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
Maybe talk to the guys at Revel or Kona.. Dustin Adams now that he's taking the helm at I9..
The reaction style 10-15 minute podcast is pretty cool for current events.
Would also love to see some deep dives into the business side of a brand’s story. Agreed Kona would be awesome. As would transition who is somewhat analogous to yt in timeframe and start as a catalog brand but is clearly quite diffirent in how it has spent it’s time as a brand.
I really like the opinionated stuff coming from... People who have, at the very least, more street cred than myself. Or ideally as much as possible.
In so far as, I don't expect the opinion stuff outright from pinkbike editors or vital editors, and we all roughly know why. I don't expect it. But the Vital COMMUNITY is like you say the ideal opportunity for that stuff to shine because... Every Tom Dick and Harry is gonna give their opinion on reddit and instagram and youtube and PB and vital and what not, but it will never quite hit the same as somebody with a stricter lens on the scenario giving THEIR OPINION about it, with some due diligence to back it up ideally. EVEN if it's still an incorrect assumption.
That's the thing. The fear of being wrong and or imperfect is... Limiting. That fear exists for official PB or Vital or otherwise editorials. But it's nice for things to get looser outside of that, but still be refined by the lens of expertise. And just flat out effort. I'm sure there are others who understand business on the forums, but how many also wish to spend their free time digging into YT data. Thereby, it is valuable and rare.
So just to touch on the whole interpretation/disagreement thing... I dunno. My history teacher always said 'since I cannot please everybody, it is in my best interest to be as far as possible and please NOBODY'. Joking aside, I'd rather just have access to the info. The opinions. Everybody can do whatever the hell they want with it. But if people begin to gatekeep who can say what when and where, we lose info/data. Ignoring opinions we don't like is fairly easy. (Well, not for everyone I suppose.) I'm just bummed the thread got derailed about Chris (for some reason I am still trying to understand lol) and we kinda lost the YT plot. (Which arguably wasn't compelling enough, and therefore sprung the Chris narrative lol)
Would LOVE a Jeff Taylor interview if he's interested. Also, if he just says no would love to know that he is not interested, so as to not expect it ever.
Also would love more youtube videos. I really liked the series on comparing a dual crown to a podium, as a consumer.
I think some interviews with the smaller parts and accessories long time brand like Chris King, White industries, Paul Components, Velocity USA with how the Covid boom and bust was for them could be interesting and how they managed to weather the storm. I have some assumptions in how they possibly did it but would be nice to hear from them.
@jeff.brines Honestly, I love text and have a hard time listening to podcasts unless they are sharp and have the occasional f-bomb dropped in [Prof G comes to mind]. If I do listen to something, 15 minutes is typically my limit. I'm very happy with what you're doing now: concise insight over 3 paragraphs is my jam.
I 100% agree with Jeff.
What he is is trying to say is that discussions/disputes/debates in forums for example get heated very quickly. Sarcasm, irony, mimics, ... are not always being received the way they were sent. Words that weren't meant to be offending, are received to be. More often than not, things totally misinterpreted and cause frustration, anger, even hate.
If you, on the other hand, sat with that counterpart in a bar and discussed with him while having a bee, it's usually a totally different storyWhile maybe still not agreeing with each other's views, the dispute would go much more civilized and your points can be made clear very quickly through near field human interaction (I just made up that word, but I like it).
So year, I totally agree that written text is typically not really a good medium for disputes, as threads often derail very quickly for reasons that you wouldn't know existed had you had this conversation with the guy in person.
Maybe not so MTB related, but I think still quite relevant to the cycling scene and economics. Campagnolo to fire 120 employees, 40% their workforce. Apparently, they have lost 24M euros in the last 3 years, investment group gave 10M early this year but it was not enough.
On the rumor side: I also heard recently on a Spanish podcast that a Spanish MTB brand could be bought by their Chinese frame manufacturer...
The Campy news was already mentioned on the previous page.
As for the Spanish brand, bought by the manufacturer or sold by the owners? Is it a brand that is in trouble or is it just a brand being sold off? How many Spanish brands are there? Three or more (I suspect we can limit ourselves to MTB brands)?
mondraker, bh, bergamo? orbea is owned by their employees
Production Privee or Forstal?.... Andorian, but near as dammit to being Spanish.
Megamo or Berria maybe? Production Privee and Forestal are not spanish at all, and I can assure you they don't want to be (nor do I, it's no not even sunny in the north where I live🤣)
Does it matter if Orbea is owned by the employees? Frames are probably not made in Spain?
Nobody mentioned Unno, the reason for me asking if it's being bought (because it has to be taken over) or if it's being sold (because the owners don't want it anymore). I'd guess Unno is doing well, but Cesar also has a lot on his plate without the brand. And we know Unno bikes were original, made in Spain in small numbers but the strategy recently changed and the frames are now made in Asia en masse.
Honestly, I'm surprised there hasn't been more fallout or investigation into Giant and the allegations of forced labour. It seems like one day there was an article about it and then a few weeks later, it was like, look everyone, there is a new STP! I would love to see a deeper dive into whether or not this is a more widespread issue than just Giant. Or maybe that kind of investigative journalism is above the paygrade of Vital and PB?
