Industry News

Kona co-founders Jake Heilbron and Dan Gerhard remain with the company.

SEATTLE (BRAIN) — Kona Bicycles has been acquired by Kent Outdoors, a Ohio-based company that was known until Wednesday as Kent Water Sports. Kent Outdoors owns several outdoor sports and watersport brands, including the Arbor snowboard brand.

Tagged Mergers, Acquisitions & Investments

IRVINE, Calif. (BRAIN) — Nearly 56% of female cyclists riding today either started cycling during the pandemic or returned to it after a layoff, according to the National Bicycle Dealers Association's Bicycling Buying 2021 Consumer Research
Study.

SEATTLE (BRAIN) — REI Co-op will build a new distribution center in Lebanon, Tennessee, to support growth on the East Coast, Midwest, and South.

Tagged DEI and Sustainability / Distributor news
A scene from the late great Reno Interbike of 2018.

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y.  (BRAIN) — Many members of the global bike industry received email surveys this week from Emerald Expositions, a trade show company that produces the Outdoor Retailer expos and which owns Interbike, the bike expo last held in 2018 in Reno, Nevada.

Tagged Tradeshows and conferences / Outdoor Retailer shows / Interbike

VANTAA, Finland (BRAIN) — Amer Sports has sold the Finnish adventure wearables brand Suunto to Liesheng, a Chinese technology brand. Amer is the parent of Enve Composites, Louisville Slugger, Arcteryx, Wilson and other brands, and the former owner of Mavic.

Tagged Mergers, Acquisitions & Investments

EMPORIA, Kan. (BRAIN) — Shimano North America is the founding sponsor of the Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame, which will be launched here in June prior to the Unbound Gravel 2022 event.

The new USA BMX Headquarters will open in 2022.

TULSA, Okla. (BRAIN) — USA BMX said its 2021 season was the most successful in BMX competitive history.

Alex Carroll photo.

CHICAGO (BRAIN) — Organizers of the CABDA Expo will not hold their 2022 Midwest Expo, which had been scheduled for Feb. 9-10 in Chicago. The recent surge in COVID-19 cases drove the decision, show director Jim Kersten said.

Tagged Coronavirus / CABDA

IRVINE, Calif. (BRAIN) — Wayne Stetina is leaving Shimano American, where he has held leadership and product positions for 37 years, to join arch rival SRAM, according to several BRAIN sources and an interview published Friday on RoadBikeAction.com.

OLD FORT, N.C. (BRAIN) — With the assistance of a group of North Carolina investors, Kitsbow employees have purchased the majority shares of the cycling apparel brand after 10 years of private ownership.

Tagged Mergers, Acquisitions & Investments
UPDATED with more campaigns.

LOUISVILLE, Colo. (BRAIN) — While last week's Marshall Fire apparently spared the businesses of area suppliers and retailers, many industry members were directly affected. Area retailers, suppliers and others are working to help those who lost homes and belongings get back on their feet — and riding.

SAN FRANCISCO (BRAIN) — While many shops and individuals who have had bikes stolen theorized they end up south of the border, nobody actually knew for sure or could quantify to what degree.

Until now.

MONTRÉAL (BRAIN) — Dorel Industries has completed its sale of Dorel Sports — which includes Cannondale, Schwinn, GT, Mongoose and other bike brands — to Pon Holdings, for $810 million. The planned acquisition was announced in October.

Tagged Mergers, Acquisitions & Investments

DENVER (BRAIN) — Maybe 2022 will begin an era of peace, love and understanding in the bike industry, as Fox Factory and SRAM are starting the new year with a clean slate after agreeing to settle legal disputes dating to 2015.

COSTA MESA, Calif. (BRAIN) — After nearly five years away from the company, George Eubanks has rejoined Highway Two as president.

(BRAIN) — Gruppo SRL, the parent company of Cinelli, announced on Dec. 30 that is has decided to terminate its distribution agreement with Cyclone Bicycle Supply for the United States market, effective immediately.

SUPERIOR, Colo. (BRAIN) — Industry supplier and retail locations were spared from direct impacts of a 6,000-acre suburban wildfire that destroyed hundreds of homes and businesses here on Thursday. However, many employees in the area were evacuated and some may have lost their homes.

BOULDER, Colo. (BRAIN) — News that Intense Cycle decided to sell a new line of bikes via Costco.com was the subject of the most-read story on BicycleRetailer.com in 2021, proving once again that speciality brands opening up new channels of retail distribution always garner attention in our industry.

ANOKA, Minn. (BRAIN) — Vista Outdoor Inc. is acquiring the hunting gear brand Stone Glacier, which will be part of its outdoor products segment. Vista Outdoor's Action Sports segment includes Bell, Giro, Blackburn and Quietkat.

Tagged Mergers, Acquisitions & Investments

IRVINE, Calif. (BRAIN) — The NBDA Bicycle Buying 2021 reference guide is available for suppliers, brands, and retail members. The guide is a consumer research study of pandemic bicycle and e-bike buying habits.

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