Sporting Goods Giant Reebok Enters The Electric Bike Market With A Variety Of Offerings

In a move that most likely raised more than a few eyebrows, sporting goods giant Reebok recently announced that it was entering the e-mobility market, announcing a vast lineup of electric bikes ranging from e-MTB, e-road & gravel bikes, e-commuters and even foldable e-bikes.

Reebok and Asia Kingston Hope to Capitalize on E-mobility Movement

Known for their shoes and sporting gear, this will be Reebok's first foray into the world of e-mobility, although they have been in the world of bicycling for many years, having had a Reebok brand of bicycles licensed in Europe in the past. Reebok has signed on with Asia Kingston, a retail and manufacturing licensee with clients such as Red Bull Racing, Alfa Romeo F1 Team, Barbie, Elle, Hot Wheels, NASA, and Rover, has signed a five-year deal to distribute the Reebok-branded e-bikes. With big-name clients like those previously mentioned, do Asia Kingston & Reebok stand a chance at striking it rich in the e-mobility space?

With the release of their vast e-mobility lineup, it seems that Reebok has decided to forego specializing in one e-bike category or focusing on making one particular product, as do many other new market additions. Instead, they have released 4 categories of bikes, which are the Performance, Fitness, Commuter and Freetime sectors. The estimated price range for their offerings is between $1300-$4300, although nothing has been confirmed as of yet.

Built with Quality Components

Reebok seems to have at least realized that having relationships with quality component companies was a great place to start. They seem to have garnered relationships with industry veterans such as Bafang, Mivice, Rockshox, Samsung, Shimano, Tektro and Zoom, leading me to believe that their designers have an appreciation for durable and longer-lasting components to surround their frames.

However, until the bikes are released with the full list of specifications, I'll continue to be somewhat skeptical of the quality and industry know-how when it comes to putting together a product that consumers will gravitate to. A glance through the press release PDF and you'll notice a lot of the bikes come with mechanical disk brakes, something I am personally very much against in the e-mobility market, where heavier bikes and higher speeds result in more need for safety precautions. Maybe the lack of hydraulic brakes is to increase the chance of getting brake 'Pump'?

In all seriousness, this move by a major sporting goods company just shows the reach of the e-mobility movement and that bigger companies see an opportunity to gain some market share in this sector that is set to explode over the next decade in the United States.

Will They Succeed?

No one really knows the answer to this question. The are plenty of instances where big corporations tried to extend into other markets and failed. Google tried to enter the social media market with Google+. Microsoft tried mightily to enter the mobile device market and it never really paned out for them. Hooters even once tried to break into the airline business. Hooters Air was a complete failure (but what a story).

I wouldn't go as far as to say that Reebok entering the e-mobility space is akin to moving your 'specialty' restaurant into a cramped tube flying 40000 feet above the earth. However, the technology sector is an evolving space that requires dedication to innovation and spending money on research and development. Is Reebok ready to take on the industry veterans who have already spent a decade or more in the industry?

Only time will be able to tell us if Reebok becomes a major player in the e-mobility sector. Their history as one of the most influential sporting goods manufacturers (and influencers) in the world does give them a whole lot of credibility. Yet will consumers make the same connection with Reebok as they enter a completely different market? I don't have the answer to this question, but I do know that if Reebok suddenly begins offering coast-to-coast flights, I'll start to worry about their lineup of electric bikes as well.

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