Fenway Partners, the New York-based private equity fund that owns Giro Helmetparent company Easton-Bell is reportedly putting the company up for sale, according to a story on Reuters.
Based in Van Nuys, California, the company sells its products under several brands, including Easton, Bell, Riddell, Giro, Blackburn and Easton Cycling. It generated net sales of $827.2 million in fiscal year 2012.
According to the story, “people familiar with the matter” say the sale could bring as much as $900 million. Others, say it maybe difficult after a judge ruled that their football helmet arm, Riddell, may not have sufficiently warned players about the danger of concussions while wearing the helmets.
Pivot, the makers of one of our favorite full suspension XC bikes, has dropped a new 27.5er just in time for the Sea Otter Classic. The new Firebird reportedly melds all the long-travel benefits of a 26 inch with the roller over everything 29ers and meets them right there in the middle at 27.5 (as Pivot like to call their 650b).
“The new Firebird 27.5-inch model takes everything that’s great about the Firebird and makes it better. It’s definitely a favorite around our office,” offers Pivot president and CEO Chris Cocalis, “Within a line of very versatile bikes it stands out because it really is a quiver-of-one. It rewards and inspires confidence for an aggressive rider.”
All that and 6.6 inches of travel in the back seat. If you’re at the Sea Otter, check it out at the Pivot booth. Otherwise, follow the jump for all the official details. [click to continue…]
For those who watched Swiss cyclist Fabian Cancellara win the 2013Tour of Flanders and Paris Roubiax (back to back) and thought maybe they’d like to test themselves against 200 plus kilometers of cycling hell, the Spy Belgian Waffle Ride held in Carlsbad, California, is the perfect race.
The 2013 Spy BWR, held April 7, (the same day as Paris Roubiax), pitted 360 cyclists against some of the steepest, wettest, and rockiest roads and dirt trails in Southern California. And that was after loading everyone up with a huge waffle breakfast.
Modeled after Europe’s gnarly one-day Spring Classic races, the Spy BWR offered those who dared to challenge the course an opportunity to test their strengths in a variety of different terrain, while at the same time raising money for the Challenged Athletes Foundation.
The 130-mile “hell of the North (County)” course began under overcast skies at Spy Optic’s headquarters in Carlsbad and wound its way through Carlsbad, Oceanside, Bonsall, Valley Center, Escondido, and San Elijo before ending, six-plus hours later, back at company headquarters.
Follow the jump for the rest of the story including complete results. [click to continue…]
SRAM just rolled out their new Force 22 and Red 22 11-speed (including hydraulic and disc brakes) groups to a select group of cycling journalists recently and while we didn’t get an invite, Bike Radar was there to get all the details.
SRAM claim all the new 11-speed groups to be ‘trim-free’, meaning you can use the full width of the cassette on either chain ring without adjusting the front derailleur or getting chain rub on the derailleur cage. In all cassette options from 11-25 to 11-28, what’s new is the 16-tooth cog, which makes for single-tooth differences from the 11 up to the 17. An 11-32 WiFli option will also be available.
The most interesting thing for us is the disc brakes. Having not ridden them on the road yet, all we can say is that we certainly like like the direct braking control we have on our mountain bikes.
Here’s a little reminder of some Campagnolo history from Campy North American General Manager Tom Kattus. The video is three years old, but it’s always nice to hear a good story from a great guy. Oh, and if you’re in Southern California this weekend, check out the Campagnolo San Diego Gran Fondo kicking off in Little Italy. The expo is open Saturday April 13, 2013 and the ride kicks off early on Sunday, April 14, 2013.
After getting hit by a car for the second time (this accident not as bad as the one that caused the above photo) Cyclist David Colon wrote a joyful essay for drivers called, How To Stop Hitting Me With Your Car. The list starts out with the tip: “Pay attention. Just fucking pay attention” and rolls on from there, according to his story on Brokelyn.com.
It must be tough to be a driver in Brooklyn. Because apparently when you get behind the wheel of a car, you turn into a complete sociopath, and a blind one at that. How else to explain the fact that a new study shows 44 percent of pedestrians struck by cars are hit in crosswalks?
We had to laugh in agreement with his final plea: “Stop. Hitting me. With your car. You evil motherfuckers.”
Yesterday (April 7, 2013) Fabian Cancellara won his third Paris-Roubaix and his second classic in as many Sundays (back to back Flanders and Paris-Roubaix). But he didn’t run away with this one. It came down to classic track tactics against Sep Vanmarcke. Watch carefully and you’ll see exactly how Cancellara played Vanmarcke all the way to the line. To watch the entire race, follow the jump. [click to continue…]
Accurately described as a ‘re-envisioning’ of Eagle’s former Get Out Expo, the new event incorporates many new elements for riders, runners and outdoor enthusiasts alike. First among them is the inaugural Firebird MTB Race and its counterpart, the women’s only Firebird la Femme. Non-USAC sanctioned, the mountain bike events take place on Saturday and Sunday respectively and collectively boast a $10,000 cash purse with equal payouts for men’s and women’s fields. . . The festival also features the 1st annual Rocky Mountain Bike and Outdoor Expo, a consumer facing demo boasting some of the bike industry’s leading brands. Santa Cruz, Pivot, Ibis, Felt, Niner, Specialized, Yeti, Ellsworth, Twenty Two Cycles, Orbea, Wilier, Ridley, BMC and many, many more will all be on hand with their latest models. The free demo invites consumers to test ride their dream rigs all day long on Eagle’s signature climbs and descents.
Ricardo Camargo of Vapor Studio, just tipped us in on a new project he’s working on called Lit, by NZN labs. Lit is an action tracker that no only keeps track of all your walking and running, but also cycling, mountain biking, snowboarding, and skateboarding and pulls it all together for some social competition as well. Camargo and his partners are currently trying to raise $100,000 for the project on a site called Indigogo.
LIT’s advanced sensors analyze your movements 24×7, scoring both activity and action by interpreting steps, distance, duration, intensity, strokes, paddles, jumps, rotations, turns, g-force, airtime, and more. . . Earn points for activity and bonuses for action. Points become the currency used to challenge yourself, your friends, and the world. . . LIT is 24×7 wearable and built to go where you go. Snow, surf, dirt, pavement? No problem. LIT is built for extremes. It’s rugged, shock resistant, and water resistant to 10 ATM / 100 m.
It’s like Strava for the rest of your action life. NZN Labs has already raised $27,000 but in the next 30 days they need going to need $70,000 more. To see how you can participate and help make Lit a reality, click the link.
Fenway Partners, the New York-based private equity fund that owns Giro Helmet parent company Easton-Bell is reportedly putting the company up for sale, according to a story on Reuters.
