BikeBiz December 2019

December 19

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‘Provided shifting consumer desires are embraced throughout 2020, the opportunities are plentiful’

CONTENT Editor James Groves james.groves@biz-media.co.uk

Graphic Designer Tom Carpenter tom.carpenter@biz-media.co.uk Production Manager Sarah Lamb sarah.lamb@biz-media.co.uk

ADVERTISING SALES Sales Manager Richard Setters richard.setters@biz-media.co.uk +44 (0)779 480 5307

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ARCHIVES Digital editions of the magazine are available to view on ISSUU.com Recent back issues of the printed edition may be available please call +44 (0)203 143 8777 for more information.

INTERNATIONAL BikeBiz and its content are available for licensing and syndication re-use. Contact Colin Wilkinson for opportunities and permissions. colin.wilkinson@biz-media.co.uk

MANAGEMENT Media Director Colin Wilkinson colin.wilkinson@biz-media.co.uk

Printed by Buxton Press Ltd ISSN: 1476-1505 Copyright 2019

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THE EDITOR

Gearing down Peter Kimberley’s recent decision to swap bikes for e-scooters has perfectly summed up an incessant 2019 trend. While the movements of one man hardly call for an industry-wide re-evaluation – especially considering the e-scooter’s current legal status – it’s yet another sign that the trend is no longer embryonic; it has arrived. To what extent this will impact our industry remains to be seen, but it’s certainly something we should all observe with considerable intrigue throughout 2020.

As far as industry talking points go, I think it’s safe to say the dreaded ‘B-word’ has been printed on enough occasions this year – not to mention later in this very edition – so I’ll refrain from regurgitating the opinion many of us established over three years ago. Based on industry chatter, it appears the vast majority of cycling folk simply crave an end to the agnosticism – regardless of the final outcome.

And as much as we, as an industry, like to focus on the doom and gloom of the ongoing economic climate, the reality is that, provided shifting consumer desires are embraced throughout 2020, the opportunities are plentiful, be it via experiential store, workshop, personalisation, good old-fashioned community rides or otherwise.

Hopefully, our final edition of 2020 reflects this balance as distributors (p11-18) and IBDs (p38-41) alike reflect on another chaotic year in our industry.

I can’t quite believe we’ve reached that time of year again, but from all of us here at BikeBiz, we wish you a wonderful Christmas and look forward to seeing you again in 2020.

James Groves

Editor james.groves@biz-media.co.uk

Editorial: +44 (0)203 143 8779 Advertising: +44 (0)779 480 5307

THE TEAM

Staff Writer Rebecca Morley rebecca.morley@biz-media.co.uk

Rebecca Morley

Richard Setters

Tom Carpenter

Staff Writer rebecca.morley@biz-media.co.uk

Sales Manager richard.setters@biz-media.co.uk

Graphic Designer tom.carpenter@biz-media.co.uk

+44 (0)203 143 8777

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DECEMBER 2019

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A tough practicality Le Col’s Yanto Barker weighs up the difficult combination of cost and conscience

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The year in review As we hurtle towards 2020, BikeBiz catches up with five UK distributors to gauge their progress throughout the past 12 months

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Welding together the future of bike maintenance Weldtite is celebrating its 80th anniversary next year

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Cycling as a priority The UK is currently preparing for a General Election.

Sustrans’ Rachel White explains why parties need to tackle the climate crisis for future generations

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Five minutes with... Orange Seal BikeBiz catches up with ‘the next generation’ of tyre sealant

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A fresh direction for Paligap We hear all the latest from managing director David Lane and newly-appointed national sales manager James Wellman

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The state of retail Rebecca Morley asks bike shops how they have fared in 2019

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@bikebizonline

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12:34

OPINION

A tough practicality

By Yanto Barker, Le Col owner and former professional racing cyclist

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rom an ecological perspective, we all know that cycling is the most practical means of transport in our cities. But in terms of the industry, it’s something that has always troubled me. The nature of performance clothing requires technical fabrics that aren’t necessarily very sustainable.

I do believe that broadly, people in cycling want to have a positive impact, but cost and conscience are a difficult combination. The practicality is tough with the industry’s considerable dependence on production in the East. While consumers can pick up a great deal, the impact of sourcing materials and transporting up to 100 million bikes per year is significant, to say the least, and there’s certainly huge scope for improvement.

Easy wins It’s incredibly tough for an entire industry – separated by varying interests – to see eye-to-eye, but the magnitude of the problem facing us compels us all to take action.

And that has to not only be for the perception of the consumers, but tangible, measurable improvements.

Due to the hugely positive benefits that cycling provides, it’s very easy for us to point the finger at other industries, but there are certainly touch-points that are easily accessible to all brands to improve the impact of what they produce.

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Recycling textiles and materials are something I see being a large part of that. It’s a good way to cut the impact at the base of production without impacting the quality of the product. Wins don’t come much easier than that!

Specifically, the easiest win is around demand. There is a real lack of it for recycled materials currently, but this will change if more brands demand greener fabrics and products from their suppliers.

‘Lots of brands produce their kit in the East, shipping it across the world to sit in a warehouse before being jetted off once more’ There are other notes to be made around transportation and the shipping of products, of course, but ultimately that comes down to the whole structure of the industry, which is harder to reshape due to the way it has been built based on cost.

Increasingly, however, I think as the onus on the subject hits the mainstream, we will see the industry really starting to contemplate whether common practices are really best practices, and I take a lot of hope from that.

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OPINION

A gateway to cycling IBDs, however, are in a particularly difficult position – as if they weren’t already! Collectively, though, there is power there, and I am increasingly seeing demand for better quality and durability in products.

While that will drive higher costs, it also means that people are more prepared to actually invest in those qualities.

Buying more selectively and in lower quantities is one way to really drive interest in the actual product, but also to reduce dependability on products that work fantastically once or twice and flag quite quickly thereafter. They also act as a gateway for a lot of people into the world of cycling, so staying at the forefront of giving customers wide options and variation is key – categories such as e-bikes, for example, provide this.

The Le Col approach Seeing that the industry hadn’t really made steps to lessen its own impact, I decided I wanted to steer what we did towards being more sustainable. Firstly, it’s important to appreciate the impact of having the bulk of our product made in Italy. Lots of brands produce their kit in the East, shipping it across the world to sit in a warehouse before being jetted off once more, perhaps back to the other side of the planet. Our relatively local production and sourcing of materials keeps our miles to a minimum.

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The first part of this was sourcing materials that met our high bars for performance and function that could be made using post-production excess and repurposing of materials otherwise destined for landfill. I’m hugely proud of the Recycled Leaders’ Jerseys that we supplied for the 2018 and 2019 Tour of Britain – it demonstrated what’s possible. We’re currently developing a Recycled Jersey and Recycled Bib Shorts for our core range.

They function and perform identically to our standard range, and I can only see us gravitating more in this direction for our kit.

‘Due to the hugely positive benefits that cycling provides, it’s very easy for us to point the finger at other industries’ Simultaneously, we’ve been able to partner with foundations like the Blue Marine Foundation, raising awareness of Marine Plastics and raising money for sustainable causes in our oceans. We’re also making the much-needed switch away from plastics in packaging towards widely-recycled cardboards and tissue papers – we really do see it as imperative to creating a chain that helps people on their bikes maximise the good that it does, not just for themselves, but for our collective wellbeing. n

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WE ARE MANUFACTURING Our exciting new range of KX Wheels are produced right here at Bob Elliot HQ. Utilising our specialist machinery, we prepare the hubs using reliable, economical, high quality componentry and lace the wheels before finishing them to precise tolerances with the use of a robot which are then quality checked to deliver the perfect wheel every time.

Competitively priced replacement wheels offering a wide selection for 700C and all MTB disciplines. » Built here at Bob Elliot HQ « » Quality componentry from all around the World « » Over 50 years combined wheel building experience « » All wheels finished to exacting tolerances « » Comprehensive range, competitively priced « » Next day delivery available « To find out more about KX Wheels contact your area sales manager or email sales@bob-elliot.co.uk or call us on 01772 459887

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20/06/2019 13:25

FEATURE

The year in review As we hurtle towards 2020, BikeBiz catches up with five UK distributors to gauge their progress throughout the past 12 months

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FEATURE

Bob Elliot Paul Elliot, director

“We have seen a seismic movement into workshop/service over the last couple of years and we have tailored our offerings to suit”

How has 2019, in general, fared for Bob Elliot?

2019 has brought growth for the company YoY, together with evolution. We have stepped into manufacturing with our KX Wheel range which has been an exciting and successful development. We are pleased to have seen growth in our general trade in a challenging environment and we are optimistic about the future.

What brands have you gained/lost, and what were the reasons behind these changes?

As mentioned, we have introduced our own replacementwheel range, which has opened up a lot of doors. This was prompted when our wheel supplier closed earlier in the year, so our hand was forced in many ways, but it has been a fantastic achievement for us to step into manufacturing and we feel as though we have managed the initial project successfully.

We added Stealth Nutrition to our portfolio, which has been a great success after parting ways with our previous nutrition supplier. Stealth delivers a very technical and highperformance nutrition brand to stockists.

Another brand new to our range is ControlTech handlebars, stems and accessories. We had a demand in our portfolio for high-quality bars and stems at a competitive price point and when exclusivity on the brand became an option, it made perfect sense to launch. Sales have been very encouraging to date with further growth inevitable in 2020.

Brands aside, have there been any major developments throughout the year?

The aforementioned KX Wheels are the biggest development in terms of how we manufacture and handle production.

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We have very recently moved over to e-documents for emailing invoices, statements and other relevant account information for customers. This will be coupled with us taking online payments in the coming months to allow customers an exclusive online-portal experience that can be used 24 hours a day.

To what extent are you supporting IBDs, and how has this evolved throughout 2019?

Deciding our portfolio each year is driven by IBD demand and what they need. When visiting exhibitions and suppliers our range-listing always has the IBD in mind.

We do everything possible to range products that are relevant, and suitable to the market conditions. We have seen a seismic movement into workshop/service over the last couple of years and we have tailored our offerings to suit, while still keeping in our range soft-goods for those stores seeing success in this sector. We are also trying to bring POS and shop-support material to shops wherever possible as presentation is key for in-store experience, more so than ever.

What are your plans for 2020 and beyond?

We have some very exciting plans for 2020, which are being kept under wraps just now but we will be launching new brand(s) – to which discussions are taking place now.

We will have more information available in the New Year.

Our desire is to continue offering IBDs and all of our customers as much support as possible, while working in the challenging trading conditions we face right now – which will include ranging more relevant products and keeping pricing as competitive as possible. n

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FEATURE

Chicken CycleKit Mike Catlin, commercial director

“A focus on Campagnolo, Deda Elementi and Prologo will see some major opportunities for our dealer network in 2020”

How has 2019, in general, fared for Chicken CycleKit? Despite 2019 being a challenging year for the industry, CCK has had another strong season – managing to grow our key brands in this, our 100th anniversary year. We have hired more staff this year while many appear to be reducing their workforce, and I’m sure this has been instrumental in maintaining our growth. I am fortunate to be surrounded by an enthusiastic and driven group of colleagues that are working as hard as possible to ensure our brand partners, and most importantly our customers, are being provided with the best service possible.

