SAN DIEGO (BRAIN) — The Diamondback brand has had a long history with many distinct eras, starting in BMX in the 1980s, then becoming a major mountain bike brand in the 1990s NORBA era. In recent years, under ownership by the Accell Group, the brand was both a mid-priced offering in sporting goods stores and a higher end e-commerce brand, with flashy triathlon bikes and carbon full suspension mountain bikes sold online.
Now, under new owners, Diamondback is refocusing on IBD sales and launching new programs at the CABDA West expo, opening in San Diego on Wednesday.
Regent, a California investment group, acquired Diamondback, iZip and Redline from Accell last year and formed Alta Cycling Group to sell those brands. Alta also took over as North American distributor of several brands still owned by Accell: Raleigh, Haibike, and Ghost. Regent also owns Mavic, which is operated separately from Alta.
Alta's chief commercial officer, Larry Pizzi, said the company is now targeting dealers with the Diamondback brand.
“Over the past several years Diamondback has pursued a direct-to-consumer strategy, and while that has enabled the brand to maintain a loyal following, it has disregarded the importance of IBD’s,” Pizzi said. “Our new team at ACG recognizes that the best consumer outcome and experience occurs when bikes are delivered, assembled and serviced by specialty bicycle retailers. ACG and our new ownership team are committed to rebuilding the trust and confidence of IBD’s.”
Pizzi said ACG plans to invest in new product development, brand building and marketing for the brand.
He said ACG will offer IBDs "a full suite of benefits," including competitive terms and margins; in-store and digital marketing support, all-new websites; demo program offerings; strong consumer traffic driven from Diamondback.com; dealer-focused staff training and engagement programs; rental programs; and more.
“We certainly acknowledge that we’ve got work to do to win back dealers, but we’re confident we have a compelling story to tell,” said Pizzi. “Consumer demand for Diamondback bikes has never been better, we have a product range that bridges many gaps in the marketplace, and we can deliver better profitability than many other brands. We are excited to roll out this program, and look forward to working alongside a great network of IBD partners in 2020 and beyond.”
Alta Cycling Group is in Booth 368 at CABDA West. Watch for more on Diamondback's IBD strategy in the February issue of Bicycle Retailer and Industry News.
