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.