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USA Cycling announces 2019 and 2020 Marathon Mountain Bike National Championships

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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – USA Cycling announced today the 2019 and 2020 USA Cycling Marathon Mountain Bike National Championships location. The race will be held in the same location for both years in Palo Duro Canyon outside of Amarillo TX. The 2019 edition will be held on April 27.

"USA Cycling is excited to head to Palo Duro Canyon for the 2019 and 2020 USA Cycling Marathon Mountain Bike Nationals," said Tara McCarthy, Senior National Events Manager for USA Cycling, "The course will be fun, non-stop action in a beautiful setting. We're excited to work with Karie and Keevin with Team ANB who have a wealth of experience running mountain bike races in the Canyon and we are looking forward to an amazing two years."

The course will take you on Palo Duro's Comanche Trail which boasts technical climbs and descents, as well as sections of smooth, fast trails of the floor of the canyon.

"We are extremely excited to be hosting the 2019 and 2020 USA Cycling National Marathon Championship in Palo Duro Canyon, Texas. Palo Duro was voted the best place to ride in the state of Texas with 31 miles of the most incredible single track you can imagine with rolling trails, sweeping corners, technical climbs and beautiful scenery," said Karie Mueller, Race Director for Team ANB.

Keevin Sharp, Race Director for Team ANB added, "Palo Duro has been the race venue for the TMBRA Palo Duro Canyon Mountain Bike Marathon since 2009, we look forward to hosting USA Cycling National Championship competitors on the best trails in Texas"

For more information on all of USA Cycling's National Championships, visit www.usacycling.org/events/national-championships. Follow @USACycling throughout the year for updates and results from all of the National Championships.

Please contact Guillermo Rojas with questions at grojas@usacycling.org.


Rapha parent records operating loss in 2017 statement

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LONDON (BRAIN) — Carpegna LTD, the parent company of Rapha Racing, has filed an audited financial statement with Companies House, the United Kingdom's registrar of companies, showing an operating loss of nearly 20 million pounds ($25 million) last year. 

The statement covers the six-month period starting in August 2017, when Carpegna, a group backed by Walmart heirs Steuart and Tom Walton, acquired the majority of Rapha's shares for about 200 million British pounds. The period ended Jan. 28, 2018.

While nearly a year old, the statement nevertheless provides some insight into the company's situation.

For the period, the company recorded sales of 42.2 million pounds. Cost of sales was 24.5 million pounds for a gross profit of 17.7 million pounds.

However, the company registered a loss of nearly 19.6 million pounds due to exceptional administrative expenses, including 1.8 million pounds related to acquisition costs, 13.5 million pounds related to acquisition accounting of the value of inventory, and 5.5 million pounds in amortization.

In June 2018 the company changed its name from Capegna Bidco Ltd. to Carpegna Ltd.

During the six-month period, the company's sales were fairly evenly divided between four markets: the U.K. (23.3 percent), Europe (20.9 percent), North America (25.2 percent) and Asia-Pacific (25.4 percent). The rest of the world accounted for 5.1 percent of sales.

The company had an average of 457 employees for the period, including 193 in administrative and central functions, 211 in Rapha Clubhouses, and 53 in regional marketing positions. Wages and salaries for the period totaled 6.7 million pounds.

In September, Rapha announced it had cut 15 jobs at its London headquarters. BRAIN learned of additional job cuts at U.S. Rapha Clubhouses at about the same time.

At the time, a Rapha spokesman in London told BRAIN, "In 2017 Rapha delivered our 14th consecutive year of strong sales growth, with revenue increasing by 32 percent. As we entered 2018, we adjusted our trading strategy, prioritizing long-term profitable growth above short-term sales."

The spokesman said the new strategy led to the job cuts in the fall.

Also in September, Financial Times reported that Rapha had greatly reduced its travel division, cutting back its planned trips in 2019 from about 80 to six. 

The 'Scheels Factor'

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The Scheels in Sparks, Nevada.
Scheels megastores make huge impact on local retail when they come to town.

Editor's note: A version of this article appeared in the December issue of Bicycle Retailer & Industry News.

LOVELAND, Colo. (BRAIN) — When Scheels All Sports opens one of its gargantuan sporting goods stores in a new community, the local press gushes over the tons of steel and truckloads of concrete needed to build the quarter-million-square-foot stores. They write of the stores' Ferris wheels, mountainous taxidermy displays, oceanic fish tanks and towering bronze sculptures.

Officials and business owners in nearby communities, meanwhile, tally up the "Scheels Factor."

That's the term used by Theresa Wilson, the city budget manager in Loveland, Colorado, when Scheels opened its first Colorado location — in the neighboring town of Johnstown earlier this year.

Wilson calculated that Scheels would draw away enough business from Loveland retailers to cost the city about $275,000 in reduced sales tax revenue in the store's first year.

Wilson told BRAIN she based her calculation on the impact a new Scheels store had in Sandy, Utah, a few years ago. The calculation was based mostly on the expected decline in sales at major retailers in Loveland, not including the effect on the city's specialty retailers, including its bike shops.

Because make no mistake: Scheels, which now has 27 stores across the midsection of the country, does everything big, including bikes. The chain was Trek's No. 1 retailer last year; its bike departments feature full service areas and bike fit studios, with dedicated department staff and managers. Across all its departments, Scheels' investment in the local community, service and staff education means it has no problem getting accounts with some boutique brands that won't sell to most sporting goods retail chains.

Active locally, quiet nationally

Scheels is based in Fargo, North Dakota, and its stores extend south to Kansas City, east to Southern Illinois and west as far as Sparks, Nevada, where it operates its largest current location, at 295,000 square feet. If you don't live in that part of the country, you might never have heard of the chain. Scheels does little promotion outside local markets and is rarely mentioned in the sporting goods or retail trade media.

BRAIN was shown around the new Loveland store by a friendly local staff. But Don Doescher, who oversees the chain's bike business at a corporate level, nicely declined to be interviewed. "As you have likely figured out already, we are a very private company and I wouldn't be able to answer many of your questions," he wrote in an email.

The business dates to 1902 and annual sales are estimated at $1.2 billion. It remains privately held by the Scheel family, and employees are given equity after a vesting period.

Scheels' bike department employees often come with experience in IBDs, and say they enjoy the working conditions, benefits and stability of the larger operation.

The bike tech area at Scheels' Colorado store.

Within the industry, the company is known for its quiet professionalism and merchandising skills. It's also known for reaching a part of the market that other retailers overlook: true rural Westerners who live far from cities and who hunt, fish and ride bikes. Scheels generally positions its stores on busy highways on the outskirts of population centers, allowing easy access for rural families.

