The Bikeconomics (Mega)Thread

ShapeThings
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Oakland, CA, USA
9/22/2026 10:35am
Simcik wrote:

Curious where their US location will be.

Read somewhere that it’s California. Think that was their previous location?

Simcik
Posts
485
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Location
Loma, CO, USA
9/22/2026 11:31am
Simcik wrote:

Curious where their US location will be.

Read somewhere that it’s California. Think that was their previous location?

I think they were in San Clemente, but not positive. Wonder if any of the previous crew is returning, I am sure a lot of experience and knowledge within that bunch. 

jonkranked
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Location
Norristown, PA, USA
9/22/2026 12:03pm
Simcik wrote:

Curious where their US location will be.

Read somewhere that it’s California. Think that was their previous location?

Simcik wrote:
I think they were in San Clemente, but not positive. Wonder if any of the previous crew is returning, I am sure a lot of experience...

I think they were in San Clemente, but not positive. Wonder if any of the previous crew is returning, I am sure a lot of experience and knowledge within that bunch. 

in the comments of the announcement on the other site, a number of former YT USA employees were making posts that have since been deleted. the gist of it  was no, they will not be returning based on what I had read. one of the comments i specifically recall indicated they never accepted any of the deals from markus / yt gmbh after he took back over because they were not financially viable and would have resulted in YT usa shutting down eventually anyways. sounded like they opted not to drag that process out. 

6
9/22/2026 4:06pm
iceman2058 wrote:
Since you guys are already chatting about it, here's the official PR from YT:----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------September 15th, 2026 - Direct-to-consumer mountain bike brand YT Industries is officially...

Since you guys are already chatting about it, here's the official PR from YT:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

YT USBack-1

September 15th, 2026 - Direct-to-consumer mountain bike brand YT Industries is officially back in the United States. With dedicated operations now live, US customers can access the YT bike lineup, alongside replacement parts and US-based support, backed by an all-new Customer Care team.

​With a renewed focus, YT has restructured operations to put the customer first and foremost, offering fast delivery, spare parts availability and the technical support needed to keep riders rolling – right in their own backyard.

“The United States has helped shape YT’s identity, and I’m excited to reconnect with our strong fan base,” says YT Industries founder and CEO, Markus Flossmann. “Our relaunch has taken longer than anticipated, but we needed to do it right. We own our past mistakes, and with this step, I'm confident we have a solid foundation for a stronger, more reliable future that our community deserves.”

“As we return, our priority isn't just to sell bikes; it's to deliver dependable service, responsive support, and to build a stronger connection with our US rider base”

Riders in the US can now shop the full YT MTB lineup, including CAPRA, JEFFSY, IZZO, DECOY, and TUES, purchase replacement components and connect with technical support at https://yt-industries.com/en-us/. 

​The highly anticipated Avinox fueled DECOY X Launch Edition is already available, with the CORE model range following in November.

Simcik wrote:

Curious where their US location will be.

BOHICA, USA

9/22/2026 4:39pm
image 833.png?VersionId=6uMw
I tend to doubt the old yt USA is involved with the new one.
11
9/22/2026 8:02pm

Another round of layoffs started at Trek again today. 

sweaman22
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Calgary, AB, CA
9/22/2026 8:20pm

I'm pretty sure one of my local Canadian shops just received a bunch of trek bikes that they have now instantly discounted.. which I presumed was related to previous anecdotal delays around shipping etc related in part to Giant?  Unfortunate timing.  Either way some impressive bargains to be had if you assume the entire company isn't at risk. 

3
sethimus
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CH
9/22/2026 11:45pm

Another round of layoffs started at Trek again today. 

Best Place To Work Award!

1
1 day ago

Another round of layoffs started at Trek again today. 

sethimus wrote:

Best Place To Work Award!

Such a joke. If Trek actually listened to the feedback on those surveys things would probably be in a better place. It will be interesting to see if anyone from upper management is affected. 

1
1 day ago
sweaman22 wrote:
I'm pretty sure one of my local Canadian shops just received a bunch of trek bikes that they have now instantly discounted.. which I presumed was...

I'm pretty sure one of my local Canadian shops just received a bunch of trek bikes that they have now instantly discounted.. which I presumed was related to previous anecdotal delays around shipping etc related in part to Giant?  Unfortunate timing.  Either way some impressive bargains to be had if you assume the entire company isn't at risk. 

