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48cm:Unsecured creditors sue 'insider group' to recover debts from ASE

DURHAM, N.C. (BRAIN) — A committee of unsecured debtors — whose members include a long list of bicycle suppliers owed millions by the bankrupt former owner of Performance Bicycle and ASI — is suing some of the companies that hold preferential positions in a bid to increase the amount of debt they are ultimately able to recover.

Advanced Sports Enterprises was renamed AE Bicycle Liquidation, Inc. soon after the company sold most of its assets for $23 million in February.

Proceeds of that sale, plus the sale of store inventory and other assets, will go first to the company's secured creditors, led by Wells Fargo Bank, which was owed more than $20 million.

Other companies currently considered secured creditors include Ideal Bicycle, the Taiwan-based manufacturer, and related companies Top Sport International Holdings, Econotrade Ltd. and Advanced Holdings Co. LTD.

The unsecured debtors committee is suing that group of four, which it calls "the Ideal Defendants," charging that they are insiders who are not entitled to be first in line to receive proceeds from the AE Bicycle Liquidation estate as it is wound down. They are also seeking to recover over $31 million in payments that ASE made to members of the group in the months before the company filed for bankruptcy last November.

The defendants have not responded to the complaint filed by the group on Friday. A pretrial hearing is scheduled for June.

Unsecured creditors could file claims against AE until last month.

The list of unsecured creditors is topped by two bike manufacturers: Active Cycles of China and PT Insera Sena of Indonesia (also known as Polygon Bikes, a part owner of Marin Bikes). Active Cycles is owed $4.6 million and PT Insera Sena is owed $3 million. Another manufacturer, Shanghai General Sports, is owed $1.7 million, while Vista Outdoor, the parent of Giro, Bell and CamelBak, is owed $1.9 million. Ramiko Company, a Taiwanese trading company, is owed $1.5 million.

The U.S. IRS (owed $2.3 million) and shipper UPS (owed $1.4 million) also are among the larger unsecured creditors. The full list contains more than 600 creditors, including Performance store landlords, various service providers and tax collectors.

Lower down on the list are an array of suppliers well-known to the U.S. bike industry:

Highway 2: $569,000

Todson: $528,000

NiteRider: $306,000

Saris: $291,000

Garmin: $290,000

ElliptiGo:$273,000

J&B: $258,000

Castelli: $249,000

Marin: $234,000

Elite: $226,000

Clif Bar: $218,000

Lezyne: $207,000

Louis Garneau: $207,000

Wahoo: $202,000

QBP: $185,000

StaTru: $152,000

CatEye: $121,000

CamelBak: $103,000

Bike suppliers owed less than $100,000 include SRAM, Finish Line, Leavtt, Park Tool, Lake, Floyd's, Thule, Team TIBCO, DeFeet, Delta Cycle, ACT Testing, Skratch, Kemco, Showers Pass, Paceline, Speedplay, Tifosi, pro racer Jeremy Powers, and others.

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48cm:BPSA and PeopleForBikes boards vote to merge organizations

BOULDER, Colo. (BRAIN) — The boards of the Bicycle Product Suppliers Association and PeopleForBikes Coalition have each voted to merge the organizations. The merger must still be approved by a vote of all BPSA members.

The two nonprofit trade organizations began discussing the merger about 18 months ago.

"Our boards, senior staff and attorneys have met regularly to develop a new set of proposed bylaws and a merger plan to support a new, unified organization that will provide powerful, comprehensive representation and improved service to our industry," the groups said in a joint letter to members Monday.

The BPSA board voted to approve the merger last week. The PeopleForBikes board voted Monday morning. The letter said the votes were "almost unanimous."

The BPSA member vote will begin Thursday at the Bicycle Leadership Conference in Monterey, California, for companies who are present; the remainder of companies will be emailed an electronic vote after the event.

In the letter to members sent Monday, PeopleForBikes' president, Tim Blumenthal, and BPSA's president, Adam Micklin, said the merger would create a streamlined single organization that could speak to government leaders with a unified voice. They also pointed out that the organizations have increasingly worked together on a variety of programs, including e-bike legislation and promotion as well as trade and tariff issues. A combined organization would create a one-stop shop for the industry, they said.

"When a bike business joins PeopleForBikes Coalition, your company becomes a supporter of improved bike infrastructure and pro-bike policies across the nation. PFBC manages federal, state and local policy and advocacy work, business intelligence and networking programs (including webinars, summits and conferences), plus marketing and communications efforts that encourage people to bike," the joint letter said.

