DALLAS (BRAIN) — The Washington Post is reporting that a Dallas man died Sept. 1 due to injuries he sustained after crashing a Lime electric scooter. The Post cites anonymous sources in the Dallas County Medical Examiners office who say 24-year-old Jacoby Stoneking's death is being ruled accidental and due to blunt force injuries. The sources also said Stoneking was not wearing a helmet. It is probably the first death of a rider using an electric share scooter in the U.S.

Stoneking was found unconscious near a broken scooter in the early morning hours of Sept. 1. He had earlier called a friend to say he had crashed his scooter and broken his foot, and asked the friend to send an Uber driver to pick him up. The Uber driver found him. 

Uber bought Lime earlier this year. The company has said it is investigating the accident. 

BOULDER, Colo. (BRAIN) — While supplier's dollar business in bikes for the month of August was flat with August of last year at $120 million, bikes shipped to retailers were down 40,127 units, according to the latest figures from the Bicycle Product Suppliers Association.

Suppliers shipped 211,526 bikes to shops last month, down from 251,653 in August 2017. That's nearly a 16 percent decline month on month.

Year to date, BPSA members shipped 1,508,010 bikes to retailers, that's down 117,456 compared with last year, or a 7.2 percent drop.

Despite that year-to-date drop in units, dollars are up through August. Suppliers' dollar business was $787.98 million, up from $744.16 million for the same period last year.

Mountain bikes, overall, were down in shipments for the month, from 78,040 to 59,198, August on August. Only full-suspension 29ers saw unit growth for the month. Dollars were also down from $48.6 million to $42.3 million, month on month.

Road bike shipments were also down in August, but not as much, from 27,012 to 25,751. The standout sub-category was "other," which represents gravel bikes and accounted for 8,173 of the total, and grew from 6,052 bike shipments last August.

Meanwhile, BMX shipments were down 6.7 percent, lifestyle/leisure shipments were down 13.7 percent, transit/fitness shipments were down 17.9 percent, and youth shipments were down 18.4 percent for the month of August.

The catch all "Other" category, which includes e-bikes, however, was up 106 percent for the month. E-bike shipments to dealers alone were up 135 percent for the month, or 4,270 units.

EMPORIA, Kan. (BRAIN) — Owner of the Dirty Kanza gravel race announced that the event has been purchased by Life Time, the fitness chain that also owns the Leadville 100 mountain bike race and the Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival.

Dirty Kanza started 13 years ago and has become likely the best known gravel event in the world. This year, its expo included product launches by Enve, Donnelly and other brands.

"After a great deal of thoughtful consideration, we have ultimately decided it is time to align ourselves with a partner who will ensure all that is great about Dirty Kanza continues for decades to come," co-founder Jim Cummins said. "Life Time also has a proven track record of supporting the local communities that host their events with meaningful and impactful philanthropic and community-building initiatives," he added.

"Most importantly, I want to be clear that Dirty Kanza won't change. This is important to all of us at Dirty Kanza Promotions, and to Life Time. I will continue to be front and center at the event, Dirty Kanza will continue to be the world's premier gravel cycling challenge, and you will still be served by the same great team."

SALEM, Ore. (BRAIN) — The Oregon Department of Revenue has collected $288,738 from bike retailers for the state's $15 bike tax, which went into effect Jan. 1. Oregon has the only state bike tax.

The figure equates to taxes collected on the sale of about 19,250 bikes. The total is not the amount of payments that are due from retailers, just the amount that has been collected. Payments are due quarterly, so only payments for the first and second quarters had been collected through August.

Lawmakers had predicted the tax would bring in $1.2 million in its first year.  It initially applied only to bikes with wheels 26 inches or larger and selling for more than $200. E-bikes were exempt. As of June 2, the tax applies to all wheel sizes and e-bikes. The $200 minimum remains.

Previous articles

• Oregon legislature expands bike tax to all wheel sizes, and e-bikes — March 5, 2018
• Oregon retailers are (hopefully) collecting the new bike tax — Jan. 4, 2018
• Santa Cruz's Oregon Trail Tax riffs on state's new bike tax — Sept. 7, 2017
• Inspired by Oregon, Colorado lawmaker proposes bike tax — July 19, 2017
• Oregon legislature passes $15 bike tax — July 7, 2017

FRIEDRICHSHAFEN, Germany (BRAIN) — Organizers of the Eurobike are planning a bike show in Bangkok, Thailand, Oct. 3-5, 2019, they announced Monday.