Even if trek goes bankrupt (or is near bankruptcy) I really doubt they’ll disappear.  They are a huge brand in the wealthiest nation in the world.  Who knows how it would work out for current employees both management and not.  But I really doubt there’s a future without the trek brand operating.

5
Jotegr
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388
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Interior, BC, CA
1 day ago Edited Date/Time 1 day ago

Trek has been making some interesting moves in BC. They told a bunch of A-level stores that they essentially had to become concept stores (80% of floor space dedicated to Trek and Bontrager) or they would get dropped, got told to f-off by those stores, dropped them, and now:

  • are in the process  of massively increasing the number of dealers in some areas without concern for overlap
  • gave their A-level bike accounts to powersports stores in the region 

I wonder if this is happening elsewhere in Canada. They didn't really have anything to buy in the first place and their newer MSRP-for-product was kinda whack in Canada anyway.  Moving from solid dealers to powersport stores being the only dealer in some significant markets, or cutting into a big part of your existing dealer's ebike sales by picking up additional powersport stores seems like an odd choice. 

5
pamtbr
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Location
PA, WA, USA
1 day ago

Another round of layoffs started at Trek again today. 

Too soon to blame 32"? Launch is done-ish; Gwen put it on the podium, and Evie and Riley top 10 on the weekend - mission accomplished.

Sucks for those impacted, though. The optimistic 2026 view isn't playing out for many, and heading into winter could be very rough.

1 day ago
Jotegr wrote:
Trek has been making some interesting moves in BC. They told a bunch of A-level stores that they essentially had to become concept stores (80% of...

Trek has been making some interesting moves in BC. They told a bunch of A-level stores that they essentially had to become concept stores (80% of floor space dedicated to Trek and Bontrager) or they would get dropped, got told to f-off by those stores, dropped them, and now:

  • are in the process  of massively increasing the number of dealers in some areas without concern for overlap
  • gave their A-level bike accounts to powersports stores in the region 

I wonder if this is happening elsewhere in Canada. They didn't really have anything to buy in the first place and their newer MSRP-for-product was kinda whack in Canada anyway.  Moving from solid dealers to powersport stores being the only dealer in some significant markets, or cutting into a big part of your existing dealer's ebike sales by picking up additional powersport stores seems like an odd choice. 

Has anyone seen the power sports dealer as bike dealer model work? It didn’t work for Husqvarna, KTM, GasGas, or Yamaha e-bikes in the US. 

1
hookem34
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49
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Location
Texas Y'all, TX, USA
Fantasy
1 day ago Edited Date/Time 1 day ago
Jotegr wrote:
Trek has been making some interesting moves in BC. They told a bunch of A-level stores that they essentially had to become concept stores (80% of...

Trek has been making some interesting moves in BC. They told a bunch of A-level stores that they essentially had to become concept stores (80% of floor space dedicated to Trek and Bontrager) or they would get dropped, got told to f-off by those stores, dropped them, and now:

  • are in the process  of massively increasing the number of dealers in some areas without concern for overlap
  • gave their A-level bike accounts to powersports stores in the region 

I wonder if this is happening elsewhere in Canada. They didn't really have anything to buy in the first place and their newer MSRP-for-product was kinda whack in Canada anyway.  Moving from solid dealers to powersport stores being the only dealer in some significant markets, or cutting into a big part of your existing dealer's ebike sales by picking up additional powersport stores seems like an odd choice. 

Has anyone seen the power sports dealer as bike dealer model work? It didn’t work for Husqvarna, KTM, GasGas, or Yamaha e-bikes in the US. 

Specialized did this down in my neck of the woods three years ago with a large powersports dealer in Austin. The deals they made to move Levo's was insane and a few of my buddies got Gen 3 Levo's for a fraction of what they were being sold at in our local Specialized stores.

It was a clear WIN for the consumer 😉

2
1 day ago
Jotegr wrote:
Trek has been making some interesting moves in BC. They told a bunch of A-level stores that they essentially had to become concept stores (80% of...

Trek has been making some interesting moves in BC. They told a bunch of A-level stores that they essentially had to become concept stores (80% of floor space dedicated to Trek and Bontrager) or they would get dropped, got told to f-off by those stores, dropped them, and now:

  • are in the process  of massively increasing the number of dealers in some areas without concern for overlap
  • gave their A-level bike accounts to powersports stores in the region 

I wonder if this is happening elsewhere in Canada. They didn't really have anything to buy in the first place and their newer MSRP-for-product was kinda whack in Canada anyway.  Moving from solid dealers to powersport stores being the only dealer in some significant markets, or cutting into a big part of your existing dealer's ebike sales by picking up additional powersport stores seems like an odd choice. 

