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So, news broke this week that Edwin Delarosa and Tom White quit Fit to go ride for Skavenger.  Skavenger (correct me if I’m wrong) started as Edwin and Vinnie Sammon’s crew, then a sticker company, then a clothing company, now it looks to be an Animal affiliated frame and parts brand.  If you haven’t read it already, Vinnie has an interview about the whole thing up on ESPN.

Two questions immediately come to mind about this situation.  The first is the obvious, does BMX need another frame/parts company?  I mean, let’s be 100% honest here, BMX frames are now differentiated almost entirely on image.  30 years ago you could tell the difference between a GT Performer and a Haro Freestyler (but not necessarily between a Freestyler and a Torker). 15 years ago you could tell the difference between GT Show and a Huffy Full Ton. Today every bike has more or less the exact same frame design and more or less the exact same geometry.  So, a company’s image is the thing.

Kind of like skateboarding.

But the thing is, the slightly grimy, NYC centric, street only, brakeless X amount of pegs image that Animal has went from being Animal’s image in BMX to being the image of BMX (well, except, maybe, the NYC centric part).  In an odd way, by launching Skavenger as a frame brand now, Edwin, Vinnie and Ralph are showing up late to their own party.  I wonder how that’s going to work out.

The second question is where does this leave Fit?  While Edwin’s departure seemed like it was a lot more professional/on better terms than when Robbie grabbed everyone who gives the teenage boys hard-ons, without Ed and Tom Fit’s pro team looks like this:

• Mike Aitken
• Brian Foster
• Eddie Cleveland
• Van Homan
• Justin Inman

Now, the cynical part of me likes to point out that Fit almost certainly exists so that Moeller could move into the lower/entry level market with imported bikes without abandoning S&M’s “buy American made or you’re a loser!!!!” image.  To whit, Fit has always had a team comprised of hot, young riders.  Kind of like Menudo there was always some hot new rider waiting in the wings to get a push from Fit.  When part of your deal is selling bikes at a $200 price point this is just good business.

But now the fit Pro team is almost old school. Meanwhile, with two exceptions every single pro on S&M is between 24 and 26.  Which is to say the old man brand is now young and the youngster brand is now old.

Hmmmm

Not that this’ll last forever.  I’m guessing Fit’s still ridiculously profitable and they’re going to make the moves necessary to stay that way.  Still, as it sits right now everything’s upside down. Again I say hmmmmm.

Tags: Animal, cult, Edwin Delarosa, Fit, Ralph Sinisi, Skavenger, Tom White, Vinnie Sammon