Industry News

IRVINE, Calif. (BRAIN) — Don DiCostanzo has heard the stories. The 14-year-old with bone cancer regenerated leg movement riding an e-bike after having surgery. A woman who began e-biking to recover from a heart transplant. Another battling a muscular disease now is able to maintain mobility with the help of an e-bike.

ANOKA, Minn. (BRAIN) — Vista Outdoor Inc. will separate its shooting sports and ammunition brands from outdoor sports brands — including Bell, Giro, Blackburn, CamelBak and QuietKat — by splitting into two distinct publicly-traded companies.

For the first time since the brand was acquired from Groupe Rossignol, it will have complete bikes, a new gravel model and a supply of frames available in the U.S.

MORGAN HILL, Calif. (BRAIN) — Specialized has appointed Armin Landgraf as its Chief of Worldwide Markets, effective May 1.

SHERBROOKE, Quebec (BRAIN) — Paul Mckenzie, the longtime owner of the Arkel bike bag brand, has sold the company to Marc Desrosiers, a former product developer at Bombardier Recreational Products.
WASHINGTON (BRAIN) — The U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee moved a policy package to the Senate floor Tuesday that would fund recreation infrastructure and expand access on federal public lands.
NEWARK, N.J. (BRAIN) — A federal judge has approved delaying the civil case against Samuel J. Mancini, the CEO of an investment group that planned to buy up several Italian cycling brands.

CORTEZ, Colo. (BRAIN) — Osprey Packs announced Thursday that CEO Layne Rigney will leave the company at the end of the day following nearly six years. Rigney recently guided Osprey through the Helen of Troy acquisition.

STOCKHOLM (BRAIN) — Helmet technology company MIPS increased first-quarter net sales by 65% year-over-year with its Sports division growth being led by snow products and less by the bike products.

TOKYO (BRAIN) — Shimano Inc.’s stock price fell nearly 14% on Wednesday following the release of its first-quarter earnings report Tuesday.

OLATHE, Kan. (BRAIN) — Garmin Ltd. reported record first-quarter revenue despite a 28% decrease in sales in its fitness division, which includes Garmin's cycling products.

NEW YORK (BRAIN) — Many of New York's tragic and highly visible fires have involved e-scooters and e-motorcycles. Does the distinction matter?

ATLANTA (BRAIN) — While several former employees of Wahoo Fitness have told BRAIN in recent days that they had been laid off, the company on Tuesday announced it had purchased RGT Cycling, a virtual cycling platform.

TOKYO (BRAIN) — Sales in Shimano's bike-product division were up 14% in the first quarter, compared to the same period last year. However the company said the pandemic-driven bike boom "showed signs of cooling down."

STOCKHOLM (BRAIN) — Thule Group's first-quarter net sales increased 20% despite continued pandemic hurdles — including global supply chain challenges, rising costs in raw materials and shipping, and employee absenteeism — and most recently the war in Europe.

NEW YORK (BRAIN) — Four fires sparked by lithium-ion batteries on lightweight electric vehicles Thursday prompted the FDNY to issue a statement afterward on its Twitter account about the dangers of improper charging and storing.

MONTEREY, Calif. (BRAIN) — Attendance at this month's Sea Otter Classic was about 71,000 people over four days, nearly 10,000 more than last October's event, but shy of pre-pandemic figures for the event. The event also accounted for $71 million in economic impact to Monterey County.

BROOMFIELD, Colo. (BRAIN) — QBP opened a larger and more energy efficient distribution center here that increases inventory capacity by more than 30% compared with its previous facility.

MADRID (BRAIN) — Spanish e-bike brand Crow Bicycles secured its first investment round, which it said it will use to consolidate international growth and further develop its lightweight R&D capabilities.

SAN FRANCISCO (BRAIN) — Lyft announced Tuesday an agreement to acquire global bikeshare equipment and technology supplier PBSC Urban Solutions. The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of this year.