Industry News

GUNNISON, Utah (BRAIN) — CSS Composites, one of only a few carbon rim manufacturers based in the U.S., is closing and liquidating assets for its creditors.

WASHINGTON (BRAIN) — National Park Service and Bureau of Land Management open spaces mostly will remain accessible to the public during the government shutdown that began at midnight Wednesday. Officials updated contingency plans for both agencies.

Mary Beth Laughton.

SEATTLE (BRAIN) — REI Co-op CEO Mary Beth Laughton shared a three-year strategic plan with employees, saying the company will have to make difficult decisions to grow sales and build customer trust.

Some Fuell Folld models that were auctioned.

WAUWATOSA, Wis. (BRAIN) — An auction of the remaining assets of an e-bike and e-motorcycle brand founded by motorcycle innovator Erik Buell raised about $170,000, which will make a small dent in the nearly $7 million the company owed to secured and unsecured creditors.

Tagged Electric bike

MOAB, Utah (BRAIN) — Despite the possibility of a government shutdown beginning Wednesday, at least one longtime event held on federal lands will go on as planned.

LOS ANGELES (BRAIN) — A paraplegic man is suing a bike shop owner here because he says the business did not have a required ramp to enter the store. Angel Garcia filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court Central District of California against Martin Villarruel, owner of Martin Bicycle Shop Corp., on Thursday.

UPDATES: Giant says CBP never visited or communicated prior to its announcement; A Danish journalist's work appears to have inspired CBP to take action; Taiwan officials show support for Giant as its stock price rebounds.
Giant Group's Taichung headquarters.

TAICHUNG, Taiwan (BRAIN) — Giant Group says U.S. Customs and Border Patrol officials never visited its factories or had any direct contact with the company before announcing Wednesday that would detain Giant shipments to the U.S. because of alleged forced labor.

Peter A. Feldman.

BETHESDA, Md. (BRAIN) — Nearly four months after approving the e-mobility and lithium-ion battery testing standards, the Consumer Product Safety Commission submitted it to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) last month for review, a new and controversial procedure instituted by a presidential executive order.

Tagged Electric bike

(BRAIN) — The founder of YT Industries says he plans to buy the company back after he was unable to find a buyer during a self-administration insolvency in Germany this summer. He also said most of the remaining staff in Germany has been laid off. YT's U.S. operations are unaffected.

(BRAIN) — Blaupunkt, the car audio brand that began selling folding e-bikes in 2018, plans to move its e-bike assembly for the U.S. market from Paraguay to Western North Carolina.

Tagged Tariffs / Electric bike
UPDATED with Giant response.

WASHINGTON (BRAIN) — Customs and Border Protection on Wednesday said it will detain bikes, bike parts and accessories made by Giant in Taiwan because of allegations of forced-labor use. The ruling appears to apply to products sold under Giant's brands or produced by Giant in Taiwan for other brands.

Trade concerns and continued discounting dampen the industry's outlook.
A model factory at Giant's Cycling Culture Museum, adjacent to its new headquarters.

TAICHUNG, Taiwan (BRAIN) — As the industry gathered here last week for Taichung Bike Week, a low-key but important OE event, companies are struggling with pockets of high inventory, pervasive fear of discounting, wars that are disrupting supply chains and markets, historically high U.S. tariffs, and high fuel costs in Europe, among other disruptions.

LONDON (BRAIN) — Canyon is the first to adopt the Release Layer System, which includes exterior panels that can "shed" from the helmet to attenuate rotational forces.

MORGAN HILL, Calif. (BRAIN) — Longtime industry executive Keith Hnatiuk, who worked for HLC, Canyon Bicycles USA, and Specialized Bicycle Components, died from stomach cancer. He was 66.

ATHENS, Greece (BRAIN) — At least 500 containers filled with e-bikes were among those seized by the European Public Prosecutor's Office for allegedly importing Chinese goods into the EU market and evading customs duties and value-added taxes. Six people were charged.

Tagged Tariffs / Electric bike

TOKYO (BRAIN) — Shimano has apologized after Japanese authorities cited the company for delaying payment to some subcontractors.

POOLE, United Kingdom (BRAIN) — Bike care brand Muc-Off announced an exclusive U.S. distribution agreement with QBP beginning in 2026.

Tagged Distributor news
Art Wester.

SARASOTA, Fla. (BRAIN) — Art Wester, former president of Mavic USA and who sometimes referred to his career choices as the three B's — Books, Boats, and Bikes — died at his home here from mesothelioma on Thursday. He was 82.

TAICHUNG, Taiwan (BRAIN) — Just prior to the opening of the Taichung Bike Week OE event here this week, three of Taiwan’s largest OE bike makers announced that operating revenues had declined in August, with two of them down for the year-to-date.

Tagged Earnings/Financial Reports / Taichung Bike Week
Swrve co-founders Muriel Bartol and Matt Rolletta.

LOS ANGELES (BRAIN) — Swrve announced Wednesday that it has a new owner and will relaunch in 2026 more than a year after the 20-year-old cycling and outdoor apparel brand said it would close.

Tagged Mergers, Acquisitions & Investments

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