BikeBiz October 2017 by Biz Media Ltd

Oct.17

ROAD BIKE ISSUE

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OCTOBER 2017

ISSUE 141

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‘It remains to be seen whether Brexit will stimulate British production as intended’

Carlton Reid Editor-at-Large carltonreid@mac.com Kieran Howells Staff Writer khowells@nbmedia.com Dan Bennett Designer dbennett@nbmedia.com

THE EDITOR

Warren Kelly Production Executive wkelly@nbmedia.com

Brexit commentary currently lacks definition, but presents food for thought in cycle industry

Richard Setters Sales Manager rsetters@nbmedia.com

Recent Eurostat figures indicate that the UK is the European Union’s leading bicycle importer, with 18 per cent of the entire EU’s bike imports arriving on British soil. This statistic, cropping up amidst the presently unstable political climate, raises a number of questions for which we, as a team of journalists, are eager to uncover definitive answers. But, things are somewhat nebulous for the moment. For one, it remains to be seen whether Brexit, when indeed it becomes official, will stimulate British production as was initially intended, or if it will do quite the opposite, as suggested in a recent Guardian feature. Financial cuts in British bicycle production due to uncertainty over the direction that Brexit negotiations will take will, one would imagine, force the industry to take manufacturing offshore, and make further imports. So, will the Eurostat figure rise further? Conversely, some reports show that British factories have grown at an unprecedented rate over the last year, exceeding initial expectations. Then, there’s the recent news that Halfords’ cycle division has performed particularly well of late due to a Brexit-driven boost in summer “staycations”. Perhaps most relevant reflection, this week, is whether an outcome in favour of British production would drive companies marketing products to the UK public to continue to plan product launches at Eurobike, or to skip out on the German show altogether in lieu of concentrating manpower on the Cycle Show. How do we cut through the noise here? It looks like we’ll just have to wait and see, for now...

James McKeown Content Director jmckeown@nbmedia.com Stuart Moody Head of Operations smoody@nbmedia.com Caroline Hicks Events Director chicks@nbmedia.com Mark Burton Managing Director mburton@nbmedia.com NewBay Subscriptions: The Emerson Building 4-8 Emerson Street London - SE1 9DU To subscribe to BikeBiz please go to bikebiz. com/subscribe. Should you have any questions please email subs@bikebiz.com FAQ’s can be found bikebiz.com/FAQs. Please note that this is a controlled circulation title and subscription criteria will be strictly adhered to.

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10.17 ISSUE 141 THIS MONTH

Top ten innovative products at Eurobike

Exposure lights at Eurobike

For non-attendees of Eurobike, Kieran Howells unveils ten of the most inventive products we saw at the Germany-based bike trade show

The road issue

Mark Swift of Ultimate Sports Engineering talks Exposure Lights’ 2017 Eurobike launches, and responding to current lighting trends

Joe’s No Flats on their new brand identity

Laura Laker gets the latest from Joe’s No Flats’ Ran Grodecki, including the company’s recent rebrand, and the leisure market in Israel

REGULARS 06 Industry opinions 10 Market analysis: road bikes 50 Sector guides 41 Tricks of the Trade 68 In my Team: Volt 70 Spokesman

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OPINION

Trend forecasting

Road sector hurtling towards a high-tech future by Kevin Burton, UK national sales manager, SIMPLON

hilst we’ve seen a lot of technical development in recent years, such as electronic shifting, new materials and component improvements, I firmly believe that we have only just scratched the surface of where road cycling is going to head in the coming years.

really push the envelope in terms of bike development. So much is constrained by the UCI rules and the need to stay within the lower weight limit. Aero bikes were once the sole preserve of racers, but recently we have seen more and more aero developments filtering down to sportive bikes. This, and the introduction of integrated cockpits, will, I believe, also become more common. Integration will not just end with the cockpit either. I believe that we will soon see the full integration of groupset, lights and computers on bikes and, as if that isn’t enough electronic development, I expect we will also see the rise of e-road bikes. Yes, really. E-bikes As well as the technical aspects, we need to consider should be making their way to the road changing consumer requirements for road cycling market as the motors and units bikes. Technically, I believe that we will become ever lighter and offer more range. see disc brakes becoming far more This will open up the road market to a common. “Shoe gate” at the races earlier ‘I see disc wider audience and, for retailers, will this season has brought disc brakes to the brakes present the need to embrace the e-bike forefront of debate. Whilst some of the initial discussion was negative, it provoked becoming the concept by offering workshop services much more for the motors and deeper understanding of the benefits of norm in the and batteries. It’s coming – and fast! disc brakes and why they deserve a place pro peloton But all this development is only good if on a top-end road bike. Many people have the consumer’s basic needs are met – had their opinions swayed towards disc within two these are evolving. Comfort is still king for brakes by a negative comment made by a years’ the majority of riders and this has to be pro. As the benefits continue to be built into the frame. Bikes will need to be experienced though, disc brakes will increasingly flexible in their intended use become more and more popular at all too, as consumers seek that “one bike price points. I can see disc brakes quiver” to cover road, gravel and touring. Riders now becoming the norm in the pro peloton within have more variety in riding on offer than ever before and two years. You heard it here first. this needs to be reflected in the bikes that are being On this note, if the UCI were to change the weight made available to them. limit regulations, bike manufacturers would be able to SIMPLON launched its Pride aero, disc-brake equipped bike at the recent Eurobike Media Days – it was also showcased at Eurobike. The fully-integrated, fully-adjustable, cockpit is one of the bike’s stand-out features. This is joined by a full range of e-bikes, MTBs and road bikes that are fully-customisable by the consumer at point of order via an online configurator. Simplon is seeking UK retailers with which to partner; you can find out more by contacting Kevin at kevin.burton@simplon.com

6 | October 2017

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OPINION

Recovering from falling road bike sales

Chalking it up to experience by Adam Biggs, sales director, Forme Bikes

OR INDEPENDENT bicycle dealers, the road bike market has seen a well-documented decline in bike sales over the last couple of years, and these retailers have faced not only a reduced volume of sales but also a tightened profit margin, often blamed on stern competition and consumerdirect brands.

motor vehicle. We control this process to maximise our brand potential by cherry-picking the most suitable partners to support our service-first ethos and expect the retailer to offer the choice and knowledge to secure their sale. As a new brand looking to reignite itself later this year, our position as a supplier is similar to a mediumsized IBD as a retailer. Why would any retailer consider stocking Forme alongside or as an alternative to a global leader? Likewise, why would a customer even consider spending over £2,000 on a relatively new or perhaps unheard-of brand like Forme? For the retailer, we need to offer a brand that is Despite that, it is about time we set industry doom and capable of holding strong margin with logical product gloom behind us, put it down to Darwinism taking its life cycles, solid stock levels and substantial marketing course, and focused on how to move forward. To do activity. We support clever stock this, we need to understand why road bike management with a consolidated range gross profit has declined and realise what to do to recover from this. ‘A road bike is that does not require you to outlay such a substantial amount on high-end road Following the huge booms experienced likely to be bikes as part of your pre-season over the last couple of decades, from enrollment. For the consumer, the Forme material changes (steel to aluminium to one of the Tailor Programme initiative consisting of carbon), through to the 2012 summer of largest leisure Tailor Fit & Tailor Build, guarantees a sport, you can see why it was inevitable investments a high service level. Tailor Fit highlights that supply would eventually outweigh key specialist retailer benefits such as demand. With the exception of disc brakes consumer size or specification advice. In extension, on road bikes and slight aerodynamic will make’ Tailor Build allows the consumer to improvements, investment in innovation custom build their bike of choice is likely to slow over the next few years, following educated consultation from which should lengthen product life cycles the retailer. Both aspects make predatory pricing the adjacent to a more profitable sales cycle. least important contributor in securing the sale, as A road bike is likely to be one of the largest leisure every consumer is unique. Our approach should help investments a consumer will make, so it’s fair to expect bring dealer road bike profits back to a healthy and them to want to buy from a specialist retailer that can sustainable level for the long-term future. offer them expert advice, just as they would with a The Forme brand and is set to relaunch by the end of September with a new collection of 52 models covering most genres from £300-£5,000. All Forme Tailor Build bikes are assembled by our professional team of mechanics at our HQ in Derbyshire. We work in partnership with Shimano, American Classic and Fizik. Check out the range at www.formebikes.co.uk

