DENVER, CO (BRAIN)—Specialized will part ways with Colorado’s Bicycle Village when the agreement between the two companies ends next June.
Ken Gart, president of Specialty Sports Venture, which owns the chain of five Bicycle Village stores throughout Colorado’s Front Range, said Specialized’s local sales manager told him a couple weeks ago that the company would not continue its partnership with the stores beyond June 2010.
He said he had not yet heard from Specialized’s corporate office.
“Obviously the relationship was not perfect, but we were surprised,” Gart said of Specialized’s decision.
Bicycle Village has carried Specialized at least since Specialty Sports Venture purchased the chain nine years ago, Gart said. Trek is Bicycle Village’s primary supplier.
Mike Sinyard, Specialized’s president, said the decision to part ways with Bicycle Village was a difficult one that involved direct conversations with company management.
“We believe this is the best path for our dealers, riders, and our brand,” Sinyard said in an e-mail statement. “It is our responsibility to protect the profitability of our dealer base and to uphold the value of our bikes and equipment. We do this by partnering with dealers who focus on servicing the riders and building the value of their brand and ours.
“Our dealers can be rest assured that we will always provide the best products, service and support we possibly can. Where there are issues with dealers we will always communicate them directly, just as we expect dealers to communicate directly with us. That’s what partners do, and that’s how, together, we will be the best.”
Gart said he is talking to about a dozen manufacturers to potentially partner with in the future for bikes, helmets and parts and accessories.
“We’re disappointed but we will find matches that are going to be great and I think are going to be a very positive for the long-term growth of our company,” Gart said.
For more on this story including perspective from other Specialized dealers in the competitive Colorado market read the October issue of Bicycle Retailer & Industry News magazine.
—Nicole Formosa
