BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news

Vans, Inc. has announced record financial results for the third quarter of fiscal 2004 ended February 28, 2004. Net sales for the business for the quarter (excluding skateparks expected to be closed) increased 10 percent to $86.3m, compared to $78.4m for the third quarter of fiscal 2003. And Oakley, Inc. has reiterated its 2004 sales and earnings guidance provided earlier this year. The company expects full year sales growth of 10 percent, to approximately $574m, with earnings expected to grow 15 percent to 64 cents per diluted share.

Following last Tuesday's BikeBiz.com story about the re-entry of Scott USA into the American bicycle market, US industry execs have been chewing on the significance of the move. One thing is agreed: the re-launch has been made much more significant because of the hire of Scott Montgomery. The ex-Cannondale boss brings credence and contacts (and, no doubt, some shackling restrictive covenants).

First it was Citizens against Government Waste and its 'pork barrel' jibe. Now it's PostalWatch, a self-appointed consumer group, with talk of boon doggling. This is a quaint North American English reference to "unnecessary or wasteful project."

TIP Plus Distribution, regarded by many as the number one BMX distributor in the US, has been ringing the changes.  Greg Walsh, the 'face' of the company, was handed a 'surprise termination', says T-1 owner-rider Taj. And TIP Plus ended its distribution of Canadian brand MacNeil.  MacNeil is owned by one of the world's top freestyle riders Jay Miron and it is now unclear who will be distributing MacNeil in the US.

BBC TV is currently running a series of hard-hitting, hour-long drama-documentary films (futurmentaries?) about the stark choices we have now, if we are to avoid societal breakdown by 2020. 'If...' has so far focussed on disruptions to electrical supplies, and rich vs poor city enclaves. This week it's all about US and European economies not being able to afford pensions and health care because of fast aging populations. On 7th April, the polemical programme turns to the tidal wave of blubber that could engulf the Western world if eating trends continue and sedentary lifestyles become the norm.