I think he’s referring to both dropping their factory programs for UCI dh this year. Neither has entered bankruptcy or even been in discussions for sale. I’d imagine this is largely just a desire to see how the new economic model of the dh racing series shakes out.
I think he’s referring to both dropping their factory programs for UCI dh this year. Neither has entered bankruptcy or even been in discussions for sale. I’d imagine this is largely just a desire to see how the new economic model of the dh racing series shakes out.
propain is having huge sales in the DACH area, and phil atwill has generated a proper park rat image for them without being on the very top of DH racing. i guess theyre just taking a step back and watching things unfold with discovery. travel expenses and race costs will see a huge rise nex year, and the energy crisis clearly isn't helping that. if i had a mediocre performing DH racing team facing all these struggles and uncertainties, i'd have a break as well and watch how the others perform and at what cost.
i can't see propain in too much of a sales crisis. but they're in a very different market niche than stanton. stanton invested a lot into their full-sus platform model, and maybe it didn't pay off the way they hoped.
I don't know the exact situation with either company, but:
Both have dropped their race teams for 2023 - which they desperately wouldn't want to do. Propain just had a great season and now likely to lose their pro riders (as the riders will want to race in 2023 no doubt) and lose the marketing value and credibility a pro race team brings to the kinds of bikes both companies are trying to sell.
Why would they do that? My guess would be that it's come time to pay the fees for next season and neither company have it.
Hopefully they have a good year of bike sales and are able to get back into racing - or go down a more lifestyle route working with guys like Remy M - but I wouldn't be shocked to hear either company go bust or are for sale next year
Conditions are brutal atm, lockdowns/factory closures in Asia effects being felt, availability of parts shit, price increases everywhere, high inventories of shit nobody wants, low inventories of things people do want, wider market likely going into a likely recession...
PS I would buy the bike. There's no news that either are in trouble. I'm just speculating. Maybe pay on a credit card if you buy direct do you have stronger consumer protection just in case
well i just read the press release from propain regarding ther DH WC break. looks like the meyer smith brothers were about to leave anyways, so they didn't have riders for the upcoming season, and it's getting hatder to acquire and hold good riders. also, they want to focus on sustaining and verifying their growth in sales during the pandemy. so it's just a tactical decision, i don't see any parallels to the situatuon that stanton bikes is in.
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