BikeBiz February 2016 by Biz Media Ltd

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FEBRUARY 2016

ISSUE 121

B U S I N E S S

interaction | connection | education

Bigger and better than ever before 23rd - 25th February 2016 Arena:MK, Milton Keynes, MK1 1ST K EY BR A N D S EX HI BI T I N G I N C L UD E

Some of what to expect at the show... Seminars • Exclusive Show Only Offers • Q&As • New Product Launches

Shimano will be exhibiting its latest range of products including full groupsets, wheels and pedals as well as offering unique deals to retailers on a wide variety of products. The e-bike technology Shimano STEPS will also be on show with a demo track for visitors to get to grips with and speak to the brand about its plans for 2016. A must attend seminar on Shimano STEPS and the e-bike industry will also be scheduled during the exhibition.

Swedish brand Thule is renowned for high quality bike accessories and this year is demonstrating its awesome new roof racks and rear mount for those who want to really adventure. The ProRide 598 is a follow-up to the hugely popular ProRide 591, while the new Thule ThruRide is carbon-friendly and perfect for those with particularly precious bikes. Also the new Velospace is the ultimate rearmount that is designed for heavier machines, such as e-bikes and fat bikes.

Undoubtedly one of the biggest ﬁtness technology brands in the world, Garmin is returning to iceBike* with a host of new products, some retailer information and exclusive seminars. Among the stunning new products on show will be the VivosmartHR, recently announced varia vision heads-up technology, varia radar and lights. There will also be information and advice available for retailers on how to make point-of-sale displays more effective in-store.

The ultimate brand for any home and professional mechanics, Park Tool is now 52 years old, with the experience and product knowledge to show for it. Park Tool has launched 28 new products for 2016, all of which will be on show at iceBike*, including the brand new multi-tool, the MT-range, which offer consumers workshop quality when on the road. A range of stands will also be on display and compelling point-of-sale deals will be on offer exclusively to those that attend the show.

Seminars Demonstrating a whole host of its latest innovations in the safety market, Lazer will exhibit its limited edition Blue EPS helmets, one-of-a-kind Revolution Helmet and new MX7 full face helmet, as worn by the Madison Saracen Downhill team. Lazer will also be offering retailers a range of exclusive iceBike* deals that are reason enough to visit the show.

• Why Shimano STEPS should be your number 1 choice for E-Bikes • Retailing clothing - Getting it right • Bike assembly in your retail business with Calvin Jones • Social Media - Making it work for your shop • In-store: Merchandising and Promotions that make a difference • Sports Nutrition - The easy sell

The apparel brand of choice for the BMC team, Pearl Izumi is exhibiting its entire AutumnWinter range of clothing at iceBike* this year. A great chance to get an exclusive sneak peak into the collection to get organised ahead of schedule in 2016. Not only that, but iceBike* gives visitors the opportunity to meet the team behind Pearl Izumi’s market leading technical cycling apparel. Come and learn about the craftmanship and construction of Pearl Izumi garments from James Lamont.

The latest range of Madison Clothing will be on display for visitors to experience for the ﬁrst time. It is the perfect opportunity to get up close with the collections ahead of the Spring/Summer season. With sportive, road, mountain bike and commute ranges, the Madison Clothing brand is looking stronger than ever.

www.iceBike.co.uk

ISSUE 121 FEBRUARY 2016

@bikebizonline | facebook.com/bikebiz

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p26 The new Republic

p8 Talking helmets

p43 What IBDs really think

It’s been a heady year for Halford’s stand-alone shop brand. We quiz MD Peter Kimberley on its ambitious growth plans

We ask top helmet brands for their take on the market and the most important safety technology out there right now

We poll over 100 bike shops for their honest and sometimes blunt views on the crucial distributor-retailer relationship…

Cycling’s Great British Manufacturers p17

What does it mean to make bikes and cycle product in the UK? What would pave the way for a boost to the manufacturing sector? Read all about it...

p48 Return to Taipei

p34 Anatomy of a store

p13 iceBike* is 10

p55 Urban bikes

We preivew Asia’s key trade show, taking place in March

We get a guided tour around Rutland Cycling’s new shop

Madison and Sportline’s house show is bigger than ever in ‘16.

Folders, hybrids, commuters… we present a selection

NEWS

Sigma Sport teams up with Dowsett’s Cyclism ONE OF the UK’s best-known IBDs has become the London hub for Cyclism, a new performance coaching, events and corporate projects company headed up by pro rider Alex Dowsett. Cyclism will be running events and organised rides from the store, as well as offering pro-level services and coaching to riders of all abilities. Sigma Sport’s retail director Jason Turner told BikeBiz: “Holly Noble (one of Cyclism’s founders) contacted me after getting our details from Alex. Alex had done a book signing and Q&A in the store back in 2013 so I guess the store left a good impression on him. “Noble said they were keen to work with someone that has a strong reputation within the cycling community plus we have good facilities at the store including a meeting room, bike fit studio and sports treatment room. “Essentially they wanted a London base which they could use to meet their

FROM BOSSES TO THE FRONT LINE, IT’S ALWAYS GOOD TO TALK

clients and a place to carry out consultations and some fitness testing, something we were able to facilitate.” “Alex has been very much in attendance with the launch, the ride and has been to the store a number of times. “They are really keen to make Cyclism and its partnership with us a great success... as we are too.” Read our interview with Cyclism founder Alex Dowling on page 36.

‘NO OTHER CYCLE RETAILER HAS MATCHED OUR PROGRESS’ CYCLE REPUBLIC has detailed the number of store openings it has planned before the end of the year to BikeBiz. Halford’s standalone bike chain has just opened its ninth store, in Fenchurch Street in London and managing director Peter Kimberley has revealed another is planned before the end of the financial year, with a further five to eight lined up in the 12 months after that. Kimberley told BikeBiz the retailer’s growth is unmatched: “We are really proud to open our ninth store in just over 12 months – the pace of growth for Cycle Republic has been huge with no other cycle retailer matching its progress – and the customer feedback has been fantastic. “Our ambition was always for each store to be unique, both in terms of design and concept and how we look after our its local cycling communities.” Basso is one of the latest premium bike brands to work with the retailer. Read our interview with Kimberley on page 26 and 27.

BIKEBIZ.COM

EDITOR’S COMMENT IT’S BEEN a busy month. I’m fairly sure no one ever knowingly started a column off saying “I’ve been twiddling my thumbs and watching videos on YouTube all month long” but it really has been jam packed with cat videos, I mean professional goings on, all month long, here at BikeBiz Towers. This month, through the magic of magazines, BikeBiz has talked to a veritable host of head honchos from the cycle trade, as well as listening to the views of retailers on the retail front line. Who, you ask? Thanks for asking: In these pages you’ll find words from Sportline and Madison boss Dominic Langan, pro rider Alex Dowsett, Brompton boss Will Butler Adams, Reynolds managing director Keith Noronha, Endura boss Jim McFarlane, Weldtite MD David Bennett-Baggs, Rutland Cycling MD David Middlemiss, Cycle Republic boss Peter Kimberley, Bob Elliot director Paul Elliot, a big cheese from Taipei Cycle Show’s organisers…the list goes on. We have also gathered views from over 100 – yes over 100 – independent retailers for our ‘What IBDs really think’ feature. That’s right – while you lot might suffer sore feet after hours stood in the shop, I have to nurse a sore jaw and ‘telephone ear’ after hours spent chin wagging with the cycle industry. Not that I’m complaining, no sir! Funnily enough, communication was one of things that respondents to our survey (p43) said they wanted more of, proving it truly is good to talk. jharker@nbmedia.com

BIKEBIZ FEBRUARY 5

NEWS

The Great British custom bike surge Halfords bike sales rise after a tricky summer CYCLE SALES barometer Halfords has indicated that things may be on the up for the industry after 2015’s disappointing summer sales. Quarter three financials, covering the 15 weeks to January 15th 2016, saw bike sales rise a modest 1.1 per cent, like-for-like, though the bigger picture saw bike sales down 1.4 per cent, covering the 41 weeks to January 15th (and including the poor 2015 summer period).

Jill McDonald, chief executive, said it was “particularly pleasing” to see “strong growth in servicerelated sales and a return to LFL growth in Cycling” after “unprecedented weather conditions” – the warm start to winter hit the retailer’s car maintenance sales. The trade is tackling excess inventory following the poor summer of 2015. We’ve more on that topic on pages 43 and 74.

Framebuilding is seeing a resurgence in Britain to meet the rising demand from consumers, indicate industry sources

THE UK is seeing growth in the custom build market, according to leading players in the industry. Increasing numbers of custom bike builders and a rise in the number of frames being turned out by existing custom providers is servicing a growing demand, probably fuelled by the expansion of frame building courses like those provided by The Bicycle Academy. The iconic Reynolds Technology brand has told BikeBiz that it has seen a rise in demand for its steel from the custom sector. Reynolds Technologies managing director Keith Noronha told us: “In the last three to four years we have seen more interest from the growing band of small custom builders who have set up businesses to cater for tailored bike frames. This growth is reflected in the number of ‘custom bike’ shows like NAMBS and Bespoked.” The UK Handmade Bicycle Show, Bespoked, launched in 2011 and has tripled in size since then. “Knowing the provenance of what you are riding is part of the alchemy,” Bespoked founder Phil Taylor told BikeBiz. “The history and

legacy of UK cycling manufactory is the stuff of legend. UK framebuilding is in resurgence and there’s no better time to seek out your local framebuilder and have a bicycle made for you.” On a wider scale, British bicycle manufacture is set to increase vastly in 2016 with the launch of Brompton new site in Greenford, London. Brompton will double production through the move. The UK is also seeing innovation in cycle frame manufacture. Reynolds boss Noronha revealed: “We started a project with a Birmingham-based partner to make 3D printed titanium dropouts for early 2016 linked to our tube-set designs. The next development is a maraging steel version – so a high end lugged steel bike with the latest compact flatmount disc unit (mechanical actuation) could be on the cards!” There’s more on the British manufacturing sector in our special feature, starting on page 17. Meanwhile the BBC is airing a half-hour programme on English cycle manufacturing as part of its Inside the Factory series, with the broadcast date yet to be set.

Executive Editor: Carlton Reid carltonreid@mac.com

Sales Manager: Richard Setters rsetters@nbmedia.com

Sales Director: Mark Rankine mrankine@nbmedia.com

Marketing & Circulation bike.subscriptions@c-cms.com

Editor: Jonathon Harker jharker@nbmedia.com

Production Executive: Elizabeth Parker eparker@nbmedia.com

Managing Director: Mark Burton mburton@nbmedia.com

Editorial: Saxon House, 6A, St. Andrew Street, Hertford, Hertfordshire. SG14 1JA

Design: Dan Bennett dbennett@nbmedia.com

Content Director: Andrew Wooden awooden@nbmedia.com

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NEWS

Innovation comes CYCLE SHORTS to the London Bike Show 2016 Tern and Lezyne triumph in awards season

Tern bagged three Taiwan Excellence Awards for the Verge Tour, Verge X20 and space saving wall mount, the Tern Perch. Meanwhile Lezyne scored a Design and Innovation Award hat-trick for its Mini GPS cycling computer, Strip Drive tail light and Digital Over Drive floor pump. Teko also won a gong for its 100 per cent recyclable sports socks at ISPO.

Raleigh re-assembles (in the UK) Raleigh’s flagship Militis road bike will be the first bike the company has assembled in the UK for 13 years. The new version of the Militis bike will be one of the first to retail equipped with SRAM’s wireless eTap technology. Raleigh stopped making frames in the UK in 1999 and ceased assembling bikes in 2003.

New Publishing Director for Cycling Weekly

THE INNOVATION Lab is back for its second year at the London Bike Show. BikeBiz is once again supporting the initiative that showcases some of the newer brands entering the market, giving them a platform amongst household cycle brands. This time around, the Innovation Lab will be showcasing GPS tracking devices, light locks and an acrylic spray paint for bikes. Sherlock Bike is coming to London Bike Show’s Innovation

BIKEBIZ.COM

Lab off the back of an awards win. Sherlock was one of 100 companies to be selected out of 3,000 at Innovate 2015 in November, an event run by UK Trade and Investment and Innovate UK. Sherlock is a small GPS alarm that tracks bikes in real time and enables owners to retrieve it in case of theft. The design is small and light enough to be embedded into the frame, saddle or handlebars. Also appearing is Spray Bike, pitched as the first ever range of bicycle-specific colour coating

sprays, designed for amateur and professional use. The range was previewed at Eurobike last year with Brick Lane Bikes and the firm has recently produced a Fluro collection, including Magenta and Light Blue. Also at the Lab is Litelok, a lightweight, flexible and secure bike lock making use of Patented Boaxflexicore. Available in three colours, Litelok has met all British and International lock quality standards and achieved Sold Secure Bicycle Gold. Other Innovation Lab exhibitors include Blaze. The PR-friendly firm recently scored a coup when it teamed up with Transport for London on the Santander Cycle Hire bikes and now has a new rear light to exhibit – the Burner. The Innovation Lab can be found at the London Bike Show at ExCeL, running from Thursday February 11th to 14th. www.thelondonbikeshow.co.uk

With Keith Foster departing Time Inc UK after a 35 year stint, Steve Prentice has been appointed publishing director for the cycling group, which includes Cycling Weekly, Cycle Sport, Mountain Biker Rider and Cycling Active, plus the brand websites cyclingweekly.co.uk and mbr.co.uk.

Bianchi gets first UK store Bianchi is collaborating with Twenty3c for its first UK store, which will exclusively offer bikes from the brand. Set in Stony Stratford, the store will open in early February with bike fitting, an expanded coffee shop, fully equipped workshop and a full range of Bianchi bikes, as well as demo bikes and Bianchi accessories.

Correction Cedric Chicken is, of course, chairman of Chicken Cyclekit, not CEO as we erroneously wrote in the January issue. The person responsible has been forced to ride without mudguards for the week.

For breaking news visit:

www.bikebiz.com BIKEBIZ FEBRUARY 7

INDUSTRY OPINIONS

Talking heads Lazer Wasp Air has an optional inclination sensor for £349.99 (£249.99 without) which tells riders when they move out of ideal aero position

What’s the most important recent tech development in the world of cycle helmets? “I DON’T think there is a single stand out technology but the biggest change has been the investment that companies are making towards developing new and safer technologies. Consumers realise there is a difference and companies have taken notice.” SHAUN RYAN, Director of Product, One Industries, 661 8 BIKEBIZ FEBRUARY

“OVER THE last few years bikes have become more radical, speeds are higher, jumps are longer and drops are steeper so the need for MX-inspired helmets has been growing. When you look at head and face protection the use of helmet with chin-bars has been a big step forward. Looking at the Leatt DBX 5.0 and 6.0 helmets, the introduction of our 360° turbines is a very signiﬁcant development for increasing protection. The 360° turbines offer up to 30 per cent reduction of head impact at concussion level, up to 40 per cent reduction of rotational acceleration

to head and brain, which improve multiple-impact protection.” JOERN STEFFENS, R&D, LEATT “THE FOREFRONT of most industry technologies is happening on a molecular level and cycling is no exception. Viscous elastic foam isn’t necessarily a recent technology as it was originally developed in the ‘60s but advancements in its chemistry have made it much more applicable to multiple facets of cycling protection. In helmets, it has helped us address issues in rotational impacts, lower speed impacts

and multiple impacts within the same region by incorporating our Xmatter foam compound for instance. Furthermore we believe that the use of recycled, recyclable and environmentally comfortable materials is going to be an important factor in the future if not today already.” PASCAL HAF, IXS “AT THE high end, the marriage of aero whilst keeping good looks and venting has been a big development. More research in the development from brands like Bontrager is welcome to advance product and keep key brands like Giro on their toes.” RORY HITCHINS, Marketing and Senior Brand Manager, Upgrade Bikes, Overade “BRG SPORTS have spent years collaborating with the designers behind MIPS (Multi-Directional Impact Protection System). The technology was developed by scientists at the Karolinska Hospital and the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden, with a concept based on 19 years of academic research. Through their own extensive trials, Giro and Bell believe that helmets equipped with this technology may provide an additional measure of protection in some impacts. Though MIPS is

not new to the Giro and Bell ranges, the opportunity to introduce this additional safety feature to a wider market is massive for 2016. Both helmet manufacturers have introduced this technology on kid’s helmets starting at £45 and adult helmets starting at £55. “Full ranges of MIPS equipped helmets are available from Giro and Bell up to £200-plus.” PAUL CASWELL, Brand Manager, Zyro, Bell & Giro “MIPS TECHNOLOGY is proving more and more popular and its inclusion in the Youn-I helmet shows that it is now available across a broader range of helmets and not just the high end. For 2016 ABUS are launching the exciting new Youn-I MIPS youth helmet (£59.99). “ABUS also brings the innovative In-Vizz Ascent helmet (£129.99), with its full retractable shock polycarbonate lens that slides in and out of the shell easily.” NEIL MOUNTAIN, Brand Manager, Zyro, ABUS

iXS Trail RS

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INDUSTRY OPINIONS

What’s the biggest tech development in the world of cycle helmets? Jonathon Harker polls some of the industry’s key players…

Overade’s folding commuter-focused helmet

“BEING AERO is a conversation that has been had with helmets for several years now, so I’ll not cover that, instead point to some big moves this year with cycling helmets developing into ‘smart helmets’. This is moving the usual helmet discussion along from just how many vents a helmet has or how heavy it is, to what else it can do. Lazer is working on this with the addition of Pulse Rate Sensors (by LifeBEAM) and the Lazer Inclination sensor that notiﬁes you if you move out of your ideal aero position. We also have the emergence of the Enduro BIKEBIZ.COM

category with rules there that are requiring some unique products to address them. One of which being a DH certified chin guard which we have developed to work with our new Revolution open face helmet, meaning it can be detached, but when attached it offers the same coverage as a full face helmet and meets the same certification. For downhill racing the UCI have required racers who want to race with a camera attached to their helmet to prove the helmet will still meet the required certification also with the camera on. To my knowledge the

Lazer Revolution is the ﬁrst helmet to have reacted to this and Lazer is certifying their new Revolution helmet both with and without a camera attached to its SMS system (Safety Mounting System).” OLIVER COLLINS, Brand Manager at Madison, Lazer “THE MOST profound and important tech development for helmets has happened years ago in the background, at the heart of our R&D process: Through progress in digital simulation and design tools we are able to ﬁnd and integrate new technological

solutions, which make each helmet model purpose-built for a specific kind of use and therefore superior in terms of safety, ventilation, comfort and weight. “For example the Ice Lite Exoskeleton in the Sine Thesis, which is now for the first time made from a luminescent material that makes it glow in the dark; Sine Thesis’ unique construction makes it the most ventilated helmet on the market. Furthermore we are the first bicycle helmet manufacturer integrating D3O inserts into the shell of the Bluegrass Brave to give a superior multiimpact protection. Another

outstanding example is the MET Parachute: the lightest, most ventilated helmet with ASTM certiﬁcation on the market. Its construction was only feasible by our advanced, fully digital R&D process.” CHRISTOPHER MUELLENHOF, Marketing & PR, Met