The show will include business-to-business and business-to-consumer elements for the Southeast Asian market and is being produced in partnership with Thai trade fair organizer N.C.C. Exhibition Organizer. The show will be called "ASEANBIKE powered by Eurobike."

"The Association of Southeast Asian Nations region is a promising future market as the number of production sites are continually expanding. In addition to the growing production of bicycles and components in the Southeast Asian region, incomes and the standard of living are increasing, as is the demand for high-quality bikes. We see great potential here, both at sourcing and OEM levels, and as a future market for western brands," said Stefan Reisinger, the head of Eurobike.

The show will be open to OEM manufacturers, brands, importers and distributors as well as retailers and service providers. It offers multiple exhibition and meeting options, from classic trade show booths to OE meetings, importer meetings and retailer meetings, as well as test/demo tracks, and group rides. Eurobike said the October 2019 date "was chosen specifically by both partners as the industry has a proven need for a central meeting point in the ASEAN market at this time."

In addition to Thailand, the ASEAN region includes Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia and Myanmar as well as the Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam and Brunei.

More information at www.asean-bike.com and www.eurobike-show.com.

Editor's note: A version of this story appeared in the June 15 issue of Bicycle Retailer & Industry News. We are republishing it because of interest in our story published today about bike tax receipts in Oregon.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (BRAIN) — Each time retailer Nick Ponsor looks out from his store’s new café, he sees a bike path that owes at least part of its existence to a bike tax his store and others here have been collecting since 1988.

Ponsor‘s Criterium Bike Shop is on one of the city’s major paths, making the café, which opened just before Memorial Day weekend, a sure bet.

“This path goes for about 40 miles, and all that way there is nothing except for this,” he said. “So now people don’t have to wander off the trail to go to a coffee shop or restaurant.”

Colorado Springs’ $4-per-bike sales tax has brought in an estimated $2.3 million since it was enacted, all earmarked for use on bike infrastructure like the path outside Ponsor’s shop.

“Once we explain to customers what it’s for, 99.9 percent of people are fine with it. … As far as I know the money is going where it’s supposed to go. Without it, it would be hard to fund some of the new stuff getting done around here.“

The tax applies to bikes with wheels larger than 14 inches — including those sold in big-box stores.

As the rest of the country eyes Oregon’s new bike tax — the only state bike tax — it’s worth a quick look at two smaller-scale but long-standing programs, in Colorado Springs and Hawaii.

Hawaii's fee

Hawaii charges a $15 new bike registration fee. Although technically not a tax, it is collected by retailers and burdens them more than a simple tax would. On the other hand, Hawaii probably has more registered bikes than anywhere in the country. While other communities around the country have bike registration programs, few have been as successful as Hawaii's.

Retailers get bike buyers to fill out cards with the bike’s serial number and description. The fee is rung up with the sale, and stores mail or deliver the cards, and typed copies of the information, to the county each month.

“It is a time-consuming hassle, but we’ve been doing it so long it just becomes our routine,” said Jane Kim, the owner of Eki Cyclery in Honolulu.

The program helps recover stolen bikes.

“We’ve seen at least a dozen bikes get recovered because of it,” Kim said.

It also brings in about $600,000 annually to Honolulu County, the largest in the state. All retailers, including big-box stores, collect the fee, which applies to bikes with wheels larger than 20 inches.

The Hawaii Bicycling League gets grants from the fund to run youth and adult bike education programs, said Daniel Alexander, the organization’s advocacy director.

“In general, adding to the price of a bicycle is a bad thing because it discourages bicycling. But I think it’s been in existence so long that we all accept it and I haven’t seen any efforts to eliminate it,” Alexander said.

Oregon's tax

Oregon retailers began collected their $15 tax on Jan. 1. It initially applied only to bikes with wheels 26 inches or larger and selling for more than $200. E-bikes were exempt. As of June 2, the tax applies to all wheel sizes and e-bikes. The $200 minimum remains.

Retailers have to remit their tax payments to the state quarterly, and in May Oregon released its first report of receipts: just $34,000 (through August, the state collected about $290,000). The number is deceptive because it represents only the first-quarter receipts the state took in April. As retailers (and their accountants) learn the system, the quarterly receipts are expected to increase significantly. Lawmakers predicted the tax would bring in $1.2 million its first year.

