114 - Why Direct-to-Consumer Bike Companies Are Failing (And What's Next) Mountain Cog podcast

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114 - Why Direct-to-Consumer Bike Companies Are Failing (And What's Next)

4d ago 1:05:18

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What killed the direct-to-consumer bike boom? This episode combines financial data, industry research, and insider knowledge to explain the DTC mountain bike industry's spectacular rise and dramatic fall. Josh presents findings indicating that many of the DTC bike brands are financially struggling or insolvent. The podcast reveals how customer acquisition costs skyrocketed 200%+ over ~10 years as Meta and Google replaced traditional retailers as profit-extracting middlemen, while increased competition, privacy changes, and expensive venture capital made the DTC model financially unviable for most DTC companies.

Listeners get unprecedented insight into the financial health and product quality of brands like Ari/Fezzari (healthy), Canyon (distressed), YT (bankrupt), Commencal (stable), Guerilla Gravity (closed), Revel (restructured), Propain (healthy), and Polygon (strong). Bike shop owner Dane Higgins explains the tangible value independent bicycle dealers provide—from expert bike fitting and assembly to warranty support, community events, and local trail expertise that DTC brands cannot replicate. The episode concludes with Josh's five predictions about the future of bike retail, including a shift to omnichannel models with clear boundaries between what's sold direct versus through dealers.

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Chapters

1. Bathroom Pranks And Cold Open (00:00:00)

2. Setting The Agenda: DTC Deep Dive (00:03:55)

3. What Direct-To-Consumer Actually Means (00:07:36)

4. Why DTC Exploded In The 2010s (00:12:50)

5. The Turning Tide: Costs, Privacy, Competition (00:23:28)

6. Operational Headaches And Expensive Money (00:30:05)

7. Perfect Storm: Demand Drop And VC Pressure (00:36:45)

8. Zooming In: Bike Industry By The Numbers (00:42:41)

9. Brand Health Check: Ari, Canyon, YT (00:47:20)

10. Commencal, Guerrilla Gravity, Revel Realities (00:57:20)

114 episodes

#Sports #Fitness #Comedy #Mountain Cog - Joshua Anderson & Mike Festerling #Mike Festerling #Mountain Cog - Joshua Anderson #Mountain Bikers #Trail #Enduro #Downhill #Humor #Cycling #Bicycle #Mountain Biking #MTB #Bike Park #Suspense #BMX