Has anyone seen the power sports dealer as bike dealer model work? It didn’t work for Husqvarna, KTM, GasGas, or Yamaha e-bikes in the US. 

hookem34 wrote:
Specialized did this down in my neck of the woods three years ago with a large powersports dealer in Austin. The deals they made to move...

Specialized did this down in my neck of the woods three years ago with a large powersports dealer in Austin. The deals they made to move Levo's was insane and a few of my buddies got Gen 3 Levo's for a fraction of what they were being sold at in our local Specialized stores.

It was a clear WIN for the consumer 😉

I thought I remembered seeing Mountain Motorsports selling Levos in Georgia a while back, but I didn't see anything on their site when I checked earlier today. 

rgard
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Location
pemberton, BC, CA
1 day ago
hookem34 wrote:
Specialized did this down in my neck of the woods three years ago with a large powersports dealer in Austin. The deals they made to move...

Specialized did this down in my neck of the woods three years ago with a large powersports dealer in Austin. The deals they made to move Levo's was insane and a few of my buddies got Gen 3 Levo's for a fraction of what they were being sold at in our local Specialized stores.

It was a clear WIN for the consumer 😉

This is one of the powersports dealers in the Lower Mainland of BC who have gone all-in on carrying e-bike inventory. Clear win for the consumer. I work in the powersports industry and don't see how this idea is ever going to work. People who want ebikes aren't shopping at a powersports dealership, people shopping at powersports dealerships aren't looking for ebikes. Carrying this much inventory in the hopes that someone will come in wanting a new TX-300 and decide, no, actually I want this more expensive, less good thing because it also has wheels seems insane to me. https://www.internationalmotorsports.com/search/inventory/availability/…

3
1 day ago
Jotegr wrote:
Trek has been making some interesting moves in BC. They told a bunch of A-level stores that they essentially had to become concept stores (80% of...

Trek has been making some interesting moves in BC. They told a bunch of A-level stores that they essentially had to become concept stores (80% of floor space dedicated to Trek and Bontrager) or they would get dropped, got told to f-off by those stores, dropped them, and now:

  • are in the process  of massively increasing the number of dealers in some areas without concern for overlap
  • gave their A-level bike accounts to powersports stores in the region 

I wonder if this is happening elsewhere in Canada. They didn't really have anything to buy in the first place and their newer MSRP-for-product was kinda whack in Canada anyway.  Moving from solid dealers to powersport stores being the only dealer in some significant markets, or cutting into a big part of your existing dealer's ebike sales by picking up additional powersport stores seems like an odd choice. 

Has anyone seen the power sports dealer as bike dealer model work? It didn’t work for Husqvarna, KTM, GasGas, or Yamaha e-bikes in the US. 

Doesn’t intense have some type of power sports dealer deal?  

1
Simcik
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485
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Location
Loma, CO, USA
20 hours ago

Doesn’t intense have some type of power sports dealer deal?  

I am not sure if they are still doing that or not. I believe they previously used Western Powersports to distribute e-bikes into powersports shops. Not sure if that continues or not. My local KTM dealer used to carry Intense but I think that has moved back to bike dealers only. 

1
smelly
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229
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3/7/2016
Location
Colorado Springs, CO, USA
20 hours ago
rgard wrote:
This is one of the powersports dealers in the Lower Mainland of BC who have gone all-in on carrying e-bike inventory. Clear win for the consumer...

This is one of the powersports dealers in the Lower Mainland of BC who have gone all-in on carrying e-bike inventory. Clear win for the consumer. I work in the powersports industry and don't see how this idea is ever going to work. People who want ebikes aren't shopping at a powersports dealership, people shopping at powersports dealerships aren't looking for ebikes. Carrying this much inventory in the hopes that someone will come in wanting a new TX-300 and decide, no, actually I want this more expensive, less good thing because it also has wheels seems insane to me. https://www.internationalmotorsports.com/search/inventory/availability/…

I’d suspect it’s more that people decide to also buy an e bike, yeah? Ol’ Roy buys a new SXS and a couple e-bikes to hang off the back of the trailer. 