ABUS Youn I MIPS Junior

BIKEBIZ FEBRUARY 9

INDUSTRY OPINIONS

Talking heads The Giro Synthe

What’s the biggest challenge for the helmet market? “DEVELOPING SAFE and innovative product at a price that consumers find reasonable [is the biggest challenge]. If money was no object I can only imagine what sort of helmet options we’d be seeing. “Additionally, as riders keep going faster and bigger, designing full-face helmets that meet their needs, while keeping weight down and providing adequate airflow is always a challenge. We work a ton with our riders to meet all their requirements and keep them in a helmet they feel safe and confident in.” SHAUN RYAN, Director of Product, One Industries, 661

10 BIKEBIZ FEBRUARY

“FOR ALL segments: Finding the right balance between low weight, compact dimensions, ventilation, comfort, maximum protection and of course aesthetics. The most challenging helmets are the ones which shall function uphill and downhill, a good design takes a lot more than just sticking a chin-bar on a cross country helmet.” JOERN STEFFENS, R&D, LEATT “BRINGING INNOVATION to the consumer and to the distribution network at reasonable cost. Analysing what’s needed, from the level of protection, using materials that are environmentally friendly and how to physically implement these ideas into a product at an affordable price tag is the key to our development process.” PASCAL HAF, IXS

“KEEPING BRANDS proﬁtable since there is so much competition. Keeping safety standards for consumers. Upgrade has kept out of the mainstream helmet business as we see it as a well fought battleground. However we work with Overade because their offering is more unique and well placed for the commuter cyclist. There are lots of players who are very much ﬁghting for what is a limited market. The industry needs to push fashion and encourage regular purchases to keep sales I think. Opportunity for increased awareness in London alongside the Santander bike hire scheme – this is why we work with Overade with its more unique folding/storage approach.” RORY HITCHINS, Marketing and Senior Brand Manager, Upgrade Bikes, Overade

“IN THE sporty market, nearly all cyclists are wearing a helmet. I assume it’s mainly because they see every professional cyclists on TV wearing one. And as the sporty market (inside the cycling market) is not necessarily growing (at least in France), competition between helmet manufacturers of sporty helmets is very important. When it comes to the commuting market the situation is different. So far, very few commuters were interested in wearing a helmet because sporty helmet or existing helmets were not answering their needs. Commuters use their bike as a way of transportation, so their needs and expectations in their bike accessories are different from sporty cyclists. This is why at Overade we made a folding helmet dedicated to commuters, answering their needs for more convenience. Because when we ask commuters why they are not wearing a helmet, 70 per cent of them say it is because wearing a helmet while commuting is not convenient: what do you do with your helmet arriving at work, at the restaurant, etc. “Inconvenience” is the ﬁrst reason why commuters are

not wearing a helmet. In the cycle to work market, potential growth is interesting, with few people equipped so far and a growing market (more people commuting), partly driven by ecological ideas.” CLÉMENT CAILLEAU, Sales Manager, Overade “TODAY HELMETS have to serve more than just a protective function. While weight and ventilation have always been important, today aerodynamics is a criterion a new helmet has to meet. As a sporting device a helmet has to help enhance an athlete’s performance, like our MET Manta, which saves you ten Watts at 50 km/h over the best competitor aero road helmet. Its featherweight of only 200 grams and the 360-degree retention system provide plenty of comfort, especially during long rides.” CHRISTOPHER MUELLENHOF, Marketing & PR, Met

Bell Super 2R

JOIN THE DISCUSSION @BIKEBIZ.COM BikeBiz wants to hear your opinion on the big topics in the bicycle industry, whether you’re a shop, distributor, brand or something else. To join the discussion, email BikeBiz@nbmedia.com BIKEBIZ.COM

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ICEBIKE* The move to the Arena: MK has opened up the possibilities for Madison and Sportline

Picks for 2016 It’s not long until the trade will be converging upon Milton Keynes for the 2016 edition of iceBike*. Jonathon Harker previews the products and speaks with CEO Dominic Langan… UNLESS YOU’VE been stuck underneath the proverbial rock for the past few months, you’ll already be well aware that this year’s iceBike* – Madison and Sportline’s house show, taking place later this month – is a big one, not least because it’s the tenth anniversary of BIKEBIZ.COM

the event. For the first time in its history, the cycle, triathlon and running show will have a free and exclusive public weekend show, running after the trade days on Tuesday February 23rd to Thursday Feb 25th. Taking place at the Arena:MK, aka the MK Dons

Stadium, there will be plenty of product packed in to make the trip worthwhile, but there’ll also be the all important one-off deals that retailers can take advantage of too. In addition to saving money, it is an excellent opportunity to brush up on new technologies and

products through the daily seminars which will be held by the likes of Park Tool, Shimano and Lazer to keep trade visitors ahead of the curve in 2016. But what about the products and sneak peeks from big named cycle brands, you ask… BIKEBIZ FEBRUARY 13

ICEBIKE* Lazer Blade

Thule ProRide 598

Kryptonite’s New York Lock Adventure’s Flat White

Ridgeback’s Electron Plus

A Chocolate Bananaflavoured Mule Bar Park Tool’s AK40 set

Saracen’s Kili Flyer Elite

Q GENESIS Genesis will be exhibiting its 2016 range of bikes including road.cc’s 2015 Sportive Bike of the Year, the Genesis Datum 30. In addition, Genesis will have the Zero on show, the bike ridden by the Madison Genesis team that competed so well in last year’s Tour of Britain. The world-renowned do-it-all Croix de Fer will also be on show to the public as well as the new Bridge series and the whole range of children’s bikes. Q RIDLEY It’s a good job there’s plenty of space at the show, as Belgian powerhouse Ridley is displaying its entire 2016 road range at iceBike*. Ridley is the bike of choice for the Lotto Soudal team and will be proudly showing off Andre Greipel’s famous green Noah SL. It 14 BIKEBIZ FEBRUARY

is the bike the aforementioned pro rode to victory on stage five of the 2015’s Tour de France. For Cyclo-cross, the brand new X-Night SL25 will be making its first UK trade show debut. Q SARACEN Saracen will also be out in force for visitors to get up close and personal with their latest machines. Ridden by the Madison Saracen Factory Race team the bikes on display at the Arena:MK will be the Kili Flyer Elite and Mantra Trail Carbon, which will be ready for dealers to order at the show. Q THULE Swedish brand Thule is renowned for high quality bike accessories and this year will be using iceBike* to show off its new roof racks and rear mount. The ProRide 598 is a

follow-up to the hugely popular ProRide 591, while the new Thule ThruRide is carbon-friendly and perfect for those with particularly precious bikes. Also the new Velospace is the ultimate rearmount that is designed for heavier machines, such as electric bikes and fat bikes. Q PARK TOOL Despite being now 52 years old, Park Tool still has plenty of drive to innovate, with a whopping 28 new products for 2016 – all of which will be on show at iceBike*, including the brand new multi-tool range which offer consumers workshop quality when on the road. A range of stands will also be on show and compelling point-of-sale deals will be on offer exclusively to those that attend the show, Madison tells BikeBiz.

Q SHIMANO Shimano will be exhibiting its latest range of products including full groupsets, wheels and pedals as well as offering unique deals to retailers on a wide variety of products. The e-bike technology Shimano STEPS will also be on show with a demo track for visitors to get to grips with and speak to the brand about its plans for 2016. A seminar on Shimano STEPS and the e-bike industry will also be scheduled during the exhibition. Q LAZER Demonstrating a whole host of its latest innovations in the safety market, Lazer will exhibit its limited edition Blue EPS helmets, one-of-akind Revolution Helmet and its new MX7 full face helmet, as worn by the Madison Saracen Downhill team. Lazer will also be offering BIKEBIZ.COM

ICEBIKE* Stealth Protein Energy Gel

VIEW FROM THE TOP THIS YEAR’S iceBike* is a particularly special affair, not least because it’s the tenth edition of the popular show but also the first time it will open its doors to the public over the weekend. CEO at Madison and Sportline, Dominic Langan, gives BikeBiz his personal take on this year’s show: “Since we started the iceBike* trade show in 2007, we have seen it grow massively in popularity, in the scale of the event and in the quality of our brand representation. Each year for the last ten years, this event, just like Madison, has grown year-on-year without exception and even last year in a well documented tough market Madison saw good year-on-year growth and iceBike* is a key to driving this year-on-year success for our customers and for us. “The fact that we are holding

Genesis Datum 30

Lazer Revolution

“Even last year we saw good year-on-year growth.” Dominic Langan Rapide RL3 Disc

retailers a range of exclusive iceBike* deals that will be very much worth turning up for, we hear. Q MADISON CLOTHING The latest range of Madison Clothing will be on display for the first time. Dealers will be able to get up close with the collections ahead of the Spring and Summer season. There will be sportive, road, mountain bike and commute lines, in the apparel range. Q GARMIN Undoubtedly one of the biggest fitness technology brands in the world, Garmin has plenty of clout and will be returning to iceBike* with a host of new products, retailer information and exclusive seminars. Among the new products on show will be the vivosmartHR, recently announced varia vision BIKEBIZ.COM

heads-up technology, varia radar and lights. There will also be information and useful advice available for retailers on how to make point-of-sale displays more effective in-store. Q PEARL IZUMI The apparel brand of choice for the BMC team, Pearl Izumi is exhibiting its entire Autumn-Winter range of clothing at iceBike* this year, making it a great chance to get an exclusive sneak peek into the collection to get organised ahead of schedule in 2016. Not only that, but iceBike* gives visitors the opportunity to meet the team behind Pearl Izumi’s market leading technical cycling apparel, so dealers can come and learn about the craftmanship and construction of Pearl Izumi garments from James Lamont.

Q SEMINARS Those seminars will deliver useful information on (and from) brands over the three days from the likes of Pearl Izumi, Park Tool, Shimano and Stealth. Legendary Park Tool bike mechanic Calvin Jones will be taking seminars on bike assembly best practice and how to incorporate it into your business. Pearl Izumi brand manager at Madison Clemence Copie will be talking through the potential pitfalls with retailing apparel and how to ensure that retailers always get it right. There will also be a talk from Boy Oudenampsen at Shimano on e-bikes and how Shimano STEPS is taking on the market. Social media sessions will also be available for those looking to grow their online presence and there’s a nutrition seminar from Stealth founder and expert, Tim Lawson.

a public weekend for the first time just demonstrates how successful iceBike* has been for us, as it gives us a unique opportunity to educate highly engaged end users about our brands and our network of specialist retailers. We have a superb agenda of educational seminars, great range of exclusive show deals and new products launches to make it a super opportunity for dealers to prepare for the 2016 season and beyond. Moving to Arena:MK in Milton Keynes was a big step up for us last year and the new venue suits the show perfectly. “The team at Madison and Sportline, along with the massive support we enjoy from all our brands each year, makes iceBike* a really valuable and enjoyable event for all those who attend!” www.icebike.co.uk BIKEBIZ FEBRUARY 15

MADE IN BRITAIN

Cycling’s Great British Manufacturers

Some iconic brands are still thriving in UK cycle manufacture

From apparel and lubes to bikes and components, the UK manufacturing scene is a hotbed of innovation including world class brands. Jonathon Harker speaks to some of the major players in the sector…

ccording to The Manufacturer, the UK is the 11th largest manufacturing nation in the world, directly employing 2.6million. In the bicycle business, there’s a surprisingly diverse range of gear being made in the UK, from apparel to lubes, grips, nutrition product and actual bicycles too. The cleaning and lubrication UK manufacturing sector is particularly strong, with some big players making product here, including Muc-Off, Fenwick’s, Weldtite and up and coming Wickens & Soderstrom, among others. Muc-Off is particularly interesting because the brand actually pulled production back into the UK, after a small but significant proportion was taking place overseas. Muc-Off sales manager James Cramp picks up the story. “We wanted to reduce our lead times by producing the range in the UK. We’ve always formulated and produced over 70 per cent of the range in the UK but with the rapid growth we’ve experienced over the past 24 months in the UK market BIKEBIZ.COM

alone it made sense for us bring the remaining 30 per cent back.” You’ll hear a lot about lead-time advantages in this article, but there’s also an environmental aspect too. “As we’ve grown our volumes, we have found we are now more efficient as we can fill containers and have full truck loads so it’s

everything pulled from the likes of Norfolk, Staffordshire and Cheshire. “By localising your sourcing, this means that any issues can be ironed out quickly and efficiently, and moreover, should problems arise, they can be acted upon and resolved far more effectively without causing large time periods of unavailablity,” explains Fenwick’s

“With our rapid growth it made sense to bring all production back to the UK.” James Cramp, Muc-Off meant our carbon footprint has remained almost the same but with increased number of units shipping globally. Reducing carbon impact in our supply chain is very important to us and we constantly try new ways to reduce it further.” Now Muc-Off employs ten full time staff in the manufacturing department, which rises to 30 depending on seasonal demand. Fenwick’s breaks down where its bike care products and packaging are sourced from, with virtually

Jonathon Smith. “The flexibility of dealing with someone, frequently face-to-face, in the same time zone is one advantage to UK manufacturing. “There is also a morality issue regarding keeping business within Great Britain, so that British families can make a fair living from producing in this country.” But it’s not all plain sailing, this manufacturing in the UK lark: “The main challenge is frequently regarding cost pricing,” Smith

adds. “There are certain products and product categories that mean that a supplier almost has no option but to get a product manufactured in the Far East in order to reduce their costs to a level that will allow the supplier to make a margin, but to also provide a wholesaler with a margin too, with a product that has a competitive retail price in its market. Far Eastern manufacture frequently requires much higher MOQs which can also put a drain on a suppliers’ funds, as they will have to commit to these larger quantities to guarantee production. Additionally, should a problem occur, these could take much longer to resolve in terms of lead times and shipping.” The costs in producing in the UK could lead to manufacturers looking to safeguard margin by changing its approach to the end consumer, Smith says: “In some cases, if a supplier wanted to keep their production domestic, but still offer competitive retail pricing, they would have to sell directly to the consumer in order to make adequate profit. The problem then BIKEBIZ FEBRUARY 17

MADE IN BRITAIN

KEEPING IT STEEL

Hope is one of cycling’s best known UK manufacturers

is that the supplier would not have the distribution network to adequately push out the product to market, without significant marketing expense.” David Bennett-Baggs, Weldite managing director, pinpoints exchange rates as a challenge: “Adverse changes in currency exchange rates effect our export prices. Whilst current rates are good for exporting it won’t necessarily be as favourable in the medium/long term. The uncertainty and threat of leaving the EU could threaten our relationship with our European customers. And potential interest rate increases which could slow investments and could affect exchange rates too.” Weldtite is this year celebrating its 76th year in the business. The firm was set up by the current MD’s

automate manufacturing processes, to ensure we achieve the efficiencies required for competitive pricing,”says Bennett-Baggs. “Stable commodity and energy prices” would improve manufacturing in the UK, the Weldtite boss says, as would greater certainty about the European Union position. Fenwick’s Jonathon Smith sees the reduction in raw material suppliers here in the UK, as well as longer lead-times, increased legislation and rising employment costs as issues. “One thing that would boost any business, not just manufacturing, would be the ability to have a set amount of retained profit that was tax-free up to £500K. It would make companies more robust and give greater flexibility and reduce liability.”

“Uncertainty around leaving the EU could threaten our relationships in Europe.” David Bennett-Baggs, Weldtite grandfather Charles Bennett-Baggs during the Second World War, to begin manufacturing tyre repair outfits. During the war, the firm started to work with the MOD and hit a period of growth, leading it to expand into larger premises and by 1990 the current North Lincolnshire factory had opened, where it injection moulds everything from tyre levers to kit boxes. Weldtite still makes repair kits on site as well as filling bottles of lubricants and cleaners for its house brands as well as OEM. “There has been a need to continually innovate and further 18 BIKEBIZ FEBRUARY

A fairly new challenger in the lube and cleaner space is Wickens and Soderstrom, which is little over 18 months old. Headed up by Lee Wickens, this UK manufacturer has a small team but thanks to positive press and a team up with Jungle Product, the firm is now retailing into 100 shops. “After setting up the brand we played about for six months to come up with the product.” Wickens reveals that exports are now a target: “We’ve just done a deal in Australia for the first time and we’re in shops in Sweden too. We’re looking for more international distribution.”

REYNOLDS STEEL is one of British manufacturing’s icons. Exporting over 80 per cent of its UK production – high end steel and titanium – the firm tells BikeBiz that it has seen steady growth over the last eight years. Reynolds Technologies managing director Keith Noronha says: “We’ve seen a general increase in our sales of metallic tubing, evenly split between worldwide custom builders and branded OEMs who have steel bikes built primarily in Taiwan. We are in a niche sales sector worldwide but we seem to be less affected by the year-end overstocking/discounting issues

deciding that they cannot make enough to live on and stop building. But the number of active custom builders is definitely far higher than ten years ago. “The larger UK high end bike frame companies seem to have good order books but are limited by their production capacity, and limited by their access to trained and experienced craftspeople. “The road bike boom has been in place for over five years – there must be a saturation point but the current trend for road disc bikes will bring in more novelty in the market for a while. To us, more sustainable growth has come from the wider interest in cycling across

“Sustainable growth has come from a wider interest in cycling.” Keith Noronha, Reynolds Technologies that can hit large OEMs or with the need for annual model changes. “In the last three to four years we’ve seen more interest from the growing band of small custom builders who have set up businesses to cater for tailored bike frames. This growth is reflected in the number of custom events like NAMBS and Bespoked as well as ‘local’ shows like Philly, Portland in the US, the Netherlands and Germany. The age of builders has broadened, as well as bringing in trained engineers passionate about building like a craftsman who approach design differently. “A number of new builders started up after going to the range of bike-building courses now on offer in the UK and USA. The best ones will survive and grow. But with increased competition in a tough marketplace, some are

the gender and age groups we now see at trade shows. “There’s more interest by branded OEMs in finding UK companies who could build in smaller batch sizes compared to Taiwan/Far East, with a better reaction time to trends, less capital tied up and more specialist niches to cover. As there are few local options, the net has widened to the EU – with the current exchange rates, this becomes a viable proposition for some. “For us, our metallic tubing appeals to the specific type of end customer where they expect to keep the bikes a long time, so they tend to research and identify with the heritage of brands they buy. We get many enquiries for technical info to support that level of choice. And more questions on the sustainability of materials and recycling.”www.rtl.cc

BIKEBIZ.COM

MADE IN BRITAIN HARDWARE The challenges of producing bicycle parts in the UK are inherently different to the lube and cleaner game. Hope is one respected British-made components brand in the UK but admits that it can feel out of the loop when it comes to new industry ‘standards’. “One of the main challenges specific to the bike industry is that since most of the large companies have all their manufacturing and design done in the Far East, it can be difficult to keep up with the many changes taking place with so called standards,” explains sales and marketing manager Alan Weatherill. “Many times the first we see of a new wheel or bottom bracket size is when the first bikes are delivered to the UK.” However, with the factory on-site, Hope can move quickly: “One of our main advantages is our ability to react quickly to any changes. If we want to make a new product or modify an existing one our designers simply walk into the next office and can have a prototype made the same day and be testing it the following day. Lead-times are reduced to the minimum.” The Barnoldswick firm, owned by Ian Weatherill and Simon Sharp since it was founded in 1989, laments the lack of UK manfacturers left in the cycle trade and is critical of the lack of support from Westminster: “Successive governments policy never took on board the importance of manufacturing,” Alan Weatherill explains. “A prime example was several years ago, when a government-run advisory board came to our factory to compile a report on how best to move our business forward. They suggested we move our production to China if we wanted to remain competitive. There was no consideration for our employees or their skills. Happily we ignored their advice, but the same advisory board is now funding companies to ‘reshore’ their manufacturing back to the UK.” British manufacturing’s specialisation in the high end has brought about challenges, with the need for highly skilled staffers. “Industry needs employees of all skill levels. The current thinking is UK manufacturing can only survive at the very highest level, and all employees must be educated to degree level to fulfil jobs in these 20 BIKEBIZ FEBRUARY