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October 2017 | 7

OPINION

Futureproofing road portfolio

Preparing for developments in the road cycling sector by Alex Rowling, marketing coordinator, Chicken CycleKit

ontinually evolving road bike technology and resultant obsolescence of product is a constant trial for the Tifosi design team. Although it’s challenging for us, we have to plan to accommodate the trade’s rapidly emerging trends as best we can – using the most up-todate technologies in an intelligent way is a top priority.

continued success of the brand. We identified three key A good example of the forward-looking approach we’ve ways to ease the burden on the IBD, and have decided to take is our headsets. There are currently 19 incorporated those into how we deal with our partners. different internal dimensions for headtubes with As a result, we choose not to insist on large buy-ins for countless headset and fork options available for each. new stockists, and we support the retailer We felt it was important that the headtube with 24-hour delivery on an in-stock range in our 2018 CK7 range be designed to be to help satisfy an impatient consumer ultra-compatible and versatile. Choosing ‘As retail supply channel. Additionally, fully to focus on these qualities ensures that evolves, customisable bikes are supplied if any given unit will be futureproofed for required and all bikes are supplied already upcoming developments to a product supply is assembled and ready to ride from the box. base. We have chosen to adopt this becoming an Preserving a brand’s fundamental ethos progressive ethos across our entire range – from thru axles to bottom brackets – to increasingly is also central to preparing for the future. Because we strongly believe that Tifosi ensure our customers will be happy on difficult has always been synonymous with their Tifosi bikes for years to come. aspect of great-value bikes, we have increased our We’ve also noted that as retail evolves, supply is becoming an increasingly retailers daily focus on the premium road models over the last two years, whilst maintaining our difficult aspect of retailers’ daily operations’ “excellent value” ethos for the consumer operations. It’s been vital to consider ways and the retailer alike. to address these issues to ensure the Visit Chicken CycleKit at stand D24 and see the all-new range of Tifosi bikes. The brand recently sponsored the Elite-Amateur race team, Spirit Tifosi, with the team seeing an incredibly successful two seasons, winning a host of races on Tifosi bikes, and Best Guest Team in the televised Tour Series this year. The sponsorship continues for 2018. 8 | October 2017

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“It’s quite simple really – does the new trend or technology offer a genuine improvement over what has gone before it?” William Watt, Specialized Bikes

10 | October 2017

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ROAD: THE FUTURE

The future of road cycling Road cycling. It’s kind of a big deal. In fact, around 25 per cent of Brits who ride on a regular basis do so on a road bike, and its easy to see why. It’s a cultural phenomenon perpetuated by a love of the outdoors, a need for speed and an addiction to the endorphins that your body releases to tell you that you’re doing a good job of keeping it happy.

HEN VISITING a bike shop in central London last week to prospectively sniff out a new road bike, the salesman talking me through the models on the shop floor casually said something that has stayed with me. “I can tell you about all the bells and whistles, but ultimately you need to get out on the road and ride. If you find the right bike and take it for a spin, you’ll be throwing your bank card at me by the end of the day,” he said. It is true that so many things in life that we lust after don’t provide lasting happiness; this is demonstrated by the countless garages and attics across the globe packed to the rafters with decaying ski poles, running shoes and assorted aerobics equipment. These things, to most people, amount to little more than a temporary indulgence, but when was the last time you saw a Pinarello left to rust? My guess is never. This is because even if you’ve been tempted into riding road by the sleek images of Chris Froome scaling the picturesque French countryside in the Tour de France, there’s a very good chance that hopping in the saddle will fill you with the feelings of excitement and liberation that you were picturing. Finding that golden route in your home town and dominating a winding descent can make even the most inexperienced rider feel deserving of a yellow jacket, and the culture can only grow from here. In the last ten years we’ve seen a massive jump in the technology being injected into road frames and componentry. We’ve also seen massive leaps forward in what people are riding, the clothing they wear when they ride, and the way road cycling is reported on by the media. In the spirit of this edition’s theme, we’ve rounded up a selection of authority figures from the biggest bike and clothing brands in the industry to tell us what the future holds for road cycling, followed by a rundown of where cycling media is heading from our special guest writer and Time Inc cycling guru Simon Collis.

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October 2017 | 11

ROAD: THE FUTURE

What does the future hold for road bikes? What emerging trends are we seeing in road bikes? James Ryan product manager, Boardman Bikes We’re seeing clearer differentiation in experience between cyclocross, gravel and adventure bike packing, with bikes and equipment developed to meet the specific challenges of each rather than one for all. This is giving the rider better understanding about the handling benefits of each. We’re seeing better rolling resistance and the compliance of wider performance road tyres and wider profile rims, with performance road bikes now being engineered to be compatible with up to 700x28/30c tyres.

How do you differentiate the fads from innovations with serious longevity? William Watt road cycling PR specialist, Specialized Bikes It’s quite simple really - does the new technology or trend offer a genuine improvement over what has gone before it? If so, it’ll most likely stay around. If not, and it’s different for the sake of difference, then the chances are we’ll have forgotten about it in a few years’ time. There are very few “innovations” in the bike industry that haven’t already come to market in a different format or material or execution, so learning from past experience is also a good guide.

In terms of design, what does the future hold for road bikes in general? Sam Lawson product manager, Genesis Bikes I think we’ll see more in terms of integration, whether it’s for storage of spares/tools or integrated lights. I think the integration of things like power and GPS is an interesting one; a few have tried it so far but it hasn’t really taken off. Maybe this is in part due to the number of high quality options available from after market from companies like Garmin. Road e-bikes are another very interesting area, the current e-bike systems available on the market are great for urban and now MTB use, but there isn’t yet a mass market e-system for road bikes. I think the first company to get this right could be on to a winner!

12 | October 2017

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ROAD: THE FUTURE

What does the future hold for road apparel? Do you think cycling apparel has evolved much in the last ten years?

Where do you think the future of road cycling apparel is heading?

Chris Jones director of global apparel merchandising, Pearl Izumi

Andy Bennison head of product, Fat Lad At The Back

Without question! In fact, I would go as far as to say there has been more of a revolution than an evolution. Fabrics are lighter, more durable and far more comfortable. Now we have an incredible number of choices and options to have safe and comfortable rides, no matter the time of year or type of weather conditions. So much research has been conducted to enhance the experience of the rider, regardless of whether that individual is riding road, MTB or city.

