American Bicycle Group will change the name of its gravel and mountain bike, currently branded Ocoee. The adventure brand was named based on an area close to the company in the mountains of eastern Tennessee.
When ABG CEO and president Peter Hurley learned that the name “Ocoee” is also associated with the 1920 lynching of an African American on Election Day in Ocoee, Florida, and the burning of that African American community, he will dissociate the brand from racial inequality.
“In originally naming the bike ‘Ocoee,’ our focus was on enjoying and exploring the outdoors and adventure,” Hurley says. “We had no understanding or knowledge of any other potential meaning or historical reference to the word.
“Now that we’re aware of what Ocoee can also mean, we will change it. Our entire team supports racial equality and stands ready to create a new name that reflects our beliefs.”
ABG is in the process of exploring a new name for the bike, including researching the historical background of potential names and doing a legal check of previous name registrations.
ABG will notify its current customers of the plan to switch out decals at no cost at a later date. Bikes that are currently in production will be decaled with the new name.
Source: American Bicycle Group