Rondo is back from bankruptcy, with the innovative brand behind machines like our 2019 Road Bike of the Year, the Rondo HVRT, returning under new ownership.
Nine months ago, we reported on the bankruptcy filing of 7ANNA, the Polish group behind Rondo, NS Bikes and Crème.
7ANNA had suffered from the fallout of the collapse of Wiggle/CRC – one of the biggest retailers of the company's brands across Europe – before the bankruptcy of a key supplier, which led to delays to some of 7ANNA's top-end bikes. All of this came at a time when the bike industry was dealing with pandemic boom and bust.
These brutal market conditions have caused significant issues for many brands, with the likes of GT being ‘paused’, and the recent collapse of the Accell group, owner of historic brands including Raleigh, Lapierre, Batavus and Ghost.
All of that means the resurrection of Rondo, NS and Crème is a green shoot for an industry that desperately needs some good news.
Same team, new owners
Following the demise of 7ANNA, Szymon Koblinski, the founder of Rondo, NS, and Crème, started working behind the scenes to save the brands. Now Polish manufacturer Storm Riders has stepped in to bring the brands back from the ashes.
The good news for us is that the original design and engineering team behind the brands are part of the new setup.
Storm Riders owner Adam Ziętek explains: "This isn't an acquisition after which the brands lose their identity. Rondo stays Rondo, NS stays NS – with the same people, the same passion and the same approach to riding that has built their position throughout the years.
"What we bring is stability, production scale and the business infrastructure that will let these brands grow faster than they could on their own."
Made in Poland
According to Rondo founder Szymon Koblinski, the most significant part of the deal with Storm is the moving of production to the new owner's factory.
That means full control over scheduling, according to Koblinski, which should mean none of the delays that plagued the industry through the pandemic.
Storm Riders may not be well known outside of Poland, but the company has a long history in kids', city, trekking and electric bikes. Now, Rondo, NS and Crème add premium gravel, gravity MTB and urban bikes into the mix.
It’s also good news for any current owners of Rondo, NS and Crème bikes. Storm Riders says it "will make every effort to find service solutions for bikes already on the market – including preferential pricing on replacement parts and individual reviews of every warranty claim”.
All new bikes from the Storm Riders group are also covered by a full warranty, including a lifetime warranty on the frame and fork.