What brands have you gained/lost, and what were the reasons behind these changes?

Since Gary (Turner – co-owner) and myself have taken the helm, we have actually taken the decision to reduce our portfolio. We have many world brands to look after and that will be the core of our company focus. We decided it was more important for our customers to ensure the brands they are being asked for are being delivered in the best way possible on all fronts – this is the most profitable for all of us. We are always open to considering new brand partners, but only if we truly feel that it’s to the benefit of them and our customers to work with us.

Brands aside, have there been any major developments throughout the year?

The opening of our Campagnolo training facility and service centre has been a real step forward for the brand. Over 100 dealers came to us to undertake training in the spring and this really helped to promote the brand through the important IBD network.

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We developed a new mudguard, Quickguard, in-house, which disrupts quite a conservative category – sales have been fantastic. Our B2B also continues to receive heavy investment and we think it is one of the best and easiest to use in the trade. We must also say that reaching our 100th year is something of an achievement!

To what extent are you supporting IBDs, and how has this evolved throughout 2019?

Any smart distributor in this business knows how important supporting the IBD network is. We are a straightforward proposition for our customers. We are honest, reliable people that really understand how to market and sell the high-end products we stock. We visit our customers’ businesses with products that their customers want to buy, and do not make crazy demands to stock those products.

We aren’t beholden to shareholders and don’t harbour any megalomaniacal aims to have to be the biggest – just a partner that IBDs most want to work with.

What are your plans for 2020 and beyond?

We are expanding our sales force again in the New Year both in the field and in-house to help further support our customers. A focus on Campagnolo, Deda Elementi and Prologo will see some major opportunities for our dealer network in 2020 and will be our largest focus.

Our sponsorship of the ladies CAMS – Tifosi road team will continue into next season. Also, we will continue to react to our customers’ every changing needs and hopefully help them grow their businesses. We aren’t perfect and will always listen to any of our customers that want to tell us where we can be better! n

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FEATURE

The Cycle Division Chris Giles, director

“2020 is the start of a new decade and should be littered with opportunities for the cycle trade to grow”

How has 2019, in general, fared for The Cycle Division?

2019 has certainly presented its fair share of challenges.

The weather hasn’t been great compared to previous years, for a start. Subdued exchange rates mean imported goods cost more, the ‘B’ word is causing uncertainty – so lots of issues to worry about. But sales are still up, so we’re happy! There have also been positive challenges too. Added demand for our wheel-building due to the closure of Wilkinsons meant added investment there.

Also, we’ve put added focus on alternative suppliers beyond our shores, especially those with exclusive arrangements. This is largely due to current UK based importers and manufacturers focusing less on the benefits of supplying wholesalers.

What new brands have you taken on?

In 2018, we took on Elvedes. The brand grew strongly this year with the addition of further lines to come. Elvedes fits perfectly with our deep-seated belief in the great work being done by the thousands of repair mechanics out there, be it workshop-based or mobile. The brand also fulfils our ambition to supply an alternative quality to our popular and reliable bread and butter products. Another brand which fits just this bill is Cyclon, which we took on this year. Cyclon is an exceptionally high-quality range of oils, grease and cleaners similar to Motorex. Again, it sits perfectly with our other brands and is incredibly workshopfriendly. Further developments have also come out of SunRace, with further commitment to its 1x range of products in the guise of more 12sp and SRAM compatible goodies.

Brands aside, have there been any major developments throughout the year?

Since the closure of Wilkinson Wheels, a number of suppliers to the IBD trade have taken on the building of their own wheels.

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We have been building all our own wheels (200+ SKUs) for many years now and decided the time was right to invest further in this area. We have added an extra ISL and Trueing Robot enabling extra capacity. A number of wholesalers have also asked us to build wheels for them, which is great.

To what extent are you supporting IBDs, and how has this evolved throughout 2019?

IBDs are everything to us and I think it’s clear to everyone that the workshop of any IBD is more important now than it has ever been. We have a clear idea who the end users of our products are and these lovely people are the kind to frequent their local bicycle shop. If they take their bike into a shop with wobbly cranks they don’t ask for a specific brand of bottom bracket fitting.

They won’t ask what the torque rating should be on the crank bolts. They want to pick up a working bike the following day and be happy to stump up £30-£40 to get their bike working again.

We love these people and we’ll do anything we can to help the IBD trade to support them!

What are your plans for 2020 and beyond?

2020 is the start of a new decade and should be littered with opportunities for the cycle trade to grow. The new ‘Roaring Twenties’ perhaps? The ‘B’ word should be behind us, it’s an Olympic year and people will still love getting outside and riding bicycles. We’re currently putting down the groundwork to distribute an exciting nutrition range with USPs superior to most of the common brands. We’re also keeping a close eye on developments governing ‘powered transporters’. Historically, the cycle trade has been well placed to embrace and exploit certain trends in the market. 2020 might yet throw up some surprises in this area and we want to be ready! n

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FEATURE

Upgrade Bikes Matt Ryley, director

“We will be taking the product to the consumer more and more; more shows, more dealer demos, more dealer test rides”

How has 2019, in general, fared for Upgrade?

We had a great start to the year. It’s definitely been harder in more recent months, but we’re still looking good! From speaking to others, I get the feeling that our experiences of 2019 are not uncommon. We have noticed it across all brands and all types of dealer, but overall, we are happy and if December follows this trend, 2019 will finish well for us.

What brands have you gained/lost, and what were the reasons behind these changes?

No losses in 2019 – only gains! We have new additions to the Upgrade offering in 2019; Trust Performance suspension forks and Nutcase Helmets. Trust Performance makes innovative trailing multi-link mountain bike front suspension forks.

Stock first arrived with us in April 2019 and sales have really taken off in the past six weeks with the launch of the 178mm Shout model, a long travel/enduro platform that matches the efficiency, plushness, and potential of your long-travel frame. Offering unparalleled traction, stability, and control for aggressive trail and enduro riders, it’s bigger, badder, and burlier.

Fresh out of the blocks, we are very excited to have secured the exclusive distribution for Nutcase helmets.

Helmets can be well, boring, but that definitely doesn’t apply to Nutcase. It’s based in Portland, Oregon and wants to make helmets fun again – to make them into something you want to wear, a helmet that you instinctively grab, without being told you should. Each helmet has beautiful graphics and is a piece of art, something that makes you smile, each and every time you put it on. They are cycle helmets for people who probably wouldn’t call themselves a cyclist, they just ride a bike (or scooter).

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Nutcase works tirelessly towards creating a better helmet and is the only one that uses MIPS on every model in its range.

Additionally, it has fantastic attention to detail with magnetic Fidlock clasps, 360-degree reflectivity and a detachable visor.

Finally, although we have had Ritchey for 18 months or so, we were very pleased when it opened up the frame business to us in February of this year – previously, it had sold this through its head office only.

Brands aside, have there been any major developments throughout the year?

Because we have our own in-house brands – which are DMR, Kinesis and Sector wheels – there is always a lot of product development going on here. We research, design, develop and test everything in-house.

Added to this development of physical product, we also do all of the graphic and web design for these brands and our B2B website from our offices in West Sussex, so never a dull moment or stuck for something to do here.

From a staff perspective, we have bolstered our web management team, our marketing team and our sales team this year, with an employed rep covering the South and South West and a new sales agent serving our Scottish dealers.

To what extent are you supporting IBDs, and how has this evolved throughout 2019?

IBD 100 started in late 2018 and is supporting the independent dealer with a range of products that bring about unique conversations with their customers.

We have called it IBD 100, but it’s a loose 100; at the moment there are more than 100 products that have been selected to be exclusively available to IBDs, they include products from

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FEATURE

Upgrade has secured the exclusive distribution for Nutcase helmets, based in Portland, Oregon

most brands as well as new IBD 100 specific products from brands like Lezyne and DMR. Fusion Clothing, in particular, is only available to IBDs and it offers a very different proposition for the retailer because there’s no pre-ordering, there are no seasonal buy-ins needed, it’s buy one, sell one. It really is that simple, buy as much or as little clothing as you want and when you want. IBD 100 also lends itself well to high-tech products like Lauf’s True Grit carbon gravel frameset, where the dealers’ time invested in a prospective customer absolutely needs to result with the sale and hopefully a custom-build. To keep the range fresh, we will introduce new products, phase out those that underperform and maintain a core of best sellers. We will ensure that there’s a point of difference for the IBDs or chain stores compared to the online-only businesses and sell profitable and desirable products with confidence. Dealers can view IBD 100 products when they log on to Upgrade’s website, with products identified as IBD 100 with a logo in their listing.

What are your plans for 2020 and beyond?

One of our goals is to simply get more consumers seeing and touching our product. As we all know the retail environment has changed considerably in recent years and it is harder than ever for dealers to stock our products in depth like they used to.

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So we will be trying to take the product to the consumer more and more; more shows, more dealer demos, more dealer test rides. We will continue to work tirelessly to offer good products and good service, be that products from the brands that we represent or products that we develop, like the Kinesis e-bikes that we first showcased at the NEC show. n

More than 100 products have been selected to be exclusively available to IBDs

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FEATURE

Extra UK Simon Ford, sales director

“After many years good service our B2B gets a major overhaul so seeing that go live will be exciting”

How has 2019, in general, fared for Extra UK? We completed our financial year at the end of October and are delighted to once again grow the business. Given the turbulent and changing marketplace, it’s a very pleasing result. I’m now really looking forward to 2020; like 2019 I feel that it’s going to be a very intense year, full of challenges as retail evolves.

What brands have you gained/lost, and what were the reasons behind these changes?

We added two brands in 2019, firstly FFWD Wheels in March and then ABUS in April. We are fortunate to be offered brands on a weekly basis, however our strategy has always been to only add brands where we as a distributor can add value.

We had a gap in our portfolio for a higher end wheel brand and FFWD was the perfect fit. The previous FFWD retailer network was underdeveloped, so we knew with good product, marketing and a great team at FFWD, we’d be able to build the brand.

With ABUS, for years we had an obvious gap in our portfolio for locks and helmets and each year we’d research those markets. We loved how ABUS was developing its helmet range and noticed how every year it got better and better. ABUS, having two of our missing categories, made it a perfect potential partner. We are thrilled to be working with ABUS, it is an amazing partner who inspires us. Its knowledge, passion, commitment and business ethics are outstanding, as is its product!

Brands aside, have there been any major developments throughout the year?

We invested in people, strengthening and restructuring our entire team. We have a great team with a huge amount of

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trade experience as well as some youth to bring about new ideas, it’s a healthy creative mix that keeps us all on our toes. We also refurbished our offices to improve the work environment. We’re not quite done; we are planning further investment for 2020 which will better the customer service experience, better communication and better interaction.

To what extent are you supporting IBDs, and how has this evolved throughout 2019?

