Skip to main content

Search TrendsNew Ads Appearances Podcasts API

We value your privacy

We use cookies to understand how you use our platform and to improve your experience. Click “Accept All” to consent, or “Decline non-essential” to opt out of non-essential cookies. Read our Privacy Policy.

Spokes & Strategy: Marketing the Bicycle

Spokes & Strategy: Marketing the Bicycle

Spokes & Strategy Ep 18: How Retailers and Suppliers Can Rebuild Trust in the Bike Industry

Sep 23, 2026 · 47 min · 13 segments

The bike industry keeps chasing new riders in silos instead of working together, and that has to change. In this episode of Spokes & Strategy, Brandon Morphew talks with Michael Forte, founder of…

The bike industry keeps chasing new riders in silos instead of working together, and that has to change. In this episode of Spokes & Strategy, Brandon Morphew talks with Michael Forte, founder of Wheelhouse Strategies. Michael has seen the bike business from nearly every seat, as a bike shop owner, and later in leadership roles at Giant, Specialized, Felt, and Rossignol. He and Brandon connect the dots between retail, suppliers, data, and the shared goal of getting more people on bikes. What You'll Learn Why IBD unit sales have declined since 2015...

The bike industry keeps chasing new riders in silos instead of working together, and that has to change. In this episode of Spokes & Strategy, Brandon Morphew talks with Michael Forte, founder of…

Spotify Amazon Music Website

Show signals: SuitabilitySafeBiasNot politicalAudience≈97 followers

Speakers: Michael ForteGuestBrandon MorphewHost

Top entities: Specialized×8 Target Corporation×5 Walmart×6 Enterprise resource planning×11 Tucson×7

The Role of the Independent Bike Dealer5:17 – 6:45

M

Michael ForteGuest

5:17

All right.

M

Michael ForteGuest

5:17

I wasn't expecting it from that perspective.

M

Michael ForteGuest

5:19

But I mean, one of the things I am passionate about.

M

Michael ForteGuest

5:23

is the role of the retailer in our cycling ecosystem that we have.

M

Michael ForteGuest

5:28

Because I think it's a very important role.

M

Michael ForteGuest

5:30

And one of the things I'm passionate about is getting people on bikes.

M

Michael ForteGuest

5:35

And that's one of the things I've been tracking actually since 2015.

M

Michael ForteGuest

5:40

Well, I've been tracking it since about 2018, but I noticed this trend from 2015, which is the unit sales through the IBD channel declining.

M

Michael ForteGuest

5:51

And that's except for the blip during COVID that's continued through today.

M

Michael ForteGuest

5:56

And that's concerning.

M

Michael ForteGuest

5:59

how we're getting people on bikes, getting new riders, casual riders, to become enthusiasts.

M

Michael ForteGuest

6:06

Because that's really the thing that all of us, whether we're a retailer or a supplier or a brand or whatever, for the good of the industry, we need to get people back on bikes.

M

Michael ForteGuest

6:19

And Rick Vosper has been doing a lot.

M

Michael ForteGuest

6:21

He actually posted... four articles recently that all seem to focus on this.

M

Michael ForteGuest

6:27

And that's the thing I think we need to do as an industry.

M

Michael ForteGuest

6:31

Working together is getting riders on bikes.

M

Michael ForteGuest

6:35

And then once they're on bikes, getting riders converted from casual riders to enthusiasts.

M

Michael ForteGuest

6:40

And I think that the IBD is in the best position to accomplish that.

SpecializedEntity
98%8 mentions
Target CorporationCompanyRetailer corporation
93%5 mentions
WalmartCompanyRetailer corporation
89%6 mentions
Enterprise resource planningEntitySoftware category
84%11 mentions
TucsonCityCity in Arizona
80%7 mentions
Stock keeping unitEntity
75%1 mention
Bicycle industryEntity
70%1 mention
Artificial intelligenceEntityProfessional field
66%4 mentions
ABC analysisEntity
61%1 mention
Mount LemmonTourist AttractionMountain in Arizona
57%2 mentions
Cape MayCityCity in New Jersey
52%1 mention
Got Milk?Entity
48%4 mentions
New JerseyAdministrative AreaUS state
43%4 mentions
Bicycle Product Suppliers AssociationCompanyCorporation
39%4 mentions
BicycleEntity
34%1 mention
Giant BicyclesCompanyCompany
30%1 mention
InterbikeEntity
25%1 mention
CircanaCompanyMarket research company
20%2 mentions
BostonCityCity in Massachusetts
16%1 mention
Google AnalyticsSoftware ApplicationWebsite
11%1 mention
Metropolitan statistical areaEntity
7%1 mention
GoogleCompanyTechnology corporation
2%2 mentions