Aesthetics play an increasingly important role for the cycling masses. Cycling exploits in the media are inspiring everyday people to get onto their bikes, often overcoming personal challenges. As a result, choosing the right items of clothing to enable you to perform at your best and look good whilst doing so has become paramount. Traditionally, cycle clothing has been made to the same established rules. At Fat Lad At The Back we believe in creating products that empower people to get on two wheels. FLAB recognises that some designs are fine on paper, but don’t always enhance the performance of riders of different body shapes. It’s our goal to produce innovative products using artisan factories and to enhance everyone’s cycling experience.

What do consumers look for in road cycling apparel? James Smith director, Primal Europe We’ve moved away from conservative colours; now more than ever the consumer is looking to stand out rather than blend in. At Primal we’ve seen that shift in all aspects of clothing. We may also see more items in circulation off the bike and in casual situation, with designs to reflect the rider’s affection for their hobby. Currently, jerseys across the board including Primal have many techy features, from antibacterial thread to SPF jerseys that are designed to protect you from the sun. These are what consumers are looking for.

14 | October 2017

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ROAD: THE FUTURE

What does the future hold for road apparel? Do you think cycling apparel has evolved much in the last ten years?

Where do you think the future of road cycling apparel is heading?

Chris Jones director of global apparel merchandising, Pearl Izumi

Andy Bennison head of product, Fat Lad At The Back

14 | October 2017

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ROAD: THE FUTURE

Futureproofing road cycling media To some extent, cycling media will always mirror the industry itself. FLICK THROUGH old issues of Cycling Weekly and you can see how we’ve adapted to prevalent trends, whether that be long-distance touring, time trialling, road racing, sportive participation and an increased interest in personal fitness. It’s our job to move with the times and reflect the changing interests of our audience. Nevertheless, there are challenges and opportunities that are specific to media. Even though we’ve seen some magazines close over the past few years, print is proving admirably resilient. Circulation will continue to shift from news stand to subscription, as evidenced by Cycling Weekly’s recent ABC increase in 2016, which was largely driven by excellent subs acquisition and retention. Similarly, our ad revenues are showing strong growth in print – as well as online. Retaining subscribers means honing our print proposition to prioritise our core audience of passionate, experienced and high-spending road cyclists. Meanwhile, our large social audience and high Google authority allow us to create content online that reaches well beyond our core, whether that be beginners, commuters, e-bikers or even triathletes. This ability to stretch our brand into new areas has helped us drive dramatic online growth, with Time Inc’s cycling audience hitting close to 3.5m uniques in July 2017. Alongside this, we are experiencing strong digital growth globally – particularly in the US – and we expect this to increase further over the next couple of years. Our authority and heritage, plus our commitment to web-optimised, eye-catching content, clearly resonate overseas, and Cycling Weekly’s unique users have grown more than 30 per cent in the US this year. This is now attracting global marketing budgets as well as territory-specific, and we are making great progress towards becoming the world’s number one road cycling media destination. Our commercial partners’ preferences are changing fast. Paid-for content, whether in print, digital or video, is part of almost every conversation, and we believe that the key battlegrounds will be around quality and distribution. On the former, clients will become less prescriptive about bespoke content and more open to piggy-backing on high-quality editorial via native campaigns, sponsorship and product placement. The brands that trust us to deliver eyeballs will find they get the best results. We live in a world where creating content is getting easier, but distribution networks take years to build. Our historic investment in digital platforms, in video and in UK Cycling Events allow us to put the right content in front of the right people, no matter who that might be.

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“Our commercial partners’ preferences are changing fast. We believe that key battlegrounds will be around quality and distribution” Simon Collis, Editor-in-Chief, Sports and Hobbies, Time Inc.

October 2017 | 15

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EUROBIKE TOP TEN

Eurobike 2017: Ten must-see products from this year’s epic Eurobike show Missed any big reveals at the show? Don’t fret, Kieran Howells has you covered with a rundown of ten innovative products to hit the halls

here’s no doubt that Eurobike presents the industry with a pivotal platform on which to display the latest and greatest releases. Each year we see over 1,400 companies inhabit the 12 gigantic zeppelin hangers that make up Eurobike’s core and whilst the larger industry players maintain their positions as staples of the annual event, 100 exciting new brands are added to the fray, hoping to scale to similar heights by showing the packed crowds what they have to offer. It takes just one visit to feel the scale and magnitude of Eurobike. The show is truly a sight to behold, not because of its impressive setting on the edge of Lake Constance, or even for the wholly surreal sight of zeppelins silently circling above. The event is a destination because it shines with the excitement and enthusiasm of literally thousands of cycling fans. The pilgrimage is one definitely worth making, but the harsh reality of the situation is that even when taking it in over the full course of the week, there are always going to be amazing products that you’ve missed. If the pure magnitude of Friedrichshafen sent you reeling, fear not: we’ve put together a list of ten “must-see” items that were on display this year.

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Giro Empire E70 Knit shoe You’ve seen knit technology in athletic footwear, but you probably haven’t seen it in cycling, until now. The Empire E70 Knit features Giro’s new engineered Xnetic Knit upper, which is specifically designed for comfort and breathability. Xnetic Knit technology was developed for the specific needs of performance cycling. An internal TPU skeletal system provides support where the rider needs it, while the knit offers suppleness for superior sock-like comfort. The upper is DWR-treated for water repellency and easy cleaning, and a TPU- reinforced toe, heel add durability and abrasion resistance.

October 2017 | 17

EUROBIKE TOP TEN

Squire Bluetooth D-Lock Squire Inigma – the new digital security division of Squire – showcased its first smart keyless bike lock at Eurobike this year. The Bluetooth device lets cyclists lock and unlock their bikes via a smartphone app. The brand claims the lock is super-secure due to its advanced electronics with the highest level of encryption. It’s also set to be the first Bluetooth technology D-lock to achieve Sold Secure Gold rating. Squire Inigma is the result of an extensive research and development programme to create the ultimate D-lock, CEO John Squire explained: “Squire Inigma technology is designed to take cycle security to new level by introducing the highest security D-lock yet. We’re very proud to launch this very exciting development in smart technology at Eurobike.”

Flaer Revo Terra The Revo Terra uses specially developed Terra Fluid to reduce the build-up of dirt in the rider’s transmission, making it significantly cleaner, smoother, quieter and more efficient. It essentially works by applying a precise quantity of specially developed Terra Fluid to the chain as the rider pedals, allowing five per cent more power to be transferred to the wheel and making shifting smoother, whilst keeping the chain and cassette visibly cleaner. Flaer says that Terra Fluid has been specifically designed to be continually re-applied via the Revo Terra. The fluid is washable with normal tap water, making cleaning significantly easier.

Hexlox It may not be the newest product to the market, but Swedish brand Helxox definitely qualifies as a must see due to its potentially innovative product. The Hexlox is essentially an anti-theft device, which uses the existing bolts on your bike to protect it. The Hexlox System comprises of a small magnetic stud that slots tightly into the grooves of the bolt rendering it immovable. It can then be removed only with a coded key, after which the bolt can be used as normal. The brand took to Kickstarter in 2016 to fund the project and received a phenomenal reaction from customers. By the end of the month-long campaign, 1196 backers had pledged €116.290 in exchange for an early release model. Creator Marcus Tonndorf told bikebiz: “ It’s been an amazing ride since we launched on Kickstarter. With over 25,000 Hexlox kits sold worldwide and great reviews, we are solving the problem with bike part thefts in an elegant and smart way.”