Our largest cost is servicing the IBD network and we are not looking to change that, the IBDs are the heart of the cycle trade. In 2019, we added IBD exclusive product from brands like Topeak and fizik, and we are increasing this for 2020. As well as product, we create exclusive promotions for the IBDs. An area we are currently developing is free marketing support for IBDs, where we produce and distribute assets that IBDs can use to promote their businesses and in turn our product, it’s a very exciting project for us and very creative. We’ve always had a very fair approach to our customers in that no matter what a customer’s size is, they can access a fair deal without having to buy huge quantities of stock. If they stock a brand we will do our best to support them with the right deal.

What are your plans for 2020 and beyond?

To continue to better and build our team, listen to our customers, consider and develop new ideas, drop old-fashioned ones, accept, adapt and evolve with the marketplace. To add value to every brand we distribute.

After many years of good service, our B2B gets a major overhaul so seeing that go live will be exciting, we hope it greatly improves our customer journey. We never stop trying to improve. n

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T HE S C IE NC E OF T H R I LL

FOR PEAK PERFORMANCE The new Leatt range is in stock. A full line-up of clothing and protection from the tech and safety experts. Whether it’s kit for the trail or the pro freerider, we have it all.

Tech, quality and style. Speak to Hotlines about our aggressive dealer promotions.

Distributed in the UK by www.hotlines-uk.com

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Email: sales@hotlines-uk.com

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Tel: 0131 319 1444

L E AT T. C O M

FEATURE

Welding together the future of bike maintenance

Weldtite is celebrating its 80th anniversary next year.

Marketing manager Dan Leather chats to Rebecca Morley about UK heritage, testing against the competition and its new team sponsorship

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eldtite is a British brand that has been around since 1940.

It started out making puncture repair materials for the British Military before moving to Barton-upon-Humber in the 1980s, having received support from the Government, and has been there ever since.

“Next year will be our 80th anniversary,” Dan Leather, marketing manager, tells BikeBiz. “It’s an achievement that we’re proud of.

Puncture repair is what we’re probably best known for across the world.

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“It’s not a stretch to say we’re the world leader in puncture repair. We offer very different lines, different qualities and we do white label for many brands.”

But in the last 20 to 30 years, Leather says the focus has widened to the lubricants, tools, cleaners and general bike maintenance. “We offer a full range of lubricants, cleaners and tools. Anyone who rides a bike is almost certain to have come into contact with at least one Weldtite product at some point, which is quite unique,” he says.

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25/11/2019 09:51

FEATURE

Made in England Unlike many brands, Weldtite manufactures the lion’s share of its products in the UK, at its factory on the banks of the River Humber in North Lincolnshire.

“It is a big deal,” Leather says. “You don’t get ‘Made in England’ that much anymore. All of our puncture repair kits are made here, as are our range of lubes and cleaners.

“It’s always been a part of our makeup to produce as close to our domestic market as possible. Transporting products from the Far East has a cost in terms of environmental impact. The true cost of carbon embodied in a product is only now being understood and challenged.

“We see our local production capability as vital to combating CO2 emissions and let’s not forget, our puncture repair kits prevent tonnes of rubber inner tubes, potentially millions of tubes each year, being sent to landfill.

“Obviously Brexit’s taking place at the moment but we believe UK manufacturing is well placed to react.

There are price benefits for our consumers too so it does put us in a strong position.”

Investing in the factory, the brand recently upgraded its liquid fill line, also has the benefit of reducing the business’ environmental footprint – an issue Leather says gets a lot of attention when Weldtite is working on its large product range.

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“We have recently reformulated our Bike Cleaner, it’s now biodegradable while offering the same great cleaning performance,” he says.

‘One giant leap for bike cleaning’ Jet Blast was launched earlier this year – after officially premiering at Eurobike, where Weldtite’s stand was packed during the trade days. It features a powerful jet spray that makes short work of removing muck, grime and oil, the company says.

Testing against the competition is part of an ongoing process carried out by Weldtite to provide industryleading product quality. The company says it will not bring a product to market unless it knows it is ‘the best it can be, the best in the market or as good as the best’.

For example, in Weldtite’s lab, the brand’s Red Devils Self Seal Patches stayed firmly attached to inner tube samples under load longer than the cumulative time of ten competitor patches, Leather says.

It’s clear that designing products with the consumer in mind is important at Weldtite. “The mantra for Jet Blast was all about making cleaning easy for the consumer,” Leather explains. “Put simply, we want to ensure riders spend more time riding.

December 2019 | 21

25/11/2019 09:51

FEATURE

“The high-pressure cleaner is strong and it’s very effective at removing muck and grime – it dries very quickly too.

Initial sales have been fantastic, we sold out of the first batch at Eurobike!

Weldtite has recently reformulated its Bike Cleaner to make it biodegradable

Leather says it’s part of Weldtite’s makeup to produce as close to its domestic market as possible

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20-22 BBDec19 Weldtite_Final.indd 3

“Jet Blast is the first product that we have launched under a modern new livery. That’s important because it’s the first step in our brand transformation programme spanning over 1,000 products.

“While many riders know us and respect us for puncture repair, they do not always associate us with TF2, Jetvalve – our CO2 range, Pure or Dirtwash, Adie or Cyclo, let alone BikeBits or eCare!

“That’s the journey that we’re on, connecting with our consumers and making the brand more recognisable to the end-user. This was the theme to the Eurobike stand in September and the feedback we received from domestic and international consumers and distributors was very positive.”

Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling In recent news, Ribble Pro Cycling has announced Weldtite as a new team sponsor – to form Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling who will compete at UCI Continental level next season.

The team announced the partnership last month, saying: “The investment and support that Ribble Cycles and Weldtite are providing will be instrumental in allowing the team to continue to develop and progress. It is important to us as a wholly British team to bring in a British-based company that reflects our core values.”

“That was quite a big one for us,” Leather says. “The partnership works really well. Being another long-standing British company, Ribble is on a similar journey and doing very well. Its bikes are in high demand and it has a fantastic range.

“We are very excited to be supporting Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling in 2020, particularly at key races in the UK like Tour de Yorkshire and The Tour of Britain. The team’s ability to ride aggressively and secure results means both events are brilliant platforms to increase consumer knowledge of Weldtite’s product range in the UK.” Weldtite’s international reach, the brand achieved Export Champion status in 2019, will also be supported by Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling in 2020. The team will race across Europe and Asia, as well as in the most prestigious road races in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

So looking to the future, what else can we expect from Weldtite?

“Over the next five to ten years, we have ambitious growth plans,” Leather says. “There’s a lot of potential in the UK, which will be driven by our new UK sales manager, Ed Smith, who has many years of experience in the domestic bike market.

“The potential for overseas growth is also evident and I am delighted to report that we are working with new partners in new territories in South America, Europe and Asia. There are challenges for sure but it will definitely be an exciting 80th year for Weldtite.” n

www.bikebiz.com

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APPOINTMENTS

This month’s movers and shakers throughout the cycle industry...

Harald Schmiedel, Trek Bicycle Trek Bicycle is promoting European sales director Harald Schmiedel to vice president of European business.

Previously, Schmiedel had been the country manager for the German, Austrian, and Swiss markets; a role that he has held since 2006.

Schmiedel takes over from longtime European business vice president Malcolm Davies, who will retire at the end of the year. Davies will oversee European retail through the remainder of 2019.

Schmiedel has been with Trek since 2003 when he became the country manager for Germany after the company’s acquisition of the Villiger and Diamant brands.

While he will manage Trek’s European business from the company’s Zurich office where he is currently located, many headquarter functions will remain in the UK office in Milton Keynes. n

Thomas Seifert, Sigma Sport

Jon Sangan, Santini

Thomas Seifert has joined Sigma-Elektro GmbH as managing director.

As managing director of Polar Electro GmbH Deutschland, he spent four and a half years in the Finnish company’s business areas in Germany, Austria and Switzerland before seeking new challenges outside the sports industry at the end of 2017.

In his new position, he is responsible for the sales, marketing, finance and administration business units, effective immediately. His international career with bigname companies such as Puma, Braun, Gillette, Procter & Gamble, and Coleman gives him requisite expertise. n

Santini is launching a UK operation to handle custom clothing for the IBDs, clubs and corporate event companies from 1st December. ZyroFisher, Santini’s exclusive UK distributor, will continue to fulfil the growing demand for inline and replica clothing whilst acting as a liaison to Santini with any new custom order requests placed with its field sales team.

Jon Sangan, who has been the longstanding brand manager and more recently custom sales manager at ZyroFisher for Santini, will leave the company to head up Santini Custom.

As part of the new approach, Santini will be launching an online custom ordering portal to help simplify the custom kit process which will also provide exclusive benefits for its users. n

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www.bikebiz.com

25/11/2019 09:54

Jonas Lindqvist, The Thule Group

Erman Aykurt, Gore Wear

The Thule Group has named Jonas Lindqvist as its chief financial officer.

Based in the group headquarters in Malmö, Sweden, Lindqvist will assume his new position by May 2020.

Currently acting as CFO of Arjo AB, Lindqvist has considerable experience in senior financial roles, having previously served as Beijer Ref AB CFO, and CFO and VP of Polyclad Europe/Cookson Electronics, as well as being a member of the management team of LR Holding AB. n

Gore Wear has named Erman Aykurt as its new creative lead in Feldkirchen-Westerham, Germany.

Aykurt is a passionate cyclist who has over 20 years experience in the sports industry, working for several years at Adidas in Japan, Converse in the USA and lastly in Germany as creative director at the sports style division of Puma. n

Bill Fraser, Assos of Switzerland

Ambrogio Grillo, Thok E-Bikes

Assos of Switzerland has announced that Bill Fraser is joining its executive team at its headquarters in Ticino, Switzerland as director of marketing, beginning 18th November 2019.

Fraser brings 20 years of international marketing and commercial experience from working at Procter & Gamble and Mavic across multiple countries, cultures, and product categories.

In his new role, he will report directly to Assos CEO Derek Bouchard-Hall and work closely with the Assos Board to continue the brand’s recently accelerated growth. n

Thok E-Bikes has increased its workforce with the arrival of Ambrogio Grillo, who will take on the role of sales manager.

In the last five years, Grillo has worked at Scott Italia, as sales manager for the Bergamont and Dolomite Apparel brands.

In his new role at Thok E-Bikes, Grillo will be in charge of developing the Thok Points network. The Thok Points are Thok’s ‘showrooms’ where enthusiasts can try the MIG e-bikes out, possibly buy them (if they can’t go online) and carry out the post-sales assistance. n

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December 2019 | 25

25/11/2019 09:54

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18/06/2019 15:02

FEATURE

Cycling as a priority The UK is currently preparing for a General Election on 12th December.

Sustrans’ Rachel White tells Rebecca Morley why parties need to tackle the climate crisis for future generations

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27-29 BBDec19 Sustrans_Final.indd 1

December 2019 | 27

26/11/2019 14:25

FEATURE

T

he climate change crisis is amongst the greatest environmental and health risks of the 21st century.

Transport accounts for 26% of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions, with the main sources being petrol and diesel cars.

It comes as no surprise, then, that Sustrans is calling on all political parties to take bold action on road transport emissions and prioritise walking and cycling in its manifesto for the General Election 2019.

The charity sets out clear asks for the next Government to show leadership on curbing road transport emissions and make walking and cycling the easiest and most convenient options for more people, regardless of gender, age and abilities.