One store that paid on time was Sellwood Cycle Repair in Portland.

“It has been a talking point,” said Sellwood’s owner, Erik Tonkin. “Ultimately, it's something that many customers seem to be annoyed by, but then accept.”

As in Colorado Springs and Hawaii, proceeds are earmarked for bicycle projects. Tonkin’s main objection is that the $200 minimum keeps big-box stores from paying their share.

“A lot of bike sales come from those retailers. If we're serious about this tax, then it should be comprehensively exacted,” he said.

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (BRAIN) — Cane Creek Cycling Components has announced the release of the eeWings All-Road – a new version of their titanium eeWings cranks designed to fit road, gravel and cyclocross bottom bracket standards. Additionally, Cane Creek has announced that their eeWings Mountain cranks will now be available equipped with an optional power meter from Stages Cycling.

Like its mountain bike oriented sibling, the eeWings All-Road crankset is made entirely from high-grade titanium and is designed for ultimate stiffness and durability while weighing in at less than 400 grams. The company said that's in the same weight range as premium carbon cranks but 20-30 percent stiffer and more durable. The eeWings All-Road carries the same 10-year limited warranty as the eeWings Mountain.

In addition to the existing 10-year warranty, Cane Creek has announced that they will offer a 30-day, 100 percent satisfaction guarantee to any rider who purchases a set of eeWings cranks - Mountain or All-Road. 

"The response to the eeWings Mountain has been overwhelming," said Sam Anderson, product manager for Cane Creek. "And we're excited to add the eeWings All-Road and eeWings with Stages so more riders on more bikes can experience these awesome cranks."

The eeWings All-Road are compatible with direct mount X-SYNC chainrings and are available in 170mm, 172.5mm and 175mm arm lengths. The cranks also have a titanium 30mm spindle and are compatible with BSA68mm, PF86.5 and 386EVO bottom brackets as well as PF30 and BB30 bottom brackets with outboard bearing configurations.

The eeWings All-Road also include a CNC-machined aluminum preloader that is compatible with multiple other high-end 30mm spindle cranks - providing a more durable solution to preloaders from other manufacturers, which are often made from plastic or other less durable materials.

Like the eeWings Mountain, the road cranks come in a brushed titanium finish with a minimalistic laser-etched graphic on the face of the crank. "In addition to allowing the titanium to take center stage aesthetically, this simple design will allow riders to use Scotch-Brite or a similar abrasive to remove small scratches and blemishes that accumulate in the finish over time and use," the company said.

The eeWings All-Road retail for $999 and eeWings MTB equipped with a Stages power meter retail for $1,499. Both options are available through Cane Creek distributors and retailers or factory direct through the company's website.

MARINA, Calif. (BRAIN) — The bike industry learned just a week ago that many of its Chinese-made products would become subject to a 10 percent tariff, increasing to 25 percent in January. There were only a few product exceptions, and Daniel Emerson's heart sank when he saw they included completed bike lights, in the name of safety, while light components are still subject to the tariff. U.S. Customs began collecting the tariff Monday.

Light & Motion manufactures in the U.S. but uses mostly Chinese components. So Emerson's competitors, almost all of whom manufacture overseas, will pay no additional tariffs on their complete lights, while his costs go up 10 percent.

"Basically the U.S. government is providing a huge boost to our China-based competition, which is virtually every other product on the market. They are telling us very clearly we are not welcome in the U.S.," he told BRAIN on Monday.

While the light exemption took Emerson by surprise last Monday, he's not waiting around to react. He heads to the Philippines in a little over a week to start setting up production there. He said that before the tariff announcement his company had stocked up on parts for U.S. production, which will continue for six or nine months during the transition.

Light & Motion has about 45 employees, including about a dozen in production. The production jobs will likely disappear.

It's an especially painful decision for Emerson because it's not the first time he has moved a company's production overseas. He did the same for a U.S. snowshoe company he worked for before coming to Light & Motion, and that transition was very successful. But he hoped he'd never do it again.

"When the opportunity to join Light & Motion came up, it was exciting to me because I wanted to prove we could do the same here domestically, which we have," he said. He's confident the company will survive and grow with overseas production. "We'll be fine. In some ways we've been swimming upstream here, so maybe it's time to go with the flow," he said.

Emerson said Light & Motion bike lights get about 70-80 percent of their value from Chinese parts, and the rest from U.S. labor and domestic materials. He said raising prices is not an option in a competitive market. "No way. It would sink the company," he said.

