BOULDER, CO (BRAIN) — "Think big, act small," is the buzz phrase at Alchemy Bicycle Company, a small builder that's carving out a niche in the area where high-performance racing bikes and custom, handmade craftsmanship overlap.
Alchemy, which started in Austin, Texas, about five years ago, has new investors who have formed a parent company for the brand, called Ethic Industries. Ethic's partners are newcomer Matt Simpson, the former CEO of Pedro's, and Alchemy's Ryan Cannizzaro and Matt Maczuzak.
Besides Alchemy, Ethic is exploring new opportunities in the bike industry that might be attacked with new brands, Simpson told BRAIN this week. Besides the new ownership, the company is in the process of relocating from Austin to near Denver, he said.
The name of the new company speaks to its owner's determination to do right by the environment and the cycling community, he said.
"Our founding principal was based on ethics, doing it right and being great stewards," he said. "We are talking a humble, quiet approach," he said, referring again to the Think Big, Act Small mission.
Alchemy has been well-known in the Austin area for years before gaining national attention for its aerodynamic carbon frame, which won the "Best Carbon Bike" award at the 2012 North American Handmade Bicycle Show.
Alchemy is further refining that model's design this year and recently went to a wind tunnel to test the new design against several aero road bikes from major manufacturers. Simpson said the results were "very encouraging."
Besides the carbon bikes, Alchemy makes welded stainless steel frames. Simpson said Alchemy is part of the NAHBS community, but not necessarily the part occupied custom lugged steel makers who tend to define the character of the annual show. Instead, Simpson looks to brands like Seven and Independent Fabrication for inspiration. Simpson, who recently moved from New Hampshire to Colorado, is a longtime fan and friend of both the New England builders.
Alchemy has more than 50 dealers, and will be looking to make connections with new dealers this fall at Interbike, where its bikes will be shown in several brands' booths.
