SSU insolvency and the bike industry generally

[grskier]

I think there are a lot of people that got into big bikes via Kona circa here:
https://issuu.com/wastedqba/docs/2k5_catalog

[nickwm21]

I'd like to see them focus on things other than the crowded (and expensive to develop) full suspension market - - steel bikes, hardtails, fun weird touring / gravel / cross bikes, commuter bikes. Basically Surly but do it with better parts spec, better geometry, and lower price.

So… Salsa.

Thinking out of the box - it’d be awesome if they went all Ti. Classic model names, classic graphics, modern geo and bits, all Ti. No FS; just road, gravel, commuting, and hardtails.

There’s not really a Ti option other than smaller / custom companies….


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[sfotex]

So… Salsa.

Thinking out of the box - it’d be awesome if they went all Ti. Classic model names, classic graphics, modern geo and bits, all Ti. No FS; just road, gravel, commuting, and hardtails.

There’s not really a Ti option other than smaller / custom companies….

Speaking of Ti, Lynskey has been having a fire sell the last few months. Road and gravel frames - all sizes for $850.. Hope things are ok over there...

[MarsB]

Sick. Coincidentally yesterday I pulled my old Unit 26" off the wall for the first time in a couple of years, gave a quick tune up and hit a few trail laps on the old girl. Viva Kona!

[weibo]

Pretty sure Lynskey was building Kona's Ti frames. The convergence looks good

[tellybele]

Sandvik built them, I believe starting with the Hei Hei. I had one in the late 90s and it was a Sandvik.

[J. Barron DeJong]

Sandvik built them, I believe starting with the Hei Hei. I had one in the late 90s and it was a Sandvik.

I always thought of Sandvik as a tubing manufacturer. Did they build frames too?

[tellybele]

Yup, welds were very nice as well as the bullet capped tubes at the dropouts. Not sure if or how the tubing was butted.

[TAFKALVS]

Man the Kona thing is like 3D chess…

1.) drive company out of relevance in the bike market.

2.) pump it to the moon during covid.

3.) sell it to a PE firm for mega bucks.

4.) hand PE firm a big ball of shit.

5.) have PE firm drive out expensive legacy employees, exit leases, and deal with the bill for over ordering during covid.

6.) buy back for pennies on the dollar with bled down inventory and lean staff.

[Marshal Olson]

I always thought of Sandvik as a tubing manufacturer. Did they build frames too?

Sandvik had a factory called TST that made OEM frames for a number of brands

[J. Barron DeJong]

Sandvik had a factory called TST that made OEM frames for a number of brands

Thanks

[jackattack]

Love my Rapha vest as well as their wool leg warmers. Didn't seem like they needed their NA office, stuff ships from UK if you order direct anyways. Takes awhile but IMO worth it. You'd think if they were going under they wouldn't have so many riders on their stuff nowadays, usually the first sign of impending doom when they drop their riders. As smmokan said- Walton money, I doubt they are going anywhere.

The US presence may have been a UK tax write-off scheme. Mountain Equipment pulled this off in the 2010's. Ask TAFKALVS for details.

For all my biking related cloths, road/gravel or MTB I go to Endura. VERY VERY nice quality, stuff lasts forever and it is 1/3 of Rapha and the other high end stuff.

https://us.endurasport.com/

I've seen some nice Endura gear but the HUGE LOGOS always turn me off. Looking at their website, they have a pair of $250 bibs, but they are also ok with low-spec/low-cost that the Rapha's of the world don't, presumably because they are not willing to water down the brand market position just yet.

Man the Kona thing is like 3D chess…

1.) drive company out of relevance in the bike market.

2.) pump it to the moon during covid.

3.) sell it to a PE firm for mega bucks.

4.) hand PE firm a big ball of shit.

5.) have PE firm drive out expensive legacy employees, exit leases, and deal with the bill for over ordering during covid.

6.) buy back for pennies on the dollar with bled down inventory and lean staff.

