We are back in the stunning, high-tech manufacturing hub of Bratislava, Slovakia, sitting down with the CEO of Time Bicycles, Tony Karklins. In this deep-dive interview, Tony pulls back the curtain on the bicycle industry, explaining why a massive divide is coming between “Makers” (brands that own their engineering and factories) and “Marketers” (brands that simply outsource and logo-slap).
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We also get an exclusive first look at the birth of Time’s highly anticipated second bike of the modern era—the Fluidity—and talk through the shifting chaos of the gravel and endurance markets, why standard industry testing isn’t telling you the whole story, and a sneak peek at a brand-new, game-changing component.
Whether you’re a bike tech nerd, a shop owner, or just curious about where the cycling world is headed, this unfiltered conversation is a must-watch.
📌 Key Highlights In This Video
The Launch of the Fluidity: Why Time waited for the chaotic gravel and endurance markets to settle before dropping their newest high-performance road platform.
The Hidden Testing Crisis: Why passing ISO standards is just a baseline, and why Time’s engineers actively celebrate breaking their own products.
The Heavy Bike Critique: Tony addresses consumer criticisms regarding the weight of Time frames head-on, detailing the balance between ultra-lightweight and lifelong structural safety.
Exclusive Product Reveal: A first look at an ultra-adjustable 27.2 carbon seatpost built to solve bike fit nightmares.
Video Chapters
00:00 – Welcome to Bratislava: An Advanced Manufacturing Hub
01:10 – The Toni Karklins Era: From Skylon to the Birth of Fluidity
01:56 – Shifting Market Trends: The Real Split Between Gravel & Endurance
04:11 – True Ground-Zero Engineering vs. Emailing Designs to Asia
05:18 – Identifying the Gaps in Time’s Bike Portfolio
06:52 – The Bike Industry’s Biggest Hidden Problem: Testing Requirements
10:12 – The Factory Burden: Escaping the Preseason Warehousing Game
12:05 – Who Controls the Trends? Mechanics, Influencers, & 32-Inch Wheels
16:14 – Makers vs. Marketers: The Impending Industry Bloodbath
20:41 – “Time Bikes Are Heavy” — Toni Responds to the Criticisms
24:43 – The Real Weight of Premium Automotive Paint Jobs
28:05 – Exclusive Sneak Peek: A Revolutionary 4-Way Adjustable Seatpost
32:46 – Tariffs & Supply Chains: Update on Time’s American Factory Pivot
37:15 – Designing the Ultimate Fluidity Build & Wrap-Up
📢 Don’t forget to LIKE, COMMENT, and SUBSCRIBE for more exclusive inside looks into the world of elite cycling engineering! Let us know your thoughts below: Are you team Maker or team Marketer?
3 Comments
4:10 nice Eminem call out there 😀
Bratislava NOT SLAVIA
Quack, quack, you going to try and tell me I can ride a gravel bike unless I have a bike with 60 mm tire clearance and 50 mm tires. Manufactures marketing is so much bull_hit!