Conversation Pieces vs. Conversations That Matter

Trek Bicycle’s new CheckOUT is a conversation piece. It’s been a hundred+ post topic on multiple threads with cycling friends, so it’s accomplishing one goal as it’s clearly engineered to turn heads and be talked about.

It does make me wonder, though. Is this the kind of conversation the cycling industry needs right now?

Everyone keeps hearing the same refrain: the industry is struggling. Sales are soft, inventories are swollen, and even the largest brands are adjusting expectations. At the same time, many new bike announcements continue to push further up-market with hyper-niche, $8,000+ (Trek) and $20,000+ (Specialized) machines that few riders will ever buy.

This raises the bigger question: who are these products really for? And, what story do they tell about the future of cycling?

The Juxtaposition

The same day Trek’s new model was launched, that evening, I was at a community screening of Together We Ride: Minority Mountain Bikers In The Heartland. It’s a short film about cycling, the connections it creates, and the exclusivity that is inherent in the sport.

What struck me most wasn’t just the film itself, but the conversation in the room before and after the screening: People want to ride. They want to connect. But, too often, they can’t. Price and availability are real barriers.

These moments were a stark juxtaposition. On one side of the industry: a high-profile launch celebrating a bike most people will never even consider owning. On the other: a community conversation showing how much demand there really is if only cycling were more accessible.

I walked back to my car asking myself, “Why does the industry continue pouring its resources into the wrong side of the story?”

A Conversation We’re Avoiding?

• What if the real opportunity isn’t in making the elite, performance tier even more elite and capable, but in expanding the base of riders who can even imagine owning a decent bike in the first place?

• What if the gap isn’t a lack of cutting-edge performance, but a lack of accessible, reliable, and inspiring entry points into cycling?

• What if the industry’s strongest lever for growth isn’t technology or exclusivity, but narrative—reframing cycling as something attainable, joyful, and essential to everyday life?

Looking at the Market Differently

When we compare the U.S. market with global patterns, another question surfaces: Why do we keep treating high-end bikes as the centerpiece of the story, when the largest and most valuable markets globally are built on affordability, accessibility, and sheer volume of participation?

In much of the world, cycling doesn’t even consider the “n+1” indulgence. It’s simply a daily choice for mobility, health, or community. Why aren’t we paying closer attention to this?

Who Could Lead the Way?

Some brands are already hinting at what this could look like, leaning into style, affordability, and connection in ways that resonate with riders just starting out. But is that enough?

Why can’t a mainstream brand take the leap and commit to a wider audience? Not just through price point, but through community-building and narratives that make cycling welcoming to everyone? (Not feeling welcoming, but actually welcoming)

And if not, what does that mean for the industry’s long-term health, beyond endless cycles of (some degree of) boom and then bust?

A Narrative Crossroads

The truth is, there are no easy answers here. High-end bikes will always have a place. Innovation at the performance level does influence and impact overall product development, and it does drive culture in important ways.

However, maybe it’s worth asking: are we leaning too hard on those dynamics, while missing the opportunity to grow cycling into something much larger, more inclusive, and more sustainable?

What would happen if brands shifted even a portion of their energy from building conversation pieces to sparking conversations that matter … those about access, about community, about the millions of people who could become lifelong riders if only the industry met them where they are?

That’s not just a product launch. That’s a market-shaping narrative … and maybe that’s the conversation the industry really needs to be having right now.

Why Your B2B Stories Need Rounded Edges

You know how rounded buttons just feel friendlier than sharp-cornered ones? How certain websites feel instantly trustworthy while others make you want to click away?

(Dive much deeper on rounded v. sharp design here: Journal of Consumer Research)

The same principle applies to B2B brand narratives. Stories have sharp edges are more likely to make buyers pull back. Stories that have rounded edges are more likely to make them lean in.

…and most of us are telling stories with way too many sharp edges.

Stories Have Edges Too

Think about the last sales deck you saw. Was it packed with "cutting-edge solutions" and "best-in-class platforms" and enough acronyms to fill a dictionary? Every one of those phrases is a sharp edge. They poke. They prod. They create distance.

It’s quite ironic. B2B loves to talk about "cutting-edge" when people instinctively prefer rounded edges.

Now, think about the time someone told you a story about Sarah who used to spend her Sundays catching up on work but doesn't anymore. Something different happened, right? You relaxed. You pictured Sarah, maybe you saw a bit of yourself in her story. No poking. No prodding. Just curiosity about what changed for Sarah.

That's the difference between sharp and rounded narratives. One makes your brain work. The other makes your brain care.

Sharp vs. Rounded: A Tale of Two Pitches

Here's what sharp looks like: "Our AI-powered solution delivers operational excellence through advanced automation capabilities."

Did you feel that? That's your brain working overtime to decode what this actually means for you. It's all edges and they are abstract, aggressive, and alienating.

Now here's rounded: "Remember when your team had to manually process every invoice? That's gone now."

You had a different feeling, right? It's a question, not an assault. It’s an invitation to see yourself in the story.

That’s the power of smooth edges. They draw you in rather than sharp ones, that push you away.

Why This Matters More Than Ever

You're not selling to spreadsheets. You're selling to humans who happen to use spreadsheets. And humans, whether they're CFOs or interns, are drawn to what feels safe, approachable, and familiar.

When you round your narrative edges, something measurable happens.

• People actually finish reading

• They move through your sales process faster

• They share your story with colleagues because stories travel while specifications are archived in your inbox

The companies winning complex B2B sales aren't the ones with the sharpest edges. They're the ones who figured out that "cutting-edge" is exactly the wrong metaphor when you want someone to come closer.

The Rounded Revolution

So how do you know if your narratives have too many sharp edges?

Here's a simple test: Would your customer say it that way? If not, you've found a sharp edge.

"We're leveraging synergies" is sharp. "We're working better together" is rounded.

"Best-in-class solution" is sharp. "The thing that actually works" is rounded.

"Digital transformation initiative" is sharp. "Finally fixing that annoying manual process" is rounded.

The beautiful thing about rounded narratives is they're actually easier to create.

You don't need a thesaurus or an MBA. You need to listen to how your happiest customers describe what you did for them.

They never say "operational excellence." They say "I get home on time now."

The Question That Changes Everything

Every piece of content you create, every deck you design, every email you send has edges. The question isn't whether you're telling your story. The question is whether you're telling it in a way that invites people in or keeps them at arm's length.

The reality is sharp narratives feel like work. They require decoding, translating, and processing … and no one has time for more work.

They exhaust buyers before you even get to the value.

Rounded narratives feel like conversation. They flow naturally from problem to solution to transformation. They create connection instead of distance.

So, What?

Take a look at your latest sales narrative. Count the sharp edges. Get a notepad and put a tally down for each piece of jargon, each abstractions, each aggressive claims. Then ask yourself: Would Sarah tell it this way?

In the end, nobody wants to grab onto something with sharp edges. Not buttons, not brands, and definitely not B2B solutions.

Companies that understand this aren't trying to be cutting-edge anymore.

They're too busy closing deals with their well defined rounded stories.