The letter said the merged organization will continue to work on all current BPSA and PFB projects. The current BPSA board will continue to serve and meet as the BPSA Trade Association Committee, as will all current BPSA committees. Three current BPSA leaders will be selected by the BPSA Trade Association Committee to serve on the PeopleForBikes Coalition Board, where they will join 15 current board members (two of whom also already also serve on the BPSA board).

For the first year following the merger, companies will pay what they paid during the previous 12 months (whether it was BPSA dues only, PFB dues only, or dues to both). Instead of receiving two separate invoices (or three, if a company also contributes to the BPSA e-bike fund), each company will receive one invoice and will remit payment to PFBC.

In year two, companies will be asked to make one combined membership dues payment according to a unified scale that is based on annual U.S. bicycle-related sales.

"Most bike industry companies, especially those who have historically been PFB and BPSA members, will pay total dues that are similar to what they've paid in recent years," the letter said. Companies who have been members of BPSA but not PFB may see an increase in dues if they want to join the new combined organization, however.

More information on the proposed merger: peopleforbikes.org/bpsa-pfb-merger-information.

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48cm:Prestacycle to distribute Edco in North America, Edco to distribute Prestacycle in Europe

Personal request led to cross-Atlantic business deal.

REXFORD, N. Y. (BRAIN) — Prestacycle, a U.S. supplier of hand and inflation tools, is now the exclusive North American distributor for the European wheel and component brand Edco. Likewise, Edco, based in Germany, is now distributing Prestacycle products in Europe.

Edco, founded in 1867 in Switzerland (Bike industry trivia #1: the brand is an acronym for Edouard Dubied & Co. #2: Edco invented the presta valve in 1908). The company has been through some ownership and distribution changes in recent years and is now owned by 3e oem sports AG, based in Seeshaupt, Germany. The company offers high-end carbon wheels, Monoblock machined steel cassettes and other parts.

Prestacycle owner David Finlayson said his company will be displaying Edco wheels and other products at the Sea Otter Classic expo this week. Prestacycle has Edco products in stock at its factory in New York, ready to be shipped to U.S. distributors, dealers and consumers. Finlayson said EdcoNA will offer standard margins to dealers and distributors. He also hinted the Prestacycle may soon announce that is distributing other European brands.

Through the recent changes in ownership and distribution, Edco has continued to sponsor and supply U.S.-based Team Tibco, the longest running women's road team in the U.S. Tibco will be racing at Sea Otter and its members will make public appearances at the Prestacycle/Edco North America booth (Booth K12). Finlayson said Prestacycle will also display some new products under its own name, including a professional quality Y-wrench with replaceable bits and a new line of top quality bits made with nickel-plated S2 steel.

EdcoNA is stocking the brand's carbon tubeless-ready road wheels, which start at $1,695. On the other side of the Atlantic, 3e oem sports AG will be stocking Prestacycle's tools and making them available to European distributors, dealers and consumers. Prestacycle has not previously had a European distributor, Finlayson said.

Finlayson said the relationship developed when he contacted Edco's owners in Germany to inquire about buying a Monoblock cassette for personal use. "I reached out to their director of marketing and when I found out they didn't have U.S. distribution I said, 'what would you think if Prestacycle distributed Edco and you distributed Prestacycle?' and he said 'yes,'" Finlayson told BRAIN.

The Edco North America website is: edcoNA.com. Next month, 3e oem sports AG will begin rollout of Prestacycle products at prestacycle.de. The company recently gave a preview of Prestacycle products at the Cyclingworld Düsseldorf show.

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48cm:HLC names Pat McGinnis president as Sylvain Caya steps down

LEVIS, Québec and LEXINGTON, S.C. (BRAIN) — Sylvain Caya has stepped down as President of HLC (formerly Hawley Lambert Cycling) to pursue other opportunities. Pat McGinnis, currently the VP commercial for the company, is becoming the new president, effective Monday, the company announced.

"We are deeply grateful for Sylvain's leadership and all that he brought to HLC as we grew into the North American business we are today. Pat brings years of both industry and business experience to this new challenge and we're excited as we move forward to have him take on this new role," said Ed Barrett, the chairman of the board of HLC.

"I will certainly miss the great and passionate people I've worked with over the last 12 years. I leave HLC with a solid base for the future with a great team, great brand partners, and a solid North American infrastructure with the four distribution centers and a world-class website," said Caya.

McGinnis joined HLC as VP of Commercial in 2016. Previously he was 14 years with Raleigh as vice president of sales, and in 2009 became president of FreeMotion Fitness, a fitness equipment manufacturer and distributor.