18 | October 2017

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EUROBIKE TOP TEN

Knog PWR The PWR range is an ecosystem of modular bike lights from Australian brand Knog. But it’s not just another bike. The unit can both charge your devices with its battery – the PWR Bank – and each one can transform itself into a longer, brighter light with its interchangeable parts. Five bike lights ranging from 450 – 1800 Lm will be followed up in early 2018 with the PWR outdoor range – a speaker, head torch and camping lantern using the same battery system. With PWR you can easily upgrade your gear, charge your phone, save space and save weight whilst riding. “The PWR range isn’t just another release for us, its literally our most innovative launch in the last five years,” commented head of brand marketing Sam Moore.

Tern GSD The Tern GSD received a lot of positive press leading up to Eurobike for its unique take on the modern e-bike. The brand claims that in creating the GSD, it created a bike that ‘defines a new category’ which it calls compact utility. Its designed to carry two kids, a week’s worth of groceries, or 180 kg of cargo and manages to remain only 180 cm long – shorter than a Dutch city bike. With Tern’s folding technology, it also packs down to fit in a VW Touran or an urban apartment. It fits riders from 150 to 195 cm in height and sports a Bosch Performance motor with up to two batteries for up to 250km of power. The GSD comes equipped with integrated lighting, rack, mudguards, double kickstand, two XL panniers, and retractable passenger foot pegs.

Rockshox Pike The name Pike will be familiar with Rockshox customers, largely due to the original models from whom the update gains its title. The original Pike forks were released in 2013 to much critical acclaim. Whilst the new forks retain both the name and core attributes as the originals, the design has been completely re-worked to accommodate modern riding styles. The new damper design provides a wider range of low speed compression adjustment in the Open mode, with a more usable Pedal setting that excels on rolling trails. The Firm setting on Pike has been re-tuned and remote options with OneLoc provide on-the-fly access. The forks are also a match with RockShox Deluxe, Super Deluxe and Super Deluxe Coil remote rear shocks.

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October 2017 | 19

EUROBIKE TOP TEN

Morpher folding helmet The Morpher flat folding helmet was invented by Jeff Woolf, two times winner of British Inventor of the Year, for the significant group of cyclists who don’t wear a helmet because they are generally too cumbersome to carry. Morpher has won numerous awards, including TIME Magazine’s top inventions of the year. Designed to make cycling safer for everyone, the Morpher helmet is truly portable while combining safety with practicality. The helmet opens and closes in seconds, is designed to fit into a bag, is patented worldwide and has CE and CPSC safety certifications. Discussing the show, Woolf commented: We were in the perfect place to meet and chat with potential online or offline retailers and retail groups from around the world, establish new relationships with potential customers and of course cement relationships with current ones.”

Bell Super DH Combining DH certification, a stout but detachable chin-bar and the impact management of MIPS Spherical, the all-new Super DH is a helmet specifically crafted for big mountain terrain. MIPS is built into the helmet between two different layers of foam, one of high density EPS and one of lower density EPP. Each layer has a thin hard shell. The outer shell rides on the inner shell like a ball and socket locked in place by the MIPS elastomers and can move several millimetres in any direction in the event of an impact. In addition to the protection offered by MIPS Spherical, the Super DH is loaded with features including a 360-degree wraparound, tool-free removable chin bar, eyeglass and goggle friendly eye-port, adjustable-height visor, snap-in camera mount, overbrow ventilation and X-Static padding.

Van Nicolas Skeiron Revealed to the Eurobike crowds for the first time, the Skeiron is the latest release from Netherlands-based bike brand Van Nicolas. The Skeiron’s titanium frame is optimised for rigidity at the four key stress points by incorporating a press-fit bottom bracket, ovalised down tube and hydroformed, tapered chain stays, tapered head and top tubes, and 12mm thru-axles for the wheels. The front fork is designed to accommodate the front brake hose and blend seamlessly with the frame. Flat-mounts for the disc-brakes are developed to provide aerodynamic advantages by hiding the mounting bolts and tucking the brake callipers closer to the frame; the internal cables and hose can be simply replaced through the cap underneath the bottom bracket. In other words, new techniques used in casting have created the possibility of a fully integrated, service-friendly and modular cable and hose routing. The form is focused towards functionality to provide aerodynamic advantages and is the result of real craftsmanship.

20 | October 2017

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EUROBIKE: EXPOSURE

Full Exposure Laura Laker speaks with Mark Swift of Exposure Lights about Eurobike, attracting the right buyer, and responding to trends in 2017

What’s the Exposure story? Exposure Lights was born from Ultimate Sports Engineering, U.S.E., which invented the first suspension seat post: an iteration of which has been on sale since 1990. The same ethos is engrained in its development process: every product we design, engineer and produce seeks to improve the cyclist experience. The Vybe Seat post came about before suspension was common place. A very uncomfortable ride over the South Downs Way in the late ‘80s inspired the thought: “we must be able to make that more comfortable, so we can ride longer and faster”. Similarly, racing Mountain Mayhem just after the millennium, we thought “there must be better lights than these”. There weren’t, so we decided to make better lights – again so we could ride faster and see more. We are now in the final throes of developing a new dropper post, with the brief it had to be effective, reliable and self-serviceable; simple but ultimately effective, so the consumer can maintain it themselves if they wish. Exposure Lights have inbuilt technologies to assist the rider whatever the discipline: Reflex technology ensures the lumen output is optimum during a fast-flowing mountain bike ride, by judging the rider’s speed, and becomes brighter the faster a rider goes, i.e. downhill, and less bright when they are grinding up the hills. Our rad lights have a specific day bright pulse so a rider can be seen from a distance on rural roads or, in a busy city environment, specific beam patterns with a spot and spread lens to make sure that they can see in totality, eliminating pockets of shadows that might catch a rider out.

What trends are you seeing right now, and how are you reacting to them? The main trends are automation and personalisation Where AUTOMATION is concerned, we have developed: O

Reflex Plus: so the off roader gets the brightness when they need it without pushing a button. The light can judge the rider’s speed, becoming brighter the faster they go, i.e. downhill, and less bright up the hills

ReAKT so the on road rider gets rear light when required, becoming brighter when it’s lighter, or when they stop

In terms of PERSONALISATION, our SYNC technology allows smart control of our lights via the SYNC smart phone app, which can then be controlled with a wireless remote control. This enables riders to determine lumen output and burn time, so no matter what ride they are going on they will have the optimum performance. We will soon offer SYNC on three of our mountain bike lights: Six pack, Maxx D and Diablo.

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October 2017 | 23

EUROBIKE: EXPOSURE

Newest of all is ReAKT, a rear light that gets brighter in daylight, and when riders stop, making those around more aware of their presence. Tell us about your company structure U.S.E. has an owner, founder and head designer, Roger Sparrow, who pushes for improvements and ensures the company does not stray from the origins of “make things that improve riders’ lives through ride experience or safety”. Then there are key supporters in marketing, sales and production who push for development in certain sectors and ensure the dots are joined.

