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Ot Pi leaves Monty


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It doesn't sound like things are going particularly well there.

It's interesting though that Ot has left Monty, Dom Hermance has left Koxx and a certain other person has left the helm of another trials company (I don't know how public that is yet though...) all in one small period. A few of the companies we deal with have said that this past winter was touch and go for them because things were so quiet and sales were down, and we've had a couple of shops chat to us about that too.

In terms of this impact on trials companies, I'm sort of hoping that this tough period might spur people on to raise their game and make good products to try and generate sales rather than just pumping shit out so they've got - say - a catalogue hub with their name on it on the market.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I think that Mark is probably referring to me. Although no formal announcement has yet been made until all the formalities are completed, it is no secret that I have sold all my worldwide rights and intellectual property for the Onza brand to Moore Large, who have been our UK distributors for the last six years.

The difference here is that I have not left the business. I have sold the rights of a flourishing brand to a company who will build on that success and have a commitment to growing it. I will still be heavily connected as my son Joe works for them and will take control of the Onza side of their business. The video he recently completed is testimony to their dedication to its future development.

In the meantime, as I approach 65 in July, I am still retaining the Tensile brand and several other brands, so will continue to be involved in the world of Trials as well as many other aspects of the bicycle industry.

I suppose I ought to change my TF name to Mike Poyzer@ Tensile.

Mike Poyzer

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I'v been riding on and off for the best part of a decade and trials has changed and evolved in a big way - in my opinion a good way.

In terms of this impact on trials companies, I'm sort of hoping that this tough period might spur people on to raise their game and make good products to try and generate sales rather than just pumping shit out so they've got - say - a catalogue hub with their name on it on the market.

I agree whole heartily with Mark. I would also like to add another insight around innovation. Incremental innovations tend to be on a shallow curve - meaning the first innovations make a larger impact than the next, so on and so forth. There have been some key innovations that I can remember - the introduction of the Monty X-Lite series when people where still using Giants and other Jump/XC frames. Every manufacturer since then has focused on the gradual reduction of weight, increase of strength and lowing of centre of gravity. These small increments frame on frame has fueled the manufacturers and the commercials of the sport. However after 10 years, that curve is now really beginning to slow. I actually took a break from the sport for about 3 years, recently getting back into it and to be honest - not much has changed in regards to frame design, manufacture and materials in the last 5 years. Which brings me back to Marks point.

The use of carbon fiber (finally!) is a new innovation but, one that offers little incremental advantage to a rider. This small advantage is important at the top level of riding but it's only going to be 99.98% of the total trials market that would see a noticeable advantage gained by switching from a mod Echo Lite to a mod Monty M5 Carbon is just not worth the investment for your average trials joe, or even most comp riders. In my opinion there needs to be a radical innovation that has a big impact on the riders ability and the bike as a tool - where that comes from, I have no idea.

Trials is expensive. Especially since you start off in this sport an a young age. £400/£500 for a bike is a huge sum of money at 14 years old - probably the most expensive thing you own at that age. Genuinely, I feel manufactures need to focus on producing good, low end, low margin bikes. You need to nurture the new starters and reduce the barriers (cost) to start in the sport. You will then have more riders in the sport as a total market, who will in the long term go on to buy the more expensive frames and components as they improve and become more financially well endowed. Thinking long term is critical to the development of the sport.

That's my two pence on the trials situation, right or wrong no one can argue that it's a challenging and interesting time for the sport.

Edited by M-i-t-c-h
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