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WTC Starts their own wheel rental service too.

William JenksWilliam Jenks
in Community Forum 🏠

 Is this vertical or horizontal integration?

 

Not that it's a bad thing, but it's getting kinda pervasive!

Ironman Wheel Rental

Comments

  • Scott AlexanderScott Alexander

    Like we've said multiple times, they're trying to take over the WORLD!



    And, now with this service, I bet you Race Day Wheels rental service, won't even be allowed on site (expo or race grounds) at all - that's one more vendor to add to the list of anti-WTC expo vendors.

  • Coach RichCoach Rich

    Welcome to IMCDA'10, or maybe even IMSG .

    The trend I'm seeing is that WTC is looking around the race expo, or outside the expo, and seeing the brands that were/are casually associated with IM and were making money from WTC customers.

    Race Day wheels was started/owned by a former Aussie pro, Mark Leeds, use to live here in LA. He was with NAS. He did a great job of building it up and then he and his wife/gf started Race Day coffee. As an aside, I REALLY respect it when a pro is successful as a biz person, not trading on his former pro status to be a coach, etc

    Anyway, looks like WTC saw that RDW had a good thing going on and either bought him out or pushed him out. No idea. Same with RDC.

    Same with Inside Out Sports. Dunno who is running the bike tech tent/store, but it's now Ironman Bike Tech or something, not InsideOut.

    But, I don't know anything about the politics, bidness machinations of any of this, just a guy who might walk around the expo a bit at races and observe the changes.

  • Coach RichCoach Rich

    Scott,

    From my perspective, this is all just business. You can either build your biz the traditional way, which is to give other people money to let you speak to their customers, or you can free yourself from that model and think outside the box.

    Think of the mailing list that Infinit, Inside, RDW and others have at their disposal. They could easy band together and start their own bandit expo, freeing them to do all the stuff that they can't do in a WTC expo. Friggin' street performers, local bands, dancing elephants...no limits.

  • Paul HoughPaul Hough
    There was a big Inside Out sports truck at my hotel during IMCDA. Maybe they are still doing the bike tech but under an IM name.
  • Coach RichCoach Rich

    I bet the TriBikeTransport guy is waiting for a call/email...

  • John StarkJohn Stark

    When they start making mDot branded "pleasure products" I will know they have gone too far.

  • steveperxsteveperx

    Next up?  IronmanNation.us

  • Chris GChris G

    It was IM wheel rental or whatever at LP this year.  Really no different than race day wheels.  Pretty good deal actually.  Sub 9 PT disc with whatever front you wanted for $79 IIRC. 

  • bigdealbigdeal
    check out the "partner panel" at TriBikeTransport....looks like some companies have been banding together to get out in front of this, and that's great IMO. If they were to do a 'bandit expo' I'd have no reason to go to the IM expo aside from check-in.
  • Coach PatrickCoach Patrick
    The expo is a joke regardless...can't believe these folks pay all that money for what they get (sez cheap doode). image
  • William JenksWilliam Jenks
    What do they pay? Couple grand?
  • phaedrusphaedrus
    RDW is still kicking. They were not allowed at the expo but set their trailer up in the parking lot of a local bike shop in Madison. Mark was the one responding to emails and was on site setting up wheels and turning a wrench. I thought the idea of using the parking lot of a lbs was a good one. While we were waiting for my wife's bling we dropped some coin in the shop on some fall riding gear and a few last minute things that were way more $$ at the expo. Seemed like a win win...of course the challenge will be getting the eyes of all those athletes that troll through the expo. Much harder when you are a mile away but competition finds a way...
  • Scott AlexanderScott Alexander
    At IMFL you see "bandit" expos all up and down the main strip. I'm sure they'll start popping up more and more now at other IMs.
  • Nemo BrauchNemo Brauch
    Until WTC starts adding "Blackout clauses" into the contracts with the host cities that restricts any street vendors within the city limits.
  • MoJoeMoJoe

     I saw the Ironman Wheel rental tent at the CDA 2010 expo.  I believe same prices as RDW.. they can't gouge you first time up to bat, with the established competition still alive!

    I had already heard of/ signed a rental agreement with RDW, who set up their trailer/tent a couple miles away at Vertical Earth.  A bike transport company from Austin was set up there as well. My day after the race massage was in the next building over! 

    As another poster said, while waiting on the wheels, I stopped in the shop, and spent far more $$ than I should have for three days before the race! 

    Good for the "original" small companies pushed out  of he expo, start-up competition, local businesses, AND ultimately good for us athletes to have competitive options!

     

    -Joe

  • kurshingkurshing
    I noticed that Race Day Wheels weren't at EVERY IM/Half event, so, this wiill be nice...no worries on accessibility. Someone said it already, but, it is just good business. Ironman created the market for the rentals in the first place, so, they are deserving to take over whatever they want...without these events no one would be here anyways! Good business...reminds me a little of how Apple positions themselves!
  • William JenksWilliam Jenks
    Rumor is now floating that WTC will own/run the HyVee triathlon in Des Moines under the 5150 banner (i.e., still Olympic distance). For the last few years, this was associated with a Big Deal (=high payout) pro/ITU race, but it's not on their championship list. Formal announcement of the plans for HyVee are due out Wed Oct 6.

    As an age grouper, it's easy to grouse that HyVee has had a boring course, is way too expensive, and is too crowded with newbies. That said, it's had a HUGE impact in Iowa, bringing lots of people into the sport and is no doubt an important race in our subculture. Hope whatever they do continues to shine.
  • Coach PatrickCoach Patrick
    Keep us posted. Been hearing about WTCs oly/sprint ambitions now for a few years....
  • William JenksWilliam Jenks
    Here's the announcement from WTC (scooping HyVee...)

    http://www.5150.com/

    Excerpts below:

    Starting in 2011, the 5150 Series will be the largest international distance triathlon series in the world and will be the first non-drafting international race series of its kind, offering a competitive platform for professional and age group athletes. The 2011 event schedule will offer 13 domestic events as well as a handful of international races. The Hy-Vee Triathlon will host the 5150 U.S. Championship, offering professional athletes the opportunity to compete for $1 million in prize money. Additional international race locations in Europe and Asia-Pacific will be announced soon.

    March 13 Miami International Triathlon (Miami, Fla.)
    May 1 St. Anthony’s Triathlon (St. Petersburg, Fla.)
    May 15 5150 New Orleans (New Orleans, La.)
    May 22 Memphis in May Triathlon (Tunica, Miss.)
    June 19 Washington D.C. Triathlon (Washington, D.C.)
    June 25 5150 Provo (Provo, Utah)
    July 10 Boulder Peak Triathlon (Boulder, Colo.)
    August 7 Nautica New York City Triathlon (New York, N.Y.)
    September 4 Hy-Vee Triathlon/5150 U.S. Championship (Des Moines, Iowa)
    September 11 5150 Lake Lanier (Gainesville, Ga.)
    October 2 5150 Lake Las Vegas (Henderson, Nev.)
    October 23 5150 Galveston (Galveston, Texas)
    November 12 5150 Clearwater/5150 Series Finale (Clearwater, Fla.)
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