Two of the biggest mountain bike brands in the world – Specialized and Merida – launched new bikes this week. But while the radicalized Big Trail seems to have gone down really well, it’s fair to say that Specialized’s new Stumpjumper has definitely provoked mixed reactions in comments. In contrast, another bike launch by a company known for cameras and drones has totally dominated news coverage. Meanwhile, there are other launches incoming next week, one of which is being massively underplayed considering the size of the brand and the importance of this particular bike in their range.
So what are the challenges with trying to launch a new bike right now, how are designers, brand managers and marketing teams handling that, and how do I do my job as a reporter?
