Some interesting K2 news

[Simon]

Found this info on mtbr regarding K2's future.
http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=126511
Simon.

[Matno]

Here's the full text...

K2 Licenses Bike Brand to World Wide Cycle Supply

AUGUST 31, 2005 -- VASHON, WA (BRAIN)—K2 Sports has entered a long-term agreement with World Wide Cycle Supply to license its K2 Bikes brand. Under the agreement, World Wide Cycle will design, manufacture, market and distribute the brand. K2 Sports will discontinue its bicycle operations and transfer the existing business and inventory to World Wide Cycle.

“We had great product development but not enough distribution at retail or clout at the manufacturing level to efficiently operate the business,” said Sandy Liman, K2’s bike brand manager. “World Wide was impressed by the strength of the brand and positioning of the brand in the market place. It has done well with the IBDs and REI. We resonate with the outdoor enthusiast. We have a wider scope. They recognize that. They can take this line over and create efficiencies on the distribution side.”

For World Wide Cycle, the agreement expands its reach into the IBD market. Liman said about 80 percent of K2’s bike sales are through the specialty retail channel.

Headquartered in Long Island, New York, World Wide Cycle Supply supplies private-label bike brands for sporting goods retailers and recently signed a licensing agreement with Columbia Sportswear to bring to market a Columbia-branded bike and accessory line. The company’s management team also heads up Iron Horse Bicycles as a separate entity.

Liman said K2 will continue to handle warranty issues through the end of the year. Some of the company’s independent reps will remain on board, and they also will rep the Iron Horse brand going forward. National accounts manager for K2’s bike division, TK Malone, and sales manager Steve Bellefeuille will remain on staff at World Wide Cycle Supply.

“It’s a very good match,” Liman added. “They’re a bike specific company; they understand the culture. Their brands, specifically Iron Horse, are skewed toward big-hit bikes and more aggressive, lower-end hardtails. K2 is skewed toward a middle to upper-scale market. So it’s a pretty good mix and match in terms of what K2 has to offer.”

K2 Sports is a K2 Inc. company and manufactures product for the ski, snowboard, and skate industries under a variety of brand names.

[On a positive note, now that they'll be on Long Island, maybe Dennis can take his Oz Crush over and show them how they SHOULD be making bikes again...)

[Carbon_Angus]

GET YOUR EXCLUSIVE k2 AND Pro~Flex spare BIKE PARTS NOW!!!

like hangers, pivot kits, etc......

just the Boy Scout in me....

I remember the move from RI to WA, it almost killed 'em then.

This is news.

in my  [smiley=beer.gif]

[rapiddescent]

this is crazy; Proflex was moved from Rhode Island to Vashon Island and is now going back over to Long Island.  

Island Mentality...

callum

[Dennis]

Matno,

I'm going to take Blue Crush over there on Tuesday and show it to them. Hopefully they will be inspired to build them again. OTOH, I like having something nobody else has (or few of us have) and that people can't get at the store. Let me think about this idea for a few days.

Callum,

What's the matter with island mentality? living on an island is great. my summer routine: get up, go for a bike ride on north shore (lots of hills), then do my music practice, eat lunch, go windsurfing on south shore, home by 8 PM, eat dinner, take two tylenol, sleep, repeat. unfortunately, school starts on Tuesday, so only a few more days of bliss.


All in all, I agree with you all about how this takeover is bad for K2 bikes. I think they will be appear in Wal-mart and Target in the not too distant future. That just makes our bikes that much rarer, but getting spare parts will be next to impossible.
[smiley=groucho.gif]

[Matno]

Iron Horse isn't quite WalMart quality - they're a little better than that. More like Diamondback...

However, the article says they're acquiring K2 bikes to expand their mid-upper level lines. Could be a good thing. Let's just hope that they actually try some cool new stuff instead of going with boring...

[Frankd3000]

Honestly, I think that article reads more like an obituary - or should be read as one. Kleenex and all.

Obviously i'm less than impressed with this news, as are others. I had some hope that when K2 "took over" they would keep at least one thing "from back in the day" with their line-up, and thankfully that Evo line spawned and brought what I consider to be some good bikes. Thank you K2 for NOT killing the line immediately. I appreciate that - more than you'll ever know.

Now this? Hhhhmmmmmm, this time around i'm really not sure. I, too, see Target and WalMart as the future "distributors".

Now, if you'll excuse me, i'm going to get into bed, hold myslef and cry myself to sleep.

Looks like my "ancient piece of nostalgia" just became even MORE of a classic. [smiley=laughing.gif] (think i'll get $30K on E-Bay NOW?)

Good-bye K2 - thanks for the memories. (no, this doesn't mean i'm selling my bike, thank you very much)

[Carbon_Angus]

Iron Horse isn't quite WalMart quality - they're a little better than that. More like Diamondback...

However, the article says they're acquiring K2 bikes to expand their mid-upper level lines. Could be a good thing. Let's just hope that they actually try some cool new stuff instead of going with boring...

What that means is they add the k2 bikes and it expands "their" mid-upper level lines. I doubt they will do any R&D.

[smiley=beer.gif]

[Carbon_Angus]

this is crazy; Proflex was moved from Rhode Island to Vashon Island and is now going back over to Long Island.  

Island Mentality...

callum

Might be the Bob Girvin syndrome, ...he is still rumored to be "on an island" somewhere...

[smiley=beer.gif]