BRANDS Myriam Nicole riding in Loudenvielle
changes in the manufacturing process or alloy composition that led to this improvement? JL: The new Synthesis Alloy 2.0 rims start with a new rim profile, targeted at increasing strength, and use AL 6069-T6 material, which has amazing properties for fatigue strength. These updates, combined with a shot peen finish, significantly increase the fatigue life of the Alloy 2.0.
JL: Even if a wheel passes our internal standards for lab testing, we continue to test the wheel to failure to see just how strong it is. Our required goal for this wheel was already set very high, as strength was a large focus for this project. What we found was that the new Synthesis Alloy 2.0 greatly surpassed all of our internal testing standards and pushed us to continue testing to points we had not reached previously.
A lifetime warranty on alloy wheels is a bold move. What specific data and long-term testing, both in the lab and in the field, did your team gather to support such a guarantee? JL: The exceptional lab test results we were able to achieve were only one part of it. It was these results, combined with the overall durability results we received from elite-level professional athletes and test riders alike, that helped to fortify our decision to offer a lifetime warranty on these wheels. The entire wheel as a system (hub, spokes, and rim) has been tested to the extremes of mountain biking, and we feel it warrants this guarantee!
Our distributor Extra UK will be able to handle any warranty support if required.
14 | October 2025
Who is racing on the wheels this year, and what unique contributions are your athletes making to your marketing and brand presence this season? GGB: Specific to Synthesis Alloy 2.0, we have Amaury Pierron, Loris Vergier, Myriam Nicole, Andreas Kolb and Oisin O’Callaghan. For 2025, we wanted to bring a smaller group, who also all ran pre-production versions of the rims. For 2026, we will offer Synthesis Alloy 2.0 to our full racing roster, and let them decide between carbon and alloy as they see fit. These athletes bring us a great deal of brand awareness, especially when they are on the podium like Oisin and Amaury were in Poland! As a consumer, you certainly want to know that your wheels are going to last, and not bring any issues on a ride or a
trip away. We’re proud to say that these athletes are running the exact rims that you can buy as a consumer, and we try to highlight that in every way possible.
Has feedback from your race teams, especially during 2025 season, influenced product changes going forward? How are riders involved in product development? GGB: The riders are involved with product feedback, and we’re lucky to have staff present at most World Cup rounds to gather feedback quickly. We’re certainly very happy with both our carbon and alloy rims now, but of course, there’s always room for improvement. Race teams are constantly making small tweaks to set up like lacing patterns, spoke tensions, hub engagement, etc, and we keep a log of these changes to test them out to see if they could be of benefit to the end consumer.
The connection between professional athletes and product credibility is a powerful tool for retailers. How do you work with athletes to provide your retailers with the assets and resources they might need to support them in selling products? GGB: Our goal is to create consumer demand for our products and make sure that consumers go to their local shop to request our products. For the dealer, we do our best to create content with our athletes that’s available to them to explain the product features and benefits. With Retail Specialists Dean and Stu on the road in the UK, visiting shops, they are always keen to receive feedback on how else we could help dealers in store through POS and product displays to further improve this connection in the future.
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