“There is a desperate need for long-term sustained funding, both capital and revenue,” says Rachel White, head of Public Affairs at Sustrans.

“There just simply hasn’t been enough of this so far.

If you take next year for example, at the present time, there have been no announcements for any capital funding for cycling in 2020/2021 at all. That’s a huge problem in terms of retaining capacity in local authorities and retaining the planning and skill sets to roll out cycling and walking schemes.”

Amongst its five main recommendations, Sustrans is asking candidates to commit to a 20-minute neighbourhood planning principle for all cities and towns so that everyone can walk and cycle for their everyday services and needs.

The charity is also calling on the next UK Government to provide sustained long-term investment in walking and cycling, including at least 5% of the transport budget to be spent on walking and cycling by 2020/2021, rising to at least 10% before 2024/2025; and £72 million investment per year in the National Cycle Network.

28 | December 2019

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Capital funding measures include developing and implementing local cycling and walking infrastructure plans, creating walking and cycling links, improving access to train stations and other public transport interchanges, and supporting the uptake of e-bikes, e-cargo bikes and adapted cycles.

It is also asking parties to transform the school journey to help children walk, cycle and scoot in safety and with confidence, ensure places are accessible for everyone by implementing a 20mph speed limit in all built-up areas and ban pavement parking, and establish a UK-wide Greenways programme.

“In terms of long-term sustained funding, [we would like] funding ramped up to at least 5% of transport spend within the next year,” White explains, “[before] rapidly raising that to at least 10% within a few years.

“A lot of this political race will be fought on Brexit, but most people just care about the issues that they face around them, such as health, congestion, decarbonisation and air quality.

So, the first thing is to invest in long-term sustained funding, and the second thing is to work cross-departmentally.”

According to Sustrans’ manifesto, our dependency on using motor vehicles to get around has driven the climate change crisis.

It costs the economy £7.9 billion a year through traffic congestion, and is the major cause of air pollution in our towns and cities.

Social inequality is also an issue, with people living in more deprived communities more likely to suffer from road danger and pollution, despite being the least likely to drive.

In England in 2018, almost 20% of journeys under one mile were made by car – these could be walked in 15 minutes or cycled in five, the manifesto says. 70% of trips under five miles were made by car, and these could be cycled in approximately 20 minutes.

www.bikebiz.com

26/11/2019 14:25

FEATURE

This dependency is contributing to greater levels of physical inactivity than we have ever seen before, costing the NHS £1 billion a year. White says this inactivity can be tackled at source by creating the livable 20-minute neighbourhoods that allow people to get where they want to go by foot or by cycle.

“It will contribute to decarbonisation and the air quality agenda,” White continues. “It could save the economy nearly £9 billion over ten years if cycling and walking targets in England and Scotland were met. There are huge benefits to be had.

“Is the Government doing enough to reach its targets?

The short answer is no. And it’s admitted to this.”

Sustrans has long highlighted the need for the UK Government to help people reduce their reliance on the car and prioritise investment in walking and cycling. Although the Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy was launched in 2017, levels of investment haven’t been sufficient to meet its targets to double the number of cycling trips by 2025.

In a safety review document to support the strategy published towards the end of last year, the Department for Transport admitted that its current policy would only see cycling increase by a third over the next six years.

In January this year, Roger Geffen, Cycling UK’s associate director of policy, said: “Cycling is a miracle pill that can cure a lot of the ills this Government is facing with air pollution and the physical health problems associated with inactivity.

“However, by its own admission, the Government is not going to meet its own modest targets to double cycling, which Cycling UK believes is due to inadequate funding.

Cycling UK believes the Government should rebalance its spending to local solutions to car dependence.

“It’s not the people currently cycling who will benefit from more funding, but rather those who feel forced to drive those

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27-29 BBDec19 Sustrans_Final.indd 3

short distances to school, work or the shops due to having no suitable alternative.”

So why hasn’t the Government invested as much as it needs to so it can reach its targets?

“The priorities always seem to be with the strategic road network,” continues White. “The evaluation of the benefits of walking and cycling don’t equate to the health benefits that that brings.

“Sometimes they’ve been a little bit undervalued compared to road building schemes. The investment in road building at the moment – we’ve seen nothing like it since the 1970s.

We really need to move away from that and think about how can we get people around in other ways.

“We’re always going to need the car in some aspects, but the answer to all of these issues, the climate crisis, poor air quality, reducing life expectancy, congestion, physical inactivity, all of these things can be solved with greater investment in walking and cycling.

“We’re also concentrating too much on technological fixes as well. Electric vehicles have a role to play, but they’re still moving people around in metal boxes and that doesn’t help with congestion or physical inactivity. It’s really important that we’re not just looking at cleaner vehicles, but fewer vehicles on our roads.”

It’s also about finding ways to create more active lifestyles, according to White. Everyone is time-poor, and people are finding it more and more difficult to incorporate exercise into their routines.

“Everyone who tries to join the gym in January has usually given up by February. It’s been proven time and again that the best way of getting people to be more physically active is just incorporating it into their routine,” she says. 

December 2019 | 29

26/11/2019 14:25

5

minutes with...

BikeBiz catches up with ‘the next generation’ of tyre sealant Can you give us a little background on Orange Seal?

We started thinking about Orange Seal in 2008, on a group MTB ride with friends. We were doing our usual bike prep and one of the guys rode across the parking lot and picked up a shard of glass and was spewing sealant to no avail. We had to throw a tube in, and we had a couple more issues that day with punctures and tubes. Our mad scientist Stephen said, and I quote: ‘I’m going to make something that will cover all aspects of riding.’ That started the passion of making a technically different sealant compared to the 26 others on the market at the time. We wanted to take the best and worst of all sealants and build a technical product.

We aim to develop technically-advanced products for cyclists of all levels to enhance their riding experience. Our core philosophy is to serve the riding community and continue to innovate with products that keep us on our bikes and enable people to tackle all kinds of terrain.

What area of the cycling market does Orange Seal target?

Rather than trying to utilise one sealant across a broad spectrum of cyclists, we felt it important to offer a variety of products for a variety of skills and riders.

Our sealant and VersaValve products cover road, gravel, MTB, BMX, e-bikes, commuters, and pretty much anything with a pneumatic tyre. The 700c market is especially growing for us; I know that in the UK, more and more road riders are making the switch to tubeless, particularly for the winter bike.

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www.bikebiz.com

25/11/2019 14:31

What makes Orange Seal unique?

Sealant life, sealing quality and the ability of the liquid to remain as one solution that coats the tyre from bead to bead keeps us unique. Once sealed, our product forms a permanent plug. It’s non-corrosive and we are also proud to be environmentally-friendly.

What has the reaction to the product been like so far?

Amazing. Consumers love options, and products that are technically different and solve problems. People are riding trails they would have never ridden due to the advance in tyres, wheels, bikes and of course sealant. No one likes to change a flat. Our customers are also our fans – it’s very pleasing to get such positive feedback at events and to read the recommendations on websites and social media.

It’s quite flattering at times. I’ve attended COREbike for the last few years and meeting dealers there is always great.

What innovations in the industry are exciting you now?

We are very excited about all the innovations coming to tyres and wheels. Not just in the MTB market, but across road, CX, e-bike and especially gravel. Tubeless tyres are more or less standard on MTBs now, but it’s taken longer for other bikes to go tubeless. Other cycling disciplines are now following suit to MTB and adopting tubeless for a safer and more comfortable ride. Our sealant works at high pressure and once it’s plugged, you can keep on riding without fear of blowing the plug out.

What are your plans for 2020 and beyond?

We can’t reveal too much right now, but we do have some exciting products coming out in 2020 that plug even bigger holes and slices. We want to add innovation to the market rather than just add ‘me too’ products, and for that reason our product can take a little longer to design, test and bring to market. We want it right before release. We will be increasing our footprint in professional road cycling, particularly the Israeli Cycling Academy team and Bora Hansgrohe, who have used Orange Seal for over two years. Having our product used by pro-teams hopefully goes some way to convince customers that tubeless has a place within road riding, the classics etc.

For 2020, we are looking to add some consumer-facing events where we can meet our current users and explain to others the product’s USP. We’d also like to be more involved with some key events, perhaps in gravel and CX to start with. We’d also like to be involved at a local level, maybe around IBD-organised events.

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How long has Orange Seal worked with Extra?

We got together with Extra in 2016. Extra launched the brand into the UK and Ireland and has grown with us every year since. It has a strong relationship with its customers and is passionate about our product. It’s pleasing to see the Orange Seal community grow in both the UK and Ireland.

To what extent does the brand support and collaborate with IBDs? Extra’s IBD share for Orange Seal is around 70%, so the IBD is extremely important. The IBD and its staff are key influencers when people choose sealant. We try to work with the IBDs as much as possible as they are the heart of the cycling community. In the UK and Ireland, the IBD network was the prime focus for around the first two seasons – we didn’t want to put all the product down the obvious mail-order route. It’s a good reason for IBDs to get behind the brand. We are increasingly the choice sealant of workshops. Our 32 oz workshop bottle sales are testament to that. Having Orange Seal fitted as standard by IBDs leads to good aftersales for that same retailer, our product has great customer loyalty. Consumables are great business for the IBD, particularly when fitted.

Extra has developed some nice point of sale, which is available free of charge to stockists and is looking to expand this offering for 2020 to include soft goods and other associated marketing items. 

December 2019 | 31

25/11/2019 14:31

NUMBER CRUNCHING 32 BBDec19 Stats_Final.indd 1

According to the statistics of Customs Administration, Ministry of Finance, the export revenue of Taiwanese bicycles (including complete vehicles, e-bikes and components) increased in the first three quarters of 2019...

The overall export value reached US $2.624 billion, with a growth of

11.09% Bicycles: Export volume reached 1.638 million units, a slight decrease of

1.12% Export value reached US $1.009 billion, a decrease of

7.55%

Average unit price reached US

$615.99

E-bikes: Export volume of e-bikes reached 452,000 units, an increase of

Components: Export volume was 34.76 million kilograms, down

4.31% Export value reached US $1.024 billion, an increase of

2.16%

131.42% Export value of e-bikes reached US $591 million, and increase of

119.51%

Average unit price was US $1307.59, a decrease of

5.15%

25/11/2019 12:12

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UK DISTRIBUTION BY GREYVILLE ENTERPRISES

An An extensive extenssive selection selection of quality quality parts parts and accessories accessories well well priced priced to to offer excellent value money good off er e xcelle ent v alue ffor or mone y and d go od margins margins for for dealers. dealers deallers. Available Available next day delivery ffor or ne xt da y deliv ery on our easy e tto o use B2B ordering ordering g system. system.

