Road Bike, Cycling Forums banner

Time brand sold to French E-Bike startup

2K views 23 replies 10 participants last post by  OldChipper 
#1 ·
I posted this in the Time forum, but no one has posted there since 2017, and I thought this thread might be of interest to Time pedal enthusiasts.

The brand was sold by Rossignol to a French E-Bike startup.

It doesn't bode well for the future of the pedals, based on this statement.

"A spokesman for Time's U.S. operations said that Time pedals and bikes will continue to be available through them at least until the sale is completed this summer "

https://www.bicycleretailer.com/int...signol-sells-time-brand-french-e-bike-startup
 
#3 ·
I can't imagine that the pedals market is good place to make big money, so maybe they will drop that product
pedals? Time make probably the best constructed frames available. I hope this works out for them. Between their in-house weaved carbon/Vectran and Kevlar along with theirRTM construction method, there’s nothing better. They don’t do “cookie cutter” like Trek, Cannondale, Spech. .
 
#4 ·
FWIW, both Time and Rosignol have lost a lot of marketshare over the last 2 decades. I'm assuming that selling the Time brand will keep them afloat for a while. Expect the new owners to start selling Time-brand E-bikes soon, like the way Bell started selling all manor of cheap cycling accessories a few years ago....
 
#6 ·
I doubt it. What does Time have that Look and Shimano SPD-R don't? 25+ years ago, it was quality and finish. Today, not so much. I couldn't even tell you who even sells Time pedals near me, and between my city and Buffalo, that's a metro area of better than 2.5 million.
 
#10 ·
I don't think I would consider a French e-Bike startup no one has ever heard of buying a brand with a good reputation as a 'corporate takeover'.

Rossignol stated that the brand wasn't giving the returns on their investment they were hoping for. I can't imagine a French e-Bike startup, who's bikes are almost certainly built 100% in asia, and are selling bikes whose riders almost exclusively use flat pedals, are going to continue manufacturing super expensive, super lightweight carbon road racing pedals and shoes, or for that matter, even their MTB/Gravel stuff.

Considering their current brand name (WhaTTfornow) and that their brand logo on the bikes is just "WhaTT", they are probably just looking to use the established brand name.

I looked at some of the specs on the bikes, and they are nothing special. They are all built/spec'd with the strict European Ebike restrictions in mind (i.e. I don't think they are looking at the US as a target market unless they make some changes to their model lineup).

They are the ugliest thing I've ever seen.

I don't think they are going to get much interest from anyone with a traditional sense of what a bike should look like unless there is truelysomething sensational and ground breaking about the tech (i.e. huge range, huge power/speed to weight ratio, etc...)
 
#11 ·
Somebody mentioned Dorel. If they are the actual owners, then this French company is hardly a 'start up', and as far as the Time brand is concerned, with Dorel owning Cannondale, GT, Schwinn, etc., etc., then I doubt anything more that the Time pedal brand is likely to survive (and even that probably not for more than a couple of years). More than likely, this is just another example of buying out more of the competition, then pimping whatever is left of the brand name.
 
#14 ·
Dorel has nothing to do with this. Rudge just mentioned it as a reference to another cycling conglomerate thath has absorbed older brands and hasn't done anything with them.

WhattForNow has it's own manufacturing. It could be that they are investing in some of that aspect of the Time company. Time may have some patents on processes that can be used for their ebikes.

I would agree with DaveG. If you love Time pedals, I would start hoarding them ASAP. Unless someone else buys that aspect of the business from WhattForNow in order to keep them going, they are not long for this world.
 
#23 ·
Someone mentioned the MTB world and Time. I would argue that they make some of the best MTB pedals on the market. They just work. No adjustments needed, durable, easy to use, and look sharp. I might have to start buying up as many Time ATAC XC Carbon pedals I can find.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top