Transition Bikes Grassroots Now Open!

 Hey guys thanks for the comments positive, and negative. We have been working very hard on re-vamping our entire sponsorship program. This year the criteria, and prerequisites involved in the selection process have been raised. We will be scrutinizing each applicant to the finest detail to assure they are worthy of sponsorship. This goes for both the Freeride, and Race applicants respectively. In North America the Grassroots races have seen a massive resurgance over the past few years. We feel it is important to focus our support on the participants of these events. If you look closely at the application, we ask specifically who and where your nearest Transition bikes dealer is located. We ask this because we will require all grassroots riders to form a relationship with that Transition bikes dealer. This is for the benefit of the dealer, and the rider. -Lars

 Yeah, I would love to be good enough to get sponsored by Transition.

 So some of you are complaining about Transition taking care of riders and working with a select group of riders that must meet a specific set of requirements to be on their program? Lars even stated that each rider will have to work with their local dealer as part of their contract.

Meanwhile Specialized just signed Contador to a $1.048 million dollar contract. Who do you think ends up paying that salary? Specialized customers. Transition works directly with local bike shops and their dealers are an integral part of their company. If you look, they only have two online dealers, those two dealers were already some of the biggest Trabsition dealers in the country. All major bicycle companies have grassroots programs. Fox Racing Shox, Maxxis, 661, Sunline, Turner, MRP, E13. This is how companies develop riders into their programs and may end up as factory riders down the line.

Transition is a rider owned and operated company. They are into bikes to support the industry and the riders. If you own a Transition and ever talk to the guys at Transition, they make you feel like you are part of the family. Transition is not trying to undercut their dealers by providing this opportunity.

 I think it's a great program as IMO bikes and bike parts are way overpriced. $60 for a DH tire that will only last one or two days of racing? That's almost as much as a truck tire that lasts 50K miles. Even within the same company, like the head of Marzocchi USA stated in a recent interview that although bike forks make up only 40% of Marzocchi sales, they offer a much higher margin than moto forks. Plus it's pretty rare for any shop where I live to even stock framesets let alone one in my size. And since there are no Transition dealers in town I'm looking at mail ordering one from out of state anyway.

Putting this into perspective: currently Knolly and Transition offer this program directly. Evil should have the same program up and running soon according to their website. Canfield, Intense, Mongoose and Tomac offer the program through Sponsorhouse.com. Turner offered the program up through 2008 and my guess is offer it again once they sort out and get their full line up out. Not to mention MRP, GoPro, E.13, Hayes, 661, Sunline, Fox Racing Shox, Sock Guy, Maxxis, Kenda, etc, etc, etc....all offer similar programs.

If you're going to bag on one company for putting shops out of business, you really need to bag on the entire industry. It's just that the 'smaller' companies are more accessible than say Giant, Trek or Specialized. I think it's a pretty great thing.

 Have any of these negative outlooks on this subject ever raced motocross. Every company has a program that offers sponsorship to the riders to whom they believe will represent their company in the best possible way. So not EVERY rider will get the sponsorship that some of you are assuming that is what they are set out to do. In motocross it helps the brands grow bigger and more desirable to the public and for the dealers who carry the bike, or aftermarket products it brings them business for the riders who did not get the sponsorship. Now if you want to blame the bike company's for hurting business for the bike shop's then do so but also realize that bike shop's have the opportunity to offer a sponsorship program in their area as well which would bring them business because as stated tires, tubes, etc. are not cheap so instead of some of these shops trying to make a killing on everything they sell they could help support the riders in their area which in return brings in their friends, family, ect. to buy from that shop. My opinion and my experience when you start to support people they feel like they want to help you out so they tell everyone they know to go shop at the shop that is supporting them. This has been happening in motocross way before I started racing and that was 20+ years ago and I'm glad to see it happening in the mountain bike industry. On one last note their are also different sponsorship levels ranging on your skill level, so if you look at motocross all the top champions have been brought up through the ranks of novice, intermediate, expert then pro. To name a few Ricky Carmicheal, James "Bubba" Stewart, Jeremy McGrath, Ryan Villopoto, Ryan Dungey, even Roger DeCoster was brought up the same way in Europe and he retired in the early 80's.

 One thing that no one is taking into consideration is the effect the fledgling economy has had on the industry. I'm hearing 15% reduction on average for the likes of SRAM and Shimano, so I would imagine that a smaller frame manufacturer would see a similar loss, if not more. As people's incomes decline (I personally saw a 20% decrease in my disposable income so far and I'm sure the bottom line is much worse) the last thing I can do is go into a retail shop and throw down X amount for a bike or frame at full retail, plus taxes. So people in the same situation are probably not going to buy a new bike in 2010. Which in turn means neither the manufacturer nor the LBS is getting anything.
However, if you compete or want to compete next year, and need a replacement bike, frame or component(s) and are not on par with the likes of Steve Peat and have your way paid, these programs really help out.
At the very least, especially now in a depressed economy, at least Transition or whomever is selling product, making a bit of a profit and staying in business. I know from my personal situation, which is better than some, I will not be able to replace my current frame next year without a deal like this. If I'm forced to pay full retail for a new bike it will mean a year void of competition and in turn, fewer visits to the LBS to purchase parts/service not offered through a grassroots sponsorship program. And it will mean one less person supporting the local race scene-which is already in pretty bad shape.
I wouldn't be surprised if more companies start offering this type of program as they struggle with getting their numbers back in order.

 Can normal riders get sponserd I've rode for 3 years and am getting like 100 times better every year so how good u think I have to be to get sponserd for dj street and slopestyle if u think u know MSG me thx.ps transition is the most awsome company ever!!!!!!!!!!!!

 It just seems to be a smart business move on a small scale for a small company with a pretty loyal following. They're budget might be better served in grass roots than any print or ad campaign would ever be for them, their dealers and their product. It's a small business who knows their niche and seem loyal to it. better understanding of business is in order bfore hatin on 'em. we're all tryin to keep food on the table here. I like this company alot.

 Why are all of you defending local bike shops? They're the single most expensive place to purchase equipment - period. I'd be more than happy to work directly with bike companies, especially if they're rider owned.

 2010 goals:

Improve race results from 2nd last
Land the 20 foot gap I dislocated my shoulder on.
Don't break bones.

I'm in!!

 Yeah, it's so cool to see more and more companies looking for riders to support! I wish it was like this in my home country...

 i tried applying but when i clicked apply the next page never loaded and just timed out. anyone else experiencing this problem?

 ohh yeah, this is awesome.

 applied... hope they aren't that strict ^^

 i agree the people at transition are sound and are always helpfull

 Sweet!

 Is Cat 3 equivalent to Cadet in DH racing?

 iam down to do that here i come wach out

 yeah i guess so. It looks like they will accept Aussies.