In recent weeks, rumors of a collaboration between Transa and Thömus have shaken up the Swiss bike industry. At the request of Ride, Transa CEO Philipp Schnell corrects this information.

During the testRIDE in Lenzerheide, it was the dominant topic of conversation behind the scenes: Bern-based direct seller Thömus is said to have agreed a collaboration with the outdoor and bike shop chain Transa. Bicycle manufacturers already saw their place in the product range of the image-rich Transa stores under threat and specialist retailers from the greater Zurich and Basel areas, where Transa has bike stores, feared that the Bernese local hero wanted to establish a similarly strong presence in their region as in their home canton.

Decision not before November
"This information is just rumors," says Transa Managing Director Philipp Schnell. However, he confirms to Ride that Transa is thinking about new bike brands in its range: "We are always looking at different bike brands for Transa Bike. It's about keeping our finger on the pulse and looking at different options in order to offer our customers the best possible range and the best possible service". Schnell does not want to rule out a future business relationship with Thömus. "We are also looking at Thömus on the Swiss market and checking whether a collaboration would suit us," says Schnell. However, these considerations are completely non-binding and the company is currently still in the middle of the decision-making process. Schnell expects that Transa will have decided where its bike business is heading by the end of November at the earliest.