WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif. (BRAIN) — Wheels, a startup electric bike share company, has raised $50 millionin an investment round led by DBL Partners. DBL's founder, Ira Ehrenpreis, was an early investor in Tesla and is on the electric car company's board.
Industry News

WASHINGTON (BRAIN) — The U.S. Trade Representative has granted a tariff exclusion for China-made carbon fiber frames, an exclusion requested by Parlee Cycles, Inc.

OGDEN, Utah (BRAIN) — Organizationally, Enve is in new territory. Mavic, its fellow cycling brand within Amer Sports, has been sold to Regent. Meanwhile, Amer itself has been sold to a Chinese investor group. Where does that leave the Utah-based company?

BOULDER, Colo. (BRAIN) — Ryan Atkinson, the president and co-owner of SmartEtailing, joins host Kristin Carpenter on the latest episode of the Channel Mastery podcast.
STOCKHOLM (BRAIN) — Thule Group is reporting healthy sales in its third quarter in all markets except the U.S., where uncertainty about tariffs has caused some retailers to reduce orders.

TAICHUNG, Taiwan (BRAIN) — Fritz Jou moves fast, thinks fast, and wastes no time.
He led the TAITRA bike factory tour at his own Fritz Jou Manufacturing (FJM) company on Thursday, and if you got caught staring too long at any one process, you risked getting left behind.

ANOKA, Minn. (BRAIN) — Chris Sword, who has been president of Shimano-owned Pearl Izumi for about two years, will become president of Vista Outdoor's Bell & Giro brands effective Oct. 30.
TAICHUNG, Taiwan (BRAIN) — Rising e-bike demand and an emphasis on developing drivetrain systems have Tektro/TRP in need of more manufacturing space.

TAICHUNG, Taiwan (BRAIN) — SRAM has expanded its Asia headquarters in the past 29 years, adding 17 buildings and stretching out to 452,000 square feet. Its latest addition is a small classroom but said it believes the space is every bit as far-reaching as the previous expansions.

TAICHUNG, Taiwan (BRAIN) — TAITRA officials said Monday during an introductory press conference before its annual bike factory tour week that Taiwan's e-bike exports grew by 131% by volume in the first three quarters of this year compared to the same time last year.

TAICHUNG, Taiwan (BRAIN) — Steve Fenton always has said Taichung Bike Week is a three-day show for the industry by the industry. After concluding its 15th annual event on Friday, Fenton said Bike Week delivered again.

PARK CITY, Utah (BRAIN) — Sweden-born safety brands POC and MIPS have agreed to a new collaboration that the companies say will lead to new technologies.

DES MOINES, Iowa (BRAIN) — The staff that produces The Register's Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa has resigned over a decision by the event's owner — Gannet-owned daily Des Moines Register — to prevent event staff from speaking their minds about the paper's handling of a story.

BOULDER, Colo. (BRAIN) — For years, Buy Local Now has allowed brands to push consumers from their brand website to bike shops. Now SmartEtailing is taking it another step: The new BuyLocalNow.com site lets consumers browse products that are available from nearby shops.
LOS GATOS, Calif. (BRAIN) — Beeline Bikes, which provides software that helps bike retailers schedule service work and fulfill online bike sales, has been acquired by an investment group that includes technology and bike industry veterans.
DENDERMONDE, Belgium (BRAIN) — Cycling legend Eddy Merckx was admitted to the emergency room at a Belgian hospital Sunday following a heavy crash while riding his bike, the Belgian daily Het Nieuwsblad reported.
BOULDER, Colo. (BRAIN) — The Boulder Valley Velodrome, built by a partnership that includes Boulder retailer Doug Emerson, is likely to close by the end of the year.

By Michael Gamstetter
ADELAIDE, Australia (BRAIN) — Rarely does a company take to social media to claim another supplier violated its intellectual property rights. But that's been the approach of Zidaz Izaz, owner of the handlebar brand Eyropro.

MOAB, Utah (BRAIN) — With a cheeky event title that played off Interbike's indoor setting, Outerbike has now lasted a decade — and officially into the post-Interbike era.

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. (BRAIN) — The industry escaped another potential tariff threat — this time on European hubs and cassettes — likely thanks to testimony in Washington from Matt Moore, QBP's counsel and chair of the legal and legislative committee for the Bicycle Product Suppliers Association.