MAMMOTH LAKES, Calif. (BRAIN) — The United States Forest Service, has approved e-bike usage in the Mammoth Bike Park, making it one of the first bike parks on USFS land to allow e-bikes.

The USFS will allow Category 1 e-bikes on trails within the boundaries of the Mammoth Bike Park. The bikes are not allowed on USFS outside the bike park. 

Mammoth will offer a fleet of Trek demo e-bikes for this season, which opens Friday, May 25. 

"E-bikes will help some of our guests experience the Bike Park in ways they wouldn’t otherwise be able to. Having studied e-bike usage at bike parks and mountain bike destinations in Europe we felt quite comfortable that this was a move that would benefit a number of our guests, with minimal impact on the trail system and non-motorized riders," the park said in a FAQ document it released this week. 

Several e-bike races have been held at Mammoth starting last year. 

BOULDER, Colo. (BRAIN) — If the bike industry has a $1 million question, it is this: How do we get more people riding? How to stop ridership decline and reverse the trend out of the red and into the black is a giant problem that requires a solution of equally epic proportions.

When the 20 Collective formed a couple of years ago, that was its goal. This retailer-founded group, which grew out of a dealer panel hosted by Shimano, first proposed a national 'Got Milk?'-inspired campaign to reach the general public and get them excited about biking.

Fast forward to 2018, and that idea has evolved from an advertising campaign to a new program the 20 Collective conceived with PeopleForBikes. It's powered by technology developed by Black River, a software company founded by industry veteran Eric Lynn.

The PeopleForBikes Ride Guide is a web and app-based platform designed to direct riders of all levels to the best rides in their communities and the places they visit. It's part route finder, part information library and part social network, to connect people with resources to make their ride better, safer and more enjoyable so that they will continue to ride, and do so more often.

For PeopleForBikes, the Ride Guide is a missing link, completing the circle of its advocacy, lobbying and infrastructure expansion efforts by providing a tangible way to help demystify cycling and get more people on bikes. And ultimately, to move the industry forward and grow the pie.

But because the Ride Guide is still in its infancy, PFB president Tim Blumenthal remains cautiously optimistic.

"We still have a lot of work to do. We need to raise more money and fully engage more of our partners in the bike industry — suppliers, distributors, and retailers. We are excited, optimistic and determined. We are getting almost universal positive feedback through dozens of meetings. From these meetings we are co-creating an even better program," he said. "We know this isn't a slam dunk and that there are no silver bullets. It is big and it is daunting. But we think it is a logical next play in our playbook."

PeopleForBikes is in the process of raising $1.2 million to take the Ride Guide to market, and is almost halfway there. The funding will provide staffing to service retailers and affiliates, develop content including videos and training modules, and conduct data analysis. PeopleForBikes is hoping for a July launch, provided funding goals have been met.

Targeted to the casually engaged rider, the Ride Guide is a resource that is meant to help dissolve barriers that might keep them from riding more.

"PeopleForBikes research tells us that there are 25 to 35 million riders who ride five to 10 times per year. It's important to think about the spectrum of cycling. On the far left you have the no way, no how, I'm never going to ride, a group that is expensive and hard to convert," said Jenn Dice, vice president of business network and government relations at PFB. "On the far right you have the enthusiasts, the people the industry already talks to. We're speaking to the middle, the people who go out a few times per year, or maybe go to spin class. We want to get them to ride the bike they purchased more often. Usually we sell a bike and then never see them again. If they have a bad experience, we may never get them back."

Cycling routes, including distance, elevation, photos and other information, can be uploaded to the ride program by anyone. The routes are searchable on the Ride Guide website and app, and businesses will be able to embed branded pages on their websites and social media platforms.

For retailers or anyone wanting to participate, there is a one-time set up process that Lynn said should take a couple of hours to complete. Once routes are loaded, they show up on a map, along with icons representing area bike shops and local events. Elevation profiles, distance, turn-by-turn instructions and other information is also displayed. Businesses or organizations can then share the route with customers via email or social media.

