TAIPEI, Taiwan (BRAIN) — Mark Peterman, a veteran of Cycling Sports Group and GT Bicycle, has launched a new company in Taiwan that will provide airless tire inserts that replace innertubes.

"Air Fom will provide airless insert technology for all cyclists that can be installed at your local IBD for an affordable price with pressure and ride performance close to air. Air Fom is a precision molded, multiple layer, hi tech foam insert that can be constructed to simulate different pressures. The patent pending design also allows Air Fom to be lightweight. A 700 x 40c insert (60 PSI) weighs approximately 260 grams in comparison to the avg weight of a normal 700 x 40c tube that is 160 grams. If a thorn proof tube is used as a comparison Air Fom weighs much less. Air Fom inserts are rated to last at least 5000 kilometers with a one-year warranty," the company said.

Peterman is leading a Taiwan-based company that will design, manufacture and distribute the Air Fom product line globally. The technology is patent pending with all products manufactured in Taichung, Taiwan, using Japanese materials. The material is recyclable back to the original raw material, the company said. 

Air Fom will begin manufacturing in the fourth quarter this year with shipments hitting shops early in January. The product line will include tire inserts for commuting, urban, e-MTB, mountain bikes and gravel. The company will meet with prospective distributors at the Taipei Cycle Show in October. 

More information: air-fom.com.

BOULDER, Colo. (BRAIN) — The Outdoor Industry Association plans a webinar Thursday on how current and proposed tariffs on outdoor products could affect suppliers and retailers. 

The webinar is at 1 p.m. MT. A recording will be available for registrants who can't attend the live webinar. 

Register at oia.outdoorindustry.org/l/51282/2018-08-22/9zrkg8

KEMPELE, Finland (BRAIN) — Polar is releasing two new multisport watches this fall, the Vantage V and Vantage M, which offer new technology including a new wrist-based heart rate sensor said to be more accurate than other similar products. The watches also offer battery life of up to 40 hours or training time, new training load and recovery features and the ability to calculate running power with no additional sensors. 

The Vantage V, whcih retails for $499.90, is geared toward elite athletes while the Vantage M, at $279.90, is an affordable options for recreational athletes.

Both feature Precision Prime, a wrist-based HR technology that integrates three sensors, nine optical channels, a 3D accelerometer and four electrode sensors to measure skin contact.

The Vantage V offers battery life for 40 hours of training time (with full heart rate and GPS usage) and Polar Vantage M offers 30 hours.

New coaching features include Training Load Pro and Recovery Pro (in Vantage V only) to let athletes know when they're under-training, have a productive session, or are at risk for over-training/injury.

Polar Flow for Coach has been updated to allow coaches develop seasonal training calendars. Coaches can create workouts within Polar Flow and add them to an athlete's training calendar. Athletes can upload daily training sessions, follow along via the watch, and sync with Flow to share data back with the coach/trainer.

More information: www.polar.com/vantage/v and www.polar.com/vantage/m.

PHILADELPHIA (BRAIN) — The family of 24-year-old Emily Fredricks, who died after being struck by a privately owned trash truck as she biked to work last November, has announced a $6.1 million settlement agreement with the truck's owner, Gold Medal Environmental. 

The settlement includes $6 million in compensatory damages paid to Fredricks' estate and $125,000, paid out in five annual $25,000 payments, to improve cycling safety in the city. The Fredricks family and company representatives will jointly determine the recipients.

The driver of the truck, who was making a right turn at an intersection when Fredricks was struck, told police at the scene that he never saw her.

Gold Medal is under new ownership and new management since the incident. The company has enhanced its truck driver safety program under the direction of an independent highway safety expert, and is including a new training curriculum on urban vehicle operations, obstacle course instruction at its new training facility, and what Fredricks' attorneys describe as "intensive behind-the-wheel interactions with bicyclists."

Emily's parents will meet and speak with the company's drivers and management about the vital importance of driving safely and the consequences of failing to do so. Drivers are also now eligible, under a new incentive program, for significant salary bonuses that reward accident-free driving.

In a press statement, Richard and Laura Fredricks, Emily's parents, said they think Emily would be proud of what has been accomplished. "We live everyday heartbroken over the loss of our precious daughter, searching for some way to see some good result from her passing. With this agreement, we feel lives can and will be saved by making Philadelphia's streets safer for bicyclists, as well as drivers — truck and car — and also pedestrians."

DAYTON, Ohio (BRAIN) — Allite Inc., a new materials sciences company that manufactures metal alloys, has announced that its proprietary Super Magnesium alloy is now available to the cycling industry.

Magnesium has been used regularly in the bike industry for frames, rims and for most suspension fork legs. But Allite said its material is more versatile, allowing it to accommodate various manufacturing processes including forging, extruding, die casting and welding, and it can be finished in a number of ways.

According to Allite president Bruno Maier, the alloy can be used in place of carbon, aluminum and steel, and offers a strength-to-weight ratio that is appropriate for the cycling industry and other markets, including transportation and mobility, outdoor and sporting goods.

"By using different formulas, we can come up with different properties. If we need to increase strength or shock absorption or elongation or reduce those, we can change formulas," Maier said. "There are a lot of market benefits and there is an opportunity to build OEM components like cranks, rims and frames out of our material."

Allite's parent is UWHK Ltd., which also owns Huffy Bicycles. It recently built a factory in China to manufacture the alloys.

Magnesium is a common element that is extracted from seawater and magnesium-bearing minerals that offer unlimited reserves. It's lighter than aluminum, titanium and steel, and the company said Super Magnesium is the lightest of all structural metals. Pound for pound, it's stiffer and stronger than aluminum, and has already been used in some classified defense and aerospace applications. 

