500 percent gear range. The cassette is a key part of the group and also one of its most expensive components. While the more expensive groups' cassettes have the smallest 11 cogs machined out of a single piece of steel, the GX group cassette has 11 stamped steel cogs and an aluminum 50-tooth cog. It's about 90 grams heavier than the XO1 cassette and has an MSRP of $195, versus $360 for the XO1 cassette.

Other components use less-expensive materials to save cost while preserving features. The GX group has no carbon or titanium parts, unlike the more-expensive groups.

The group includes forged aluminum crankarms with X-SYNC2 tooth profiles and 24 or 30mm axle options. Shifter options include a GX Eagle trigger shifter or Grip Shift. The group includes a chain with solid pins, instead of the hollow pins used on the more expensive groups.

Other MSRP pricing for the group: chain, $30; Grip Shift, $40; Trigger Shifter, $40; rear derailleur, $110; crankset: $120-$170. The group will be available in August.

More information: sram.com/sram/mountain/family/gx-eagle.

OGDEN, Utah (BRAIN) — Drawing on more than 25 years of experience working as a mechanic in the U.S. and internationally, Ben Chournos has opened Shiftworks, a service and repair shop here.

Chournos teamed up with Brady Edwards, who owns two Bountiful Bicycles stores in the Salt Lake City area, to open Shiftworks.

"I've been wanting to do this for so long and Brady really helped make it happen," said Chournos, who also previously managed Scott Bicycles' warranty department. "I didn't want to open a traditional shop. The brick-and-mortar model does not work anymore — everybody buys stuff online. And I'm happy to help those people, who often get treated like crap at bike shops and get moved to the back of the line. Not in my shop. They can buy whatever they want whenever they want and bring it to me and I'll put it on correctly."

The 1,200 square-foot shop has a wash bay that customers can use for $5, and an ultrasonic cleaner that customers can use to clean their drivetrains for $10. Chournos said that he wanted to provide services that customers can't always get at other shops.

"I also come in early to get work orders done so that I can offer while-you-wait service. I built it so that customers can watch the work being done," Chournos said. "I built the shop so that I would be happy when I walk in the door and so that I would be happy to be there."

Chournos also works with five area non-profit organizations, including the Ogden Trails Network, the Ogden Bicycle Collective and the Ogden Bike Park, located on 30 acres just outside of Ogden. Chournos and other locals built the trails and opened the park in 2014.

Shiftworks stocks some parts and accessories but does not sell any bike lines. It employs two part-time employees in addition to Chournos, who works full time in the store.

MINNEAPOLIS (BRAIN) —Trainer brand Kinetic has hired independent sales reps to work directly with U.S. bicycle shops as part of its new dealer direct sales effort. The company is continuing to sell some of its product line through distributors, but its new app-controlled Smart Control trainers will only be available to retailers direct from Kinetic.

"Going dealer direct allows us to bring down our retail price while maintaining margin for our retail partners," said Kinetic's North American sales manager, Jason Overman. "The trainer category is more exciting than it has ever been, and we are looking forward to working more closely with our retailers to capitalize on the new interest in training indoors".

Axis Sports will cover Southern California, Arizona, New Mexico, Hawaii, and Southern Nevada. RP Active will cover the upper-Midwest/Great-Lakes region. Advanced Exercise Sales will cover Florida. Adrenaline Sports Group will cover the Mid-Atlantic. Kinetic also plans to hire additional reps.

Interested dealers should contact Overman at joverman@kurt.com for more information.

BOULDER, Colo. (BRAIN) — Stages Cycling is now shipping Stages Dash and Stages Link — a GPS bike head unit and a cloud-based training software system, respectively. Both products were announced last year.

Stages Dash retails for $399. Unlike other GPS head units, the Dash is designed specifically to help cyclists train with power meters, including Stages Power cranks and other devices. The Dash allows extensive customization of data fields, guided workout coaching and access to training metrics.

The Stages Link software is available for $20 per month or $200 for an annual subscription. Link is a hub of cloud-based coaching, education, training analysis and equipment management tools, which Stages developed with Today's Plan.

Stages also has launched Stages Link App, a mobile app that connects the Dash head unit to Link training and analytic services. The Link App also syncs ride data to third party services and can be used to update firmware on the Dash and Stages Power.

"With Dash and Link, we've developed a complete experience that will personally guide a rider through the process of living with and meeting their performance goals with power," said Pat Warner, the senior vice president of Stages Cycling. "The Stages ecosystem is an easy and fast way for a rider to achieve their best performance."