A corresponding paper ride card can also be printed. Users can scan a QR code with a smartphone and load the ride onto their phone, where Siri will guide navigation. Another important component is a content library that will include podcasts, tips and videos, addressing everything from how to fix a flat to helping people find clinics in their area.

The Ride Guide will be free, with some premium features that will be available for a yet-to-be-determined fee. Beyond helping retailers and increasing participation, PeopleForBikes also sees the Ride Guide as a way to support its existing programs.

"Our No. 1 play is advocacy, and this will grow the army. People who use the Ride Guide automatically become PeopleForBikes members. Our number two play is infrastructure. It will help us see holes in routes and points of connectivity that are bad," said Dice. "The Ride Guide will support many of the important projects PeopleForBikes is already doing, and is really the third leg of our stool because it's going to help people ride more and demystify bicycling."

To learn more, visit peopleforbikesrideguide.com, and check out Bicycle Retailer's April 15 print edition for an in-depth story.

CASELLA d'ASOLO, Italy (BRAIN) — Selle Italia srl, the parent company to Sella Italia, Sportourer and Net saddles, has hired SpinCycle LLC to handle OEM sales in North America. SpinCycle is located in the San Francisco Bay Area and headed up by industry veteran Kendall Young.

"SpinCycle brings a wealth of experience, is a trusted voice, and understands the requirements of OEM product managers during key times of the year," said Nicola Baggio, Selle Italia's sales and marketing director. "We are excited by this alliance and look forward to working with Kendall to learn which OEM partners best fit Selle Italia's legacy and to working closely with them in continuing our growth in North America and beyond."

Young said, "I look forward to telling the next chapter of Selle Italia's iconic brand story to North American product managers and representing this legendary brand with distinction."

SpinCycle is located in Oakland, California. Young can be reached at kyoung@spincycleconsult.com.

NEW YORK (BRAIN) — Less than a month before the event, Bike New York has announced that it will move Bike Expo New York to Pier 12 in Brooklyn. Due to unexpected maintenance, the nonprofit was unable to obtain a permit to hold the event at Basketball City, where the event has taken place for the last six years. The event is May 4-5.

"It's no small undertaking to move an event that draws more than 60,000 people from all over the world, especially in this short a time frame," said Ken Podziba, the president & CEO of Bike New York. "However, we are encouraged by all that Pier 12 has to offer and we will make every effort to ensure that the quality and experience of Bike Expo New York will be what our attendees and exhibitors have come to expect over the past six years."

The venue is accessible by public transportation, including subway, bus, and ferry; the latter docks on site. Bike valet and car parking will be available, and there are several Citi Bike docking stations nearby.

The Expo, which is free and open to the public, also serves as the rider packet pickup location for the TD Five Boro Bike Tour, which takes place May 6; like the Tour, the event benefits Bike New York.

Organizers expect more than 100 exhibitors, including bike, gear, and apparel brands, tourism companies, bike event organizers, advocacy groups, and others dedicated to active lifestyles.

In addition to exhibitor booths, Bike Expo New York includes a fashion show, how-to demonstrations, competitions, a beer garden, beer samples from New Belgium Brewing, and food trucks. And organizers said the venue offers "amazing views of Manhattan, Governors Island, and the Statue of Liberty."

MONTEREY, Calif. (BRAIN) — A new sock brand being introduced at the Sea Otter Classic here this week makes a donation to the Nartional Interscholastic Cycling Association for each pair sold.

Mint socks plans to introduce three fresh designs each quarter. The company is being launched by industry vets Ming Tan and Suzette Ayotte, with designs by Cassette Creative’s Tim Vangilder, a former creative director at Crank Brothers.

"Designed with style or ‘sock doping’ in mind, MINT socks borrow colors and patterns from mid-century modern forms," the company said. 

