This will be a definite failure. The overlap between wal-mart customers and people buying high end bicycles is already quite low. The percentage of people that are in both categories who would consider buying a bike at wal-mart is basically zero. Let alone the obvious logical conflict of claiming there are people who are intimidated by going into a bike shop, but somehow these people aren’t intimidated putting their own bike together? This is just a comically bad business idea.

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Dimond Bikes Superfan

Interesting. Walmart headquarters in Bentonville/Fayetteville is an IMBA Gold Level ride center thanks to lots of support from Walmart. And the area is hosting the 2022 Cyclocross world championships. So it makes sense that some in the company would be interested in geting into the bike market.

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Matt

https://www.outsideonline.com/...6/single-track-minds

There’s a reason Walmart bought Rapha. Two of the Walton heirs are cycling nuts. The cycling industry should be afraid.

You apparently don't know that much here regarding to the overlap. But...the connection between this brand and the mother company won't be good especially if they decide to sell through the walmart website.

Walmart over time has purchased a lot of brands that they then put in the store and it destroyed the value of that brand: FUBU, And 1 etc.

Although it appears that they've spend a whole lot of cash to get into this market.

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Washed up footy player turned Triathlete.

GreenPlease wrote:

The cycling industry should be afraid.

and


I see this as a problem, to be frank. They have nothing to offer the bike industry or consumers, they are just going to suck some profits out of it while losing money themselves. In an already difficult market.

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Dimond Bikes Superfan

Why is another manufacturer a bad thing?

They already sell shit bikes, this isn't about being another shit bike retailer. I'd really want to know what Dan thinks because this could be interesting.

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Washed up footy player turned Triathlete.

Their first bikes appear to be competent offerings and, yes, they have a war chest AND distribution. Their stores, warehouses, and financial strength allow them to pre-position inventory for fast delivery.

This isn't about the sporting goods section of Walmart stores next to the Mongoose bikes. It's Walmart making incursions into high-end online sales. They're not quite ready to concede the entire online sales world to Amazon.

Bingo. Wal-Mart has quietly been buying online-only brands to leverage its existing distribution system for a few years now and it seems to be working quite well for them.

Hello GreenPlease and All,

https://www.singletracks.com/...bike-for-under-4000/

Excerpt:

Reducing the number of hands between companies and consumers is a growing concept in nearly every industry, and Remot Bikes is next up to bat with their new carbon fiber trail bikes. The Chattanooga, Tennessee based brand is led by the same folks who have been designing and selling Lightspeed bikes for over 30 years, and their latest project looks to be a well-conceived one.


Cinder 29er or 27.5+ trail bikes

Folks who are searching for a new trail bike have a massive list of sweet whips to choose from, and Remot just added another carbon steed to the mix. The Cinder bounces along on 130mm at the fork and 120mm of rear travel, atop 29er or 27.5+ tires, with geometry to suit the party plans of a wide range of riders.

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Cheers, Neal

+1 mph Faster

My understanding from a friend that works at his personal portfolio office in Denver is that the brands aren't to be associated with Wal-Mart.

You're rich and bored, and like bikes, so whadaya do? Buy bike companies. Parent company of Zoot/K2 is the same way. Main industry is small electronics (blenders, etc), the dude just happens to love skiing and triathlon.

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36 kona qualifiers 2006-'23 - 3 Kona Podiums - 4 OA IM AG wins - 5 IM AG wins - 18 70.3 AG wins
I ka nana no a 'ike -- by observing, one learns | Kulia i ka nu'u -- strive for excellence
Garmin Glycogen Use App | Garmin Fat Use App

The brand managers failed then. When the Waltons bought Rapha every article stated it as the heirs of Wal-Mart buying Rapha. In this case every single news article portrayed it as Wal-Mart the corporation launching a bike brand.

I was under the impression that they would leverage Wal-Mart’s distribution infrastructure.

Can't speak to Viathon, but with Rapha the original intent (it's been a couple years?) was that it was a pet company. I'm not sure how important distribution infrastructure is for something that, relative to other products in the portfolio, has such a small market size. Furthermore, the number of establishments selling the goods is really small.

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36 kona qualifiers 2006-'23 - 3 Kona Podiums - 4 OA IM AG wins - 5 IM AG wins - 18 70.3 AG wins
I ka nana no a 'ike -- by observing, one learns | Kulia i ka nu'u -- strive for excellence
Garmin Glycogen Use App | Garmin Fat Use App

I don't know mountain bikes all that well, but I took a look at their road bike offerings, and wasn't convinced. The prices were good, but not great. Certainly not low enough that I'd be willing take the leap on an unknown brand with unknown (and probably low) resale value and no LBS support. I was expecting something like a North American equivalent to Decathlon's BTwin/Triban, or maybe Planet X. Instead, it looks like they're trying to offer full-feature bikes at nearly full-feature prices; cutting out the "middleman," but trying to keep most of the cost differential for themselves instead of passing it along to to the consumer.

[EDIT]Took another look. Seems like they're parlaying some of their cost savings (and potential buying power) into nicer-than-usual-for-the-market-segment wheelsets. So, if you really like the specific wheels that come on the bikes, the value proposition looks better. I still think it's the wrong direction; that an opportunity bring in a greater potential pool of buyers with lower price points has been missed. [/EDIT]

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"They're made of latex, not nitroglycerin"

I watch Lamborghini videos on youtube and I'm really interested in them. Remember the white Countach on Miami Vice? That was my favorite until I got the silver RC one from Radio Shack in 1985. I'm a huge supporter. The mostest hugest. But I'm not going to succeed in selling them or building them any time soon.

I have never understood why the Planet X/Ribble/Rose business model has never taken off in the US. I know Canyon is giving it a go but in reality Canyon is a too high end for comparison with the other consumer direct brands. I assume the geography of the US makes distribution more expensive and kills what are admittedly very thin profit margins, but Ribble is making some phenomenally good value for money products and I would think some could find a way to make it work in the US. On the flip side of the equation I want to know why used bikes are so expensive in the UK. I am headed back stateside soon and will be returning with a suitcase full of tri-stuff from the ST classifieds because its impossible to find an equivalent market in the UK.

Interesting. Money talks and either of those two Walton boys could probably buy half the pro bike industry and still have change in their pocket. I doubt it will work but it will be interesting to follow.

IRONMAN is releasing the new IM coming to the US and Fayetteville, AR is one of the finalist. Fayetteville happens to be very close to Bentonville, AR (head quarters of Walmart). I wouldn't be surprised if there is a connection here!

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Inside The Big Ring: Podcast & Coaching

Any ever try to use the Walmart website to buy stuff?

It's clearly light years away from the specialized filtering and customization present on most up scale bike sales websites. It would HAVE to be a separate standalone website from the generic catch-all. Perhaps even given a cache separate branding/name.

Compare this: https://www.walmart.com/...#searchProductResult

With this: https://www.canyon.com/en-us/

Which of those two are you going to trust buying a $3000+ bicycle from over the internet? The existing Walmart site isn't much different than cruising Alibaba/Aliexpress. Maybe worse.

They'd have to at least get closer to an REI like website experience for buying a bike.

Was just thinking the same thing and would put Fayetteville as the favorite at this point.

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"What's your claim?" - Ben Gravy
"Your best work is the work you're excited about" - Rick Rubin

I haven't used the Walmart website, sorry.

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Inside The Big Ring: Podcast & Coaching

I have heard Walmart helped put in some good MTB riding in that area. You ever been to those areas?

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Inside The Big Ring: Podcast & Coaching