Omnichannel CommerceShopping
Independent Bicycle DealersBusiness > Retail > Specialty Retail
Rider Acquisition and Enthusiast ConversionBusiness > Retail > Specialty Retail > Independent Bicycle Dealers
Supplier-Retailer RelationsBusiness > Bicycle Industry
Industry Ecosystem CollaborationBusiness > Bicycle Industry > Supplier-Retailer Relations
Trust Building Through Dealer EngagementBusiness > Bicycle Industry > Supplier-Retailer Relations > Industry Ecosystem Collaboration
Bicycle RetailShopping > Omnichannel Commerce
Buy Online and Pick Up In StoreShopping > Omnichannel Commerce > Bicycle Retail
Supplier Inventory IntegrationShopping > Omnichannel Commerce > Bicycle Retail > Buy Online and Pick Up In Store
SKU Assortment PlanningBusiness > Retail Operations > Inventory Management
ABC Analysis by Units, Revenue, and MarginBusiness > Retail Operations > Inventory Management > SKU Assortment Planning
Retail Planning and Workforce AugmentationTechnology > Artificial Intelligence > Business Process Automation
AI-Assisted Inventory and Credit OperationsTechnology > Artificial Intelligence > Business Process Automation > Retail Planning and Workforce Augmentation
Inventory ManagementBusiness > Retail Operations
Business Process AutomationTechnology > Artificial Intelligence
Bicycle IndustryBusiness
Retail OperationsBusiness
Specialty RetailBusiness > Retail
Shopping
Technology
Business
RetailBusiness
Artificial IntelligenceTechnology

The Role of the Independent Bike Dealer5:17 – 6:45

M

Michael ForteGuest

5:17

All right.

M

Michael ForteGuest

5:17

I wasn't expecting it from that perspective.

M

Michael ForteGuest

5:19

But I mean, one of the things I am passionate about.

M

Michael ForteGuest

5:23

is the role of the retailer in our cycling ecosystem that we have.

M

Michael ForteGuest

5:28

Because I think it's a very important role.

M

Michael ForteGuest

5:30

And one of the things I'm passionate about is getting people on bikes.

M

Michael ForteGuest

5:35

And that's one of the things I've been tracking actually since 2015.

M

Michael ForteGuest

5:40

Well, I've been tracking it since about 2018, but I noticed this trend from 2015, which is the unit sales through the IBD channel declining.

M

Michael ForteGuest

5:51

And that's except for the blip during COVID that's continued through today.

M

Michael ForteGuest

5:56

And that's concerning.

M

Michael ForteGuest

5:59

how we're getting people on bikes, getting new riders, casual riders, to become enthusiasts.

M

Michael ForteGuest

6:06

Because that's really the thing that all of us, whether we're a retailer or a supplier or a brand or whatever, for the good of the industry, we need to get people back on bikes.

M

Michael ForteGuest

6:19

And Rick Vosper has been doing a lot.

M

Michael ForteGuest

6:21

He actually posted... four articles recently that all seem to focus on this.

M

Michael ForteGuest

6:27

And that's the thing I think we need to do as an industry.

M

Michael ForteGuest

6:31

Working together is getting riders on bikes.

M

Michael ForteGuest

6:35

And then once they're on bikes, getting riders converted from casual riders to enthusiasts.

M

Michael ForteGuest

6:40

And I think that the IBD is in the best position to accomplish that.

Sign up to see more

The rest of this transcript — segmented and speaker-labeled, so you land on the exact moment something was said
Search every transcript — by keyword, by phrase, or by meaning, across every show Radar indexes
Trends — what is surging across podcasts, measured against its own baseline
Alerts — when a name you follow appears in a newly indexed episode

Create an account Already have an account? Log in

No account is needed to search Radar.