For every pair of socks sold throught MINT's consumer direct program, the company will donate one dollar to NICA. For every pair sold through the IBD channel, MINT will donate 50 cents.

Ayotte, a former NICA development director said, “The simple fact is, NICA gets more kids on bikes, and those kids get their parents on bikes which is ultimately growing our consumer base. NICA has made high school mountain biking a sport where no one is benched and where everyone participates in practice and in every race. We’re talking 16,000 active students in 2017 with annual growth of 35 percent year-over-year. NICA is literally contributing toward a healthier society and building a foundation for our industry tomorrow. And yes, it means more people wearing socks.“

MINT socks are designed in the USA , made in Italy and retail for $20. MINT’s first collection of three will debut at the Sea Otter in the Bont Cycling booth, #165 and 167. More information www.thefreshlyminted.com. Interested dealers can contact MINT at getminted@thefreshlyminted.com.

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, Calif. (BRAIN) — The newest Interbike podcast looks at how some IBDs are taking a new look at the used bike market, whether they buy and sell used bikes or take them as trade-ins toward new bike sales. 

Guests on the fifth episode of "Interbike — The Podcast" include Steve Frothingham, the web editor for Bicycle Retailer & Industry News, who has written extensively about the used bike market in recent years (including a new article in the April 15 issue of BRAIN). Also joining is Hill Abell, owner of Bicycle Sport Shop with five stores in the Austin, Texas, market, and Ira Becker, the president of Bicycle Blue Book.

Abell said selling used bikes has become one of the most profitable parts of his operation, and that used bikes sales generate an average margin of about 45 percent. 

Retailers who choose not to sell used bikes can still take trade-ins with a third party program, like those offered by Bicycle Blue Book, The Pro's Closet and some regional and local programs. Bicycle Blue Book is the largest trade-in platform, now working with retailers who operate more than 1,400 store fronts across the U.S. 

Used gear is a growing retail segment, particularly in sporting goods and outdoor equipment. REI and Patagonia recently launched used gear sales online. And consumers often turn to websites like eBay and Facebook groups to purchase previously used gear for everything from SCUBA to cycling to golf. 

Pedego also recently launched a program to sell used e-bikes at its stores. These bikes, which start at $1,499, come from the store’s rental and demo fleets and are part of its “Certified Pre-Loved” program.

The podcast is available through most podcast apps including iTunes and SoundCloud, or you can listen to it directly at interbike.com/podcast.

MONTEREY, Calif. (BRAIN) — Mike Tyson is Robert Stevenson’s favorite philosopher. Or so he says. But why? It was Tyson who said, “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.”

With that one liner, Stevenson continued to suggest to a packed room of industry executives at the Bicycle Leadership Conference Wednesday that business is tough and leaders need to focus.

“Competition is doing everything they (leaders) can to beat you, destroy you, shut you down,” he said. But as Stevenson continued with his talk he turned to the issue that continues to roil the industry—declining ridership.

Stevenson, who kicked off the annual industry meeting with his talk, pulled up a variety of ridership numbers from several organizations and all were different. 

But, he noted, the industry would rather talk about which number is correct. Instead, forget the number. The issue is a negative trend line as ridership declines. Don’t quibble over the numbers, he said.

“Everyone wants their piece of the pie. Some even want a bigger piece of the pie,” said Stevenson, adding that the industry’s pie is declining. “You need to work collectively as a team to fix the declining rider base,” he said.

Stevenson is a speaker and bestselling author. He’s owned five companies with sales in more than 20 countries. Stevenson has spoken to executives at more than 2,500 companies worldwide and has done extensive research in corporate and entrepreneurial behavior interviewing more than 10,000 employees, manager, and senior executives in 250 industries.

He also sprinkled his speech with examples of how major companies — Kodak, Sears and others — have virtually disappeared because they failed to look at a changing marketplace. “Bad leadership kills companies,” he said.  

He cited how Uber is now the largest taxi company in the world yet doesn’t own a single taxi. Airbnb is the largest property rental company in the world and doesn’t own a single rental. 