GREYVILLE GRE YVILLE EN ENTERPRISES NTERPRISES

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0154301543 251328 3 251328

www.greyville.com www.greville.com www.greville.com

sales@greyville.com sales@greville.com sales@grreville.com

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Feb’ 19

Mar’ 19

FEBRUARY 2019

19th - 21st February 2019 Arena:MK, Milton Keynes, MK1 1ST www.iceBike.co.uk

ISSUE 157

MARCH 2019

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EDITORIAL CALENDAR 2020: 01 BBMar19 Front cover_v1.indd 1

25/02/2019 15:31

FOCUS: SECTOR GUIDES:

COREbike Bike security

Trendspotting 2020 Energy and nutrition

January

Inclusivity and accessibility Hybrids and folders

Cycle luggage

February

Industry diversity Women’s bikes

Workshop tools and cleaning

March

IBD Innovation Helmets

Local Bike Shop Day

April

Cycling technology Cycle computers Triathlon

May

The kid’s market Children’s bikes and accessories Brakes

June

Sustainability Indoor training and power meters

Cycle lights

July

The MTB market Mountain bikes and accessories

Stocking fillers

August

Trade show season Cyclocross

Winter and protective clothing

September

Cycling infrastructure Road bikes and accessories

Retail science Chains, gears and cranks

October

The e-bike market E-bikes and accessories

Carbon footprint

November

The Year in Review Wheels, tyres and inner tubes

Distributor Focus Cycle footwear

December

WANT TO ADVERTISE IN ANY OF THESE ISSUES? Contact Richard Setters 0779 480 5307 or email richard.setters@biz-media.co.uk BB Forward Features 2020 210x265mm_Final.indd 1

Want your company or product to be involved with any of these features?

Contact James Groves, editor 0203 143 8779 or email james.groves@biz-media.co.uk

21/11/2019 10:01

FEATURE

Brand specialisation, tubeless focus and a new home: A fresh direction for Paligap

BikeBiz caught up with managing director David Lane and newly-appointed national sales manager James Wellman How successful have the past 12 months proved at Paligap?

We have continued the strategic review of our business, and exited further brands that were not performing in the UK market. We all know how challenging the market is, and with our restructuring during late 2018 into 2019 we feel our business is ready for the next chapter in Paligap’s plans, which we are all excited about. One major change this year saw us move out of our home of ten years, into short-term offices and warehousing while our new carbon-neutral facility is built.

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These moves are all within one mile of each other, and we remain in Yate, South Gloucestershire.

Paligap dropped multiple brands in 2018 – what was the thinking behind that, and how has that strategy evolved this year?

A strategic review of non-profitable brands led us to cull several of them in 2018, and more moving into 2019. The market is rapidly moving into over-supply mode, and we know many retailers are going out of business and/or losing money.

December 2019 | 35

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FEATURE

This will undoubtedly have a huge knock-on effect with distributors, and we believe in this market place, focus needs to be on brand development and delivering great results for each brand we carry.

We made the decision to become brand specialists rather than continue to work in the traditional distributor business model, so we are able to focus on continued development of the brands we represent; Stan’s No Tubes, Alé, Cipollini, Goodyear and DMT. By having such concentrated focus, we are well positioned to continue to develop this. We are able to carry depth of inventory that IBDs can call on with quick turnaround/ deliveries, so the stock-holding pressure is taken away from these smaller independent businesses. We are experts in the brands we represent, and the competitive categories they lie in due to our new structure, and we feel this is paramount in moving forward in such a challenging market.

With this new approach, it has enabled us to invest into developing our market-leading B2B system and offer industry-leading carriage-paid options.

What is your relationship with local bike shops?

We have been supporting UK IBDs through our Stan’s No Tubes Point of Sale programme for everything tubeless, and the wheel line up which has been a major success for our business, since being introduced in late 2017.

This has evolved through 2019 by the addition of an additional silver POS unit that a number of IBDs had requested through our brand specialist team, which allows better use of space within certain stores. We continue to listen to feedback from IBDs and adapt our offerings to support their requirements.

Another example of how we have supported IBDs in 2019 has been the very successful launch of the brand-new Stan’s No Tubes Dart, which is the repair system for tubeless tyres. This was launched in November, and has been an overwhelming success story in how to launch a new product, focused at the IBD. We created awareness ahead of delivery at dealer and consumer level, a great pre-order programme for IBDs, and continued marketing and distribution programmes.

With 2020 just around the corner, what are your plans to tackle a new year in the industry?

We have very clear goals and a strategy with our brands to ensure we support the IBDs in store with a cutting edge B2B, stock support, training/education, Point of Sale, demo products and much more.

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www.bikebiz.com

26/11/2019 12:42

FEATURE

Stan’s will have yet more in-store POS to support the IBDs with a workshop offering, details of which will be announced to the market and dealers later this month.

One area that we have invested in during 2019 for IBDs, and has continued rapid growth and development plans for 2020, is Alé, the Italian clothing brand we represent.

We all know the challenges IBDs face when stocking clothing, so we are developing an IBD programme where they can stock this prestigious brand without competing with the online sector. Bespoke, desirable cycle kit, designed by our in-house designer specifically for each individual Alé IBD stockist. This kit will be turned around quickly, with low MOQs and is produced in Italy, as per Alé’s core ranges.

‘We made the decision to become brand specialists rather than continue to work in the traditional distributor business model’

As well as these exclusive offerings, our IBD in-line programme does not tie dealers up with large preorders as we have invested into deep support stock through 2020, ensuring IBDs are supported in terms of cash-flow and risk-management.

In line with our low pre-order and stocking requirements from IBDs, our 2020 DMT shoe programme also means bike shops can range DMT without large investments, with the confidence of good support stock at Paligap. The new purely knitted range is super sharp, and we are looking forward to seeing growth of this brand.

Cipollini will have new models available, and a full demo fleet that will support the IBDs, and again details will be announced this month on the full programme.

James will be managing this prestigious brand, and anyone wishing to discuss Cipollini should contact James via jwellman@paligap.cc or 07889 174 305. Cipollini is a brand that has gone through a complete management restructure in Italy, as well as bringing in industry leading engineers to re-establish the brand in the marketplace. n

www.bikebiz.com

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Wellman returns What attracted you to your new role at Paligap?

I came back to the business after moving to Saddleback, where I worked for three years covering the account manager position for the South West and Wales, representing the full range of its portfolio of premium cycling brands. I felt it was right to go back to Paligap as I worked closely with David Lane in my previous role.

The company’s plans working with fewer core brands in the UK market really appealed to me, along with their vision and goals for the next chapter in the business plans. I also know the majority of the team at Paligap, having worked with a number previously, and plus the new additions felt it would be a good fit. Paligap has always had a great working environment and although we are serious about our business, we also believe it is important to have fun!

What is your background in the industry?

I have always been in sales roles starting with a major banking corporation in the heart of Bristol. I then had the opportunity to move to Paligap, which was a great opportunity for myself to move into a business I had a real passion for. I spent six years covering internal and external account manager roles before moving across to Saddleback.

How do you plan to approach the market?

By continuing to build on the strong relationships I have already with a number of key dealers, working with integrity, and delivering market leading levels of customer service along with delivering industry experience that is unrivalled from our peers, on behalf of the brands we work with.

What is your experience of working with IBDs, and how do you plan to evolve those relationships?

Due to spending a number of years on both the South West and South East territories as an external account manager, plus my time within internal sales, I looked after a number of key accounts and built a lot of relationships that will stand me on good ground in my new role. I have a deep understanding of the industry and always pride myself with my brand knowledge, honest approach and I would say I am happy to go above and beyond to support our customer base.

I will develop these relationships by spending quality time with the UK IBDs which will involve not only covering the South East key customers, but also supporting the two brand specialists who cover the rest of the UK and Ireland.

December 2019 | 37

26/11/2019 12:42

IBD FOCUS

The state of retail

Ben Othen of BikeShak describes 2019 as “a year of sitting on the fence”

The retail environment has changed dramatically in recent years.

Rebecca Morley asks bike shops how they have fared in 2019

I

t’s no secret that recent years have been a challenging time for retail. And with more and more consumers buying products on the internet, the function of bricks and mortar must change in step with consumer demands. Recent British Retail Consortium (BRC) figures showed that in September this year, UK retail sales decreased by 1.7% on a year-on-year basis from the same month in 2018, when they had decreased 0.2% from the preceding year. Helen Dickinson OBE, chief executive of BRC, said that this was ‘no surprise’, given the

38 | December 2019

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spectre of a Brexit no-deal weighing increasingly on consumer purchasing decisions.

Earlier figures also revealed a decline in footfall of 1.9% in July, helping to contribute to the rise in town centre vacancies, which this year rose to their highest level since January 2015. In fact, the first half of 2019 saw a record net 1,234 stores disappear from the UK's top 500 high streets, according to PwC, with retailers and leisure operators continuing to restructure and services increasingly moving online.

There was a total of 2,868 store closures, equivalent to 16 per day and the most for five years.

www.bikebiz.com

26/11/2019 12:06

IBD FOCUS

One bike shop that closed earlier this year was Jim’s Cycles in Northumberland, following the retirement of owner Jim Clark, a decision that was made partly due to the rise in online sales. Other closures this year included Lickety Split in Exeter and Cafe Roubaix in Retford, but established bike chains have suffered too – Evans Cycles has been forced to close some of its stores after being sold to Sports Direct last year.

And given the importance of high streets and town centres in our local communities, how concerned should we be by the rise in empty storefronts?

The rise of online 2019 has seen a challenging environment across many sectors, as brick and mortar retailers of all sizes struggle to adapt to the continuation of changing consumer trends and shopping habits.

“The preference to shop online over shopping on the High Street has become the norm for many, with many larger retailers such and M&S and John Lewis reporting a majority of online sales originating from mobile apps for the first time this year, supporting the notion that consumers are browsing and making purchasing decisions on the move more than ever,” says Simon from The London Cycle Workshop.

But Simon says this trend is not new and the rise of online shopping, home deliveries and click and collect does not define retail in 2019.

“Although the business pages are never far from an account of the demise of a high street retail chain, or the reporting of the latest and ever-controversial CVA deal to keep a chain afloat, if you read the small print there are plenty of stories of retail adapting and thriving.”

But Vitas from Machine Cycling Café believes that the bike industry isn’t very healthy, the main reason being that products are heavily discounted online, which leads to harm being done, not only to the bike brands, but also to every retailer who tries selling products at the RRP. “The biggest online shops are backed by some serious investment and the big focus is on the sales performance, because investors want to make some profit," he says. "It’s all very much driven by numbers. The only thing they are able to compete on is the price.

“On the other hand, small brick and mortar retailers are able to offer passionate face to face conversations, live expert opinion and quick service. We are not competing with online prices and instead focusing on the customer needs, providing small business flexibility and professional service.”

www.bikebiz.com

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Machine Cycling Café

Good customer experience So what can bike retailers do to thrive in the current environment? How easy is it to define what good customer service should be?

“Having a clean, well laid-out store, housing good products, with friendly, knowledgeable staff isn’t enough in 2019,” says Mike Cunningham of Cadence Performance.

“Customer spending journeys are varied and more complex than ever before, with social media advertising and influencers, old-fashioned media ads permeating every facet of our lives.

“However, experiential retailing is being hailed as the key action that will save high street retailers. When you look at many of the retail businesses that have failed or really struggled over the last few years, they are quite depressing places for both customers and staff to spend time in.

“Consumers, retail experts, the bike industry and mainstream media are very quick to talk down bike shops as old, dusty places with a grumpy ex-racer behind the counter, but the key issues facing bike shops are rents that are too high to sustain, margins that are too low to sustain and a lack of positive thinking across the industry.”

