Professional MTB sport is having a tough time: more and more professional athletes are having problems getting a decent sponsorship contract. Markus Bauer (28), the 2017 German marathon champion, has been hit particularly hard. He searched in vain for a new team until the beginning of the year. "The industry no longer seems to care about competitive sport," he said somewhat disappointedly in BIKE 2/2018. But the Freiburg native took precautions and started a Master's degree in "Product Innovation" during his professional career. When no future as a racer became apparent, he kept his head up and founded his own MTB brand. The Cape Epic marked the end of his racing career and just a few weeks ago he came back with Infront Bikes on the market. He is also involved with his buddy Simon Stiebjahn (Bulls) in the organisation of the Bundesliga race in Titisee-Neustadt, the Singer Wäldercup. In 2018, there will also be a Trail-heavy marathon for hobby racers (Mesa Parts Trail Hero) give. We spoke to Markus Bauer about the future, his own bikes and the tough e-bike market.
BIKE: From MTB pro to entrepreneur: How did you take this step and when did you start building your own bike brand?
Markus Bauer: After my crash and broken hip at the World Cup in Australia in 2016, I realised that I wouldn't want to take the risks involved in professional mountain biking for too much longer. However, my will and my motivation to show what I'm capable of were still great after missing out on qualifying for the Olympics. In addition to many good results in 2017, this motivation led to my first major title as German marathon champion. This success was certainly also due to the certainty that a new door had opened professionally and that I no longer had any pressure to succeed - from a sporting perspective. In August 2017, it was clear that the Infront project could be realised. The investor and development/production partner were convinced by my idea.
The time in winter 2017/2018 was exciting and thrilling: developing and designing bikes, choosing the right components and organising everything you need for a start-up. Now I'm really enjoying working on my bike brand Infront with my small team in the start-up office in Freiburg.
Why e-mountain bikes and not race bikes, which you yourself have ridden for years?
Quite honestly, in my eyes there is no other way economically. As I see it, the sports market is divided. There is at least one competitor in every price and image class. Race bikes are technically very advanced and it is difficult to differentiate yourself from other suppliers with a new brand. In contrast, a lot of development is currently taking place in the e-mountainbike sector. Advanced motors offer new opportunities to bring bikes closer to the geometry and riding behaviour of conventional mountain bikes. This is where I want to incorporate my experience into the development of my e-MTBs. That is my clear goal.
How closely are you involved in the development of the bikes?
I developed the bike. I can put my experience in racing directly into the development of the bikes. My Master's degree in "Product Innovation" was largely based on the product development process. In other words, 3D design and calculation as well as lightweight construction were an essential part of my training in recent years.
I put this expertise into the development process and opened doors at my development and production partner. The first step was as follows: I was given a prototype bike on an existing frame and then adapted the frame after my own ride tests, i.e. further developed it. My aim is to offer my customers e-mountainbikes that leave nothing to be desired in terms of performance and value for money. I'm still in the early stages of this process, but I'm going full throttle - just like when I was a competitive athlete.
There are countless e-MTBs on the market, large manufacturers such as Cube or Haibike have access to a huge dealer network and large development departments. How do you want to establish your brand on the market in the face of tough competition and what characterises Infront Bikes?
The competition is enormous. I believe that I can establish the Infront brand authentically. I myself have been able to use very good equipment for years. Biking is much more fun with top equipment than without it. That's why I only equip my bikes with the best components. My distribution channel via the Internet enables me to offer the bikes at a lower price than the competition. My first bike, the IF-1, is uncompromisingly equipped and still around 800 euros cheaper than the direct competition. I see my main opportunity in offering the bikes in the growing direct sales online shop. I don't have the resources to establish an extensive dealer network. But the growth potential with a good product online is enormous.
It is also important to me that my customers can have close contact with me. I am always available to answer questions. Interested parties have the opportunity to test the bikes with me at the test centre in Freiburg. At which other manufacturer can you test your bike with a German mountain bike champion, the bike developer and founder of the bike brand at the same time?