Other companies in the bike industry using a mix of imported and domestic parts and materials have been harmed by the trade war and the impact is felt all the more bitterly when those manufacturers have invested in U.S. production, only to see tariffs give their importing competitors an advantage. U.S. component makers like Paul Components, Wheels Manufacturing and others say the tariffs on steel, aluminum and bearings have put them at a disadvantage compared to their overseas competitors. Many components from China are now subject to the 10 percent tariff, but the competition for the U.S. brands more often comes from Taiwan manufacturers, whose products are not subject to any additional tariffs. 

In Emerson's view, the damage to companies like his was not accidental.

"This was absolutely intentional. If, right before the midterms, the administration had slapped a 10 percent tariff on consumer products that are widely bought, from Walmart and Target to REI and local bike shops, Americans would have realized very quickly what tariffs mean. So the administration copped out and put it on parts. They didn't have the courage to put it on finished products," he said.

Emerson has little hope that the trade war will encourage a rebirth in U.S. manufacturing. "If we were serious about that, we would be investing in education and community colleges. I can't find people. We have to train them internally.

"I find the actions of this administration to be capricious. There's no planning. The policies seem to be untethered from anything that I can relate to. The reason we are in a trade war is because we have a large trade deficit. But we also have very low unemployment and a booming economy. The deficit is just a number — it's meaningless. So are we willing to trade our low unemployment and strong economy to change a number? Is that what winning looks like?"

Editor's note: Emerson recorded an interview with NPR's All Things Considered on Monday, which can be heard at npr.org or by clicking the box below.

Editor's note: This week we are featuring retailers who received Interbike Retailer Innovation Awards at the Interbike show this month. Staff from the National Bicycle Dealers Association, The Mann Group and Interbike selected 10 retailers from a pool of self-nominated businesses. Stores were asked to apply and share strategies and ideas that they have implemented and which have yielded positive results over the past 12 months. Interbike Innovation Award winners also were featured in the Sept. 1 issue of Bicycle Retailer and Industry News. 

Today we feature Level 9 Sports, which has four stores along the Wasatch Front in Utah. Dave Hall is the majority owner and the stores have been in business for 12 years.

Level 9 Sports started selling skis online back in 2006, then added brick-and-mortar stores and bikes and related accessories to round out sales.

Though it has four stores in Utah, they account for only 30 percent of sales. The majority of its business is done online through its own website, Amazon, eBay and other third-party sites.

“Our goal is to not get in the way of a customer to buy what they want where they want to buy it,” said Christopher Kautz, chief operating officer.

Because the company has invested to build its own website, it’s able to incorporate functions like mounting skis for online purchases. The company is working to build out the same capability to do customization for bikes bought online, so they can be built and shipped to customers.

“We do that with closeout frames that are not website restrictive, but now we’re in the first phases of being able to sell demo bikes from some of our vendors,” Kautz said.

Aside from its online savvy, Level 9 has grown sales through product bundling, which has not only increased the average order value but also the units per order. 

Shop website: levelninesports.com.

By James Stanfill

Editor's note: Stanfill is the president of the Professional Bicycle Mechanics Association.

Just this last week at Interbike we (the PBMA) had a great discussion, and at the end of the day it was all about compensation (a video of the discussion is on Facebook).

My challenge to you, the storeowner or manager, is to begin paying your best mechanic one-third of your store's hourly labor rate. That rate is going to vary by market but should align very well to the cost of living and equal a fair living wage for someone with the skill set of a professional bicycle mechanic. During a panel discussion at Interbike, UBI's Ron Sutphin observed that the one-third rule of thumb would put bike technician compensation on par with similar industries with service departments.

If you stop reading right there your friends won't blame you, but your mechanics will. We get the emails from stores all the time: "I can't find a good mechanic.""What should we pay a really good mechanic?""Where do we find a good mechanic?""We can't afford a good mechanic." ... We as an industry cannot accept that bicycles are toys.

The simple answer is that the skilled labor — mechanics who are professional, passionate and technically savvy, and have customers that are loyal — is hard to find. Harder by the day. They might have found a smart owner or manager and discussed what fair wages are, they might have branched out on their own, or they might have started their own mobile business. ... Better yet, they might have just left this industry for one that rewards them for the value they bring to the table.

