PARK CITY, UTAH (BRAIN)—John Burke, president of Trek Bicycle Corporation, challenged the bike industry to pledge $10 to IMBA for every full-suspension mountain bike sold in the U.S., during his keynote address Thursday at the IMBA World Summit in Park City, Utah.
Trek began that pledge last year as one goal of its One World, Two Wheels advocacy program, and aims to donate $600,000 to IMBA over three years.
Since last August, Trek has contributed $193,413 to IMBA through mountain bike sales, and is on track to donate $300,000 in 2008.
Burke said Trek holds 10 percent of U.S. market share for full-suspension mountain bikes, and if the remaining 90 percent of suppliers stepped up, the industry could contribute $3.5 million to IMBA.
“Trek spends $16 million a year marketing in the U.S. market so we’re not exactly sacrificing the world here to push over $350,00 to IMBA. This is a very doable figure in the bicycle industry. This can happen, but we need people to get out there, get after it and get it done,” Burke told the crowd of about 300 delegates from 22 countries.
QBP, SRAM and Fuji have already committed to the program, Burke said.
GT is expected to announce today a new partnership with IMBA to support the organization.
The IMBA World Summit kicked off Wednesday with a ceremony at Utah Olympic Park where guests enjoyed dinner and drinks on the sun-soaked balconies overlooking the Freestyle Aerial Splash Pool. As the sun set, the Flying Aces aerial athletes strapped on skis and wowed the crowd as they launched off a series of kickers into the pool.
Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr., an avid mountain biker, spoke at the ceremony, highlighting Utah’s accomplishments in funding for trails, and its future plans, including new trails at Deadhorse Point State Park in southeastern Utah.
“Our goal is very simple. We want to make our state the premier destination for mountain biking in the world. We have one simple goal and we’re going to make that happen,” Huntsman said.
The Summit continues today and Saturday.
For more on the IMBA World Summit, read the July 15 issue of Bicycle Retailer & Industry News.
—Nicole Formosa
(Photo: IMBA)
