Cory Muth and Steve Buddedeck are true veterans in the BMX business. The two of them have mainly worked on the marketing side of BMX, and they own a creative agency called Axis based in Dayton, Ohio. Earlier this year they launched a new BMX accessory company named Duo, and they’ve now jumped headfirst into the complete bicycle market with their newest venture: a bike company named Verde. Vital BMX interviewed Cory Muth to shed some light on the new project and to see what you can expect from Verde in the future.

Can you give a quick rundown of your BMX history?
I started racing when I was 10 and was pretty competitive in the sport until I was 18 or so. I’ve always ridden trails and skateparks and still do when I get the chance. My first job in the industry was working for Hal Brindley at Play Clothing when I was 19. I was in school at the time, and as soon as I graduated, Steve Buddendeck and I started our agency (Axis). Over the past seven years, we’ve done work for nearly every company in BMX.

How long have you been thinking about doing a bike brand? What's your motivation?
To be honest, we never wanted to do a bike brand. We’ve worked for a handful of complete bike brands and there were always tons of problems and it never seemed that fun. Last fall, our trading agent for Duo, Allan Nellick, started asking us if we ever thought about doing bikes. We were still pretty hesitant, but he put some interesting strategies on the table and we figured we’d give it a shot.

There are a lot of bike brands in BMX right now; why start one now?
I’ve asked myself the same question over the last few months. Things are extremely competitive right now and I don’t think there’s going to be room for everyone. I think we can provide a product and service that will be noticeably different than other brands. With the team of people we’ve put together to build this brand, I think we’ve got a chance to do something unique.

What is the name of the company and how did you decide on it?
The name of the brand is Verde. We wanted a name that we could work with and had some depth. Verde means green in Spanish, but to us it means a little more. It reminds me of something fresh and new, which is exactly how we want to be perceived. There’s a bunch of thoughtless, poorly designed stuff in BMX, which isn’t doing much for our sport.

What do you plan to do to standout from all of the other companies in BMX?
The plan is to be dialed from top to bottom. Many companies are good at one or two things, but very few can do everything right. When I say everything, I’m talking about good product, competitive pricing, on-time delivery, customer service, team, web, print, video, packaging...everything.

Do you have any team riders yet?
Our first rider is Ryan Barrett. I’ve known Ryan forever and had his name on the list since day one. It was a huge decision for him to leave Hoffman, but it was all on good terms and he’ll be a perfect fit on Verde.


 Cory Muth and Steve Buddendeck.

Are you going to only have high-end items, or will you have a full line including entry-level completes?
Our focus is complete bikes. We’ll have three levels of bikes starting at about $290. So, I wouldn’t exactly say entry level. We want our bikes to be the option for the kid that’s looking for a little bit of an upgrade. We will have some aftermarket parts. We’re not going crazy and making everything, but if we feel we can offer a product that actually stands out, we’ll make it.

Since you decided to do this venture, what has been the hardest part?
Everything. Steve and I both have full-time jobs, so finding time to do everything is pretty tough. I work on Axis stuff all day, then work on the bike company and Duo all night. Just getting everything together, designing new products, spec’ing bikes, trying to put a team together. It all adds up.

In this day and age you can run a company pretty much from anywhere. Are you staying in Ohio?
For now, yes. We’ll have a warehouse in Ohio, so until that’s running smoothly, it looks like I’ll be here. I’ve been trying to move back to NC for six years now—what’s another couple years?

Who is handling the product design and bike specs?
I’m designing most of the product now, but Barrett will start working with me more and more. As far as spec goes, that’s Allan and me. I’ve been to Taiwan a couple times this spring and have learned a ton. Allan lives there, so he knows all the right people and has great relationships with the factories.

Will your items be US-made or overseas, and why?
In order to be competitive, everything will be made and assembled overseas, Taiwan specifically. This might seem like a disadvantage to those who are moving everything to China. China is definitely cheaper, but the quality isn’t quite up to par with Taiwan. We’re trying to offer the highest quality possible, not to mention better lead times, and less quality control issues. The only way to do this is to do everything in Taiwan.

Do you plan to run Duo as a completely separate entity?
Duo is completely separate. Duo is for doing smaller, unique projects that are pretty much just for fun.

Are you thinking freestyle only, or will there be race items, too?
Verde will be freestyle only.

Having worked with many different companies over the years, have there been any big lessons you've learned, positive or negative?
Yes. Be up front and honest...no matter what. Don’t burn bridges. I’ve spent a majority of my time over the last seven years working for a few companies that will throw you out like yesterday’s trash.

With bikes being so light and riding at such a high level, what do you think is next for BMX?
Lightweight bikes have definitely progressed riding. Nobody’s ever going to make a 12-pound bike, so it’s got to stop somewhere. Hopefully nobody gets hurt. As far as what’s next, I’d like to see more integrated parts and more standardization.

 Ryan Barrett is the first member of the Verde BMX team. Photo: Steve Buddendeck