LAGUNA BEACH, CA (BRAIN)—Selle Royal and Crankbrothers have completed the merger of Crankbrothers into Selle Royal. This agreement adds Crankbrothers to Selle Royal’s group of cycling companies which include fi’zi:k, Brooks, and Selle Royal.
“Crankbrothers has always been a very distinctive brand, with great people, strong distribution, and a unique focus on design,” said Massimo Losio, managing director of Selle Royal. “The team at Crankbrothers has demonstrated their ability to create and grow an authentic brand. The company has enormous potential, and is an excellent addition to Selle Royal.”
Crankbrothers partners Andrew Herrick, Carl Winefordner and Frank Hermansen become shareholders in Selle Royal. Herrick joins Selle Royal’s board of directors and he will operate from Crankbrother’s Laguna Beach design center and report to the Selle Royal board in Italy. Winefordner and Hermansen also remain in Laguna Beach to focus on product design.
Crankbrothers products will continue to be available through its U.S. distributors, though as part of this merger, Crankbrothers products will also be available to the U.S. market from HighwayTwo. Highway Two is a sales and distribution company co-owned by Selle Royal and Continental. Crankbrothers’ international distribution does not change.
“Look at how Selle Royal has handled the acquisition of Brooks, they remain in the same Birmingham, England factory they have had for years. That’s the way Selle Royal does things, they invest in the integrity of the brands by keeping them independent,” Herrick said. “There will be no change of our day to day business apart from being involved with this company that is as passionate about the bike as we are.”
For full story please be sure to read the March 1 issue of Bicycle Retailer and Industry News.
—Matt Wiebe
