Darth Lefty 

REI Repositions Cycling Business, Launches Co-op Cycles | REI Newsroom

No more Novara for 2017...

https://www.rei.com/h/co-op-cycles

At first glance this seems like a couple of new bikes, that are line drives down the middle of what's popular now; and otherwise re-decal of Novaras.

MTBR has some photos from Interbike
https://reviews.mtbr.com/rei-retires-...s-co-op-cycles

autonomy

I came in to post this same thing, as I've been eyeing the Mazama and the Safari. Interesting move. I hope they keep that line alive, seems like a lot of people liked those.

Kedosto

I've never owned a Novara bike, but I've certainly owned a lot of their clothing and accessories. They've consistently produced some of the best bags and clothing I've ever used. I hope they continue to offer Novara jackets because I need a new rain jacket for this winter and have been waiting to see what they'll bring.


-Kedosto

jade408

Makes a lot of sense and fits in perfectly with their brand. I was puzzled to learn REI had commuter bikes!

Mr IGH

More retail struggles, it's only a matter of time....

Darth Lefty 

I don't know why they didn't do this ages ago. Novara has a faux-Italian sound to it like Univega. It seems very dated and also at odds with the rest of the stuff in the store. As outdoorsy-sounding brands, Trek and Cannondale sound much better, both implying mountains and journeys.

jefnvk

When does the fire sale of the existing stock start? The Mazama was near the top of my list if I ever decided I needed a "new" bike.

ptempel

Was perusing their site and saw the Ghost Nivolet Ultegra bike:

https://www.rei.com/product/897233/g...egra-bike-2016



Anyone have any experience with this bike. $1136.83 looks like a great price point for an Ultegra bike. But I have no idea about the frame/fork. Rebranded Novara?

Edit: Just found this thread on the 105 version https://www.bikeforums.net/road-cycli...t-nivolet.html

Edit 2: Ghost is a German bike mfr https://www.ghost-bikes.com/en/

canklecat

I call mine the Unibagel. Sounds more like Brooklyn.

Garfield Cat

Does Giant manufacture for REI?

Garfield Cat

Yeah, REI is still a big box store. Who would have guessed that the old catalog model of Sears Roebuck and Montgomery Ward would some day flourish but in a hi tech on steroids way.

Steve B.

For a little bit more you could get a Nashbar carbon Ultegra for about $1500 delivered

Ajkollme

Just wanted to clarify that REI isn't a big box store. It is a co-op, where the members own the company, vote on the board of directors. Any profits that the company generates are distributed via dividends back to the members or are donated to non-profits benefitting environmental causes.

Garfield Cat

Legal form is co-operative. But the store still has to compete in the market place for their products which may be environmental. Good thing is to choose manufacturers that do not exploit workers in the world.

I found this on their web site.

https://www.rei.com/content/dam/docu...hain%20Act.pdf

Darth Lefty 

I think we figured out before the nice ones came from Fairly in Taiwan. Since it's a store brand they need not all come from the same place, either.

It would be interesting to know if this change in branding also represented a change in source. But nothing says so.

CliffordK

Hmmm...
I think they need to carefully consider "branding".

Novara is essentially already an REI House Brand with some name recognition, and a good ring to it.

Will anything really change? Perhaps putting "COOP" onto the Novara bikes?

For better or worse, a huge part of bikes is image. So, I'm not sure I'd particularly choose a high-end bike that simply was branded "COOP" or "REI".

In fact, they might do well to spec out some Cannondale bikes or something similar for their high-end bikes.

Canyon is supposed to be breaking into the US Market soon... I could imagine it as a line that would fit well with the REI image.

Come to think of it, I've looked at some of the REI bikes. They appear to be solid mid-line bikes, but nothing spectacular, and they are all mid-range positioned, completely missing the bottom end or cutting edge.

autonomy

You missed it by a month, month-and-a-half. Nothing left online, you might find something in store (were 20-25% off)

That's pretty much what they're doing - moving up. The bikes were sub-1K, but they will be breaking that barrier. Honestly, I don't think anyone would be coming for bottom-end bikes to REI.

CliffordK

Actually, looking back at the press release:

It actually sounds pretty sweet.

Although, I might also expect them to come out with something that is pure, sexy, ROAD style

Is the ARD 1.2 a good "touring" bike? Perhaps?

drlogik 

REI started out as mail order only. I've been a member since 1978 when they put out a monthly flyer and had no physical stores that I know of. I still have the sleeping bag I got with my yearly dividend back in 1980. Considering how the world and the economies have changed over the last almost 40 years, they have staying power. I hope they survive and thrive as they do sell quality outdoor goods at a competitive price.

ShortLegCyclist

REI's new house brand will be called Co-Op Bikes because surveys they did of staff and customers alike indicated confusion as to whether or not Novara had anything to do with REI. The Co-Op line will include clothing and accessories just like Novara did.

They will supposedly trim the model lineup to 22 models, all aimed at mountain biking, bicycle touring, bikepacking and gravel biking rather than road racing. They say that will align better with the hiker/camper customer base that they see as their core.

Their line will top out at about $2300, and above that pricepoint they will still carry Cannondale and Ghost. In Seattle they also carry the local Traitor Cycles brand but I've not seen that at REI's out of this area.

CliffordK

I'm seeing notes that REI was founded in Seattle in 1938, but perhaps stayed within Washington for quite some time.

However, REI has been building boutique stores around the west for a long time.

I think the Eugene Planing Mill shut down in the early 90's, so REI came to town around 1995. Everything is pretty cramped within their space here, but frankly, I don't think they'd really need a huge Wamart super-store sized building either.

The Eugene store seems to always be busy. What I've observed of the Portland stores is quite a crowd there too.

I don't know how many $2000 bikes they sell (do they have any on the floor now?) But, I could seem them working on expanding that part of their business.

Darth Lefty 

That's basically what the press release says, quoted in my first post. The new bike families are the two mentioned, the others get renamed with awkward acronyms.
It's not clear from the press release if the road bikes are coming back.

ShortLegCyclist

Their road bikes will be the ARD model, which sounds close enough to Anyroad without stealing that name to get the point across.

They will supposedly focus on that type of road bike, the Adventure/Gravel/Monstercross subgenre.

autonomy

Here's an interesting fact:
"The vast majority of REI shoppers (about 70% of them) identify as cyclists. But a small percentage purchase bikes from the store."
"Prices range from about $500 up to $2,300 for the bikes."

https://gearjunkie.com/rei-bike-brand-co-op-cycles

I did buy my bike from REI, but only because it was an end-of-season clearance Cannondale. I was looking at the Mazama/Safari this year to replace my heavy-ass MTB for commuting and carrying a kid. If they can reposition themselves as a well-built but excellent-value-for-the-money brand, a-la Honda, they will do well IMO. But for that they need to a. not cut corners on their craftmanship and b. market well to improve the brand's perception

Darth Lefty 

Yeah, this one just scrolled up my FB feed and you beat me here with it.