Triathlon Business International (TBI), the industry organization dedicated to promoting the sport and the business of triathlon, and Slowtwitch.com have today announced the Top 50 Multisport Retailers in the United States.
The Top 50 Retailer list was compiled by Slowtwitch.com publisher Dan Empfield through a voting process that is weighted 80% on suppliers’ votes (run, bike, component/accessory, wetsuit and apparel manufacturers and/or distributors) and 20% on consumer votes, specifically the Slowtwitch.com readers.
To be considered, the retailer must have a brick and mortar presence. The Top 10 Retailers will be announced at the 2015 North American TBI Industry Conference on 26 January at the Marina del Rey Marriott in Marina del Rey, Los Angeles, California.
Top 50 Multisport Retailers for 2014 (alphabetical order)*:
| All3Sports | Atlanta | GA |
| Arts Cyclery | San Luis Obispo | CA |
| ATA Cycle** | Concord | MA |
| Athletes Lounge | Portland | OR |
| Austin Tri Cyclist | Austin | TX |
| Belmont Wheelworks | Belmont | MA |
| Bike Doctor | Arnold | MD |
| Bonzai Sports | Falls Church | VA |
| Brands Cycle | Wantagh | NY |
| Brickwell Cycling and Multisports | Great Neck | NY |
| Cadence Cycling and Multisport** | Philadelphia | PA |
| Colorado Multisport | Boulder | CO |
| Contender Bicycles | Salt Lake City | UT |
| Davis Wheelworks | Davis | CA |
| Element Multisport | Chicago | IL |
| Emery’s Cycling Triathlon | Milwaukee | WI |
| Endurance House | Middleton | WI |
| Endure It! ** | Naperville | IL |
| Fast Splits | Newton | MA |
| Fit Werx** | Waitsfield | VT |
| Fit Werx 2 | Peabody | MA |
| Freshbikes | Arlington | VA |
| Gear West Bike and Triathlon | Long Lake | MN |
| Get a Grip Cycles | Chicago | IL |
| Inside Out Sports | Cary | NC |
| Inside Out Sports | Charlotte | NC |
| Jack and Adams | Austin | TX |
| Kompetitive Edge** | Sheridan | CO |
| Mack Cycle | Miami | FL |
| Moment Cycle Sport | San Diego | CA |
| Northwest Tri and Bike | Kent | WA |
| Nytro Multisport | Encinitas | CA |
| Pacific Swim Bike Run** | Stamford | CT |
| Parvilla Cycle and Multisport** | Edgewater | MD |
| Play Tri | Dallas | TX |
| Podium Multisport | Atlanta | GA |
| R&A Cycles | Brooklyn | NY |
| Rocket Bicycle Studio** | Verona | WI |
| Running Away Multisport | Deerfield | IL |
| Running Away Multisport | Chicago | IL |
| SBR Multisports | NY | NY |
| Schlegel Bicycles** | Oklahoma City | OK |
| Speedy Reedy | Seattle | WA |
| T3 Multisport | Indianapolis | IN |
| Tri Shop | Plano | TX |
| Triathlon Lab | Redondo Beach | CA |
| Tribe Multisport | Scottsdale | AZ |
| TriBella | Boulder | CO |
| Trisports.com | Tucson | AZ |
| Urban Tri Gear | Chicago | IL |
| Winter Park Cycles** | Orlando | FL |
* There are 51 in the list due to a tie for the 50th position.
** New in 2014. Did not make the 2013 list.
Ballots with approximately 300 retailer names divided among nine geographic areas – West; Rockies; Prairie; Northwest; Northeast; Mid-south; Mid-Atlantic; Great Lakes; and the Deep South – were distributed to 75 suppliers.
These suppliers were allowed to select 3 to 6 retailers per region depending on the size of the region, up to 47 retailers in total. Criteria that supplier voters were asked to consider included:
- Technical and brand knowledge;
- Significant triathlon-related in-store inventory;
- Service to the local community;
- Knowledge of the sport of triathlon;
- Ability to work with and satisfy their customers when it comes to product match, size, fit and equipment set-up; and
- Other value-added customer extras such as sponsorship of races, training rides, workshops and guest speakers.
