THE GAMBLE PAYS OFF

As YT Industries open their irst UK base, founder/CEO Markus Flossmann tells the story behind the brand

“I was heavily into bodybuilding growing up but started having back problems. That prompted me to switch sports. I soon got into mountain biking, and never looked back. The thrill of speed and the challenge of riding big jumps and technical trails is something I wouldn’t want to miss.

“In 2007 I had a secure marketing job for a major fitness brand. One day I saw two young lads riding dirt jumps, whose talent was being limited by their crappy bikes. That made me think whether there was a way to offer good bikes at an affordable price. I explored numerous solutions and was able to develop 150 dirt jump bikes, which I wanted to sell direct, bypassing distributors and their profit margins. I didn’t know if it’d work. Germany’s Freeride magazine included the bike in a bike test, where it won the price-performance award, and all 150 sold out in days. That’s when I quit my job and founded Young Talent Industries.

“We’ve grown fast and now have about 130 employees worldwide. That’s still relatively small, but nevertheless, we’re confronted with the challenge of not diluting the brand. Communication is key. We’re a tightly-knit company.

“Our dedicated team of product developers and designers are always working on ‘the next big thing’. Another major goal for us is revolutionising the customer’s journey. Our YT Mills (see right) in California and now in the Surrey Hills are the first step in this process. The new team here in the UK – built with professionals that ride themselves – are in constant exchange with our team in Germany.

“Of all our bikes, it’s the Decoy e-bike I can’t get enough of. It makes the uphills way more exciting while simultaneously letting me get more downhills in – the best of both worlds!”