2023 TEAM RUMORS

4/24/2023 6:05am

Wrong thread folks, check the 2023 racing talk thread (maybe the mods can fix it up top?) 

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kevroberts
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6/6/2023 2:47pm Edited Date/Time 6/6/2023 2:48pm

Not a rumour so to speak, probably in the wrong thread as well… GT are making a big fuss about being all good and helping privateers etc but dropping their riders mid season.

 

 

1
metadave
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6/6/2023 4:05pm

I'm wondering what happened there as well, was it a strangely timed just end of contract and not picked back up or did something go down? It's unlikely given the rest of the GT line up that it's results related as most of their racers are far more social media presence than top 10 which isn't a bad thing with who they have. In that team, as much as I enjoy her on and off the bike presence wise, Katy would have been the more obvious cut after last year and being hit or miss due to injury if that was the case of budget vs time vs performance. Was there something that went sideways business wise?

hogfly
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6/6/2023 4:11pm
metadave wrote:
I'm wondering what happened there as well, was it a strangely timed just end of contract and not picked back up or did something go down...

I'm wondering what happened there as well, was it a strangely timed just end of contract and not picked back up or did something go down? It's unlikely given the rest of the GT line up that it's results related as most of their racers are far more social media presence than top 10 which isn't a bad thing with who they have. In that team, as much as I enjoy her on and off the bike presence wise, Katy would have been the more obvious cut after last year and being hit or miss due to injury if that was the case of budget vs time vs performance. Was there something that went sideways business wise?

Given GT’s track record and general attempts  to at least appear to be “good times” and not results oriented, there had to have been something that happened between them and Noga. It’s not really any of our business and it’s not fair to speculate baselessly, but I can’t help but be curious. 

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Verbl Kint
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6/6/2023 4:22pm

Noga's contract is just like most pros and should have ended in December. IIRC, she signed a 2-year extension in 2021 so her contract should have gone all the way to the end of this year.

I wonder what happened.

Primoz
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6/13/2023 3:22am

JFC, gnarly sounds like a bit of an understatement... 

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luckymixes
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6/13/2023 4:09am

Ánimo Iago! Hope the recovery goes fast and you'll be enjoying life on two wheels soon!

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brash
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7/18/2023 3:01pm

Yoann Barelli off GG as per his Instagram.

dolface
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7/18/2023 3:33pm

Here is the post: 

 

Interested to see where Yoann goes!

2.5 years seems like an odd duration for a sponsorship deal...

Regardless, that post is a pretty good example of how you depart from a sponsor, even if it's unexpected (at least that's how I read it).

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AndehM
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7/18/2023 3:37pm

My guess is that GG is being hit pretty hard with the bike market glut.  So many big brands are blowing out bikes at 25% off because they overproduced, it's hard to compete.  They're probably making some really hard cost decisions right now, and ending sponsorship deals is a not uncommon one

16
Losifer
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7/18/2023 4:52pm

Weird that NSMB posts their Gnarvana review today... 

1
1
7/18/2023 5:09pm
AndehM wrote:
My guess is that GG is being hit pretty hard with the bike market glut.  So many big brands are blowing out bikes at 25% off...

My guess is that GG is being hit pretty hard with the bike market glut.  So many big brands are blowing out bikes at 25% off because they overproduced, it's hard to compete.  They're probably making some really hard cost decisions right now, and ending sponsorship deals is a not uncommon one

Shit is TOUGH out there right now. This is easily the worst quarter/season for bike brands ever. If you want to support your favorite independent bike brand, now is the time. Or perhaps a favorite rider etc. 

7
7/18/2023 6:19pm

Yea, my first thought when I saw the GG/Yoann post was that GG is on the ropes financially. There have been rumors that many brands are really lean right now and hurting. This is quite likely the situation here given the "2.5 year relationship". He has always seemed to have a great relationship with them, so when leveled with him that they were in financial trouble he understood and let it go. Which is another reason for the great parting ways post.  

 

3
7/19/2023 2:55am
Losifer wrote:

Weird that NSMB posts their Gnarvana review today... 

More than likely just a coincidence. 

NSMB review was most likely scheduled well in advance. Yoann's news was probably in discussion or fairly sudden.