“U.S.E. looks for likeminded, passionate people who want to enhance their riding experiences”

What kind of buyer are you trying to attract? U.S.E. looks for likeminded, passionate people who want to enhance their riding experiences. We offer high-quality products that offer longevity and trust, both now and in the future of the rider’s experience. This means the lights and components from Ultimate are produced from the highest quality materials and the stores we work with reflect that in their retail space. Buyers need to understand what our products can do for them, both as retailers and then the consumer. Why did you choose to make your mountain bike, commuting and road bike lights activity specific, and how do your customers react to that? As we are all riders in the day and night, Exposure lights know through experience that different lights are required for different terrain and different riders, from what might slow an off-road rider down at night, to what can be seen. For off-road, high lumen output is key and a combination of bar and helmet lights help give the optimal view of the terrain in front of the bike and on the path ahead. Road lights need to be bright, but not so bright that they irritate oncoming drivers: specific beam patterns and in-pack remotes allow riders to dip the lights when a car is approaching. Commuter lights, meanwhile, are designed to be seen, compact in size and USB chargeable; this is essential to encourage safe light use on the road. All Exposure lights come with a Day Bright pulse pattern so the rider can be seen riding, day or night. How are you working to mitigate/capitalise on the Brexit effect? We have ensured that we are appointing a strong network of distributors that believe in the Ultimate and Exposure products and the positives that the products can bring to their individual markets. With the technologies and quality we commit to bring to our products the potential overseas buyers look past the issues that may occur in the future. What did you use your time at the Eurobike show for? Time at Eurobike was used to introduce the new line of product to our distribution network; traditionally Exposure launch its new range at Eurobike and Ultimate always bring newness as well. It is also used to cement existing relationships, seek out new ones, and ensure that all plans are aligned for the upcoming lighting season in the northern hemisphere.

24 | October 2017

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EUROBIKE: OXFORD

The ins and outs of Oxford We sat down with Oxford Products’ cycling division commercial head, David Jesson, to find out about the company’s new strategy, and what’s in store for the autumn/winter season Tell us a bit about Oxford, and its projected growth. Oxford Products is a privately owned business with the Hammond family as majority shareholders. It’s currently forecast to deliver £30M in 2017 with a growth of 15 per cent – the cycle business is growing at 35 per cent. Tell us about the in-house R&D department We have a team of two design engineers who are constantly creating new products or refining existing products so that they continue to meet and exceed customer and consumer expectations. We have a 3D printer, which we use to prototype new products, refining the usability and checking mould quality. This prototyping with the printer allows us to reduce the development cycle by up to 12 months and gives us 100 per cent reliability when it comes to sending full machine and mechanical drawings to our production partners. We have recently installed a full product-testing suite so we can test products and prototypes to ensure they are up to the rigours of everyday use. This suite means we can test products quickly and cost-effectively and make us entirely self-sufficient. Which markets do you cater to outside of the UK? We’re a global business working across all continents and have customers and distribution partners in 43 countries. We recently signed a distribution agreement with Shimano Europe, which now distributes a comprehensive range of Oxford products through their 15-country European operation. Oxford Products has a subsidiary in the USA, whose head office is in Jacksonville, Florida. This is our bridgehead into North America and Canada. What is your expansion policy? We are growing our business through five main pillars: 1. Seeking geographical expansion into new countries. 2. New distribution in the UK with greater depth and breadth, meaning more stores stocking Oxford’s brands. Helping those stores that are currently stocking Oxford to sell a greater variety of products. 3. Adding new brands to our portfolio. We’re having good success with our recent additions of ACROS, Flaer and Taya Chains. 4. Working closely with our retail partners to run joint promotions and working with them on ways to engage with consumers at the point of purchase. 5. Supporting the wider cycling community – we were headline sponsor of Southern XC MTB series this year.

26 | October 2017

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EUROBIKE: OXFORD

What developments have you noticed in cycle retail recently? The first is e-bikes, and the second is growth in workshop business, particularly in the smaller IBDs. We have seen more IBDs make the service element more obvious, bringing it out from behind the counter. How are you working with the IBDs right now? Since we changed our strategy and started to build our direct distribution with IBDs, we have been listening closely to their feedback and doing whatever we can to support them. Some of the initiatives we are implementing include:

â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have seen more IBDs make the service element more obvious, bringing it out from behind the counterâ&#x20AC;?

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1. Merchandising and helping dealers with their in-store displays in order to make products that are self-serve more readily available and easy to navigate at the point of purchase, which then allows the dealers to have more time on the value added sales and advice.

October 2017 | 29

EUROBIKE: OXFORD

“We’re seeing demand for more safety products and improving rider visibility”

2. Improved margins: where possible we are helping dealers by providing improved trading terms, making our offering extremely competitive. 3. Range management and working with dealers to remove slow selling lines and replace with SKUs with a higher rate of sale. 4. Customer engagement and promotion: we are actively participating with dealers when putting on events such as shop rides and races, brand evenings and demo nights. 5. Investing more in our brands to raise awareness and knowledge with consumers. What consumer trends are you seeing right now, and how are you reacting to them? We’re seeing demand for more safety products and improving rider visibility, and as a result are investing in the development of more intelligent lighting systems that illuminate the whole rider to make them much more visible. We’re also investing in lights with increased output to widen the appeal of our whole range. We’ve noticed a slow-down in the mid-market road bike sector and a switch to spending on MTB bikes, parts and accessories, and are reacting to this by adding more MTB brands, such as ACROS, to our portfolio. There has also been a continued rise in e-bikes and more in the performance category, and a continued drive for value. These trends are being addressed in that more of our ranges and product items meet the demands for e-bikes, such as improved locks for both home security and away from home, specific workshop products that meet e-bike needs and bike covers that are a snug fit for that particular segment.

30 | October 2017

How has Brexit affected import and export? The Brexit effect on imports has delivered a weaker pound vs the Dollar resulting in a 15-20 per cent increase in the cost of goods coming from Asia, and more recently in bringing product in from Europe. For export, it has made our products slightly better value across most of our markets. What did you launch at Eurobike? We launched a new helmet called Metro Glo which has a fibre-optic band that runs around the circumference of the helmet giving 360 degree visibility in low light situations. The helmet is supported by fibre optic “slap wraps” which can be worn on the wrists and ankles so all of the extremities are actively lit up. Through research, it has been proven that when a cyclist’s human form is recognised by vehicle drivers at night, they adopt a much softer driving style, reduce their speed and give the cyclist more consideration. The Metro Glo helmet will retail at £49.99.

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EUROBIKE: JOE’S NO FLATS

Feeling pumped A flat tyre is always an unwelcome condundrum. This month, Laura Laker talk to the man trying to make flats a thing of the past, Mr Ran Grodecki – co-CEO of Joe’s No Flats.

Tell us about Joe’s No-Flats. What’s the story behind the concept? Joe’s No Flats began modestly 13 years ago with our high-quality sealant line. We’ve since grown into a one-stop-shop brand for flat prevention and bike care products. Today we are a trusted and loved brand among our customers in 60 countries around the world. We are able to harness advanced scientific methods for our products thanks to our parent company, Adhestick Innovations, which is an advanced industrial adhesives developer and manufacturer with deep knowledge in polymer engineering and chemistry. Located in Israel, we enjoy a strong entrepreneurial spirit, and encourage innovation within our team. What kind of buyer are you trying to attract, and why do you think shops should stock your products? Our products are designed first and foremost to be of the highest quality. World Cup riders, Olympic medal winners and national teams regularly use Joe’s No Flats products. We target all segments of the riding world, including MTB, road, commute, e-bike, and kids’ bikes. We tailor our products to different riders’ needs, with affordable pricing. We also develop products to suit the needs of the shop owner and mechanic. For example, many of our consumer products come in larger packages, to offer best value for money and comfortable use in the workshop. Our logistics packages are also branded, and counter-ready. Today we are a one-stop-shop for sealants and bike care products - shops that choose us benefit from one unified logistics process and brand for those products. What was the aim of the recent rebrand, and what has changed about the product and its marketing?

