MADISON, WI (BRAIN)—The entry deadline is fast approaching—Friday, March 29—for the first round of Saris’ 2013 Bike Corral Contest, in which one winner will get a car parking space converted to a 10-bike parking facility.

Saris received more than 70 entries from across the county for 2012’s inaugural contest, and awarded bike corrals to the Old State Bank of Tenino in Washington state and Union Jack Pub in Broad River, Indiana. Both winners were able to show considerable need for more bicycle parking in their busy business districts, and were also able to rally considerable community support.

For 2013 the contest retains the same format: Entrants submit a photo and brief description of why they would like to see a Saris Bike Corral in that location. Entries can be submitted either through the Saris Facebook page, or by emailing the information directly to hfortune@saris.com.

Three finalists will be selected and entered into the final voting round, which runs from April 1-5. The winner will be announced April 8.

EMERYVILLE, CA (BRAIN) — Capo Cycling Apparel has released its Spring 2013 apparel line, including the new GS-13 jersey and bib short.

The GS-13 is designed and constructed for performance and long ride comfort. Bibs include the Elastic Interface Technology anatomic 4G “6-hour” chamois, which is composed of carbon micro-fiber. 

“We’ve been testing, modifying and perfecting the GS-13 kit for over a year now," said Gary Vasconi, president and co-founder of Capo Cycling Apparel.  "Through countless hours in the saddle, I’m very pleased with the final kit and it will exceed riders’ expectations.” 

The GS-13 jersey and bib shorts are available in black (pictured), red and navy blue and retail for $200 and $250 respectively. Made in Italy. 

More information: capocycling.com, or email info@uplandsg.com.  

SANTA FE, NM (BRAIN)—After six years in its current space, Santa Fe retailer Mellow Velo is headed downtown next month to a larger location just 100 yards off the city’s historic plaza.

Mellow Velo upgrades from 1,700 square feet of retail and storage space to 2,000 square feet of sales floor and 2,400 square feet of basement storage. Owner David Bell also gains street-facing floor-to-ceiling display windows for the first time.

“The front of my store is going to present so much more beautifully,” he said.

Bell sees the added space as something of a double-edged sword. On the one hand, he’ll no longer have to wheel 40 to 80 rental and for-sale bikes out in front of the store each day. But on the other, “with that much space you lose all your excuses to do a category like gloves or lights poorly,” he said.

For example, growth in bike sales and service had pretty much “choked out” apparel in the current shop, but now Bell is dedicating 1,000 square feet of space to clothing in the new location, continuing with product from Endura and Troy Lee Designs and bringing in unusual brands like Road Holland out of Florida and Austin, Texas-based, eco-conscious DannyShane, whose jerseys are made from 50 percent bamboo white ash.

“Rather than trying to represent one line, I’m really trying to buy just from people whose products I enjoy and not get wrapped into bad buying programs,” Bell said.

Bike brands remain the same, with rigs from Santa Cruz, Volagi, Haro, Masi, Breezer, Public and Brooklyn cruisers and Italian eye candy from the likes of Tomassini, Ciocc and Cinelli.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA (BRAIN) — Chrome’s new Truk Pro SPD shoe is designed to be every bit as comfortable in the office or walking on the street as it is aboard the bike—or, as San Francisco-based Chrome puts it: “For those who live in and ride the city and want SPD performance on the bike and sneaker comfort off it.”

The shoe features Chrome’s dual-density FlexPlate technology, developed to provide a rigid sole from the heel to the ball of the foot but also a flexible toe area. The Truk Pro also has a contoured, impact-resistant footbed, skid-resistant outsole and recessed SPD plate. The Cordura outer shell is 25 times stronger than canvas, Chrome says. 

Like all Chrome footwear and apparel, the Truk Pro SPD comes with a 365-day warranty against defects in materials and workmanship.

Comes in gray and all-black. Retail price: $95.

More information: chromeindustries.com.

BEAVERTON, OR (BRAIN) — Yakima Products, Inc., has added two new marketing team members: Jon Bullinger as digital marketing manager and Summer Henderson as global marketing manager for Yakima.

