KGB is no more!

Sad day for flat, Martti just told me KGB is no more, Martti and Viki go in separate directions...
Sponsors form an orderly line, two of the sports best riders are free agents.
Heres what Martti had to say on groundtactics.

11th of october 2010...
6 years ago me and Viki got the idea for KGB-Kuoppa Gomez Bikes after both of us had some difficulties with our bike sponsors and a big desire to do someting that we could call our company. The decission of it happened in Malaga, Spain on our 2 week trip to ride together...
We were just 2 of us. No one else. We put all of our savings from the competitions into the born of our new company. We went to Taiwan to talk to the biggest bike agency of the world, sat in the table with cold hearted Taiwanese business men whos been in the business since 35 years. We didn´t have any idea how to run a bike company and only experience at work/studies we just had throughout riding and traveling, that´s all. We just had a drawing of psychonnecta and sarvet on a piece of paper. That´s all we had. Then we started dealing with the business step by step day by day and all of the sudden we sold a lot of frames and bars and we gained a reputation of a company that brought something new into the market of flatland, yes, we did. Lower top tube design that made stepping over the top tube a lot easier.
However, years passed and difficulties came and went. We changed our agent in Taiwan into a better one which made us stop our production line for nearly 2 years. That costed a lot of money I tell you.
Then we started having more and more quality issues which our agent refused to replace us and what could we do? Nothing but swallow that and look into the future and ride at the same time. I could write 20 pages about the stories and things what´s been going on in business but I will save you as it wouldn´t make your day any better or worse.

However, now after 6 years together, shared a lot of good / bad times together, inspired each other go higher level in riding and all that we have made a clear decission that we will close Kuoppa Gomez Bikes and we will go into our own directions in life. This all is happening in good terms and we will remain as good friends to each other but life must continue and each one of us has to be brave enough to survive on our own. It´s been a tough decission but also pretty much the only solution.

I will continue to stand behind flatland as strong as possible and keep up with ground tactics because flatland is the only thing I studied in my life. I came this far with it and I will stand behind it no matter what happens in life.
Ground Tactics is here to stay and I hope to make some light for flatland with it. I do have some other plans as well but I am not ready to tell about them yet. Just stick to ground tactics and you will see good things happening to flatland. That´s the only thing I can promise for now!

I am truly greatful for all the support you showed towards KGB, me and Viki throughout the years. Thank you!
I will be a rider till the end of this world.
Yours,
Martti Kuoppa