Bristol’s Tailfin Joins Castelli and Sportful Under MVC Group

MVC Group, the Italian-based technical apparel specialist behind Castelli and Sportful, has confirmed the acquisition of Tailfin, the Bristol bikepacking brand renowned for its aerodynamic racks and luggage systems.

Tailfin was launched in 2017 by mechanical engineer and CEO Nick Broadbent, quickly earning a reputation among endurance and ultra-distance riders for precision-engineered carbon racks, panniers and frame bags designed to shave weight and drag without sacrificing durability. The brand’s kit has become a familiar sight at events such as the Transcontinental Race and other self-supported ultra-endurance challenges.

Terms of the deal have not been disclosed, but MVC Group says Tailfin will continue to operate from its UK base, with Broadbent remaining involved in product development. The move fits a wider pattern of consolidation in the cycling industry, as established apparel houses look to diversify into fast-growing niches such as bikepacking and gravel touring rather than relying solely on traditional road and race-fit clothing.

For riders, the acquisition raises questions about pricing and availability as Tailfin gains access to MVC’s manufacturing scale and international distribution network – potentially good news for anyone struggling to get hold of its popular rack systems, though loyalists of small-batch British engineering will be watching closely to see whether that distinctive design ethos survives the transition to a larger corporate structure.

With bikepacking and long-distance gravel riding continuing to grow in popularity across the UK, this deal signals that big players increasingly see luggage and touring kit as core business rather than a side line – a trend On Track readers exploring their first multi-day ride would do well to keep an eye on.

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Reported from an announcement by BikeBiz. Read the original.