The founders brought a different perspective to thinking about the business. And that is what the bicycle industry needs to do.

The industry needs to come together if it is to spur growth and put more people on bikes. And to do that requires leadership. If the industry has any hopes of reversing current trends and leaders will need to break with the old and focus on new directions, he said.

STOCKHOLM (BRAIN) — MIPS and POC Sweden say they have agreed to settle a legal dispute over intellectual property used in ski and bike helmets. The companies say they have agreed to work together to develop safer helmets.

POC was one of the first helmet brands to use MIPS technology, said to reduce the likelihood of brain injuries from rotational impacts on a helmet. But last year POC began using its own SPIN technology that made similar claims.  

MIPS announced in November last year that it had received a preliminary injunction in Germany barring sale of POC helmets with features that MIPS said violated its patents. POC later filed a counter claim against MIPS.

Now, both companies put out statements Thursday saying they had reached a settlement.

"The settlement agreement does not include any obligation for any party to reimburse the other party for the costs incurred in relation to the legal proceedings. The companies intend to jointly develop safer helmets combining POC and MIPS' strengths in technological innovation, style and quality. The cooperation is estimated to have a limited impact on the 2018 net sales of MIPS," the statements said. 

MONTEREY, Calif. (BRAIN) — Frog Bikes, which announced a three-year agreement with USA Cycling last year, is introducing a line of USA Cycling and Frog co-branded bikes at the Sea Otter Classic this week.

The bikes are now available to pre-order through independent stores. The bikes will be exclusive to the U.S. market for a short period of time before being available globally later in June.

The USA Cycling bike range is suitable for children ages 2 to 14 and includes a balance bike, first pedal bikes and a variety of sizes in hybrid and road bikes. 

"We are excited to partner with Frog Bikes to introduce their innovative kids' bike design to the United States cycling community," said USA Cycling's chief marketing and sales officer, Fuad Hamza. "A core component of USA Cycling's mission is to develop the sport of cycling at all levels. We believe that this new relationship with Frog Bikes, along with the striking USA Cycling design, will encourage more families to get involved in cycling and grow the sport."

The new range carries the USA Cycling logo and a stars and stripes design.

Jerry Lawson, the founder of Frog Bikes, said, "Having only launched Frog Bikes in the U.S. a year ago, we are absolutely thrilled to be working with USA Cycling. We are looking forward to seeing the reaction to the new USA Cycling range at the Sea Otter Classic. We'll have prototypes on our booth for visitors to come along and take a look, as well as our full range for kids to test ride."

More information at www.frogbikes.com. 

MONTEREY, Calif. (BRAIN) — Arizona will become the ninth state in three years to enact the industry's model e-bike legislation if, as expected, Gov. Doug Ducey signs a bill the state Legislature passed this week.

The Arizona House on Tuesday passed HB2266 in a 48-10 vote, with two representives absent. It passed the state Senate last week on a 28-0 vote. The bill defines three classes of e-bikes, similar to laws on the books eight other states: Colorado, California, Arkansas, Illinois, Michigan, Tennessee, Utah and Washington. Arizona advocates expect Ducey to sign it into law in the coming weeks.

E-bikes in Arizona are classified as motorized electric bicycles currently but defined in terms of cubic centimeters and not watts, with a 20 mph assisted speed limit. The legislation would give riders of Class 1, 2, or 3 e-bikes the same rights of the road as traditional bicyclists. Similar to the other states' laws, the Arizona legislation would require e-bikes to display a sticker with their class. Local jurisdictions still would have the right to prohibit operation on bicycle paths, and Class 3 e-bikes would be restricted to on-road usage, whereas Class 1 and 2 e-bikes may be ridden on bike paths and other multiuse paths.