"You look in the parking lot and you'll see all these huge pickups," said one former Trek employee who lives near a Scheels in Iowa. "These families come to town for their one shopping trip of the month. They load up on food at Costco and guns and clothes at Scheels. And they might throw in a Trek or two while they are at it."

A red state retailer

Besides the Ferris wheels and stuffed animals, Scheels stores are notable for their patriotic displays. Giant flag murals provide backdrops behind the service desks, and life-sized animatronic and static U.S. president figurines are positioned around the stores.

While retailers including Dick's, Walmart and REI altered their firearm policies and support for the NRA following the Stoneman Douglass High School shootings last winter, Scheels, quietly, didn't budge — and the company rarely provided the news media, including BRAIN, with so much as a "no comment" when asked about it. Scheels continues to offer discounts to NRA members and holds weekend membership drives at its stores.

Steve D. Scheel, the company's chairman, is a regular contributor to Republican candidates, at relatively modest levels given his resources. He made a $1,000 donation to Ted Cruz's presidential campaign in 2016 and a $2,700 donation to Donald Trump's. His son, Steve M. Scheel, the company's CEO, donated $10,000 to a committee opposing a legal recreational marijuana ballot measure in North Dakota. The company also donated at least $10,000 to the cause, according to North Dakota public records. (The measure failed to pass in November.)

The company is rolling out one new store a year and recently announced a second Colorado store, to open next year outside Colorado Springs.

And Scheels is gearing up for its largest location ever. In 2020 it will open a store in The Colony, Texas. It will be 330,000 square feet and the first Scheels south of Kansas, bringing the Scheels Factor to its highest level yet.

 

Ohio passes e-bike law, becomes 11th state with industry-supported codes

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (BRAIN) — Gov. John Kasich has signed a bill making Ohio the 11th state with an e-bike law supported by the industry. 

It took four years for PeopleForBikes and the Bicycle Product Suppliers Association to shepherd the model legislation onto the desks of 11 governors, but the groups said they are just getting started. They hope that New Jersey will become No. 12 before the end of the year, and they are aiming to pass the laws in 19 more states in 2019.

"When the partnership began in 2015, e-bike regulations were a complete patchwork, confusing for retailers, consumers and agencies," said Morgan Lommele, the e-bike campaigns manager for the groups. "The goal of the partnership is to ultimately create a better retail and riding environment for e-bikes."

The 19 states with e-bike legislative campaigns in the works for 2019 are Alaska, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

"It's a system that manufacturers, dealers, consumers, lawmakers and agencies can agree benefits the industry, customers, cities and states," said Larry Pizzi, chair of the BPSA electric bicycle committee and vice president of the BPSA. "Passing this law in 11 states in four years is phenomenal, and we're proud to have created a national standard that states now want to adopt for consistency with their neighboring states.

"This work is funded by above and beyond contributions from e-bike and systems manufacturers. Because we're unified in our mission and objectives, the bike industry is becoming a major public policy player and changing the market environment," Pizzi added.

Pizzi said the campaign in each state has its own strategy, coalitions and timelines. And he said funding is keeping the partnership from launching additional campaigns where opportunities exist across the country. 

Pizzi urged industry members to join the campaign. Besides a seat at the strategy table, contributors receive a "heavily discounted" registration for the 2019 E-Bike Summit, he said.

He can be reached at larry@bpsa.org. More information about the PeopleForBikes/BPSA e-bike initiative is available at peopleforbikes.org/e-bikes. E-Bike Summit registration is at eventbrite.com/e/2019-bpsa-peopleforbikes-e-bike-summit-tickets-52870562275.

Opinion: The industry failed Interbike and you want it back

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Former industry member Trey Richardson looks at the Interbike cancellation and more.

By Trey Richardson

Industry veteran? I prefer "heavily seasoned," but for those that don't know me or think I'm just a loud mouth that likes to nurture arguments, I am ultimately on the same side as everyone despite occasionally disagreeing.

Before I blabber on, here's a 30 second intro to my last almost 30 years and why the hell I am here moaning (on a more official level) in the first place:

I was a 17-year-old shop rat who finally was officially hired in 1990 at a long time Schwinn store in the Houston metro. I worked in and out of a couple of Schwinn dealers before and after their bankruptcy and a buy out as well as before and after the internet boom. I spent a stint in a 'big box' store before moving to Atlanta in 2005. I went to work for a popular bicycle tire manufacturer here to successfully launch a new brand until being laid off when the economy shit the bed. I then returned to my roots in bicycle retail for a couple of years of which I was managing a store location for a large Top 100 Trek dealer owned by a NBDA VP. After that I became outside sales rep for a large bicycle P&A distributor for four years and even wrote hundreds of tech articles for a popular cycling tech blog.

Within some of those years I developed, marketed and ran corporate wellness programs for some large companies including one in the Fortune top 10 (yes, ten). I also did (failed at) doing some retail consulting for new and existing bicycle retailers (more on that later). Today, I consider myself a marketing professional outside of the cycling industry where I swim in analytical data from web and email campaign traffic. Regardless, I will be forever adhered to contributing anything I can to help get this incredibly diverse and often disconnected industry back on track whether you like it or not.

I have worn many hats in and outside of this industry and at times have looked back and thought to myself 'Trey, pick something and be done with it already', but I have come to realize, I greatly cherish the scattered amount of skill sets this and other industries have provided me. Though things have been rather unstable for some time, it was recent events and some of the things I've read here which led me to reach out to BRAIN to offer my less than humble perspective.

While there are some and at times many things I may bluntly disagree with, I have been passionate follower of many of our industry leaders often seen here. Most anyone who's met me knows I mostly a goof ball that states my opinion as well as I listen. Well, I'll listen more in a minute but first you're going to hear my opinion ...

What the Hell Happened?

Different things happened in different parts of the country at different times so let's kind of generalize this to keep it on task.

Before the mid-late 1990s, consumers access to all things bicycles were at the mercy of local (and mostly similar) bike shops and a couple of mail order catalogs ... except for department store bikes *cough*

During the 80s video games and personal computers were joining general society at ever-increasing speeds with the force of a freight train initiating the decline of youth bicycle sales and eventually all bikes since household incomes were investing more into time consuming computer fun

During the latter 90s and over the next 10 years two BIG things happened at the same time. THIS IS A BIGGIE! (more on this later but it involves a blindfold)

The internet boom and the unstoppable competition from e-commerce threw so much at retailers so fast they scattered in 1,000 different directions at once ending the once uniformed way of doing business (all of the above threw manufacturers & suppliers off and consumers became pickier than ever of what shop they preferred)

"The Lance Effect'— Love, hate, or don't care in the first place about what went down, there is absolutely no denying he single-handedly (with bold marketing and branding), brought the exciting world of cycling to the mainstream unlike anyone before or after him because of not only his story and the millions his foundation raised but because his 10 year long reign came at the exciting birth of social media.