Innovative storage solutions from Cycloc are currently on display at the Design Museum

areas. Realistically there are only a few of these type of vacancies opening up. The majority of jobs in manufacturing are still on the shop floor producing the goods. Kids need to be shown that jobs in these areas can still be a fulfilling and worthwhile career path. “As an employer and manufacturer we take great

products in the Far East, but you’re not a “British” brand.” West Sussex-based Ultimate Sports Engineering (USE) believes that having the business in one location gives it an advantage. A spokesperson tells BikeBiz: “Manufacturing is the core of USE and Exposure Lights, we live and breathe our products and sell them

“Successive governments never really took on board the importance of manufacturing.” Alan Weatherill, Hope satisfaction in the fact that by employing people to make products in the UK, we’re adding revenue to the UK economy. The 120 people we employ all spend money in local shops and use local services, putting money back into the UK. And we all pay UK taxes.” With the sacrifices made to manufacture product in Britain, it’s perhaps understandably annoying when brands pose as UK-made. “A small area of frustration for us is the multitude of “British” brands arriving on the market. Just because you have a design office in the UK does not make you a “British” brand. We have no problem with you making your

globally as a result of their quality and capabilities. Maintaining quality and innovating is key to our continued success. Every component part and its interaction with human or machine is scrutinised. We retain the ability to respond quickly to market conditions therefore staying lean and efficient. Knowing every part of every process enables us to improve future products and be agile in a challenging market so often dictated by price. Every year we add new technology and state of the art processes to strengthen what we do. “Outsourcing manufacture would no doubt lower costs in the short

term but it would be short sighted as we would lose the ability to create our advantages.” Slightly further north, in London, is Cycloc, a bike storage company and Made in Britain Campaign member that is celebrating its tenth year in the summer. The firm’s products – the Solo and Hero – are currently being showcased in the Cycle Revolution exhibition at the Design Museum, London, running until June 30th 2016, in the ‘Future’ section of the show. The Solo was the first of Cycloc’s smart, simple and stylish wall mounted bike storage solutions. It was designed, like all the firm’s products, in a studio in Dalston, with all manufacturing taking place in Plymouth. TMR Designs was founded in the Lake District by three riders and engineers – Tom Bird, Matt Scott and Rob Nicholls. The business has been founded around the Imprint Grips, which riders can easily shape to fit their hands, cutting pressure peaks and boosting contact, comfort and control. Making the grips in Britain was always part of the plan, Nicholls tells BikeBiz: “We have faced many challenges, with the main ones being cost, availability and production speed. BIKEBIZ.COM

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MADE IN BRITAIN “Manufacturing in the UK can be expensive but we found that this was actually often due to the cost of procuring the raw materials in the UK. We had to really hunt around to find the best method of procuring our materials and conducting the manufacturing processes. Once we had found a suitable manufacturing partner we found it can be difficult to get the machine time when we require it because we need very specialist machines to give us the best quality. Unfortunately these machines aren’t available at the drop of a hat so we have to plan accurately when we require them. This can have a knock on effect to the speed of production but again with careful planning and good communications with our partners we are able to minimise this.” Specialist knowledge, however, has not been lacking on these shores, Nicholls adds: “The development of the Imprint Grips required a lot of R&D and complex manufacturing process. We found the skills and knowledge of the engineers and scientists in the UK have been second to none. We have found that the attention to detail of our manufacturing partners in the UK is excellent and this really helps us to ensure that we produce the best quality products possible. Manufacturing in the UK removes all the language barriers so we are able to accurately specify exactly what we want and quickly resolve any issues. “We are also proud to be manufacturing in the UK and putting much needed money back into the UK economy. It has enabled us to take our idea from concept to production quickly and we have noticed that companies are becoming increasing helpful in product development. They really care about quality.” SOFT GOODS Wildoo’s own brand VeloPac evolved from a single product developed in 2013. It was a simple low cost waterproof PhonePac designed to fit a jersey pocket and a simple addition to the Wildoo custom programme. Wildoo began the search for a manufacturer with expertise in plastic fabrications and printing started in China, but, as director Andy Easterbrook tells BikeBiz: “We very quickly established that the Chinese 22 BIKEBIZ FEBRUARY

TMR always planned to make its Imprint Grips in the UK

fabricators were inflexible, lacked design skills, demanded massive quantities and simply did not understand the product. We then started looking for a UK-based company that could produce what we required and very quickly found the solution right on our doorstep in Milton Keynes.” The company proved to have all the skills under one roof: Expertise in plastic fabrication, screen and digital printing and manufacturing. “We were able to develop an aftermarket range of digitally

potential with a fresh and unique product range with British design, quality and branding. So far we are exporting to Germany and Japan but in 2016 with the arrival of the premium RidePac we expect many new territories to come on board.” The cost challenges we’ve heard about already persist even into the nutrition category, Torq founder Matt Hart confirms to BikeBiz. “Price is the main challenge. It’s impossible to compete with developing nations like China, especially if volumes are high.”

“UK manufacturing can be expensive due to the cost of procuring raw materials.” Rob Nicholls, TMR printed PhonePacs with striking, fun designs. VeloPac has now evolved into a range with the addition of premium quality tarp musette and for 2016 RidePac. We agreed exclusivity with our producer for these product areas which is important for brand development. Local production also brings many advantages including speedy R&D, prototyping, problem solving, flexibility, QC, short lead-times, etc. British manufacturing also delivers export

Like lube firm Fenwick’s, Torq sees the face-to-face advantages of being in the UK as key: “If there are any issues or problems with suppliers, it’s easy to jump in the car and sit down face-to-face to discuss it. It’s also very useful to be on the production line sometimes, especially for packaging print runs, to ensure the quality of the job is signed off before the volumes are produced. This would be inconvenient and costly if you had to travel overseas every time.

“The other big benefit for a niche brand like Torq is the ability of a supplier to produce smaller runs, so although the prices are higher, commitment to large volumes of stock aren’t necessary. “In our world, it looks like the niche suppliers who provide a strong personal service and run smaller volumes seem to be thriving, because these service the many smaller UK businesses. As I said earlier, it’s impossible for the UK to compete with high volume runs from China, but we can compete on the smaller more personal bespoke items.” Taxing imports more heavily would boost the sector, Hart believes: “This would make manufacturing much more competitive in the UK and there would be natural industrialisation as a result. The effect of this would be to drive down prices anyway. “Dealing with UK suppliers where possible keeps the money in the UK economy and encourages employment and spending. Ideally, if all customers and businesses thought about their responsibilities to their country, they wouldn’t just be purchasing supplies based on price. At the same time, many would argue that we have a BIKEBIZ.COM

MADE IN BRITAIN to encouraging investment through capital expenditure for new equipment, and better vocational training options would all help but the UK is better than many developed countries and we do benefit from schemes such as R&D tax credits and the sort the support that we receive in Scotland through Scottish Enterprise.”

Hope’s Pro 4 hubs are the latest stand out from the company

responsibility to our neighbours around the world to help these countries to develop, so it depends where you stand politically. At TORQ, many of our products are Fairtrade for this reason, because if money is to leave the UK economy, we want to make sure that workers in developing countries aren’t exploited. And let’s face it – where are we going to find a supply of organic mango in the UK even if we did want to buy British?” In the world of cycle apparel there are a number of UK manufacturers, but perhaps none so well known as Scotland’s Endura. “When Endura started to manufacture in the early nineties the garment industry in Scotland – and the UK in general – was collapsing as production moved offshore and we are now one of handful of garment manufacturing facilities still in operation in Scotland,” Endura’s managing director Jim McFarlane tells BikeBiz. “The reason we can make sense of manufacturing here is through the fact that we are a niche specialist manufacturer that has continued to invest to stay at the front of our market. For mass market production the UK simply isn’t competitive. BIKEBIZ.COM

“In order for labour intensive manufacturing to be viable in the UK the products being manufactured must have benefits beyond the overseas competition so investment into product development, R&D, new process technology and other differentiators that increase the value of the end product to offset those higher labour costs are

“It is also important to the culture of Endura as we are striving to make our production facility a centre of excellence and a hub for a product development and innovation efforts. The more that our production relates to state of the art product that has been developed through intensive process in climate chambers, wind tunnels and with pro teams such as

“Let’s face it – where are we going to find a supply of organic mango in the UK?” Matt Hart, Torq absolutely essential. Our UK manufacturing is only viable because of the investments that we make into R&D, product development and advanced manufacturing equipment.” Keeping everything in-house can be seen as important as being in the UK, McFarlane tells us: “’In-house’ for us happens to be in the UK. The benefits for us are quality control and the flexibility to rapidly prototype and develop new styles and rapidly try out new technologies, constructions, fabrics and components in a controlled and flexible way.

Movistar Team and Cervelo Bigla, the more the extra cost of having production in-house can be offset by the benefits. Customers willing to pay a premium for world class kit also tend to appreciate that the product is being made in the UK and make allowances for that as well as the design and production quality when considering what they are willing to pay.” The Endura boss is pragmatic about any changes that could be made to improve the UK manufacturing sector: “There is no one thing. A weaker currency, a tax structure that was more conducive

BRITISH BIKES Brompton, Pashley and Moulton are the three big names in UK bike manufacture, but the increasingly active custom build market referred to by Reynolds MD Keith Noronha is worth noting. You can find many of them at Bespoked, the Bristolset UK Handmade Bicycle Show. This year, 70 of the 100 exhibitors will have UK-made product. Like the custom market, the show has grown significantly, tripling in size since the first in 2011 where there were 40 exhibitors. Bespoked founder Phil Taylor explains to BikeBiz: “There was so much demand after that first show that we had to find a bigger venue so we moved the show to Brunel’s Old Station, where it is now, with 80 exhibitors that year. In 2014 we held the show at the Olympic Velodrome in London with over 120 exhibitors. We could have doubled the exhibitors this year but our philosophy is to keep it small and keep it good, rather than growing it and squeezing out the individuals. At Bespoked you can see the best of the UK handmade bicycle industry under one roof.” So what is it about British-made product and custom cycles that is proving so popular? Taylor thinks it is down to the fact the cycling is more than the sum of a bike’s parts: “Knowing the provenance of what you are riding is part of the alchemy. The history and legacy of UK cycling manufactory is the stuff of legend. UK framebuilding is in resurgence and there’s no better time to seek out your local framebuilder and have a bicycle made for you using the world renowned Reynolds tubing, which is still manufactured in Birmingham. “The majority of the products at Bespoked are made to order in the UK. What make these items special is that before you’ve ordered them they didn’t exist, you have had a hand in creating the bicycle that you will be riding. When you swing your leg over the top tube you will BIKEBIZ FEBRUARY 23

MADE IN BRITAIN be sitting on a bicycle like no other, made just for you, to perform exactly how you wish it to. The feeling is magical and lasting, knowing that you’ve been involved in the creation of a bicycle that will last a lifetime.” One of the newer UK-made bike brands on the scene is Stanforth Bikes, run by Simon Stanforth, son of Paul (of Saracen and then EBCO). The firm launched in spring 2014 with one hand-made bike – the Kibo (the name of the peak of Kenya’s Mount Kilimanjaro) – an all-terrain touring bike for long distance expeditions, priced at £1,500. Simon Stanforth says his expectation was that consumers and the market would want a cheaper second model at a lower price point. “But it hasn’t transpired,” he tells BikeBiz. “Instead there’s been demand for a higher spec version of the Kibo so we launched the Shimano XT/Paul Component equipped Kibo+ in spring 2015 and are launching a top of the range Kibo Rohloff model in April 2016. The high-end spec bike is no longer targeting a very niche audience, but a number of people looking for quality and longevity in their bike. This more premium product isn’t exclusive to road bikes as touring bikes such as the Kibo are growing in popularity. “It is undoubtedly a significant premium for frames to be built and bikes to be assembled in the UK, partly down to the higher cost of the tubes themselves in the UK. Although there are more and more frame builders in the UK, which is great news, there’s still a lack of capacity for frames on a mass scale.” But quality is one advantage, Stanforth says: “One of my customers recently cycled around the world on a Kibo – he’s 6ft 5 and was carrying up to 60kg of luggage cycling hard off-road and rough surfaces, but I had no doubt in the strength of the frame – because it had been built by Lee Cooper. Yes Reynolds 631 frames can be built in the Far East, but it’s not just about the tubing, it’s how the frames are built and for an expedition bike it’s important the build is top quality which a number of UK frame builders are able to deliver.” George Longstaff produces traditional hand-built steel custom bicycles, tricycles and tandems. It all started in the late 1970s when Longstaff started building trikes to 24 BIKEBIZ FEBRUARY

Muc-Off’s range is now all UK-made

Stanforth started out with its first model – the Kibo – in 2014

improve his battered old Higgins – this he rode for many a mile whilst his pals were chasing girls, we hear. The firm picks up the story: “His craftsmanship and engineering skills led to the beginnings of a small frame shop, making high quality English handmade tricycles, tandems and bikes. “These are still being fabricated in the Albert Street workshop

enthusiasm, striving for problem solving and high quality ethos remains with the builder. “Last year we won the Steve Worland Innovation prize at Bespoked for the tandem trike carrying RGK lightweight folding wheelchair, which enables the rider to be independent once arriving at their destination, along with the multi-adjustable swinging crank.”

“The secret to our quality is our staff.” Will Butler Adams OBE, Brompton today, and at the height of this manufacturing, there were eleven folks involved – from the engineers who made the axles and two wheel drive units through to frame brazing and assembly.” In 1990 Valentino Campagnolo himself visited the Chesterton works and the Campagnolo link continues today, through Velotech Cycling and Graeme Freestone King, who shares the original workshop based at Chesterton. Longstaff Cycles still use the original jigs that George Longstaff made all those years ago, and although he tragically died in 2003 whilst riding his tandem trike, the

As usual, we’ve only scratched the surface of the cycle industry’s British manufacturing sector, so we’ll finish with some words from one of the best known – Brompton. CEO Will Butler Adams MBE: “London is essential to our identity and the way we build our bikes. The Brompton was conceived in London and we have been committed to the city from then on in. The bike was born from a need of city living, our staff are Londoners and the city continues to inform how Brompton develops. We’ve got a highly skilled workforce and we invest 12 to 18 months in training our brazers.

“However, there is a lack of young engineers coming through in UK manufacturing. And while we are committed to London this comes at an extra cost. Ultimately, our staff are hugely important to how we build the product and to move away from them would be detrimental to the company. “Being made in London is very strong value to export markets; British manufacturing is held in high esteem, particularly in Asia (Japan, South Korea, China, and Singapore). We have been building in London since 1975 and the secret to our quality is the staff who we have trained in that period. If we were to move the factory this knowledge and expertise could get lost and affect the quality of our bikes. After all, 75 per cent of the 1,200 parts that make up a Brompton are unique to our bikes so we cannot rely on other bike manufacturers’ skills and tech, which is why our in-house design and engineering team based in London are vital. They not only work on developments on the bike but also on the machinery that builds it, which is specifically designed for a Brompton. The technology behind it is the reason we build a good quality product.” BIKEBIZ.COM

MORE TEETH BIGGER SMILE

The new range of SunRace 10 and 11-speed, wide ratio cassettes 11-40t, 11-42t, also in black

CYCLE REPUBLIC

IT’S JUST over a year since Cycle Republic launched. How has it gone so far and has it met with your expectations? We are really proud to open our ninth store in just over 12 months – the pace of growth for Cycle Republic has been huge with no other cycle retailer matching its progress – and the customer feedback has been fantastic.

One year on It’s been a little over 12 months since Halfords’ resurrected the Cycle Republic brand. Jonathon Harker catches up with Cycle Republic MD Peter Kimberley on tweaks to the store concept, branching beyond London, appealing to women and how many shops the firm has planned for the near future…

26 BIKEBIZ FEBRUARY

How has the concept developed or been tweaked? Our ambition was always for each store to be unique, both in terms of the design and concept and also how we look after our local cycling communities. Back in the summer we launched our reward scheme, believed to be the first of its kind in the UK, which offers excellent rider benefits like free puncture repairs and a half price annual service, plus access to other offers and VIP exclusives. All shops operate a free “try before you buy” option and can also arrange zero per cent finance plus provide a free courtesy loan bikes to customers while their bikes are being serviced and repaired.

We’re doing more for our customers in all things cycling, including through interactive free bike maintenance workshops. We’ve also been piloting ‘Bike Nights’ which offer customers free bronze servicing, SIS nutrition seminars, discounts on clothing, refreshments and just generally a bit of fun with free giveaways and a Turbo competition. In the New Year we also launched an exciting partnership with cycle to work provider Cyclescheme so all nine shops are now accepting Cyclescheme vouchers, to help more people choose the right bike for them and to get cycling. Has there been a difference in how the new stores have been received outside London? Or a difference in the stores themselves? All our stores are unique – the locations and in store design, but first and foremost, the store colleagues. The new Fenchurch store, aside from looking after its own community and commuters in a new part of London for Cycle Republic, is our largest store and BIKEBIZ.COM

CYCLE REPUBLIC

CYCLE REPUBLIC: BLUFFER’S GUIDE HALFORDS HAS actually owned the Cycle Republic brand for a number of years, but closed it (temporarily, we now know) in April 2009. At the time Halfords was looking to reduce costs and so rebranded the stand-alone pilot under the Halfords name. Fast-forward to summer 2014 and Halfords swooped for a couple of key appointments for its cycle business, including Peter Kimberley as divisional director. Kimberley joined from Evans Cycles, where he’d worked as regional manager and then head of retail. By the end of 2014 the news broke that Cycle Republic would return, with the first over three floors. It also houses our biggest repair workshop, so we can offer comprehensive and convenient repairs to more urban commuters in London. Our passionate colleagues are all cyclists. Cycling is in our DNA, this is reflected in the servicing and expertise provided to all our customers. Store nine is opening now, in the City – can you tell us a bit about the new store, its main features and your hopes for it? With over 180 bikes on display ranging from new and exclusive premium Basso bikes, the Haibike 2016 range, Gocycle electric bike, new 2016 Pinarello road bikes and the 2016 Boardman Elite range, the store will have something to excite every city cyclist. Cyclists can drop in for bike servicing and repairs and will receive unrivalled service, delivered by fully trained expert mechanics – with free loan bikes on hand for more extensive repairs. Cyclists in the market for a new bike can also take bikes on a free test ride in a new ‘try before you buy’ scheme, BIKEBIZ.COM

Halfords announcing it would take the concept to London as well as major towns and cities across Great Britain. The news followed financials that showed cycle related sales now accounted for over a significant third of Halfords’ retail business. Kimberley became Cycle Republic Director around this time, before being appointed managing director of Cycle Republic in August 2015. The first Cycle Republic store opened at Euston, while the first outside London opened in Norwich in March 2015. Matt Rudd became Cycle Republic area manager in September last year.

ensuring they make the right choice with their purchase. How successful has Cycle Republic been in appealing to women so far, generally? Female cyclists are hugely important to us and we have a fantastic women’s range across all shops including the exclusive Pendleton and Haibike range.

