The plot thickens as Scott Sports announced the acquisition of the Syncros brand from Ritchey. In reality, it makes sense for both parties as Ritchey never could quite figure out how to market Syncros products. Scott has typically used Ritchey components extensively and it looks like those days may be numbered, but can Scott really take Syncros into cross-country and road markets? We’ll see. Full press release below.
SUN VALLEY, ID — January 3rd, 2012— SCOTT Sports today announced it will shift gears in the aftermarket bike accessories business and take over the Syncros brand to become a major supplier in the parts and accessories market. Syncros was founded in 1986 by Peter Hamilton and Pippin Osborne as a small, high-end components company on Vancouver’s North Shore. After a few changes in ownership, Tom Ritchey made the most recent buy in 2003, and under his guidance, Syncros returned to its roots as a leading manufacturer of high end mountain bike components focused on the All Mountain, Freeride, and Downhill categories.
SCOTT will give Syncros the necessary support to design outstanding products and will enlarge the line by expanding into Cross Country and Road categories. A dedicated design and engineering team has been created, and they have already begun developing innovative products for future Syncros lines. The products will be built to refect SCOTT’s high standards for technology while also keeping top-to-bottom integration in mind. This type of product integration will cultivate new levels of innovation, adding further value to SCOTT bikes.
“We have always believed that the Syncros name has had an excellent image in the industry,” adds SCOTT Sports Vice President, Pascal Ducrot. “Our priority was to find a way to increase our offering of parts and accessories while still maintaining our relationship with Ritchey, our long-term partner. The purchase of Syncros was the perfect solution and we look forward to ofering our dealers a full line of new parts and accessories with the same high quality standards as our bikes.”
Syncros will be distributed through the SCOTT network of dedicated dealers around the globe. SCOTT currently offers dealers a full range of bikes, clothing, bike shoes, and helmets. The addition of Syncros parts and accessories will further strengthen this package, giving dealers more to offer. SCOTT will present the complete range of new Syncros products to the public during the 2012 Eurobike show.
