Jenson is selling Pivot now. Trying to shore up slow sales or does the consumer expect everything to come to their door now?
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Jenson is selling Pivot now. Trying to shore up slow sales or does the consumer expect everything to come to their door now?
It’s tough out there for a small brand. I think you have to offer online sales and going through Jenson allows them to outsource all of that work rather than running a web store themselves.
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It’s an interesting dilemma… is setting it up yourself worth 3040% margins lost thru the online retailer? Lots of other small companies have setup online sales pretty easily (or it appears, at least).Quote:
Originally Posted by Abies
I checked out the Pivot bikes at Jenson. These are the newest models (at least of the Mach4). Full price. I had to check it out as I just bought the old version for 40% off at Backcountry/Competitive Cyclist
Orange dodging a bullet, remaining intact after restructuring
https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/b...JCDwfZvHhqWHF4
Used bikes are less than half of what they were two years ago. Interesting times.
Kinda bummed about Pole. They were way ahead of the industry when they started - one of 2 or 3 companies that figured out where mountain bike geometry was going, 6 years before everyone else. But their whole shift to super goofy looking machined weirdness doesn't seem like it did them any favors.
Lots of arrogant engineering going on over there. Remember when he wouldn't publish geo because we were too stupid? I mean, I guess he is kinda right...Quote:
Originally Posted by toast2266
Yeah, not showing people the geo chart is the most engineer-ish response to criticism of the geometry chart. Pretty funny, albeit a dumb move on their part that they ended up walking back pretty quickly.Quote:
Originally Posted by Eluder
Definitely one of those companies driven by engineers that likes to experiment with weird takes on bikes. Obviously that doesn't always lead to marketable results though.
Cue the engineer jokes
NCL (national crit/cycling league) shut down yesterday too. 10 teams, all with riders on good, living wage salaries - all gone instantly.
Discounting the imminent Kona announcement, I'm putting my money on Spot or Alchemy to go under next.
I was trying to remember when Spot bikes was founded - seems like they've been around for a while. Looking at the website doesn't give me the answer, but it does say that the people who own Spot were the founders of Avid brakes (sounds like they bought Spot after selling Avid to Sram). Thought that was interesting.Quote:
Originally Posted by smmokan
they've been around since at least 2006?, probably longer, belt drive was an early thing for Spot, and i think if I'm not mistaken I rode a 650b Spot demo bike at a NEMBA fest in summer 06?
Pretty sure it was started in Canadia. DeKerf build the earliest protos. Late 90s maybe?
Yeah, a little digging shows they started in Canada in the late 90's. I definitely remember seeing some of their stuff in the early 00's. Looks like the Avid people bought it in '09.Quote:
Originally Posted by EWG
https://nsmb.com/articles/rumors-of-...y-exaggerated/
Yeah Kona looks like it's on the scrap heap. Bummer. Never owned one but they still hold a spot in my heart for being the first mountain bike I wandered past in a shop as a high schooler and going "woah."
My entry into mountain biking was fueled by the Snowshoe bike park in the early 2000s. Kona was affiliated with the park and they were everywhere. My cousin and I both eventually had Stabs, my brother had a Kahuna, I think my dad even rode one at one point. I owe a lot of my passion for Mountain Biking to Kona and that bike.
Oofdah, I just remembered that there is a local shop here that only really sold two lines, Kona and Guerrilla Gravity.
The Kona news is kinda sad. My first higher end mountain bike was a 92 Kona Explosif. Raced the shit out of it and rode it back from the auto shop just this week. I should say it was a great gravel bike as much logging ride as I rode on that thing.
The bike industry is such a roller coaster.
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Correct, I think they bought Spot and rebranded everything (in addition to adding the FS bikes) about 10 years ago? They’re running 40% off sales right now, my guess is they are trying to sell off a bunch of inventory before it’s essentially worthless.Quote:
Originally Posted by toast2266
The power of you tube.
I saw one of your rides on a you tubers video where the guy snapped the Spot frame in a relatively standard drop. It took them out of any consideration for me. It's funny how similarly the constant utilization of you tube by Ibis has arguably worked for them. I wonder if you tubers now have as much reach and influence as racers. Maybe even more?
Kona always seemed like they made bikes to be fun to ride, like they were designed with some purpose in mind but make it fun too.Quote:
Originally Posted by hick
I have the last Explosif - a 2018 steel hardtail, 27.5, the only year they did boost dropout spacing.
