#HTE
True Temper Throws In The Towel
Bad news is blowing for bike builders and us who love them: True Temper is discontinuing its line of steel tubing designed for bikes. The True Temper name might recall some less racy products, but it has also been a stamp of quality on some of the fastest, coolest, and sexiest bikes of the last 30+ years.
True Temper is one of very few steel manufacturers producing the thin, variable-walled and precision balanced tubing that nice bikes require. But despite its oversized share of this steadily growing niche market, the Memphis, TN, company recently went public with the decision that bicycle products no longer fit into its greater business strategy… which instead appears to be increasingly aimed at golfers.
Like in all small industries, opinions on bike frame materials can vary widely and passionately, but True Temper has long been seen as an industry-leader for quality, variety and strength. Supported in enormous part by frame builder-slash-supplier Henry James’ adoption and promotion of the line in the 1970s, True Temper tubes are found on bikes that have ground up the Alps, through Giros d'several countries, and pounded over the Paris-Roubaix.
They also show up on world touring rigs, light but tough cyclocross bikes, and heavily abused mountain bikes. Their tubes have been used in large brands’ production runs, and on the absurdly intricate hand brazed and lugged bikes of Henry James and other pioneering designers.
Though steel isn’t the primary choice for racers these days, it’s a beloved favorite for riders and custom builders thanks to its plasticity, reparability, and variety of ride characteristics. The current True Temper offerings are hardly old school - their range of 120 tube types shows up on contemporary favorites from cult brands like Rock Lobster, Ahearne, Indy Fab, Waterford, Vanilla/Speedvagen, Rodriguez, and Yamaguchi, all of whom have used TT tubing for decades.
This decision will sting just as much if not more for the innumerable tiny independent builders around the world, who are required to buy tube stock in smaller quantities and will be less able to stockpile for a TT-free future. It’s no hyperbole to note that the works on display at shows like NAHBS would be pretty different without True Temper in the picture.
In the company’s official statement senior vice president Jeremy Erspamer provided a few vague points of reason.
“Based on a thorough review of all aspects within this business unit, it has become evident that bicycle products no longer fit into our core strategy,” and elsewhere, “Expensive manufacturing process upgrades [are] required to address several concerns."
This tepid release appears to be saying that the other lines within the company’s Performance Products division are more easy and profitable to pursue. Golf equipment, it would seem, pays better. This move makes sense from a simple bottom line perspective, given that high quality domestic bike production is incredibly time-intensive, and that wealthy people are more likely to collect nice golf clubs than join a cycling club.
But it’s still surprising, given the continued growth of the domestic bike manufacturing industry. Commenting on the original Bicycle Retailer announcement, Paul Skilbeck, Founder at Handbuilt Bicycle Guide, had this to say:
While this will undoubtedly be a challenge to the custom handbuilt sector of the [industry] in particular, Henry James Bicycles, who did much work in creating the True Temper brand in terms of tubing specification as well as distribution channels, is working hard to find a manufacturer to replace True Temper, and despite potential existential questions is seeing a potential silver lining. The handbuilt custom sector, as we have seen in the past 15 years, is very resilient!
Orders can be placed for some more months, production won’t end until March 2017, and other options will remain, but the announcement is frankly a sad one. American-made materials are increasingly hard to come by, and it’s always bittersweet to see a champion go after generations in the game.
Despite the beautiful bikes they leave us with, True Temper is moving on. By golf cart, I assume.
http://www.core77.com/posts/53486/True-Temper-Throws-In-The-Towel