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Maybe I’m backwards, but if we’re talking cars and bikes here, I’d rather take a page out of history’s books, than look to the future. I currently daily drive a manual transmission 2010 Honda Fit. It’s hands down the best car I’ve ever owned, even when compared to the brand new Subarus and Toyotas I’ve owned in the past. The build quality is stellar, parts are cheap, and there’s not a Bluetooth this or giant TV screen that anywhere in it. If a somewhat reputable manufacturer could make a cloth interior, hand crank windows bare bones commuter car for like, $15k-ish, I’d be all about it. I feel the same way about bikes right now. I don’t want carbon everywhere with every bolt and bearing to be adjustable in length or angle and all the cables hidden. Just give me simple and don’t make me pay a premium for it because you’ve complicated every other bike on the market.
Maybe this was wondered over on another page on this thread, but how is it that Niner is still around? Been a long time since I've seen one 'round my parts, and even then those were pre2020 models. Can't recollect seeing a modern one on any of my MTB trips over the last decade.
This is exactly why I've gone from riding super complicated FS carbon trail bikes to a steel singlespeed hardtail. I still have fancy bikes but my SS gets ridden the most.
Unfortunately your tastes just don't align with majority. It's not that you wrong, or they're wrong. But they design and market for maximum sales/profit. People prefer internal cables, carbon etc etc etc.
Just like people prefer "clean" aesthetics and easy to use cars, over well made simple machines that are easily servicable.
Re: Niner, so many brands seem on the fringe. How often do you see an Alchemy or a Revel
Looks like Cambria has a bunch of frames, including 26" carbon Operators.
When you said south Coast I assumed Narooma or something like that, but when I looked it up and saw Mogo I nearly choked on my vegimite toast. Where the f&*k are people gonna stay? Batemans bay and drive in? Atleast the trails will be finished by then.
Some companies realized the boom was a boom and didn't triple their staff, open boutique stores, and expand their lineup to infinity.
They also aren't sponsoring many slopestyle riders.
I really hope Kona and Pole are the last of the bankruptcies.
Look at their seat tube angles, that should give you a clue...
Fair enough, but I found it weird that I had seen more Emminents (2) compared to Niners (0) in the last couple years.
Kona got a new money man
https://road.cc/content/news/kona-uncertainty-bike-brand-pulls-out-major-expo-307903
Edit: https://nsmb.com/articles/rumors-of-konas-demise-may-not-be-greatly-exaggerated/
From the NSMB article:
"While we await official word from Kent, we've heard from multiple sources that Kent told Kona employees this morning that they were "winding the brand down". What that means in the short term is unclear (although evidently Kent will attempt to find at least some employees homes at other portfolio companies, if they so choose)."
I wish I had seen this earlier... Good discussion here...
Regarding Shimano, I don't think that they decided to not ramp up production, but more like they couldn't. Between certain areas they work in being hit hard by covid and a factory fire, the options were limited. And, when you factor in approximately 18 months to build a new factory and get get it up and running, maybe they were the only company in the industry to understand the boom wouldn't last.
Trek.. Their "right sizing" the company via SKU reduction tells me that they feel that what they have already committed to for 2024 and 2025 will carry them through 2026.. They don't seem to be optimistic about the next couple of years. It will be interesting to see what 2027 and 2028 looks like..
Right now, I see some of these smaller frame only companies having an edge.. They aren't committed to large orders that they have to place 12+ months in advance with Taiwan. Plus, they don't have a large staff to pay and a lot of them have a loyal core base.
Mid sized companies like Kona are probably most at risk. They make to play in the same pool as the big 3, but they don't have the financials to compete.. BOGO on bikes?? Talk about a big liquidation move..
I suspect more craziness over the next year or 2.. Back to filling out job applications..
I had always put Kona and Transition in the same category years ago, both cool companies but their bikes never really did anything for me. Then Transition started really innovating and changed their suspension to the horst link. Since then I am on my 4th Transition. The Process turned heads and was a good looking bike but really was a Kona.
I've been a bit of a Transition fan for a while.. One thing thing that seems to have served them well is sticking to what they know or like.. I remember Kona coming out with entry level bikes and hybrids a while back and the value compared to Giant or Specialized just wasn't there..
Transition seems to be following more of the Santa Cruz game plan..
on shimano - i'd say it was more that they wouldn't expand / ramp up even if they could have (per the issues you mentioned). i read an article (that i currently can't locate) that essentially stated what you did, that they knew the boom was going to be temporary.
Not a bike manufacturer but still related.
Just got an email stating Planet Cyclery is closing. Up to 30% Off at this point. I would imagine slower moving items will continue to be discounted further as time goes on.
https://planetcyclery.com/
I am very confident that they won’t be as far as general cycling industry companies goes, but I have less certainty about MTB specific brands.
I’ve heard rumors that Trek’s eliminated skus correlate to products they were sourcing from Giant owned companies (who they owe a shit ton of money to apparently).
That could be the case... I do know that I had seen some Trek models coming from places other than Taiwan.. We'll have to wait a bit to see where the cuts are made..
That's an interesting one but how would you rate its veracity?
