SSU insolvency and the bike industry generally

[smmokan]

Rapha is funded by Walton money, there’s no way they’ll close up shop. Same with Allied.

[Canada1]

A few thoughts from my time with Venture money people.

There is alot of conversation and communication with your CFO. They are letting him climb the rope and deliver what was promised. He and the CEO will be replaced with a team that has done the same thing at five other underperforming investments they've had in the past if they can't deliver. So, if the communication is breaking down, it is because the team that is there is failing and attempting to blame the new owners. Most deals have a clear expectation of performance post sale and e everyone attempts to protect their good people when they take the bucket of money.
I'm sorry your going through this. I've been through buy outs three times and it can make a place you loved to work an insufferable backstabbing cess pool.
If you see the writing on the wall, get out early. Loyalty is not rewarded. If you want recognition for staying, when you have a job lined up, get a stay bonus in writing from the ownership group. Not the company they can bankrupt and walk from. Most of you will probably be in roles they are unwilling to do this with, which tells you everything you need to know,

I'm sorry. Good luck.

[grabtindy]

Cycling businesses, if not independent, are typically private equity backed rather than venture, but your advice applies even more so to PE owned businesses. PE is all about free cash flow, so they are ruthless protecting margins. If sales are down costs will be cut to preserve margin and headcount is usualy the easiest way to do it. If you do stay, expect to be asked to do "more with less", ie the work of the folks they just let go is now your job.

[Eluder]

A bit of a shimmer? https://www.vitalmtb.com/features/st...try-post-covid

[TBS]

^^^Yup, my buddy who owns the LBS says same thing - COVID overstock is about flushed from the supply chain and order cycles are reasonable. Also sez to expect some great deals on lightly-used high-end bikes from the local destination resort.

[Skistack]

DC Rainmaker has a good article on the Stages implosion.


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[muted reborn]

You guys read articles about running a stationary bike business?

[mcski]

Only when I’m on a treadmill

[Skistack]

You guys read articles about running a stationary bike business?

Vested interest - I’ve got a Stages power meter.


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[The Reverend Floater]

^^^Yup, my buddy who owns the LBS says same thing - COVID overstock is about flushed from the supply chain and order cycles are reasonable. Also sez to expect some great deals on lightly-used high-end bikes from the local destination resort.

I don't know. REI feels differently about that back stock, as does Sierra Trading Post. One more summer and we should be ok.

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[EWG]

Only when I’m on a treadmill

We really need a "like" button.

[XXX-er]

I don't know. REI feels differently about that back stock, as does Sierra Trading Post. One more summer and we should be ok.

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you mean they don't put unpopular stuff on sale to kick out ? Mec used to be like that as a coop but it changed when they got bought

[El Chupacabra]

Rapha the next to fall?

[detrusor]

Found it hard to believe Rapha even made it. Hipsters running out of money?

[nickwm21]

The one piece of Rapha I have - an MTB long sleeve jersey - it one of my favorite things I own. If they go under, I hope they have some great sales on the way down…


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[EWG]

Rapha just closed their North American office. Laid of 6 out of the 8 employees they had.

[buttahflake]

I think we covered this on the last page
Take a Lap

[EWG]

I think we covered this on the last page
Take a Lap

Fuck I'm too tired for another lap. Yeah, now I see the 6 people comment but no one noted that North America office was shut down and that they only had 8 people to start with. So I'll use that as my excuse for no lap.

[sfotex]

What is the Rapha market play? It looked like the Assos/Castelli/$$$$ dentist market segment?

[jamal]

Trek just started carrying rapha and put in this big push of "we're carrying rapha now buy some it'll increase sales" on the b2b so I wonder if this is related or if the deal is going away or what.

[SKIP IN7RO]

What is the Rapha market play? It looked like the Assos/Castelli/$$$$ dentist market segment?

Step #1 should be to keep the Trail Knee Pads in stock. Those things are hard to get.

[Andeh]

Step #1 should be to keep the Trail Knee Pads in stock. Those things are hard to get.

Yeah. Honestly, I was super skeptical of Rapha's entry into MTB (I associated it with espresso sipping hipster roadies), but every piece of their MTB stuff is super well thought out and constructed, with very minimal branding. As someone who's turned off by giant Fox heads and moto-inspired gear, it looks really good to me.

I keep picking their stuff on sale and love every piece. Besides 2 pairs of the knee pads, I've got their trail pants, trail shorts, 2 trail tech tees, 1 tech LS, and their wind shirt (merino/wind shirt). There's plenty of pockets on the pants/shorts which are also well placed so stuff in them doesn't get in the way. The cell phone sleeves in the thigh pockets work so well that I keep checking to make sure my phone is there because I can't feel it. The knee pads have great upper shin protection, but are also comfy enough that I can leave them on for half a day without any irritation or chafing.

[nickwm21]

As someone who's turned off by giant Fox heads and moto-inspired gear, it looks really good to me.

Yeah. Very non-TGR comment - but most MTB apparel is pretty far behind modern fashion trends… baggy, lots of branding, aggressive fonts, logos, colors… much of it looks like it was a 2006 14 year olds wet dream… The Rapha stuff is modern. Minimal logos, Clean design, muted colors. Well fitted…. More importantly, the stuff is workwise on the bike…


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[Abies]

Agreed. Their trail pants are my favorite piece of mountain biking clothing I own. I just ordered some of the lightweight trail pants and they shipped from the UK…


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[zion zig zag]

I had to go check out Rapha since I had never really heard of them. $160 shorts that don't come with the $125 liner? $130 jerseys? So nearly 500 bucks for one set up? I hope there are some generous 50% off sales floating around….