SSU insolvency and the bike industry generally

[mntlion]

any rocky updates?

[mcski]

The tariff idiocy is likely to kill off many that have been managing to hang on

[406]

^^^i was thinking the same. Will be interesting if components become difficult to buy.

[mcski]

Seems likely they will become harder to find and more expensive with container ships turning around mid trip now

[Dee Hubbs]

any rocky updates?

From the Instagram of Alex Coggers (former Chief Product Officer at Rocky)
https://www.instagram.com/p/DIpPRWLOBT7/?img_index=1
Alex:Since December, Ive been working closely with my former colleague David Cathcart on a proposal for the future of Rocky Mountain, to rescue the brand. We put everything into it—hundreds of hours building strategy, financial models, engaging with potential investors, and rethinking what it means to build a viable, resilient bike company. I spent over 17 years pouring myself into that brand, and felt duty bound to take a swing at the fences.

We had secured a financial partner, and had a go forward plan, in the face of significant industry headwinds.

Unfortunately, we learned last week that our bid was not selected by the court-appointed monitor overseeing the process.

While its disappointing not to be able to help write the next chapter of Rocky Mountain, the experience has been invaluable. Ive learned more in the last four months than I had in the past four years—and Im incredibly grateful for that. Heres hoping the new custodians of the crown jewel of the Canadian mountain bike scene recognize their duties to nurture Rocky Mountain back to health and have it regain its lofty role.

Huge thanks to all the friends, advisors, and industry partners who supported us through the process. I still deeply believe in the strength of this industry and the people in it.

Now, its time to look ahead—and yes, find my next role. If you know of a team looking for someone who brings strategic thinking, operational experience, and a lot of heart for this industry, Id love to chat. The experience of the past few months has also opened my eyes to the acquisition side of the game, and I will definitely be keeping my ear to the ground on that front.

[Name Redacted]

Revel is closing up shop:
https://www.aspentimes.com/news/carb...box=1745067436

[unitofstuff]

Pretty sad about Revel hitting the wall. My Rail has been great and I would have liked to add a Ranger or something similar.

It got the wheels turning in my head though. How many boutique-ish, independent MTB companies have brought a composite FS bike to market without significant VC/PE money? I'd bet the tooling and production capability costs for Taiwan to build those frames is knocking on $1m per model. I know fairly little about the small business world, but call it $3m just to be able to start producing three bike models? A downcountry/trail/enduro lineup of three bikes seems like a decent assumption. Is that feasible through self investment and/or investors that aren't likely to fuck a bike company? Add up the costs of material, production, a facility, paying employees, warranty work, backup inventory, dealers delinquent on payments, marketing, and whatever else I don't know about and the $8m that Revel is reportedly in debt for doesn't sound crazy.

Maybe it's a fool's errand to try to enter the bike market with composite frames. Seems to me like the most successful smaller brands are either metal-only or started out with metal and only later developed composite frames.

[Name Redacted]

Sounds like a pretty similar story to Guerrilla Gravity, but I know very little of the details about either. I wish someone would take up whatever tech they had for making strong carbon frames in the US an get something going but it it must be more complicated than that.

[smmokan]

I'm hoping I can pick up one of their new enduro bikes (the Ritual?) super cheap... that bike looks fun.One think that stood out to me with Revel was their employee headcount: 31!?! That seems like WAY too many, given what I know about other small'ish bike companies. Especially considering they were paying Carbondale/Aspen wages.

[mntlion]

https://shop.calgarycycle.com/produc...73/?rb_br=4629


Revel Bikes Rail 29 GX Eagle
Revel Bikes Rail 29 GX Eagle
$4,999.00 $7,999.00 38% Off

but priced in CND peso

[wendigo]

<p>
this shit is getting confusing, I have a Guerrilla Gravity, was looking at a Revel for mrs. and we own two Kona bikes, which seem back from the dead? crikey, is there a brand worth safely buying from these days?</p>

[beaterdit]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUTjyhPd8IE


Five minutes with Lance Canfield on Canfield, Revel, and the bike industry.


They&#39;re your anwer, among others. Love my Canfield bikes. I&#39;m over carbon, scary to have in the desert and not really much benefit over aluminum. Those GGs are sweet and prolly the toughest carbon frames out there but aren&#39;t any lighter than aluminum.

