News
TAIPEI, Taiwan (BRAIN)—The bike business is hitting the skids as 2009 wraps up with November sales reports from Merida showing a month on month drop in business of 21 percent, Giant down 14 percent, Kenda down 24 percent and component maker Lee Chi down 20 percent.
DENVER, CO (BRAIN)—Bicycle Village has tapped Felt, Scott, Look, Cervélo and Gary Fisher to fill in the floor space opened up by the Colorado chain’s impending split with Specialized.

TAICHUNG, Taiwan (BRAIN)—The global economy appears to be shrugging off the so-called Great Recession as consumers start spending and orders for new goods start rising. But Tony Lo, Giant’s chief executive officer, expects the U.S. market will take more time to recover. (Click on headline for PDF newsletter.)
CORAL GABLES, FL (BRAIN)—Citizen Bike, a Florida folding bike company, is suing Jamis Bicycles claiming that its name doesn’t infringe on Jamis’ trademark rights.
Jamis manufacturers and sells three bicycles that go by the name Citizen 1, Citizen 2 and Citizen 3.
PHILADELPHIA, PA (BRAIN)—Advanced Sports has purchased the Oval Concepts brand, trademarks and tooling and has entered into a license agreement for its patented JetStream and SCCS technology.

TAICHUNG, Taiwan (BRAIN)—Ideal’s Michael Chen speaks for many in the industry when he calls the U.S. market a challenge. (Click on headline for PDF newsletter.)
“It’s been a tough year for everybody,” said Chen, Ideal’s vice-president of marketing for North America.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (BRAIN)—Exports of Made in USA bikes dropped by 1,288 units through the third quarter, a 3 percent drop. A steep drop in shipments to Mexico and Latin America negated the increase in business with Britain, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Pacific Rim nations.
NEWBURY PARK, CA (BRAIN)—Giant laid off two inside sales representatives in November, dividing their responsibilities up among the remaining team.
FT. COLLINS, CO (BRAIN)—Tour de Fat, New Belgium Brewing’s traveling celebration of all things bicycle, raised more than $276,000 for bike advocacy groups during the 2009 season.
Congrats to Cane Creek R&D director Josh Coaplen for the new addition to his family, Alexander Orsini Coaplan, who weighed in at 8 lb 4oz. Baby is doing well and is already dreaming of singletrack.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (BRAIN)—Retailers throughout the Midwest are feeling the effects of a powerful storm that ripped through California and the West Coast on Monday.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (BRAIN)—The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is holding a two-day public workshop on Thursday, December 10, and Friday December 11, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.