"The three-class e-bike system was embraced by Arizona legislators as a sensible way to manage and regulate electric bike usage in the state," said Morgan Lommele, e-bike campaigns manager for the Bicycle Product Suppliers Association and PeopleForBikes. "We're grateful to our coalition of retailers, manufacturers, advocates and interested legislators who together got this bill through. A special thank you to Brandee Lepak of Global Bikes and Chris Cocalis of Pivot."

Lepak, who owns three Phoenix-area Global Bikes stores, is also board chair for the National Bicycle Dealers Assocation. She said, "I think this success speaks volumes about what you can accomplish when a community comes together to push for common goals and interests ... This will be a tremendous economic driver for our state, through increased participation, due to eliminating confusion with clearly defined classes of e-bikes.

"This will help us sell more bikes and get more people outside enjoying our great state."

Pivot Cycles' president Chris Cocalis got involved when Lepak and Lommele reached out to him after the bill failed to pass the House on the first attempt.

"They knew we were starting to work on e-bikes and wanted to know if we could get involved. At the same time, an e-bike enthusiast named Dwight Spence had contacted PeopleForBikes because his local trail system in North Scottsdale had put up signage marking the area as closed to e-bikes," Cocalis said. "Brandee was able to get a meeting with the speaker of the House. We all pushed pretty hard but were still unable to get anything done in time to meet the deadline for this legislative session. However, Dwight had some experience with passing bills and had some other legislative contacts. He was really undeterred and went about contacting the head of the transportation committee. We had a conference call with him and it turns out that he is a fan of e-bikes and told us what he felt he would be able to accomplish and he was able to make it happen."

E-bike industry members say they have seen sales increases in each state as the model legislation has been enacted, similar to the sales bumps in the 1990s when many states passed mandatory bike helmet laws for children.

MONTEREY, Calif. (BRAIN) — It's a tentative move couched in words like "cautious,""respectful,""tentative," and "complex." But the Bicycle Product Suppliers Association and PeopleForBikes have agreed to examine whether the BPSA should move to combine forces with the industry's leading advocacy association.

"We are starting an examination of our relationship," said Adam Micklin, the BPSA's president, in an interview Wednesday at the Bicycle Leadership Conference.

BPSA and PeopleForBikes have been working closely together for the past four years under a formal memorandum of understanding (MOU), said Micklin, who's also Felt's vice president of sales. The BPSA pays PFB for services primarily related to a variety of trade and tariff issues.

BPSA's budget last year was approximately $750,000. BPSA supplier members with a focus on e-bikes also raised an additional $200,000 that helps fund PFB's work in managing and implementing e-bike legislation throughout the 50 states.

The associations will start to investigate the issues involved in defining a new relationship and will produce a report for its mid-June board meeting, Micklin said. Any decision that would lead to a combined organization would require approval by both boards of directors.

Micklin broached the topic during the BPSA annual membership meeting, and several members voiced support for the move. One said such a move could lead to an organization similar to the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA). "There's way too many tents (in the bicycle industry). Let's get everyone together and save some money. I know how powerful the OIA has been for the outdoor industry," the member said.

Another pointed out how little money the industry in general spends. The BPSA budget is 1/17th of one percent and PFB's is 1/10th of one percent of cycling sales. It's appalling," he said.

In discussing the decision to examine their relationship, Micklin pointed out that the BPSA board is primarily a group of volunteers focused on three core issues — legal and legislative issues, statistics and bicycle safety.

"We all have jobs and the issues we are dealing with today are getting so much more complex," he said.

"The complexity of legal and legislative issues has really expanded for all businesses, not just the bicycle industry. New regulations have made it more costly for business, even though some of the regulations have been good for consumers," Micklin said.

Before the BPSA set up an MOU with PFB, it reacted to unexpected legislation like California's controversial Prop. 65. With PFB's help, the organization has been more "pro rather than reactive," Micklin said,

Where the BPSA relies mostly on volunteers, PFB is well staffed and has offices in Washington D.C. The Boulder-based advocacy group also tracks thousands of state and federal bills that could impact the industry.