You mentioned the new store be operating ‘try before you buy’? Cyclists in the market for a new bike can use our free ‘try before you buy’, to help customers choose the right bike for them. The team will also provide unrivalled bike servicing and repairs, with free courtesy bikes on hand for more extensive repairs.

“No other cycle retailer has matched our pace of growth.” Peter Kimberley Fenchurch store continues to increase its range of female specific cycling products, leading the trend with a 30 per cent female-specific offer including brands like Assos, Pearl Izumi, Gore and Giordana. Each month every shop runs free women’s workshop sessions which are practical and interactive, providing women with the opportunity to learn the basics of taking care of their bike.

It has been mentioned that you could open as many as 100 stores nationwide. How many do you anticipate will open in 2016? This is our ninth store and we anticipate having around ten by the end of the financial year with a further five to eight shops the following financial year. Can you sum up the Cycle Republic concept?

Cycle Republic is a local one stop bike shop, catering for all cyclists. We offer customers exclusive premium bikes, with an extensive range of parts, accessories and clothing. A full range of femalespecific bikes and accessories have been chosen to appeal to women cyclists. Our shops have an experienced team of cycling specialists who are on hand to help with essential servicing, maintenance and with repairs; plus they provide a free courtesy bike while customer bikes are in the workshop. We are passionate about rewarding our customers and last year launched the first ever Reward Scheme for cyclists providing free puncture repairs and a half price annual service, plus access to many other offers and VIP exclusives. Brands available in-store include: Boardman, Basso, Gocycle, Pinarello, Cinelli, Quella, Haibike, Pendleton and 13 with accessories from Pearl Izumi, Gore, Assos, Giordana, Dare2b, Altura, Lake, Northwave, Sealskinz, Hump, Proviz, Giro, Bell, Lezyne, Kryptonite and High5. BIKEBIZ FEBRUARY 27

LONDON BIKE SHOW

GET TO GRIPS WITH THE LATEST TECH

The London Bike Show is not just an opportunity to simply see new releases from major brands in the industry, you can also get to grips with the latest tech first hand. From smart technology such as GPS and heart rate monitors, and of course the latest bikes, you will able to get ahead of the game and discover which tech everyone will be chatting about in 2016. Some of the biggest brands in the biz are set to be at the show, with the likes of Specialized, Boardman, Cannondale and Scott confirmed to attend.

EXPERT ADVICE AND KNOWLEDGE

Whether it is a case of getting industry insight or quizzing a seasoned ex-professional, The London Bike Show has plenty of elite knowledge to share. The Cycling Performance Theatre is back once again and has previously hosted discussions with legends such as Sean Kelly, Greg LeMond and Sir Chris Hoy, as well as mastermind Sir Dave Brailsford; the show has even acted as the official launch of new trade teams in the past. There are few better chances to discuss some of the industry’s and sport’s biggest talking points, the show says.

SOLVING YOUR NUTRITIONAL PROBLEMS

WITH THE exhibition floor hosting many big nutrition names in the sport, The London Bike Show offers up your chance to quiz the experts face-to-face and see how the competition measures up. Etixx and Science in Sport will be bringing their latest offerings, with High5 making an appearance at the adjoining Triathlon Show: London. There’ll also be chance to swot up on recent nutrition developments, so you’ll be able to show those internet researchers a thing or two when they come into the shop.

SHOW OFF YOUR MECHANIC SKILLS

THE WORKSHOP is another returning feature for 2016’s London Bike Show, where you can either sit down with a fresh coffee and discuss tricks of the trade with professional mechanics or show off your daunting skills with a spanner, in the Cytech Fastest Wrench Competition. Free to enter, the race against the clock consists of removing an inner tube from the wheel, replacing it, before then re-inflating and re-assembling the brakes; finish the day atop the leaderboard to claim your prize and be crowned Fastest Wrench 2016.

28 BIKEBIZ FEBRUARY

REASONS TO GO TO THE LONDON BIKE SHOW The London Bike Show is now just a few weeks away, but is it worth leaving the shop or office to get along to it? BikeBiz presents ten reasons why you should get yourself over to ExCeL in February…

AIR TO THE THRONE MAKES ITS DEBUT

WHILE WE can’t really pretend this has a trend-angle, the inaugural edition of Air To The Throne will be a spectacle all the same. The adrenaline fuelled competition lines up 30 of the world’s finest freestyle mountain bikers who will duke it out for a prize pot of €10,000. Set upon a testing AT3 course, which includes gigantic features to allow the riders to showcase their biggest tricks, it guarantees plenty of heart in your mouth moments to accompany the aerial acrobatics above. There is also the option to head up to The Hot Seat bar, which overlooks the course, in order to watch British riders including Sam Pilgrim, Matt Jones and Daryl Brown contest this rare spectacle in the UK.

BIKEBIZ.COM

LONDON BIKE SHOW

IT’S FREE TO THE TRADE

THAT’S RIGHT, readers, you can come along for free to the unofficial trade day on Thursday. Register at www. thelondonbikeshow.co.uk/trade The London Bike Show takes place at ExCeL London, from February 11th to 14th.

IT IS NOT JUST THE LONDON BIKE SHOW

BUYING A ticket offers more than just seeing what’s on offer from the world of cycling, a ticket also includes entry to Triathlon Show: London, The Telegraph Outdoor Adventure & Travel Show and The London International Dive Show.

TEST RIDES

IT WOULDN’T be right to look at all that nice shiny new kit, accessories and bikes without trying them out. With that in mind, The London Bike Show has constructed the indoor BikesEtc Test Track. Here visitors can make sure they know which bike suits them best and try out that latest tyre sizes. Canny dealers can identify which bikes – types and brands – that have been left on the rack. Just a thought.

THE PERFORMANCE TRAINING HUB

NOT SURE whether to dip your toe into bike fitting? Well the Surrey Human Performance Institute is back to the LBS by popular demand, putting athletes through their paces for two hours in order to analyse fitness with a broad spectrum of tests; delivering comprehensive reports on nutrition, technique and body composition. This performance lab provides a rare insight as to the scientific testing which is undertaken by professionals throughout the year.

BIKEBIZ.COM

SEE 2016’S CLOTHING TRENDS

SURE YOU probably have an idea of these already, but finding a bunch of apparel brands together can highlight hitherto un-noticed trends in the market. Floral prints? Fluro designs? Whatever the breaking style of the year, it is sure to be on show here, giving you a close up first look at race kit, commuter clothing, casual attire and anything else the market has to offer. The range of clothing brands showing their wares will be varied, with Vulpine bringing their stylish apparel, and X-Bionic catering for those wanting the most up-to-date technical products. This as well as Fat Lad at the Back giving their own unique twist on the cycling clothing market.

BIKEBIZ FEBRUARY 29

RUTLAND CYCLING

R DEALE ILE PROF

Rutland Cycling MD David Middlemiss

Rutland reaches 10, and rising Think Rutland Cycling is just about hire bikes around a body of water? It may be time to rethink your definition of the growing retailer, which has had a busy year, doubling its store portfolio and relaunching its ecommerce website. Jonathon Harker speaks with MD David Middlemiss… THINK RUTLAND Cycling and you will likely conjure up images of families riding bikes around a body of water in the sunshine and while that’s not wholly inaccurate, the retailer is now a lot more besides – thanks to what has been a huge year for the family business. The retailer firm started out as a simple hire outlet on the banks of Rutland Water in the ‘80s, but Rutland Cycling last year opened its first store further afield – in Peterborough – and then went and acquired Cambridge’s four-store Station Cycles, doubling its store portfolio and taking the total up to nine. “We’ll have ten by Easter,” reveals Rutland Cycling managing director David Middlemiss. That’s right, instead of taking it easy in 2016 – after that year of expansion, the online relaunch and rebranding – the firm is setting up another new store, this time in its new locality of Cambridge, at the train station as part of the transport hub’s overhaul, where Rutland will operate a retail store, hire outlet and workshop. BIKEBIZ.COM

“Station Cycles is already a successful business and we really respect it and want to build on it. We will learn from what they do well and vice versa. “Our model will work well there, but Cambridge is a bit different, a bit more urban than we usually are. Brompton are new to us.

Cycling? Almost: The store is also just a few miles outside the city so has a commuter element, an area Rutland will be getting to grips with to a bigger degree than ever, thanks to the new stores over in Cambridge. All this expansion has presented a conundrum for the family firm:

“Station Cycles is already successful. We want to build on that.” David Middlemiss, Rutland “The new station store is another new format for us, but we’ll do a great job. We can use it for click and collect and we have a near network of stores to get product to and from.” Today BikeBiz is meeting Middlemiss at the new Peterborough store. Roughly five years in the making, it’s 9,000 square feet of purpose-built retail, set over two floors in Ferry Meadows Country Park and near a body of water. So far, so Rutland

How can you call a store ‘Rutland Cycling’ when it’s dozens of miles away from Rutland Water? Do you just ‘do a Cotswold Outdoors’ and not worry about it? Or do you do something else? The latter – the retailer has opted for a neat ‘Rutland Cycling at Peterborough’ a format the rest of the store network will use. Rutland Cycling was approached by the Nene Park Trust, which wanted to grow cycling as an activity in Ferry Meadows Country

Park after seeing how Rutland Water was performing. The original building in the park was held by a golf company and too small for purpose. In the space of a year, the site was demolished and opened for the grand launch on October 24th 2015, with Tracey Moseley and Magnus Backstedt officially opening the store. “We specced it out,” MD Middlemiss tells BikeBiz. “It’s actually 10,000 square feet over two floors, with a 1,000 sq ft unit for golf behind the store – there’s two courses in the park. “It’s the first time that we’ve built a shop from scratch with the fresh new branding. We worked hard on getting our branding in the shop and balancing that with the bike labels that we want to shout about. There’s no perfect answer to it. My wife Sally is head of online and marketing and has worked on that with the Whiteroom Agency, who put together the Giant stores.” Famously, Rutland Cycling likes a packed events calendar and the new Peterborough store has carried that through. “We’ve got BIKEBIZ FEBRUARY 31

RUTLAND CYCLING

maintenance classes, workshop seminars, evening events, late opening, women-only seminars, nutrition nights, Breeze rides with our in-house Breeze champion…” There’s also a coffee bar built into the store, with tables and seating that can be easily whisked out of the way for those evening classes when need, but “it’s not a café,” Middlemiss stresses. “Clubs use it. We’ve got a big free car park and free coffee – that isn’t a bad start for a cycle club. “We’re trying to move beyond that classic club relationship with shops, where they get offered a discount and that’s about it. We can link them up with brands and give them privileged access to them. We can say to them, you can come and speak to the guys from Trek yourself, you can access new products like this. It’s relatively low maintenance for us to offer.” The shop is close to the Peterborough Arena and Showground – the hub for the Tour of Cambridge which Rutland got stuck into for its 2015 debut. Middlemiss explains: “The Tour of Cambridge was an exciting event and really well organised. There were free workshops, demo bikes and we ran the TT static bikes. Paligap supplied most of the static bikes and it was super busy – we had 620 people on the bikes.” Rutland also ran a big MTB demo in November, which saw 300 riders try out new year models. “There was a lot of interest in plus sized tyres. We had great brands there and they all brought someone along. “We range all the brands in store and took on Bianchi and Cannondale this year.” Middlemiss says the Peterborough store will be making room for e-bikes. “It’s a big opportunity for 2016, which is a big positive when other sectors have been so challenged! There is a question over electric bikes, though. Who will do it? It’s about establishing yourself as the local e-bike retailer. “It’s like the womens market. You can’t just bung a couple of bikes in and hope for the best. You have to commit to it. “The womens market has grown for us. It’s a big chunk of sales and growing. It’s strong at the Giant store too – Liv is great. You need 32 BIKEBIZ FEBRUARY

R DEALE ILE PROF

the format to support it. It’s been successful and we’ve dedicated more space to it here. It’s a smaller chunk of sales, ultimately, but it is showing growth.” There’s a sub-conscious line of reasoning to serving the female market too, argues Middlemiss: “Many male purchases are endorsed by women, so to create an environment where women are looked after too or attractive to everyone is a good idea.” “You need women in the team, with rides and seminars aimed at women. We’ve had females as key members of our staff for three

become more important than ever in 2016. “If you do a good job for the customer you will do well. So long as they get excellent customer service then they will enjoy coming into the store. You can earn their trust by doing a great job and then they are less likely to come in and haggle all the time. “Customer experience has always been a priority and you must find new ways of doing it, but essentially the same. It’s as old as the hills and fundamentally about the same key things. “You have to offer value, yes, but it’s also about putting people on

“If you don’t have the team in place, the rest of it falls apart.” David Middlemiss years.” Rutland’s Grafham store is heading up by women. “It would be great to see more women technicians,” he rues. “It’s hard to recruit women because of the scarcity in the trade.” EXPERIENTIAL RETAILING Some retail gurus have predicted that the shopping experience will

bikes and them having a good time. They want to get involved in cycling, they want to engage with the product – customers can come along to MTB demo days. We will continue to offer demos, events – we’re committed to that format.” The retailer said it has worked hard on recruiting: “We have changed the staffing structure,” the

MD explains to BikeBiz. “We have a store manager but then we have MTB ambassadors, road ambassadors, women ambassadors and they deputise the store manager. They effectively lead their part of the store. The MTB guys can sell a road bike, of course, but they specialise. “Recruitment is very important and a challenge. We rely on other people to deliver and make our business work. We really rely on the calibre of the people. Thankfully we’ve had real success in recruiting. If you don’t have the team the rest of it falls apart.” Training has been key to the firm’s success and retention of staff, Middlemiss believes, going beyond the usual for the bike trade. “We provide coaching for store managers. We input to the training, but it is run by a third party outside the bike industry. You need managers that are empowered, so often owners don’t do this.” “I understand some retailers are hesitant to train staff because they might leave and you’ll lose the investment, but if you don’t invest in them and give them incentives to stay they will leave. It is our job to make the workplace more attractive and you can grow when your people are really good.” BikeBiz is introduced to a recent recruit attracted all the way from Johannesburg, having seen the job ad on BikeBiz (of course). After a successful interview over Skype, the new recruit came over into temporary accommodation provided by the retailer. “If you’re good, it doesn’t matter where you come from.” Despite all the growth, Rutland is a family business aware that – from the outside – it is starting to sound more like a big corporation. “We were really proud to win a Family Business Award. It really matters to us. We want Rutland Cycling to be the kind of business where we want to shop. We may be a chain, but we really care if there is an issue. It’s a struggle to get it right as you expand, but it’s our aim.” With another store opening imminently at Cambridge Station, you might think the retailer is going to sit back in 2016. Not so, MD David Middlemiss tells BikeBiz: “We’re interested in acquisition and building new sites – taking our core elements to other places.” BIKEBIZ.COM

RUTLAND CYCLING

Anatomy of a bike shop: Rutland Cycling DEALER at Peterborough PROFILE

Rutland Cycling MD David Middlemiss takes Jonathon Harker around some of the key features of the new purpose-built Peterborough store…

BRANDING:

STORE ENTRANCE:

HIGH CEILING:

“We’ve worked hard to get our branding into the shop,” Middlemiss tells BikeBiz, picking up on point that if you’d been blindfolded and plonked in a bike shop, most of the time you’d have no idea which bike shop you were in. A subtle ‘R’ in the changing room is amongst the ways the Rutland name is placed in shop and in the minds of customers.

“It’s a softer message when you come in. There are lower priced bikes, kids bikes, hybrids…” Beyond that there is effectively a ‘MTB pro shop’ further in, a pro road shop in a shop, etc. That entrance includes a Frog wall installation in the kids bike section. Other noteworthy points are the service counter – “we’ve one workshop stand out front, then the rest are out of sight.”

“The ceiling upstairs is deliberately higher to give it a kind of ‘wow’ effect,” the MD tells BikeBiz. On the first floor Rutland has worked to keep sight lines across most of the level. The full road range is upstairs, as is the large women’s section. “Road is a big category for us and S-Works and Project One are key.” A fit studio is located at the back: “It’s the right environment, in the right area of the store.”

WOMEN:

STORY TELLING:

COFFEE, NOT CAFÉ:

Alongside the road section upstairs is a dedicated womens area. It has developed ideas from Rutland’s Giant store “and pushed them further. We used to have a couple of womens bikes alongside mens bikes,” explains Middlemiss. “But now we ﬁnd that having a separate area is paying off. The womens market is deﬁnitely getting more popular.” There’s a changing room too.

Taking inspiration from renowned independent service stations like Tebay, Rutland has developed POS material explaining the “Who we are” story behind the shop. Technically another example of branding in the store, it catches the eye and helps establish the family story behind the retailer and its identity too.

It’s not a café, but there is a coffee area toward the rear of the shop, used for ride outs, events and seminars. That events timetable is spelled out on a ‘specials’ blackboard. Middlemiss concludes: “We’re looking at ﬁnding a space for e-bikes in the store. There are not lots of things to change – we’re looking at ﬁnding a space for e-bikes – but we’ll tweak things as we go.”

34 BIKEBIZ FEBRUARY

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FORMULATED FOR PROFESSIONALS.

IN STOCK & READY TO ROLL. +PZ[YPI\[LK PU [OL <2 I` 9HSLPNO *\Z[VTLY :\WWVY[ :HSLZ!

