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Industry Nine Acquires We Are One Composites

Asheville, NC & Kamloops, BC – A Bold Step into the Future of Cycling Innovation

After years of collaboration, Industry Nine is excited to announce its acquisition of We Are One Composites. This formal partnership brings together two small but mighty brands; uniting Industry Nine’s precision machining and engineering expertise with We Are One’s cutting-edge carbon fiber craftsmanship. Built on a shared passion for cycling and a deep commitment to North American manufacturing, this union represents a bold step forward in delivering innovative, rider-focused solutions to the cycling community.

Building on Strengths & Innovating for the Future

For years, Industry Nine and We Are One have each been pioneers in their respective crafts—Industry Nine in Asheville, NC, with its state-of-the-art hub and wheel systems, and

We Are One in Kamloops, BC, with its renowned hand-laid carbon rims. Together, they will fuse best-in-class metalworking with advanced carbon manufacturing to create products that are not only innovative but also proudly made in North America.

Fueled by passion, a longtime friendship, and lifelong devotion to cycling, founders Clint Spiegel (Industry Nine) and Dustin Adams (We Are One) share a vision for developing world-class products while staying true to their roots. Both brands will continue to focus on what truly matters: manufacturing exceptional products, fostering a thriving community, and creating value for customers, partners, and employees alike.

What This Means for Riders

Riders can expect a future filled with possibilities:

  • Game-Changing Innovation: With combined expertise and resources, we are already developing groundbreaking products that will evolve the cycling industry.
  • Expanded Manufacturing: Operations will continue in both Asheville and Kamloops, maintaining the company's commitment to a North American-made supply chain.
  • Dedicated to Service: Both Industry Nine and We Are One remain committed to honoring warranties, providing service, and delivering the exceptional customer care you’ve come to expect.

A Shared Vision, A Stronger Future

“We are thrilled to officially welcome We Are One to the Industry Nine team. Their relentless dedication to quality and craftsmanship has always inspired us, and this partnership builds on the great work we’ve done over the years. By bringing our two companies together, we’re better positioned to engineer exceptional products and push the boundaries of what’s possible for the cycling community,” said Clint Spiegel, founder of Industry Nine.

“Joining Industry Nine feels like the natural next step in our journey,” said Dustin Adams, founder of We Are One.

“Over the years, we’ve built a strong partnership rooted in shared values and a passion for innovation. This acquisition brings our team, our customers, and our community into the Industry Nine family where, together, we’ll continue to develop groundbreaking products and push the boundaries of what is possible. With the combined strength of our like-minded teams, we remain dedicated to delivering even greater value to the cycling world.”

Rooted in Passion and Community

Both companies will remain in their respective hometowns, Asheville and Kamloops—two of the world’s premier riding destinations. This connection to local communities and cycling culture ensures that every product developed reflects the expertise and passion of the people who live and breathe the sport.

Looking Ahead

This is an exciting first step in the evolutionary process of Industry Nine and We Are One. In the immediate future, both companies will continue to operate in a parallel fashion, ensuring that business remains undisrupted, while providing the same levels of service and quality that customers have come to expect. Collaborative efforts will continue on a deeper level to unite both brands, employees, and operational capacities, with the intent of fully servicing under the Industry Nine moniker in the months ahead, while offering a clear distinction of co-branded products with We Are One. This approach will allow for thoughtful consideration and application of a seamless rollout for efficiency and joint success.

This partnership isn’t just about business; it’s about a shared vision to create joy through cycling. For their customers, employees, and communities, Industry Nine and We Are One are committed to making life better through inventive product design, impeccable quality, and the simple thrill of a perfect ride.

“Our partnership with We Are One developed from a shared passion for our sport and dedication to riders,” said Jacob McGahey, VP of Industry Nine.

“We admire what they haveachieved and look forward to the next chapter. Together, our commitment to craftsmanship and innovation will allow us to reach new heights in product performance and quality.”

Industry Nine and We Are One Composites: designed by riders, built by and for riders, and made with pride in North America.

Looking For More?

This is the beginning of a bold new chapter. To stay up to date with all the latest developments, be sure to follow us on our social media channels and visit our websites.

If you’re already a valued customer of Industry Nine or We Are One and have questions about what this means for you, we’ve got you covered! Check out our comprehensive FAQs found on both the Industry Nine and We Are One sites for all the details.