I view it as sort of a margin-call situation where they weren't willing or couldn't afford the 10x order commitments that were being demanded by suppliers to get product for the upcoming season, so they made the choice to get an infusion of cash to keep the brand alive. It was just a bad deal and in the end it might have a chance to turn out ok for the founders.

[dan_pdx]

Speaking of Ti, Lynskey has been having a fire sell the last few months. Road and gravel frames - all sizes for $850.. Hope things are ok over there...

I think/hope they're fine, it's part of their MO to have big sales for most of the year. I got a GR 300 complete this winter and have been digging it, hope they're staying afloat.

[mntlion]

I hope the guys at kona bought it back and made a BUNCH of money on the sell vs buyback

[Canada1]

Over the weekend I was told by a shop that currently you can get wheelsets online cheaper than they can get them at shop costs? Is that possible?
If that is the case, then the industry is basically eating it's own.

[jamal]

Yeah kind of, but like, that place selling those wheels or whatever is trying to get rid of old/extra stock and losing money or making nothing.

Recent example, I had someone come in and ask about upgrading his fork to longer travel and a grip 2 damper. Look up parts, with labor it was something around $500. Then do a search for a complete fork and universal cycles has a 36 factory in that travel for $600. Which is below cost from like qbp, maybe not for them buying a bunch at a time direct. So universal cycles makes nothing, and we don't get a sale or service either. I'm sure 3 years ago ordering all those fancy forks felt like a great idea though.

Same deal with bikes. MFGs have a bunch and have been jacking up prices, then run a sale, and shops with inventory are stuck selling things at the new sale price. A trek allant 7+ e-commuter for example has a new price of 2799 from 3799 and the "new" model retail price dropped to 3099. Want to know what they cost originally for a dealer? 2735. Sometimes they give you a credit, but not always.

[Peruvian]

If anyone comes across a decent 9x100 QR tubeless front wheel that’s 23-30mm wide, please let me know. Sub $175 preferred.

[mntlion]

If anyone comes across a decent 9x100 QR tubeless front wheel that’s 23-30mm wide, please let me know. Sub $175 preferred.

26,27,29, 700?

[Vt-Freeheel]

https://cambriabike.com/collections/...el-front-black

[Peruvian]

26,27,29, 700?

Oops - 29/700

[Peruvian]

https://cambriabike.com/collections/...el-front-black

Damn close and could work in a pinch but only 19mm wide ID.

[MCS5280]

Over the weekend I was told by a shop that currently you can get wheelsets online cheaper than they can get them at shop costs? Is that possible?
If that is the case, then the industry is basically eating it's own.

Part of it is the bullshit regional pricing that many brands enforce. Many of them have much higher prices for stuff in the US. As a result I can buy DT Swiss wheel sets out of Europe for cheaper than dealer cost in the US, even after shipping.

[Canada1]

Part of it is the bullshit regional pricing that many brands enforce. Many of them have much higher prices for stuff in the US. As a result I can buy DT Swiss wheel sets out of Europe for cheaper than dealer cost in the US, even after shipping.

It was a DT Swiss wheelset that we were discussing. That's brutal. I thought the guy was exaggerating.

I want my local shops to succeed. My son has been wrenching at one, and claims the bike side of the house is break even or worse. I am beginning to understand how that might be possible.

I was at a bike event over the weekend with a couple thousand roadies. We finished at the front, and talked while waves of riders came in. Of the first fifty finishers, probably 95 % were specialized s works. It was pretty wild to see how out of touch to the reality of the bike world I am. The college boys I was with, and myself, were the only 105 groupset on those racks!

[MCS5280]

Hmmm Spot is dumping Mayhem frames for $999 now. Wondering if they are finally starting to sweat a bit? I know several people in here have wondered how they have survived this.

[Phall]

I was in a shop who's dropping Evil, they have a large GX mech Following LS for $4999, but the manager was like, I need these gone, make me an offer.
I have never heard make me an offer at a bike shop before, i was kind of floored.