2010 to present as the Lance excitement wore off some BIG players entered the e-commerce scene (Amazon, Wiggle, Chain Reaction, etc.) and flipped an unprepared industry on its head while they weren't looking. #blindfolded

The Blindfold

So now what? Nobody seems to know and everyone is throwing their arms up in the air trying to figure all of this out. Before I start pointing fingers, let's discuss the well-timed blindfold I mentioned above. Regardless of all of the other things wrong with the industry, what sent it so quickly into its biggest spiral over the last 15 years was due to the 'Lance Effect' happening when it did.

As the internet and e-commerce was preparing to dominate the retail side of the industry in the mid-to late 90s, the "Lance Effect" provided just enough boost to maintain if not better the health of the brick and mortar business model over the next 10 years. Though not necessarily great, things were good enough that the surviving shops were continuing with 'business as usual' all while the e-commerce was exploding in the background.

The brick and mortar side of the industry was wearing a blindfold made of false hope ... a sort of 'things were good enough/no quite terrible' so don't change anything. Starting around 1997 till about 2010 the industry failed to gradually make critical adjustments in the retail segment because no one was complaining enough. By the time the 'Lance Effect' was over, it was too late. The industry, unintentionally, allowed the e-commerce side to virtually get away with murder.

Today, we are witnessing the aftermath of what happens when you take something for granted just because things were going OK.

Pointing Fingers
I have no intention to upset anyone nor am I going to go out of my way to comfort anyone reading this. There is no time for that and I am a believer that coddling & pride are some of the culprits that got us in this mess in the first place.

So who exactly is the bike industry? In short, it's a bunch of passionate people who are currently working at, or one time or another, worked at a bike shop. On the B2B side it's safe to say that 85 percent are former shop employees or bike enthusiasts. Of those, most have shop experience from back in the good old days and let's admit, are fond of those days (guilty).

Our hobby is our passion which is our career ... and that is the best worst thing ever.

There is a cancer of informal and softened decision-making taking place in our industry. I am not saying everyone needs to go out and get an MBA or burn their business down but we need to encourage every segment of our industry to attend continuing education programs. And I'm going to put this in all caps ... HAVING A COMPANY WHOSE PRODUCT YOU SELL PROVIDE INFORMATION ON 'BETTER BUSINESS PRACTICES'& HOW TO SELL IS SECONDARY TO THE COURSEWORK YOU SHOULD SEEK. Having someone giving you advice that could fall anywhere between shooting from the hip to highly formal expert advice based on the cycling industry should be the secondary, not the primary, source which drives your business decisions.

Though a good portion of advice and lessons from respected industry leaders has been good to great, it's never been what I consider complete. Maybe complete isn't the right term ... It's never been professional. We all love the industry and are on some level all friends in that we share a lot. However, the bike industry is a business and we need leaders to treat it like a fucking business. I have mentioned it in comments too many times to count but no one has ever said, "There are $XXX, XXX, XXX and Y, YYY number of bike shops. The one's netting between $AAA, AAA and $B, BBB, BBB need to sustain an minimum of ZZ% growth per year over the next 5 years or consider an exit plan over the next two."

I know this will tick some off, but there are too many traditional business models (not just retailers) taking up too much space (profit) in today's marketplace and we need a set of industry leaders who focus on understanding that. Just as we need direction for growth we need direction for damage control and failure equally. All of this begins with more long-term forecasting using historical numbers. Every retailer should have a 5-year (minimum) plan which they make adjustments to at least once a year. On the B2B side, it should be standard to have a 10-year forecasting meeting every year.

Losing Interbike is Worse than You Think

Like anyone who has invested a good portion of their livelihood in this industry, my heart sank to the news of Interbike being canceled. I have gone to Interbike as an attendee, a vendor and as media slime. Aside from the event organizer, I understand most every person's role and what it takes to attend or be a vendor (the costs are astronomical). Due to joining another industry (of which Emerald owns a trade show in funny enough), I haven't been to Interbike the last two years which from what I understand were lackluster at best.

While it's common knowledge, any and every trade show is a profitable business first, before it is a support system and place for the good of industry collaboration. Regardless of the leadership's intentions, a show won't happen unless the expo company is making a buck. That mostly comes from vendors buying space, labor, and concessions. So for Emerald, a GIANT in the trade show business (who provides guidance on what it takes to have a successful trade show) to pull the rolled out carpet out from under the industry and clean house is a sign of INDUSTRY MISMANAGEMENT. (last all caps I promise)

So why is losing Interbike a really bad thing? As a longtime attendee and vendor, each of the last 10+ years has ended with a "meh" with a few enthusiastic "well that was the busiest first day I've seen in 2 years." Each of those years also seemed to start with a "who's meeting for drinks where" and nothing else. The week after Interbike, all the old farts are all, "well, people don't do business there anymore, so it's become irrelevant."

I'm officially calling bullshit ... oh sorry. BULLSHIT! (last, last time)

Another Industry Tradeshow Perspective

While "business" (does that only mean orders being taken?), was done back in the day, the most important thing this industry never learned to take serious enough was how Interbike had the ability to pool so many resources together in one place. My most recent position as a marketing Director in another industry took me to five large trade shows and a few smaller conferences per year. Every single person from dealers, distributors, manufacturers, rep companies and reps were hyper focused on doing business ... and that had NOTHING to do with taking orders (though some did). Everyone had meetings, booth visits, and account tours scheduled throughout the day.

While new products were getting shown and announced, there were endless opportunities to attend seminars, training, business & e-commerce strategy focus groups, and numerous other brilliant subject matter. Most of the private and public training pieces were well attended if not sold out! There was even certification credits for several specific segments given out to certify professionals to operate, sell, install, or fix said technologies (on a much different scale, but loosely how we give credit to being certified to be a Fit Specialist and how there should be more emphasis on having more certifications and levels for bike techs. *thumbs up to PBMA though I think they need to get stronger support so they can evolve into what that association deserves to be.