"When you want light weight and strength, it's a good material. High-performance cars have more magnesium," said Morten Kristiansen, director of marketing and product development at Allite. "Its capacity to dampen vibrations is about 20 times higher than aluminum and it absorbs vibrations more or less on the level of carbon."

But carbon isn't recyclable and the Allite Super Magnesium alloy is, so the company is optimistic that will appeal to some suppliers. 

Cost-wise, Allite's alloy will be about 50 percent less expensive than carbon and on par with aluminum. Maier said Allite can work with OEs to manufacture finished product or deliver raw material and consult on the manufacturing process.

Allite will officially launch at Interbike next week in Reno-Tahoe. Look for more about Allite in Bicycle Retailer's Oct. 1 print issue.

SIMI VALLEY, Calif. (BRAIN) — In a play to make it more affordable for bike shops to expand into mobile service and repair and to help them fulfill online purchases, Accell North America is making the software previously used by its Beeline franchisees available to any brick-and-mortar dealer.

The software, called Powered by Beeline, allows retailers to manage their service departments entirely online. Consumers will be able to book service appointments on retailers’ websites or on their phones, and for shops the software will allow them to eliminate the traditional paper ticket and to engage more with consumers through an automatic feedback loop. Appointments scheduled on a website or phone will automatically be scheduled into a shop’s service calendar.

ANA acquired Beeline back in March, after investing in the mobile tech and service company for a few years.

Beeline officials said that about three-quarters of its franchisees are brick-and-mortar shops so few are affected by this shift. “All of our franchisees have the option of staying the course with the existing model,” said Pete Small, chief operating officer of Beeline, told BRAIN in an interview. “We’re committed and equipped to honor the franchise agreements they have.”

With Powered by Beeline, retailers gain the capabilities of a Beeline franchise mobile van, but without the costly investment of adding a fully outfitted vehicle. Many retailers already use a shop vehicle for pick up and delivery or to do service and repair.

“This is a new model we’re rolling out instead of a franchise, which is a complicated process,” Larry Pizzi, president and head of sales at ANA, told BRAIN. “The franchise is like a phone book of a contract, close to a 200-page agreement and highly regulated. It’s a challenging and long sales process. This lowers the bar from an initial investment perspective, and offers this platform we’ve developed as software as a service. In essence we’re giving people access to this platform that brings their business into the 21st century and gives them an opportunity to service the customer who’s making a purchase online.”

ANA will offer three tiers and pricing. Retailers who sign up for the software also become a fulfillment partner for ANA and other brands. Pure Cycles and Saris, for example, have signed on as fulfillment partners, so orders placed through their online channels could be delivered by retailers signed up for this software. Saris is launching in-home setup of its Cyclops trainers and plans to extend this to Saris racks. And ANA anticipates more brands will come onboard for fulfillment service.  

“For the customer, they get the convenience of scheduling online and know when and where that appointment is going to be,” said Peter Buhl, co-founder and CEO of Beeline. “For the shop, they have a backend tool that manages this whole inventory of appointments and see which mechanic is assigned to what appointment so they can fully book and utilize all their assets.

“The other thing for the shop is it’s a tool to acquire new customers online through this online scheduling tool when they want service, but also to the network of fulfillment partners which includes all of the Accell brands (Diamondback, Haibike, Raleigh, Izip, Redline), and Amazon, and a couple of new brands. Basically having all those customers come to them as a net new customer,” he added.  

Buhl noted that as Beeline approached dealers about expanding with a Beeline mobile franchise, they learned that their franchise model needed to change.

“As we talked to a lot of dealers, the thing we learned is that all their markets are a little bit different,” Buhl said. “The way they run their businesses is a little bit different. They’re all entrepreneurs in a sense, so going to them and saying here’s the Beeline model, here’s exactly how you do it, here’s the playbook, they’re like, ‘Yeah, but I don’t want that part.’ And the franchise just doesn’t work that way. The franchise is a playbook and you follow the rules of the playbook. This allows them to get the aspects of our system and tools and model expertise and utilize all those in a way that fits in their market.”

Powered by Beeline is entirely cloud based and the service can easily be added to any retailer’s website with a line of code.

Three software tiers are priced starting at $79 a month for the click-to-brick package (buy online pick up in store), the second tier adds in-store service to first tier plan (schedule service online for tune-up in store) for $299 a month for up to five store locations; the third tier adds the ability to include one mobile shop for $379 (every additional vehicle is $95 a month).

Beeline will demo the software at Interbike next week in Reno. The software officially launches in January.

More info: https://beelinebikes.com/poweredby

Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures, Quebec – Friday, September 14, 2018 – Louis Garneau Sports is pleased to announce the appointment of Martin Trudel as Executive Leader of Global Sales & Marketing. Martin will be responsible for strategic leadership of the Garneau, Sugoi and Sombrio sales & marketing teams, overseeing new business development and opportunities, and creating tailored solutions for customer needs globally.

Martin is a well-known figure in the sOporting goods industry with over 20 years of experience as a sales and marketing leader. He began his career at Salomon in Canada and later took on North American responsibilities with UTC Sports. He then was appointed as Vice-President at Coalision where he was instrumental in growing the Orage brand internationally. More recently, he was responsible for the ascent of Lolë where he oversaw sales, B2B marketing and business development.

In addition, Martin has a proven record of facilitating long term business relationships with customers and has superior insight on market development. His strong team building abilities and strategic leadership skillset will complement and enhance Garneau's ability to meet the needs of customers as we continue to thrive and provide innovative products to the cycling world.

