It came as quite a surprise when Revel announced their plans to close a month ago. They’d just launched three new bikes, and all indications were that they were going full steam ahead with bringing the new models to market. But suddenly, Revel was on the brink of closing unless a buyer could be found in short order.
Happily, one has — and it’s Revel’s founder and original owner, Adam Miller. Adam had sold Revel to a private equity group in 2021 and stayed on to help guide the brand until early 2024, when, as he put it, “the company’s mission started to deviate from my own.”
Adam’s plan for the reborn Revel is to run a smaller, more efficient company, with dealer sales focused on frame-only offerings for custom builds, and expanded direct-to-consumer sales. Warranty support for existing customers will continue.
We spoke with Adam about buying Revel back, the state of the business, and a whole lot more on our Bikes & Big Ideas podcast, and you can listen to that conversation here. The full press release from Revel is below.
Carbondale, CO — May 21, 2025 — Adam Miller, founder of Revel Bikes, has purchased the assets of the company he started, returning the brand to independent ownership under founder control. As part of the transition, Revel will continue to honor the lifetime warranty and full customer support for all Revel products ever sold. They have new lower retail pricing focused on direct-to-consumer sales, with a new dealer program focused on frame-only sales for custom builds.
Revel was founded in March 2019 with two mountain bike models built around Chris Canfield’s CBF suspension platform. The company quickly gained momentum and grew into what many called one of the fastest-growing mountain bike brands in the industry. Revel earned several major “best of” awards and built a reputation for designing the bikes they wanted to ride, backed by a team of passionate riders and engineers.
In its early years, Revel pushed innovation with projects like a fully 3D-printed carbon downhill concept bike built in Silicon Valley, and the launch of FusionFiber wheels, a new recyclable, tougher composite rim developed in Utah with CSS Composites. In 2021 and 2022, the company invested heavily in building a world-class supply chain, establishing its own facility in Taichung, Taiwan, and shifting carbon frame production to one of the top factories in Vietnam. That groundwork is now paying off with the release of three new bikes, launched just weeks ago, representing the best quality the brand has ever delivered.
The company was acquired by a private equity group in October 2021, with founder Adam Miller staying on during the transition and remaining involved until his full departure in early 2024. When Revel announced it would cease operations in April 2025, Miller learned of the news from Revel just one day before it went public. What followed was a fast-moving decision to step back in and begin the process of buying back the company he started.
“The private equity firm had a very different vision for Revel than I did,” Miller said. “They helped us by making heavy investments in manufacturing and supply chain that built world-class infrastructure—something I believe will benefit Revel for years to come. But they also pursued an aggressive growth-at-all-costs model that didn’t align with the DNA of the brand. High inventory, high overhead, and a rigid financial structure left little room for being nimble and adjusting to the times. When funding dried up in a tough macro environment, the company was forced to shut its doors. When I heard the news, there was only one option in my mind and I decided to step back in.”
“This wasn’t something I planned on doing, but Revel means a lot to a lot of people. I’m excited to work with our awesome team in Carbondale and Taiwan to build Revel into the best world class mountain bike brand that we can dream up,” he said.
What’s Next
Revel is now back under founder control with a clear direction:
- Make the best, most innovative bikes we can
- Support our customers with world-class customer service
- Run a smart, sustainable business that works for riders and shops
Revel remains headquartered in Carbondale, Colorado, and will continue operating its facility in Taichung, Taiwan, which handles product quality control, sourcing, and complete frame and bike assembly. This setup allows for better oversight and higher-quality products. The company will continue their focus of making innovative carbon full suspension bikes using the CBF platform, a carbon gravel bike, and will also bring back their boutique line of titanium bikes. “Collaborating with Revel in the early days to develop the most refined carbon CBF bikes was a project I was truly passionate about. Now, with the original team coming back together, it’s exciting to know that the vision will continue — delivering exceptional CBF performance on carbon frames remains the focus, and the future looks stronger than ever,” said Chris Canfield.
Even more importantly for customers and retailers, the Taiwan facility enables direct shipping worldwide—bikes and frames shipped straight to riders and shops, with full warranty support, fast lead times, and a stable pricing structure less impacted by unpredictable global tariffs. It’s a supply chain built for the long haul.
Business Model Updates
The new Revel will adjust its operations to meet the needs of today’s riding and retail environment:
- Significantly improved retail pricing, better than anything seen since before COVID
- Smarter inventory planning, with fewer complete bikes in stock and more nimble assembly capabilities using our Colorado and Taiwan facilities
- A refined dealer program, offering frame-only sales with no minimums, so shops can build custom bikes their own way
Stronger DTC infrastructure, to provide better value and access to riders globally“This isn’t about scaling fast or positioning the brand for resale,” Miller said. “It’s about building a company we’re proud of—one that makes the best bikes we can dream of, takes care of its customers around the globe in the best way possible, and sticks around for the long haul. Revel is back, and we’re getting to work.”
Revel recently released several new bikes, and all are available to purchase now or will be available soon:
The newly released Ritual, a 170mm travel enduro race bike with internal frame storage and loads of modern features and the best CBF platform yet, is available now with frames starting at $3099 and complete bikes starting at $5199.
The ReRun, Revel’s first ebike using the Bosch SX motor, is available for pre-order now with a refundable deposit and will begin shipping to customers in July. Complete builds start at $6999.
The Rascal SL, a wildly improved version of the bike that put Revel on the map, now made in the best bike factory in the world, with a stiffer, lighter, and better carbon layup, is available now with frames at $2999 and completes at $4999.
The Ranger is available in two new colorways with two build kit options and frames at $2999.
Revel is offering strong discounts on a limited supply of last year’s model products. Their office is closed during the last week of May to give the team a break from the craziness of the last few weeks, but Revel is taking orders online and will be back in full action and ready for the future starting June 2. More details can be found at www.RevelBikes.com or by calling the company at 970-456-7336.