Cycle Gear
 | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | E-commerce Motorcycle components Motorcycle accessories Retail |
| Founded | 1974 in Benicia, California, United States |
| Founder | Donald Martin Dave Bertram |
| Headquarters | Benicia, California |
Number of locations | 165 stores (as of March 2024) |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Zach Parham CEO |
| Brands |
|
Number of employees | 3000 |
| Parent | Comoto Holdings |
| Website | cyclegear |
Cycle Gear operates as a retailer specializing in motorcycle accessories, boasting 165 outlets across 39 states and a well-established online sales platform. The company’s headquarters are located in Benicia, California, where it was founded in 1974 by Donald Martin and Dave Bertram. In 2011, Cycle Gear unveiled its proprietary helmet lines BILT and Sedici, along with the brands Street and Steel and Hot-wired. The business combined forces with RevZilla in 2016 under the parent company Comoto Holdings Inc., which subsequently incorporated J&P Cycles and Rever as affiliated entities.
History
Cycle Gear was established in 1974 in Benicia, California by founders Donald Martin and Dave Bertram. Initially operating a single store, the chain expanded to six by 1992. By the close of the decade, around ten locations were in operation, carrying prominent labels such as the Frank Thomas Collection. Growth continued to eighteen stores by 2001. The launch of its e-commerce website cyclegear.com occurred by 2003, and by 2008 the company had grown to encompass 100 stores nationwide.
In 2011, the company introduced its own helmet brands BILT and Sedici, alongside the accessory lines Street and Steel and Hot-wired. Prior to merging with RevZilla in 2016 under Comoto Holdings, Cycle Gear had expanded to 112 stores across 34 states, maintained a strong online presence, and distributed over 13 million catalogs each year. After this merger, founder Dave Bertram stepped down from his role as CEO. As of March 2024, Cycle Gear maintains a network of 165 retail locations throughout 39 states with an employee base near 3,000.
Helmets
In 2011, Cycle Gear launched two motorcycle helmet brands: BILT and Sedici. The company collaborated directly with manufacturers located in China and Pakistan to design these products, removing middlemen from the supply chain. Initially, BILT helmets came with a five-year warranty, while the premium European-inspired Sedici helmets featured a lifetime warranty. Following the 2017 merger with RevZilla under Comoto Holdings, warranty periods were shortened to one year for BILT helmets and two years for the Sedici line.
There have been multiple recalls involving BILT helmets including models such as Amped and Grommet. On January 13, 2023, Comoto Holdings announced a safety recall affecting roughly 18,980 units of BILT Vertex helmets manufactured after September 1, 2021, as well as BILT Route helmets produced after March 1, 2020. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, these helmets failed impact protection standards required by the U.S. Department of Transportation, increasing the risk of head injuries for riders.