PFB has also taken the lead on e-bike legislation, a category that's increasingly important for suppliers and retailers.

Micklin, however, is wary of using a word like "merger" citing attempts by the League of American Bicyclists and PFB to merge several years ago. The move was unsuccessful.

"We don't know all the details," Micklin said. "We really have to survey our members. It's a complex issue," he added.

PETALUMA, Calif. (BRAIN) — Upscale mountain bike clothing maker Kitsbow is working with glove maker Mechanix Wear on a new line of mountain bike gloves that will be launched later this year. Kitsbow plans to offer two models of riding gloves with Mechanix branding. 

Mechanix Wear is based in Valencia, California, and produces gloves for the automotive, industrial, tactical and construction industries. The company launched in 1991. 

Zander Nosler, the founder and CEO of Kitsbow, said, "I know that our riders will be excited to see what we've accomplished by joining with Mechanix Wear, and their deep experience in creating innovative tools for working hands.

"Like us, they've been utilizing advanced material technology with formfitting and task-specific designs to create tools that you wear. Their glove designs are refined for a unique use — and they've been doing it year after year."

Michael Hale, the CEO of Mechanix Wear, said, "I knew I wanted to work with Kitsbow the first time I rode my bike wearing their gear.

"The quality and built-in features of their gear utilize the same attention to detail and design language that we have incorporated into all of our gloves. The Kitsbow shorts fit like a glove, and the jerseys are perfect for any trail and weather condition I have used them in. Just like our products."

Kitsbow expects to begin shipping the new glove styles to customers in the middle of this year.

MONTEREY, Calif. (BRAIN) — GÜP Industries is launching a combination tire inflator and sealant canister at the Sea Otter Classic this week. The KWIKI is being marketing as an all-in-one product designed to seal and inflate tires simultaneously.

The 125 milliliter canister contains an eco-friendly foaming latex sealant capable of sealing up to a 4 millimeter tire puncture (up to 2 millimeters in tubes) in seconds. The company (whose name is pronounced like "goop") said the product will seal certain sidewall tears. GÜP KWIKI features a silicon "speed adapter" that eliminates the need to remove valve cores for maximum inflation, and is compatible with both schrader and presta valves.

"No matter how far cycling technology has come, a flat can still make or break a ride or race," said Tomas Petricko, the new brand's founder. "Even if you have CO2, not everyone is running tubeless, and even if you are, sealant can dry up and become less effective over time. GÜP is the ultimate backup plan designed to get you back in the saddle faster, allowing you to focus on the ride, not the fix."

The canister can inflate tires up to size 29x2.4 and works with tubes, tubeless and tubular tires. The company said the can has enough pressure to reseat tubeless tire beads.

The canister weighs 122 grams and can be secured to a frame, seatpost or seat rails with the GÜP Hölster, sold separately.

GÜP KWIKI retails for $14.99, and is available now in singles or six-packs at GUPIndustries.com and bike shops. It is being distributed to dealers through BTI and DoubleKross Distribution, Inc., and directly through GÜP Industries.

More information: gupindustries.com.

MOUNT PROSPECT, Ill. (BRAIN) — Participation in team sports by children age 7-17 showed a 5.8 percent decline last year according to the latest data released by the National Sporting Goods Association. The NSGA's 2018 edition of Sports Participation in the U.S. revealed a slight (0.6 percent) decline in overall team sports participation.

While NSGA saw a one-year decrease in youth team sports participation, since 2012 youth team sports participation has increase 2.4 percent.

NSGA previously announced that participation in Wheeled Sports — a category that includes bike riding — was flat last year. The organization has not yet released bike-specific data from its latest study. 

Last year, NSGA found that bicycling participation was up 0.5 percent over 2015, while the larger Wheel Sports category was down 0.5 percent. 

The NSGA report is one of the largest and longest standing participation studies in the sports industry. The study has tracked cycling since 1984, and defines participants as those Americans age 7 and up who have ridden a bike six or more days per year.

