TUSCON, AZ (BRAIN)—Ravello Bikes founder Brian Myers is seeking industry licensees to produce his newly patented travel bike design and offer models at price points attractive to bike shops.
“A company that licenses this design will have a huge advantage over other brands that don’t have this selling feature,” Myers said.
Myers was granted a U.S. patent in May for his two-piece frame design, which uses frame junctions that work with carbon or aluminum tubing.
Myers said that full-size take-apart bicycles would be a hit with triathlon, road, and mountain bike consumers if offered by a reputable brand and priced right, made of carbon or aluminum, and stocked by IBDs. These bikes could be marketed as primary bikes with an option for easy packing in suitcases that avoid oversized luggage airline or rail fees.
The domestic and international bicycle travel market is growing, with more cyclists taking their bikes with them to events such as triathlons, as well as on bicycle vacations, he said.
“It’s a selling feature that would especially appeal to triathletes who travel a lot,” Myers said.
His system differs from other take-apart designs on the market which work with round steel or titanium tubing. “The travel bike concept is great. I wanted to take it to the next level and be able to use different shapes and types of tubing,” Myers said.
He developed his frame junctions because his customers wanted lighter travel bikes. He said the junctions are discreet, and that it is not obvious that his bike frames come apart.