Final Thought and Advice

So to all us slackers who said Interbike became irrelevant, (guilty), wake up, get hungry and get it back! While there is a part of me shaking my fist at our industry's leadership not being the mean parent or truly understanding the tsunami of e-commerce's muted wave during the Lance years, there are many other factors such as the arrogance of retailers attempting to bully suppliers into making up for them falling behind the curve, its refusal to pay professional-level wages to bring in AND KEEP great minds, its treatment and ill-focus of women leadership & their buying power, or (fill in the blank), as those are a whole other slew of dirty subjects but that is one of the many things this industry could have avoided had we been more aware by peeking out from under our blindfold every so often. (I promise I'm not trying to get everyone to hate me).

On a positive note, one of the most valuable things I've gained from this industry outside of the lifelong friendships, is the perseverance to adapt. Through sheer determination and care, this industry is nearing an upward bounce. No lie, some heads will roll and there may be 2 losers for every 10 winners, but the show will come back simply because it has to. Sea Otter, Outerbike, CABDA, and others ... while having their place, I feel there are too many distractions for them to provide a collaborative environment like Interbike should (could have). I could be wrong, but the North American Bike Industry needs a business focused trade show that brings all segments together under one roof at least once a year. It also needs to travel from coast to coast and ... fuck consumer day.

All of my tough love, hope & honesty,

Trey Richardson

2019 BPSA + PeopleForBikes E-Bike Summit

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The Bicycle Product Suppliers Association and PeopleForBikes are pleased to invite you to the 5th E-Bike Summit - a gathering of industry leaders on all things e-bikes. The summit is an opportunity for anyone making or selling e-bikes to network, learn about legal and legislative work that helps grow the e-bike market, and help shape our 2019 e-bike policy agenda. Tapping into our collective knowledge is critical and we look forward to a full house.

 

Date: 
Date:February 12, 2019

GoPro to move some camera production out of China

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SAN MATEO, Calif. (BRAIN) — GoPro Inc. plans to move most of its U.S.-bound camera production out of China by next summer to mitigate the potential impact of new tariff lists. Production of cameras bound for non-U.S. markets will remain in China.

"Today's geopolitical business environment requires agility, and we're proactively addressing tariff concerns by moving most of our U.S.-bound camera production out of China," said Brian McGee, executive vice president and CFO of GoPro. "We believe this diversified approach to production can benefit our business regardless of tariff implications."

McGee added, "It's important to note that we own our own production equipment while our manufacturing partner provides the facilities, so we expect to make this move at a relatively low cost."

GoPro's cameras are not subject to any of the new tariffs imposed by the Trump administration in the past year. Some components typically used in manufacturing cameras are subject to new tariffs, however, making it unlikely GoPro would opt to bring manufacturing to the U.S.

REI Co-op expands gear rental program across the country

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Co-op will offer snowshoe rentals this winter and expand to other categories in 2019

SEATTLE – REI customers can enjoy snowy adventures this winter at a fraction of the cost. Starting this month, outdoor enthusiasts from kids to adults can rent snowshoes in 70 REI stores around the country.

To help more people enjoy outdoor activities and try new gear, the co-op will continue to expand its rental program with new products and additional locations throughout 2019. Most gear available to rent can also be purchased in-store or at REI.com, so customers can try the best outdoor products before purchasing or upgrading.

"At REI we believe in the transformative power of spending time outdoors," says Peter Whitcomb, director of new business development and head of REI's rental program. "Factors such as price and storage space can be barriers to getting outdoors. Offering rental gear makes it that much easier for people to learn a new hobby, check out new gear, connect with friends, and get outside."
Today's news marks the beginning of a significant expansion of REI's gear rental program. Throughout 2019, the co-op will continue to grow the number of rental locations, breadth of gear and quality of rental options available to members.

"We're rethinking how we provide high quality gear at lower prices to our customers, particularly as their behaviors and expectations change. Our expansion into snowshoe rentals and used gear is one of the key ways we're evolving our business model to connect more people to the outdoors," says Whitcomb.

After each season, gently used rental equipment will be sold through REI's used gear program local garage sales so that REI members have the option to purchase affordable, pre-loved gear.

Availability and pricing varies depending on location. REI Co-op members get a discounted rate on all rental gear. REI offers outdoor outings and classes on snowshoeing and other winter sports. Visit REI's list of store programs for more information on winter classes and availability.


Through the Grapevine: Making Asia Great Again

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Editor's note: This column appeared first in the December issue of Bicycle Retailer and Industry News.

Making Asia Great Again: Tariffs are a great way to teach geography, as well as a smattering of international economics. Maps of China and Southeast Asia haven't been in such demand since World War II. Executives everywhere and in every industry have pinned them to corporate conference room walls — tracing supply chains from Chinese factories, sketching ocean freight routes and seaside ports, while calculating the cost of moving production somewhere else. Mostly somewhere else. Not the USA.

But first, let me state for the record that China has sinned grievously over the years. It has taken advantage of the West, which includes North America (not just the U.S.), Europe and any other country that failed to pay attention to its pernicious trade demands. China joined the World Trade Organization in December 2001 and immediately began cheating on WTO rules. And doing business in China, always a fraught affair, got worse. To sell Western-branded goods, China forced some companies to transfer technology to its manufacturers. It stole and continues to steal intellectual property. It failed to play nice when it came to reciprocal trade rules. And it pumped massive amounts of dollars into its state-owned factories and is doing so again.

Enter the Trump administration. And so let us give credit where some credit is due. Trump is right to take a hard line with China, to focus our collective attention on what has become a lopsided playing field. And more importantly to acknowledge the damage done to millions of Americans who saw their jobs shift to China and elsewhere. Of course, corporate America, unhinged by arrogance and greed, aided and abetted that massive 20-year-plus job shift. But let's not let American consumers off the hook either. We apparently love to buy all that stuff Made in China, making its way over the vast Pacific in 40-foot cargo containers, all so we can save a buck or two at Walmart. And, yes, we're still shopping like there's no tomorrow.

Making Asia Great Again II: Keeping track of the latest trade bluster from the Trump administration is a slow walk through the Land of Oz. And it's fair to say no one really has any idea what Trump will do as his two China hawks, Peter Navarro and Robert Lighthizer, battle with Trump's so-called China doves, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Larry Kudlow, Economic Council director. Each faction is seeking first-mover status in Trump's ear. B

ut anyone who wants to get a handle on the tit-for-tat imposition of tariffs between the U.S. and China should Google "Bloomberg Timeline" and go back to January, when Trump decided putting tariffs on solar panels and washing machines would MAGA. That was followed a few weeks later in February with his imposition of 25 percent duties on steel and 10 percent on aluminum. That was less MAGA than perhaps Trump figured as the nation's manufacturing sector began to tally the costs. And squawk. Loudly. Browsing Bloomberg's Timeline is akin to watching a slow-moving fistfight between a couple of pudgy geezers — Trump and Xi. None of this bodes well for the future.