SAN DIEGO (BRAIN) — Former Interbike show director Pat Hus has joined Bravo Sports Corp. as senior vice president of Bravo's specialty bike division. Hus will oversee Nutcase Helmets, SixSixOne and Pro-Tec bike.

"I'm really excited to be back on the product side of the business and couldn't be more energized to join the great teams at Bravo Sports and work with the company's strong stable of brands," Hus said. "My job will be to drive growth through sales reorganization, new marketing initiatives, and product development and innovation."

Hus is a 40-year veteran of the bike industry. Before Bravo Sports and Interbike, he held leadership roles with Easton Bell Sports, Titus Cycles, American Bicycle Group and Cannondale.

Bravo Sports' president, Nick Schultz, said, "Bravo is deeply committed to the specialty channel and independent bicycle retailers. ... Supporting and growing our specialty bike brands is a strategic priority for us and there is no one who knows more about the bike industry than Pat."

Hus will relaunch SixSixOne for North America at Interbike in Reno next week and will be presenting an array of new products as part of the 2019 product introduction. Established in 1999, SixSixOne is a pioneer in mountain bike protection gear and now offers a complete line of helmets, gloves and body armor for all levels of mountain bikers.

SixSixOne will be at Booth 2959 and will also be participating in Interbike's Media Preview on Monday evening, the night before the show opens. Nutcase Helmets (Booth 2959) and Pro-Tec (Booth 2965) will also be exhibiting.

SALT LAKE CITY (BRAIN) — Bicycle industry veterans Dave Weagle, Jason Schiers and Hap Seliga have launched a new company, Trust Performance. Although the company already has 15 employees and headquarters in Salt Lake City, it is not ready to announce details of its upcoming product line. A spokesman would only say that Trust will be "introducing a product line in the MTB space."

Weagle is best known as a suspension frame designer and has licensed his designs to several major brands. Weagle also founded e-thirteen and Evil Bikes. He is technical director of Trust Performance

Seliga co-founded the online retailer Competitive Cyclist. For Trust Performance, he will focus on strategy, operations, customer experience, sales and distribution, the new company said. 

Schiers founded Enve Composites in 2005 and has been active in the industry for more than 20 years. He will serve as Trust Performance's president. 

The three founders have worked together in some capacity since 2013. 

"Our mission is to help riders get the most out of the moments that make life awesome," said Weagle. "Trust Performance has been an ambitious undertaking and we've assembled a great team to support an amazing product that we know is going to make riders' lives better."

There's more information (not a lot more) at trustperformance.com.

RENO, NV—IRC Tires has been busy developing new gravel and mountain bikes tires, so it's no surprise that the Japanese tire maker will be shining a spotlight on these new items next week in Tahoe and Reno.

IRC will be at the Northstar Free-Ride Festival and OutDoor Demo in Tahoe, giving consumers and retailers a chance to demo a fleet of bikes equipped with its new Tanken and Boken Plus and updated Boken tires. The tire maker will be in Booth D522. IRC is also proud to sponsor the road and gravel trails during this event.

"We are very excited about our new Tanken and Boken Plus tires. Taking rider feedback we've created some great tires using our innovative rubber compounds and tread designs," said Bruno Suttles, IRC Tire USA's sales and marketing manager.

Available in a variety of sizes for 27.5 and 29, the Tanken is the result of 37 years of experience making some of the world’s best mountain bike tires. With alternating rows of vertical and horizontal blocks and aggressive side blocks, it can easily handle long, twisty, off-camber downhill runs in soft dirt or mud. A low-rebound tread compound absorbs bumps helping keep the bike attached to the ground over rough terrain.

The Boken Plus is a 650b multi-surface tire that offers amazing performance on any road surface. The tubeless-ready tire features a super-soft compound and a tread pattern that combines a slick, fast-rolling center tread, an inverted micro-diamond pattern for added wet-weather traction and flexible hollow side blocks for added grip while turning. It's available in 42 and 47mm widths.

The 700c Boken is for riding gravel, pavement, dirt and single track. The new-generation tire has a center tread for smooth surfaces and side knobs that boost traction and control over softer terrain.

Jakes Wells, a cyclocross national champion and IRC ambassador, will lead demos throughout the weekend. He also will be at Interbike Tuesday and will race Renocross. "I've been riding and racing on IRC's Serac tires and love them. I'm really looking forward to riding with everyone in Tahoe and helping them understand the new products," Wells said.

The Squid Bike Squad will lead a medium-pace, 2-hour, gravel ride starting at 10 a.m. Sunday from the IRC booth 
in Tahoe.

The full line of IRC tires will be on display in Booth #2321 at the Interbike Expo.

DAVIS, Calif. (September 2018) – The U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame will induct four legends of American cycling in ceremonies being held on November 10 in Davis, California. The honorees represent several disciplines within the sport of cycling. The inductees are Jennie Reed (Modern Road & Track Competitor), Eric Rupe (Off-Road Competitor), Jerry Ash (Veteran Road & Track Competitor), and Richard DeGarmo (Contributor to the Sport). With the Class of 2018, there are now a total of 158 Inductees in the U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame.

"The U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame is proud to honor these individuals," said Bob Bowen, board president. "These individuals were selected by the voters because of their supreme accomplishments in the sport of cycling. Their induction into the Hall of Fame will serve as a perpetual reminder of their dedication and sacrifice to the sport."

