Hello Vital MTB Visitor,
We’re conducting a survey and would appreciate your input. Your answers will help Vital and the MTB industry better understand what riders like you want. Survey results will be used to recognize top brands. Make your voice heard!
Five lucky people will be selected at random to win a Vital MTB t-shirt.
Thanks in advance,
The Vital MTB Crew
Ánimo Iago! Hope the recovery goes fast and you'll be enjoying life on two wheels soon!
Martin Söderström moves to Scott:
Yoann Barelli off GG as per his Instagram.
Here is the post:
Interested to see where Yoann goes!
2.5 years seems like an odd duration for a sponsorship deal...
Regardless, that post is a pretty good example of how you depart from a sponsor, even if it's unexpected (at least that's how I read it).
My guess is that GG is being hit pretty hard with the bike market glut. So many big brands are blowing out bikes at 25% off because they overproduced, it's hard to compete. They're probably making some really hard cost decisions right now, and ending sponsorship deals is a not uncommon one
Weird that NSMB posts their Gnarvana review today...
Shit is TOUGH out there right now. This is easily the worst quarter/season for bike brands ever. If you want to support your favorite independent bike brand, now is the time. Or perhaps a favorite rider etc.
Yea, my first thought when I saw the GG/Yoann post was that GG is on the ropes financially. There have been rumors that many brands are really lean right now and hurting. This is quite likely the situation here given the "2.5 year relationship". He has always seemed to have a great relationship with them, so when leveled with him that they were in financial trouble he understood and let it go. Which is another reason for the great parting ways post.
More than likely just a coincidence.
NSMB review was most likely scheduled well in advance. Yoann's news was probably in discussion or fairly sudden.
Definitely sucks to see, but hopefully, he gets the support he deserves
Fear things may be a bit tough for yoann. 2.5 years ago the industry was booming, the YouTube market was infinitely less saturated especially among guys at or recently at the top level (not that it wasn’t already over saturated), and he is now quite a few years removed from the racing world.
dude is one of the few YouTube guys I would say almost certainly deserves a salary. His content is genuinely really good and he certainly has a marketing flair that a lot of people just don’t have. Just there is going to be relatively few options at the moment where I’m sure there were plenty when he signed with gg to be with a North American made product.
Most people I’ve met who own a gg really like that bike and the brand. It’s a tough position to be in to sit on extra inventory. It’s an even tougher position to be in when you are sitting on recently expanded manufacturing capabilities and the staff to go with it.
I think so too. Genuinely good content on his channel.
I feel like that's because Yoann still has the mentality of mainly a pro rider that sorta-kinda also does youtube videos as a side gig - as opposed to going full social-media-clown influencer mode.
Sorry, poor attempt at humor.
Yoann at least seems to have a successful coaching business to fall back on. It seemed like the sponsorship was mostly to fund making videos.
Man, sometimes you just gotta make and sell bikes and focus on consumers. Backing riders and hoping for returns to track from it isn't an easy task for a smaller biz.
I really hope Guerrilla Gravity does good. I made the mistake of agreeing to a "crash replacement" frame from Kona for my Process 153 & regret it. Had the opportunity to buy a GG right about the same time with a fantastic spec but nobody wanted my super shiny brand new, no warranty, Kona hates you frameset.
It is and I agree with what you're saying...BUT....bike brands raised their prices ridiculously during the pandemic. They can rationalize it all they want with increased shipping costs, etc. but the fact of the matter is that most bike companies gouged people because they could get away with it. Don't feel too bad for these companies...
So.. i paid Keegan in advance for this bike over two years ago, unfortunatly still no delivery, he's changed his phone number, dropped out of socials media and now not replying to email or messenger. If anyone has contact with Keegan I would be so greatful to put me in contact.
I hope when you find him you get your pound of flesh. Hardship stories don't cut it when it comes to money theft.
Post a reply to: 2023 TEAM RUMORS