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@sspomer can we get this guy on Bikes Unaffiliated?
It sounds like with a company like Specialized that is basically having everything they sell affected by the tariffs, they have to pick and choose a bit.. Eliminate some items that aren't bread and butter items and weather the storm..
Wait is it actually confirmed that's what is happening with Specialized?
Pretty much, there are shots of the riders in full alpine stars gear during pre season. So they're definitely not wearing specialized apparel this season.
I think considering their shop presence greatly reducing their clothing skews while still offering a few items is the way to go. Demo pants and jersey. Trail pant and short. Roost Dh and Dh clip. Xc style clip shoes. Bibs. A Few activitees and t shirts that really are just merch.
Little doubt that department really went south. Pretty much the exact time they scaled it up is the exact time frame things slowed down drastically. But at the same time they also have a lot of people who have tried their gear on a discount and found it to be a good product. They are big enough to source product and solve issues where they need to. It’s just a matter of just focusing on what’s really going to sell in a shop that they can occasionally clearance online.
Agreed. Yet another insightful post out of the left field. This is why I come to vital.
Frog Bikes in the UK is seeking funding to avoid administration. Kids' bikes boomed like most everything else, and the founder's statement pretty well sums up the boom/bust. https://cyclingindustry.news/frog-bikes-issues-statement-continues-to-trade-issues-committed-to-a-positive-outcome/
Good product and brand, so I hope they can find a way out. Cleary wasn't so lucky and Isla Bikes is no longer producing bikes, just supplying parts to keep bikes running out in the world.
something, something "...the market can stay irrational longer than you can stay solvent" - Keynes
YT has sent out a gift box as an apology to some people.
https://www.reddit.com/r/mountainbiking/comments/1r1v0g8/surprise_box_from_yt_industries/
the responses in that reddit thread are bonkers. so many burned customers.
The sarcastic Charlie response is that Markus continues to find new and creative ways to get his face in front of people's eyeballs.
I would imagine the measured Jeff Brines response is that, nevertheless, here we are talking about Markus and YT again.
Mickey this was awesome, and true IMO; And I realize I'm replying to a week old post and have not read the next page but your post inspired me.
The amount of people who think all mechanical objects are made by magic wizards has always astounded me.
A counter point would be (and I admit I am 1 whole page and 1 whole week behind on the forum) that what you've described as basic skills could really be extended to most professional tasks. I broke out my multimeter to check out what was broken on my heat pump for my house, by doing so I saved the HVAC guy 15 minutes I guess, but I think it's totally understandable that most people have a very narrow skillset that suits their life pretty well and that often doesn't include mechanical or electrical work. Nothing is complex once you understand it.
In my experience there are at least two different kinds of people who rely on others for mechanical help.
1. Those who can but choose not to because they...
. a. Have more money than time.
. b. Do the work infrequently enough to justify special tools. Suspension/brake work I think fall in this camp for most people.
. c. They lack confidence or perspective on how simple it all is.
d. Mechanical work is not part of their limited recreation time. (see point 1a)
2. Those who can't because they
. a. Have been taught to believe that bicycles are magic and should not be touched by mere mortals.
b. Have zero mechanical aptitude by nature or by nurture. Who am I to blame?
For what it's worth, I am firmly in camp 1 for most of my minimal car maintenance needs. I'd rather pay the oil shop guys a slight premium over the cost of me doing an oil change myself if I can not spend an afternoon under my car in the cold. But, for me, tinkering on my bikes is part of the enjoyment and even if I was making extraordinary money I still think I'd work on my own bikes.
My co's Q4 and year end results came out. Tariffs gobbled up 67 million dollars from production. A pal who works in the med field had his co get taken for 175 mill due to tariffs. And I do mean taken. There is little wonder why many of our (former/soon to be former) international trading partners are looking at their neighbors and across the ponds for reliable trade partners. I'll wager that on the big brand/OEM front, survival is job 1, and that means many lines will get cratered before they get replenished.
