FATBMX Your Online BMX News Resource Since 1998

GT Bicycles welcomes Jason Schiers as Managing Director. In his new role, Jason will oversee the strategy that continues GT Bicycles’ current progress, and he will also create the roadmap for the brand’s future vision. An entrepreneur, Jason came into the bicycle business from a machine shop background in the 1990s, where he machined composite tooling for bike and automotive part manufacturers.

After working for Reynolds Cycling in the early 2000s, he founded ENVE Composites in Utah. Most recently Jason led R&D for the Selle Royal brands, with a particular focus on Crank Brothers product development and quality. Jason’s experience in product design, sourcing, brand building,

Ride On talks to Mark Noble by Neil Waddington

Vista Outdoor Inc. (“Vista Outdoor”) (NYSE: VSTO), the parent company of 39 renowned brands that design, manufacture and market sporting and outdoor products to consumers around the globe, today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Irvine, Calif.-based Fox Racing, a global icon in performance motocross, mountain bike and lifestyle gear for adventure seekers. The purchase price is $540 million, with the potential for an additional $50 million earnout based on Fox Racing’s financial performance.

For 50 years, Fox Racing has been a leading voice in the motocross and adventure community, with a dedicated consumer following and talented group of employees that embody the brand’s mission to “honor yesterday, conquer today, and invent tomorrow.” Fox Racing’s deep history of producing innovative gear that enables racers and explorers to reach new heights aligns perfectly with Vista Outdoor’s existing portfolio of leading outdoor brands. Fox Racing grew net sales by a compound annual growth rate of approximately 20% from calendar year 2019 to 2021 and is expected to grow in excess of that in calendar year 2022.

Name: Jimmy Mac Mcneal
Hometown: Camden, NJ, USA.
Occupation: CEO/founder Union Square shoes

Let's start with your BMX background. Give us a short history.
Jimmy Mac McNeal: I've been BMX for very long time since the early '80s, I started competing in BMX racing at an early age and my love started with a mix of BMX and freestyle especially during that time period of the early '80s. I already started riding, but a friend was reading a BMX Action mag in 4th grade and loaned it to me. I was hooked. And it never stopped. I've been riding 45 plus years. Committed and always moto/skated for fun…

Did you learn much by doing Bulldog Bikes?
Jimmy Mac McNeal: Bulldog bikes was a great learning experience. We had a lot of success, and we had a lot of challenges. I had to get very creative because there was a lot of blocking going on where people didn't like exactly what we were doing. So it made me be able to innovate in distribution and sales and marketing. Using a hip hop approach like emcees like Too Short and other independent artists where they went direct to the consumer. Also being one of the early BMX sites starting our site in 1998 and being able to order on the phone and online, I basically modeled what Dan's was doing.

 Job opening: BMX Freestyle Pathways Coach at AusCycling Limited

Description:

Pre-amble

-We exist to unleash the unbound potential of every body.

-Cycling is more than a sport - it’s a lifestyle.

BMX is the core pillar upon which the iconic GT brand’s 50-year legacy was built, and it has been exciting to watch this important part of our business evolve over the years. Since joining GT in 2014, Ben Ward, GT BMX Product Manager, has created an impressive range of race, freestyle, heritage and crossover bikes as well as complimentary parts and accessories assortment that have been very well received by riders and in all retail channels. The brand is  committed to supporting our growing collective of shops and riders and in doing so, the GT Global Marketing team is growing as well. Today, we are proud to share that Jeff Zielinski, BMX  industry legend, and all around great human, will be officially joining the GT family as BMX Team Manager and Content Producer.

For those of you whom have not yet had the privilege to meet Jeff, we thought it would make sense to hear from Jeff himself:

As soon as I saw Robbie Morales and Ronnie Bonner hanging out at Swampfest, I knew I had to ask them the Asking BMX Icons questions. During that I realized this could be an awesome opportunity to talk to guys who have worked at and own some of the biggest and most legendary brands in all of BMX.

Who's got good scouting talent? Who knows how to coach BMX Freestyle? Who's looking for a BMX Freestyle job? Read on to see if this is something you fancy.

Reference: APR20223722
Expiry date: 15:00, Fri, 15th Apr 2022
Location: Remote Working
Salary: £27,000 Per Annum
Benefits: Competitive Salary, Company Pension Scheme, 25 Days Holiday, Free Race Gold membership, Free Eye Test, Employee Assistance Programme
Application form: RoleProfile-TalentDevelopmentCoach-BMXFSV2.pdf

British Cycling is one of the world’s most successful sports governing bodies. From winning Olympic and Paralympic gold medals to inspiring almost two million people to ride their bikes regularly, we are committed to making cycling the number one sport and activity of choice in Britain. Our growing membership of over 145,000 members is testament to the appetite for cycling nationwide.

The Role: Talent Development Coach - BMX Freestyle

Following the success at the Tokyo Olympic Games, British Cycling turns its attention to Paris 2024,

American BMX Company (ABC) is pleased to announce the addition of Carol McNaught to the sales team as assistant to the sales director. "I am happy to have Carol onboard. She comes to us with a wealth of knowledge and understanding of the bicycle business. She is truly going to help take us to the next level," said Art Ornelas, ABC's sales director.

McNaught will work with Ornelas, handling customer service calls and warranties and will use her extensive list of industry contacts to add to ABC's list of sales reps and retailers.

McNaught has worked in bike industry since 1994, spending13 years JAX Bicycle Center, as well as a stint at Serfas where she was a product manager. Prior to taking time during the COVID-91 pandemic to stay home with her family, she was office manager for the sales rep agency Tsunami Sales Group.

"I've known Art since he worked at GT, and I worked with him at JAX when he was a sales rep for Nirve. Art and I are friends and we connected on Face Book after I posted that I was looking for a job.

Want to work in the BMX industry? This is an opportunity.
Job Title: Warehouse Associate
Hours: Full Time 40 Hours (Monday to Friday). 07.00 to 15.30 with half hour for lunch
Location: Our Warehouse in Louisville, KY 40210
Pay: Dependent on Experience. Range of $13-16 per hour
Overall Objective: To work as part of our small warehouse team to assist in the process of getting goods packed and dispatched to customers.

Role Overview:
-You will be an important part of a small successful team focusing on being the best BMX retailer.
-This is a role that would suit someone who has a strong work ethic and enjoys working as part of a team, sometimes under fast paced conditions.