Induction weekend will be held November 9-10, 2018 in Davis and features a celebration of American cycling. The public is welcomed to join Bicycling Hall of Fame members, cycling industry leaders and cycling enthusiasts for a free Club Ride on Saturday, Nov. 10; and the induction ceremony that evening. Tickets for the Nov. 10 Induction Ceremony at the UC Davis ARC facility are $60.00 each and they are available for purchase online at: https://squareup.com/market/us-bicycling-hall-of-fame. For more information, visit: www.usbhof.org

The Hall of Fame has been located in Davis, Calif. since 2010 and it boasts 8,000 square feet of displays and exhibits that tell the story of American cycling history via inductee memorabilia and a collection of bicycles from the 19th and 20th centuries.

The Class of 2018 Inductees include:

Jerry Ash - Veteran Road and Track: After winning his first six competitive races in the Los Angeles area as a novice in 1973, Jerry Ash went on to help establish the US as a world class sprinting power in both individual and tandem track sprint events. Ash had great success competing in the U.S. National Track Championships (1973-79) and the World Championships (1974-78) in Tandem Sprints, Match Sprints and the Kilometer Time Trial. Racing in the tandem sprints, Ash finished 2nd in 1978 in the Munich, Germany World Championships along with 2016 USBHOF Inductee Leigh Barczewski. Ash formerly held the U.S. National Kilometer Time Trial record with a time of 1:08.03.

Jerry Ash was the 1976-77 Rider of the Year at the historic Trexlertown, Pennsylvania Velodrome and he also won the International Pro/Am 2-day Madison (with Knut Knudson) in T-Town in 1978.

Jennie Reed - Modern Road and Track: After taking up track cycling at the age of 16 in Redmond, Washington, Jennie won Match Sprint and Individual Pursuit titles at the USA Cycling Juniors Track National Championships. She competed for the U.S. in the Match Sprint at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. In 2008 she became the first American woman to win the world championship in Keirin Racing in which track cyclists sprint for victory following a speed-controlled start behind a motorized pacer. She finished 7th the Match Sprint at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing and 2nd in Team Pursuit the 2012 London Olympics.

Reed dominated the U.S. National Track Championships from 2005 to 2007 winning championships in Match Sprints, Keirin, Team and Match Sprints, 500 meter Time Trial and Team Pursuit.
As a dominant international track racer, she medaled in Keirin, Match Sprints and Team Pursuit in the World Track Championships (2004, 2008 and 2011). Between 1998 and 2011 Reed medaled 9 times in Keirin, 5 times in Match Sprints and once in Scratch Racing at the World Cup Track Championships. Reed also won gold in the Keirin and Sprint events in the 2007 Pan American Cycling Championships.

Eric Rupe - Off-Road: Nicknamed "Big Daddy", Rupe competed continuously at the highest level as a BMX off-road racer for over 40 years. He turned professional in 1977 when he was 14 years old and won his first pro race in 1980. In 2011 he reclassified to the Amateur Senior level in his late 40's and competed well into his 50's winning multiple national age group No.1 titles. In 2009 he won the USA Cycling BMX National Championship in the 45 & over Cruiser Class as an amateur.

He has won multiple BMX national championship and No. 1 titles sanctioned by the National Bicycle League (NBL), American Bicycle Association (ABA) and the United States Bicycle Association (USBA). He also competed in many World Championship events both as a Pro and as an Amateur. For years, Rupe crisscrossed the country as a racer and team manager for Mongoose and then GT Bicycles putting on BMX Clinics and training camps. In 1988 Rupe was inducted into the ABA BMX Hall of Fame.

Richard DeGarmo - Contributor: DeGarmo served as President of the US Cycling Federation (USCF) from 1987 to 1993. USCF was the precursor to today's USA Cycling which is the umbrella organization for National and Olympic cycling competition in the U.S. As a member of the USCF Board from 1981 to 1994 he also helped bring BMX racing into the Federation. DeGarmo served as a member of the International Cycling Union (UCI) in various positions for 15 years and was the first USA member elected to the UCI management committee from 1992-1996.

DeGarmo's Texas Bicycles Promotions produced bicycle races and events throughout Texas and beyond from 1981-1993. He was the organizer of the Tour of Texas International Bicycle Race from 1981 to 1990. Richard was the Road Coordinator 1986 World Cycling Championships in Colorado and the Director of the 1987 Pan Am Games cycling trials
DeGarmo was instrumental in getting Mountain Bike Racing included for the first time in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and he sponsored or organized some of the top Texas men's and women's cycling teams from 1979-2003.

About the U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame
Founded in 1985, The U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame is a 501c3 non-profit organization dedicated to recognizing American competitive cyclists and contributors to the sport for their significant achievements. Its mission is to preserve the history of American cycling in order to educate people about the past and encourage them to participate in the future of the sport. Encouraging all levels of cycling, the U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame promotes cycling development and fitness.

BELLINGHAM, Wash. (BRAIN) — Jack DeVries, a veteran Bellingham retailer and collector of all things bicycling, died Tuesday, Sept. 11. He was 83.

A onetime bicycle newspaper delivery boy, DeVries began his career in the bike industry working for Times Bicycle Shop in Bellingham in 1950 at age 16. In 1969, he opened his own shop in town, Jack’s Bicycle Center. The shop moved to its current location in 1995. 

DeVries exited the business in 2011 due to declining health, turning over ownership and operation of the store to two of his five children — Kent DeVries and Rhonda Van Nus, who continue to run the Jack’s Bicycle Center. Jack retired to Arizona, where he continued to ride a recumbent trike with assistance from friends and family. He passed away at Pacifica Senior Living in Peoria, Arizona, after a series of health issues, including a heart attack, two strokes and a hip fracture that required him to use a wheelchair.