"Sylvain and Ed Barrett have built a great team that I look forward to leading. It's always about the people and we have a talented group that will lead us to be even better partners for our dealers and vendors. We will continue to offer a North American footprint to our vendors while bringing a more country-specific focus to our business," said McGinnis.

HLC also announced Edward Wright has been promoted to the role of vice president for Canada and Chad Smith to the role of Vice President for the US. Wright was recently named director of sales and marketing and Smith has served as strategic accounts director since 2015.

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48cm:Rick Vosper: E-bikes, part three: new room, new elephants

In part one of this series, we looked at the overall size of the IBD portion of the e-bike market relative to EBD (independent or single-brand e-bike-only retailers) and consumer-direct sales (25-30% apiece to the IBD and EBD by units, the rest to direct). In part two, we dug a little deeper into the EBD market and discussed whether it will ultimately merge with the traditional IBD and IBD brands) or remain autonomous (the answer depends on who you talk to). And now it’s time to unpack the whole What Happens Nextpiece of the equation.

Problem is, there are a couple additional variables in that equation which, in typical bike industry fashion, no one seems to want to talk about.So let’s talk about them anyway. I’m referring to the rise of e-bike share/rental programs financed by companies with functionally limitless budgets, and the introduction of entire new e-bike brands by giant auto and motorcycle companies—as much as fifty times larger than even the biggest bike industry brands. There are a couple additional variables in that equation which, in typical bike industry fashion, no one seems to want to talk about.

Bikeshare was never about bikes ... and that goes double for e-bikeshare

It seems increasingly likely the bikeshare market will leapfrog its pedal-only phase and move directly to e-bikes This is especially true in hilly cities like Seattle or San Francisco in the West or San Boston or Pittsburgh in the East. Ultimately, any discussion of bikeshare becomes, de facto, a discussion of e-bikeshare.

But the bikeshare business is not primarily about bikes (or even e-bikes) as much as it is about gaining and controlling share of vehicular traffic for companies like Lyft and Uber. The latter famously acquired e-bikeshare company Jump a year ago at a rumored $200 million. Lyft acquired bikeshare company Motivate in November, poured $100 million into programs for New York city alone, and announced the addition of more than 600 of Ford's GoBike e-bikes to its fleet a month later.

These businesses are operating under an entirely different set of rules from the traditional bike business. But whether we like it or not, what they do will impact what we do. It’s not a question of whether or when, but one of how and, more importantly, how much.

For purposes of this discussion, let’s set aside the swarming gnat-cloud of practical issues confronting bikeshare initiatives — docked vs dockless, injuries and lawsuits, stolen or abandoned vehicles blocking sidewalks or impeding street traffic, bicycle graveyards, and on and on — and focus purely on the bike-business aspects.

Will bikeshare programs put more Americans on bikes? Almost certainly. Will that translate to increased sales for local bike shops? Not so much, if at all.

The debate goes like this: more people riding and enjoying bikes through bikeshare means more potential bike owners, people who find it more convenient and economical to buy a bike than rent one. Therefore, the rise of bikeshare means more bike sales long-term. But there’s a counter-argument too, which says that, in addition to creating new riders, bikeshare will also pull potential bike owners — people who would normally have bought IBD-quality bikes anyway — away from purchases and into rentals. At the end of the day, it’s anybody’s guess.

Will bikeshare programs put more Americans on bikes? Almost certainly. Will that translate to increased sales for local bike shops? Not so much, if at all.

My opinion is that any gains or losses will be marginal, and that concerns about bikeshare — and specifically, e-bikeshare — are at best a distraction for those of us who actually try to make a living making and selling bikes, electrified or otherwise. But industry doomsayers can take heart from the fact that there’s still plenty of new competition coming up, and aimed straight at the heart of our core business, too.

Welcome our new motor sports overlords

Of much greater importance than bikeshare is the role of auto and motorcycle companies as direct e-bike competitors. Their products will end up going head to head with those from traditional bike companies, not to mention established e-bike-only brands like Pedego or Rad Power. I did a quick count the other day and with a little help from Google, came up with a dozen major car and motorcycle brands who are either already in the e-bike business, claiming they will be any day now, or, like Tesla and Harley-Davidson, teasing the possibility.

I asked e-bike consultant Ed Benjamin of eCycleElectric about car companies and e-bikes.

"I have the good fortune to have four automotive industry clients," he says, although he declines to name specific brands. "And I've learned a bit from them. These guys are willing to put in an enormous R&D investment before they put a product out. It's sort of the opposite of the bicycle world. And the bottom line is, quality of the products is much better than what we're getting the bicycle business.

