REI Reveals New Mountain Bike Line, Needs to be Your LBS

REI isn’t precisely new to the bike retail sport. They’d offered bikes underneath the Novara label for years, then converted the Co-op Cycles in-house model again in 2017. They initially offered highway bikes, hybrids, early e-bikes, and hardtail mtbs aimed toward clients who needed to get into bikes on a model they belief, whereas spending lower than the value of a Toyota Corolla to take action. Now, REI is dipping into the full-suspension world, with the DRT three.1 and three.2 fashions.

The upper-specced three.2 boasts higher parts and 27.5-inch tires.

Each are mid-travel 6061 aluminum frames, although you’d need the three.2—it’s specced with a SRAM NX Eagle 1×12 drivetrain, Rockshox Revelation RC fork and Monarch R Solo Air rear for the squishy bits, with 27.5-inch tires. The three.2 will run you $2,800. The cheaper three.1 is $2,200 with a Shimano Deore 1×10 drivetrain.

The model is aware of its clients experience bikes, however hasn’t but been capable of persuade as many as they’d like to really purchase their bikes at REI. They’ve offered Cannondales at dozens of shops for just a few years, and for a time as soon as offered Scott bikes at some areas. However they’re doubling down with this current push. Not solely will they be promoting extra bikes, however they’re additionally making an attempt to spice up employees coaching in bike departments, ensuring every bike division has not less than one tech with Barnett Bicycle Institute certification at both the essential or grasp stage. Cannondale bikes may even be obtainable at REI shops nationwide beginning in March, together with Bontrager parts and equipment.

With the current closure of all Efficiency Bicycle shops, there’s not less than a bit of opening for an additional chain retailer to fill the hole. Maybe that is the elbow house REI’s been maneuvering to seek out within the bike world.