During the 1950s, DeVries rode penny farthings with a group in parades in Vancouver, British Columbia, and Seattle. He was also part of a group of unicyclists that held races on Chuckanut Drive along Bellingham’s waterline, and was an avid road racer in his younger days, Kent DeVries told BRAIN. 

Jack was just as passionate about collecting cycling memorabilia. “Our old shop (pre-1995) was an old-time shop where you had everything stuffed into a shop that you could. There were a ton of antique bikes on the walls and ceiling,” Kent recalled. “And his house from ’74 until he moved down to Arizona was nothing but bicycle stuff. Literally every nook and cranny you could see in the place.

“He loved anything that had to do with bicycles. A few things I’ve gotten from him are old pocket watches, straight razors and a barber knife with bicycles engraved on them. Old horns, too,” Kent added.

Jack DeVries is survived by four children, his second wife (of 27 years), five grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, two step-grandchildren and two step-great-grandchildren.

BROOMFIELD, Colo. (BRAIN) — Norway's Sweet Protection has released its 2019 model year collection, which includes the brand's long-awaited convertible full-face helmet, the Arbitrator MIPS.

The Arbitrator MIPS is a downhill certified full-face helmet that easily converts into a trail bike helmet with the removal of the chin bar.

"We started out with the objective to make a full-face helmet and trail helmet in one with as little compromise as possible. Further, we defined this as the helmet should be able to meet both EN 1077, CPSC and ASTM downhill MTB standards in both 'modes.' At the same time the helmet needed to be lightweight and ventilated for Enduro racing," said Sweet Protection's director of design and development, Staale Moeller.

Sweet Protection met the goals by developing a proprietary internal Zytel skeleton with in-molded anchors. The main shell is attached to the skeleton and the whole assembly is in-molded with the EPS. The chin guard is made of pre-preg carbon fiber.

The helmet switches from fullface mode to trail mode with one lever. The helmet has both trail specific and DH-specific retention systems (the trail system tucks away when the helmet is used in full-face mode).

The helmet also features STACC ventilation like other helmets from the brand and as the name indicates the Arbitrator MIPS comes only with MIPS.

It comes in Race Blue or Natural Carbon in two sizes. It weighs 540 grams (M/L size) in trail mode and 950 grams with the chin guard attached.

More information: sweetprotection.com.

Editor's note: A version of this story appeared in the Sept. 1 issue of BRAIN.

KILLINGTON, Vt. (BRAIN) — Beyond merely promoting the Italian bike brand, Bianchi's new U.S. women's ambassador program is designed to get more people into the sport — and into bike shops, said Heather Mason, the program's coordinator.

The program, launched this spring, is called the Bianchi Dama Ambassador Team ("dama" is Italian for "lady") and currently includes 25 women of varying ages, locations and cycling experience. Bianchi dealers help Mason identify the members from among their customers.

"What we wanted was people that are influential, excited, happy and super passionate about cycling," Mason said. After recently spending three days in Vermont with several Dama members, as well as some Bianchi dealers, Mason said the dealers "nailed it" with their selections.

The team includes a physician, a chiropractor, a 60-year-old librarian, some college students and more.

The ambassadors receive a Bianchi riding kit and helmet and are offered a 30 percent discount on a new Bianchi through their local shop. In return, Mason said, they are asked to host four events a year, post on social media and "talk about cycling whenever they are out and about."

Bianchi USA's David Reed said, "It's a great chance for Bianchi to get the women involved in the brand. They have always been there, but now they are getting a voice and recognition." Reed is the brand's vice president of marketing and communications.

"We're testing the theory of not using racers or club members," said Mason, who is a former retailer and is Bianchi's factory sales rep in the Northeast. Mason (then Heather Rizzi) also is the former U.S. sales manager for Merckx Cycles. She joined Bianchi early this year.

"For a long time I've thought that our biggest challenges are to get more people on bikes and into bike shops," she said.

She said Bianchi has a strong following among women and the brand works with at least 10 different U.S. shops that are owned or managed by women. They were all invited to the Vermont event and the brand also held a contest to choose a random female cyclist to attend.

In Vermont the Dama group hiked, rode some of the state's famous gaps and had candid conversations about how to accomplish those two goals. The ambassadors brainstormed about events and programs that could encourage ridership, especially among women and children. They discussed group rides to the grocery store or the library with children and parents, ice cream rides, flat-fixing clinics and more.

The group also discussed hosting Bianchi Legacy get-togethers, showcasing the brand's history and inviting locals with vintage Bianchis to attend.

Social media is another key, the group decided. All ambassadors have access to post on the program's Facebook page.

"Individuality and authenticity is key," Mason said. "We want everyone to project their true personal self, even when they are struggling. Being authentic resonates with people."
The ambassadors plan to participate in a variety of group rides and events, including the Bianchi-sponsored Farm to Fork Fondo series, which has eight events in the East. Mason said that at events the Damas are encouraged to be friendly, welcoming ambassadors of the sport — not just Bianchi.

"At the end of the day if we sell a Bianchi that would be awesome. But it's more about selling a love for the sport of cycling," she said.

"The biggest takeaway is that we all need to think outside the box and work with our retailer partners to connect with the community. We feel [Bianchi] can work with our retailers and the ambassadors to reach out to new cyclists and bring them into the store."

Mason said Bianchi has already been surveying its retailers who have ambassadors in their markets. Dealers reported they are already seeing new people come in the door because of the program, she said.

LAGUNA HILLS, Calif. (BRAIN) — The National Bicycle Dealers Association has released their rankings of America's Best Bike Shops for 2018.