Making Asia Great Again III: Anyone in the bicycle industry who thinks this trade stuff is just a bunch of hooey, and chooses to ignore it, is making a mistake. The Trump administration has imposed a collective tariff, punitive in its impact, on manufacturers, suppliers, retailers and, yes, our customers. How costly this trade war is and could get for the overall economy is anyone's guess. But serious economists have voiced concerns and the stock market has hopped up and down like a kangaroo with hot feet in part over tariffs and rising costs. All of this helps drive inflation, making it more difficult for wages to keep pace. It goes on and on. For the bicycle industry, expenses have grown while sales remain relatively stagnant.

Company executives, particularly at the major brands that have some manufacturing in China, continue to review various scenarios for production changes, shipping and freight costs, personnel time, employee relocation, travel and a host of other niggling costs such as visas if they want to visit Vietnam, Cambodia or other countries (Taiwan is visa-free). How much all this could affect consumer prices at local IBDs is a good question, and no one really knows. Therein lies the problem: uncertainty. That's a word that Trump and his advisers seem inclined to ignore. Business abhors uncertainty just as we abhor uncertainty in our personal lives. Uncertainty festers. It makes key decisions more problematic. "Is this the right move? What if ..." And that's where we are. Uncertain.

An amusing Facebook post: Rick Vosper, whom I've known for years and like, is a certified "pot stirrer." And in mid-November he tossed some spice into his bubbling pot with a Facebook post suggesting that the Bicycle Product Suppliers Association was privately pondering a move to take over PeopleForBikes. Think of it as an inside coup d'état. All this transpired on Vosper's Cycling Industry Forum, a private, mostly, group of "approved" participants numbering around 100 or so. It's an interesting list. But back to the alleged coup d'état in the works. No sooner had Rick posted that unsourced speculation than I received an irate email suggesting Rick was off his rocker. Well ... if a coup d'état isn't in the works, and I doubt it is, having an open and frank discussion about such a merger would be a good thing.

Skip Hess, a former BPSA president, noted in a post the obvious: "Consolidation is needed and priorities redefined. There simply won't be enough to fund, staff and organize multiple efforts." I'd say Skip knows a thing or two about the subject. And such consolidation has been suggested in this column before. After all, the cross-membership between the two boards of directors is stunning. Some might say incestuous. All the big brands have a seat at both tables. And all are paying varying amounts in dues for their assorted memberships. So talking about a merger — even if one is skeptical about Rick's post and the various comments it prompted — isn't exactly nonsense. Perhaps one day we could all see the following headline in BRAIN: "BPSA leads industry coup, dethrones PFP leadership." Now that would make an interesting article for all to read.

New Donnelly gravel tires named in honor of Emporia, Kansas

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BOULDER, Colo. (BRAIN) — Donnelly Cycling new gravel tires is called the EMP, in honor of Emporia, Kansas, the home of the Dirty Kanza race.

The EMP has the more aggresive tread of Donnelly's gravel tires.

Beefy side knobs borrowed from Donnelly's BOS cyclocross tire offer cornering control and the integrated protection belt helps ward off punctures. The center tread design borrows slightly from Donnelly's MSO model, which, to date, was considered the brand's most aggressive gravel tire.

The EMP will be launched with a 700 x 38 tubeless ready model retailing for $72 and in a 60 tpi foldable bead for $47. Next spring Donnelly will roll out the model in two more versions: 700 x 45 tubeless ready ($72) and 700 x 45 60 tpi ($47).

SBT GRVL Sold Out Within a Week for Inaugural Event

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STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, Colo. (Dec. 11, 2018) - SBT GRVL, Colorado's first large-scale gravel event, sold out for its inaugural year within seven days of registration opening. The cycling community has been buzzing about the new two-day event, which boasts three courses of beautiful, high-altitude gravel roads winding through Steamboat Springs, Colo., since the launch announcement in October, 2018.

While U.S. road racing appears to be showing declines in sponsorship and participation in recent seasons, gravel continues to gain major momentum. Gravel events embody adventure and community, and continue to gain popularity among elite and amateur cyclists alike.

SBT GRVL's super successful launch provides further proof. Riders from 47 states will be heading to Steamboat Springs in August 2019 for the inaugural event, which will be a celebration of gravel cycling including an expo, a post-ride party, great local food and beer and much more for participants, as well as non-racing friends and family.

With three course distances ranging from 37 miles to 141 miles, SBT GRVL welcomes riders of all levels, including top competitors in gravel cycling. Joining for the inaugural event for male racers are Ted King, Colin Strickland, Phil Gaimon, Jamey Driscoll, Payson McElveen, Yuri Hauswald, Neil Shirley and Jake Wells. Joining for female racers, SBT GRVL welcomes Lauren De Crescenzo, Kaysee Armstrong, Karen Jarchow, Alison Powers, Kae Takeshita, Laura King, Rose Grant and Amity Gregg.

See the full list of professional athletes who have commited to racing SBT GRVL in 2019 here.

Canyon Bicycles is the presenting sponsor of SBT GRVL. Silver level sponsors include Stages Cycling, Smartwool, Panaracer, Primal, Orange Seal, Carmichael Training Systems, GU Energy, Mavic, ROKA, Chamois Butt'r, Steamboat Orthopaedic & Spine Institute, Steamboat Resorts by Wyndham Vacation Rentals, Alpine Bank and The Paoli Group. Bronze sponsors include Split Nutrition, Steamboat Ski Area, Mountain Tap, Backcountry Deli, 305 Spin, Simple Canvas Prints, Community Agriculture Alliance and Celestial Seasonings.

About SBT GRVL
SBT GRVL launches August 2019 as a world-class gravel experience committed to Beauty, Inclusivity, Family, Challenge and Fun. The event enables gravel fans of all ability levels to experience the unmatched gravel roads winding around and through the iconic, beautiful mountain town of Steamboat Springs, Colo. Riders are invited to push their abilities on three course distances ranging from 37 miles to 141 miles. Those seeking the ultimate challenge can saddle up to 9,000 feet of climbing on the Black 141-mile race course, destined to become a highly sought-after title for endurance gravel pros. The Blue course is a 'best-of-Steamboat' experience wrapped up in 100 miles and the Green course is a 37-mile introduction to the area's unrivaled gravel roads. Come experience high-altitude gravel, a weekend full of events for the whole family and ranch-town hospitality at SBT GRVL.