CYCLISM

Pro rider offers support British pro rider Alex Dowsett has just launched coaching service Cyclism, with a London hub based in Hampton Wick bike shop Sigma Sport. Dowsett tells Jonathon Harker all about it… THERE’S NO shortage of accolades accumulated by Movistar Team rider Alex Dowsett. Now the former World Hour Record Holder and current National TT Champion has launched Cyclism – offering coaching, support and services to riders, from experienced pros. The first Cyclism London hub has been set up at Sigma Sport, where one-to-one coaching and consultation sessions, bike fitting, physiological testing services and more will be offered. BikeBiz caught up with the busy Dowsett shortly after the launch... How long has Cyclism been in the making? Why did you launch it? I decided to start Cyclism after realising there is a lack of support out there for people to achieve their potential. On top of this there weren’t any cycling companies that could offer a number of different services all under one roof. I wanted to be able to offer riders not just coaching, support and testing but also the chance to become part of something through our membership scheme, our cycling club, the events we run for all levels of cyclist, our training camps in Italy and our bespoke services. I also really wanted to invest in young riders as my 36 BIKEBIZ FEBRUARY

sponsors in my younger days did for me and am hoping to launch a Cyclism Youth Academy to help mentor and support young riders. One of the most important parts of Cyclism is coaching and I have realised that the support, knowledge and guidance I’ve been lucky enough to have throughout my career I take for granted somewhat. I wanted to set up a coaching and testing service which offers World Tour level support to everyone regardless of their ability. I would be happy to have any of the Cyclism team support me in my

everyone and to engage more people in cycling. Are there plans to open hubs elsewhere in the country? Absolutely, but we are in no rush. For us it’s all about being able to give the best experience possible, offering unique training programmes. That personalisation is what we’re about. We’ve fantastic partners – Wattbike, SigmaSport, Pedalsure, Cyclissimo and Canyon Bikes – and we are doing very exciting things with them. We have been mindful to grow the company

“People love hanging out in bike shops.” Alex Dowsett

personal career at my level, and it’s that level of professionalism that I wanted to offer everyone. It’s been a year in the making and has been very exciting. We’re already coaching a range of cyclists who are all undertaking different challenges, from the Amstel Gold sportive, a racer achieving a 2nd cat licence and another rider in rehabilitation post surgery. Our ethos is to offer the best we can to

using word of mouth, achieving people’s goals and race results are testament to our progress. Slow and steady wins the race and all that! Why Sigma Sport? It’s simply one of the best bike shops in the country, and really echoed our professional ethos. When we sat down to discuss working together it was a meeting where you came away and it felt

like we’d found a perfect partner, one of those gut feelings. And the coffee was good, that always helps! People love hanging out in bike shops, I know I’m guilty of it, its proximity to London and to Richmond Park is a huge benefit as well. Plus it’s a shop where a complete novice can walk in with nothing and then walk out an hour later without having to wait for anything to be ordered in, and that’s quite rare for a bike shop. What are your hopes for Cyclism for the next five years? That’s the million dollar question. We’d like to see some good growth but most important to us is that everyone that we have worked with feels like they are well looked after and has enjoyed a great experience with support in every aspect of their cycling. We are opening up different sectors of Cyclism, for example an exclusive membership package, we will be investing in women cycling and women-only coaching days and also that youth academy is in the pipeline and is something I’m personally eager to implement potentially as soon the 2017 season. We also will be launching athlete management, events and team car rental as well so it’s all very exciting. cyclism.com BIKEBIZ.COM

FLR

Sole trader

Aerodynamics have been a core focus in the design of the 2016 ranges

From a modest start, FLR has gone from strength-to-strength for Bob Elliot. Director Paul Elliot gives Jonathon Harker his honest appraisal of where the brand is at, and what’s ahead for the footwear brand in 2016 and beyond Bob Elliot took on FLR shoes back in 2012/2013. How’s the journey been with the brand so far? We had teething problems initially as with any new brand, but those have now been overcome. Now the brand is progressing year-on-year and in 2015 we recorded our best selling figures on shoes to date. We have more stockists up and down the country and the range of shoes we offer has increased with more road and MTB models available and now also a triathlon option. Speaking of sectors, is FLR strongest in MTB or road? Road shoes sell in a bigger quantity than MTB shoes. We sell road and MTB shoes up to £179.99 and have a good track record with the Strawweight XX road shoe. However, MTB shoes have increased in sales in 2015 and with new designs and improved technology in 2016 we expect this to further increase. Our triathlon shoes also had a strong introduction in 2015 and we expect that to continue in 2016. Has the range changed to accommodate growing markets, like say, the CX market? The FLR F95X carbon MTB shoe features replaceable walking treads which offers excellent grip and also removable spikes for CX racing. Have there been any key technology updates that the trade should be aware of for the latest ranges? There have indeed. The reel knob closure system is now one piece and can easily be replaced if necessary – that’s present on the XX, F95X, F75 and F22 models. The reel knob closure system has a seamless upper design which make the shoes extremely well ventilated and very lightweight. The XX shoe has been designed in cooperation with Julien Verard, pro tour rider for AG2R La 40 BIKEBIZ FEBRUARY

Mondiale. His expertise has influenced the development of this shoe to create one of the best carbon road shoes in the market. Which key models are ‘muststocks’ for the trade? Every shop needs an entry level shoe. We have this available for both MTB and road disciplines with excellent price points, starting at £59.99 SRP in various colour and size options. At the higher end, the XX and F95X carbon road and MTB shoes are FLR’s flagship products and feedback for these models has been very positive. We are introducing a ladies option in both road and MTB for 2016 retailing at £59.99 and FLR also list a range of cleat accessories and from FLR’s sister company, Funkier – there are socks and overshoes also available to complement. FLR created the 2016 collection with aerodynamics as a core focus. Aerodynamics led the design brief, with engineering and design departments merely steering the ultimate packaging toward a goal of building the fastest, best fitting, most comfortable shoe collection on the market – in all levels. What are your expectations for FLR in 2016? We anticipate further growth, especially with the strong feedback on the many new designs. There’s marketing support for FLR including through sponsorship of Continental rider Marius Hafsås, following some great results in UCI Tours last year and winning the King of the Mountains in the Tour de Hongrie. And everything is in place – we have good stock availability and excellent reliability, plus a couple of different floor stands available for dealers (a compact and a premium) as well as branded slat wall hooks and product information cards available. www.bob-elliot.co.uk

“Road shoes sell in bigger quantities, however MTB sales have increased and that will continue.” Paul Elliot

FLR’s new F-35.III road shoe also comes in white (above)

BIKEBIZ.COM

RETAIL SURVEY

What IBDs really think BikeBiz polled bike shops for their thoughts on their distribution partners and how these crucial relationships could be strengthened. Jonathon Harker brings together the results 2015 WAS volatile for bike retail and for a particularly unlucky few who were hit by the December floods, went from bad to worse. Unsurprisingly, then, we received some strongly worded responses when we asked bike shops for their take on their relationships with distributors, often seen as key to shop performance in the competitive sector.

Communication is key in any partnership. And while this feature deals with the opinions of just one side of this bike trade collaboration, there’s honest and sometimes heartfelt insight on how these important trade partnerships are performing and could improve. In a crowded market where brands have more routes to reach the end consumer, it’s more vital

than ever for shops and distributors alike to nail these relationships. And maybe there’s even some insight for those bike trade companies outside the distributor/ shop model. All on and off the record responses are welcome BikeBiz@nbmedia.com

HOW HELPFUL IS YOUR MAIN DISTRIBUTION PARTNER? THE BIG positive news here is that the vast majority of shops believe that their distribution partner is at least helpful. While those who said their distribution partner was very helpful was very slightly down on last year (44 per cent in 2014, 42 per cent in 2015), those saying their main distribution partner was helpful grew (35

per cent in 2014, 39 per cent in 2015). At the other end of the scale, the number of ‘awful’ main distributor partners fell from two per cent in 2014 to zero in 2015. One respondent complained that “most distributors are not interested in single shops” while another said there was room for

2014 Q Very helpful Q Helpful Q Middling Q Not very helpful Q Awful

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improvement: “All distribution partners could do better. If I were to treat customers who come through my door in the same way as I am treated by some of my suppliers (despite spending thousands with them), I would make no sales at all.”

2015 44.33% 35.05% 15.46% 3.09% 2.06%

Q Very helpful Q Helpful Q Middling Q Not very helpful Q Awful

42.1% 39.5% 12.3% 6.1% 0.0%

BIKEBIZ FEBRUARY 43

RETAIL SURVEY

WHAT FRUSTRATES YOU MOST ABOUT DISTRIBUTORS? ARE BIKE trade distributors nailing stock levels? Last year over half of respondents said low stock levels was most frustrating, while this time around the percentage was just 41. This time around, lack of loyalty to small accounts was top of the gripes (second last year with 41 per cent). Accordingly, pricing also jumped up to become the third biggest frustration (up from fourth last year). Returns policy slipped down the list of frustrations (down from 26 per cent to 17 per cent). While stock was more readily available for bike shops, even the most charitable soul would be forced to concede that this was partly accidental and due to oversupply in the industry, something that was picked up by respondents: “Now that they all have huge unsold stocks they are offering even longer extended terms to dealers that are slashing prices and damaging the more professional shops who pay their bills on time!”

Others blasted distributors for “doing deals to clear stock with non-IBDS” and not giving a “shit if the products they supply us are being devalued online.” Despite all that, there were still some stock issues highlighted, particularly in a lack of clarity on the finer points: “Not being told, at time of order, that certain parts which are required for a job, are on backorder. So for instance a groupset arrives but with essential parts missing.” Picking up on the pricing issue again, familiar complaints over “big hitters selling at trade or lower when we are supposedly on the ‘best’ pricing available” were aired in our survey. Carriage costs were pin-pointed too, particularly on small orders. One retailer commented: “Why should I pay £12.00 plus VAT for a parcel I can send for £3.00 inclusive?” One shop picked out lack of contact as a key frustration: “Lack of communication is a big

thing. I have less and less reps call on me now to highlight new lines and offers and show me new products. I do not have time to wade through and digest emails sent over on an ad hoc basis, I am too busy trying to sell to my customers.” A similar communication-based complaint came from one of the shops, annoyed at “poor product knowledge, stemming from the use of non cycling call takers.” More generally, one survey respondent picked out the growing importance of customer service: “Suppliers are getting much harder to deal with. At a time when service is the crucial differentiator in the market they are letting us down by saying ‘no’ more often.” There’s room for one final comment, warning that failing to look after brands and shops could backfire: “Protect your brands or the IBD will source brands that are protected and your business will fail.”

2014 2015 Low Stock Levels

50.52%

41.1%

No loyalty to small accounts

41.24%

42.0%

Poor customers Service

32.99%

22.3%

Pricing

28.87%

37.5%

Use of eBay

28.87%

14.3%

Poor returns Policy

26.80%

17.0%

Slow delivery

17.53%

14.3%

Lack of Knowledge

14.43%

8.9%

Being pushed new lines

11.34%

14.3%

Nothing

5.15%

14.3%

Q 2014 Q Low Stock Levels Q No loyalty to small accounts Q Poor customers Service Q Pricing Q Use of eBay Q Poor returns Policy Q Slow delivery Q Lack of Knowledge Q Being pushed new lines Q Nothing

44 BIKEBIZ FEBRUARY

100

Q 2015 50.52% 41.24% 32.99% 28.87% 28.87% 26.80% 17.53% 14.43% 11.34% 5.15%

Q Low Stock Levels Q No loyalty to small accounts Q Poor customers Service Q Pricing Q Use of eBay Q Poor returns Policy Q Slow delivery Q Lack of Knowledge Q Being pushed new lines Q Nothing

41.1% 42.0% 22.3% 37.5% 14.3% 17.0% 14.3% 8.9% 14.3% 14.3%

BIKEBIZ.COM

RETAIL SURVEY

WHAT’S THE MAIN BENEFIT OF HAVING DISTRIBUTION PARTNERS? ‘Sourcing stock’ has shot up in importance for bike shops, up to 65 per cent compared with 51 per cent the year previous. ‘Support’ has also climbed considerably, up to 39 per cent from 28 per cent. The only fall here was in ‘Vendor Relations’, indicating that shops saw plenty of positives from distributors.

2014 2015

Sourcing stock

51.06%

64.5%

Quick Delivery

43.62%

49.5%

Pricing & Deals

27.66%

34.6%

Support

27.66%

39.3%

Product Knowledge

17.02%

22.4%

Single Point of Contact

17.02%

25.2%

Vendor Relations

12.77%

10.3%

Loyalty

12.77%

16.8%

100

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE MORE OF FROM DISTRIBUTORS? JUST A QUICK glance at the graph below shows that pricing is more important than ever to UK bike shops, with 63 per cent (37 per cent last year) asking for fairer pricing from their distributor parnters. Coupled with that plea were comments asking distributors to “stop

Fairer pricing More stock Better communication Service and support Marketing More deals More face-to-face contact Knowledge Fewer account managers Nothing

favouring local stores for collection” – something we are seeing grow. Then there was this point, which might be a good one to end on: “Stop making loyal IBDs re-sign every year and range price matching to combat product devaluation and help us (and them) survive.”

2014 2015

Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q 0

BIKEBIZ.COM

dumping product with the internet giants”. On a similar theme: “I would like to see less getting into bed with retailers who are taking us all to the bottom with pricing.” Other non-price related suggestions included “more click and collect opportunities

37.37%

63.1%

37.37%

33.3%

37.37%

27.0%

32.32%

29.7%

28.28%

31.5%

21.21%

24.3%

20.20%

22.5%

16.16%

11.7%

10.10%

13.5%

3.03%

4.5%

100

BIKEBIZ FEBRUARY 45

CHEDDAR CYCLE STORE

Cheddar Cycle Store’s gorge-ous refit

Plan for a quiet retirement or decide to expand your shop during a tough year for the bike trade? That was the decision facing the owners of Somerset’s Cheddar Cycle Store. Sarah Baker gives Jonathon Harker the story… WITH RETIREMENT approaching for Cheddar Cycle Store owner Paul Baker, there were a number of options available to him, including lining up a potential sale of the shop and planning to put his feet up. Last year, however, the ex-pro cyclist decided to ditch all ideas of taking it easy to make good on a long-held ambition to expand the store instead, all during a year that was notoriously rough for many independent bike shop owners. As you do. Office manager Sarah Baker takes up the story: “We have been in business for 11 years now, in a small industrial park on the outskirts of Cheddar. We always hoped to expand as we were finding that we just couldn’t hold enough stock to meet the needs of our customers. “Paul was approaching retirement age, but instead of taking a step back he decided on a new challenge with a bigger shop! When the neighbouring unit became available – it was previously a carpet shop – we jumped at the chance.” They knocked through the showrooms to double the retail 46 BIKEBIZ FEBRUARY

area to just over 1,500 square feet. The building itself covers 3,000 sq ft so they’ve increased storage and office space while keeping the workshop size as it was, with room to expand if needed. “We managed to get the building work and shop fit done in

just taken on a new range of Ridley cross bikes as we are seeing an increased interest in cyclocross in this area with some really popular events last year. We stock Ridley and Genesis road bikes. Paul also runs Cheddar Cycle Club and we have regular rides from the shop.

“When the unit became available we jumped at the chance.” Sarah Baker, Cheddar Cycle just under six weeks so we could relaunch the new and improved Cheddar Cycle Store on December 12th, in time for Christmas. All the while we managed to stay open for business during the building works.” Paul Baker’s rider background has seen the shop tend to attract roadies, in the main. “Paul is an ex-professional rider so it’s what we know best and there does seem to be a natural shift towards that market. That said, we are certainly not just a road bike shop. We have

“We have a good MTB customer base too, being at the foot of the Mendip hills, and now hope that we can offer them even more with an increased range of products and bikes. We have stocked Kona as our main MTB brand for years.” The commuter and hybrid markets work for Cheddar Cycle Store too, stocking Dawes hybrids, kids bikes and touring bikes. Handily situated right at the start of the Strawberry Line National Cycle Route 26, the retailer offers hire to punters all year round (“we

are booked out most days over the summer months”). The mix of bikes is around 30 per cent road, ten per cent CX, 20 per cent MTB, 20 per cent hybrid, ten per cent touring and ten per cent childrens bikes. “We can now safely say we are one of the largest bike shops in the South West,” Sarah Baker adds. “Our stock of bikes and accessories is now big enough to make sure that we have something to suit every customer. “It was a huge step for Paul to take in expanding the business, especially at a time when we were seeing (like most) a quieter time in the cycle industry, however we are already seeing the benefits. “We now have stock to suit pretty much every customer, we can hand it to them there and then instead of having to go and order it in – we always wanted to be that one-stop-shop. “We have significantly increased footfall on this time last year and customers are still walking in and saying ‘wow’. That makes all the hard work worthwhile.” www.cheddarcyclestore.co.uk BIKEBIZ.COM

F O R

E V E R Y O N E

I N

T H E

p54 Brompton boss gets honoured

2016

FORWARD FEATURES

Show business

p34 Innovation Lab

p62 Soho Bikes

Who is innovating at the London Bike Show?

p66 Urban bikes

We speak to the months-old London business

MAY 2016 The UK’s Top 20 IBDs JUNE 2016 Women of the Year issue: Extra distribution Regional Spotlight: London & South East Includes Women of the Year Supplement

JULY 2016 Cyclocross Bikes & Accessories Cycle Lights Drive Train: Chains, Gears & Cranks AUGUST 2016 Eurobike issue Regional Spotlight: North England & Scotland

p71 Helmets

Folders, city bikes and more are covered in our round-up

Products to cover your noggin for the road, MTB and beyond

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ISSUE 112 MAY 2015

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SEPTEMBER 2016 Children’s Bikes, Trailer Bikes, Helmets & Accessories Indoor Training Clothing & Accessories: Winter & Reﬂective

B I K E

B U S I N E S S

p25 Chicken rides the wave

Are there too many nutrition brands in the cycle market? We get down to the nitty gritty with some of the sector’s big names…

Includes Brit List supplement

p50 Go-Ride What has a year of bike industry support achieved at the Go-Ride grass roots?

What is Fisher Outdoor Leisure doing to back independent dealers?

p17 Energy to burn

APRIL 2016 Regional Spotlight: Wales & South West

B U S I N E S S

We bring you reports and previews from a huge range of bike shows, including Core Bike, the Bike Place, iceBike*, the Bike Show, Bike Expo, Claud Butler, Dawes Cycles…a London nd more

F O R

MARCH 2016 Innovation Lab special Cycle Media Focus: Magazines & Websites

B I K E

p48 Fisher lines up Zipp support

Will Butler-Adams is to become an OBE. We caught up with him en route to Buckingham Palace.

p47 X-treme apparel

BikeBiz paid a visit to Chicken CycleKit, which has been making the most of the road cycling wave

Verona-based X-bionic is seeking a bigger presence in the UK. We headed to their factory to see the gear first-hand

Made in

the UK

British manufacturers big and small are covered in our special feature, as are the highlight builds from the Bespoked UK handmad e bike show, starting page 44.

p33

OCTOBER 2016 Regional Spotlight: The Midlands Cycle Show issue: Extra distribution

p61 Cycling celebs

p53 In a Spin

Velorution is the place to be to spot starry-riders, it seems...

p14 Head-to-toe

A brand new location for this month’s quirky Spin London

p75 Women’s cycling

Giro is pitching its full apparel line-up to the trade

We round-up bikes and P&A pitched at female cyclists

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ISSUE 115 AUGUST 2015

F O R

NOVEMBER 2016 Cycling Media Awards 2016

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E V E R Y O N E

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p13 Eurobike previews

B I K E

B U S I N E S S

p27 Pumped up

p35 Northern exposure

Find out how SKS turned into a €50 million company as BikeBiz is let loose in the brand’s head quarters in Sundern, Germany

BikeBiz was among a select bunch of UK cycle journos that made it to Eurobike’s new preview media days in Austria

Businesses in Scotland and the North of England speak out in this month’s spotlight

SHOW SPECTACULAR

DECEMBER 2016 Retail Survey 2016

It’s new products galore and more show coverage than you can shake a mini pump at, including pre-Eurobike previews, brought to you from across the world (well, Europe and the US)…

p8–9, p13–p24, p27–2 8 and p48

Includes the BikeBiz Directory 2017

Regional Spotlight: Northern Ireland & Republic of Ireland JANUARY 2017 Core Bike Show issue: Extra distribution Bike Place Show Issue: Extra Distribution

p51 Hub and Spoke

Harlow’s social enterprise has become a focal point for locals

p67 LIGHTS!

p63 CAMERAS!

Our guide to some of the latest lights for dealers to stock

Cameras and other gadgets now available to retailers

p59 AND MTBS!

Some of the latest bikes and clothing built for off-roading

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ISSUE 116 SEPTEMBE R 2015

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E V E R Y O N E

I N

p11 The BA’s A-Team

FEBRUARY 2017 London Bike Show issue: Extra distribution

T H E

B I K E

B U S I N E S S

p26 Fabric unpicked

Bicycle Association boss Paul Stewart tells us why the BA is reaching out to the industry to strengthen its ranks

Didn’t go to Eurobike? We bring you new product from GT, Cannondale and Fabric, only without the flights

p53 You be the judge

RECOGNISING EXCELLENCE WITHIN THE UK CYCLE TRADE

How do you plead? Guilty of not getting around to judging the BikeBiz

Awards? There’s still time!