The one-third rule

We all have different models in how we calculate our service charges; it should generally start with an hourly book rate and be broken down from there. We each have different models (hopefully) for how we compensate our employees. Start working backward to see how to achieve the numbers we are talking about. Again, it is going to vary by market: What a big bustling city costs to live in and can support for service fees isn't going to be the same as a sleepy small town on the back roads of America.

Our data indicates that the industry is far from the one-third rule. A PBMA survey last year found that more than 30 percent of retailers charged between $60 and $70 per hour for service; results are shown in the chart at left, (A quick BRAIN web poll on Tuesday shows similar results.) By our one-third rule, a $65 labor charge would equate to a $45,600 annual salary for the shop's top wrench (or a $21.45 hourly wage). A $75 charge would equate to a $51,480 salary, or $24.74 per hour.

The second chart shows results from the PBMA's compensation survey conducted this year. You can see most shops are paying in the $25,000-$40,000 range. Our survey and one done recently by a trade magazine in the U.K. suggest that on average a bicycle mechanic earns $30,000 a year, right on par with a full-time shared-ride driver, or about $26,000 less than the "average" plumber. That's why we are losing skilled labor to other trades. 

Chicken and egg

Bicycle mechanics have a skill set that needs to be valued by consumers. Consumers can't and won't value this until we do within our industry. Low shop rates are an insult to our knowledge and the technical nature of what bicycles are.

Let's agree that the more we as an industry recognize this, the better off we can all potentially be. Margins are down at the retail level. Meanwhile, manufacturers can still make their margin online. Some are working on solutions to keep shops as the focal point; others are willing, able, ready and already selling directly to the consumer. Regardless of the channel, the bicycle still needs a professional touch if it's to be well represented at the consumer level.

They say you have to spend money to make money. It's a fact that a bicycle serviced by a professional bicycle mechanic will outperform a bicycle serviced by your average bicycle mechanic. With some simple adjustments as to how we as an industry value service, we can afford to have professionals representing our brands and our businesses.

Again, I challenge you to pay your No. 1 mechanic one-third of your hourly shop rate as his or her hourly wage. It can be done if you do it smartly.

At risk

We (the PBMA) worked to put together a certification program that can help our industry educate consumers and give us something to rally around. Certification isn't scary; it is standards, quality control and proof of skill. We launched an online assessment earlier this year with a focus on safety, and last week at Interbike we launched an in-person evaluation.

I don't want to scare you, but the initial results from the in-person evaluations were pretty eye-opening. They revealed that the industry is at liability risk if it continues to rely on unskilled, uncertified cheap labor. In January, once we've run a few more folks through the hands-on portion of certification, we will share the results so those that still have doubt will see firsthand and hopefully get on board.

We do not want to do this alone, and honestly, we cannot. When you're ready to get on board and participate, our door is always open.

Editor's note: This week we are featuring retailers who received Interbike Retailer Innovation Awards at the Interbike show this month. Staff from the National Bicycle Dealers Association, The Mann Group and Interbike selected 10 retailers from a pool of self-nominated businesses. Stores were asked to apply and share strategies and ideas that they have implemented and which have yielded positive results over the past 12 months. Interbike Innovation Award winners also were featured in the Sept. 1 issue of Bicycle Retailer and Industry News. 

Wheelhouse Detroit's owner is Kelli Kavanaugh. The store has been in business 10 years.

In addition to sales and service, Wheelhouse Detroit has offered experiential, guided bike tours and rentals since it opened on Detroit’s riverfront in 2008.

Owner Kelli Kavanaugh said that these tours, which cover a variety of topics that allow guests to become better acquainted with the city, have always set her shop apart.

“But there’s a lot of new competition here with five new shops that have opened in the past four years and one more opening this fall, so now it means staying alive,” said Kavanaugh, who opened a second store in Hamtramck, an enclave city surrounded by Detroit on all sides, in 2016.

“No one else is really doing it [tours].” Wheelhouse Detroit’s tours are run mostly out of its flagship location, which sits on the riverfront path, a popular destination for tourists and locals alike.

The shop has a fleet of about 70 bikes, renting mostly cruisers and conducting tours on lighter-weight geared hybrids.

Wheelhouse Detroit’s tours cover a variety of topics including architecture, urban agriculture, sports, auto and music heritage, public art and historic cemeteries. In addition to public tours, Wheelhouse offers private tours and increasingly, corporate tours on weekdays, which Kavanaugh said helps fill out the week.