"(Car companies) bring astonishing resources and quality and value to their bicycle products. But ... they have no idea how to sell bikes." — Ed Benjamin

"Their new vehicles go through two years of testing before they go to market. (Car companies) bring astonishing resources and quality and value to their bicycle products. But...they have no idea how to sell bikes. They are confused about the whole ‘first and last mile’ thing. But they have an enormously powerful potential resource with auto dealers, marketing expertise, and budget. So far their dealers haven't been interested in e-bikes, despite the fact that an electric bike has better selling margin than some small sedans."

Among many others, General Motors wants a piece of the e-bike business. In November, GM announced it would begin two e-bike models consumer-direct in 2019 in Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands, and of course rumors have been flying about a North American presence ever since.

“I see GM as more of a market enhancer than a disrupter, just because it's going to bring more people into bikes, including people who might not be familiar with bike brands today. We're looking for people who live and work in cities, and they're looking for alternatives that work for them and the way they live. I call it being 'transportation agnostic.'”

That’s General Motors’ Hannah Parish, and she is positively bubbly about the positive effects her employer’s e-bikes might have not just for the IBD, but the entire cycling world at large. But Parish isn’t just another corporate shill. She’s global director of GM’s ARĪV group (fancypants crowdsourced spelling and all), and comes to the conversation with heavyweight marketing credentials from the IBD side of the business. These include stints as head of marketing for Specialized Canada and director of marketing for the CSG (Cannondale et al) brand portfolio.

When asked about initial sell-in of GM’s e-bikes in Europe, Parish is upbeat but nonspecific. “So far, so good,” she says diplomatically. “We're very pleased with how our presales have been going.”

The initial model for the Germany and Benelux launch will be consumer-direct, she explains. Assembly when needed (one model, the folding Merge, arrives fully assembled and ready to ride) and service/warranty will be supported by German provider Live Cycle, which has a brick and mortar presence in a number of German cities as well as mobile outreach, according to the Live Cycle website.

But when I press Parish for more information about GM’s sales channel plans, things get very interesting, very quickly.

“We'll have a multichannel approach,” she says. “In April, we've announced we'll be shipping product, first in the e-commerce channel and eventually including the ability to sell into IBDs, large retailers, and national accounts. Of course we're a startup, so we'll add those incremental channels over time. As I like to say, we fish where the fish are."

I note we had a corporate minder with us on our call, a nice woman from GM’s advanced technology communications group. Since there were no howls of outrage following Parish’s last statement, it’s safe to conclude this information is now what corporate types like to call “market-facing.”

Let’s start with the sort of “click and collect” model that goes live for GM this month in parts of Europe, and explore how it might apply to the USA, I suggest. “When we think about the United States, we haven't made the plans yet, so I can't tell you," Parish says. “I wish I could give you something, but I can't speculate.”

Fair enough. But last time I checked, Velofix had fifty-one mobile sites in the USA and eighteen in Canada. And according to Beeline CEO Pete Small, his company’s network of mobile service providers now includes more than 200 participating dealers with 350+ brick and mortar locations in the US. That number includes its Powered By Beeline partners via parent brand Accell.

One or both of these companies could support a whole lot of e-bike sales, which is another way of saying “provide a cost-effective, scalable solution to that thorny ‘last mile’ challenge.”

And it’s by no means the only solution.

Hmm, lessee. Global brand recognition, proven track for reliable with high-quality consumer products. Know any hungry IBD-segment retailers who might be interested in taking on an e-bike line like that? Well … how about the more than half of all US bike shops who don’t currently have their available floor space hamstrung by agreements with Trek, Specialized or Giant, for starters? And then there’s every EBD shop not already locked in with Pedego.

That’s a lot of prospective dealers. And, at least potentially, a staggering number of e-bike sales.

Now take that model and multiply it by more than a dozen nascent e-bike brands, from corporate behemoths like GM, Toyota, BMW and Yamaha to sexy boutique marques like Porsche, Maserati, Ducati and Buell, and you have the power to move markets. Yes, even if only a fraction of these brands end up adopting the model. Not to mention the resources to empowering a currently underserved segment of the retail base, perhaps even toppling the dominant bike industry paradigm.

A possibility that big deserves a special name. I think I’ll call it ... Bike 4.0.

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48cm:Otso launches Waheela gravel bike in new carbon version

MINNEAPOLIS (BRAIN) — Otso's new Waheela C is a carbon version of its original, steel Waheela S.

The Waheela C can be set up with 29-inch, 650b, or 700c tires. A Tuning Chip dropout system allows the wheelbase to be adjusted by up to 20 mm to accommodate the chosen riding style without compromising handling.

