We’re saddenned to report that the new Bionicon Demo Center in Wofford Heights suffered a fire yesterday, Friday September 18, at about 4 in the afternoon.

A few hours after Paul had left the office to attend business in Bakersfield in the early afternoon, the neighbors noticed smoke coming from the windows and called 911. It took some time for the Fire Department to arrive by which time flames were shooting out of the store room and office windows; the building was fully engulfed.

On initial inspection it appears the building and everything in it is a complete loss. All of  the Demo Center’s inventory of bicycles, components, and the demo fleet were lost in the fire.

Preliminary investigations suggest the fire started in or near the shop’s air compressor, though fire officials have not yet confirmed the exact cause. The air compressor was in the store room along with the company’s inventory of bikes, components and parts. The intense heat of the fire was evident in the molten masses of aluminum that were once bicycle frames.

We were extremely fortunate that nobody was injured. Perhaps the most disappointing part is the amount of time and effort spent over the past three months to renovate and prepare the buiding for Bionicon, as well as the loss of personal effects and mementos.  The office and Demo Center officially opened only two weeks ago.

This is a major setback for the company, but a temporary one.  We will be re-opening and available for business as soon as possible. Please understand that phone lines are currently down, but we do have intermittent access to email.

The Kern Valley Sun posted a story with pictures of the fire.

We’ll continue to post as more news becomes available.

Kern Valley Sun

Title: Bionicon Barbecue
Location: Bionicon Demo Center, Wofford Heights
Description: Bionicon will be hosting a barbecue at the new Kern River Valley headquarters and Demo Center on  Saturday evening. Call to RSVP or reserve a demo bike, and come on down to hang out, talk bikes, enjoy the barbecue.
Start Time: 6:30 pm
Date: 2009-09-12
End Time: 9:30 pm

The new Kern Valley Bionicon Demo Center opened without any fanfare, but with a friendly, laid-back barbecue, last weekend. Paul will be available to set you up with a correctly-adjusted Bionicon Demo bike, and can direct you to some great trails in the area. The new showroom will allow Bionicon USA to give the bikes and our customers and dealers the undivided attention they need, to give demonstrations of the Bionicon system and it’s maintenence in our fully-equipped workshop.

Bionicon’s new showroom and demo center is located at:

Bionicon USA
6511 Wofford Blvd
Wofford Heights, CA 93285

Bionicon Showroom

Bionicon Germany is reporting a great response at the just-completed Eurobike. There was a lot of interest in the new Tesla, a revolutionary new Bionicon design, as well as the evolutionary changes to the time-tested adjustable travel and geometry systems on the rest of Bionicon’s line of mountain bikes.

Bionicon’s Eurobike Presence:

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Thanks to everyone who came out to welcome Bionicon USA to its new home in the Kern Valley.  We had so much fun, we’re going to have another barbecue next Saturday, September 12.

Bionicon USA is Open

Bionicon’s Eurobike presence has been getting lots of attention, as usual. Singletrack Magazine (UK) interviewed Roger from Bionicon UK on camera. He shows off the latest BBoxx prototype and the New Bionicon Tesla, the latest Bionicon to take climbing efficiency and downhill freedom to their extremes. Click the “Read the rest of this entry” link below for the video, or visit Singletrack Magazine’s Eurobike Coverage.

The Bionicon coverage begins about ten minutes into the video.

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BIONICON Bicycles is inviting all prospective Dealers to their headquarters in the Kern River Valley to test ride and preview next year’s product instead of showing at Interbike ‘09.

Bionicon is offering prospective dealers to come experience the Bionicon Lifestyle with 2 days and 2 nights of riding some of the best trails in California, eating a delicious BBQ one night and dinner at the Kern River Brewing Company the other. Bionicon will provide bikes, shuttles, guides, dinners, hotel accommodations (or outfit you to camp if preferred) and a personal experience that will not be easily forgotten. Just get here and we will take care of the rest.

This unique experience of riding Bionicon Bikes in an incredible area is available from the beginning of October until the end of November. Reservations are required 2 weeks in advance and bookings are available Monday through Friday. Contact Paul at Bionicon by phone (760/376-8600) or email (paul@bioniconus.com) for further details and to book your dates.

BIONICON Bicycles has relocated its headquarters and is opening a Demo Center in Wofford Heights, California in the beautiful Kern River Valley, a paradise of outdoor sports. Boasting world-class trail riding, water sports, climbing, camping and a brewery with one of the best IPA’s anywhere!

The Bionicon Demo Center will be open to the public beginning Labor Day weekend with free demos to all. Everyone is invited to come test ride a Bionicon on some of the most scenic and fun trails in California. Please call ahead to reserve a bike, (760) 376-8600. Bionicon will also be hosting a BBQ Saturday evening September 12, please email paul@bioniconus.com if you want to join the party.

If you have never ridden in the Kern River Valley it is time to come see what it is all about. The best riding seasons are from mid September through early November and May through early summer. The riding is also great year round, great trails and dirt (especially after rain) in the lower elevations all winter long and cool Sequoia forest riding in the high country when it’s too hot in the valley.

We look forward to seeing you here!

Title: Bionicon Demo Center/Ride KRV Opening
Location: Wofford Heights, Kern River Valley, California
Description: Bionicon\’s new Kern River Valley headquarters and Demo Center will be officially open for business Labor Day Weekend. Call to reserve a demo bike, and come on down to test ride Bionicon\’s newest bikes. Join us for a Saturday Night barbecue at the shop.
Start Date: 2009-09-05
Start Time: 08:00
End Date: 2009-09-07
End Time: 16:00

Nicolai and Bionicon have had their B-Boxx planetary gear transmission in development for several years now. According to BikeRadar.com, Nicolai had the prototype units on display at a recent in-house show at their factory in Lubbrechtsen, Germany.

They expect the B-Boxx to be in production for the Winter ‘10-’11 season.

B-Boxx Prototype

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