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Our brand is famous for its sealant line, but as we introduced more product categories over the years we lost some visual consistency. We wanted a visible and clear product line for our customers and trade partners, with a simple colour code, while modernising and personalising the look and feel of the brand. Why a bear you ask? Well, we wanted to associate the brand with nature, and with a strong and surviving animal, that feels at home in the remote outdoors – just as our anti-flat and bike care products should assist and protect our riders so they feel at home outdoors. The bear can also be very cute, cuddly, family-oriented animal – just like all of us, so we hope all our customers will strongly relate to our bear! We received great feedback about the branding from our distributors and customers, which gives us a lot of satisfaction. How were you using your time at Eurobike this year? We launched our rebrand at Eurobike. We believe in the tubeless revolution and our sealants attracted a lot of interest from existing and potential customers all around the world. The combination required a larger booth and team on the ground, and we were positively surprised by the number and quality of meetings we had at the show. Becoming a mainstream, global brand creates the responsibility to continue and develop great products, but we keep our young spirit – so cheers to good business and great fun going forward! What trends are you seeing in the industry at the moment, and how are you reacting to those? From a product perspective, the tubeless revolution continues with MTBs, and is expected to gain momentum with road bikes. As far as we know we are the only brand that developed a road-specific sealant,

October 2017 | 33

EUROBIKE: JOE’S NO FLATS

“The challenge is to develop environmentallyfriendly products that maintain or improve functionality” Ran Grodecki, Joe’s No Flats

designed to cope with the higher PSI of road tyres. We also see a growing demand for easy-to-use and install products. We developed a Universal Conversion Kit: a single kit to convert any MTB with any rim width to tubeless. The shops love it, as they can carry one SKU instead of many, and avoid confusion. From a marketing perspective, the end consumer is key and we must find modern ways to communicate directly with them. We developed a very active Facebook page, and recently launched a new website as part of a conscious effort to remain relevant for the younger generation – and remain young-at-heart ourselves. We invite our customers to seek professional advice from us, share our posts and send us ideas for new products. A lot of companies claim to be green and eco-friendly, but often the ingredients tell a different story. How eco are Joe’s No-Flats eco products? The challenge is to develop environmentally friendly products that maintain or improve functionality. Most of the sealants in the market are latex-based and many use ammonia to control pH level. Our R&D guys developed the Eurobike award-winning ECO sealant, which is completely latex-free and ammonia-free, and considered to be one of the best in the market for flat prevention functionality. You wanted to tell us about your self-sealing tubes...what’s the story there? Although the tubeless revolution is gaining momentum, many riders still use inner tubes but want the advantage of flat prevention. We now provide a wide line of self-sealing inner tubes, with our sealant pre-injected to the tube, thereby improving flat protection. This Eurobike we launched a new line of self-sealing inner tubes for the growing market of e-bikes – due to the force and weight of the engine, we added heavy duty tubes with our sealant as an excellent flat protection solution. You’re based in Israel. Is the country seeing the boom in leisure cycling too, and if so what does that look like? It’s obviously a very different climate to Europe! Israel is an amazing bicycle destination – an advanced, high-tech, western society, great beaches, food and fun, combined with fascinating historical places. As for cycling, it’s very popular and growing both with MTB, road and triathlon, as well as simple city commuters. The climate allows 365 days out on the bike, so that’s great. We also have very different terrains – forests, mountains, deserts – so every day can be a totally different experience. Do you expect Brexit to affect your dealings with UK businesses, and if so, how? Not really; I mean, people will continue to ride after the Brexit as well, right? So we will continue to support our customers in the UK. The UK market has adopted tubeless before many others and it is very important for us.

34 | October 2017

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#VentureFurther

Light rider Tired of feeling unfulfilled by their day jobs, inventors Philippe Lefrancq and Frederic Mertens set out on a mission to change continental commuting for the better, and find themselves along the way. We caught up with Lefrancq at Eurobike. Tell us about what inspired you to create Ahooga It all started with the first grey facial hair, and a lack of purpose in our previous jobs. Fred and I were working in the same company, and we both knew that we were in search for something more meaningful. Besides, we felt our home city was unhappy. Don’t get me wrong, Brussels is a super fun city to live in, in many ways. However, mobility wise, let’s just say there is room for improvement – as in most metropolises in Europe. Very much inspired by cities like Copenhagen and the work of contemporary urbanists such as Jan Gehl, Charles Montgomery, we strongly believe that the secret of the world’s happiest cities lies on pleasant commuting. So we started Ahooga with the willingness to take an active role in this path to happiness. We felt we were onto something by bringing to life a bike that combines four never-seen-before characteristics: folding, comfort, electricity and hyperlight weight. For better cities, and better lives. That’s what our project is actually about, happy cities! Now, about the brand name – AHOOGA is an onomatopoeic name. It’s the sound an antique automobile’s horn made in the 1920s. Just another milestone in the history of mobility. It was adopted by the movie industry as a sound effect symbolizing astonishment and excitement, amongst other emotions. In particular, it was used in the Tex Avery cartoons by the wolf who was crazy-in-love with the pretty lady dancer at the bar. Our folding mudguards are inspired by that cartoon. What kind of buyer are you trying to attract? With this bike, we are addressing a lot of actual and potential cyclists’ expectations or concerns. Fatigue, sweat, long distance, theft… to name a few. We want to attract that portion of people who still hesitate about leaving their car in the garage more often. We look for multimodality. This means we are aiming to convert non-cyclists, too. Our customer-base is wide, ranging between 20 and 80 years old, with a fair split between male and female. They live in and around big cities, obviously. What is different about Ahooga to everything else on the market? First comes the weight. I believe we have the lightest e-bike on the planet at 13kg. Unlike most e-bikes when the assistance is off, the Ahooga remains a lightweight hybrid bicycle, easy and fun to ride, making the autonomy range a stretchable parameter.