The bike has three bottle mounts (with extra mounting points on the down tube), fender mounts, rack mounts, and mounting points on the top tube for adding a fuel tank bag. The included carbon fork is suspension adjusted so that riders can choose a suspension fork without affecting the handling.

Otso allows customers to pick the handlebar width and stem length, wheels, tires, and drivetrain. They can also pick the anodizing color of components.

Frames are available in Gloss White, Matte Black and Gloss Red. Framesets retail for $2,049, bike start at $3,499.

More information: Product Page.

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48cm:You oughta see it: Official Sea Otter event guide available now for download

MONTEREY, Calif. (BRAIN) — While the Sea Otter Classic opens next Thursday, visitors and wannabe visitors can get a headstart on planning and drooling over new products by viewing the official Sea Otter Classic Festival Guide online today. The 48 page issue contained calendars, maps, an expo exhibitor list, a roundup of the many new products being launched at the event, and even tips on how to enjoy the festival with children.

It can be viewed or downloaded now at: lsc-pagepro.mydigitalpublication.com.

Hardcopies of the Guide, which is produced by the BRAIN editorial staff, will also be available at the event and are being mailed to BRAIN and VeloNews subscribers and included with VeloNews newsstand copies.

The 2019 Sea Otter Classic cycling festival will take place near Monterey, California, from April 11-14. This “celebration of cycling” brings road cyclists, mountain bikers, gravel cyclists, and e-bike riders together for an action-packed weekend of thrilling bike racing, interactive product demos, and over 1,000 endurance sports brands — all in a festival atmosphere complete with swag, nutrition product samples, snacks, and cool new gear.

Download it.

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48cm:SmartEtailing president talks click-and-collect on new Channel Mastery podcast

DURANGO, Colo. (BRAIN) — Ryan Atkinson, co-owner and president of SmartEtailing.com, sees click-and-collect retail as the opportunity to reconnect consumers to stocking retailers.

“Consumers want the product now and they’re being trained by the Walmart’s and Target’s of the world,” Atkinson said in a new Channel Mastery podcast episode. SmartEtailing is a specialty bike marketing company that aims to connect IBDs, brands and target consumers across multiple channels,

Atkinson acknowledged that Walmart and Target own their own stores and thus have the advantage of nation-wide logistics to serve consumers. Retail behemoths continue to leverage their inventory position, which is closer to the consumer than Amazon’s fulfillment capabilities, he said.

“Fundamentally, the IBD network has the same thing. We've got the best product distributed across the country close to consumers,” Atkinson said. “The question is how do we use technology to connect those two?”

He said SmartEtailing.com exists to solve this quandary for specialty businesses serving today’s bike consumer. “I think brands and suppliers, they've learned that in order to adapt to the changing needs of a consumer, that they need to have their products available in more places. That's a reality.”

The Channel Mastery podcast with Atkinson is available now. In addition, BRAIN is co-producing a special series of Channel Mastery podcasts that explore the shifting channel landscape in the specialty bike market. The series starts April 15 and will run for a month, featuring two Channel Mastery podcasts a week during that time.

More information at www.channelmastery.com.

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48cm:Arkansas gets 'Idaho Stop' law for cyclists

The state becomes the second to allow cyclists to treat stop signs as yield signs, and red lights like stop signs.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (BRAIN) — Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson has signed a bill making his state the second to allow cyclists to roll through stop signs when safe, and to treat red lights like stop signs, proceeding into intersections when safe after stopping, even if the light is still red.

The law was supported by state cycling groups and national groups including PeopleForBikes and The League of American Bicyclists.

"This act is likely to improve the safety of bicyclists by promoting the use of side streets and lessening the time that bicyclist are exposed to dangers at intersections," said the League's policy director, Ken McLeod.

PeopleForBikes' Morgan Lommele said, "Studies show that bicyclists are safer when they are able to get a head start at intersections, and they become more visible to the drivers behind them, which helps avoid crashes and keeps all road users safe."

Idaho has the only other law allowing cyclists to treat stop signs as yield signs and red lights like stop signs. The state passed that law in 1982 and similar proposed legislation is often called "The Idaho Stop."

The bill passed the Arkansas Senate 33-2 and the Arkansas House 75-4 with 21 representatives not voting. It will take effect July 1.

RELATED: In 2017, BRAIN published opinion pieces in favor of the Idaho Stop and opposed to it.

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48cm:UCI says it will discipline its riders who participate in e-bike race organized by motorcycle group

AIGLE, Switzerland (BRAIN) — The International Cycling Union is warning that it will discipline its registered racers who participate in a June e-MTB enduro race organized by the International Motocycling Federation.

