Letter from America
Why Batteries Are Not So Green!
Santa Fe, New Mexico It’s fair to say that e-bikes, especially e-mountain bikes, dominate discussion throughout the global bicycle market. Companies big, small and mid-size are betting that e-bike demand will lift the industry to soaring heights of new profits, driven by a near-universal acceptance—at least within the industry—that e-bikes could be a significant factor…
Waistlines, Supply Lines and Stock Market Declines … Marc’s 2022 Predictions
Santa Fe, New Mexico It’s January of a new year and most global citizens earnestly hope for some sort of resolution to the COVID pandemic and the personal paradox of how to live with it. Resolutions have been made as many cope with COVID-15—that’s the 15-pounds-plus (6.8kg) most Americans have cinched onto their already copious…
Letter from America: Who Is This New Bike Market Dominator?
Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA It’s fair to say Pon Holdings BV’s decision to snap up Dorel’s bike biz sent a risible ripple through the executive ranks at major brands – Trek, Specialized, Giant, Accell and a few others. What could this audacious US$810 million (A$1.089 billion) move by a Dutch conglomerate mean for future…
Letter From America: Can We See Our Opportunity in the Chaos?
By Marc Sani Today’s retail environment in the US is in a state of chaos. Planning, forecasting and ordering products—whether bicycles, parts or accessories—have left too many dealers flummoxed over the future of their business. And, at last, some dealers are starting to question whether the boom in sales, sparked by COVID-19 lockdowns in the…
Letter from America: It’s All About Adaption Now
By Marc Sani Allow me to toss out a bold conjecture on the state of the world: environmentalists, biologists, ecologists and climate scientists no longer celebrate discoveries of new theories of life and adaptation. Instead, these worldwide students of nature have become de facto coroners-those who investigate the end of life and explain to us…
Letter from America: Kids on E-bikes Rule!
By Marc Sani So much is happening at the moment within bicycle manufacturing and retail—worldwide—that it’s almost impossible to keep up-to-date, or for that matter, keep score on winners and losers. After a multi-week drive through the western United States, I had the opportunity to talk with a variety of retailers and industry experts. And…
Beware of Higher Prices!
By Marc Sani Recently, I flatted while on a mountain bike ride in a rugged section of terrain some five kilometres from the trailhead. No serious mountain biker riding on tubeless tires rides without at least two key items—a spare inner tube and a 50 gram container of Stan’s tire sealant. It took only a…
Letter from America: The Major Players Are Getting Bigger – Fast!
Will the Major Brands Become Even More Dominant?
The pandemic is reshaping the bicycle industry and it’s time to pay attention. Let’s state it plainly: the largest companies in the industry have gotten bigger, more powerful, and with a deeper hold on bicycle spec and retail sales.
The result? Increased market power and dominance by the few over the many. It’s been a trend, a long-time in the making, and the pandemic will, perhaps, further accelerate ongoing consolidation particularly impacting small to midsize brands.
2020 Numbers Reveal the Bike Boom’s Impact
By Marc Sani Set aside any doubts: The insurrection that swallowed our nation’s Capital Jan. 6 will reverberate for years to come. At the moment, no one knows where the country is headed—exactly. But “The Troubles,” an oft used phrase to describe the 30-year conflict in Northern Ireland, may signify the sort of long-term, low-level…