PORTLAND, OR (BRAIN)—Planet X and On-One co-founder Brant Richards has rejoined the company to head up Titus.
Planet X, the direct to consumer bike supplier based in the UK, acquired Titus’ assets from its major lender last November after it foreclosed on the Arizona bicycle company.
Richards comes back to Planet X after spending the past years creating and developing brands Ragley, Nukeproof and Vitus for Chain Reaction Cycles and its Hotlines distributor.
“I’ve always kept an eye on what On-One were doing and to a certain extent it was, and always would be, my first love. I’ve had an absolute blast with CRC and whilst I’m especially sorry to move away from Ragley, the challenge presented to me at On-One and
Titus is a career defining opportunity,” Richards said in a press release.
“The potential for Titus as a worldwide player is massive, and its history and pedigree carry a lot of kudos with me personally. I am extremely nervous and respectful of this, and my task is to keep Titus true to its roots, retaining USA production will be a big priority and that’s going to be an exciting journey. And for On-One, there’s so much still to do in crazy niches that aren’t being served properly.”
Richards, a Northern English mountain bike designer, joined forces with Planet X entrepreneur Dave Loughran in 1999 to start On-One, one of the first consumer direct mountain bike brands. After 10 years, the two split amid the demands and growing pains of a rapidly expanding business with inadequate systems and processes.
Loughran continued with Planet X, investing in a new operating system, new website, warehouse and showroom facility, which propelled turnover to triple in a 12-month period, he said. When he acquired Titus last year, he knew he wanted Richards to come onboard as head designer.
“We have learned a lot about ourselves personally as well as the bicycle business as a whole. Despite the fact that the company Brant left two years ago bears no resemblance to the professional outfit that we are today its very fair to say that I missed his energy and enthusiasm. We have unfinished business with On-One and have a great new challenge in rebuilding Titus,” he said.
Planet X/On-One/Titus have opened up their own U.S. operation in Portland and the company is being headed up by Spot founder Michael Golinski. New Titus stock will be arriving in fall together with the first deliveries of On-One, which will be arriving in a matter of weeks. For more details on Planet X’s plans for Titus, read the October issue of BRAIN.
