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Conference noted::bicycle

Title: Bicycling
Notice:Bicycling for Fun
Moderator:JAMIN::WASSER
Created:Mon Apr 14 1986
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:3214
Total number of notes:31946

2876.0. "FAT CITY CYCLES - R.I.P.?" by ASIC::PTHAYER (Paul Thayer) Tue Nov 08 1994 01:55

    
    In the Sunday Globe there was an article about FAT CITY
    CYCLES.
    
    Looks like Fat City Cycles was in alot of financial trouble and
    was just sold to some guy who is moving the company to New York. Looks 
    like all the workers in Somerville lost their jobs and Chris Chance 
    will be working for the new owner in New York.
    
    It should be interesting to see what comes out of the factory in
    New York.  Only time will tell if the same quality bike will
    be produced...somehow I doubt it though.
    
     (The article also mentioned that the former workers may try to get
    together to build a new bike company, although they have no capital,etc.)
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name		DateLines
2876.1STARCH::WHALENRich WhalenTue Nov 08 1994 11:544
Considering that they were bought by Serotta, I doubt that there will be any
loss of quality in the bike.

Rich
2876.2Serotta was in trouble tooEDWIN::GULICKThose dirty rings !!Tue Nov 08 1994 12:015
	From the article, it sounded like Serotta was in trouble as well and an 
investor (son of Archibald Cox of Watergate fame) and took them both over and
decided to consolidate the operations to the Serotta plant in Glenns Falls.

-tom
2876.3separate, but togetherDNEAST::FIKE_MIKETue Nov 08 1994 15:1019
    
    I spoke to someone at Fat City 2 weeks ago (to ask about the
    Shock-a-Billy frame) and asked about the sell-out. What I was told was
    that A. Cox had the financing to offer and did buy Serotta and Fat
    Chance. They will be housed in separate areas of the same building and
    share financial and management sections, but be totally autonomous and
    that Chris Chance will still be running the Fat Chance side of things.
    The folks at Fat City were all offered jobs and some $ moving
    allowances, but declined to go. I was told that the employees were
    P.O.'d about the sell-out and didn't want to leave Mass. Fat City hopes
    to be able to up thier build from 2000 frames/year to 2500. They will
    have to build up a new team so I hope the quality won't suffer while
    they do. I'd tend to wait a year or so before I got a new frame
    (probably have to anyway- they're big bucks!) just to see what shakes
    out. I hope they succeed. I'd like to see the current employees put
    something together also. 
    
    Mike-who-still-loves-his-Wicked.
2876.4STOWOA::SWFULLERTue Nov 08 1994 16:446
    This is a sad story, I am sure Chris Chance must be unhappy.  I knew
    him 12 years ago, when he was a custom builder.  Truely a nice guy.
    He is recognized as one of the movers/shakers in the mountain bike
    world but with no financial reward.  
    
    steve