Slowtwitch’s readers voted for retailers based on nine parameters, from inventory breadth and depth, to staff product knowledge, to parking and hours.
“Triathlon Business International has been honoured to partner with Slowtwitch.com the past five years to present the Top 10 and Top 50 Triathlon Retailers,” said TBI President Jack Caress when the list was announced.
“We think it’s important to recognize the best shops throughout the United States, ones who have done a great job offering the top products, technical expertise and professional services to their triathlete customers.”
From this list of 50, the Top 10 multisport retailers will be announced and honoured at the TBI Awards Celebration and Banquet on 26 January – along with the top triathlon products for 2014, the Triathlete’s Choice best events, best published triathlon article, best triathlon photograph, the Ron Smith Award winner and the Steve Hed presentation.
TBI notes a number of reasons to attend the conference:
- Amazing weather! Who wants to freeze, when blue skies and balmy temperatures are available. Swim, bike or run every morning (and you can wear shorts). The Sunday night cruise in Marina del Rey Harbor will be a great way to kick off the conference.
- Networking with a vast array of industry colleagues from around the world: make new contacts, create new business opportunities and do some deals!
- Major speakers and panelists: Felix Walschtöffer, Scott Brown, Gary Roethenbaugh, Casey Cortese, Bouker Pool, Christian Toetzke and others.
- Panels that explore: trends/horizons in triathlon; new business ventures in multisport; legal challenges impacting RDs; making social media work; the latest industry research; financial management tools for event producers; what’s new in technology.
- Triathlon legend Mark Allen was just added to the New Business Ventures panel. Conference delegates will hear about his crowdfunding to launch his new book.
The TBI Conference will be packed full of information and opportunities for everyone involved in the business and sport of triathlon. ‘This is where the business of triathlon will get done.’ The Event Director’s track will continue from last year focusing on the issues and needs of this segmented group of industry professionals. Some of the topics and activities for this year’s TBI Conference include:
- Keynote speakers: Felix Walchsöffer, CEO of the Challenge Family of events; Scott Brown, President of Universal Sports Network, broadcast rights owner of the ITU World Triathlon Series; Gary Roethenbaugh, Managing Director, MultiSport Research; Christian Toetzke, CEO, Lagardère Unlimited Events; and Matthew Le Veque, Senior Vice President, Rogers|Finn Partners and associate professor at University of Southern California
- Speed networking – one of the most popular sessions of the conference
- Panel discussions on: what’s new in triathlon; legal issues and challenges; business-to-consumer topics related to pricing, event experience, athlete suggestions to race producers; what can be learned from CEOs
- General Sessions: current research; social media; preview of the ITU Grand Finales and World Championships in Chicago; hot topics
- Event Director Breakout Sessions: financial management tools; business-to-business topics including minimizing litigation, sustaining the bottom line; top 10 items every race director should know
- The Ron Smith Awards Celebration including announcement of top retailers, most innovative triathlon products; top 5 triathlon highlights of the year; top events for the year; best triathlon article, best triathlon photograph and the male and female Ron Smith Award winners
- LAPIO 5K – a friendly 5K race along the scenic Marina del Rey Marina on Monday 26 January
- ACTIVEX morning workouts, and guided running and cycling routes
Sponsors of the 2015 TBI Conference include The ACTIVE Network, Ashworth Awards, FinisherPix, Lapio, MyLaps Timing, Tritats, Chronotrack, Interbike, Endurance SportsWire and IRONMAN.
Triathlon Business International is an industry organization dedicated to promoting the sport and the business of triathlon. Founded by a coalition of industry leaders, Triathlon Business International advocates for the interests of triathlon businesses, provides educational and informative programs, and encourages increased participation in the sport.
