MONTREAL (BRAIN) — American BMX Company, which acquired the legacy BMX brand Race Inc. in July, has signed a long-term licensing agreement with Jeff Bottema to bring Bottema's legendary BMX fork back to the market, updated for modern standards.
Bottema raced from the mid-1970s through the mid-1980s. In 1979, he launched Jeff Bottema Forks with a heavy-duty fork design that featured thicker tubing than others and legs that extended about an inch below the dropouts, giving the forks an unmistakable profile.
The original forks are treasured by collectors and Bottema has worked with several frame builders to reintroduce the forks over the years, but none of the agreements have lasted.
“It has been my dream for a long time to sell my forks. I know there is a market for them. A lot of people want them, and they sell for a lot of money to collectors,” Bottema said.
Marc Côté, the owner of Montreal-based ABC, said, “It’s a real shame that Jeff was never able to turn Jeff Bottema Forks into a successful business. Hopefully he will finally make some money off his idea,” Côté said.
“We’ve been busy creating a line of BMX racing bikes and frames. But we’ve also been working on a line of retro bikes. We will use Bottema forks on some of the retro models. We also will offer a line of after-market forks in 26-inch and 29-inch sizes for the booming retro-BMX cruiser market,” he added.
New Bottema and Race Inc. forks share the design language of the originals but feature 1 1/8-inch threadless steerer tubes, oversize 1 1/8-inch legs and dropouts that fit 10- and 20-millimeter hub axles. Both fork lines will be made by Tange.
Race Inc. plans to sell its BMX racing frames and bikes consumer-direct. Its retro bikes and after-market forks will be sold online as well as through retail shops.
“As everyone knows, the current retail landscape is complicated. Consumers want an exceptional customer service experience wherever they shop. Our goal is to provide our customers with a great buying experience, whether it’s online or at a shop,” Côté said.