Bullinger will help drive Yakima, Whispbar and Prorack websites, mobile brand experiences, social media and digital advertising. He will coordinate all digital marketing initiatives and ecommerce properties.

"Jon is a proven digital innovator and is a solid addition to the Yakima digital team,” said Jenna Fallon, global digital director. "He's passionate, determined and dedicated to developing the best consumer connections across social media and all digital platforms. He will undoubtedly help drive the Yakima portfolio of brands to the next level.”

Henderson will work closely with the Yakima global product manager in the creation and execution of marketing plans and assets. She will also oversee strategic partnership planning and activation, and develop the brand’s advertising and media strategy. Additionally, she will facilitate collaboration between the global brand management team and regional business units for marketing initiatives.

“We are thrilled to have Summer on board as the newest member of the Yakima crew. Her strong experience growing existing markets while working to develop new international opportunities, coupled with her obvious love of the outdoors, make her an excellent addition to our brand team and organization,” said Joel Grabenstein, Yakima's  global brand director. 

BOULDER, CO (BRAIN) — Product Architects Inc., the maker of the Polar Bottle insulated sport bottles, recently added several new employees.

Bryce Richardson joined the company as a sales associate, concentrating primarily on bringing in new custom bottle accounts. Richardson joined the outdoor and cycling industries in 2008, first as a sales associate at Golden, Colorado-based outdoor gear manufacturer Mountainsmith and later as a sales employee at a local Colorado Trek retailer.

Adeline Bash has also been brought on to expand the company’s marketing and public relations efforts. Bash started at Polar Bottle as an office assistant when she was a teenager and has returned to the company after earning a journalism degree from the University of Oregon.

The company also has hired more than a dozen temporary employees to assist in production in the upcoming busy spring season.

PORTLAND, OR (BRAIN) — Showers Pass' new Skyline Pant is designed for year-round cyclists and is also useful for cold-weather running, cross-country skiing or other outdoor activities.

The pants have a contoured fit like a cycling tight but have no chamois. They can be worn with a base layer for added warmth or cycling shorts for protection in the saddle. They have Elite waterproof breathable hard shell fabric on the upper thigh and lower leg. They also have a waterproof soft shell and a technical cut in the knees and breathable side panel fabric.

They are fully lined with soft brushed material, have drop-down ankle gaiters, 3M Scotchlight reflective material for 360 degrees of low light visibility and are compatible with Showers Pass Suspenders.

Available starting in  April at an MSRP of $160 in men’s S-XL sizing.

More information: www.showerspass.com.

KENT, WA (BRAIN) — REI increased sales by 7.4 percent to $1.93 billion in 2012 but saw net income drop 3.9 percent to $29 million due to tighter margins, according to the company’s year-end earnings statement.

Gross profit rose 5.2 percent to $803 million from $763 million in 2011. Operating expenses increased by 5.7 percent to $666 million in 2012, but those expenses represented a slightly reduced share of net sales than a year earlier—34.5 percent, compared with 35.2 percent in 2011.

REI added five new stores in 2012, boosting its count to 127.

REI paid out a dividend of $104 million to its 5.1 million active co-op members for the year, company president and CEO Sally Jewel said in a message to members. That dividend represented 10 percent of members’ eligible purchases.

Last week, REI announced the layoff of a “limited number” of the 1,100 employees at its headquarters in Kent, Washington, as well as at stores, but provided little further detail.

“The shifts we made support the needs of our business and growth strategy,” the company said in a statement. “Out of respect for those individuals whose positions were eliminated, we’re not providing specifics on the total number or which areas were impacted.”

PITTSBURGH, PA (BRAIN)—Dick’s Sporting Goods saw net income rise 10 percent to $291 million for its fiscal year ended Feb. 2 as net sales jumped 12 percent to $5.84 billion, according to the company’s 10-K filing. Consolidated same-store sales rose 4.3 percent for the year, compared with a gain of 2 percent in fiscal 2011.

Fourth-quarter net sales rose 12 percent to $1.8 billion primarily on the expansion of the company’s network of stores. Dick’s added seven new locations during the quarter, and for the full year its store count rose by 36, to 518 locations. Dick’s also operates 81 Golf Galaxy stores.