Shop website: wheelhousedetroit.com.

Boulder, Colorado – Cycling and Outdoor industry marketing service agency, Thorpe Marketing, is pleased to announce the addition of journalist Anne-Marije Rook to its team.

A long time journalist in both mainstream and cycling media, Rook's byline has appeared in titles around the globe. In the cycling industry, Rook is perhaps best known for her involvement with CyclingTips as one of the founding editors of Ella.

Rook said of her decision to join Thorpe Marketing, "In talking with Jasen, I was especially drawn to the idea that Thorpe is a full-service marketing agency. While tailoring their service offerings to meet a given client's needs, they are also able to directly support the media through advertising placements and affiliate commerce. Coming from a journalism background, this is important to me. I see a free press as an essential component of our society, whether that's mainstream news outlets or our enthusiast outdoor media."

"All of us in the office feel fortunate to have Anne-Marije join us in supporting our clients. I especially feel this way, though, because of her journalism background. She has the skill set to immediately further our client's interests in pretty much any marketing capacity. That should go without saying. But more than that, I appreciate that she understands the editorial and publishing portions of the media world and, when we operate in a PR capacity, that our role is to build and maintain appropriate, sustainable, relationships between our clients and the media," explained agency founder, and former cycling magazine editor, Jasen Thorpe of the hire. "In communications for enthusiast markets, authenticity and accuracy are everything, and I know Anne-Marije shares and understands this view."

In her role as Account Manager, Rook will oversee PR and Media Relations, social media and content marketing, affiliate commerce and advertising placement, and influencer/ambassador programs for several brands among Thorpe's clients.

Leaders will help build a cohesive experience for REI members and customers

SEATTLE – To connect more people to life outdoors, REI Co-op has appointed its first chief customer officer and first chief digital officer. Both roles are focused on enhancing the experience of the co-op's members and customers no matter how people first encounter REI.

"We're now seeing people discover the outdoors in new ways and at a pace that we've never seen before. While we often go outside to disconnect, we have also seen that technology can be a powerful enabler in helping people fall in love with the outdoors," says REI CEO Jerry Stritzke. "These new roles reflect our belief that we can inspire outdoor adventures through all touchpoints: in stores, through guided outdoor experiences, in local communities and via thoughtful use of technology."

REI Chief Creative Officer Ben Steele has been promoted to an expanded role and will serve as executive vice president and the co-op's first chief customer officer. In his new role, Steele will lead REI's digital, marketing, brand, stewardship and customer insights capabilities.

"I am incredibly lucky to work for an organization with such a clear purpose. We believe that REI can reach more people and help them get outside to enjoy the outdoors on an even broader scale," says Steele. "That's good for the co-op, our customers and our communities."

Steele served as REI's chief creative officer for four years, leading brand engagement efforts including #OptOutside and Force of Nature. He has a deep brand and agency background and has previously served in creative and leadership roles at a variety of leading advertising and design agencies. He also serves on the board of NatureBridge.

"This appointment reflects Ben's outstanding contributions to REI during his time as the co-op's chief creative officer. His teams continue to bring REI's brand and storytelling to new levels," says Stritzke. "In this new role, in partnership with our excellent retail leadership team, Ben can help us present a seamless co-op experience to all of our audiences in an increasingly digital world."

Curtis Kopf is REI's first chief digital officer and will report to Ben Steele. He joins REI from Premera Blue Cross, having worked previously in senior roles at Alaska Airlines, Microsoft and Amazon. He has a track record of leading transformation and a passion for building great digital teams and products.

"I have always considered REI one of the iconic, mission-driven companies that sets the bar for everyone else," says Kopf. "I love REI, and am thrilled to have the opportunity to ensure the co-op's incredible culture shines through all of our digital platforms."

Kopf will be responsible for all of REI's digital efforts, including REI.com and the REI app.

"Curtis is a great addition to our leadership team. He will build from the strong foundation and performance we have in digital today," says Stritzke. "Curtis' reputation as an inspiring leader precedes him, and I couldn't be happier to welcome him to the co-op."

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. (BRAIN) — For 2019, Leatt has updated the look of its limb protection products and is now including more moisture-wicking material.

All elbow guards have an "X" pattern along the interior to prevent the material from stretching and causing the pad to slide down the arm. And the new Elbow Guard 3DF 6.0 (suggested retail: $79.99) pairs with the popular Knee Guard 3DF 6.0 ($89.99) introduced last year.