38 | October 2017

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EUROBIKE: AHOOGA

“It all started with the first grey facial hair, and a lack of purpose in our previous jobs”

Then comes the comfort. Although it’s a folding bike, you get a fantastic riding experience. It’s stiff, dynamic, efficient and it’s comparable to a full size geometry bike in many ways. Just try it and you’ll love it. Last but not least, for the sake of a better adoption, we believe that – like clothing – your bike is the extension of your personality and should resemble you. That’s why we made it available in no fewer than 215 colours. Actually, you can double that figure because we’re available in both glossy and matte finishes, too. How is the company structured? Most of our activities are gathered in one place in Brussels/Belgium: headquarters, main showroom, workshop, warehouse... We are structured into three different departments: operations, production/R&D and marketing. We work with both freelancers and employees, a happy cocktail . What trends are you seeing right now, and how are you reacting to them? We’re witnessing the electric bike market growing rapidly. It goes with more powerful motors each year, bigger batteries, and so on. We took the opposite path, aiming at the lightest electric assistance and our hybrid bike. Although we see all this growing offer, as a good thing, it explains why we work our asses off. What did you use your time at the Eurobike show for? Actually, we can now tell you that we launched the world premiere presentation of our new Kick-Ass at Eurobike. In a nutshell, this new release includes disc brakes, more off-the-shelf colours, and an increased battery range. We dedicate our time at Eurobike for meeting with retailers mainly. We don’t work with distributors for different reasons, one of them is to be able to sense and build a relationship with the shops we work with. Eurobike is that one opportunity for meeting with all our partners; we consolidate existing relationships and build new ones with those having shown interest in our brand. That direct to retailer approach takes more time, but we like it this way.

www.bikebiz.com

October 2017 | 39

NEXT ROUND JANUARY 2018 Follow us on facebook or Twitter for the latest news and updates or visit: www.corebike.co.uk

2018

RETAIL INSIGHT

Workshop

Less is more…

Page 42 Framebuilder Liz Colebrook discusses the best retail tactics for selling road bikes to your customer base

his month Liz Colebrook considers selling road bikes, Mark O’Dolan recommends the best ways to maximise your time at trade shows as a retailer, and guest columnist Jake Yarranton talks about the benefits of offering bike fitting as a service in-store

Consumer and retail trends piece

Mark O’Dolan, retail consultant at High Street Mentor, offers a few tips to retailers attending the Cycle Show

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Bike fitting: why it’s an important offering

Bike fitting technician Jake Yarranton explains how offering bike fitting as a service in your shop could help boost sales

October 2017 | 41

TRICKS OF THE TRADE: WORKSHOP

“Less is more”. Tapping into the customer’s enduring passion for the road bike Liz Colebrook, Beaumont Bicycle

ltimately it’s about the emotion of performance. A road bike makes a very clear and bold statement. It’s about the ride and it’s about you.

Stripped of paraphernalia, you tune into where you’re heading and your position on the bike. As your muscles warm up, you hit that sweet spot where you can power up, let it roll, recover and repeat. We’re drawn into a narrative – our mind’s eye plays images of the great legends climbing Alpe d’Huez. The road bike basically says “come on” - it’s our ego staring right back at us and asking what we’re waiting for. Less is more: You can forgive your customer for not knowing where to start when there are so many road bike options available. Displaying a random floor full of bikes doesn’t necessarily help. Less is more. Look at how Shimano marketed their Steps mid-motor last year with about seven larger-thanlife customer profile portraits - when you look at a display, you remember the emotion you feel from what you see. We all have a preferred learning method – through our eyes, our ears or hands. Ideally use all three when you’re with a customer. On listening: I believe the customer has all the answers; you just have to ask the right questions. What got you into cycling? What are you currently riding? Where do you see yourself riding? Who do 42 | October 2017

‘The store should convey the emotion that’s behind a customer being for life, not just for Christmas’

you ride with? How’s your fitness? What’s your job? Even asking a customer if they remember their first bike may tap into that passion. Listening to your customer’s answers should reveal what aspirations they have. Keep the focus on them, and be mindful that your authenticity and passion comes across. Yeah, but – how do you stop the freshly-informed customer just walking away and ordering online? Well, here’s a fact that’s stayed with me from the early days of Trek UK. When Stacey said “sell your store”, she meant “and the customer will want to buy what you’re selling”. “People buy from people” is an old adage but, people still need to buy from people to get exactly what they want. The fact is, most of us don’t watch a YouTube tutorial and then cut our own hair. On looking: Your store should convey the emotion that’s behind a customer being for life, not just for Christmas. An image can go straight to the heart – find a good photographer and show some emotion. Put that authenticity, professionalism and passion into images within your store. On hands on: Consider offering a programme of masterclasses for your road bike customer community e.g. going tubeless, changing a tube on the road, handlebars, riding clipless, saddles and riding position, hydraulic brakes, going wireless, bespoke gearing. Get the coffee on, keep the numbers low and let word of mouth work its magic. There is so much technology out there but when it comes down to it, your store holds the key to matching the right technology with the right customer together with the right interface. Liz Colebrook BSc OT BA, framebuilder Liz@beaumontbicycle.co.uk www.beaumontbicycle.com www.bikebiz.com

TRICKS OF THE TRADE: RETAIL

Maximising

show time Mark O’Dolan, High Street Mentor

his year’s NEC Cycle show is fast approaching and should be one of the best yet with over 300 exciting exhibitors. I will be presenting to retailers supporting them with ideas to increase sales and profits. I’ll be focusing on the importance of store innovation to maximise your sales per square metre. The show will be offering lots of new exciting innovative products for business owners to consider, which, in itself, is exciting but requires a massive leap in faith as hard-earned cash needs to be handed over without any assurance it will turn into a profit! There are four key points to consider in advance of visiting the show: planned financial stock holding for the autumn/winter, planned stock turn of a product (weeks’ stock cover), shop layout, and the point of sale material to make the product fly! Visiting the show with your own shop floor plan and a sales plan by category for the season will help you make good decisions at the show. You need new, innovative product to survive and grow; a shop laid out in an exciting customer-engaging fashion will drive sales. Suppliers all want to sell you product, but they also want sustainable business. They want you to keep coming back for more, but in too many cases new product is not potentialised when it arrives at the store. Sometimes it’s not given appropriate prime space, strong “WOW visuals” marketing material, prime window space, professional pricing 44 | October 2017

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‘Suppliers all want to sell you product, but they also want sustainable business’

cards and a team passionately selling, armed with the required new product knowledge. There is no point bringing in new product if there has not been a structured team training session to set the whole team on fire with enthusiasm. Customers need to feel it! They need a reason to buy and a sales team can push a sale over the line if they are knowledgeable and passionate about a product. But I’m sad to say in too many cycle shops up and down the country, it’s too much of a take-it-or-leave it when it comes to customer engagement. Suppliers often have a vision of how they see the product been merchandised, so quiz them, take notes and pictures, and demand marketing material and any help at all they can offer. Many suppliers will supply wonderful, exciting wall and free standing visuals/images to enhance and excite store customer experience – ask them for it! I hope you all have an enjoyable and profitable visit to the Cycle Show. If you would like Mark O’Dolan’s services to help your business grow, call 07951 022 907 or email mark@highstreetmetor.co.uk.

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Distributors of great brands across the UK Find your Local stockist at: www.bob-elliot.co.uk or contact us on: sales@bob-elliot.co.uk Tel: 01772 459 887

Only a few months into her first bike shop venture, Jenny at Ride Bikes in Ulverston serves another happy customer. Photo by Citrus-Lime Account Management Team member, Lizzie.

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TRICKS OF THE TRADE: BIKE FITTING

Why should you invest in a

professional bike fit? Technician Jake Yarranton explains the importance and benefits of offering bike fit services in-store

T SURPRISES me when I talk to people who are avid cyclists and have been for a long time just how unaware the public is of the many benefits of bike fitting. Many people don’t even know that this process is available. Business owners and cyclists alike should understand the importance and positive benefits of bike fitting, and offering bike fitting services in-store.

