Industry News

BEVERLY, Mass. (BRAIN) — Bob Parlee, the founder of his namesake bike company, died at home on Tuesday in Essex, Massachusetts, surrounded by family after a four-year cancer battle. He was 70.

MAGSTADT, Germany (BRAIN) — Taiwan bike maker Merida Industry Co. Ltd. has acquired an additional 39% stake in Merida & Centurion Germany GmbH from its founder, Wolfgang Renner, for 17.3 million euros ($19.05 million). Merida already owned a 51% share in the distributor.

MINNEAPOLIS (BRAIN) — Co-founder Brendan Moore characterizes Wolf Tooth Components as a product-first company. The brand's 2,000 selling SKUs — including about 500 chainring spec' variations alone — and 10 engineers among a staff of 87 full- and part-time employees certainly bear that out.

While the total number of fires caused by lithium-ion batteries in micromobility devices is roughly unchanged — 141 this year compared with 148 at the same time last year — the number of resulting deaths decreased 92% (from 13 to 1) and injuries 40% (from 92 to 55).

MONTRÉAL — Montréal-based athletic wear company Lolë Brands has acquired Louis Garneau Sports including its three brands Garneau, Sugoi and Sombrio. 

(BRAIN) — Former top BMX racer Harry Leary died Sept. 7 of heat exhaustion in the Arizona desert, according to a USA BMX Instagram post. He was 65.

SAN FRANCISCO (BRAIN) — Bikeshare company Lyft announced a restructuring plan that includes laying off about 1% of its workforce — affecting about 30 employees — and no longer operating standalone dockless bikes and scooters.

RENTON, Wash. (BRAIN) — Alta Cycling Group, the parent of Redline, Diamondback and IZIP, has scaled back significantly as its private equity owners wait out the industry’s current period of discounting and high inventory. 

WASHINGTON (BRAIN) — National Park Service superintendents will continue to have authority over e-bike usage on the lands they manage after an environmental assessment was completed as required by a judgment in a lawsuit.