And it appears that no retailers are immune to the challenges facing the current retail environment, including Sigma Sports, says managing director Ian Whittingham.

“We’ve managed to buck the trend and achieve solid growth in our flagship retail store in Hampton Wick with our online business continuing to expand year on year, which is something we are very proud of,” Whittingham says.

“We continue to focus on delivering an excellent experience at every stage of our customers’ journey to differentiate ourselves from the competition, including investing in areas such as online content and in-store events.”

December 2019 | 39

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IBD FOCUS

Cadence Performance

The demand for service It's easy to see how the internet may be winning over the high street. But where some sales figures are down, the demand for workshops and the servicing of bikes remains strong.

“We firmly believe customers still want expert advice and quality after-sales experience,” Andy Wadsworth of BW Cycling says. “2019 has been another year of growth for BW and we put this down to providing not only great customer experience but also a quality workshop, leading brands and bike fitting, fitness testing, personal training, physiotherapy, group rides and trips away.”

Richard Bowker, director at Criterium Cycles, says independent bike shops either have a service-led point of difference, or they don’t compete, and that this is a continuation of the trend that has been apparent for a number of years now.

“Our point of difference is an obsessive approach to customer service and loyalty. We have been rewarded with loyalty back. But every day is tough, every sale is hard-fought and anyone taking their eye off the ball for even a moment is going to fall behind. 2019 has been a good year for Criterium Cycles, arguably our best ever, with growing demand in e-bike and gravel to name but two specific areas. But we think it’s less about sectors and more about overall attitude and focus.

40 | December 2019

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“We know we are only as good as our last transaction.

Every week brings a new challenge. Retail is tough at the moment, perhaps tougher than it has been in living memory.”

Ben Othen of BikeShak describes 2019 as “a year of sitting on the fence” and waiting to see what will happen next. “We have seen an increased demand for Cyclescheme and more commuter focused product.

“Conversely, we have seen a drop in the interest of high end or ‘performance’ road bikes and product which has always featured prominently in our sales up until recently. I think a lukewarm retail environment and the steady drop in the pound/increase in RRP seems to be having an effect on how willing consumers are in parting with large sums of money.

“On the plus side, our workshop continues to be a key area of profitability in-store with customers choosing to repair and service rather than invest in new bikes.

"We’ve been consistently busy throughout the summer and continue to have a booked workshop through these early months of winter.”

Arragons Cycles is also focusing more heavily on service, with its technicians increasing their knowledge base and service offering through additional training.

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26/11/2019 12:06

IBD FOCUS

“We’ve invested in equipment and launched Bite Size Bike Maintenance Classes where customers take over one of our stations to learn some tricks of the trade,” Sarah Graham says.

“We’ve increased our BikeFit business and branched into a wider Hire network in the Eden Valley and North Lakes.

“We’ve spread the word of all these things, along with our #TeamArragons events via social media and we’ve seen more return from this over anything.

“This has not come without pain and fear, not least the constant doom and gloom in the news about the demise of the High Street.

“I look forward to seeing what the future has for our store and the High Street, as I believe that we are about to go full circle.

“Customers have come to value the experience, personal service and after-sales, rather than just price alone, which is what we, as independent businesses, do best.”

E-bike growth Other retailers summed 2019 up as mixed, with generally consistent turnover, but Alf Jones Cycles says that bike unit sales are down, pointing at higher average bike sale figures.

“E-bikes are absolutely the reason for this and has helped keep figures looking positive,” says Pete. “The challenge with this is higher investment in the bikes and higher stock value.

I can imagine this can feel like a big risk to smaller dealers – it’s a lot of money tied up in stock.”

Demand for e-bikes has seen huge growth in the UK recently, with reports that Giant is expecting to sell about 600,000 e-bikes this year, up from 385,000. This means the company’s sales growth will stand at 56% compared to 2018, it was reported.

“We’re always good at keeping an open mind to changing markets,” Pete continues, “and have done well with the gravel sector this year, the wider industry has embraced this style of bike and I feel that consumers like the idea of having a more versatile bike that can focus on the experience side of cycling rather than the competitive side.

“P&A and apparel are always difficult but again, we have held our own this year and managed to grow very slightly in an extremely competitive market. We have very strong brands in these sectors and having brands that appeal to more than one customer base is important to keep overall sell-through flowing.

“We face the same many challenges of modern retail and business that other high street retailers do. I feel that we address these and work around them as best we can. We always sell on our service and make the effort to go the extra mile to make customer experience as great as we can.”

www.bikebiz.com

38-41 BBDec19 IBD Focus_Final.indd 4

The BikeShak workshop Political uncertainty One of the major talking points this year has been around the political uncertainty surrounding Brexit, and the effect this is having on consumers. But Noah Fisher, director at Mamachari, says that despite this, 2019 has been a good year.

“Consumers are now inclined not to believe the scaremongering, that Brexit will negatively impact the economy and so on, and are getting on with the business of day-to-day life,” says Fisher. “Maybe it’s the long spate of good weather, or maybe the fact there are fewer of us in the field, but for those left standing, with fingers firmly on the pulse and tight reigns on the purse strings, things are looking tentatively promising.

“For now, at least, we take it day by day and hope that staying closely connected with the source of our revenue combined with conservative financial management is a strategy that will be rewarded in the long run.”

Mark Almond from Revo Bikes says: “Web competition is still an issue but given our location, at a bike park, perhaps less of an issue than it is for some.

“By ensuring a fair retail price and offering strong service we are seeing repeat purchasing patterns and a high degree of customer loyalty despite the web competitor availability before and after their visit to ride here.

“We are hopeful that Brexit finally gets sorted one way or another – it is definitely having a negative effect on retail in my opinion – and that consumers feel confident to spend again as a result.

“We are also hopeful that distributors and brands continue to move towards an inclusive working relationship with their retail partners as opposed to trying to impose high MOQs and shifting boxes simply to meet targets.

“I strongly believe that the only way the retail sector can grow, and in many cases even survive, is if the whole supply chain works as one.

“We are all serving the same market after all so imagine how much stronger the whole industry would be if it worked as one and grew the market together.” n

December 2019 | 41

26/11/2019 12:06

SECTOR GUIDE

Wheels, tyres and inner tubes

2

1

3

1

2

4

3

4

Sector

Continental

Race Face

Panaracer

GCi 700c

Contact Urban 35-349 Brompton

Next R 31mm Wheel

Race D Evo 4 Folding Road Tyre

Distributor: Upgrade Bikes

Distributor: Madison, Bob Elliot, Raleigh, i-ride

Distributor: Silverfish UK

Distributor: ZyroFisher

Striking the balance between shred-ready and climb-crushing, this carbon wheel set is perfect for enduro and trail riding.

Featuring a generous 31mm internal width, durable carbon construction and an offset spoke hole layout delivering improved tension balance to up the sturdiness. Vault hub’s super-fast 120-point engagement, long bearing life and spoke flanges have been designed for maximising lateral stability to take rally to the next level. Available in 29in and 27.5in, front and rear. SRP from £749 per wheel.

The toughest performance tyre of them all has had a makeover.

The all new Evolution of the ultra-durable road race tyre with enhanced puncture protection has arrived. The Race D Evo4s new “All Contact Tread Shape” has been reengineered to accommodate wider rim widths to continue to deliver superior grip and lower rolling resistance.

Panaracer’s new ZSG Compound further reduces the low rolling resistance of the previous ZSG compound by 10%. In addition, grip in all weather conditions has been improved by 20% over the previous generation.

Lightweight carbon adventure wheelset with a suit of armour and a sought-after ride characteristic of premium alloy wheels. Designed to excel in high impact environments, the GCi wheels feature Innegra equipped carbon rims that can shrug off the hardest of hits. Thanks to the addition of TeXtreme Innegra, they have 75% higher impact resistance and 50% more vertical compliance than standard carbon rims of the same profile. At just 1690g, the GCi wheelset is backed

by Sector’s lifetime warranty and crash replacement policy. There is also a full rim programme for the wheels in the range.

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Continental introduces the new Contact Urban, available in sizes 16in, 20in, 26in, 27.5in, 29in, 700c in a multitude of widths.

The biggest noise is around the 349 option, which fits Brompton bikes and has the folding community pretty excited. With a safety rating of 6/7, the Urban is both super tough and agile, and fits nicely into the urban tyre hierarchy as the mid-price point option between the Ride workshop range and the premium Plus series.

www.bikebiz.com

26/11/2019 09:37

SECTOR GUIDE

5

6

7

5

6

8

7

8

Spank

FFWD

Weldtite

Campagnolo

350 Vibrocore Wheelset

F3A Disc

Tubeless Sealant

Bora WTO Wheels

Distributor: Hotlines

Distributor: Extra UK

Distributor: Multi-distributed

Distributor: Chicken CycleKit

Spank wheels offer lots of features that make them one of the market leaders when it comes to affordable performance wheelsets. Features like the Oohbah rim profile that massively stiffens the inner rim well by adding a corrugated profile to the cross section, and Bead-Bite which helps prevent tyre burping by adding ribbed edges to the rim bed and walls.

The Spank 350 Vibrocore wheelset also offers unrivalled damping from a alloy rim, thanks to Spank’s unique Vibrocore tech.

With a lightweight, wide and strong rim design, combined with DT Swiss hubs, the FFWD F3A Disc represents the ultimate alloy training wheelset from Fast Forward. The DT Swiss 350 hubs feature a 2:1 spoke ratio lacing, putting extra spokes on the critical side of the wheel giving optimum balance and durability.

The wheelset is tubeless ready, weighs an ascent-friendly 1560g and ships with a FFWD wheel bag, rim tape and valves.

This environmentally friendly formula has been tested for industry-leading performance.

Topping up is incredibly easy too as the sealant does not ‘clog’ up and can be injected into valve stems once the core is removed (integrated valve core removal tool as part of 240ml bottle).

Available in 1L and 5L for busy workshops looking for quick and straightforward tubeless installation. Also suitable for inner tubes, Weldtite Tubeless Sealant can be depended on for reliable self-sealing time and time again.

Wind Tunnel Optimised (WTO) with a 19mm internal rim width and 2-Way Fit allows either clincher or tubeless tyres to be fitted.

Features: AC3 (All Conditions Carbon Control) braking surface technology: improves the braking performance on dry and, above all, on wet conditions.

Wind Tunnel Optimised 3D spokes: aerodynamic shape from all angles with a unique diamond shape, created for all wind conditions.

Mega G3 spoke pattern: for the perfect balance of spoke tension on both sides of the wheel.

www.bikebiz.com

42-47 BBDec19 SG1_Final.indd 2

December 2019 | 43

26/11/2019 09:38

SECTOR GUIDE

10

9

11 12

9

10

11

12

Tannus

Raleigh - Industry Nine / WTB

D2O & MACH1

Syncros

Armour

Industry Nine / WTB MTB & Gravel wheels

All wheel sizes

Capita 1.0 35 Wheelset

Distributor: The Cycle Division

Distributor: Scott Sports

The Cycle Division has been building its own wheels for many years, offering well over 200 wheel SKUs of different size and component combinations.

