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Trek works to stay at the top of their game In Bordeaux, France, the towers of a cathedral rise in the distance. A group of weary bicyclists peddle on. The road, which runs through a vineyard, has no street lines. Up ahead, the homes and shops of an old village look appear far away, nothing but dots on the horizon. In the Czech Republic a couple of bicyclists ride downhill on the streets of a quaint town. A couple, deep in conversation, strolls by in the opposite direction. Shop signs advertise food and drink. Red flowers spill out of window planters. A dark wooden fence lines the store fronts. In the heart of California wine country, bicyclists peddle uphill. The sun shines down on them warm and bright. Evenly spaced trees line both sides of the road. The ground looks sandy and dry. The grape vines grow on wooden posts on one side of the road. The bicyclists have the road to themselves. Trek Bicycle, one of the world’s largest bicycle manufactures, knows that they need to offer customers more than a good, fast, lightweight bike. They need to offer a bike that works on the crowded streets of Tokyo. They need to offer specialty products. And they need to offer a little piece of paradise now and then. When it comes to travel, Trek Travel is ready to meet the demand. Trek Travel, born two years ago, arranges bike rides in scenic locations throughout the United States and Europe. Interested riders choose from group, custom and women-only trips. Trek Travel takes care of details, including luggage transfers, gratuities, snacks and entrance fees to parks and festivals. Trek Travel is one of Trek’s newest business ideas. “In the industry, Trek is always leading the way and not just with technologyalso with retail and sales. It’s a pretty amazing thing,” says Mike Teff, 21, who works for Trek doing bike maintenance and repair. Aggressive growth has always been part of the company’s vision. In 1976, the company got its modest start with five employees working in a snug 7,000-sq. foot barn 29 miles outside of Madison in Waterloo. Entrepreneurs Richard Burke and Bevel Hogg began with $100,000 dollars in their pockets. Before founding Trek, Burke had worked as an accountant and Hogg had owned several bicycle stores in the Midwest. They made the perfect pair. Hogg’s love of bikes complemented Burke’s savvy business sense. Burke knew a business opportunity when he saw one. He had noticed that most bikes, including those made by Schwinn, came out of Japan. He thought it was time for a quality American product that could compete with international producers. Trek did compete and growth happened fast. In 1978, the company sold bikes primarily in the Midwest. By 1979, Trek sold bikes from Wisconsin to California, and sales topped out at more than $1 million that year. In 1980, the company relocated from their barn to a 26,000-sq. foot factory down the road. From 1981 to 1982, sales doubled. By 1985, sales reached the $20 million mark. Today the company doesn’t only sell bikes. They sell safety helmets, jerseys, gloves, riding shorts, bike pumps and bike locks. Nearly all of the clothing stretches and comes in bright, bold colors, including yellow and red. “I compare Trek to Harley-Davidson,” Trek Human Resource Manager Jeff McFarlane says. “There’s that same kind of passion. The Harley-Davidson people wear leather. The Trek people wear bike shorts. They’re really into it. They’re attached to the brand’s image.” Ken Baun, an information technology specialist for Dane County and long-time Trek bike rider, finds the trend alarming. “It can leave the casual biker out,” Baun says. “I think it’s intimidating to see people flying by on their high-tech bikes wearing their high-tech clothes. People are intimidated by all the spandex out there.” |
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