For the sixth consecutive year, the NBDA has conducted a program that identifies and honors the most progressive bicycle stores in North America. This is quite an honor in the bicycle retailer market as shops continue to face fierce competition and tight profit margins. Brick and mortar stores across the country have lowered to less than 4,000 bike shops remaining today; compared to 6,259 in 2001. Out of that number, less than 200 were chosen to be named "America's Best."

Retailers filled out a detailed application and were evaluated by a mystery shopper to be considered. Points were awarded for customer support, knowledgeable staff, operational excellence, marketing excellence, community involvement, local bike advocacy, national bike advocacy, and the mystery shopper experience. Stores with enough points and above were awarded the title of "America's Best Bike Shop" for 2018.

Shops will be honored at an exclusive, VIP reception held during Interbike this week. The complete list of stores will be in the November issue of Bicycle Retailer and Industry News.

In addition to allowing shops to learn what areas they excel in or need to improve; the program is designed to help consumers find great stores in their areas that will provide the expertise and professionalism they need to get the most benefit from cycling.

(Waterloo, WI) - Trek Bicycle, in partnership with Segafredo Zanetti, has renewed an agreement to once again host a free livestream of the Telenet UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup Waterloo on the company's website, trekbikes.com. The event, scheduled for September 23, continues the brand's commitment to providing greater and easier access to world class racing. Waterloo's 2018 edition of the race will feature an all-new course and two wide open fields of incredible athletes.

The broadcast is currently scheduled to begin at 13:00 US Central on Sunday, September 23— a half hour before the Elite Men's race set to begin at 13:30 US Central. The Elite Women's race is currently scheduled for 15:15 US Central.

In addition to hosting the first (and second) World Cup to offer equal prize money to both the men's and women's fields, Trek has moved the women's race to the marquee spot on the schedule allowing the men to play the role of opening act.

The race broadcast will include live commentary by broadcast veteran Steve Schlanger. "I can't wait to return to Waterloo for the World Cup. As a lifelong Midwesterner, it's terrific to see the sport at its highest level come to my part of the world. The crowds, atmosphere, and entire scene in Wisconsin should make it another incredible event. I expect fantastic competition and one of the biggest bike parties on the North American cycling calendar."

The trekbikes.com livestream of the 2018 Telenet UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup Waterloo will be restricted to the United States.

Broadcast Schedule (All times are in US Central):
1:00 pm: Broadcast begins
1:30 pm: Men's Elite
3:15 pm: Women's Elite

SAN DIEGO (BRAIN) — This summer 100% released its latest Peter Sagan special edition sunglasses — the brand has worked with the ProTour superstar since December 2016 — just before the opening stage of the Tour de France. And there's more on the roadie side coming soon from the moto and mountain bike accessory and apparel maker.

"We're not trying to become a full road brand. Our main focus for road is eyewear, but then we also want to have some accessories that cross over into road as well as mountain without going full crazy Lycra kit company. We're doing some collaborative stuff with Cadence, and then we're doing some basic accessories like a sweat hat or a cycling hat as well as some fingerless road gloves and Lycra arm and knee covers," said Nick Wozniak, the San Diego company's global sales director.

The new road products, which arrive at retailers next spring and will be on display at Interbike Marketweek in September, are part of the company's plans to grow its footprint beyond the gravity market that has been its primary focus in bike up to now.

"At launch [into the mountain bike category] it made more sense for us to have high-end gear and a high-end helmet focusing on gravity, with that being the pinnacle of the sport in terms of how people view riders and athletes and how they aspire to what they want to be in mountain biking. And then to flow down from there — getting into the other categories — helps us be a partner to the shops we want to sell into," Wozniak said.

For spring 2019, 100% is adding a new open-face all-mountain helmet and full-face enduro helmet, as well as leg and arm protection. The brand is also expanding its casual clothing line and adding a new range of performance socks. And at the end of August, 100% was set to release a revamped mountain glove line with an all-new chassis and ergonomic updates.

An expanded women's apparel line will include new entry-level price points, while juniors will get new gravity and all-mountain shorts in addition to the gravity pant and jersey 100% already makes for young rippers.

Overall in apparel, the brand is growing from two levels of gear to a "good, better and best" offering, including more trail- and XC-oriented items.

"Certain shops and even resorts want you to have a full array of product so the brand can be a full go-to for whatever they need, versus only being able to buy all-mountain and gravity gear and just one helmet. Now they'll have the ability to sell a gravity-based helmet, an enduro helmet and an all-mountain helmet. And they'll have the different price categories needed for that as well as protection. It's being the one-stop shop for good/better/best in terms of gear rather than being all high-end," Wozniak said.

In addition to its IBD sales, 100% sells direct to consumers on its website and through a handful of online retailers, including Backcountry and Jenson USA. But IBDs account for 85 to 95 percent of overall sales, and the brand is looking to tap further into that dealer base.

"Our focus is to support the IBD channel, versus online or third-party retail. The fact that we have a pretty strong MAP policy has enabled us to go out and open some of the better doors. That's given us brand strength and brand equity in terms of how we look online. The retailer has more opportunity to make full margin in the store with us because we're not on sale everywhere," Wozniak said.

"The hard part is we're still the new kid on the block, so they may not want to take the risk of bringing in every product category that we do. But across the U.S. you'll find anything from goggles, glasses, gloves, gear and helmets in the stores, but that doesn't mean they're carrying every single product in every single door we're in. We still have a ton of doors that we can not only open, but also where we can expand the product categories we're already in," he added.