Definitely sucks to see, but hopefully, he gets the support he deserves

2
bulletbass man
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7/19/2023 5:53am

Fear things may be a bit tough for yoann.  2.5 years ago the industry was booming, the YouTube market was infinitely less saturated especially among guys at or recently at the top level (not that it wasn’t already over saturated), and he is now quite a few years removed from the racing world.

dude is one of the few YouTube guys I would say almost certainly deserves a salary.  His content is genuinely really good and he certainly has a marketing flair that a lot of people just don’t have.  Just there is going to be relatively few options at the moment where I’m sure there were plenty when he signed with gg to be with a North American made product.  
 

Most people I’ve met who own a gg really like that bike and the brand.  It’s a tough position to be in to sit on extra inventory.  It’s an even tougher position to be in when you are sitting on recently expanded manufacturing capabilities and the staff to go with it.

 

FullSend
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7/19/2023 8:39am
Fear things may be a bit tough for yoann.  2.5 years ago the industry was booming, the YouTube market was infinitely less saturated especially among guys...

Fear things may be a bit tough for yoann.  2.5 years ago the industry was booming, the YouTube market was infinitely less saturated especially among guys at or recently at the top level (not that it wasn’t already over saturated), and he is now quite a few years removed from the racing world.

dude is one of the few YouTube guys I would say almost certainly deserves a salary.  His content is genuinely really good and he certainly has a marketing flair that a lot of people just don’t have.  Just there is going to be relatively few options at the moment where I’m sure there were plenty when he signed with gg to be with a North American made product.  
 

Most people I’ve met who own a gg really like that bike and the brand.  It’s a tough position to be in to sit on extra inventory.  It’s an even tougher position to be in when you are sitting on recently expanded manufacturing capabilities and the staff to go with it.

 

I think so too. Genuinely good content on his channel.

I feel like that's because Yoann still has the mentality of mainly a pro rider that sorta-kinda also does youtube videos as a side gig - as opposed to going full social-media-clown influencer mode.

2
Losifer
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7/19/2023 9:36am
Losifer wrote:

Weird that NSMB posts their Gnarvana review today... 

More than likely just a coincidence.  NSMB review was most likely scheduled well in advance. Yoann's news was probably in discussion or fairly sudden. Definitely sucks...

More than likely just a coincidence. 

NSMB review was most likely scheduled well in advance. Yoann's news was probably in discussion or fairly sudden.

Definitely sucks to see, but hopefully, he gets the support he deserves

Sorry, poor attempt at humor.

AndehM
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7/19/2023 9:41am

Yoann at least seems to have a successful coaching business to fall back on.  It seemed like the sponsorship was mostly to fund making videos.

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bizutch
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7/19/2023 11:42am Edited Date/Time 7/19/2023 11:42am

Man, sometimes you just gotta make and sell bikes and focus on consumers.  Backing riders and hoping for returns to track from it isn't an easy task for a smaller biz.

I really hope Guerrilla Gravity does good.  I made the mistake of agreeing to a "crash replacement" frame from Kona for my Process 153 & regret it.  Had the opportunity to buy a GG right about the same time with a fantastic spec but nobody wanted my super shiny brand new, no warranty, Kona hates you frameset.

7
EzRyder613
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7/25/2023 12:08pm
AndehM wrote:
My guess is that GG is being hit pretty hard with the bike market glut.  So many big brands are blowing out bikes at 25% off...

My guess is that GG is being hit pretty hard with the bike market glut.  So many big brands are blowing out bikes at 25% off because they overproduced, it's hard to compete.  They're probably making some really hard cost decisions right now, and ending sponsorship deals is a not uncommon one

Shit is TOUGH out there right now. This is easily the worst quarter/season for bike brands ever. If you want to support your favorite independent bike...

Shit is TOUGH out there right now. This is easily the worst quarter/season for bike brands ever. If you want to support your favorite independent bike brand, now is the time. Or perhaps a favorite rider etc. 

It is and I agree with what you're saying...BUT....bike brands raised their prices ridiculously during the pandemic. They can rationalize it all they want with increased shipping costs, etc. but the fact of the matter is that most bike companies gouged people because they could get away with it. Don't feel too bad for these companies...

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