As shady as Marcus is and what he's done with YT, I feel like the Giant thing should be a bigger deal. Or maybe it's an out of sight, out of mind thing. People feel it if they don't get the bike they ordered, but don't care what conditions the bike is built in? Maybe?
This is a good point, and was a big enough deal to make the Fox Factory earnings call (and the NY Times) However, as someone who has tried to lift the (Asian) veil and see what is on the other side, its pretty clear this will require boots on the ground to really begin to understand the culture, business norms, players, people and (maybe) harms/violations. Its not that I'm against it, at all, but this is 100% a "hobby" for me, not a career. I make basically no money. To add, if I'm really honest with myself, the type of work it'd really take to be an investigative journalist on the Giant story is not something I've done in my life, and not something I really have a toolkit for. (doesn't mean I wouldn't try, however)
I was thinking the same thing… if you “buy” Felt, you have a more attractive proposition to sell to your OEM manufacturer than just Unno…
It's not enough IMO but it did make the New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/24/business/economy/giant-bicycles-forced-labor.html
And Escape Collective: https://escapecollective.com/us-customs-detaining-giant-bicycles-shipments-over-forced-labor-allegations
Giant's statement: https://esg.giantgroup-cycling.com/en-US/prresponse01
Last para from the EC piece: "Bengsten's reporting also identified alleged labor abuses at bikemaker Merida and tire brand Maxxis, including debt bondage and intimidation. Bengtsen said that neither Merida, Maxxis, nor any of their customers or investors responded to his efforts to engage."
Peter Bengtsen report from March of this year: Speed Up! Addressing forced labor risks in Taiwan's car, bicycle and electronics industries
some insight into world champs champery economics via a PR email below
Comprehensive Review of the 2025 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Valais.
Sion, 27 november 2025 - The first-ever combined Mountain Bike World Championships in Valais were a resounding success across the board, generating an economic and media impact of CHF 27 million for the Canton of Valais. Additionally, thanks to a range of development programs and initiatives, the canton now boasts a state-of-the-art infrastructure dedicated to promoting cycling. Television broadcasts of the competitions reached a total audience of over 57 million viewers, and the event stayed within its budget of CHF 13.7 million.
The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), in collaboration with the Valais 2025 Organizing Committee, has today published a report prepared by the professional services firm EY, highlighting the significant positive impact of the 2025 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships on the economy, media, and tourism for the Canton of Valais, Switzerland. For the first time, nearly all major formats of the discipline were brought together in a single two-week event (from 30 August to 14 September), during which a total of 1,135 athletes from 60 countries competed for the 27 available UCI World Championship titles.
According to the EY report, the total number of spectators attending the competitions – spread across eight venues – reached 110,000. This total includes 31,000 visitors from outside Valais.
The report also reveals that during the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships, spectators spent approximately CHF 6 million, providing a direct boost to the Valais economy.
Further key findings from the report show that the 2025 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships:
- Generated CHF 19.3 million in economic activity for the Canton of Valais, and CHF 7.7 million in media value for the Valais brand.
- Were highly appreciated by spectators, with 86% reporting they were “very satisfied” or “satisfied” with the event.
- Benefited from extensive television coverage, reaching a cumulative audience of 57.3 million viewers in 96 countries (up from 9.95 million viewers across 48 countries for the 2024 World Championships in Andorra). This success was supported by a close collaboration with SRG SSR for the production and distribution of live broadcasts, generating a cumulative Swiss audience of 6.86 million viewers (12% of the total audience).
- Drew tremendous attention on social media, with 83.1 million impressions and 104 million video views across all platforms.
In terms of sustainability, cohesion, and inclusion at the 2025 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships:
- 59% of spectators traveled to the event by public transport (bus/train: 43%) or by bicycle (16%).
- 100% of race finishes were accessible to people with limited mobility.
- 75% of competitions were free of charge.
- 3 pilot destinations implemented innovative battery systems as renewable energy sources.
Julien Hess, CEO of Valais 2025, shared his satisfaction: “By hosting the first-ever combined UCI Mountain Bike World Championships, we have set a new benchmark in both sport and event organization. The event generated substantial benefits for Valais, with a total economic and media impact of CHF 27 million, all while staying within a balanced budget of CHF 13.7 million.”
UCI President David Lappartient stated: “The 2025 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships not only showcased the world’s best mountain bike athletes but also highlighted an exceptional destination for tourism and cycling. The Swiss canton of Valais was an outstanding host for this major event and, in turn, gained international visibility, increased visitor spending, and significant economic activity. These UCI World Championships will leave a lasting legacy that Valais will continue to benefit from for many years.”
This unprecedented edition boosted media exposure, distributed visitor traffic across the region, and strengthened Valais’ reputation as a leading mountain bike destination. Moreover, through close collaboration between Valais/Wallis Promotion, Valais 2025, and the host destinations, resources and expertise were combined to amplify promotional reach. This collective effort is reflected in the shift in public perception: 66% of Swiss respondents now see Valais as the country’s leading mountain bike destination, up from 48% in less than two years.