“In 2012, we made several important investments for the future, including adding locations, acquiring established brands, developing and testing retail concepts, further building omni-channel capabilities, and creating new marketing strategies," chairman and CEO Edward W. Stack said in a statement. “All of these investments have strengthened our foundation and position us for continued growth. We’re optimistic about our outlook for the coming year and excited about our long-term prospects for the future.”

Looking ahead to fiscal 2013, the company expects to add 40 Dick’s Sporting Goods locations, relocate one, add a Golf Galaxy store and relocate another.

Dick’s sells bikes from such brands as Diamondback, Nishiki and Nirve, as well as cycling apparel, helmets, accessories and car racks, but does not break out its cycling business in earnings reports.

TAIPEI, Taiwan (BRAIN) — The international Taipei Cycle Show posted double-digit growth as visitors from a variety of Asian nations continued to step up their interest in higher-value bicycles, components and accessories.

Overall, 28,022 people came to the Nangang Exhibition Center for the four-day show, which ended Saturday, with total visits up 13.7 percent over last year. 

Helping drive the increase were visitors from China including Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Korea and Japan. European attendance declined from last year, while the number of North Americans visitors grew. (See chart below) 

Nonetheless Coliped, an association of European parts and component companies, has requested more space next year as European suppliers seek to increaser sales throughout Asia’s developing economies.

Overall, number of international visitors set a record with 7,179 foreigners from 107 countries walking the halls—an 11.3 percent increase over last year, according to TAITRA’s official end-of-show report. 

The show, now in its 26^th year, attracted 1,103 exhibitors from 36 different nations filling the center’s halls. The show has essentially outgrown Nangang’s six floors of exhibition space and meeting rooms. A new hall is under construction across the street and could be ready sometime next year. 

Next year’s show is earlier with dates set for March 5-8. The show dates typically rotate from early March to mid-March every other year to accommodate a major machine tool show. 

However, during a speech at the show’s opening ceremonies Giant’s Tony Lo said TAITRA is examining a possible move to sometime in July. While Lo’s comments caught the industry off-guard, TAITRA will survey exhibitors and its international visitors on the proposed change and other issues, said Andrea Wu, a TAITRA (Taiwan External Trade Development Council) official.

“When the show is held is not our choice, it is the industry’s choice and we have to respect their wishes,” Wu said. More than 25 percent of the show’s exhibitors are from other countries and their opinion on show dates “really matters,” she added. The earliest that dates could be changed—if changed at all—would be 2015.

Reaction to Lo’s comments were mixed. For bicycle manufacturers, a July show would make sense since many companies are already showing off new models at dealer events in North America and Europe. Distributors and component suppliers were skeptical about a move to July. 

            Overseas Visitors by Region 

Overseas Visitors from Top Five Countries:

PORTLAND, OR (BRAIN) — Castelli, which established a separate triathlon division earlier this year, has signed two top triathlon pros to exclusive apparel contracts for 2013.

The company has signed Mirinda “Rinny” Carfrae and Timothy O’Donnell, both of the Trek/K-Swiss Triathlon Team to race exclusively in Castelli apparel and use the company’s cycling products for all bike training. Additionally, both athletes will provide testing and feedback throughout the season.

“The Castelli apparel looks great and feels great on,” said Carfrae, who won the 2010 Ironman World Championship and has finished on the podium in all four of her appearances at Kona.

O’Donnell, Carfrae’s teammate and fiancé, will also be targeting Kona this year. A former ITU Long Distance World Champion and longtime Ironman 70.3 standout, the former Naval officer has turned his attentions to full Ironmans and finished eighth in Kona last year.

Castelli earlier signed an agreement with the K-Swiss Triathlon Team that will see the squad’s 12 athletes wearing Castelli’s technical apparel for triathlon competition and year-round cycling training.
Besides Carfrae and O'Donnell, the team includes 2012 Ironman and Ironman 70.3 World Champion Leanda Cave; 2012 Ironman World Championship runner-up Andreas Raelert and his brother, two-time Ironman 70.3 World Champion Michael Raelert.