Investment firm buys Clean Bottle

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BOCA RATON, Fla. (BRAIN) — Split Peak LLC, a private investment firm, has acquired Clean Designs, LLC, the parent company of Clean Bottle.

Clean Bottle was launched in 2010 with a guerrilla marketing campaign at that summer's Tour de France and later appeared on the ABC series "Shark Tank." 

Brandon Bernardo, the CEO of Split Peak, said, "We believe the reusable bottle market offers enormous opportunity and we are excited about our acquisition of Clean Bottle. The Clean Bottle brand includes outstanding products with strong intellectual property and we look forward to leveraging the resources of Split Peak to expand the existing operations and provide Clean Bottle's customers with new and exciting products."

David Mayer, the founder of Clean Bottle, added, "The team at Clean Bottle is eager to take advantage of this new opportunity. We have worked hard for the previous eight years to prove the market need for this solution, and we are ready to see that taken to the next level with new ownership."

Clean Designs, LLC was advised by Bell Lap Advisors on this transaction. Terms were not disclosed. 

Avant Sports streamlines brand portfolio, looks to work with more IBDs

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The Aventon Kijote chromoly adventure bike retails for $599.

Editor's note: A version of this article appeared in the December issue of Bicycle Retailer & Industry News.

CITY OF INDUSTRY, Calif. (BRAIN) — Avant Sports' Justin Christopher views the fixed-gear market much like the BMX market: It's hot for a couple years, then cold. Then hot again, and cold again.

That's one reason why Avant's Aventon brand expanded beyond track and other fixed-gear bikes this year to offer its first geared bikes: a drop-bar adventure model and a commuter e-bike.

"We wanted to diversify a little bit. Also, our audience is getting older and wants different kinds of bikes. It's an attempt to respond to that, for sure," said Christopher, vice president of e-commerce for Avant Sports.

Based in Southern California, Avant consists of three brands: 6KU, its initial price-point fixed-gear brand; the more premium and lighter-weight Aventon line; and e-bike brand Populo, which recently began winding down.

"Each of those has a different strategy. Aventon focuses primarily on consumer direct but is still in a pretty good group of bike shops. We're still available to bike shops in our dealer portal. 6KU is more of a mass-market brand. Basically it's in every channel. We sell it direct, we sell it to bike shops, we sell it to the mass market like Amazon. And then Populo was the third one. Populo just exited the e-bike market, so there is still some product out there in channel, but it's mostly sold out of our last production run and we're not making any more," Christopher said.

Avant founder and owner Jianwei "JW" Zhang said the decision to shutter Populo was a tough but necessary one.

"We've been trying to manage three brands. For a small team like us, it turned out to be really challenging to manage all three. So at the end of last year we started to consolidate the brands and be more streamlined," he said, adding that Avant continues to offer warranty and parts service for Populo.

Avant's e-bike development is now under the Aventon brand, which released its first electric this fall: the city-style Pace 500 Class 3 throttle- and pedal-assist model. Equipped with a 500-watt rear hub motor and 556.8-watt-hour battery, it retails for $1,399 — in line with Avant's focus on economical, affordable bikes.

"We'll continue to develop more electric bikes. That will be most of our focus over the next few years at least," Zhang said. "In the meantime, we're still going to keep making regular bikes as well."

Aventon also added the Kijote drop-bar adventure bike this fall, with the brand's factory riders making appearances at events like Northern California's Grinduro race and festival. Built on a 4130 chromoly frame and fork, the Kijote accommodates tires up 47 millimeters wide and is spec'd with a Shimano Claris 8-speed drivetrain. It weighs 28 pounds (size medium) and retails for $599.

Zhang founded Avant in 2013 after studying economics at California State University, Long Beach. With help from his parents, who manufacture power tools in China, he set up his own factory in China near their facility and launched with his first 6KU model, a high-tensile steel fixie. Aventon launched the next year with racier aluminum track bikes, and Populo e-bikes followed in early 2017.

Avant currently does less than 25 percent of its business through IBDs, but Zhang would like to grow his dealer base and establish service center-style partnerships in key urban markets.

"Although online shopping has been growing the past 10, 15 years, for bikes it's so important still to feel the product. The bike shop is still very important to help the customer get the right fitting, get the right bike. Having bike shops work with the brands will not only help with the shopping experience, but help the company avoid any potential warranty issues or installation issues,' he said.

"For us, our strategy is to continue to work with bike shops because the ultimate goal is get more people on bikes. In the meantime, we want to continue to promote online because it helps to bring traffic, get more exposure and drive that traffic to the shops."

 

3T launches travel division, 3Travel

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Ride With Us

The most beautiful regions of the world are best explored off the beaten path. 3Travel is our service to let you enjoy amazing parts of the world by bike. Under the guidance of our experienced bikepackers from PA Cyclism, you'll cover carefully selected routes perfect for the 3T Exploro.

Back in June 2016, when we launched the Exploro bike, we launched our XPDTN3 (eXPeDiTioN) club at the same time. With XPDTN3 we went on 3 day bike adventures and told you our stories and showed you the most amazing scenery around the world. XPDTN3 bike trips are perfectly suited for riding with the Exploro.

We shared our travel stories from Japan, Utah (US), South Africa, Oman, and many more amazing places. After a couple of months we started getting emails from you: ' can I book such a trip with 3T?'. And the answer was always: no I am sorry, we are not able to offer you these trips as a 'package'. In order to offer travel destinations, special licenses are required.

And then I met Willy Mulonia: in 2003 he founded the bike travel agency PA Cyclism. Willy is a true bike explorer: one of his most important accomplishments is his ride of 28.640km from Patagonia all the way up to Prudhoe Bay in Alaska. Willy is a great and entertaining guy. His bike travel agency has since the launch focused on offering trips off the beaten path. I couldnt imagine a better partner to launch 3T trips based on our XPDTN3 stories.

Today we proudly launch the first trips at 3Travel. With groups of maximum 10 riders you will explore absolutely awesome routes under the guidance of 3 professional bike tour guides. Everything is taken care of: hotel, food, routes. You just need to show up with your bike and good mood: hassle free adventure travel. Bookings are open, and limited availability, so BE FIRST!

At the start, 3Travel will offer the following destinations:

Italy
Strade Bianche, vineyards and villages

200 km, 3850 m ascent

Sometimes considered "a nation within a nation" because of its strong linguistic and cultural identity, Tuscany is a perfect place to be explored by bicycle.