Also an old Sutra touring bike, which is a keep it forever bike.
Even more motivation to get my ‘07 Coiler fixed up.
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Yes, I think they do have as much influence as racers - mostly because they have more reach than most racers these days. Plus, IME from talking to hundreds of customers over the years, most of the popular YT'ers (BKXC, Singletrack Sampler, Seth, etc) are a lot more approachable and relatable.Quote:
Originally Posted by Canada1
Also... I have to admit, it was pretty fun riding a broken frame with only a rear brake and half a handlebar down the last 8 miles of the Whole Enchilada. :)
Nice. I lusted after one of those for a long time, wanted to get one to match my Stab.Quote:
Originally Posted by east or bust
Planet Cyclery/Colorado Cyclist appears to be shutting their doors.
Wow. That's kinda more surprising that a lot of these bike companies going out of business. Colorado Cyclist has been around forever.Quote:
Originally Posted by MCS5280
Good chance the Kona brand will live on once the industry pendulum swings yet again. Whether or not the new owners will ‘get’ the brand is a different question.
I agree with the mtb journalist who observed that the Ouroboros appears to have been a passion project that had an announcement/release cycle complicated by senior mgmt shenanigans.
Yeah, this one surprises me too.Quote:
Originally Posted by toast2266
Weren't they purchased by an investment firm Sterling Partners - Velo. Sound like bike guys to me.Quote:
Originally Posted by toast2266
The just need a gravel route... nobody rides pavement anymore.Quote:
Originally Posted by SKIP IN7RO
They had a gravel route...Quote:
Originally Posted by Eluder
sounds lame.:fmicon:Quote:
Originally Posted by skaredshtles
I work with a bike apparel brand and growing at all is a win right now. So goes REI, so goes the rest of the outdoor--a tale as old as time.
IMHO, lots of outdoors businesses, including those in bike, got a little too excited by the covid bump and threw logic out the window. I was involved in many a conversation where hardcore outdoors peeps in the outdoor industry referenced people finally discovering these activities--and assumed that they and their money were here to stay. The average price of bikes these days doesn't help, either and the market is absolutely flooded, from soft goods to high end bikes.
You will see more of these, unfortunately. Bike is a very small market and bike companies only have big chips to play with. The brands in the best position are DTC brands who enjoy better efficiencies, way better visibility and insulative margins.
The shops have to deliver incredible service and have the relatively consumable accessories and soft goods on hand because they're not going to be selling bikes at much of a velocity. Shops that successfully build community via friendly employees, great service and small events, etc will do well, a la Over the Edge, Fat Tire Farm, etc. I know I try to buy from our local shop as frequently as possible, though I ride a Canyon...
And RIP Kona. My SexOne was the first nice bike I ever bought and it brings many a great memory. And FWIW, Scott has been mismanaged since it was purchased by the Italians way back when. The owner is a world class asshole who has a long history of disregarding his employees' counsel.
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^this. I’m just a lowly peon in the outdoor industry, but I was questioning brands decisions in 2022 wondering why they were down VS. 21 on our platform. Constant talk by me of “let’s look at 2019 and add a bit for growth and we’re doing great!” Got thrown out the window. I’m baffled by how financial planners for major bike companies didn’t see this as a hiccup and not a long term shift.Quote:
Originally Posted by The Reverend Floater
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Yup. We went all in and crushed 20/21 but fortunately peeled back for the following year. We definitely had excess inventory but nothing catastrophic. Being D2C helped tremendously --nothing beats real time data and the flashing red lights that come with it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Phall
Generally, I don't blame people. It was unprecedented and the thing about the outdoor industry is that it's largely run by really passionate outdoors people like you and I. We tend to have a pretty subjective view on our passion and it's really difficult to temper. When millions of Americans are picking up bikes/skis/bows/snowmobiles for the first time and someone asks, "will they be long-term enthusiasts," it's hard to say "probably not" in a room full of hardcore users. Especially when peeps were migrating to mountain towns, etc. A lot of the data said it was for real while many brands were posting high double digit growth. And that's how the fire spread.
Then there were companies who really fucked up by initially pulling back when covid hit, thus missing the wave, then trying to play catch up and getting smoked by the flats. I know a few big brands that got double crushed in that manner.
Good news is that those brands that survive this will have absolutely invaluable experience and perspective.
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Because in modern business number must go up forever and ever, amenQuote:
Originally Posted by Phall