On March 21, FIM announced the inaugural FIM EBike Enduro World Cup, to be held over two days in Privas, France.

On Friday, the cycling group, UCI, said it was "disappointed" by FIM's announcement, noting that the UCI already sanctions e-MTB national championship events and plans to hold an e-MTB World Championships this year in Mont Sainte-Anne, Québec. The UCI said FIM "had no regulatory basis" to sanction e-MTB racing.

"The UCI had already notified the FIM in September 2017 that it considered E-mountain bike events to come exclusively under its jurisdiction and that the respective roles of the two International Federations (UCI and FIM) were clear and would not be called into question," the UCI said.

The UCI said it considered the FIM races banned events. "Consequently, any UCI-licensed rider participating in one of these events would risk disciplinary measures," the organization said.

In a statement Friday, UCI's president David Lappartient said, “I am delighted by the boom currently enjoyed by e-mountain bike, a specialty that enables a new public to take up mountain biking — a demanding discipline — and which is also appreciated by high-level riders. The UCI means to develop this activity which, as with other forms of cycling, comes under its exclusive jurisdiction.”

The FIM event will include two categories: Enduro1 (E1), for e-bikes with a maximum rated continuous power of more than 250 watts and whose assistance can exceed 25 km/h without exceeding 45 km/h; and Enduro2 (E2), for e-bikes with a maximum continuous rated power of 250 watts and whose assistance does not exceed 25 km/h. To participate in the events, riders require an FIM EBike Enduro World Cup license, issued by national motorcycle federation.

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48cm:Light & Motion Adds Industry Veterans to its Sales and Marketing Team

Marina, CA, April 4, 2019 –Light & Motion, the premier US manufacturer of performance self-contained lighting, has added two new team members to its leadership team, heading up the management of its worldwide Sales and Marketing efforts.

Daniel Delehanty has come on board as VP of sales. Daniel distinguished himself leading and growing BMC North America and later as the Managing Director of Focus North America.

Tom Brady joins as VP of Marketing. Tom has had a storied career in the Outdoor industry, leading brands including Smith Optics, Backhill Snowboarding, a division of Burton, Gravis Footwear, O’Neill Inc, Skullcandy and Speck Products

“Light & Motion is at an exciting pivot in its 30-year history. We are poised to drive the brand into new markets while strengthening our base in dive and bike,” says Daniel Emerson, CEO of Light and Motion. “These new additions bring great energy and we couldn’t be more pleased to welcome Daniel and Tom to our team.

Daniel Emerson added, “Tom and Daniel are bringing deep experience to bear on charting our growth path in bike, dive as well as emerging markets in photography, cinema and drone lighting that draw on our highly compact patented lighting platform.”

About Light & Motion

Based in Marina, California, Light & Motion designs, tests and builds its LED bike, underwater, camera and location lighting systems at its LEED-certified headquarters. Beyond bright, we are Progressive, consistently delivering the most innovative, powerful, lightweight lights on the market. We are Waterproof, the only brand who can claim all our new lights are fully submersible, thereby eliminating a leading cause of lighting failure. And we are Makers, designing and building our products in CA for over 30 years. Light & Motion products come with a two-year Enhanced Experience Guarantee.

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48cm:Rad Power Bikes sues rival e-bike company, claiming copyright infringement and false advertising

SEATTLE, Wash. (BRAIN) — Rad Power Bikes, one of the fastest growing e-bike brands in the direct-to-consumer channel, is suing an Arizona electric vehicle company that sells e-bikes under the Bam Power Bikes brand.

Rad Power charges that Bam Power infringes on copyrighted material and designs on its website. It also charges that Bam Power is making false advertising claims. JHR Electric Transport, the owner of Bam Power Bikes, has not responded to the complaint.

The alleged copyright infringements include Rad's bike measurements graphic on its website, its homepage tagline, "Built for Everything, Priced for Everyone" (which is repeated exactly on the Bam homepage), and other website elements, including its customer review page and its consumer direct pricing page.

Rad Power charges that Bam misleads customers through false association and advertising, and by claiming to have patented technology that, Rad claims, can't be found.

"Rad Power Bikes has suffered and will continue to suffer harm as defendant's actions continue to deceive and confuse the relevant consuming public as to the origin, sponsorship, affiliation, and/or connection of and between the relevant products, and by virtue of defendant's factual statements that constitute false advertising. Defendant's desire to emulate Rad Power Bikes interferes with plaintiff's right to control its own brand and reputation," the complaint reads

"In order to correct and end the misimpressions being foisted upon an unsuspecting public through Bam's deliberate replication of Rad Power Bikes' website design and business persona, Rad Power Bikes seeks immediate and permanent injunctive relief, and damages in an amount to be proven at trial."