Spain
Gravel & Grapes in La Rijoa

243 km, 3804 m ascent

"Red, rosé or white?" This trip around La Rioja combines the best the region has to offer: perfect gravel trails, tapas, famous gastronomy, high mountains...and the world's best wine.

Marocco
Sand dunes and art in the desert

273 km, 710 m ascent

Exotic and near at the same time. Normally, if you want to embark in an exotic trip with a different culture, 10 hour planes are usually involved. Not in Morocco. Take a plane anywhere in Europe, and in 2 or 3 hours you will be in Marrakech, ready to head down to the desert where a completely 19th century lifestyle still exists.

 

Playtri named official triathlon store of IronMan

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TAMPA, Fla. / DALLAS, Texas (December 13, 2018) – IRONMAN, a Wanda Sports Holdings company, announced today a multi-year partnership that expands the relationship with endurance sport retailer, PLAYTRI, as the Official Triathlon Store for the IRONMAN® and IRONMAN® 70.3® U.S. Series. PLAYTRI will offer full bicycle service at the IRONMAN Village as well as bicycle tech support on course during race day.

PLAYTRI has 18 years of triathlon knowledge and experience cultivating the best equipment, and support for athletes of all abilities to excel in their multisport goals. PLAYTRI owns and operates one of the largest chains of triathlon-focused retail locations and online store in the nation, with the goal to expanding their retail footprint to all 50 states through franchising.

“We take athletes achieving their health goals seriously at PLAYTRI. The IRONMAN and IRONMAN® 70.3® journeys are one of the most sacred in the world of triathlon and why we are excited to be delivering quality service and products across North America at IRONMAN events,” said Stephan Brown CEO of PLAYTRI Franchising. “Walking to the start line confident your bike is ready, your special needs bags are full, and you have everything you need to make your day a success is important to us.”

PLAYTRI will be on-site at many of the 2019 IRONMAN and IRONMAN 70.3 U.S. Series races positioned in IRONMAN Village with a large assortment of last-minute items available for sale in addition to offering full bicycle service for athletes competing, including on course race day tech support.

“PLAYTRI’s experience, knowledge and passion in their support of athletes gives us complete confidence that this partnership will greatly benefit our participants before and during our events,” said Stuart Selig, EVP of Global Partnerships, North America for IRONMAN. “We hope to help PLAYTRI grow as they bring their expansive offerings to more athletes around the U.S.”

PLAYTRI will also be fielding franchise opportunities. The PLAYTRI franchise model offers a blend of entrepreneurship and community advocacy, further growing the sport while creating a profitable business model for franchisees to be successful in their respective markets.

For more information about PLAYTRI or franchising opportunities, please contact Stephan Brown at (850) 978-2736 orsteve.brown@playtri.com.

For more information on the IRONMAN brand and global event series, visit www.ironman.com. Media may contactpress@ironman.com.


Footwear veterans join forces for Unparallel Sports shoes

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Unparallel’s Up Link men’s clipless MTB shoe

Editor's note: A version of this story appeared in the December issue of Bicycle Retailer & Industry News.

FULLERTON, Calif. (BRAIN) — Mountain bikers who know their sneaker-style MTB shoes will see a few familiar features in the Up Link clipless model from new footwear brand Unparallel Sports. Start with the outsole: That's similar to Teva's Pivot clipless shoes from the brand's brief foray into the MTB market, right? Actually, it is the Teva outsole design.

Unparallel owner Sang Lee worked on Teva's MTB shoes for parent company Deckers, and when Teva exited the bike market in 2014 he purchased the tooling.

"So this is actually a Teva outsole package. Now we just use our own UnParallel rubber — two different compounds and co-molded those two compounds for higher performance— and also redesigned the upper. So this is exactly the same as the Teva bottom," said Lee, who has also produced shoes and boots in California for customers including The North Face, KTM, K-Swiss.

But that's only the start of the shoe development knowledge going into Unparallel's new line of mountain and commuter shoes.

In 2006, Unparallel creative director Steve Delacruz developed Five Ten's first mountain bike shoes. Those shoes were manufactured by Lee until Adidas acquired Five Ten in 2011.

After leaving Five Ten, Delacruz went to Italy to create Fizik's first shoes. He also spent a stint at Oakley in the early 2000s working on an array of footwear projects — an experience Delacruz likens to going to "shoe-making college."

"In 2½ years we made everything from sandals, golf shoes, heels for women, military shoes to skate shoes, mountain bike shoes — just this huge range. It was a great learning experience," he said.

WIth 20 years of experience creating shoes for Etnies, French shoe designer (and mountain biker) Franck Boistel rounds out the Unparallel product development team.

"So that's one of the fundamental strengths of our brand is the three of us," Delacruz said. "Myself, all my racing and bike design and development experience, and Sang's manufacturing and contacts and expertise as a shoe maker, and then Franck as a designer. It's only three of us, but we've got a strong team."

Unparallel began selling its mountain shoes consumer direct on its website in late August, with plans to sell through North American IBDs as well. Delacruz is working to raise awareness of the brand and is visiting key shops local to the company in Southern California before building out a dealer network and courting distributors.

At its factory in Orange County, Unparallel manufactures an extensive line of rock-climbing shoes. And while the brand's bike shoes are manufactured at its factory in Busan, South Korea, Unparellel develops its rubbers for those shoes in-house in Southern California.

"We master batch the rubber and control the rubber — that's absolutely key. Rubber's first. So it's the design, the development and rubber control we do here," Delacruz said.

"It's only manufacturing in Korea. All other processes are here," Lee added.

The mountain bike lineup consists of three models — the West Ridge and Dust Up flat-pedal shoes and the Up Link clipless shoe. The Dust Up and Up Link also come in women's versions. For commuters and city riders, Unparallel will offer five models, with clipless versions available for three of them.

"We wanted to come to market with a range that's not only for all-mountain/enduro and the more enthusiast hard-core riders — we also want to pay attention to city bikers and commuters. We feel there's a lot of growth there. And also just have a cool casual shoe that you don't have to switch out of when you ride into work," Delacruz said.

But Delacruz predicts the Up Link clipless shoe will be Unparallel's best-seller out of the gate.

"We'll also get quite a bit of traction with the West Ridge — more of a burly freerider kind of a shoe — but the majority of our sales are going to be with the Up Link," he said. "With the city bike shoes it's going to take a little bit longer in that we've just got to find the right retailers. It's more of a location shop. It's got maybe a coffee shop or it's a higher-level shop that has customers who go in to really check stuff out."

Three New Members Join USA Cycling Board of Directors

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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – USA Cycling today announced the addition of three new members to the Board of Directors. Erica Clevenger, Bob Saffell and Julia Violich have been appointed and begin their terms immediately.

