Intense Cycles factory tour

Bike factories I love?

Ad Intense to this list. Every effort is made to have raw local materials come in one end and bikes out the other. This was evident on a recent tour of their facility in Temecula, Calif. We heard there was a new bike on its way so we stopped by to see what was going on.

Intense Cycles also announced this week that founder Jeff Steber and partner Marv Strand have hired Andrew Herrick as the company’s CEO.

Herrick had spent the prior 11 years in an executive leadership position with Crankbrothers, having sold the business five years prior yet staying on as CEO until last summer. At that time, he stated that he wanted to find the next great opportunity in the bike industry. He just returned to Laguna Beach, California last year after spending five living in Italy.

Herrick is also well known as the founder and owner of Pedro’s as well as CEO of GT Bicycles for three years before current owners Dorel bought the brand.

“This is another piece of our plan to transform Intense,” said Steber. “We had hoped we would find someone with Herick’s experience and passion for smaller companies.”

Herrick added, “When Steber approached me, I had been looking at some other opportunities but the team convinced me that they were ready and committed to doing something very special with Intense”

Intense Cycles also has an all-new bike in the pipes with a March 17 release date. Watch this space for full details and a ride evaluation.

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