Leatt has also added the zippered Knee Guard 3DF 5.0 Zip ($89.99) in response to demand for a pad that can be put on without removing shoes. The non-zippered Knee Guard 3DF 5.0 ($79.99) also continues in the line.

All the pads use 3DF foam that hardens on impact, disperses the force and returns to its original state.

Leatt's limb protection range also includes a selection of combination knee/shin guards ($49.99-$89.99) and hard-shell knee and elbow pads ($39.99-$99.99).

More information at leatt.com.

DAYTON, Ohio (BRAIN) — Huffy Corp. has announced that Claude Jordan will succeed Bill Smith as CEO and president as Smith retires in December. Smith will remain a director on the Huffy Corp. board, and will assume new roles as CEO emeritus and senior adviser.

In his 25-year tenure with the company, Smith has spent the past eight years as CEO, leading the company's return to profitability after emerging from bankruptcy in 2005. Under his leadership, the company more than doubled its sales, increased international product revenue by expanding distribution to 40 countries, grew Huffy's leadership share as the world's largest volume bicycle supplier and launched several new product and marketing initiatives, including Batch Bicycles and Allite Inc.

Smith said he won't be stepping away from the industry and Huffy completely, and that he will continue his work with PeopleForBikes, and remain involved in broader issues like tariffs.

"I am going to begin to move into retirement but yet I'm still going to be quite nicely connected. I'll continue to participate in some of the initiatives we've launched recently," he said. "It really gives me an opportunity to do the things I really want to do, which is to spend more time with my wife and kids and grandkids and I'm going to get to do that, while at the same time I'm really not walking away entirely. I'm really moving into a different role. When you have a passion for what you do, the idea of letting it go is a little bit scary. But I don't have to do that. I really get the best of both worlds."

Jordan comes to Huffy from Berkshire Hathaway, a multinational conglomerate holding company led by Warren Buffet, where he served as executive director at Fechheimer Brothers in Cincinnati. Jordan has also previously worked as president and CEO of Arctic Cat, GE Water Technologies and Home Depot's THD At-Home Services. Smith said Huffy spent seven months looking for the right person to take his place.

"Claude is a really good fit for Huffy for a couple of reasons. From a chemistry standpoint, we worked really hard to find someone that would fit our organization. We're highly sensitive to our position, we're people sensitive, we're culturally sensitive and we wanted to find a good fit," Smith said. "I wanted someone who could carry on from that perspective, but from a business perspective, Claude's role at Arctic Cat is very relevant. It's a dealer business. Arctic Cat has dealers across the U.S. that face similar issues to the issues our industry faces. And he has retail and consumer perspective from his time at Home Depot as president of its home services division. He's going to be a good fit."

Smith also said he anticipates Jordan will continue Huffy's engagement with the industry, as his work to help bridge the divide between distribution channels is one of Smith's proudest achievements.

"It was deliberate, trying to become a full-fledged member of the industry on the one hand and on the other hand help the industry think more clearly about itself as a single entity without the unnecessary divide between distribution channels," Smith said. "It didn't help either one of us. Look i'd have to be honest, of the many things I"ve been able to participate in with Huffy over the past few years, being able to be a part of helping to build that bridge may be one of the most satisfying things I've done in my 25 years.

"If I could say anything to (Bicycle Retailer) readers it would be to thank many of them for the many emails of support I've received over the last two years. Many of them I don't think realize how much influence and impact those emails had in driving some of the decisions to figure out a way for Huffy to become closer to the IBD community," Smith added.

Editor's note: This week we are featuring retailers who received Interbike Retailer Innovation Awards at the Interbike show this month. Staff from the National Bicycle Dealers Association, The Mann Group and Interbike selected 10 retailers from a pool of self-nominated businesses. Stores were asked to apply and share strategies and ideas that they have implemented and which have yielded positive results over the past 12 months. Interbike Innovation Award winners also were featured in the Sept. 1 issue of Bicycle Retailer and Industry News. 

Bloomington Cycle & Fitness, owned by Scott and Caryn Davis, has been in business for 21 years, 10 years under the current owners. 

A UBI-certified mechanic with more than 20 years of industry experience, Christopher Tuma has made it his mission to personalize the service writing process at Bloomington Cycle & Fitness.