UK SHOW

RECORD BRE AKERS

Cycle Show 2015 is set to be the biggest yet, meanwhile Core Bike debut, proving the UK Live has an impressive trade’s appetite for cycle events shows no sign of fading…

p19–29 & p36–42

p8 Out in the country

The UK’s largest outdoor trade show takes place next month.

p49 i-ride around

p63 Winter clothing

The Velodrome Tour is back. We went along to i-ride’s show

It’s cold ‘oop North and ‘daan South too. Time to layer up

p73 Children’s bikes

There’s life in the kid’s market yet with plenty to stock in

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ISSUE 110 MARCH 2015

Want to advertise in any of these issues? Contact Richard Setters 0207 354 6000 or email rsetters@nbmedia.com

F O R

E V E R Y O N E

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p41 The show’s not over

B I K E

B U S I N E S S

p16 Most Excel-lent bikes

Bike Expo rounds off the early show season off. We provide a preview of what to see at the revamped Manchester event

p61 Assisted sales We’ve something of an electric bike extravaganza this month, with a sector guide, opinion and news.

BikeBiz trawls the London Bike Show for hot new product and fresh deals. Also includes scooters.

Hold the front page It’s been a big 12 months for the cycle world’s media, with takeovers and launches galore. We wrap up the deals and go in-depth.

Want your company or product to be involved with any of these features? Contact Jonathon Harker jharker@nbmedia.com or call 01992 535646

p45

p13 Raleigh your resources

News from the brand’s

own

p24 Pearson’s Cycles

p61 Uby

p75

TAIPEI CYCLE SHOW

TAIWAN’S BIKE SUPPLY

Return to Taipei

Yih-Jyh Kang provides us with the latest export stats from Taiwan to the UK: “The EU remained the largest market for Taiwan bicycle industry. According to the latest report from Customs Administration, Ministry of Finance, Taiwan exported 2.01 million units of complete bicycles to the EU from Jan to Nov 2015, accounting for 54.56 per cent of Taiwan’s export of complete bicycles in the same period. “Export to the UK in 2015 increased 16.90 per cent comparing with the same period in 2014 (550 thousands units). Nearly 620 thousand units of complete bikes were shipped from Taiwan, with the average unit price of USD271.45. The export value totaled USD $169 million, a 9.56 per cent raise from USD $154 million last year.”

For many, Taipei Cycle Show is an essential in their calendar, but in 2016 there is more reason than ever to get along, thanks to Velo-City. Jonathon Harker speaks with organiser TAITRA… It’s hard to dispute that the Taipei Cycle Show is Asia’s key cycle show, set in the “bicycle kingdom” of Taiwan. This year it is getting a further point of interest in the shape of Velo-City, the roaming conference (which was in Nantes, France last year) will run alongside the show. So, how is this year’s show shaping up? BikeBiz speaks with Mr Yih-Jyh Kang, executive director of Exhibition Department at the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA), organiser of the show… What are your expectations for Taipei Cycle Show 2016? This year Taipei Cycle Show will take place from March 2nd to 5th, in Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center Hall 1 and Taipei World Trade Center Hall 1, 2F. The exhibiting space was all fully booked. In total we are expecting 1,117 exhibitors from 36 countries and regions, occupying 65,000sqm. In conjunction with Taipei Sporting Goods Show, we hope to create a one-stop shopping platform for all sporting goods 48 BIKEBIZ FEBRUARY

industry and expect more than 38,000 visitors, a ten per cent increase from last year.

Mar 1st). In this event, we have organised a Cycling Design Exhibition with the theme of “Cycling from the present to the future”. Together with CHC (Cycling & Health Tech Industry R&D Center), we would like to

What proportion of exhibitors and visitors are from the UK? Taipei Cycle Show draws attention

“We expect more than 38,000 visitors, a ten per cent increase.” Yih-Jyh Kang, TAITRA from cycling industry around the world. For the coming Taipei Cycle Show, we will host seven UK exhibitors, and according to the figure in 2015, almost 200 trade visitors from the UK visited the show, which is about three per cent of the total attendees. With the growing sales of bicycles in the UK, we hope to see more trade visitors from the UK to Taipei in March. Does Taipei Cycle Show offer more than new products? This year we have worked with Velo-City Global 2016, taking place right before the show (Feb 27th to

show the solid capabilities in production, R&D skills and innovation in Taiwan. Visiting Taiwan will give you a glimpse of the cycling industry from its current state as well as future trends. This is also the first time that Velo-City global is taking place in an Asian city. The registered Velo-City global attendees are able to access to Taipei Cycle Show 2016 with their badges directly. For trade visitors, Velo-City Global also offers an industry package. Just come two days earlier before Taipei Cycle Show and we would like to welcome people engaged in

bicycle industry to enjoy the two big events in one trip. How are entries for the Taipei Cycle d&i Awards going? In total, we received 174 entries from 19 countries (last year we had 15 countries). That is very exciting news and we are really making progress. We hope to make this competition as a platform not only for Taiwan manufacturers and designers, but also for the global bicycle industry. We also believe that the winning entries selected by the judging panel of the Taipei Cycle d&i awards are indeed leading design trend internationally. The winner of Taipei Cycle d&i Gold Award-Young Enterprise 2015, has later been named of one of “the 10 most beautiful bicycles of 2015”by BBC, which is a very good example. The winning entries have been selected by the judging panel and they will be displayed at this year’s Taipei Cycle Show. How would you like the show to grow over the next five years? As one of the top cycling trade BIKEBIZ.COM

TAIPEI CYCLE SHOW

Mr Yih-Jyh Kang, executive director of the Exhibition Department at TAITRA

shows in the world, the next step for Taipei Cycle would be excelling at the quality and service provided. It is within our primary interest to elevate the show to the global leading level by creating more user-friendly show area, enhancing the show service and optimising the official website as well as show APP. In general, we aim to accentuate the bright and energetic spirit of the industry and thereby attract more visitors to the show. On top of that, we are very aware of the importance of quality control, another key objective of our long-term goal. Taipei Cycle will exemplify a platform for high quality products in the cycling business and a showcase where you can see the future trends of the industry. Furthermore, with the operation of Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center Hall 2 in the near future, we will expand our proportion of foreign exhibits by recruiting exhibitors from more countries such as Italy and Spain, diversifying the products presented. We are expecting the show to transform and excel in quality and quantity in the next few years. BIKEBIZ.COM

And Taiwan has been growing its cycle infrastructure…? Taiwan is known as a Cycling Kingdom for its strengths in manufacturing high-end bicycle products with reasonable prices. However, we are doing more than that. The industry and our government are promoting the “cycling lifestyle” and would like to encourage people to get used to cycling in daily lives. For instance, the bike rental system, YouBike, is very common for public transportation in Taipei and New Taipei City. Besides, the government is constructing cycling paths all over the island, like the one around Sun Moon Lake was even selected as one of the tenmost beautiful cycling paths in the world by CNN. With convenient facilities and beautiful sights, Taiwan is becoming a cycling paradise and more and more people are crazy doing cycling tour here. I would very much like to recommend all of you to come and truly experience cycling here. This is going to be something that you’ll never forget. www.taipeicycle.com.tw

SCIENTIA

THE SCIENCE BENEATH THE DESIGN

BIKEBIZ FEBRUARY 49

ELECTRIC BIKES

Electric ﬁve at ExCeL Could this be the year of the e-bike? Jonathon Harker looks to the London Bike Show’s electric offering... POOR OLD e-bikes. Expectation weighs heavily upon them. They’ve been touted as cycling’s big hope for the past few years now in the UK. Pundits wonder: ‘Will this be the year they take off?’ But what exactly are we expecting? That e-bikes will suddenly take off like the Beatles, Tamagotchi or iPads did in their respective decades? Let’s

be honest, they won’t do that. Instead they’re likely to grow gradually this year – slow and steady wins the race, after all – but even cynics will surely accept that this year there’s more reasons than ever to expect e-bikes to do well, not least with more big players in the cycle market dedicating more resource to them. The sector is now a mainstay at bicycle

BIOMEGA OKO CARBON ELECTRIC BIKE - £1,749 (SRAM AUTOMATIC 2 SPEED OR £2,149 (SHIMANO ALFINE 8 SPEED)

“Expectation weighs heavily upon e-bikes.”

shows across the nation too with London’s own Bike Show at ExCeL this month, it made sense for us to look at some of the electric bikes aiming to sway punters and lure them into the charged cycling world. So, without futher ado, here are ﬁve of the e-bikes you can ﬁnd at ExCeL from February 11th to 14th… www.thelondonbikeshow.co.uk

V’LEC POCKET PLUS - £999 HAILING FROM the Jura Mountains of Eastern France, V’Lec was the idea of founder Augustin Charlot, created with the ambition of creating the lightest folding electronic bike possible. Designed for commuters, the discrete Panasonic 24v 8Ah battery delivers the precise amount of power required while riding. Unfolding the bike and hitting the road in a few seconds is a swift process, we’re assured, with one ﬂick of the handlebar switch powering the bike up immediately.

SCHINDELHAUER BIKES JACOB - £2,195 A BRAND new arrival to the UK, the Biomega OKO is a fully integrated carbon electric bike which weighs in around a super light 16kg. Along with sleek aesthetics and minimal urban style, this state of the art build is a result of a collaboration between Biomega and Danish design group KiBiSi. The OKO is a balanced build that eschews the stereotype of electric bikes placing the majority of their weight on the rear wheel, ensuring the OKO remains a well balanced urban performance bike. With the engine housed in the front wheel hub to maintain this balance and the option of either two or eight speed automatic Alﬁne gears in the rear hub, this is pitched as an agile bike for the city commuter.

SCOTT E-ASPECT 920 HARDTAIL E-BIKE - £2,299 Scott offers a range of assisted machines, including this E-Aspect 920 Hardtail. Thanks to collaborating with Bosch, Scott has created the e-MTB series which integrates the necessary components of both hardtails and electric bikes. Power and control comes from the 500wh Bosch Performance drive system and Shimano drivetrain, ready for tackle rugged terrain.

BIKEBIZ.COM

Berlin’s Schindelhauer Bikes has produced a unique smart-bike in collaboration with COBI, merging smartphones with this new single speed belt-driven creation. The Jacob powers devices via a specially designed smartphone holder, offering access to GPS navigation, calls, bike bell, weather forecast, music player and theft alarm – just some of the features which can be used via the small thumb controller placed upon the handlebar.

BESV LX1 - £3,599 Looking not unlike it was intended to be ridden through the ﬁlm Tron, the LX1 is produced using the same manufacturing process as MotoGP racing motorbikes and possesses a curved aluminum frame sculpted by hand. Offering as much as 80 kilometers of power-assisted pedaling after a full ﬁve-hour charge, the LX1 has three levels of torque sensing pedal assist. The bike also houses a 250 watt direct drive rear hub motor.

Sponsored by

BIKEBIZ.COM

T L O V R E OV

GO FURTHER FASTER! New OST+ frame: 140mm rear travel / 150mm front travel Bosch Performance CX motor 25km/h New 500W battery, up to 4h battery time Dropper seat post 27.5â&#x20AC;? wheels

URBAN BIKES

Urban riders Folding bikes, hybrids, city bikes, sit-up-and-begs…the urban bike category is a broad beast. Jonathon Harker takes a look at what they’ll be riding in the city in 2016…

BROMPTON www.brompton.com London-made Brompton needs little introduction, having become the best-known folder in the UK. Customers can customise the bikes to a decent degree, with options on colour, gearing, riding styles and accessories. The good news is that Brompton’s custom bike builder channels sales back to local Brompton dealers – they get a unique reference code once they’ve built the bike, which they are then told to take to their local store. Recent launches include the Black Edition, featuring key components in black rather than the usual silver. The Black Edition is available to order in models S, M and H types, in two and six gear options. The extremities are black with frame options being black, white, berry crush, lime green and lagoon blue. The sad news is that it is a limited edition (5,000 have been made) so there’s a good chance there won’t be many left if you don’t act sharpish.

2X2 sales@2x2worldwide.com

CHICKEN CYCLEKIT 01525 381347

The expanded Bickerton range is now up to nine models due to increased demand. The Bikes come with wheel sizes of 16”, 20” and 26”, and new for 2016 is the 16” Pilot, with six speed gears (£379). There’s also a new entry level 20” model – the Junction 1507 Country which comes in under £400. Also with 2x2 is Montague, now with a totally new frame design in its full-size folding bike line.

The latest incarnation of the Cinelli Zydeco disc bike is solely aimed at the urban market. The huge amount of clearance for mudguards, carrier mounts and large volume tyres comfortably sit this model in the new ‘gravel bike’ category, and with the addition of disc brakes the Zydeco is perfectly suited to riding paths or tarmac in any conditions. For more information on the Zydeco, call Chicken.

BIKEBIZ.COM

BIKEBIZ FEBRUARY 55

URBAN BIKES

CLAUD BUTLER The Claud Butler range is undergoing quite a few exciting new developments, the brand tells BikeBiz, with its range of “Urban100” through to “Urban 600” bikes making them a contender for the popular urban category. For 2016, the whole range of urban bikes have undertaken a facelift with attractive new decals and colour schemes. The two folding bike models on offer from Claud Butler provide what folding

DAWES CYCLES

claudbutler.co.uk bike customers are after, the brand says, including a reliable and simple to use folding mechanism, attractive yet subtle appearance and a bombproof spec. The bike is all wrapped around a 20” wheel platform that has been proven to be the most practical and, most in demand wheel size for folding bikes, we’re told by the brand. Dealers can ﬁnd out more by contacting Claud Butler directly.

dawescycles.com

Dawes has entry level and mid priced urban riders. Brand new for 2016, the two new Discovery Speed models are pitched as great value and modern with subtle styling. The folders bikes peak at £449.99 and the heritage range includes the Duchess and Tiffany.

ISON ison-distribution.com The Light Blue from Cambridge offers five urban bikes, as well as their Sport and Retro machines. Surly’s Cross Check SS has Avid Single Digit 5 v-brakes, while AllCity’s Big Block is pitched as an ideal track frame for the modern fixed-gear ride. ready to go beyond the velodrome due to clever modifications.

PALIGAP www.paligap.cc

SPORTLINE sportlineb2b.co.uk

Marin’s Four Corners retails at £700 (£1,900 for the Elite) with the Columbus Thron and 4130 butted CrMo steel frames and forks designed to handle fully loaded touring. The bars are high for all-day comfort and heads-up visibility in trafﬁc, with frame geometry capable of taking riders down various paths, carrying laptops, camp stoves and tents alike.

The Genesis Flyer singlespeed (£649) has been tweaked for 2016, with a ‘winter trainer’ 42/17T combo. Ridley’s X-Bow All-Road (£999) is pitched as a ‘best all year round commuter with Ridley CX heritage’ for under £1,000. Ridgeback’s commuteextending electric bike is the Electron + (£2,199) and Rapide’s RL1 Disc (£949.99) also ﬁts the urban bill.

XX BIKEBIZ XXXXXXX

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URBAN BIKES

MOORE LARGE Off the back of a big year for Bobbin, where sales surpassed 10,000, the brand has strengthened its range with new models, including the Brownie Luxe 21 – a sister model to Bobbin’s Brownie best seller. It features a lightweight alloy frame, Schwalbe tyres, alloy components and more gears. Also completely new are two 20” wheeled urban models; Metric, inspired by Japanese mini-velos, designed as a utility sharing bike. Fold, as you may have guessed, is a folding bike,

KONA

www.moorelarge.co.uk with an alloy frame and alloy components. Bobbin is also launching a collaboration with the University of Cambridge, with four bikes including a classic town bike and a glam vintage-styled racer. 2016 will see a single speed Noodle and an upgraded Retro racingtourer Scout with new components including Dia Compe brake levers. Disc brake commuters Black Orchid and Dark Star now come with matched mudguards, Luna gets an upgrade and there are new Brownie and Bramble colours.

www.konaworld.com

The new Paddy Wagon 3 uses the downtown loving Paddy Wagon frame and speeds it up with a riser bar for heads-up urban riding and a simple three-speed Sturmey Archer unit rear hub with a down tube shifter. It’s a 100 per cent full cromoly frame and fork with a frame that features 4130 Butted Cromoly. Kona’s Endurance Road geometry comes included.

CYCLECENTRIC 01954 782020 Cyclecentric is designer and distributor for Circe Cycles, Bacchetta and Airnimal. The latter has a substantial range of folding bikes, with the latest being the Joey Raptor. Fitted with a 10 speed XT drive, lightweight carbon fork and fast rolling Schwalbe Kojak tyres, it eats up urban miles, but can quickly fold to cope with multi-mode transport or storage. RRP is £1,749.

TERN 01454 332110

ZYRO www.zyrob2b.co.uk

Tern has a broad range. The main Verge (pictured is the Verge X10, £1,500) and Link lines of 20” wheel bikes cover commuting, touring and high performance riding. Also in the range are the Eclipse 24” wheel, and Joe 26” and 27.5” wheel machines. A full range of accessories and in-store POS are also available and the bikes are in stock now, with the range from £325 to £2,250.

Now how about a bunch of urban accessories? Like an all-important lock (like the ABUS Bordo Granit X Plus, £99.99). Or maybe a light (like the Cateye Volt 200, £39.99). If they’re serious about urban biking, what about load carrying accessories from Minoura, like the King Carrier (£89.99), which can carry up to 18kgs, or Junior (£74.00) that carries a smaller load and ﬁts 20” to 700c?

BIKEBIZ.COM

BIKEBIZ XXXXXX XX

48$/,7< v 5$1*( v 9$/8( An extensive selection of mid range parts and accessories well priced to offer excellent value for money and good margins for dealers. Available for next day delivery on our easy to use B2B ordering system.

ABE-21501 Acor External Bottom Bracket (Shimano® Compatible)

ABR-21504 Acor Hydraulic Disc Brake Set (Incl. Rotors & Post Mount Adapters)

ASM-2901 Acor 1.1/8” High-Rise Ahead Stem (31.8 mm x 50 – 120 mm)

ABR-21103 Acor Dual Pivot Caliper Brake (Short Reach, Allen Key Fitting)

IF YOU DON’T DEAL WITH US YET THEN WHY NOT GIVE US A TRY – CONTACT DETAILS BELOW…

0845 1661983

www.greyville.com

sales@greyville.com

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HELMETS

Keep a lid on it The helmet sector is ﬁercely competitive and there’s no shortage of brands out there for dealers to bring into their shops. That’s where our sector guide comes in – Jonathon Harker sorts out the EPS from the MIPS…

HELMETS: THE FACTS Four brands make up two thirds of all helmets owned in the UK

11 per cent of cyclists haven’t bought a helmet in the last ﬁve years

Two in ﬁve cyclists have bought a helmet in the last year

The average spend on a helmet in the UK in the last 12 months was £71

ASSOS www.assos.com

BOB ELLIOT www.bob-elliot.co.uk

The Assos Jingo helmet features three-in-one moulded construction and no EPS insert. Assos has ditched it for a more lightweight construction that has still passed the all-important CE EN 1078 standard. Using design principles from a car’s frame buffer, when one part of the helmet frame receives an impact, the whole frame absorbs the energy and disperses the stress. The Jingo has a neat internal ventilation groove design too.

Bob Elliot is taking on a wide helmet range from Funkier in 2016 including models for kids, MTB, leisure and road riders. In that line-up is the Elite Road helmet – Tejat – which will retail at £59.99. The helmet comes with 25 vents and three internal ventilation channels. Sporting a user-friendly Funkier turn-ﬁt system, this top level road helmet comes in M (52-56cm) and L (55-61cm). Delivery is expected through March.