[Name Redacted]

I had no idea Canfield was based in Poncha Springs. Cool that they are selling parts for GG. Why are carbon bikes scary in the desert? I like my trail pistol and wish I never sold my old aluminum Megatrail. Might try to get it back. My race build trail pistol is like 24 lbs. Lightest bike I have ever owned.

[HankScorpio]

Welp I just hope my new-ish Rover has no warranty issues. Also not comforting that I have Canfield hardtail and RSD fat bike and who knows if they'll be around in a few months.

[unitofstuff]

There are some rumors of Revel having a new CEO and potentially having been purchased, but it sounded thin.

It seems possible for someone to buy the frame tooling and potentially the naming rights and carry on, but I guess they'd have to purchase the debt too. Not sure what legalese might allow someone to buy the tooling but not the brand.

I'm not afraid of any warranty or defect issues with my Rail29 frame, and I've got a solid screenshot of the bearing kit parts. I worry more about the overall bike industry's obsession with composite frames and if everyone is shooting themselves in the foot to try to push composite frames to market and if they actually have the business stability to pull it off.

[beaterdit]

I had no idea Canfield was based in Poncha Springs. Cool that they are selling parts for GG. Why are carbon bikes scary in the desert? I like my trail pistol and wish I never sold my old aluminum Megatrail. Might try to get it back. My race build trail pistol is like 24 lbs. Lightest bike I have ever owned.

Carbon bikes are scary in the desert for me because they don&#39;t take impact well at all and desert is full of rcks and jannky rock moves that make me crash. I&#39;ve broken a carbon seatstay tipping over onto a large rock. Not even that hard. Anyway I just like metal anymore. Simple, cheap, reliable, mostly.

Welp I just hope my new-ish Rover has no warranty issues. Also not comforting that I have Canfield hardtail and RSD fat bike and who knows if they&#39;ll be around in a few months.

See the short video above with Lance. Seems like Canfield is in it for the long haul and he talks about how. We&#39;ve got five of them in the garage hahaha.

[jackstraw]

My friends and I have ridden carbon for a long time on fields of granite with no real issues. Of course I've seen aluminum and carbon fail from an impact, but I'd never go back.

[mcski]

Same. I’m sure not all carbon is created equally but I can’t even begin to count how many times my frame has taken a beaten, let alone the bars on my older bike yet I’ve never had any reason to be concerned of or seen any signs of pending catastrophic failure.

[evdog]

I've had an aluminum chain stay get crumpled when I tipped over on a rock feature. IMO anything that will break a carbon frame will probably do just as much damage to AL.

[beaterdit]

Thats all fair. Guess I’m just over it. The exorbitant cost doesnt help my feelings and the environmental footprint is at the back of my mind too. Awesome stuff no doubt and I’ve loved my fancy carbon bikes, still love my carbon wheels and bars, and have a carbon road bike. The aluminum mountain bike Im on now is objectively the best bike Ive ever owned but the material is just one part of that equation.Didn’t think Id be setting downhill PRs at 50 and flabby.

[SJG]

what is it?

[XXX-er]

I was wrapped my last 3 bikes with the 25$ rolls of 3M but that shit has gone WAY up since the last bike to like 80$ a roll at the auto part store I'm just gona hope the lifetime SC warranty on frame/ rims/ bearings/ handlebars works

[Name Redacted]

I did the helicopter tape thing on an Ibis once. Not worth the effort for me anyway. I did sell it to a friend and he probably still has it on there 5+ years later. At least the GG carbon frames are like 300% stronger carbon than conventional frames, so I'm pretty confident mine will last a while, even when I ride it in the desert frequently. Sounds like the motorcycle industry is seeing a big downturn as well. Maybe I can get a new bike for cheaper than $10k someday!

[XXX-er]

I did the cheap roll of 3M on the areas that get beat on the most toptube/ side of downtube/ side of stays so not really a full wrap but I think it was worth 25 $ I havent decided to do the Vala maybe just top of top tube with a piece of scrap I found in the shop


4 yrs later where I did fall on rock it only scratched off the top layer of 3M so the bike still looks good and women still compliment that Santa Cruz Lavender color all the time , wimmen dig that color it couldn&#39;t be the 69 yr old rider altho my socks DO match my bike

[Whiteroom_Guardian]

I'm sure i'll buy carbon again, but the Raaw Madonna V2 is the best enduro bike I have owned. I really want the Jibb built up lighter as a trail bike.