Effigear are back
Following a very turbulent 2025, we are pleased to confirm that the Effigear project is being relaunched with the financial and industrial backing of Frégate Aéro.
The new company is currently being registered/incorporated. Our goal is to be fully operational by early March (structure, supply chain, customer support, and continuity of commercial commitments).
In addition, production will be 100% operational by May for Valeo Cyclee accessories and Mimic.
eMIMIC focus
Our #1 priority is eMIMIC, the electronic, controllable version of our gearbox. eMIMIC combines a robust transmission with embedded sensors (notably torque and cadence) and an intelligent control layer that can optimize bike behavior (comfort, efficiency, traction) based on terrain and rider intent. Designed for OEM integration, it enables a smoother, more efficient riding experience while reducing user constraints and maintenance needs.
Product warranty continuity
We also want to reassure you on a key point: Effigear product warranties will be maintained and taken over.
They remain valid for 5 years from the date of purchase / delivery, in accordance with the warranty conditions applicable at the time of sale.
What this means for you
- Continuity and security: the assets and resources required to run the business are being taken over (technology, tooling, support).
- A stronger industrial backbone: increased capability to deliver on quality, lead times, and ramp-up needs.
- A clear product focus: we are prioritizing three pillars.
Our 2026 commercial priorities
1) Mimic Evo: ongoing projects and integration support
2) eMIMIC: accelerated development and OEM partnerships
3) Commercialization of the Valeo Cyclee system
Next steps
Starting now, we can:
- restart ongoing discussions (projects, quotations, integration),
- align on your 2026 needs and timeline,
- schedule a short technical/product review (30 minutes) to secure the roadmap.
So you guys are both aliens? Cool!
Welcome back, Deviate!
Deviate Cycles Reopens Global Store, Marking a Careful Rebuild and Long-Term Future for the Brand
Scotland, UK — Deviate Cycles has officially reopened its global online store, signalling the next step in the return of the Scottish mountain bike brand following the liquidation of the previous company. The reopening restores access to frames, complete bikes, spare parts, and direct rider support, and marks the beginning of a deliberately structured rebuild focused on long-term stability and the global community that continues to ride Deviate bikes.
Over recent months, work has taken place quietly behind the scenes to secure the brand, its designs, and the future of its current platforms. Rather than a rapid reset, the relaunch has been approached as a careful reconstruction intended to ensure Deviate can endure and evolve for years to come.
“The last period has been incredibly difficult for everyone connected to Deviate — our team, our partners, and especially the riders who believed in what we were building,” said Ben Jones, co-founder of Deviate Cycles. “Reopening the store isn’t just about selling bikes again. It’s about supporting the riders already out there and rebuilding the brand properly so it has a genuine long-term future.”
The relaunch follows a quiet period during which the future of the brand was uncertain. Continued encouragement from riders around the world played a meaningful role in bringing Deviate back.
Online Store and Rider Support
With the global store now live, riders can once again purchase frames and complete bikes, access the full catalogue of spare parts, and contact the team directly for technical guidance and support. Initial availability centres on existing models while the company re-establishes dependable supply and service capacity.
Lifetime Warranty
As part of the relaunch, Deviate Cycles has confirmed lifetime frame warranty support for the original owner across all Deviate carbon frames, covering manufacturing defects in materials and workmanship. Although legal warranties issued by the former company did not transfer following liquidation, the relaunched business has chosen to extend equivalent lifetime support to original owners as a voluntary commitment to the riders who have supported Deviate from the beginning. “For us, this decision was about fairness and responsibility,” Jones added. “We wanted to stand behind the riders who have trusted Deviate over the years while building a company that can do that properly for the long term.”
Moving Forward
While the release of Deviate’s new eMTB platform, the Kurgan, remains an exciting part of the brand’s future, the immediate priority is stability and dependable rider support. As a result, the release of the Kurgan is currently paused while the company focuses on rebuilding strong operational foundations. Future product innovation remains central to Deviate’s vision, but development will follow a deliberate, engineering-led pace rather than rapid expansion.
