Asheville, NC-based component manufacturer Industry Nine has acquired We Are One Components, a BC-based brand known for designing and manufacturing carbon fiber rims. The combined companies will continue to operate in their respective locations, with a focus on designing and building quality products in North America.
Industry Nine sells innovative mountain bike hubs and wheelsets, along with stems and headsets, that are designed, machined, and assembled in western North Carolina. Even before the acquisition, the brand specced We Are One rims on their premium Series carbon wheelsets, including the newest Hydra2 offerings. For lower-priced S-series wheels, Industry Nine was using carbon rims from Reynolds.
On the flip side, We Are One, based in Kamloops, BC, has offered Industry Nine hub options for many of their popular wheelsets, including the Union. The Kamloops brand has long favored partnering with North American suppliers like Industry Nine, Chris King, and North Shore Billet.
Stronger together
Companies in the bike industry, both large and small, have struggled over the past few years, with several high-profile companies filing for bankruptcy in the last 18 months. Industry Nine founder Clint Spiegel said, “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.”
Based on the press release announcing the acquisition, there’s no indication that We Are One was in any danger of going out of business. Rather, the deal is being framed as a natural combination of two like-minded brands.
“After years of collaboration, this acquisition, which will act more like a partnership, is the natural next step in the journey,” according to the release. “This partnership further unites Industry Nine’s precision machining and engineering expertise with We Are One’s carbon fiber craftsmanship, all built on a shared commitment to manufacturing high-quality North American products.”
Based on our reading of the information provided, future products will fall under the Industry Nine brand. It’s unclear if any employees will be let go as a result of the acquisition.
“We are already developing groundbreaking products”
The release hints at future “groundbreaking products,” though no specifics are provided. We Are One, in particular, has a history of pursuing new and innovative product lines. In 2021, the brand launched its own carbon bike frame — the Arrival — though that bike was discontinued in 2024. There are no plans to revive the frame project under the newly combined brands, though a small stock of warranty parts is still available for customer support.
In a 2021 interview with We Are One founder Dustin Adams, Singletracks asked Adams if the brand had considered building its own hubs. “We have a new CNC lathe that we’re using to make parts for the bike. We’ve kicked it around, there’s no doubt about it,” he said at the time. “With a lot of patents coming up, the hub market is going to be pretty saturated in the next couple of years. I’m not sure if we’ll enter into that market. We have a great relationship with Industry Nine right now. We really respect what they do, and we’ve formed a good working relationship.”
Now, four years later, the brands’ status has transitioned from “in a relationship” to “married.”
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