By Chris Fortune

Editor's note: Chris Fortune is the owner and president of Saris Cycling Group, the parent company of Saris Bike Racks, CycleOps Indoor Bike Trainers, PowerTap Power Meters and BikeFixation Cycling Infrastructure. Fortune submitted a letter to the U.S. Trade Representative this summer supporting the Trump administration's proposed 25 percent tariffs on Chinese bicycle products, including bike racks. In the letter, Fortune also notes that industry groups have lobbied against the tariffs. The tariffs are still under consideration and a decision could be announced any day. We asked Fortune — who remains a PeopleForBikes supporter and board member — to explain his position further in this guest editorial. 

In 1989, my wife Sara and I made a decision to pack up our three girls and move back to Wisconsin. We wanted to be closer to our families, but we also wanted to make a difference in our community. The 1980s were a turbulent time for U.S. manufacturing. Companies began outsourcing good paying jobs overseas, destroying many Midwestern towns and families while diminishing a middle class. As we watched this happen, we knew we could make a difference if we could find a way to manufacture products in Wisconsin. Soon, we found a small bike rack manufacturer in Madison who was ready to sell. After some honest discussion and a handshake agreement, we found ourselves the owners of Graber Products. Our ambition may have had the better of us! We were getting into U.S. manufacturing when most manufacturers were fleeing overseas, but we had two things in our favor: our family’s support and the word “can’t” is not in our vocabulary. 

Thirty years, one name change, four acquisitions and lots of sweat and tears, our little rack manufacturing business has grown into four brands with 92 percent of sourcing and manufacturing happening right here in Wisconsin. We have two production facilities — one in Madison and one in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with over 200 employees. We have four product divisions and distribute to over 72 countries around the world. We are incredibly proud of our economic impact on the local and regional economies. 

While the last three decades at Saris have been hard and rewarding, they have never been as challenging as today. The American economy is a complicated system with challenges for everyone in the bike industry. 

As a U.S. manufacturer, there are unique major challenges that we face and because of this, we support the administration's additional tariffs on Chinese bicycle racks and components. While PeopleForBikes has worked to provide information to the industry about the impact of the tariffs, I believe that understanding perspectives from both sides of the situation is important and I want to share with you how this impacts my business and our customers.

The Introduction of Tariffs 

On March 8, President Donald Trump announced his intention to impose a 25 percent tariff on imported steel and 10 percent tariff on imported aluminum. Following the president’s announcement, domestic steel and aluminum producers began to dramatically raise prices. While the tariffs benefit the suppliers at the bottom line, domestic manufacturers further down the supply chain, like Saris, who rely on domestic steel and aluminum for their finished products, faced difficult decisions around raising consumer prices and reducing investment in jobs and innovation. Our material costs have increased substantially since the tariffs went into place, which is an extremely significant cost for us to absorb without increasing prices for our customers. 

The Competitive Landscape

Most of Saris’ domestic and international competitors have moved their production and accompanying jobs overseas. Since the president’s tariffs only apply to raw steel and aluminum, these overseas bicycle rack manufacturers have not been impacted by either the March tariff surcharge or the accompanying increase in material costs leading to a competitive advantage over U.S. manufacturing companies.   

Eleven of the 12 top bicycle transport racks sold on Amazon in the U.S. are manufactured in either China or elsewhere in Asia. Saris is the lone exception to this rule. We continue to create products sourced and manufactured here in Wisconsin. For example, the Saris Bones Rack is iconic in the trunk rack category with over 1.5 million sold, and 100 percent manufactured in Madison from materials sourced within 120 miles of our facility. Hundreds of U.S. jobs have been created and sustained as a result. 

What is the importance of keeping US jobs local? How does it impact local economy? 

A strong manufacturing base is vital to maintaining the American economy’s strength. It is a key player in strengthening the shrunken middle class. 

U.S. manufacturing has continued to grow since the 2008 recession. Between 2010 and 2017, manufacturing has created 940,000 jobs. States like Wisconsin, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois and Minnesota rely on manufacturing especially in the rural communities.

Our decision to manufacture in the United States has a multifaceted impact. Successful economic development relies on human capital. When you build and strength your human capital (i.e. your employees) more opportunities will arise, and your business is stronger. 

At Saris, we require a large workforce in order keep up with demand for our products. We continually invest in these employees in both their professional and personal development. Whether it is ESL courses or mindfulness training, we are committed to developing our workforce. Due to our investment, our employees go out and invest in their local communities, whether that is supporting our local independent bike shops or local farmers at the grocery store. As a result, we are keeping our money local, which increases economic activity, creates more jobs and promotes healthy communities. 

Feasibility of Manufacturing in the United States

We continue to hear the same rhetoric: it is not feasible to manufacture in the United States, and we do not have the infrastructure to support manufacturing. However, if the Europeans can rebuild and grow their manufacturing, why can’t we?   

The European Union imposed a 48.5 percent tariff on China and other Asian countries in 1993. Almost 25 years later, the tariffs continue to protect the European bike industry allowing companies to grow and succeed. For example, the European e-bike industry is booming, in 2016 there were over 90,00 direct and indirect workers employed and over 1 billion euros ($1.18 billion) invested in development. This type of investment encourages innovation and competition, while providing significant employment opportunities. 

At Saris, we prove that investing in U.S. manufacturing works and is profitable. It is possible (not easy, but possible).

Getting Back to the Tariff

On August 7 President Trump proposed an additional tariff of 10 percent on Chinese bicycles racks and components. He later changed the proposal to 25 percent. We understand that most our industry will be affected by this proposal. PeopleForBikes has done a fantastic job supporting the industry and helping lobby against the tariffs, however, if these tariffs do not pass our company will suffer as a result. 