“Bonding with the customer, understanding the customer and the potential sentimental value of the bicycle is so important. But oftentimes it translates into a bike sale because they got the bike secondhand and don’t have that sentimental attachment, and they need someone to show them the bike is worn out and they can benefit from a bike that is the correct size or is not going to be a money pit to replace the driveline and the cables. They can afford to get a new bike with an excellent service plan,” he said.

As the shop’s service writer, Tuma has set up his space with a workstand and good lighting so he can demonstrate a bike’s wear and tear to the customer — from chain stretch to worn shift cables and brake pads and rotted tires.

“Catching the issues and potential issues on a repair and the relation of the owner with the bike before the mechanic works on it has increased new bike sales and bike repairs that are perfect every time,” Tuma noted.

Shop website: bloomingtoncycleandfitness.com.

PORTLAND, Ore. (BRAIN) — Former pro racer Floyd Landis will open three legal marijuana dispensaries here this week, each designed with a cycling theme to appeal to fitness and health-conscious adults. The locations have previously been operated under a different name; Landis told BRAIN his company, Floyd's of Leadville, has started the process of acquiring the dispensaries and rebranding them as Floyd’s Fine Cannabis. New signs were expected to be installed Thursday.

Floyd's of Leadville also operates a legal marijuana dispensary in Leadville, Colorado, where it is headquartered.

Landis said the Portland stores are being given a cycling-themed makeover to take advantage of his history in the sport and to appeal to those who are interested in legal marijuana for its health benefits. "We are obviously trying to exploit my ability to get press because my name is very connected to cycling. We are branding and marketing toward people with an active lifestyle, not stoners — not that there's anything wrong with that, but that's not who we are trying to reach. We are selling to people who have decided that taking a bunch of Advil everyday is maybe not that great of an option."

Landis' company has two distinct business: The dispensaries, which will sell Floyd's-branded recreational marijuana products and products from other brands, and its business selling products containing CBD, a non-psychoactive cannabinoid. The CBD products are sold through bike shops and other outlets nationally. They are distributed in the bike industry by BTI, VeloSport Imports and others. 

Floyd's of Leadville displayed at the recent Interbike show in Reno, Nevada, and there was chatter there that the company was considering an initial public offering to raise capital for expansion in the fast-growing CBD market. Landis told BRAIN that an IPO was just one of several options the company is exploring. "We are looking into that part of it. I don't know which direction we'll go with it," he said in a phone interview after the Reno show. 

An IPO on U.S. public markets would be difficult because of federal regulations; however several U.S.-based CBD suppliers are traded on the Canadian Stock Exchange.

While the Floyd's Fine Cannabis stores may sell some CBD products, in general selling the legal CBD supplements through a marijuana dispensary makes little sense, because everything sold through dispensaries is subject to high state taxes and tight regulations. In Oregon, the state sales tax at dispensaries is 17 percent and local communities can tax an additional 3 percent. Dispensaries also are unable to deduct expenses on federal tax returns, making anything sold through them more expensive. So selling the legal CBD products through traditional channels makes more sense.

That's just one of the many issues being discovered by companies selling legal marijuana in the handful of states where it is now legal. Besides the varying state regulations, federal laws make it difficult to obtain financing or even perform day-to-day banking functions, forcing many businesses to operate primarily with cash. Despite the high growth rate, the operational challenges and taxes mean the businesses are relatively low margin. The CBD supplement side of Landis' company faces fewer of these challenges, but even there, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency has declared that CBD remains illegal on a federal level, and there have been rare cases in some states where retailers and users of CBD products have been charged with crimes. 

Despite the challenges, Floyd's of Leadville continues to grow. The company has about 60 employees, including about 40 hourly workers in the stores. Landis' former teammate Dave Zabriskie was one of the company's first investors and remains active in the business. 

In April Landis was awarded $2.75 million in the settlement of the long-running federal whistleblower case against Lance Armstrong. Like the IPO rumors, there was gossip at Interbike last week that Landis was pouring the proceeds of that settlement into the company. Landis told BRAIN that's not at all the case. "No, the company has all been funded by hard work that started long before (the settlement) happened," he said.

Landis said he will receive less than $1 million from the settlement after he pays his lawyers. So far he's received about half of it, and he said he has other plans for the money, which he is not ready to announce.

"It matters to me to show that it (the lawsuit) was not about the money," he said. He said he would be announcing his plans soon.