MADISON www.madisonb2b.co.uk

DAWES CYCLES dawescycles.com

The Lazer Revolution (£99.99) enduro helmet features the sturdy Lazer Advanced Turnﬁt System in the back of the helmet and the big motoinspired visor with a solid ratchet system that, when entirely upwards, will offer plenty of space to place goggles. On the top of the helmet you will ﬁnd the SMS (Safety Mount System) that is an adjustable mount that can be used in combination with Lazer’s multimounts.

Dawes’ ‘Urban LED’ is pitched as a fine choice for those looking to ride in the thick of traffic. A subtle amount of fluro colour and an integrated rear LED mean that this smart looking helmet helps offer safety and visibility, all for a reasonable £39.99.

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BIKEBIZ FEBRUARY 59

HELMETS

MET

www.met-helmets.com

Met’s Manta (£169.99) and Rivale (£109.99) are highly aerodynamic and lightweight aero helmets. The Lupo is a new trail lid combining lightweight features with aggressive styling and increased protection for sides and back of the head (£109.99). Met’s Parachute is a lightweight and well ventilated enduro helmet that has passed the ASTM standard (which takes into account the safety of the chin guard) and retails at £189.99. Met’s Urban Miles is a new urban style helmet that offers more comfort thanks to a padded chin strap. The Safe-T E-Mid retention system is a completely new design and the helmet comes with a water resistant and wind proof cover (£69.99). Then there’s the Bluegrass Brave, the ﬁrst bicycle helmet with D3O in the helmet shell, we’re reliably informed.

GREYVILLE www.greyville.com

HARDNUTZ www.hardnutz.com

Safety can be fun with Crazy Safety Character Children’s helmets. They are manufactured with a 3D shell in a wide selection of animal designs, plus the everpopular Spider-Man. Created in Denmark and complying with EN1073 and TUV standards, one size model ﬁts all.

Hardnutz is reducing the cost of its Hi Vis helmets from £55 to £40. The Hi Vis range feature 19 panels of white reﬂective 3M Scotchlite on a lightweight, in-mould construction, with impact-absorbing inner EPS. There are 19 vents included. MTB lids will appear in autumn 2016.

HOTLINES www.hotlines-uk.com

ISON ison-distribution.com

The Leatt DBX bicycle Head and Brain Protection line reduces rotational acceleration, using patented 360 Turbine Tech. Armourgel energy absorbing material enhances safety and are neck brace compatible with vents that are optimised for DH MTBing and BMX.

TSG‘s 2016’s urban Status range has a threemode integral LED light and reflective accents on the straps, plus a brand new shell shape for a clean aesthetic. The helmet is lightweight at 270g and a special fully reflective finish version is the flagship helmet in the range.

NEOS neoscycling.co.uk

OXFORD PRODUCTS oxfordproducts.com

The Vela cross function helmet from Tuzii has a removable peak, and is at home on the road and off. It is stylishly injection moulded with 20 vents and the removable – and replaceable – insect net keeps the bugs at bay. It weighs just 220g and is highly comfortable, we hear. RRP is £39.99.

The Oxford Urban helmet is an ABS hard shell skate style helmet with adjustable dialﬁt system integrated into the EPS. The helmet is available in a single 53-59cm size, and ﬁve colours, with a competitive RRP of £29.99. There will be more at the Bike Place.

60 BIKEBIZ FEBRUARY

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UK DISTRIBUTION FOR THE BEST BRANDS IN MTB

Jungle Products Ltd New York Mills, Summerbridge Harrogate, HG3 4LA

01423 780 088 info@jungleproducts.co.uk | jungleproducts.co.uk

Part of the group

CYCLE PARTS AND ACCESSORIES BUYER

Dealer Oportunities Following on from our successful launch of 3 new models at the 2015 cycle show; Eco Voltz are seeking Dealer distributors for our range of electric bikes.

Whether you are looking for an additional brand to sell in your already established store or if you are thinking about e-bikes for your business, we can help.

As the authorised UK agent for Eco Voltz electric bikes we can tailor a package to suit your needs. We know that every dealership is different so our tailored plans are designed to match your requirements. Contact us today and find out what Eco Voltz can do for your business www.ecovoltz.co.uk or email sales@ecovoltz.co.uk

We’re both an online bike shop and a bricks and mortar one. We’re growing and looking for a buyer to join our buying team to buy Cycle Parts and Accessories (P&A). WE HAVE:

YOU HAVE:

• A showroom shop and a massive warehouse that both need filling with the right cycling stock at the right time (and another warehouse on the way too) • Accounts and good relationships with all the top-drawer cycling brands • Dedicated stock control, product maintenance, and web content teams to support you • A team of passionate cycle enthusiasts and a pro-active private owner • Lots of opportunity for development if you want it • A passion for cycling • Solid buying skills and experience - ideally as a buyer but possibly as an assistant or junior buyer • Strong organisational habits • A need to be busy all the time • An enthusiasm for Excel your friends find odd • Really good ‘soft’ skills • Reliability and professionalism written all over you • Elite negotiating skills

If you are interested please send your CV with a covering letter and current salary details to: Chris Turner, Sales & Marketing Director. E-mail CTurner@demon-tweeks.co.uk

Bike Frame Stickers Visit our new website

Get your name around, remind your customers where they bought their bike or accessories and where to take it for a service. Any size, shape up to 60x40mm, 1-3 colours include laminate so no scratching. 500 Â£92 1000 Â£120 2000 Â£165 Origination Â£30

www top tube stickers up to 20x150mm. 1 colour on clear 500 Â£105 1000 Â£145 2000 Â£190 Origination Â£20

(IGH 7YCOMBE WWW FREEWHEELIN BIKES CO UK

www.cycle-world.co.uk Serviced By -

Tel. 01479 870 050

LONGHAM, 01202 590414 RINGWOOD, 01425 470835

Sales - Service - Setup - Repairs

Gomm Road, High Wycombe, Bucks, HP13 7DJ

Telephone: (44) (0) 1494 530761 email: sales@adcal-labels.co.uk

adcal-labels.co.uk/labels/bicycle-retailers

HELMETS

ULTRASPORT EUROPE www.ultrasporteu.com

UPGRADE upgradebikes.co.uk

Bern is best known for its urban range but will be making an entrance into the road world with the FL-1. It’s a lightweight aerodynamic design with maximum ventilation and a multi-directional protection system (MIP). Ultrasport also carries Carrera, including the Foldable Crit (£84.99).

Overade’s Plixi folding helmet stores easily without any concession to safety, comfort or style. It boasts 14 vents, an outer ABS hard shell and inner EPS shell, comfort foam padding and adjustable straps on both sizes – S/M (54-58cm) and L/XL (5962cm). RRP is £79.99.

WINDWAVE www.windwave.co.uk

ZYRO www.zyrob2b.co.uk

BBB’s Tithon is a sprintworthy aerodynamic, but well ventilated, helmet. Balancing aerodynamics and thermodynamics, these wind tunnel-tested helmets feature Airflow Cooling System (ACS) and Venturi channelling for optimum airflow, with airflow padding optimised to cool heads.

Abus’ Urban-I Signal (£64.99) has a repositioned LED rear light and new large reﬂectors. Bell’s had big successes with the Super and Super 2R while incorporating MIPS into wide price points. Giro is a MIPS partner too, equipping lids from the Synthe to the kids Scamp.

CHICKEN CYCLEKIT 01525 381347

CUBE www.cube.eu/uk

The award-winning LAS Victory helmet is back for 2016 in a new array of colours, but at a more aggressive, lower RRP of £109.99. LAS products are still made in Italy and the dealer margin is very strong, we’re told, and all models are enjoying more competitive SRPs for 2016.

Cube’s latest helmets feature Bluecore impact protection, with extra safety on low-speed impact, the most common in cycling. The Cube vent system ensures constant cooling while features like the magnetic Fidlock buckle are simple to handle.

SILVERFISH www.silverﬁsh-uk.com

MOORE LARGE www.moorelarge.co.uk

Spiuk has kids and adult helmets from £26.95 to £169.95 for the Aizea aero helmet. More modestly priced at £39.95, the Spiuk Tamera helmet is suitable for road or MTB use, is lightweight, comfortable and has 17 large vents in a three-piece multi shell design. It’s available now.

Alpina has excellent margins, new styles and fresh colours for 2016. The RRPs are competitive too. Moore Large also distributes Apex, offering entry level to mid-range helmets for children, leisure, road, MTB and BMX. The enduro M470 helmet has big vents and a £35.99 RRP.

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BIKEBIZ FEBRUARY 63

THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO RETAILERS, SUPPLIERS AND SERVICES WITHIN THE CYCLE TRADE

DOING MORE TO SUPPORT UK IBDS B2B SERVICES

HOME DELIVERY

EPOS FEED

ONLINE PAYMENTS

GROUPSET BUILDER

YOU SELL IT, WE’LL DELIVER IT.

GUARANTEED MARGINS

WITH OUR UNIQUE MARGIN SUPPORT SERVICES

In association with

HASSLE FREE WARRANTY SERVICES GENERAL WARRANTY

TECHNICAL WARRANTY

PRICE MATCHING & FREE DELIVERY b2b.fisheroutdoor.co.uk

2PURE 46c Bavelaw Road, Balerno, Edinburgh, EH147AE Tel: 0844 811 2001 | Web: www.2pure.co.uk

ANSMANN UK e-BIKE centre, Unit 12, RO24, Harlow Business Park, Harlow, Essex, CM19 5QB Tel: 0870 609 2233 | Web: www.ansmann.co.uk

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

PITBITZ LTD Unit 6 Thorpe Drive, Thorpe Way Industrial Estate, Banbury, Oxon, OX16 4UZ Tel: 01295 269333 | www.gazeboshop.co.uk www.thebikeboxcompany.co.uk

I-RIDE 7-8B Mid Sussex Business Park, Ditchling Common Industrial Estate, Folders Lane East, Ditchling, Sussex, BN6 8SE Tel: 01444 243000 | Web: www.i-ride.co.uk

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

CONTINENTAL North Parade, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, Wales, SY23 2JR Tel: 01970 626777 | Web: www.conti-tyres.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 CYCLEMILES 9 Queen Anne’s Drive, Havant, PO93PG Tel: 02392 455 355 | Web: www.cyclemiles.co.uk MAXXIS TYRES Unit 3 Cobalt Centre, Siskin Parkway East, Middlemarch Business Park, Coventry, CV34PE Tel: 024 7688 9775 | Web: www.maxxis.com DYNAMO COVER Drake House, Plymouth Road, Penarth, CF64 3TP Tel: 0333 358 33 20 | Web: www.dynamocover.com

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

EDCO COMPONENTS North Parade, Aberystwyth, Wales, SY23 2JR Tel: 01970 626777 | Web: www.edco-wheels.co.uk

FISHER OUTDOOR LEISURE LIMITED 8/9 Brick Knoll Park, Ashley Road, St Albans, Herts, AL1 5UG Tel: 01727 798345 | Web: www.fisheroutdoor.co.uk

MDI LIMITED Unit 4, Wellington Point, Amy Johnson Way, Blackpool Business Park, Blackpool, FY42RG Tel: 01253 343090 | Web: www.mdib2b.co.uk

MEALOR-CLARKE CYCLE SPARES LTD Unit 1, Eastlands Road, Leiston, Suffolk, IP16 4LL Tel: 01728830055/01728605970 Web: www.mealorclarkecyclespares.com

MERIDA BICYCLES LTD Unit 13, Nottingham South and Wilford Industrial Estate, Ruddington Lane, Wilford, Nottingham, NG11 7EP Tel: 0115 981 7788 | Web: www.merida.com

If you’d like to find out more or require additional copies please contact rsetters@nbmedia.com or call him on 020 7354 6000

MOORE LARGE AND CO LTD Sinfin Lane Industrial Estate, Sinfin Lane, Derby, DE24 9GL Tel: 01332 274252 | Web: www.moorelarge.co.uk

NORTH SPORTS 38 Kingston Avenue, Neilston, Glasgow, East Renfrewshire, G783JG Tel: 07746 933795 | Web: www.northsports.co.uk

PALIGAP LTD Unit 2 Danbury House, Great Western Park, Armstrong Way, Yate, Bristol, BS37 5NG Tel: 01454 313 116 | Web: www.paligapltd.co.uk

RALEIGH UK LTD Church Street, Eastwood, Nottingham, NG16 3HT Tel: 01773 532600 Web: www.raleigh.co.uk | www.cyclelife.com www.diamondback.co.uk

REECE CYCLES PLC 100 Alcester Street, Birmingham, B12 0QB Tel: 0121 622 0180 | Web: www.reececycles.co.uk

RUBENA Unit N & M, Tyburn Trading Estate, Ashfold Farm Raod, Birmingham, West Midlands, B24 9QG Tel: 0800 281413 | Web: www.rubenacycle.co.uk

SCHWALBE TYRES UK LTD Schwalbe Centre, Hortonwood 30, Telford, Shropshire, TF1 7ET Tel: 01952602680 | Web: www.schwalbe.co.uk

SILVERFISH UK LTD Unit 3C and 3B Woodacre Court, Saltash Parkway Industrial Estate, Burraton Road, Saltash, Cornwall, PL12 6LY Tel: 01752 843882 | Web: www.silverfish-uk.com

The BikeBiz Directory 2016 is out now, providing the industry with a must-have guide to the UK’s retailers, distributors, manufacturers and related businesses. 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

THE CYCLE DIVISION Unit 27 Gatehouse Enterprise Centre, Albert Street, Lockwood, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, HD1 3QD Tel: 01484 456137 | Web: www.thecycledivision.com

HARDNUTZ Unit 8 Rocheview off Millhead Way, Purdeys Industrial Estate, Rochford, Essex, SS4 1LB Tel: 01702 530090 | Web: www.hardnutz.com

VELOTECH SERVICES LTD 26-27 Western Road, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, CV37 0AH Tel: 0845 475 5339 | Web: www.velotechservices.co.uk

WINDWAVE Unit D2 and D3 Heritage Business Park, Heritage Way, Gosport, Hampshire, PO12 4BG Tel: 02392 521912 | Web: www.windwave.co.uk

MAVIC Theta Building, Lyon Way, Frimley, Surrey, GU16 7ER Tel: 01276 404870 | Web: www.mavic.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

ZYRO LTD Roundhouse Road, Faverdale Industrial Estate, Darlington, DL30UR Tel: 01325 741200 Web: www.zyro.co.uk | www.zyrob2b.co.uk

BIKE SOUP 55a North Wharf Road, London, W2 1LA Tel: 020 7298278 | Web: www.bikesoup.com

THE CYCLE SHOW 58 White Lion Street, Islington, London, N1 9PP Tel: 020 7288 6733 | Web: www.cycleshow.co.uk

ASSOS 57 Farringdon Road, London, EC1M 3JB Tel: 0203 2862225 | Web: www.assos.com

BUFFERA LIMITED Cranbourne House, Cranbourne Road, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, EN6 3JN Tel: +01920 460754 | Web: www.buffwear.co.uk

MAXXIS TYRES Unit 3 Cobalt Centre, Siskin Parkway East, Middlemarch Business Park, Coventry, CV34PE Tel: 024 7688 9775 | Web: www.maxxis.com

MET HELMETS / BLUEGRASS 22-24 Ely Place, London, EC1N6TE Tel: 0207 1937 496 | Web: www.met-helmets.com

MITAS Tyburn Trading Estate, Ashold Farm Road, Erdington, Birmingham, B24 9QG Tel: 0800 281 413 | Web: www.mitascycle.com

X-BIONIC Trerè Innovation s.r.l. Unipersonale Via Parma, 70 C. 46041 Asola (MN). Italy Tel: +39 0376 718623 | Web: www.x-bionic.com

CYCLING SCOTLAND 24 Blythswood Square, Glasgow, G2 4BG Tel: 0141 229 5350 | Web: www.cyclingscotland.org

insuring the UK’s cycle retailers

CYCLEGUARD INSURANCE Southgate house, Southgate Street, Gloucester, GL1 1UB Tel: 0844 826 2297 | Web: www.cycleguard.co.uk

ONE WAY DISTRIBUTION Tel: 0031 10345 3510 | Web: shop.o-w-d.nl

QUELLA Unit 1 & 2 Breckenwood Road, Fulbourn, Cambridgeshire, CB21 5DQ Tel: 01223 782 039 | Web: www.quellabicycle.com

BikeBiz Directory 2016 is now available to view online at

www.bikebiz.com DARE2B Unit 8-9 Mercury Park, Mercury Way, Urmston, Manchester, M41 7LY Tel: 0844 811 2939 | Web: www.dare2b.com

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

DISTRIBUTION AND WHOLESALE

IMPORTERS, DISTRIBUTORS AND WHOLESALERS

2WT Ltd 63 Baddow Hall Crescent, Chelmsford, CM2 7BX Tel: 07885 788203 Web: www.2wtuk.com

All-City 6400 West 105TH Street, Bloomington, USA, MN 55438 Tel: 1-888-4AC-BIKE Web: www.allcitycycles.com

2x2 Worldwide Unit 6, Hall End Business Park, Dordon, Tamworth, Staffs, B78 1SX Tel: 01827 331099 Web: www.2x2worldwide.com

Always Riding Ltd Riverside Business Centre, Haldone Place, London, SW18 4UQ Web: www.alwaysriding.co.uk

4 Down Distribution Unit 6 North Ridge Business Park, Haywood Way, Hastings, East Sussex, TN35 4PP Tel: 01424 433 074 Web: www.4downdistribution.com

Amba Marketing (UK) Ltd 5 Budlake Units, Budlake Road, Marsh Barton, EX2 8PY Tel: 01392 829903 Web: www.amba-marketing.com

50cycles Unit M, Little Moor Lane, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 1SF Tel: 01509 217775 Web: www.50cycles.com

Andy BrayAgencies T/A Gearmechhanger.com 36 Middlecroft Lane, Gosport, Hampshire, PO12 3DJ Tel: 07896 124968 Web: www.gearmechhanger.com

Assos 57 Farringdon Road, London, EC1M 3JB Tel: 0203 2862225 Web: www.assos.com ATB Sales Ltd Whitworth Road, St Leonards on Sea, East Sussex, TN37 7PZ Tel: 01424 753566 Web: www.atb-sales.co.uk

A Action Cameras The Light Box, PC127, 112 Power Road, London, W4 5PY Tel: 02089657680 Web: www.actioncameras.co.uk

# 2 Wheel Distribution GmbH & Co. KG Erich Blum Str. 33, D 71665 Vaihingen an der Enz, Germany Tel: +49(0)7042289000 Web: www.2wheel-distribution.com

Action Cameras Limited Unit 36 Park Royal Business Centre, 9-17 Park Royal Road, London, NW10 7LQ Tel: 020 89657679 Web: www.actioncameras.co.uk

2 Wheel Electric Haskins Garden Centre, Mansbridge Road, West End, Southampton, Hampshire, SO18 3HW Tel: 02380476929 Web: www.2wheelelectric.co.uk

FREEGO ELECTRIC BIKES 3 St Denys Rd, Southampton SO17 2GN Tel :0800 077 8711

SEE.SENSE (LIMEFORGE LTD) Sketrick House, Jubilee Road, Newtownards, BT23 4YH Tel: 02891 800536 | Web: www.seesense.cc