NORCROSS, GA (BRAIN) — Bike maker SwiftCarbon Technologies HK Ltd. is opening its first U.S. subsidiary, which will be located in the Atlanta, Georgia, area and managed by former Blue Competition Cycles manager Chance Regina.

SwiftCarbon is a five-year-old brand founded by former South African pro cyclist Mark Blewett.

“At SwiftCarbon, we have always believed in having a hands-on approach with the development of our products,” said Blewett. “This same philosophy extends to our relationship with SwiftCarbon consumers. Establishing a subsidiary in the U.S. will give us a key advantage when it comes to meeting those high standards and growing our brand throughout the U.S. and surrounding regions.” 

Regina is a 12-year veteran of the bike industry who most recently was global sales and marketing manager at Blue, where he worked for six years. Regina said SwiftCarbon currently is best represented in Asia and Europe, and North America is a growth opportunity.

“Once American cycling enthusiasts get a chance to take their first SwiftCarbon bike out on the open road, they’ll see why I’m so confident in the company’s potential for growth and success.” 

Regina will work directly with Blewett to lead SwiftCarbon USA’s efforts to establish additional partnerships with distributors, sales representatives and bicycle and triathlon shops throughout North America. 

PORTLAND, OR (BRAIN) — Skins Compression has hired Danielle Said as its senior marketing manager of digital, communications and e-commerce for North America.

Said will lead national marketing efforts with a focus on digital and social media marketing, as well as e-commerce. The company said that a  significant part of her position will be educating the general public on the benefits of Skins Gradient Compression technology.

Said has worked in international sales and marketing for global sportswear brand 2XU at its headquarters in Melbourne, Australia. Most recently, Said served as marketing director for San Diego-based onWAX Media, a distributor of action and outdoor sports films.

“Dani has an impressive business portfolio in the outdoor, sports and apparel industries, and she is a perfect fit to lead the North America Skins marketing team,” said Johnny West, general manager of Skins North America. “Her significant digital experience and strategic marketing acumen, coupled with a robust understanding of gradient compression active wear — the core of our business — will prove invaluable as the Skins brand continues its expansion efforts throughout North America.”

NEW YORK, NY (BRAIN) — Divine Cycling Group, the new investment group that recently purchased Mad Fiber, has hired industry veterans Jasen Thorpe and Brett Lindstrom.

DCG aims to acquire other companies in the bicycle industry.  

Thorpe joined DCG’s management team during the acquisition of Mad Fiber, where he will continue to oversee all marketing and public relations activities through his agency, Thorpe Media.  In addition to his Mad Fiber responsibilities, Thorpe will assist DCG in identifying and evaluating future acquisitions.

Lindstrom joined DCG earlier this month. His main responsibility will be to manage Mad Fiber sales efforts, developing a network of international distributors and domestic outside representation. Lindstrom will also consult with DCG on new acquisitions.

“In Jasen and Brett, the DCG team adds over 50 years of successful industry experience across a broad range of product types and activities,” said Dan Devine, co-founder of DCG.  “In the immediate term, their collective capabilities will drive the growth of Mad Fiber, and in the medium term, both will be key players in executing DCG’s broader acquisition and consolidation strategy.”

VAN NUYS, CA (BRAIN) — Easton-Bell Sports sales were $183.5 million for the fourth quarter of 2012, compared with $207.1 million a year earlier.  

Sales for the company’s Action Sports division, which include its bicycle-related sales, decreased $12.2 million, or 14 percent, for the quarter. The company said a bad global snow market reduced Giro snow helmet sales, and it lost cycling sales in the mass channel. But Giro cycling sales saw double-digit growth and sales of Bell powersports helmets grew over last year. 

Easton-Bell Sports sales in 2012 were down slightly to $827.2 million, from $834.9 million in sales in 2011. Action Sports sales decreased by $15.7 million, or 4 percent for the year. 

The company’s operating expenses jumped $18.5 million last year, an increase EBS partly attributed to $6 million spent on litigation, and $6 million in severance expenses related to the management changes in 2012.