These increased tariffs will help level the playing field for American manufacturers like Saris. We are not asking for special treatment, but rather for an equal playing field in a nondiscriminatory business environment. We are invigorated by competition and our commitment to American craftsmanship continues to serve us well. However, without these tariffs, we will be facing an unfair disadvantage. Our competitors will have cost advantages that will be incredibly difficult to overcome. 

My goal is to protect and serve my people here in Minnesota and Wisconsin, as well as the companies supported by our manufacturing operations. I must support the administration’s proposal of an additional tariff on Chinese bicycle racks and components. My support includes the Harmonized Tariff Schedule 8302.30.30 (Bicycle car rack components) and HTC 8708.29.50 (Complete bicycle racks for automobiles). Considering the effects of the president’s decision to raise import tariffs on steel and aluminum, I strongly support the proposed tariffs on Chinese bicycle racks and components as it levels the playing field with our foreign and domestic competitors who have chosen to not invest in local manufacturing. 

GUILFORD, Vt. (BRAIN) — Neil Quinn, who founded West Hill Shop in Putney, an epicenter of the cycling community, died Thursday at age 78 after a short bout with cancer.

Quinn, who was born in Washington, D.C., was working as a book designer in the 1960s when he became interested in cycling and Nordic skiing while working on a book about cross-country skiing by John Caldwell.

According to a history of West Hill Shop written by Quinn, a group of four families pooled their resources to launch a shop, which was first called Snail Cycles and located in a garage in Brattleboro.

"The only bicycle distributor that would talk to us was Mel Pinto of Gitane, although in addition to the bikes he did have tubulars and accessories," Quinn wrote. "We got some Campagnolo stuff from Jerry Baker in Seattle, some Cinelli stuff from Fritz Kuhn in Princeton (via Doug Dale), as well as Campy grouppos, frames, and bikes from Holdsworth in England. After sketching a Putney Bike Club jersey design with colored pencils, and submitting it for approval to the Amateur Bicycle League of America, we ordered them from England."

Later, Snail Cycles shared space with an existing ski shop called West Hill Shop that was in an old schoolhouse in Putney. In 1973 the shop moved to a new location just off Exit 4 of Route 91 and Quinn left his job in publishing to run West Hill Shop full-time.

The shop was rustic and picturesque, as were its visitors.

Cycling journalist Jim Langley discovered West Hill Shop when he was working at a store in Keene, New Hampshire.

"I rode over to visit and was so impressed to find this little shed on the side of the highway just stuffed with all the Campagnolo parts and custom frames we only dreamed about in our Schwinn-only bike shop," Langley remembered.

"I decided I 'had' to work there and asked Neil if he'd hire me and I was lucky enough to start there in 1978. I had no idea at the time that it would change my life and lead to a real career in the industry I love. It took a few years, but that job working at West Hill Shop eventually directly led to becoming the West Coast Editor of Bicycling Magazine and a life as a cycling journalist," he said.

The shop organized events, races and teams and was influential in the East Coast bike racing and cross-country skiing world.

The store was frequented by top athletes from cycling and skiing and even celebrities including author John Irving, musician Joe Walsh, and painter Jim Dine.

Bob and Barbara George, two of the original investors in Snail Cycles, remained close to the shop and later founded VeloNews (first called Northeast Cycling News and then "Velo-news").

"To me, it was the luckiest break in my life to get to work there and learn from Neil Quinn. He was the guy that made it all happen," Langley said.

Quinn ran the shop until he sold it in 2004 to Jim and Diny Sweitzer. Quinn continued to ride and was involved with race and event promotion until recently.

Quinn is survived by his wife, Betsy Bates, of Dummerston; his son Bevan and wife Tammi, of Guilford, and grandsons Braeden and Caleb; his daughter Mauireen Derby Quinn and husband Watson E. Bell III, of St. Thomas, Scotland, and granddaughters Bailee and Mackenzie Bell. He leaves a daughter-in-law Trish Kneeland of Westminster, Vt. He also leaves two sisters, Ellin Martin, of Rutland, Vt., and Deborah Quinn, of Santa Fe, N.M.

Additionally he is survived by three nieces and a nephew, and several grandnieces and nephews.

A wake will be held on Friday, Sept. 21, at Christ Church on Route 5 in Guilford, from 5 to 8 p.m. A funeral will be held at Christ Church on Saturday, Sept. 22 at 11 a.m., with a reception to follow at the Guilford Volunteer Fire Dept.

ST. PAUL, Minn. (BRAIN) — Park Tool has announced two new tool boxes that add space, convenience and tool access to help mechanics when they are traveling.

The BX-2.2 features an all-new pallet configuration and storage options to help
keep tools secure and easily accessible. The expanded custom designed tool 
pallets, including dual-sided pallet wings, are all housed in a dent-proof composite shell built around an aluminum frame. It has a front tool pallet that stores securely inside during transport
 and a key lock.

It measures 19.5-inches x 16.9 inches x 8.5 inches and weighs 13/2 pounds. MSRP is $304.95.

The new BX-3 Rolling Big Blue Box molded from 
impact resistant polypropylene, with bicycle tool specific pallets with 70 percent more surface area than the BX-2.2. It has integrated wheels 
and an extendable handle. The box is dust and water resistant
, has an air pressure compensation valve, custom designed tool-holding pallets with loops and pockets
, gas assisted lid struts for easy opening
, dual-sided upper and mid-level folding pallet wings
 and a front tool pallet that stores safely inside during transport.

MSRP is $514.95.

The video below shows it in action.

The new BX-2.2 and BX-3 will be available this month.