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Dorel buys Iron Horse

sanjuro

Tube Smuggler
Sep 13, 2004
17,373
0
SF
I think it is just a bad deal for Dorel.

They have the department store lines (Schwinn and Pacific), the high end lines (Cannondale & GT), and I'm not sure where Mongoose falls into.

You can argue specifics, like how the BB30 is stiffer than outboard BB's or the I-drive is obsolete. But I'm not sure how you can buy a company with no assets, loads of debt, and a diminishing reputation.

Iron Horse is not Dave Weigle. If Dorel wanted his services and designs, they should have negotiated with him directly.
 

leprechaun

Turbo Monkey
Apr 17, 2004
1,009
0
SLC,Ut
Van Dine is tearing up the trails on a plastic fiber GT DHI. I'm guessing that they're pushing GT as gnarly long travel and C dale is going XC/road. Glad they didn't just toss him. With the closure of C dale's US plant, and XC/road going plastic, made in asia it makes perfect sense. I never really liked anything C Dale made but i had respect for them as being the largerst USA mfgr.
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
86,083
24,611
media blackout
Van Dine is tearing up the trails on a plastic fiber GT DHI. I'm guessing that they're pushing GT as gnarly long travel and C dale is going XC/road. Glad they didn't just toss him. With the closure of C dale's US plant, and XC/road going plastic, made in asia it makes perfect sense. I never really liked anything C Dale made but i had respect for them as being the largerst USA mfgr.
A lot of C'dale's carbon fiber bikes have been made overseas for a while. One of the resins they use for the bikes, well, they couldn't legally use the amount required to manufacture frames here in the US.
 

stiksandstones

Turbo Monkey
May 21, 2002
5,078
25
Orange, Ca
Van Dine is tearing up the trails on a plastic fiber GT DHI. I'm guessing that they're pushing GT as gnarly long travel and C dale is going XC/road. Glad they didn't just toss him. With the closure of C dale's US plant, and XC/road going plastic, made in asia it makes perfect sense. I never really liked anything C Dale made but i had respect for them as being the largerst USA mfgr.
What will happen to Doug Dalton, isn't he their suspension engineer? and sounds like cannondale will make nothing according to this.
 

ChrisKring

Turbo Monkey
Jan 30, 2002
2,399
6
Grand Haven, MI
But I'm not sure how you can buy a company with no assets, loads of debt, and a diminishing reputation.
They bought it at a bankruptcy auction. There is no debt for the buyer. The proceeds from the auction will go to the secured debtors and then the unsecured.


DW: your more laid back than me. I would be pissed/freaked out beyond belief. As in I am getting my money with whatever means necessary. :thumb:
 

buckoW

Turbo Monkey
Mar 1, 2007
3,787
4,733
Champery, Switzerland
Van Dine is tearing up the trails on a plastic fiber GT DHI. I'm guessing that they're pushing GT as gnarly long travel and C dale is going XC/road. Glad they didn't just toss him. With the closure of C dale's US plant, and XC/road going plastic, made in asia it makes perfect sense. I never really liked anything C Dale made but i had respect for them as being the largerst USA mfgr.
Cool. Good to hear he has a ride. Tell him Ben in Switzerland says hey if you see him.
 

MFrider

Monkey
Jul 10, 2009
138
0
The East
DW, correct me if I am wrong... But can Dorel take the Iron Horse brand oversea's with the DW link???

Could Iron Horse become strictly a European brand because they can use the DW link anywhere but in the US???

I hope I am wrong and they cannot use it anywhere, at least I hope for Dave's sake.

I think it could be good for current Sunday owners if they make parts available for purchase, I would not expect any warranty to be honored by Dorel.
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
86,083
24,611
media blackout
DW, correct me if I am wrong... But can Dorel take the Iron Horse brand oversea's with the DW link???

Could Iron Horse become strictly a European brand because they can use the DW link anywhere but in the US???

I hope I am wrong and they cannot use it anywhere, at least I hope for Dave's sake.

I think it could be good for current Sunday owners if they make parts available for purchase, I would not expect any warranty to be honored by Dorel.
IH was licensing the DW-link from Dave, as he is the patent holder. Their license has expired, they can no longer manufacture DW link frames. That is, unless they somehow convince him to re-license, but I highly doubt that. From what I've heard Dave has been having a great experience with Turner.
 

MFrider

Monkey
Jul 10, 2009
138
0
The East
IH was licensing the DW-link from Dave, as he is the patent holder. Their license has expired, they can no longer manufacture DW link frames. That is, unless they somehow convince him to re-license, but I highly doubt that. From what I've heard Dave has been having a great experience with Turner.

You use the word Patent, isn't it a US patent?? Look how many horst link bikes are overseas.
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
86,083
24,611
media blackout
You use the word Patent, isn't it a US patent?? Look how many horst link bikes are overseas.
Not sure about DW's patent, I know its US, not sure about other countries. Hopefully Dave can field that answer. Specialized's FSR/Horst patent is US only, hence all the overseas clones.
 

Brian HCM#1

MMMMMMMMM BEER!!!!!!!!!!
Sep 7, 2001
32,119
378
Bay Area, California
Iron Horse is not Dave Weigle. If Dorel wanted his services and designs, they should have negotiated with him directly.
I wonder if Dorel even looked at that. IH was not much of a company until DW got involved, before that they were just another bike manufacture that made mediocre bikes. The majority of their recent growth (last 4 years) was because of the Dave Weagle fan club.
 
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MFrider

Monkey
Jul 10, 2009
138
0
The East
Is Dorel the General Motors of the bike industry. Most of there companies (Pontiac, Buick, Oldsmobile, Saab) were stand alone companies that did not make it and were taken over by GM, look where they are now, do I smell a bail out for Dorel in the future??
 

IH8Rice

I'm Mr. Negative! I Fail!
Aug 2, 2008
24,524
494
Im over here now
Is Dorel the General Motors of the bike industry. Most of there companies (Pontiac, Buick, Oldsmobile, Saab) were stand alone companies that did not make it and were taken over by GM, look where they are now, do I smell a bail out for Dorel in the future??
Buick and Saab are not going away btw.
 

cableguy

Monkey
Jun 23, 2007
463
1
Southern California
I was at Sports Authority this morning, and out in front were bunch of Iron Horse kid's bikes for sale. And some of them were colored like Sam Hill's old bike. I am sure the new owner will do more of that, placing Iron Horse bikes in lower-end distribution channels.
 

dw

Wiffle Ball ninja
Sep 10, 2001
2,943
0
MV
You use the word Patent, isn't it a US patent?? Look how many horst link bikes are overseas.
dw-link has actually been granted patent in Europe and has issued / will be issuing in a lot of countries very soon. There are also patents granted in Australia, New Zealand, China, and Canada. Really, there is more coverage for the dw-link suspension system than any other.
 

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
19,030
9,686
AK
Buick and Saab are not going away btw.
Buick should go away though. WTF is a buick? Over-weight, ill-handling, different crap on the same chassi (=same crap), etc. Retired baby-boomers buy em, but those people are dying off, just like GM. What is popular? The milan/CTS sized-cars with real nice room front and back, without being boats with wheels. They should have invested in cars like that a long time ago, but detroit was content to sell "oldsmobiles" and "buicks".