Don’t most shops make a large amount of their revenue on parts and service? So the conflict here is that the manufacturer makes money selling bikes, but the store makes money on parts and service. 

bicycle019
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44
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8/16/2017
Location
Denver, CO, USA
18 hours ago
rgard wrote:
This is one of the powersports dealers in the Lower Mainland of BC who have gone all-in on carrying e-bike inventory. Clear win for the consumer...

This is one of the powersports dealers in the Lower Mainland of BC who have gone all-in on carrying e-bike inventory. Clear win for the consumer. I work in the powersports industry and don't see how this idea is ever going to work. People who want ebikes aren't shopping at a powersports dealership, people shopping at powersports dealerships aren't looking for ebikes. Carrying this much inventory in the hopes that someone will come in wanting a new TX-300 and decide, no, actually I want this more expensive, less good thing because it also has wheels seems insane to me. https://www.internationalmotorsports.com/search/inventory/availability/…

smelly wrote:
I’d suspect it’s more that people decide to also buy an e bike, yeah? Ol’ Roy buys a new SXS and a couple e-bikes to hang...

I’d suspect it’s more that people decide to also buy an e bike, yeah? Ol’ Roy buys a new SXS and a couple e-bikes to hang off the back of the trailer. 

Don’t most shops make a large amount of their revenue on parts and service? So the conflict here is that the manufacturer makes money selling bikes, but the store makes money on parts and service. 

A big contributor to powersports dealers bottom line is the financing department.  That's always been a big differentiator between the IBD model and powersports one.  No one walks into a bike shop, gets a line of credit approved then goes shopping.  That's a very typical customer path at a powersports dealer.  

RE: Intense and WPS - that relationship ended a while ago. 

2
rgard
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65
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5/2/2024
Location
pemberton, BC, CA
18 hours ago
smelly wrote:
I’d suspect it’s more that people decide to also buy an e bike, yeah? Ol’ Roy buys a new SXS and a couple e-bikes to hang...

I’d suspect it’s more that people decide to also buy an e bike, yeah? Ol’ Roy buys a new SXS and a couple e-bikes to hang off the back of the trailer. 

Don’t most shops make a large amount of their revenue on parts and service? So the conflict here is that the manufacturer makes money selling bikes, but the store makes money on parts and service. 

Whether it's my imaginary customer or your imaginary customer I think the key takeaway is that so far, neither imaginary customer really exists. I'm sure you're aware that a lot of the add-on sales you're describing that happen in a dealership are predicated on; "You're financing this SxS at $XXX a week already, if you add the fancy suspension your weekly payment only goes up by $18." When a couple of e-bikes to hang off the SxS run at $25000CAD that really blows that math out the window. 

3
Jotegr
Posts
388
Joined
6/28/2024
Location
Interior, BC, CA
10 hours ago Edited Date/Time 10 hours ago

They had to literally give the Gasgas bikes away and Trek is thinking it's the right move.

 

Actually, I'm pretty sure Trek is just thinking "oh my goodness we're fucking broke and we need someone with pockets who will pay us right now or at least on 90 day terms".


Personally, I think it's the wrong move and the wrong customer base. I don't see powersport dealers as a way to viably grow the sport or sell $12,500 Rails to the new "core" customer. 

1
owl-x
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1035
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3/23/2016
Location
Shell Beach, CA, USA
8 hours ago
bicycle019 wrote:
A big contributor to powersports dealers bottom line is the financing department.  That's always been a big differentiator between the IBD model and powersports one.  No...

A big contributor to powersports dealers bottom line is the financing department.  That's always been a big differentiator between the IBD model and powersports one.  No one walks into a bike shop, gets a line of credit approved then goes shopping.  That's a very typical customer path at a powersports dealer.  

RE: Intense and WPS - that relationship ended a while ago. 

That’s definitely not the case anymore. Affirm, Klarna, Shop Pay…buy now pay later brah!

2
sethimus
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979
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9/20/2014
Location
CH
2 hours ago
owl-x wrote:

That’s definitely not the case anymore. Affirm, Klarna, Shop Pay…buy now pay later brah!

or company bike leasing in germany. that’s huge over there. your employer leases the bike for you, sometimes pays also the full rates or partly, if the employee pays it gets deducted from their salary before taxes or all the social insurances, so they pay less than if they lease it on their own.

one of the main reasons ebikes took off so hard in that market 

1

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