Industry News
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (BRAIN) — Todson has signed a deal to exclusively import Hutchinson bike tires and tubes. Hutchinson tires will be sold and marketed in the U.S. by Todson and its independent rep force. Todson currently sells Topeak, Elite, Velox and Onguard.

MISSOULA, Mont. (BRAIN) — Coaster Cycles, which manufactures pedicabs and other three-wheeled vehicles in its Montana factory, is launching a new division to help brands use its customized vehicles in their marketing campaigns.

ATLANTA (BRAIN) — Vee Tire Co. is working with a social enterprise group to recycle tires into key rings. The program is intended to reduce waste and poverty in Northern Thailand. The company will be distributing the key rings for free at next month's Sea Otter Classic and at other bike events this year.
LINCOLNSHIRE, England (BRAIN) — British bike care brand Weldtite has hired Derek Goltz to oversee all sales and marketing activities for the brand in the U.S. The company, which offers lubes, cleaners, tools and other accessories, is entering the U.S. market for the first time this year and will display at next month's Sea Otter Classic.
BERKELEY, Calif. (BRAIN) — GU Energy Labs has installed a 206 Kw solar system at its Berkeley headquarters and production facility, offsetting more than 95 percent of the building's energy.
VALLEJO, Calif. (BRAIN) — Wren Sports has named Yap Bicycle Compania has its distributor and authorized service center for Singapore.

SAN ANTONIO (BRAIN) — Mechanics across the country are reporting that bikes brought in for service or assembly are coming spec’d with knock-off components. Often, customers bring the bikes in new in the box and mechanics are having trouble setting them up to work properly.
TEMECULA, Calif. (BRAIN) — Intense has restructured its sales and marketing functions, eliminating an undisclosed number of jobs in the process, as the Southern California mountain bike brand continues to pursue its hybrid consumer-direct/IBD sales model.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (BRAIN) — The North American Bikeshare Association said its helped defeat a Florida bill that would have replaced local control of bike share programs with a statewide policy.

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, Calif. (BRAIN) — Interbike and Northstar California Resort have released details of the new consumer bike festival that will precede the Interbike trade show in the Reno-Tahoe area this September.
BURLINGTON, Vt. (BRAIN) — A New York City-based investment group, Flour Fund, has purchased the assets of the wool clothing brand Ibex. The fund outbid an offer from a Vermont group that included Liz Robert, the owner of Terry Precision Bicycles.

DENVER (BRAIN) — After an eventful few months, Niner Bicycles has been purchased by UWHK Ltd., an investment firm with ties to the Huffy Corp. A U.S. Bankruptcy Court judge approved the sale last week and the purchase closed Friday afternoon.
BOULDER, Colo. (BRAIN) — The Better Bike Share Partnership has awarded more than $410,000 in grants to help increase access to bike share in communities of color, and to fund research related to bike share and equity.
KENT, Wash. (BRAIN) — For more than a few years Accell North America has been the problem child for its parent, Dutch-based Accell Group. That status would appear to continue judging from the annual report that Accell released early Friday.
KENT, Wash. (BRAIN) — As part of a review late last year, managers at Accell North America discovered that the company had been underpaying U.S. Customs on some bike import duties since 2013. The company wound up paying 4 million euros ($4.9 million) in repayments and interest.
ALISO VIEJO, Calif. (BRAIN) — Fizik has recently announced a 90-day comfort guarantee on its saddles and a 30-day guarantee on its shoes and bib shorts.
MONTREAL (BRAIN) — Dorel reported 0.6 percent growth in fourth-quarter revenue at its bike division, which includes Cannondale, Sugoi, GT, Schwinn, Mongoose and Caloi. However, full-year revenue declined 7.8 percent.

PORTLAND, Ore. (BRAIN) — North St. Bags, which makes bike panniers and bike accessories in addition to backpacks and other gear, is moving its headquarters and production workshop to Portland's Hawthorne District.
LAGUNA HILLS, Calif. (BRAIN) — A new survey of 1,800 e-bike owners done by Portland State University and the University of Tennessee found that that most e-bike owners are very satisfied and really like their e-bikes (96 percent), because they are "fun" and "exciting" to ride.
KENT, Wash. (BRAIN) — Accell North America has appointed W. John Short as its new CEO. Short will oversee all Accell Group operations and investments in North America and will report to newly appointed Accell Group's global CEO and Management Board Chairman, Ton Anbeek.