NSGA sells its full reports for about $400 for members and $600 for non-members. The organization releases a limited amount of data publicly.

MONTEREY, Calif. (BRAIN) — While Pivot's Shuttle e-MTB was launched in Europe last year, it's making its U.S. debut here at the Sea Otter Classic. Pivot has sold out of the first three initial production batches for the U.S. A few of the brand's top dealers stocked them for the past few weeks.

Pivot president and CEO Chris Cocalis Chris Cocalis admits that he didn't think Pivot's $10,000 Shuttle e-MTB would meet with as much demand as it has.

"The sales are going extremely well," he recently told BRAIN. "The first three production of batches of bikes here have sold out. We didn't forecast enough, we didn't think the market was as strong. I can't give you the numbers, but it's going to be a good year."

Cocalis said Pivot has put together a stand-alone demo program for the Shuttle, in conjunction with Shimano. Pivot currently runs three demo vans, and now will offer a fourth only for its Shuttle e-MTB.

"The focus is not only doing events with dealers or other events, but a good portion of the time is going to be spent on land-access issues," Cocalis explained. "We're working with IMBA on a program so that when land managers reach out to them and ask for advice instead of saying, 'we don't support e-bikes,' they can say, 'OK, here's the laws, here's legislation PeopleForBikes is pushing for.'"

Pivot will include retail hangtags on its Shuttle so customers can research where they can legally ride their e-MTB. Cocalis said he's also working with Trailforks to ensure that the app includes trails that are open to e-bikes.

"We agree that people shouldn't ride e-MTBs in places where they aren't allowed. And right now there's a lot of confusion out there about where you can and can't ride an e-MTB. The bike industry has a responsibility here to clarify things. We're trying to do our share."

For the North American market, the Shuttle, which features DW-Link rear suspension and Shimano's STEPS e8000 battery/motor combo, is available only in black with sterling silver, a muted version compared with the European model, which is electric blue and yellow.

It's available as a complete bike for $9,999. Pivot is launching the Shuttle publicly at the Sea Otter Classic (Booth 710), but some Pivot dealers got a chance to sell them weeks before the festival. Consumers have a chance to demo the Shuttle at the festival.

WASHINGTON (BRAIN) — Lance Armstrong has agreed to pay $5 million to the U.S. government to settle a federal over alleged false claims to the U.S. Postal Service.

The Department of Justice announced the settlement on Thursday. The lawsuit had alleged that Armstrong's admitted use of performance-enhancing drugs resulted in the submission of millions of dollars in false claims for sponsorship payments to the USPS., which sponsored Armstrong's team.

"No one is above the law," said acting Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department's Civil Division, Chad A. Readler. "A competitor who intentionally uses illegal PEDs not only deceives fellow competitors and fans, but also sponsors, who help make sporting competitions possible. This settlement demonstrates that those who cheat the government will be held accountable."

The allegations against Armstrong were originally brought in a whistleblower complaint filed in June 2010 by Floyd Landis. Under the False Claims Act, Landis will receive $1.1 million as his share of the settlement.

MONTEREY, Calif. (BRAIN) — Marin Mountain Bikes Inc., and Hawley-Lambert have announced a new sales partnership for all IBD sales in the U.S. Hawley-Lambert sales reps are now representing the Marin brand, while Marin will continue to stock bicycles at its warehouses in Southern California and New Jersey, maintain some of its regional sales reps, and continue to handle fulfillment, credit programs, warranty and other functions.

"What we’re effectively doing is utilizing their sales group," Matt VanEnkevort, CEO of Marin Mountain Bikes, told BRAIN on Wednesday. He said besides the sales force, he was looking forward to Hawley-Lambert's help in forecasting so that Marin can stock the appropriate levels of inventory.

"We sincerely thank the independent and factory reps that carried us this far but believe Hawley-Lambert to be the partner needed to help us shift to a higher gear," he said in a statement released Thursday. VanEnkevort said he's had a long relationship with Hawley, going back to his days as a retailer and as North American managing director of FSA, which was distributed by Hawley. 