Rad Power is asking for damages and costs. The case is filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, in Seattle.

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48cm:Ken Meidell Appointed New CEO Of Outerbike

Western Spirit Cycling Continues to Evolve the Hands-On Consumer Bike Experience

MOAB, Utah [April 2, 2019] – Western Spirit Cycling - founders and promoters of Outerbike; the consumer-focused experience for testing, reviewing and riding the newest bikes and cycling gear - announces Ken Meidell has joined the team as the first CEO of Outerbike.

Meidell most recently served as CEO for Dakine, and has over 15 years of experience in executive roles at Outdoor Research and Cascade Designs. In his new role within Western Spirit, Meidell brings his deep knowledge of growing the consumer experience and his passion for mountain biking and the outdoors to evolve Outerbike in 2019 and beyond.

As a creative leader and solid cyclist, Meidell has fresh insights and ideas for growing Outerbike that best serve the industry, the manufacturers and the consumers. "We are super excited to be partnering with Ken to take Outerbike to the next level," said Western Spirit CEO, Ashley Korenblat.

Established in 2010, Outerbike is a series of experiential consumer events dedicated to helping riders chose their next bike and explore new cycling gear. With the changing landscape in sales channels, coupled with the continual improvements in product design and technology, Outerbike offers cyclists a bespoke, hands-on opportunity to ride bikes and test gear on real trails before making purchasing decisions.

Welcoming avid riders, early adopters, and all cycling curious consumers, Outerbike is a fun and inclusive environment to learn, explore and experience biking from an insider's perspective at some of the world's premier mountain biking destinations. The three-day events offer real rides on real trails on dream bikes from all attending brands. Between activities, exhibitors and attendees enjoy lunch, and later beers, together under the Outerbike tent to convene, chat and compare the finer points of all the gear.

"These weekends unite cyclists with the companies committed to growing our sport as well as allow for newer riders to progress in their journey by building community, courage, and conversation around cycling" said Meidell.

"Outerbike is focused on one thing: providing world class bike demo opportunities for all levels of cyclists, and having Ken on the team will allow us to bring more bikes to more riders in more great places!" said Korenblat.

In 2018, Outerbike events in Crested Butte, Moab, and Bentonville attracted riders from 48 states and 14 countries. A fourth location, Sun Valley, Idaho, has been added for 2019. Over 100 of the leading bike and gear brands will be in attendance this year at the following

Outerbike 2019 Schedule:

Sun Valley, Idaho; June 21-23, 2019

Crested Butte, Colorado; August 16-18, 2019

Moab, Utah; October 4-6, 2019

Bentonville, Arkansas; October 25-27, 2019

For more information, or to sign up for an Outerbike experience, visit www.outerbike.com.

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bittenpath-blog · 5 years

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48cm:Bulls Bikes Serving As Presenting Sponsor Of Sea Otter Classic's eMTB Race And Inaugural Raceway Demos

Three Members of the Legendary “Team BULLS” to Compete in the Pro Races

Los Angeles (April 4, 2019)— BULLS Bikes, a global leader in the mountain, specialty, and eBike categories, will serve as the official ebike and demo-track sponsor of the Sea Otter Classic. Attendees of the world’s premier cycling festival will also, for the first time ever, have the chance to test ride a number of new bikes from BULLS’ lineup.

Last Fall, BULLS created excitement in the biking community with the announcement of new additions to their industry-leading product line at Interbike including the Six50 EVO AM 4, E-STREAM EVO AM 4 and E-CORE EN Di2. Sea Otter will mark the introduction of the Wild Flow EVO RS, equipped with the Fazua motor, to BULLS eMTB category. In addition, BULLS will expand their eRoad category with the debut of the Grinder EVO Lite and Alpine Hawk, which both feature the new Fazua motor, and the inclusion of the all new Grinder EVO, Bosch Speed-powered bike. All of these models will be available for public demos throughout Sea Otter Classic 2019.

"We are honored and excited to be the presenting eBike sponsor for The Sea Otter Classic and look forward to kicking off this three-year partnership in dynamic fashion,” said Adam Anderson, Sales and Marketing for BULLS Bikes USA. "There is also no better place to introduce our new bikes and give riders the chance to ride them than at the largest event of the year. We’re excited to bring the cycling public a wide array of models and introduce them to our product line and racing team.”

