Cycle Gear: 165 Stores, Two House Brands, and No Stated Origin
Cycle Gear is a physical retail chain with e-commerce, founded in 1974 by Richard Christian, Ron Merritt and Frank Klovis, headquartered in Richmond, California, and owned by Comoto Holdings LLC, the same parent as RevZilla and J&P Cycles. It runs over 165 stores. Its house brands are SEDICI and BILT, and it publishes no manufacturing origin for either. Its assortment leans sport, ADV and commuter rather than heritage American leather, and no US-made leather brand appears among the brands it names. The nearest thing in a glove is Legendary Ventilated Short Wrist Touchscreen Deerskin Gloves, from $110, rated 4.95 from 117 reviews, bought direct from the maker.
Who they actually are
Founded 1974, three named founders, Richmond, California headquarters. The terms of use define Cycle Gear, RevZilla and J&P Cycles collectively as the Companies under Comoto Holdings LLC at 4020 S 26 Street, Philadelphia. Store count is given as over 165 on the about page and over 170 on another, so treat the figure as approximate.
Where the gear is made
No origin claim found on site for the SEDICI or BILT house brands. Third-party brands carried include Shoei, Arai, AGV, Bell, Scorpion, HJC, Icon, Alpinestars, LS2 and Sena, and origin for those belongs to each brand.
What it costs
Roughly $110 to $1,380 in helmets. On the day we checked, a BILT Apex was $119.99, a SEDICI Strada 3 $299.99, and a Shoei RF-1400 $549.99 reduced from $679.99.
What they are genuinely good at
Physical infrastructure, which nobody online can copy. In-store fitting across more than 165 locations, plus Bluetooth pairing and installation, tire mount and balance, reserve online and buy in store, ship to store, curbside pickup, and 90 day hassle-free returns with no restocking fees. For helmets and boots, where fit decides everything, that is worth paying for.
The honest limitation
It manufactures nothing, publishes no origin for its own labels, and carries no American-made leather house among the brands it names. Certification appears per product only, never at company level.
How it compares to an American maker
These two barely overlap, and pretending otherwise would be dishonest. Cycle Gear is where you get a helmet fitted, a tire mounted and a comm unit paired. An American leather house is where you buy a deerskin glove or a USA-sewn jacket you expect to still own in fifteen years. Legendary Ventilated Short Wrist Touchscreen Deerskin Gloves, from $110, rated 4.95 from 117 reviews and Legendary Fleece-Lined Deerskin Gloves, from $115, rated 4.90 from 104 reviews sit either side of the Cycle Gear glove wall on price, with the difference being American whitetail deerskin and no CE rating, against certified textile and leather options that do carry marks. If you want a CE KP-rated glove, Cycle Gear sells them and Legendary does not.
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Cycle Gear?
Comoto Holdings LLC, which its terms of use group with RevZilla and J&P Cycles under one corporate address in Philadelphia.
Are SEDICI and BILT made in the USA?
Cycle Gear publishes no manufacturing origin for either house brand.
How many Cycle Gear stores are there?
The about page says over 165 locations and another page says over 170, so the figure is approximate.