Damian Constantin, Director of Valais/Wallis Promotion, highlights this point: “This progress demonstrates the power of a unified communication strategy for an entire canton. By combining our resources and expertise, we were able to give Valais a truly unique showcase. It’s a result we can be proud of: it shows that our collective commitment not only benefits the World Championships but also strengthens Valais’ long-term positioning as a must-visit mountain bike playground.”
The 2025 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships will leave a lasting legacy for sports in the Canton of Valais. Alongside the creation of the Valais Cycling Academy in 2023, which now supports 52 athletes, the region has experienced a 45% increase in female participation in cycling activities and a 130% rise in youth membership in Valais cycling clubs over the past five years.
Steve Morabito, President of Valais Wallis Cycling, explains: “Since the launch of the Valais 2025 project, sports development has been at the heart of our efforts, driven by a vision for long-term legacy and ambitious goals. Valais Wallis Cycling has grown in professionalism and was able to shine a light on the expertise of its members. Our promotional activities are generating interest and attracting young athletes to development clubs, as well as to a new regional performance center that will support our future champions.”
Thomas Peter, Director of Swiss Cycling, adds: “Our primary objective was to experience a true celebration of cycling and, through supporting initiatives, to equip Valais with a state-of-the-art promotional structure. Thanks to excellent collaboration within the lead association and the unwavering commitment of the organizers, both goals have been successfully achieved. It was also important to us to demonstrate that Switzerland can host a major cycling event while maintaining a balanced budget.”
Building on its success, this event will serve as a blueprint for organizing future large-scale international events in the Canton of Valais.
agree, way more families carting kids to work on cargo ebikes these days on radwagons that probably wouldn't be if they had to drop double that to get a more premium brand. we were stoked to pick up a momentum pakyak last year on a good deal, but yeah, radpower certainly blazed a bit of a path for the followers.
All the above probably did pretty ok, likely as their wares aren't something more common or necessary. There was little need to rush to meet demand. Velocity would be interesting since they definitely had a rocking business during the #fixieboom. How they fared after the #fixiebust going into C19 years would make for an interesting read. On a side note, I'd love for Velocity to update their rim profiles to better accept modern tubeless setups. Price wise they aren't all that out of line with the likes from the majors who source from X nation(s), making them attractive from cost and MUSA perspective, but they're well overdue for an improvement on their inner profiles to lock in tire beads better.
Apart from article already mentioned by others, there was also this piece from Monde Diplomatique (it's in English)
https://mondediplo.com/2025/02/11bikes
This is not the type of investigative reporting I would expect from cycling news outlets except maybe Escape collective and even then I don't think they would truly go in depth as those kinds of issues most likely are present in others Taiwanese industries that cycling outlet wouldn't have the contacts,source or access.
The migrant workers situation and issues is also not exclusive to Taiwan but other countries as well like Vietnam and mainland China for the bike industry. In other countries it is often present in construction and agriculture like Qatar, UAE, USA, Canada, etc. Depending on the legal status of those migrant workers, employers often abuse the legal status of those workers to push lower wages & harsher working condition. from Qatar world cup stadium fiasco, to ''illegal'' migrant farmer workers in the USA to south Asian migrant workers in various mainland china and Taiwan factories.
Is Giant still being blocked from importing into the Us?
I do recall Giant having, or at least requesting a meeting with US Customs officials.
Things are definitely done a bit different over there.. It seems that it wasn't Giant charging the workers, but a 3rd party company that brought I workers from other places and were charging them. Giant pretty much got in trouble for using such a company to get the workers.. I guess it's almost like the indentured servants going back in US History.. It was a repayment for bringing people here to work.. Granted, it took along time to pay that back and they were basically slave labor..
Great news for the sports and Valais IMHO. First, I really enjoyed the format. And second, having the local cycling organization in Valais this boosted, perhaps Champery will appear in the world cup calendar soon.
In case y'all were still wondering if this was a PR rehab effort...
Yeah I remember hearing about meeting but that’s all and was unable to find anything. If it’s still happening it could be really bad for bigger Giant dealers if they are running out stock.
Orbea, Berria, Megamo and BH also have road and gravel categories (even commuting). What was mentioned is a pure MTB. Forestal is from Andorra, so it narrows it to Mondraker and Unno.
Unno/Cesar Rojo just adquired Felt, so I would guess it is Mondraker the brand in trouble
I would love to see a deep dive on Orbea. I am fascinated by the basque style cooperative model and would like to hear your take on the advantages and disadvantages in comparison to a more traditional corporate structure.
I wonder if that's a factor in them not re-signing Dak?
I listened to a podcast about Orbea a while back. It was a good ep and made me much more curious about the brand.
I'd have been more interested in getting an Orbea if the local dealer for Orbea wasn't SUCH a shitty bike shop.
Pinkbike Podcast with Orbea
Make sure to read Mark Kurlansky’s Basque book. I mean you probably already did, because “Cod” was so great…but if you haven’t, do!