BULLS is hosting Sea Otter’s eMTB race as well as two demo courses- the Raceway Demos Hosted by BULLS, which is located for the first-time ever on the WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, and the eMTB Demo Course hosted by BULLS. Additionally, BULLS Bikes is featuring four of its pro athletes to compete in multiple race categories, including the BULLS Bikes eMTB Race ePoweredby Bosch.

BULLS Bikes has a strong racing pedigree, including capturing multiple international titles over the last decade. BULLS Bikes’ pro racers, including five-time champion Karl Platt, will represent Team BULLS at Sea Otter this year. Platt, who is among the top ranked riders in the world, will compete in the eMTB race as well as the Gran Fondo. Tim Böhme, who has raced at Sea Otter in 2016 and 2018, will compete in the eMTB and Gravel pro races. Marc Oppermann, a three-year veteran to BULLS Enduro Team is one of the top Enduro racers in Germany and will compete in the eMTB and Enduro Dual Slalom pro races. Christian Husband, the first professional rider signed to the Team BULLS USA will compete in the UCI XC, Pro XC and eMTB races.

BULLS will host the first ever e-biking consumer demos on the WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. The raceway is a paved racing track normally utilized for both auto and motorcycle racing. The eMTB demo course features compact dirt and a controlled route that allows riders to experience acceleration, small-hill climbing, and handling. This track is designed for intermediate to advanced riding levels.

For more information on BULLS BIKES visit the website here or follow BULLS BIKES on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. To find more information on the Sea Otter Classic, you can visit the event’s website at SeaOtterClassic.com

About BULLS BIKES USA

In addition to being a leader in the traditional, mountain, and specialty categories, BULLS BIKES has the most extensive eBIKE product line in the United States, offering nearly every rider the bike they desire, from eMTB hardtail and full suspension to eCity/Treking and eSpeed. Founded in Germany in 1994, BULLS BIKES offer a diverse selection of bicycles has enjoyed notable success and widespread popularity as a staple bike manufacturer throughout Europe and the US, offering more eBIKE systems and innovating at a higher rate than any other OEM.

#48cm road bike #Bicycle Retailer and Industry News

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bittenpath-blog · 5 years

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48cm:PeopleForBikes releases third Bicycling Participation Study

Too early to talk about trends, but the 2018 study validates previous findings.

BOULDER, Colo. (BRAIN) — Sometime next year, PeopleForBikes will release its fourth Bicycling Participation Study results and the organization's research director, Jen Boldry, will be ready to talk about trends in bicycle use in America. Until then, Boldry is careful to say the study results provide a snapshot picture of bike use, but can't be used to show whether bike use is going up or down.

The report released this year, called the 2018 Participation Study, is based on nearly 15,000 online survey responses collected from adults last November. The responses were weighted for gender age, region, ethnicity and income and has an overall margin of error of less than +/- 1% at a 95% confidence level. The methodology is described on the PeopleForBikes website.

The third study was conducted in the same manner as the previous two so they can be compared. And study number 3 found very similar results as numbers 1 and 2. For example, the newest study found 32% of Americans ages three and over rode a bicycle at least one day in the past year. The 2017 study came up with the same number, while the 2015 study put the figure at 34%. We can't talk about trends, but the similar figures add validity to the methodology.

There's a lot in the reports about why people ride and why they don't, broken down by demographics, but that one ridership figure — that a third of Americans, 98 million of them, ride bikes — has already become a go-to stat cited by bike advocates and business planners. Go ahead and use it at your next city council meeting when arguing for better bike facilities. Or toss it into your next business plan — we know for a fact it's been done many times since PeopleForBikes released the first participation study in 2015.

One ridership figure — that a third of Americans, 98 million of them, ride bikes — has already become a go-to stat for advocates.

It's notable that the BPSA's number is almost 20 points higher than the figure folks had been citing for years. The National Sporting Goods Association leisure activity study, which the NSGA has been conducting annually for more than 30 years, says roughly 12% of Americans participate in bicycling. The discrepancy is easily explained: The NSGA defines bicycling participants as those age 6 and older who ride six or more times a year, while PeopleForBikes counts those age 3 or more who rode at least once in the last year.

Other findings from the latest report:

Those who rode for transportation are much more likely to have done so to get to and from social, recreation, or leisure activities (71%) than to have commuted to and from work or school (51%).

Half of adults in the U.S. don’t have access to an operational bicycle at home.

Forty-seven percent of adults in the U.S. want to ride more often and 48% perceive bicycling as a convenient way to get from one place to another. However, 50% worry about being hit by a car and 43% say they would be more likely to ride a bicycle if motor vehicles and bicycles were physically separated.

Watch for more about the study in the May 1 edition of BRAIN.

Download the report

#48cm road bike #Bicycle Retailer and Industry News

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