Virtually all hubs include sealed cartridge bearings at no extra cost and every wheel is hand finished, bagged and labelled. As the UK’s foremost importer of Sturmey Archer, any hub can be built to order into any rim size.

Furthermore, any components used to build wheels are also available to purchase separately!

Lightweight climbing wheelset, the Capital 1.0 35 features a UD carbon fibre rim with a 35mm depth. The rim profile is a modern 21mm inner width and is tubeless ready. Both wheels feature 28 spokes with a Syncros six pawl hub driving the cassette body.

Distributor: Moore Large Armour is the clincher-based tyre liner that enables the rider to run lower pressures safely and reliably for improved comfort and grip, while maximising puncture protection in all conditions. Armour is constructed of a unique compound called ‘Aither’, which provides maximum protection from both sharp insertions and pinches. At the same time, commuters benefit from reduced road buzz, while MTB users will enjoy the extra grip it can help generate by running lower pressures than they could with a tubeless setup.

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Distributor: Raleigh UK Raleigh UK is pleased to announce the launch of its new premium wheels assembled with WTB KOM rims and Industry Nine Hydra and 101 hubs. The full range will focus on mountain bike, gravel and road disc specific wheels. Mountain bike options include 27.5in and 29in, gravel and road comprise of 650b and 700c. These wheel combinations are likely some of the best high-end aluminium wheelsets on the market.

www.bikebiz.com

26/11/2019 09:38

SECTOR GUIDE

13 14

15

16

13

14

15

16

Halo

Reserve

Maxxis

Hutchinson Tires

Devaura RD2 700c Wheels

Reserve 22 700c

Dissector

Skeleton Racing Lab

Distributor: Ison Distribution

Distributor: Jungle Products

Distributor: Madison

Distributor: Windwave

The Devaura Series is ready whatever the conditions, to offer you the aerodynamic advantage.

The brand new Devaura Disc RD2 wheels utilise Center Lock disc brake technology, as well as the 120 point engagement drive system, Supadrive. The 19mm internal rim width is well suited to modern tyres, ranging from 25C through to 38C, and the wheels are pre-taped, making them tubeless ready from the box.

Gravel riding offers a bit of roll-your-own style, but these types of races and rides favour lightweight over bump absorption, so most opt to leave the suspension at home. Most wheels in this category are deep-section, aerodynamically-optimised and harsh-riding. The company looked to the rims used in the notoriously-rough Spring Classics races for inspiration, and settled on a profile that looks and rides a lot more like a box-section aluminum rim, but with the strength of its carbon rims, which allowed it to drop the spoke count to 24.

Designed in conjunction with Aussie superstar Tory Brosnan, the Dissector is designed as the ultimate blend of speed and control, minimising drag while retaining that all-important cornering ability. This versatile tyre can be used as front, a pair or a rear, depending on conditions.

Available in 27.5 and 29er x 2.15in, the new Skeleton Racing Lab XC MTB tyre from French tubeless pioneer Hutchinson was designed to offer maximum performance, responsiveness and grip, having been developed and tested in real-world race conditions by leading professional and World Cup riders including David Valero.

With a low weight (from just 600g), the fast-rolling tread with progressive side knobs was built to race and excels when ridden aggressively.

www.bikebiz.com

42-47 BBDec19 SG1_Final.indd 4

December 2019 | 45

26/11/2019 09:38

SECTOR GUIDE

18 17

19 20

17

18

19

20

Michelin

Challenge

WTB

Continental

Protek MAX

Limus CX Handmade Tubular 700x33

Verdict & Verdict Wet

Der Baron Projekt ProTection Apex

Distributor: Silverfish UK Michelin Protek is the ultimate performing range of tyres featuring the new generation of anti-puncture reinforcement, perfect for tough conditions.

Michelin Protek MAX has been designed for multi-purpose use on asphalt and trail, features 5mm anti-puncture protection.

It offers more visibility, especially on the roads, thanks to its reflective strip. Available in huge variety of sizes and widths.

Off road and urban options also available. SRP £26.99.

46 | December 2019

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Distributor: Upgrade Bikes Cross racing tyre for ultimate deep, soft mud. Available in different levels of performance, the Handmade Tubular Pro series offers best performance at professional level. Suited to internal rim widths 15-19 mm and with a TPI of 120 with an aramid bead, Limus is raced by the UK’s best athletes such as Tom Pidcock, Ben Tullet and Harriet Harnden.

Distributor: Hotlines Winter is truly upon us, so what better time to break out the new WTB Verdict and Verdict Wet tyres. These tyres present WTB’s most aggressive front wheel focused tyres for days where relentless traction takes priority over rolling efficiency. The tall chucky knobs dig deep regardless or how loose or sloppy it may be, while the open space between allows mud to clear easily.

Available in both 27.5in and 29in and two different casing strengths and a High-Grip rubber compound.

Distributor: Cambrian This Der Baron Projekt MTB tyre sits at the very pinnacle of the riding discipline it was designed for. It features an exceptional rolling performance combined with superb traction, thanks to the BlackChili Compound. The tyre has top-level puncture protection, thanks to ProTection casing, and added stability and reliability due to the Apex sidewall reinforcement.

www.bikebiz.com

26/11/2019 09:38

SECTOR GUIDE

22

21

23 24

21

22

23

24

Vittoria

Acros

Momentum

ere

Rubino Pro Fold G2.0 Tyre

Acros SLS Disc Carbon Wheelset

Strada Wheelset WH241

Tenaci

Distributor: Greyville Enterprises

Distributor: Oneway Distribution BV

Distributor: ZyroFisher Designed for intensive training, it is equally suitable for racing events. The Rubino Pro builds on the standard Rubino platform, utilising the same exclusive 3C Graphene compound structure, long service life, puncture protection, and sharp handling traits, but substitutes a folding bead material for reduced weight.

The Rubino Pro has long been a favourite for both training and racing, and with the addition of Graphene technology compounds, is more versatile than ever!

www.bikebiz.com

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Distributor: Oxford Products The Acros SLS Disc wheels are built to a very premium standard. With unmatchable bearing quality combining with Sapim CX Ray Spokes and a lightweight Baccara SLS rim, these are wheels built to perform and last. The modern shape of the wheels allows for them to be as versatile as your riding, whether you want to race a crit, survive a cyclocross race or even send it down some gravel tracks, these wheels are more than up to the task.

The UK-assembled selection of Momentum wheels are at the better end of the market without going into stratospheric levels.

An excellent example is the “Strada� 700c race wheelset ideal for winter training rides and early season racing. Hubs are Shimano RS400 with 10/11 speed cassette body and built on to Weinmann Momentum rims with double-butted stainless spokes.

Manufactured exclusively for Greyville Enterprises and available for next-day delivery.

Gravel racing and dirt road riding require an aggressive tyre capable of rolling through rough conditions and gripping where normal road tyres stop. The Tenaci made by ere has a fast rolling tread pattern that provides traction on varied unfinished surfaces. It also features bead to bead Armis 3 to fend off debris and sidewall cuts in the search for adventure miles.

December 2019 | 47

26/11/2019 09:38

GET STAFFED! WWW.BIKEBIZ.COM/JOBS

WHERE THE TRADE GOES FOR THE LATEST JOB OPPORTUNITIES ADVERTISE A ROLE FROM ONLY £99 PER MONTH AND REACH ON AVERAGE 14,000 POTENTIAL CANDIDATES A MONTH ALL POSITIONS WILL BE SHARED VIA THE BIKEBIZ SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS, INCLUDING THE JOBS ONLY TWITTER ACCOUNT.

Contact: richard.setters@biz-media.co.uk +44 (0)779 480 5307 Get Staffed 210 x 265mm.indd 1

20/11/2019 16:15

SECTOR GUIDE

Cycling footwear 2 1

3

4

3

4

1

2

fizik

FLR

Scott

Northwave

Terra Clima X2

F-11 Pro Road Race Shoe

Scott Road RC Lace Knit Shoe

Extreme Pro

Distributor: Extra UK

Distributor: Bob Elliot & Co

Distributor: Scott Sports

Distributor: i-ride

Clima X2 is a waterproof and breathable all-mountain shoe.

Its construction features a waterproof liner and the upper’s outside offers protection from the elements: its layered, hardwearing ripstop woven fabric resists tearing and ripping.

A PU-laminated toecap and side reinforcements add further protection and durability.

The Velcro strap quickly and securely cinches the instep while the BOA-controlled adjustment provides a micro-tuneable fit for the forefoot area.

The F-11 uses a seamless upper design with FLR’s new pro-last, comprised from a single piece of premium microfibre to conform to the shape of your foot like a glove. The lacing system uses a single dial and Velcro strap for a secure fit at each point of your foot. A combination of nylon mesh, perforated holes and a breathable tongue deliver excellent ventilation. The F-11 is equipped with the R250 outsole to boost performance and pedal power transfer without compromising on comfort.

For elite riders who want a precise fit with contemporary lace-up style, the Scott Road RC Lace shoe combines ultra-light weight with class-leading fit thanks to a classic lace closure system for unbeatable adjustment. The wrap knit upper with an asymmetric pattern offers optimised fit and unparalleled comfort. The ErgoLogic insole features an adjustable arch support and a metatarsal button. The stiff HMF Carbon fiber sole has a stiffness index of ten.

The Extreme Pro is Northwave’s top of the range performance shoe and has a sole that is made from 100% unidirectional carbon, for maximum power transfer to the pedals. The sole has a stiffness index of 15.0, which Northwave describe as ‘the new performance benchmark for road soles’.

The Extreme Pro also utilises Northwave’s double SLW2 dial which differentiates the pressure between the top of the instep and the toe for even better adaptability.

www.bikebiz.com

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December 2019 | 49

20/11/2019 10:59

SECTOR GUIDE

5

6

7 8

5

6

7

Shimano

Giro

FLR

Ride Concepts

MW701

Ventana Fastlace

F-55.III

Men’s Transition

Distributor: Madison

Distributor: ZyroFisher

Distributor: Bob Elliot & Co

Distributor: Silverfish UK

Built for riders without an off-season, the MW701 is Shimano’s winter-proof off-road shoe. Tough, well insulated and comfortable, the GORE-TEX liner provides a perfect blend of comfort and protection from the elements while the BOA L6 dial makes closure and release quick and easy.

The Ventana Fastlace combines elements of your favourite trail running shoes (sleek silhouette, fast on/fast off, foot hugging comfort and confidence in sketchy situations) and with the performance you need for pedalling. It is built around a stout nylon shank proven on the DH World Cup circuit that powers the pedals like an XC shoe, combined with an injected EVA cushioning midsole and our exclusive Sensor rubber outsole that inspires confidence.

FLR’s classic, high performance, yet affordable shoe got even better. A secure fit is ensured through a new low-profile three strap Velcro closure. A supple synthetic upper with mesh vent panels keeps you feeling cool during long rides. The main Velcro offers a secure fit with the ability to make quick adjustments whilst riding. A perforated, ergonomic tongue supplies moisture management and supple foam padding creates slipper-like comfort.

A clipless shoe that is the choice of WC Champions with PowerDrive band, asymmetrical collar and moulded toe cap.

