Blue Competition Cycles Inc has noted its continued rise as a major player in the triathlon market, having experienced record growth in bike usage at the 2011 Ironman World Championship – with 24 bikes in use at the sport’s most prestigious event.
In just one year, the Norcross, Georgia-based company saw a 266% increase in the number of bikes in the field, up from just 9 at the 2010 championship in Kona, Hawaii. The jump, which put Blue as the 15th most-used bike in Kona (up from 25th a year earlier), was the largest percentage increase of any manufacturer among the top 30 brands across each of the last two years.
Of the 80 professionals in the field, six (three men and three women) chose Blue as their bike of choice to contend with the notorious winds of the island’s Queen K Highway, a testament to Blue’s pursuit of aerodynamic perfection during testing sessions in North Carolina’s A2 Wind Tunnel.
“Kona was an exciting time for our brand as it is showing we are becoming one of the main players in the sport,” said Chance Regina, Blue’s Director of Marketing. “Athletes are finding our bikes even with our limited retail distribution and now retailers are really beginning to engage with the brand. This should prove even greater growth in the coming years.”
With a focus on building its Triad line using geometry that enables triathletes to achieve their most-efficient riding position, Blue has developed a strong following among the multisport crowd. To better maximize a rider’s ideal fit, Blue is the only manufacturer to offer customers free testing in the state-of-the-art A2 tunnel, in Charlotte, North Carolina, a facility also used by seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong.