Availability
The Deviate Cycles online store is now open: www.deviatecycles.com
Frames, complete bikes, and spare parts are available immediately.
Apologies if this is too far off topic, but Escape Collective just announced they're now cash-flow neutral (they've been running a deficit since they launched).
Pretty impressive when you consider how much high-quality content they put out and and doubly so that it's funded entirely by member subscriptions.
i‘d love to support a similar mtb oriented publisher too. i‘m not that much into road cycling, but they have lots of interesting long form articles and their tool series is just great nerdery
Fortune:
Walton Owned RZC PE firm pauses all new investments
Rapha just managed to squeek out their barf-inducing USAC kit and Allied managed to launch their new imported flimsy flyer before the Home Office from the Home Office said “no mas” to Steu and Thom’s vanity projects…
Don’t let the door hit ya on the way out boys!
Not sure if this is the whole story but here's a non-paywalled version/synopsis: https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/exclusive-the-walton-family-f…
“British cycling apparel company Rapha Cycling Club“
you only get what you paid for…
Any idea what exactly this could mean for Allied?
We've already seen more overseas production from Allied as they realized they couldn't match what was coming out of Taiwan.. Hopefully, they continue to develop their processes and onshore the bikes..
“Onshoring” and “No new investments” are kinda mutually exclusive, aren’t they?
I work with a few people who have worked for Rapha in the last 7 years. That brand is super duper marketing heavy, in terms of where the money goes.
It’s painful to think how the marketing investments over the last 7 years could have more than paid for building and buying the assets to cut stitch and sew clothing in closer to just-in-time and less seasonal/collection based model.
About 10 years ago I consulted for a domestic stitch and sew outfit that was inporting italian thread and fabric and swiss chamois and assembling to order in house. They refused to spend money on marketing, but they were also assembling a product and retailing it for about 1/3rd the cost of Rapha, with much lower margins per item but zero marketing.
The brands that are eating Rapha’s lunch in the hyper-premium but not-bespoke market are all similarly owned by “family offices” and spend millions on marketing every year. The marketplace has expanded, and Rapha’s marketing and in the field activations have fallen off a cliff since the RZC aquisiton. Old rapha invested heavily in film making, story telling and more organic brand activations in partnership with cool little brands. New Rapha is a bunch of SKU’s and really tired “they wear it in the olympics” story telling.
escape collective is great, mainly for Geek Warning and threaded...but it is very expensive to pay for one podcast. I cancelled my subscription at the end of last year cause I couldn't justify it, but then they had a sale so I got one more year at a still expensive but justifiable price for awesome content.
When I was talking onshore, I was thinking about in the future.. Like 5+ years.. Especially given the 3 year product cycles we see for most models.. But, the reality is that it's a lot easier to send the work to Taiwan than it is to bring it back here..
Interesting bit on Ralpha.. I never had much experience with their products, but they definitely seem like a company that pushed an image to try and create a perceived value..
Their member benefits discounts can significantly (or completely) offset the subscription cost (note these are NOT affiliate links, EC does not get a share of any sales).
Here's a sampling:
in my currency that’s about 6-7 mcdonalds menus, other people need to live too…
Fox switching things around a bit?
https://www.pinkbike.com/news/reed-boggs-and-peter-jamison-return-to-fox-a-strategic-shift-for-marzocchi.html
https://www.mtb-news.de/news/accell-kkr-steigt-aus/
KKR // ACCELL split up.
I mean I think the marzocchi stuff was always going to be bought by the guy looking for a genuinely good product at the lower end of the price spectrum, whether oem or aftermarket. Having a bunch of free ride athletes huck em in competition and video probably helps with winning over that market. But now that the fork has a million reviews and happy customers maybe doesn’t make sense to have big money tied to advertising it versus your premium products.
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