The Transition was designed to change perception of how a clipless shoe should connect with the pedal. Providing instant engagement and uncompromising security on any clipless pedal through a wide and unobtrusive cleat box. It features D30 high impact insole tech.

Transition is the shoe of choice for the Atherton Racing Team.

50 | December 2019

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8

www.bikebiz.com

20/11/2019 10:59

SECTOR GUIDE

9

10

12

11

9

10

11

12

CUBE

Giro

Ride Concepts

fizik

MTB C:62 SLT

Ventana

Livewire

X2 Artica

Distributor: Oneway Bike Industry BV

Distributor: ZyroFisher

Distributor: Silverfish UK

Distributor: Extra UK

The Ventana was born and bred to navigate the demands of all-mountain adventures and all-day trail riding, when comfort and confidence are essential on and off-the-bike.

This shoe is built around a stout nylon shank proven on the DH World Cup circuit to power the pedals efficiently, and combined with an injected EVA cushioning midsole plus our exclusive Sensor rubber outsole that inspires confidence when scrambling over rocks and logs.

Daily driver, tough-as-nails, do-itall, high performance flat pedal shoe. Livewire exceeds the technical demands of big mountain riding without sacrificing everyday style. It can tackle a day of big mountain single-track and follow it up by throwing down in the mosh pit with a favourite band concert. It features D30 high impact insole technology as well as the DST 6.0 Mid Grip Rubber sole. It is also available in youth fittings and sizes.

Artica X2 is an all-mountain shoe with a waterproof, breathable and insulated construction for the harshest winter conditions.

Thanks to its eVent waterproof/ breathable membrane, Artica X2 sheds water and sleet. With its cosy insulated fleece liner and insole, riders’ feet will stay dry and warm when the temperature drops. The upper’s outside offers protection from the elements and its layered, hardwearing ripstop woven fabric resists tearing and ripping.

This high-performance mountain bike shoe featuring the CUBE carbon outsole and TPU studs isn’t just fast, it’s comfortable to boot thanks to two disc closures that securely mould the upper around the foot like a second skin. The reinforced toe box and heel cap protect the foot in the event of any unwanted ground contact. The dirtrepellent upper keeps the C:62 SLT looking pristine.

www.bikebiz.com

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MARKETPLACE

TO ADVERTISE ON THESE PAGES PLEASE CONTACT richard.setters@biz-media.co.uk or call +44 (0)779 480 5307

FRAME RESPRAY, REPAIR & BUILD SERVICES

BB-FEB19-MAGURA:Layout 1 24/01/2019 10:42 Page 1

BIKES & ACCESSORIES

CHECK OUT OUR NEW FLICKR GALLERY

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www.argoscycles.com info@argoscycles.com

0117 972 4730

BB-DEC19-UPGRADE 1:Layout 1 20/11/2019 10:31 Page 1

BIKES & ACCESSORIES

NEW Argos Marketplace Ad Sep19.indd 1

52 | December 2019

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BIKES & ACCESSORIES

www.bikebiz.com

26/11/2019 10:12

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BIKES & ACCESSORIES

www.bikebiz.com

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BIKES & ACCESSORIES

BIKES & ACCESSORIES

December 2019 | 53

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MARKETPLACE

TO ADVERTISE ON THESE PAGES PLEASE CONTACT richard.setters@biz-media.co.uk or call +44 (0)779 480 5307

BB-DEC19-UPGRADE 5:Layout 1 20/11/2019 10:35 Page 1

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BIKES & ACCESSORIES

BIKES & ACCESSORIES

BOTTOM BRACKET SOLUTIONS

33 integrated, CNC machined aluminium complete BB Solutions

• • •

Bearing presses, Hangers and Sealed bearings Now with double sealed Enduro bearings Online BB Adaptor finder: wheelsmfg.co.uk

BB-APR19-CYCLE DIVISION MARKET PLACE:Layout 1 19/03/2019 09:25 WMFG 88 x 107mm.indd 1

EPOS & COMMERCE

54 | December 2019

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BIKE LABELS, BOTTLES, BAGS & GENERAL PRINT

16/08/2017 12:00

www.bikebiz.com

26/11/2019 10:12

Apr’ 19

Sep 19

APRIL 2019

SEPTEMBER 2019

ABUS & EXTRA UK AXIS Mk 7 1150 LUMENS HELMET MOUNTED

STRONG TOGETHER

SIX PACK Mk 10 5000 LUMENS HANDLEBAR MOUNTED

A new exclusive partnership for cycling locks and helmets in the UK.

Please contact your Extra UK Area Sales Manager for more info on: Tel: 01933 672170 | Email: info@extrauk.co.uk

01 BB Sep19 Front Cover_Final.indd 1

21/08/2019 10:34

01 BBApr19 Front cover_Final.indd 1

21/03/2019 12:50

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Feb’ 19

FEBRUARY 2019

19th - 21st February 2019 Arena:MK, Milton Keynes, MK1 1ST www.iceBike.co.uk

ISSUE 157 01 BBFeb19 Front cover_v1.indd 1

25/01/2019 11:59 10:58

Get involved with the industry’s leading and most-read publication.

Whether you’d like to see a trend analysed or a company proďŹ led, BikeBiz is always keen to hear from its readers.

Contact editor James Groves via james.groves@biz-media.co.uk to share your thoughts.

For advertising opportunities, contact Richard Setters via richard.setters@biz-media.co.uk. www.bikebiz.com BikeBiz Mag House Ad 210x265mm.indd 1

21/11/2019 10:07

Bob Elliot and Co Ltd Unit C4 Binary Court, Matrix Park, Western Avenue, Buckshaw Village, Chorley, PR7 7NB Tel: 01772 459 887 Web: www.bob-elliot.co.uk

The Bikebiz DIRECTORY 2020 is out now, providing the industry with a must-have guide to the UK’s retailers, distributors, manufacturers and related businesses.

Cooke Components Unit 7C Cufaude Business Park, Cufaude Lane, Bramley, Hants, RG28 5DL Tel: 01256 880739 Web: www.cookecomponents.co.uk

EBCO 5 Pegasus House, Olympus Ave, Warwick, CV34 6LW Tel: +01926 437700 Web: www.ebco-ebikes.co.uk

Fibrax Ltd Queensway, Wrexham. LL13 8YR Tel: +44 (0)1978 356744 Web: www.fibrax.com

56-57 BB Directory 2020 DPS_Final.indd 1

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DISTRIBUTION AND WHOLESALE

E-COMMERCE AND EPOS

EVENT ORGANISERS, HOSTING, HOLIDAY AND HIRE

MANUFACTURERS

MARKETING, PR AND CONSULTANCY

MEDIA AND PUBLISHING

ORGANISATIONS, CHARITIES AND ASSOCIATIONS

RETAILERS, WORKSHOPS AND MAIL ORDER

SERVICES AND TRAINING

1924

invisiFRAME The Laurels, Condover, Shropshire, SY5 7AA Tel: 01743 232297 Web: www.invisiframe.co.uk

Ison Distribution Ltd 201 Lancaster Way Business Park, Ely, Cambridgeshire, CB6 3NX Tel: 01353 662662 Web: www.ison-distribution.com

Jungle Products Ltd Unit 3, The Cedar, New York Mills, Summerbridge, HG3 4LA Tel: 01423 780088 Web: www.jungleproducts.co.uk www.santacruzbikes.co.uk

M & J Distributors Ltd Unit A, Hanix Buildings, Windmill Lane, Denton, Manchester, M34 3SP Tel: 0161 337 9600 Web: www.mjdist.co.uk

Messingschlager GmbH & Co. KG HassbergstraÃ&#x;e 45, 96148 Baunach Tel: +49 (0)9544 / 9444-45 Email: service@messingschlager.com Web: www.messingschlager.com

Pitbitz Ltd Unit 3 IO Centre, Jugglers Close, Wildmere Road Industrial Estate, Banbury, Oxon, OX16 3TA Tel: 01295 269333 Web: www.gazeboshop.co.uk www.thebikeboxcompany.co.uk

Raleigh UK LTD Church Street, Eastwood, Nottingham, NG16 3HT Tel: 1773532600 Web: www.raleigh.co.uk

Reece Cycles plc 100 Alcester Street, Birmingham, B12 0QB Tel: 0121 622 0180 Web: www.reececycles.co.uk

Rozone Limited Queen Street, Darlaston, Wednesbury, West Midlands, WS10 8JB Tel: 0121 526 8181 Web: www.rozone.co.uk

Schwalbe Tyres UK Ltd Schwalbe Centre, Hortonwood 30, Telford, Shropshire, TF1 7ET Tel: 01952602680 Web: www.schwalbe.co.uk

The Cycle Division Ltd Units 17 & 18, Park Valley Mills, Meltham Road, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, HD4 7BH Tel: 0845 0508 500 Web: www.thecycledivision.com

Weldtite Products Ltd Unit 9 Harrier Road, Humber Bridge Industrial Estate, Barton-on-Humber, Lincs, DN18 5RP Tel: 01652 660000 Web: www.weldtite.co.uk

The Bikebiz DIRECTORY 2020 is available to view online at www.bikebiz.com

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EVENTS

A look ahead to upcoming cycling industry events...

CABDA WEST

15th-16th January, Del Mar Racetrack, California ‘For the second year at the Del Mar Racetrack near San Diego, CABDA West has expanded its floorplan by nearly 100%.

It’s added more food and lodging options, three brand new breakout areas for tech and sales seminars, and terrific indoor and outdoor demo tracks. Located just 20 miles from San Diego International Airport, convenient to I-5, Light Rail and Amtrak stations.’

COREBIKE 2020

26th-28th January, Whittlebury Hall, Towcester ‘COREbike will return to Whittlebury Hall on 26th-28th January to kick-start the 2020 industry calendar. Exhibitors are set to include 2pure, Bergamont, The Bicycle Association, Cannondale, Chicken CycleKit, Citrus-Lime, Endura, Exposure Lights, Extra UK, Hope Technology, Hotlines, i-ride, Ison Distribution, Lyon Equipment, Magura, Moore Large, Oakley, Silverfish, Upgrade, VeloBrands, Windwave and ZyroFisher.’

ICEBIKE* 2020

18th-20th February, Arena:MK, Milton Keynes ‘The iceBike* show continues to be one of the biggest in-house trade shows in the UK cycling industry. Visitors can expect to see Madison and Sportline’s portfolio of brands including Shimano, Park Tool, Kryptonite, PRO, Saracen, PEARL iZUMi and Elite to name a few. There will also be a raft of new brands for dealers to visit for the first time alongside new products, demos, and a range of thought-leading seminars from industry experts. Visitors are encouraged to register now via www.icebike.co.uk’

THE BIKEBIZ AWARDS September 2020

The BikeBiz Awards will return for its 12th year in 2020, offering an array of expertly-curated categories designed to reflect the varied and vibrant nature of the sector: from prizes that honour local independents and distribution giants through to accolades for innovative brands and those providing essential services to the industry including training, advocacy and beyond. More will be revealed in due course, but if you’re interested in being involved, please contact Richard Setters via richard.setters@biz-media.co.uk

58 | December 2019

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18/11/2019 15:07

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BR N AN EW D AT

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