Recreational Equipment Inc. (REI) will begin selling GT bikes at 47 of its stores by the end of the year. This deal follows REI’s decision to phase out K2 bikes, which are made by World Wide Cycle Supply.
The GT brand is managed by Cannondale Sports Group (CSG), which Dorel Industries formed earlier this year to serve the independent bicycle dealer (IBD) channel after its acquisition of Cannondale Bicycle Corp. Dorel sells its Schwinn and Mongoose brands to the mass merchant channel through its Pacific Cycle unit.
REI will sell GT bikes at selected stores and online at prices ranging from $299 to $2,699. REI has stocked K2, Cannondale, Marin and Electra bikes at its stores, depending on each brand’s local distribution agreements. REI also sells it’s own brand, Novara bikes.
Holbrook, NY-based World Wide Cycle designs, manufactures, markets and distributes bikes under the brands of Iron Horse, Columbia Sportswear and Jeep. It licenses the K2 brand from Jarden Corp., which owns and operates the K2 ski business. It also supplies private label bikes to several sporting goods retailers.