About Industry Nine:

Industry Nine is a leader in precision-engineered cycling components, renowned for its commitment to North American manufacturing and innovation. Headquartered in Asheville, NC, with additional offices in Kamloops, BC and Spain, Industry Nine designs and manufactures high-performance hubs, wheels, and other cycling components worldwide. By combining cutting-edge technology with rider-driven development, Industry Nine delivers products that set the standard for quality, performance, and reliability.

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Comments

Jotegir
+14 Mammal NealWood bushtrucker kamloops_rider thaaad Kenny fartymarty Alex_L ohio vunugu bishopsmike Couch_Surfer AlanB Bryce Borlick

For many locals, this has been a long time coming. I guess I have pretty mixed feelings about this. On one hand, it's unfortunate that it's not all Canadian owned anymore, especially these days. For my part, I'll support WAO for as long as my friends and neighbours continue to be happily employed there. If American ownership prevents my fellow Canucks from providing support at all, I'll respect that too. 

There's certainly potential here and room for growth, and acquisition from a larger company can open doors and bring other benefits for employees, particularly if that larger company has developed more robust HR policies, stability, etc.

However, on the other hand, I'm skeptical that once (if?) things calm down a bit, the allure of moving manufacturing and folding WAO into I9 won't prove too strong.

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Shinook
+4 bushtrucker ohio Abies cedrico

I would expect the biggest change will be if they stop offering other hubs with wheel builds. That'd stink b/c I9 has a rough history with reliability, but seems to be the most likely change. 

Bringing the staff/equipment into the US, especially all the way to NC, seems like it's really unlikely especially in the current climate. I could be wrong but it seems prohibitively expensive and risky, so I am not sure I'd expect them to do that, but acquisitions are often followed by layoffs of staff that are "redundant" with the new org - so that much is possible. I just wouldn't expect them to move out of Canada any time soon, if ever. Also seems to be little benefit in doing so.

I'd also suspect WAO's stems to disappear, may also be why they were a limited availability item along with their bars.

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mtmc99
+1 Shinook

In the interview over on Pinkbike, the owner of i9 expressed how much of a benefit having their infrastructure paid off helped them through the Covid boom/bust. Hopefully this mindsight means they will value keeping the current manufacturing in place since WAO already went throught the pain of developing it.

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morgan-heater
+1 DancingWithMyself

I haven't heard many issues with the latest generation of hubs, and my old torches are going strong since I replaced the axle. Honestly, I've broken almost every hub I've owned, Shimano (axle), Hope (freehub body shattered), Onyx (hubshell cracked), I9 (axle broke) and since the axle replacement the I9 hub has been flawless for a couple of years.

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Bikeflirt
+8 kamloops_rider thaaad Jotegir Couch_Surfer Timer turboshart 4Runner1 ohio Bryce Borlick svanderhoek Kos person person

I think it’s a bit of a shame. It’s hard to support any American manufacturer at the moment, due wholly to you know who running riot. Love my Arrival. Would have loved even more to be able to get my hands on the downhill frame! Surely molds still exist!

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Jotegir
+4 Couch_Surfer Bikeflirt Alex_L ohio

I guess i should have clarified. I'm sad it's not Canadian owned. Full stop. However, the rumor mill in town has been swirling for over a year at this point, and at the moment industry jobs and local manufacturing is preserved. Which I'm happy about. If I didn't have close, personal friends getting their livelihood from within those factory walls I'd 100% be with you on the American ownership thing on the current climate and respect that stance.

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hbelly13
+6 Nick Meulemans KawaBunghole Pete Roggeman Pepe vunugu bishopsmike person person Slinger Justin Lantz Bryce Borlick

Carolina hillbillies comin' for your Canadian asses! Yeah c'mon! 🤘🤣

Kidding aside, Both companies make dope shit and the crew at I9 are great. Way back before I went up to ride in BC in the early 00s I prepared myself by riding in Pisgah a lot as the terrain is similar. 

Despite our horrible leader and his enablers turning on all of our allies, we have always been fans of our brothers and sisters up in the US's toque. My apologies to Canada for being a meth lab in your basement.

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jt
+1 Raymond Epstein

Maybe this is what was meant by the folx sayin' "The South Shall RISE Again?"

Having met Clint at a BBQ at his house once, I think he's a right smart person that'll do well for both brands. Guy has a helluvalotuv good knowledge in that dome.

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XXX_er
0

Didn't i read WAO they had quit making the Arrival mtn bike so  does being aquired mean  might revive  it , how big is I 9  ?

