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A Decade of Making a Difference on Jun 01, 2007
Madison, Wis. --June 1, 2007 -- Planet Bike, a leading manufacturer of innovative, high quality, and practical bicycle accessories, is proud to announce its 10th anniversary of doing business in its own way.
Ten years ago, Bob Downs had an idea. He believed that business can be profitable as well as environmentally, socially, and politically aware. To put his beliefs into practice, Downs left a successful career at Trek Bicycles to launch his own company. "Planet Bike began as a social experiment that dedicated itself to doing business in a different way. Instead of being just another company that develops and sells products with only profit as its goal, Planet Bike wanted to help bring about positive change for people, their communities, and the environment," reflects Downs. To realize this vision, Downs committed to give 25% of Planet Bike profits to bicycle advocacy.
Despite being a simple machine, the company's culture has always held that the bicycle has great potential to help improve the world and the lives of the people in it. Because 50% of urban trips are less than three miles, there is great opportunity to shift such trips from cars to bikes. By helping to make our communities friendlier places for the self-propelled, Planet Bike makes it easier for people to make this shift. The results are cleaner air, healthier citizens, and more connected communities.
In addition to sharing profits, Planet Bike shares it time, energy and sweat. To highlight the need for improved conditions for biking, Downs saddled his bike and began a 900 mile commute to Washington, D.C. to lobby for improved conditions for cyclists at the 2000 National Bike Summit. There he connected with leading bike advocates who were pioneering a new network of grassroots organizations which would become the Thunderhead Alliance. Planet Bike made a much needed financial contribution to the fledgling organization, and it was this initial seed money that helped Thunderhead launch its 50 States/50 Cities program which is an effort to ensure that all 50 states and at least the 50 highest population U.S. cities are represented by effective and sustainable bicycle and pedestrian advocacy organizations. More recently, Planet Bike sponsored the City of Madison's Platinum Bike Committee, an effort to make Madison the most bicycle friendly community in America. Planet Bike donated cash and staff time to this effort.
In its ten year history, Planet Bike has kept its pledge of donating 25% of company profits to advocacy. This year, the company will reach the milestone of having donated $500,000 to the grassroots bicycling movement. Planet Bike continues to support the work of the Thunderhead Alliance, but has also expanded its sponsorship of other major programs that are helping to transform our towns and cities into safe and convenient places to bike. Some of the programs include Trips for Kids, the National Bike Summit, the Chicago Bicycling Ambassador program, and the Texas Bicycle Coalition's Safe-Routes-to Schools program. And recently, the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin presented Planet Bike with their "Outstanding Business of the Year" award.
Social experiments aside, Planet Bike was born from the heart of a cyclist and its goal is to make innovative, high quality, and practical bicycle accessories. Product categories include bicycle lights, fenders, cycling computers, pumps, saddles, locks, gloves, handlebar tape, racks and cages.
In ten short years, Planet Bike is proud to have led the bicycle industry to important innovations in product and practice. Product advancements include the 4-line computer which is now a standard in the industry and the world's first self-contained HID light. Planet Bike is also gratified that many within the bicycle industry are now greatly increasing their support for bicycle advocacy. While still a small company, Planet Bike continues to evolve and improve its product line with the goal of always striving to build accessories that make it easier for people to ride their bikes.
As the company has grown and matured, so has its dedication to the principles of social and environmental responsibility. Since 1996, Planet Bike's financial support of the grassroots bicycle movement has totaled $500,000. By 2010, its goal is to donate $1 million to organizations dedicated to making America a friendlier place for cyclists.