Hawley-Lambert currently has 21 reps and two sales managers in the U.S. Before this change, Marin had nine independent reps and two inside reps. "In terms of reach it's huge for us," VanEnkevort said.

Hawley-Lambert now has access to Marin's lineup of mountain, pavement and kids' bikes.

"We really liked the idea of having a mountain bike brand in our portfolio, but as a distributor it's kind of a complicated situation. We were looking for a different way to approach it because the market is changing," said Pat McGinnis, vice president of commercial for Hawley-Lambert. "I've been watching what Marin is doing, and they have some really cool new product designs. And we have a larger sales team and customer base, so they could put more focus on product design and B2C marketing and we can focus on B2B and communication with our dealer base."

As part of the transition, three current Marin reps will continue to sell the brand in their Pacific Northwest, Upper Midwest and Southwest territories. Marin's other regional reps are being let go; they were told about the change on Wednesday. Hawley reps will sell Marin alongside other brands within the Hawley-Lambert portfolio, and receive a commission from Marin. "This is the first time we've done this, but it's really simple if you think about it. We are their independent sales reps," McGinnis said. "It's a complication as a brand to hire independent reps, to find someone where products and territories don't cross over. And our reps are supported with insurance, expenses, etc. So that complication of their life goes away. We'll have a great opportunity to get the brand out to more dealers, and we may get some new dealers as a result.

"I wouldn't be surprised if we started seeing more of this in the industry. It's a new way to work together, and we're excited about it," he added.

Hawley-Lambert reps will be contacting Marin dealers in their respective territories in the coming days.

MONTEREY, Calif. (BRAIN) — Bike sharing is expanding so rapidly that city governments are hard-pressed to develop appropriate rules for companies intent on developing new markets.

That was one message that a panel on redefining urban mobility delivered to attendees Wednesday at the Bicycle Leadership Conference.

Ryan Russo, director of Oakland, California's department of transportation, said local governments are "caught in a tornado." And, he added, local government is struggling with how to manage bike share. "They are trying to figure out how to adapt," said Ryan who oversees more than 800 miles of city roads and 1,000 miles of sidewalks.

Bike sharing, however, is changing the "geometry" of transportation—consider how much space a car takes up, space for a bus and other transportation modes like taxis. Motor vehicles require a major investment up front, said Oakland's Russo.

Think roads, repairs, cost of a car, maintenance and insurance. But once a consumer buys a car, for example, the money picture changes. "They may be cheap to drive, but the geometry no longer works in cities," he said.

Despite the challenges, Ryan Rzepecki, founder of JUMP Bikes, said that while dockless bike sharing is growing fast, "the goals for private companies and (their) technology are mostly aligned with cities in trying to get people out of cars."

Rzepecki, who founded JUMP in 2010, has some 15,000 bikes for rent in six countries. His fleet has logged more than five million trips globally. Uber recently acquired his company; JUMP is a significant player in the San Francisco market.

Andrew Salzberg, Uber's head of transportation policy and research, said Uber's decision to buy JUMP points to a natural alliance between Uber's ride-share technology and bike-share. "The app links riders so they can find transportation that is better, faster, and cheaper and that gets them to the right place at the right time and works for the right person," Salzberg said.

"There are a lot of smart people at Uber and we're skeptical that one app for one city would work," he said. Uber, on the other hand, can offer one app for all cities where the company operates and that app could be used for bike sharing.

John MacArthur, manager of Portland State's sustainable transportation program, said focuses on barriers to bicycles in cities and e-bikes, like those JUMP rents in San Francisco, breaks a number of barriers to commuting.

A recent survey that MacArthur did with PeopleForBikes found that consumers who buy e-bikes buy them to replace trips that had been taken by car. E-bikes also make it easier to commute. And, he added, users find that the bikes are fun.