"We are pleased to welcome Erica, Bob and Julia to the Board," said Bob Stapleton, USA Cycling Chairman of The Board. "They are passionate advocates of the sport who bring a wealth of specific expertise to USA Cycling. They join a strong Board that represents each discipline and our key stakeholders, and provides important advice and insight to USA Cycling."

Joining the Board for two-year terms are:

Erica Clevenger, Collegiate Committee Representative – Erica Clevenger has served as the Female Athlete Representative to the Collegiate Sport Committee for the past three years. She was the 2016 Collegiate Triathlon National Champion and 2017 Collegiate Cycling Road Race National Champion, and now races for both TWENTY20 Pro Cycling and at the collegiate level for Colorado School of Mines while working on her PhD in environmental engineering.

Bob Saffell, Mountain Bike Committee Representative – Bob Saffell began mountain biking in the 1990s after friends introduced him to the discipline, and he and his wife, Lyna, have now raced in hundreds of events. He currently works for Wolters Kluwer Health, Learning, Research and Practice as the director of content strategy and operations. Saffell also founded the Scalded Cats Cycling team and serves on the Board of the Utah High School Mountain Biking League.

Julia Violich, USA Cycling Foundation Representative – Julia Violich currently runs Violich Farms, Inc., serves as COO of Capay Farms, and oversees Violich Properties real estate. She is co-founder and finance director of TWENTY20 Professional Cycling. She has been a member of the USA Cycling Foundation Board since January 2011 and was appointed to the executive committee. Violich has won five National titles and a silver medal at the 2008 Masters World Championships.

Visit USACycling.org for more information on the Board of Directors, as well as on the athletes, events and membership programs. Follow @USACycling across all channels for the latest on Team USA.

Playtri Named Official Triathlon Store Of Ironman

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Offering full bicycle service and equipment inside IRONMAN Village at select IRONMAN and IRONMAN 70.3 U.S. Series events

TAMPA, Fla. / DALLAS, Texas (December 13, 2018) – IRONMAN, a Wanda Sports Holdings company, announced today a multi-year partnership that expands the relationship with endurance sport retailer, PLAYTRI, as the Official Triathlon Store for the IRONMAN® and IRONMAN® 70.3® U.S. Series. PLAYTRI will offer full bicycle service at the IRONMAN Village as well as bicycle tech support on course during race day.
PLAYTRI has 18 years of triathlon knowledge and experience cultivating the best equipment, and support for athletes of all abilities to excel in their multisport goals. PLAYTRI owns and operates one of the largest chains of triathlon-focused retail locations and online store in the nation, with the goal to expanding their retail footprint to all 50 states through franchising.
"We take athletes achieving their health goals seriously at PLAYTRI. The IRONMAN and IRONMAN® 70.3® journeys are one of the most sacred in the world of triathlon and why we are excited to be delivering quality service and products across North America at IRONMAN events," said Stephan Brown CEO of PLAYTRI Franchising. "Walking to the start line confident your bike is ready, your special needs bags are full, and you have everything you need to make your day a success is important to us."
PLAYTRI will be on-site at many of the 2019 IRONMAN and IRONMAN 70.3 U.S. Series races positioned in IRONMAN Village with a large assortment of last-minute items available for sale in addition to offering full bicycle service for athletes competing, including on course race day tech support.
"PLAYTRI's experience, knowledge and passion in their support of athletes gives us complete confidence that this partnership will greatly benefit our participants before and during our events," said Stuart Selig, EVP of Global Partnerships, North America for IRONMAN. "We hope to help PLAYTRI grow as they bring their expansive offerings to more athletes around the U.S."
PLAYTRI will also be fielding franchise opportunities. The PLAYTRI franchise model offers a blend of entrepreneurship and community advocacy, further growing the sport while creating a profitable business model for franchisees to be successful in their respective markets.
For more information about PLAYTRI or franchising opportunities, please contact Stephan Brown at (850) 978-2736 or steve.brown@playtri.com.
For more information on the IRONMAN brand and global event series, visit www.ironman.com. Media may contact press@ironman.com.

Orbea hires Beth Leibo as Eastern Regional Sales Manager.

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LITTLE ROCK, Ark.— Orbea has hired Beth Leibo to be the brand's Eastern Regional Sales Manager.

Beth comes with 20 years of experience in the cycling industry from humble beginnings at Bicycle Sport Shop to Shimano/Pearl Izumi and most recently Assos where she was their Factory Sales Lead and Director of Training. Beth has traveled domestically and internationally, creating and building relationships to nurture and grow her dealer base. She is thrilled to be joining Orbea.

"Growth of Orbea's USA presence and ambitious sales goals require special attention, and Beth will be managing a number of energetic sales reps and retail programs. After years of immersion in high-end sales of premium European brands, Beth has a special insight into unique opportunities for sales development. Combined with her great business sense, it's a great move for us. We are happy to welcome Beth to the Orbea USA team," said Orbea USA Country Manager, Matthew Smith.

LOOK now working with ORIS Intelligence to monitor and enforce MAP

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BRADENTON, Florida USA (LOOK & Corima USA) December 12th, 2018— LOOK, a heritage French-based cycling brand, is now working with ORIS Intelligence, the leader in online price reporting, to help monitor and enforce its Minimum Advertised Price policy in the United States (U.S.). Oris will also assist LOOK's efforts to ensure global brand value and market competitiveness. LOOK will continue to enforce its US MAP policy using internal resources and will increase its reach by utilizing the ORIS platform, including more comprehensive management of 3rd party sites like Amazon and eBay.

"LOOK and its retail partners have been challenged by the dynamic online pricing marketplace for some time" said Mike Gann, the company's U.S. office VP of Sales & Marketing. "ORIS will allow us to monitor the market and take immediate, unilateral action to correct pricing irregularities. Our core aim is to ensure a competitive, but stable commercial marketplace that supports and protects our valued retail partners, while preserving the LOOK product and brand value."

"Since the birth of LOOK more than 50 years ago, we have dedicated our energy and creativity to thinking about the products of tomorrow, using our knowledge of carbon and our French manufacturing prowess," said Sébastien Coué, VP sales & Marketing Look Cycle Intl'. "This partnership is a new step towards continued support and protection of our retail and Online partners. It is critical that Look Cycle International enforces its Minimum Advertising Price – (MAP) policy in U.S. to ensure the value of our brand and its products.

For more information on LOOK's US and Canadian MAP policy or to obtain a MAP price list, retailers can contact sales.usa@lookcycle.com.

 

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