CARLSBAD, Calif. (BRAIN) — Andorran bike brand Commencal is setting up a U.S. office, showroom and warehouse in Carlsbad, California. Jerome Lacote will head up the business as the North American operations manager.
Commencal has gone through several distribution changes in the U.S. over the years. BTI in New Mexico and Unique Sports in Oregon sold the brand in North America at one point and more recently, JM Gagne distributed the brand out of Las Vegas, Nevada. Gagne also distributes Bos Suspension products.
Lacote raced for Commencal prior to joining the company a few months ago. "The last few years our collaboration increased," he said. "I was in charge of the factory team in the U.S. We have a domestic team and I was in charge of it last year."
Lacote said he's signed the lease on a building and is waiting for it to be built out before moving in around Nov. 1. He said that while Commencal will sell through dealers interested in carrying the brand, the focus is on selling consumer direct online, through www.commencalusa.com.
"Our focus is developing our business to sell online," he said. "But if we still have smaller independent bike shops interested in offering something different, we're excited to work with them. That's not our strength. We can't provide a huge margin, but we'll try our best to be able to be in bike shops."
Lacote also noted that the California headquarters will serve as training grounds for European Commencal riders during winter months and for the R&D department to work with them. "The warm California weather and the proximity to many suppliers will help us to work while Andorra is under snow," he said.
And the California warehouse will also supply South American distributors if they have run out of certain bikes or inventory during the season.
The company's 2015 models are online and can be pre-ordered. Lacote expected to get his first batch of 2015 production bikes in November to ship to customers.
Commencal is the namesake brand of mountain bike designer Max Commencal, who founded the company in 2000 after 16 years at the helm of his first project, Sunn Bicycles.
Lacote can be reached at jay@commencalusa.com or by phone at (760) 230-3937.