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xy9ine
0 Dave Smith Fat_Tony_NJ

unfortunately they re-iterated that the arrival was quite dead.

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Shinook
+1 DancingWithMyself

They cover this in the interview, but said they won't be bringing it back. Apparently it'd be a conflict of interest with I9s hub business, but I also gather it was difficult to scale

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LoamtoHome
0 Lowcard Mark NealWood Nick Meulemans

also most people are buying e-bikes so they would have to pivot to that market which will be more time and money to get going.

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syncro
+2 Bikeflirt NealWood

A smart entrepreneur could consider buying the intellectual property and molds and possibly contract WAO to build the frames which could then be sold as a premium product. With the bike being as good as it is, I wouldn't doubt that there is a market out there for it.

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Heinous
+1 Alex_L

I feel like if they were the case WAO could have done it themselves. If you look at how hard it’s been for Ministry and others to scale it’s clear how hard it is. A small niche builder would pay more for carbon and resin that wao, not have the same machining capability or ability to cover warranties etc.

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syncro
0

Yeah, I kind of look at it from a custom frame builder perspective where they're not looking to scale to be able to churn out hundreds or thousands of frames per year. Limited runs that fit within the capacity of the company and priced as a premium product would (should?) be the goal. It can work well from a profitability standpoint - would you rather build  1000 widgets and and make $100 profit per unit or make 100 widgets and $1000 profit per unit? I recognize it's not that simple, but a bike like the Arrival seems like the one that could survive in that space. 

Even after listening to the podcast I wonder if there are factors at play that haven't been made public that resulted in the bike getting shelved. It's a shame as pretty much everything I've read has me thinking I want to see these people have great success. However, there was a comment on the podcast article that made me raise my eyebrows a bit. At the end of the day I feel it's a shame that a great product that looked to have a great future has gone off to die.

bikinbikinbikin
0

If it's a conflict of interest for them to make the Arrival under their own brand than the agreement probably bans producing it for another brand or selling the design.

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canterbury
0

Any insight into what was going wrong at WAO? I was pondering if the business model is broken with the lifetime replacement on rims. There's got to be an infliction point where new revenue will start to outstrip warranties and then you're in big trouble. Just a thought. 

I have WAO rims and my biggest sole concern was WAO going under....

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mthomaslee
+6 BarryW Andy Eunson Abies jordaño DancingWithMyself Bryce Borlick

I'm no economist, but I'm going to hazard a guess that selling a premium niche product in an already expensive sport that experiences unsustainable growth over a short period of time followed immediately by economic contraction may have something to do with it.

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Heinous
+5 NealWood Alex_L Andy Eunson ShawMac AlanB

The most recent nsmb podcast covers it - nothing going wrong, so much as needing real capital investment to grow and do more. I9 is that vehicle.

It’s possible too that with i9 taking so many of their rims it was getting to a point where that posed a real risk.

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kos
0

This comment has been removed.

XXX_er
0

I thot to start making something and then be aquired by a bigger company/ making a bunch of money in the process  is what every entrepreneur is looking to do ? 

how many small players in the bike game did this ?

That asshole Trump recently said never say never ( ok maybe not a good person to  quote or even a good person) but who knows what has transpired since that WAO interview, maybe the Arrival isn't dead  ??

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handsomedan
0

I wonder if this is the end of rim sales at we are one, and the beginning of higher prices.

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Kenny
0

It will be interesting to see what the future holds. It feels sort-of like the end of an era (and I mean that very much in a complimentary way to the WR1 crew). 

None of my business of course, but I'd be interested to know if We Are One was bought bought for cash or if it was an equity deal. If Dustin now has an equity stake in I9, that's pretty damned cool. If it was the former, I do worry it's the beginning of the end, but maybe the political landscape and general tendency for the world to come apart at the seams has made me needlessly pessimistic. I hope so and I wish everyone involved the best!

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Heinous
0

The way the i9 honchos were speaking about Dustin and WAO makes me think they'll keep him around to the extent they can. I'd imagine a 1-3 year spin out clause on the sale contract to keep him around in the interim. 

After that, my guess (not knowing him at all) is that it would depend on finding a fit between his priorities outside of bikes and his ambitions in the industry. 

i9 could benefit hugely from this, they've had so much potential, clearly move a load of product, but I feel haven't quite nailed the uncompromising quality and performance standard that WAO did (and maybe drove them to this position?).

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