Industry News
AMSTERDAM (BRAIN) — CEO Janus Smalbraak is leaving Pon Holdings after 25 years, the past 15 leading the parent company of Pon.Bike. Smalbraak wrote a LinkedIn post that he will join Amsterdam investment company Parcom as a partner.
WASHINGTON (BRAIN) — U.S. bike imports from China rebounded in July and August, probably in anticipation of increased tariffs that were then threatened to take effect in November.
SAN RAFAEL, Calif. (BRAIN) — Thomas Franges, who as a boy in Zagreb, Croatia, dropped smoke bombs on Nazi occupiers in his city and as an adult helped stem a threatening tide of product-liability lawsuits against the bicycle industry, died on November 19 at home in San Rafael, California. He was 89.
VICENZA, Italy (BRAIN) — Campagnolo laid off 40% of its workforce after it reported losses of 24 million euros ($27.8 million) over the past three years.
HICKORY, N.C. (BRAIN) — After 33 years of manufacturing its socks and other products in-house, DeFeet is shifting to the use of nearby partners for knitting. The company is continuing to buy yarn from domestic sources and handle R&D, marketing, sales and other functions at its "clubhouse" headquarters in Hickory, said founder Shane Cooper.
LAGUNA BEACH, Calif. (BRAIN) — Paul Deem, an industry stalwart who was an Olympian, store owner and bike-brand sales manager, died in October following an accident while on vacation in Portugal with his wife, Deborah. He was 68.
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (BRAIN) — Master bike wheel builder Bill Mould died Nov. 12 at his home at age 82. Mould worked with several retailers and manufacturers throughout his career, and ran his own wheelbuilding, engineering and technical education business, Bill Mould Wheels.
(BRAIN) — Felt Bicycles said its current management team and minority shareholders, Florian Burguet and Cesar Rojo, have entered into a purchase agreement with the Pierer Mobility Group to fully acquire the brand.
KOBLENZ, Germany (BRAIN) — Canyon Bicycle sales declined 7% year-over-year in the first nine months of the year with parent company Groupe Bruxelles Lambert saying the industry's challenging market of "oversupply and aggressive discounting" was partially responsible.
(BRAIN) — E-bike retailer and brand Pedego has a new owner: the U.S.-based ownership group behind Urtopia, a start-up e-bike brand that offers high-tech carbon fiber and connected e-bikes.
SANTA FE, N.M. (BRAIN) — More than 40 Cranksgiving rides will take place this weekend in cities nationwide as the 26th annual food drive nears its peak activity period before Thanksgiving next week.
GRANGER, Ind. (BRAIN) — The National Bicycle Service Technician Program is now accepting mechanics seeking accreditation on the NBSTP website.
FRANKFURT (BRAIN) — A week after ending an e-mobility show held in conjunction with Eurobike next year following two German trade groups’ objection to holding the events concurrently, Eurobike org
REDWOOD CITY, Calif. (BRAIN) — Carbon, Inc., which provides the technology behind most of the industry's 3D-printed helmets and saddles, as well as 3D-printed running shoes from adidas, has closed on a $60 million funding round.
FRANKFURT (BRAIN) — Eurobike organizers say they will not hold a distinct e-mobility event alongside the bike show in 2026.
NEW YORK (BRAIN) — Refurbished e-bike seller Upway closed a $60 million Series C funding round last week led by an investment by Copenhagen's A.P. Moller Holding. The company said it is looking for U.S. growth and plans to open used e-bike refurbishment centers in Denver and other U.S. cities.
BOULDER, Colo. (BRAIN) — For our November magazine edition, we asked our State of Retail panel members: What are the most and least effective things you’ve done to engage with customers and keep them riding after their initial purchase and visiting your shop? What, if any, youth-specific engagement has worked well?
SEATTLE (BRAIN) — Rad Power Bikes told Washington state officials on Friday that it possibly would lay off 64 employees in the state in January.
(BRAIN) — After 20 years as president of marketing and software company SmartEtailing, later rebranded as Workstand in 2023, Ryan Atkinson resigned in late October.
TAICHUNG, Taiwan (BRAIN) — Giant Group’s net revenue through the first three quarters of its fiscal year was down 16.9% from last year, to NT$47.96 billion ($1.55 billion). The manufacturer said its gross margin for the period was 19.8% and net profit before tax was NT$1.43 billion.

