Articles by Dan Empfield

Inside Triathlon returns as a coffee table book, every other month. It’s exceptionally well done, and Competitor Group’s risky gambit may prove out.

In the second and final part of this series, we look at how remote bike fitting aids the retailer who’ll invest the time, and thought, and energy to the display of the tri bikes he inventories.

It’s late November. Don’t you love the change of seasons? Depending where you are, the greens are turning to yellow, and the yellows red. But that is not the change to which I refer.

There exists a method for fitting bikes for mail order purchases; and for retailers to present floored bikes; should such enterprising retailers avail themselves of it. Part I of II.

Hillary Biscay made a bit of news last week with her blog comments. She broke the story, unintentionally, that she, Chrissie Wellington, and Belinda Granger are leaving Team TBB. We asked her to amplify on her comments.

Competitor Group, Inc. (CGI), that growing aggregation of premier endurance brands powered by private equity, will temporarily shrink by one brand.

Not if you’re Chrissie W, who might still be standing on the side of a wind-blasted Kona Coast road but for Rebecca Keat. Here’s Andy Potts’ tale of camaraderie.

The rematch between “Macca” and “Crowie” fizzled, and Wellington’s duel with the 8:45 and 8:47 Iron record setters was made briefly interesting by ten interminable roadside minutes.

There is probably a fine, long German word that aptly describes the social, cultural and industrial phenomenon that is Interbike. Part of that word should include kitschig which, according to those whom I rely upon for such transliteration, means smarmy, though there seems not be an exact German word for this.

Smarmy, because the trade show takes place in Las Vegas, the only place in the world where gold chains, side burns, white patent leather shoes and Sansabelt pants can be pulled off and, in the right context, might even be cool.

Another part of that long German word must include fahrrad because, at some point, an attendee must turn his attention to the upcoming season’s bikes. The end-users of such bikes and associated goods likewise want to see what’s new.

To that end, we present a few more Tim Carlson photos of what we saw at this year’s kitschigerfahrradkongress.

Banks and thrifts are failing, insurance companies and august houses of investment are crumbling with regularity. What about the bike biz?

Nine-hundred registered Slowtwitch Forum members rated companies in six categories. Cervelo was the big winner in the first annual Slowtwitch Bike Industry Awards, winning in two categories.

Why did the Gills family sell the Ironman? Why did Providence Equity Partners, a private equity company, buy it? What does it all mean to you and me?