Active Life Logistics The Barn, Structons Heath Farm, Great Witley, Worcestershire, WR6 6JA Tel: 01299 890101 Web: www.activelifelogistics.co.uk

2pure 46c Bavelaw Road, Balerno, Edinburgh, EH147AE Tel: 0844 811 2001 Web: www.2pure.co.uk

BIKEBIZ DIRECTORY

All Round Wheels (Wholesale) Ltd Unit 020 Gracechurch Centre, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, B72 1PH Tel: 0121 354 5451

BIKEBIZ.COM

Ansmann UK e-BIKE centre, Unit 12, RO24, Harlow Business Park, Harlow, Essex, CM19 5QB Tel: 0870 609 2233 Web: www.ansmann.co.uk

Atom Cycles Unit 2, Kirkburn Industrial Estate, Lockerbie, DG11 2SE Tel: 01576 203611 Web: www.atomcycles.com

AOB Distribution 57 Exeter Road, Kingsteighton, Newton Abbot, Devon Tel: 07596 100615 Web: www.aobdistribution.com

Autostrada Engineering Forge Farm, Forge Lane, Footherley, Staffs, WS14 0HU Tel: 01543 483155/483225

Assess Todociclismo S.A Mitre 972, San Jose, Guillen Tel: 054-261-4456639

Avocet Sports Ltd Unit 7 and 8 Shield Drive, Wardley Industrial Estate, Worsley, Manchester, M28 2QB Tel: 0161 727 8508 Web: www.coyote-sports.com (B2B) and www.avocetsports.co.uk (Consumer)

Assist Creative Resources Ltd Unit 7 Ash Road South, Wrexham Ind Est, Wrexham, LL13 9UG Tel: 01978 664743 Web: www.assist.co.uk

BIKEBIZ.COM

Axel Imports Ltd 4 Wimborne Road, Poole, Dorset, BH15 2BU Tel: 01202 785864 Web: www.axelimports.co.uk

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MARKETPLACE

TO ADVERTISE IN THESE PAGES PLEASE CONTACT RSETTERS@NBMEDIA.COM OR CALL 0207 354 6000

BIKES & ACCESSORIES

66 BIKEBIZ FEBRUARY

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MARKETPLACE BIKES & ACCESSORIES

BIKES & ACCESSORIES

FREE SHIPPING

on all parts via www.madisonb2b.co.uk

Hangers, BB solutions, Bearing presses, Sealed bearings and Workshop solutions 6USPUL OHUNLY Ä UKLY! www.wheelsmfg.co.uk

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MARKETPLACE

TO ADVERTISE IN THESE PAGES PLEASE CONTACT RSETTERS@NBMEDIA.COM OR CALL 0207 354 6000

BIKES & ACCESSORIES

CARRIER BAGS & GENERAL PRINT

CUSTOM CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES

CUSTOM CLOTHING

CUSTOM BOTTLES

CUSTOM SOCKS

CUSTOM CAPS

CUSTOM MUSETTES

CUSTOM PHONEPACS

Wildoo is the only UK based supplier that can offer a full range of quality custom cycling products.

www.wildoo.co.uk info@wildoo.co.uk 01908 374555 68 BIKEBIZ FEBRUARY

As worn by Team Mule Bar Girl â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Sigma Sport

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MARKETPLACE BIKES & ACCESSORIES

BIKES & ACCESSORIES

DEALER MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

EPOS & ECOMMERCE

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MARKETPLACE

TO ADVERTISE IN THESE PAGES PLEASE CONTACT RSETTERS@NBMEDIA.COM OR CALL 0207 354 6000

GIFT VOUCHERS, TROPHIES & GENERAL PRINT

TYRES & TUBES

WEBSITE SERVICES

70 BIKEBIZ FEBRUARY

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BIKE SHOP TOOLS

Is there a CREDIT BOOM on the way? With Amazon among the many retailers seeing the value in finance and offering a new credit package for its customers, the ACT explains the impact finance can have as a sales tool for bike shops... ACCORDING TO Mintel, 75 per cent of customers make their decision on where to shop based on whether interest free credit is readily available. Over 50 per cent of UK consumers have taken out some sort of retail credit in the last year, so it’s no surprise that Mintel reports that the retail credit market is booming. The market is predicted to grow by 12 per cent over the next five years, to £63 billion, as more businesses start offering credit to meet their customers’ needs. In a separate report focusing on bicycle sales, Mintel has highlighted the increasing recognition that you get what you pay for, suggesting higher priced bikes are likely to see sales growth over the coming years. When looking to buy these higher BIKEBIZ.COM

priced bikes, finance will be key to determining how much customers can really afford. These reports clearly show that offering finance has a direct impact on customer purchasing decisions and spending behaviour, helping to drive sales.

wanting to spread the cost – even if it means that they are paying more in the long run. In the cycles market, retail finance is already a key sales tool, with the ACT’s Ride it away retail finance now available in over 800 stores across the UK, accounting

“Finance applications were up 64 per cent in the first half of 2015.” ACT Retail giants can see the potential, with Amazon becoming the latest to announce a pay monthly option. Offering an interest rate of 16.9 per cent APR, Amazon are tapping into the growing number of consumers

for sales in excess of £60 million each year. The scheme is run in partnership with V12 Retail Finance, whose own research agrees with Mintel’s, reporting a significant rise in the number of finance applications for

cycle sales and accessories – up 64 per cent in the first half of 2015 compared like-for-like with 2014. Start offering Ride it away today and take advantage of the growing number of consumers looking to purchase on finance. Visit ACT at iceBike* call 01273 427 700 or go to rideitaway.biz to find out more. Already offering finance? Visit the ACT stand at iceBike* to pick up your free Ride it Away point of sale pack worth £20 (while stocks last). Plus, find out just how simple offering finance can be at the iceBike* seminar. Whether you’re new to finance and want to see how it can work for your business or you’ve been offering it for years and want some tips on how to drive more sales – come along a find out more from the experts. www.rideitaway.biz BIKEBIZ FEBRUARY 71

OFF TRACK

IN THE SADDLE

NO DOUBT keen to grow its cycle credentials, Ford has signed a new multi-year partnership agreement with Team Sky as the elite cycling team’s exclusive supplier of cars and vans. The deal starts early 2016 and that distinctive blue and black livery will deck out Ford Mondeo Wagons, Kugas and other assorted vehicles for the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia, Vuelta a España and more top level races. www.teamsky.com

Andrew Ashworth, UK Wholesale Manager, Science In Sport How many bikes do you own? I am a huge fan of restoring old Reynolds steel frames and giving them a modern twist, and I own four bikes in total – plus a unicycle! I made two of these steel bikes after the birth of my two children and their names are adorned on the downtube. These bikes are great fun for a sunny day, or popping to the pub or chippy on. I love my racey, Italian bikes for a more responsive ride when I’m out riding with my group. Where are your favourite places to ride? Some say I am blessed, I say cursed, but from my home in Oldham I’m on the doorsteps of the Pennines and some notorious climbs such as Crag Vale which always test me. I have ridden bikes of all types in lots of places but a ﬂat, fast sportive in Holland prior to the 2010 TDF stays in my mind for the lovely weather and the fast, ﬂat rolling pace. Friends in the trade will acknowledge that I am known to get lost on rides from time to time (one time was about four hours spent in the wilderness!) What’s your background in the business? Since school I have been involved in the cycle/ tri/running business having owned my own independent retail store, but it really started eight years ago when I joined Science in Sport. Through the cycling background I have travelled, met and worked with inspirational sportspeople and cycling enthusiasts, done things and been to places that I would never even imagined and all this has given me great grounding for the position I hold now at Science in Sport. What does your role involve at SiS? Since joining the business I have always been passionate about the independent retailer and how we can love and support them more in this developing and challenging category. I am UK wholesale manager so I work with our extensive

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SKY DRIVES INTO NEW DEAL

network of distributors and independent retailers to ensure that Science in Sport remains category leader in endurance sports nutrition within stores. I work alongside our marketing team to ensure we have eye catching point of sale and campaigns running in store and that we have an engaging presence at trade shows. Between myself and our wholesale clients we construct a robust, category-leading promotional planner to encourage a high rate of sales for retailers, the availability of products, the visibility of the brand and the importance of nutrition in store and the communication of promotion currently being run. From 2015 retailer feedback we have implemented retail-only SKUs for 2016 which will give independents a unique selling proposition. What projects are keeping you busy? Planning for trade shows is always a big one as we always want to offer our retailers a more exciting experience with the brand than in previous times. Science in Sport is delighted to be ofﬁcial nutritional supplier to Team Sky as of 2016 so our activation of this with our independent retailers is key for me and throughout the summer we will be giving retailers free Ofﬁcial Team Sky bottles to use as a gift with purchase, to assist with their rate of sales throughout the key months of the tour. How can retailers get in touch with SiS? They are more than welcome to contact myself or their representative from our cycle distributors, Madison, Bob Elliot, Moore Large and Chicken CycleKit. Starting in February 2016, to support the independent retailer, we have a retail communications manager to be a point of contact here at SiS based solely for the independents. This is a brand new position to provide all communication on promotions, campaigns and all things new and exciting at SiS. Their number is 01282 440980.

MUC-OFF LUBES SPEED RACERS

SIR BRADLEY Wiggins cracked the hour record at the London Olympic Velodrome in June and now Australian Bridie O’Donnell is having a go at the Women’s Fastest Hour Record in the Adelaide Super Dome. O’Donnell is riding as this mag goes to press, so you’ll know better than us if she has been successful, but we can conﬁrm that Muc-off is working with the hopeful rider and providing a high performance chain treated with the same winning formula as used by Wiggo. Muc-Off aims to be the lubrication partner for both the male and female Fastest Hour record holders, it said. O’Donnell will be attempting over 186 laps of the 250m track in 60 minutes. muc-off.com

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OFF TRACK

RUTLAND WIN IT FOR THE FAMILY THE RUTLAND Cycling clan has picked up a Retail Excellence Award at the Family Business Awards and narrowly missed picking up a brace, with director Sally Middlemiss being highly commended in the Director of the Year (under 40) category. The family scored the Retail prize after a gruelling panel interview, impressing business leaders from the likes of Speedo, Boots Opticians and PwC. Pictured centre are directors David and Sally Middlemiss with Elaine Rowlands (left) Category Sponsor PCMS and Annabel Prow (right) CEO of The Wilson Organisation. Read more about Rutland Cycling on page 31. www.familybusinessawards.co.uk

#BICYCLES CHANGELIVES

Stephen Holt, Commercial Director

CYCLESCHEME AS A TENDER METHOD 2015 was a challenging year for many within the bike industry. Like you, we are working hard to deliver a great service by adapting and evolving our offer. There are many stores doing exactly this, focusing on what they do best, engaging with us more and readjusting to the challenges of last year. Where stores have given greater focus to the cycle to work market, sales have grown signiﬁcantly. With higher than normal transaction values and increasingly quick processing of requests and speedy payments, we want you to view Cyclescheme as a third method of tender alongside cash and retail ﬁnance. The cycle to work market is well established and many customers are now aware of its existence. But with over half a million people in just a decade getting a

bike through Cyclescheme – 70 per cent of whom were brand new cyclists – there are still big growth opportunities available with customers that would not necessarily shop in your store. In 2015 Cyclescheme continued to invest to support you, our retailer network. We improved our B2B site, installing new features to help stores to increase exposure online, to search for employers, to create and email quotes to employees and to measure how well your business is performing with us. There are still hundreds of thousands of employers around the UK who do not offer a cycle to work scheme to their staff. Please help us to continue to spread the word, and make 2016 the year you view Cyclescheme as your third method of tender.

Stephen Holt is commercial director of Cyclescheme, the UK’s leading provider of tax-free bikes for work. You can reach him on Twitter @cycleschemeltd

QUOTE UNQUOTE For more on these stories, head to www.BikeBiz.com

QHUBEKA IS the World Bicycle Relief’s programme operating in South Africa, mobilising people with bicycles, which can cut school travel times by up to 75 per cent, increasing student attendance and academic performance signiﬁcantly. During Christmas, helmet brand Met did its bit for the worthy cause by auctioning off Steve Cummings’ and Daniel Teklehaimanot’s Rivale race helmets, raising €735 through auctions – enough to fund eight bicycles and impact on the lives of over 40 people. bicycleschangelives.org

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“It’s become increasingly hard to give the journal the time it needs, and we’d never want to let the quality drop.” The Ride Journal’s editor Philip Diprose tells BikeBiz why the title is resting after issue ten.

Sponsored by the brands of Moore Large 01332 274252

BIKEBIZ FEBRUARY 73

SPOKESMAN

Market segmentation is a sign of market softening A “horrific three months” and “appalling summer” said retailers in the BikeBiz Retail Survey. And with a glut of bikes things may not get better soon, worries Carlton Reid. THE UK bike industry, famously and rather stupidly, doesn’t have any official sales statistics so what follows could be totally wide of the mark. Or there might be outliers, you could be one of them, which prove that for every rule there’s an exception. But I don’t think I’m going out on much of a limb by saying market conditions are pants. I know some suppliers are saying they’re having the best time ever – and I welcome their enthusiasm – but in the last three or four months I’ve not talked to a bike retailer, online or bricks-and-mortar, who’s saying the same (new ones don’t count). The last six months have been dire at bike retail. Mind you, mainstream retail isn’t doing any better. Consumers are not just flocking online or seeking out bargains in the New Year sales, they’re expecting bargains all year round. Partly this is the fault of a dislocating and shape-shifting retail scene, for all sectors, but it’s also the fault of some retailers who, because of the shape-shifting, have been training consumers to expect non-stop bargains. The cycle trade isn’t immune to this. One leading independent chain seems to have a “best ever sale” every fortnight. As we don’t have any reliable sales stats (although the Bicycle Association is working on knocking heads together, and there’s the BikeBiz Retail Survey, which quizzes 100 retailers) let’s look at the US bike market. Their sales stats aren’t perfect but they’re light years ahead of ours. The UK market for bikes is similar in many ways to the US market for bikes, and when the US has a glut of bikes we tend

BY WHAT PERCENTAGE HAVE YOUR ANNUAL PROFITS INCREASED OR DECLINED YEAR-ON-YEAR?

Q Up 50% or more – 4.5% Q Up 30% to 50% – 8.9% Q Up 10% to 30% – 16.1% Q Not much change – 25.9% Q Down 10% to 30% - 41.1% Q Down 30% to 50% – 2.7% Q Down 50% or more – 0.9%

“One mark-down too many and you might as well pay consumers to ride away on their bargain buys.” to have the same. (Not always, of course, but the cliche that when American sneezes Britain catches a cold seems to hold true for bikes.) SportsOneSource of the US – an news site for the cycle, ski and outdoor trades – is reporting suppliers inventories of bicycles were running much higher than usual. The site quoted data from the Bicycle Product Suppliers Association, which represents bicycle, P&A and service suppliers. In the US, like in the UK, 2015 started off positively, but poor weather, and a slew of other factors, put a dampener on. By the end of the year suppliers were faced with a glut of MY 2016 bikes. According to Felt’s Michael Forte, chair of the BPSA Statistics Committee, the unscheduled warehousing is set to continue.

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“Inventory was pretty low at the end of last year, and the good results of Q1 and 2 and long lead times caused many manufacturers to order more aggressively. When sales started dropping off in the third and fourth quarter, it was too late. Manufacturers had already placed their orders.” Data from the Taiwan Bicycle Association backs up the bikeglut assessment. It estimates that its members shipped 26.3 percent more bikes to the US in the ﬁrst nine months of the year. But there weren’t just more bikes arriving despite softening demand, there were also more lines than ever. “New” bike categories, such as gravel and fat bikes, are complicating the retail offering at exactly the wrong time. Yes, innovate or die, but excessive

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market segmentation isn’t a sign of strength it’s a sign of weakness. (Disclaimer: gravel bikes are great, and fat bikes probably have their uses, somewhere snowy maybe, or if your shop’s near a beach.) What should retailers bank on? 26-inch bikes, 27-inch, 27.5-inch, comfort road bikes, bikepackingbikes, gravel folding e-unicycles? “Nobody knows what to buy and the supplier needs to take the risk because lead times are six months,” said Forte. “In some cases we are guessing wrong.” Naturally, retailers are none too keen on sucking up the excess of inventory, especially as margins are so tight on bikes anyway. One mark-down too many and you may as well pay consumers to ride away on their bargain buys. With retailers not playing ball, suppliers will be sitting on an awful lot of stock; stock that will wiggle its way out to consumers via online sales. Great for some discounters and for consumers, but bad for the industry if discount season extends into drop time for MY17, in May. The temptation will be for even price-stable retailers to bag bargains from inventory-stuffed suppliers and pass on some of those discounts to consumers. This could conﬁrm in consumers’ minds that it’s always best to hold out for deals, knocking the traditional sales pattern out of kilter. Now, this is alarmist stuff and a warm, dry Easter could make these words sound foolish but there does seem to be an awareness from consumers – trained as they are by the likes of Lidl – that “full retail” could become a concept from the past.

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Committed to Supporting Our Specialist Retail Partners NEOS Cycling is different. Different because what we do and the way we do it is NEW. -

We strive to provide fantastic products for riders

We work exclusively with Specialist Independent Retailers

We aim to catch online consumers and drive them into your store

Stunning, quality tools for different budgets. Why not enhance your tool kit with JCOOL’s amazing pre set torque sleeves

The most beautifully machined pumps in the business, packed full of pressure and super reliable gauge and valve tech

Finally, amazingly cool mudguards that look great on amazingly cool bikes

8LI ½ RIWX VYFFIV ]SY GER VMHI Arisun may be new to market but their technology and performance is unquestionable

Why you’d want to be a NEOS retailer -

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You receive commission on all our direct-to-consumer sales transacted within your exclusive postcode territory

We push consumers to your door for click’n’collect and face to face service

We are currently developing more service platforms to drive more footfall to you store

Please get in touch to learn more about NEOS and become a retail partner

info@neoscycling.co.uk

¨ 01279 315780

Visit us on Stand No. LB1251 NEOS CYCLING PO Box 12166 CM23 9JH

facebook.com/neoscycling twitter.com/neoscycling ŧ @neoscycling

www.neoscycling.co.uk

Returning for its tenth year with a bang! Arena:MK, Milton Keynes, MK1 1SP With some of the biggest cycling parts and accessory brands in the UK exhibiting and offering exclusive show deals, this is not an event to be missed! Registration also includes entry to Sportline show. Last year’s iceBike* saw record breaking numbers visit the show, and this year is set to be bigger and better than ever before and shouldn’t be missed. Register to attend at www.iceBike.co.uk

Talks and Presentations

iceBike* Accommodation Subsidised rooms will be available at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel (MK1 1ST), next to the iceBike* venue. As always, there will be a £50 charge per person, per night. For more details visit: www.icebike. co.uk

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Transport to iceBike* FREE on-site parking is available at Arena:MK and the DoubleTree by Hilton hotel (next to the arena). For more details and directions by car, rail, bicycle and air visit: www.icebike. co.uk/directions

For more information visit www.iceBike.co.uk

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Why Shimano STEPS should be your number 1 choice for E-Bikes Retailing clothing - Getting it right Bike assembly in your retail business with Calvin Jones Social Media - Making it work for your shop In-store: Merchandising and Promotions that make a difference Sports Nutrition - The easy sell

New for 2016 Kryptonite bike lock up - a free, secure, on-site bike storage for those wishing to cycle to the show.

Free access to the Sportline Show with iceBike*