I like how people downvoted this as... Premature info (now proven legit) or as a means of frowning on the death of Kona. I'm learning to not pay attention to the voting in these forums. It's seemingly less meaningful than that of youtube/reddit lol
With the death of Kona basically comes the death of 425mm chainstay dual 275 bikes.
Final nail in the coffin. At least Marin makes a great dual 275 bike. (430 aint bad either)
The 4 part podcast focused on the boom during the pandemic from the Escape Collective stated that Shimano has a long held business rule of sustainable 5% growth year in year and didn’t move from it as they have been around long enough to see booms and busts go by.
https://share.transistor.fm/s/7b8fe06f
Agree. It's been posted a couple of times previously and it's really worth your time if you're interested in this topic.
The seasonality of hiring workers in east Asia was an eye-opener to me (tl,dl; workers are primarily from rural areas and hired in the big industrial centers on annual contracts around Tet; if there's no work they stay home for the year and there's no/minimal chance to bolster your workforce until the next hiring cycle).
https://bikerumor.com/what-happened-to-kona-bikes-sea-otter/?fbclid=PAZ…
Check out the anonymous comment from someone claiming to be an employee- sounds very much like other experiences I’ve heard from companies taken over by private equity.
The post, to save you a click:
I’m posting anonymously due to potential repercussions, but as someone who works at Kona under Kent Outdoors, I feel compelled to share the distressing realities we face and urge you to take action.
Kent Outdoors is currently run by short-sighted individuals who are utterly disconnected from the communities, sports, and people attached to their brands. Their lack of understanding and interest in cycling and any other sport has not only led to poor decision making but also to a toxic corporate environment where Kona and their other brands are suffering greatly. Under their management, Kona has accumulated millions of dollars in unpaid debts to our suppliers (Fairly and Hodaka), with no attempts made to negotiate or even communicate, effectively planning to stiff them. This strategy isn’t limited to Kona; it’s a disturbing pattern that is evident across all brands under the Kent Outdoors umbrella. I urge all suppliers and partners across the board that do business with Kent Outdoors to be careful. Everyone should be seriously concerned about this pattern of non-payment and poor business ethics.
The working conditions here are more than just poor—they’re abysmal. Communication is practically non-existent now under the new management, creating a chaotic environment where decisions are made without transparency or employee input. The stress of potentially not getting paid has been a reality for some of us, adding to an overwhelming sense of job insecurity. Long hours, and weekend work, is the norm all without additional compensation or even basic recognition of our hard work.
The only individuals who seem to survive and even advance under the current regime are the “yes men” those who align too readily with a flawed agenda, lacking critical engagement or genuine passion for the brands. This has caused significant unrest among other brands under the Kent Outdoors umbrella, who are equally upset about these new leaders. Their inability to effectively manage people, combined with a lack of fundamental understanding of the communities they serve, is rapidly destroying the companies. These leaders are not just failing; they are actively dismantling the very essence of what made all of these brands successful.
The company is not just being led poorly; it’s being led by individuals who don’t seem to care about the damage they’re doing to the brands, communities, or people. Any company considering a partnership with Kent Outdoors should seriously reconsider. Any customer should consider carefully buying products from our companies since who knows if we will even have the parts to support them.
In light of these issues, I am calling on all community members to join us in boycotting all Kent Outdoors brands. We need to demonstrate that these destructive practices are unacceptable. By uniting and applying public pressure, we hope to initiate a significant change in Kent Outdoors’ direction and leadership to a model that values the employees, respects the community, and truly understands the sports industries they are part of.
Thank you for taking the time to read this and for any support you can lend. Let’s stand together to save Kona and the other brands we cherish.
I don't know if this is bad voting etiquette, but I use the downvote button for bad news, aka the death of Kona. Sorry if that's throwing off your exit polling results and election projections
What a total bummer. I suspect nothing is happening by accident, and the Kona employees are getting the classic vulture capital playbook. Like the employee wrote, "it’s being led by individuals who don’t seem to care about the damage they’re doing to the brands, communities, or people." Yup.
This is a friendly reminder that Oliver Stone wrote "Wall Street" and the Gordon Gecko speech as an indictment of business practices in America, but instead it's regularly cited, year after year, as an inspiration to people working in finance.
Pretty bad for the people at Kona.. That post seems to go hand in hand with what we just saw ar Otter..
In regards to a couple of other brands that were mentioned..
Niner.. Maybe in the same boat as Kona? Bought by a big company and we really haven't seen much since.. Do they retain the core Ninerds?
Alchemy.. Cool bikes but they never seemed to really take off.. Maybe the drop bar business is keeping them alive?
Revel.. Probably the one that has been the best of those 3 that were mentioned. They have released new bikes, still marketing them.. They seem like they haven't gone crazy expecting large sales numbers..
Just my opinion...
(scribbles on a note pad)
Just starting my Vital "State of the Sport" survey.
So far what we've learned is the industry needs more 64 degree head tube 76 degree seat tube 435mm chainstay 29er/MX all mountain bikes. Bonus points if they have nearly identical kinematics. Cool colors are the best marketing tool.
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