For many amateur riders, a bike fit won’t represent a marginal gain, but potentially it’ll give them the maximum improvement they need; a lot won’t understand this until they are sat with your technician and they start discussing what they are feeling and start making changes. An off-the-shelf bike will regularly need changes to make sure that the risk of injury is minimised and comfort is enhanced whilst ensuring the setup matches the individuals’ appropriate cycling goals. For the novice cyclist who has just been welcomed into the cycling world, the best possible way to start making progress is through a bike fit. This doesn’t have to be the selling point; a simple introduction to the bike fit technician is generally enough to help create a good relationship. A bike fit isn’t just about improving performance, although, for some riders this is going to be all they want to achieve. I always concentrate on three main factors when working with someone during their bike fit. These are power production, aerodynamics, and comfort. The priority will be identified when the fitter and cyclist have a detailed conversation about what the cyclist realistically wants to achieve. To address these three factors effectively, it is not unusual for certain parts to be recommended for change, such as the saddle and stem. Being in the position to offer your customers a bike fit for any bike will immediately make them feel as though you and your staff have their best interest in mind.

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‘A bike fit isn’t just about performance’

Whether you are looking out for a regular customer or you are attracting new customers who have seen the service advertised, you are suddenly capturing a market that was completely missed when fitting was unavailable. Throughout the bike fit process, a lot of opportunity arises to sell extras to the customer; it may just be a stem for one but may be a full bike for another. On more than one occasion, I have had to tell someone their bike is the

October 2017 | 47

TRICKS OF THE TRADE: BIKE FITTING

‘Look around your business and think – can you utilise a staff member rather than bringing someone in?’

incorrect size and almost instantly we are talking about what bike we are going to order and what date we are going to finish the bike fit on! Outside of extreme circumstances, almost every fit will require an extra purchase here or there. As cyclists, we should not have to just ‘accept’ that we are wriggling around on the saddle to be comfortable, putting up with numbness, or suffering pain in our backs, knees and feet. A bike fit will help these issues and you will increase our enjoyment and performance, whilst avoiding injury and riding many more miles. So, lets offer it to all cyclists. Now, I appreciate this is a lot of information, and you’re probably asking yourself whether you really do need to hire a bike fit technician in-store full-time. The answer is yes. When I’m not fitting, I will pull my weight on the sales floor, workshop or wherever else might need that extra hand. I started as a sales assistant and have worked my way up. Look around your business and have a think – can you utilise a staff member from inside rather than bringing someone in?

48 | October 2017

The answer again, is most likely to be yes. Ideally, everyone should be booking themselves in for a bike fit every year. The customer may think that’s excessive, but a lot can change within that year. The more the customer has ridden, the more the body will change and adapt. They may also have suffered injuries and setbacks throughout the year. Most technicians and businesses will offer a discounted rate for the annual appointment, still charging enough to make money but making the customer feel as though they are being looked after and that their best interest is in mind. This is a great way to improve repeat custom and make the customer, who has no loyalty to an LBS, loyal. I’ve completed a large number of bike fits and everyone I’ve worked with has experienced some degree of benefit. To invest in having a professional bike fit technician working inside your store will not only be financial beneficial, it also offers that little bit extra for all your customers. It’s a key service that the online industry cannot compete against!

www.bikebiz.com

SECTOR GUIDE

Road bikes and accessories 1

3 2

Simplon

Cinelli

Thompson

Jagwire

PRIDE

Vigorelli Road

Capella Disc

Pro Road Kits

Distributor: Simplon

Distributor: Chicken CycleKit

Distributor: Greenover Sports

Distributor: Moore Large

Making its trade show debut at Eurobike was the eye catching Simplon PRIDE. This aero, disc brake-equipped road bike offers a number of distinctive and unique features. The cockpit design integrates all the cables and offers the lowest possible air resistance whilst also allowing the fitment of “traditional” stem and bars if required. The frame and forks offer a bunch of useful features, such as the “Fast Thru Axle” for disc wheels and the ability to swap between the supplied aero seat post and a traditional round seat post.

The Vigorelli track bike is offered in three different versions. The steel is ridden by Team Cinelli Chrome, the aluminium has been reintroduced due to popular demand, and the Vigorelli road steel model is all-new for this year. It uses crit-like geometry to make a super fast training bike, or an ideal city commuter. The bike will be on display at the NEC show and is available to purchase as part of a stockist package. Dealers are encouraged to visit Chicken CycleKit’s D24 stand to view them.

The Capella Disc is designed and hand-built in Belgium by historic, family-run brand Thompson Bikes. Established in 1921 Thompson has previously won Tour of Flanders and Tour of Belgium and today create race bikes such as the Capella Disc that can be customised from the ground up. It blends raceinspired geometry with a high-modulus 3K-woven Toray Carbon, monocoque frame that gives you a fast, comfortable and stable ride making the uphills a highlight and downhills a blast!

Falling between Sport level slick stainless and high-end Elite cables, the new Pro Polished series replaces all Teflon-coated cables. This includes single cables, fileboxes and Pro level DIY kits. Available in both brake and shift kits with SRAM, Shimano, and Campagnolo compatibility. With the addition of these cables, Jagwire now offers riders durable, coatingfree cable options from basic up to the elite level. Retailing at £39.99 each, with all needed parts included, Road Pro kits are easy to install.

Contact: Kevin Burton – 07809 764983

Contact: alex.rowling@ chickencyclekit.co.uk

50 | October 2017

Contact: 01803 558885; martin@ greenoversports.com

Contact: sales@moorelarge.co. uk www.bikebiz.com

SECTOR GUIDE

8 7

CUBE Bikes

LOOK

Tacx

Zipp

Litening C:68 SLT

785 Huez RS Team Replica

Saddle Bag Medium

Quickview TT Computer Mount

Distributor: Oneway Bike Industry BV “As much art as it is engineering”, this bike combines the most advanced current carbon frame construction technologies with the world’s most exclusive components to achieve a no-compromise race machine. Inclusive of Newmen cockpit components, SL R.25 wheelset matched to Shimano’s range-topping Dura Ace Di2 groupset, and hydraulic disc brakes. RRP £5,999 More info on www.cube.eu Contact: info@cube-bikes.nl

Distributor: ZyroFisher An ultra-lightweight bicycle for unique sensations. Test yourself against the sheer size of nature and conquer the biggest climbs. This was LOOK’s motivation behind the creation of the 785 Huez RS whose name echoes the mythical ascent. The 785 Huez RS is the result of industry leading technology engineered for minimal weight and maximum efficiency, to inspire you to reach new heights. RRP £8,199. Contact: www.zyrofisherb2b. co.uk

Distributor: ZyroFisher The Tacx Saddle bag is quickly and easily clicked on to your saddle and can be used with the Tacx Mudguard Race (as pictured). The bag has a watertight zip and one large compartment. The bag opens on the side for easy removal of tools while in the saddle. The Tacx Saddle Bag Medium retails at £21.99, the Tacx Mudguard Race at £15.99. Contact: www.zyrofisherb2b. co.uk

Distributor: ZyroFisher This uncomplicated computer mount for aero-bar extensions is easy to install, lightweight and vibration and slip-free. The 22.3mm industry-standard quarter-twist mount installs simply and securely on aero extensions. The Zipp QuickView TT Computer Mount (RRP £19.00) is aerodynamically shaped for left-side installation, but also can be installed on the right bar extension. Comes with a single Torx T25 bolt, flexible mounting clamp and 1/4 twist mount. Contact: www.zyrofisherb2b. co.uk

www.bikebiz.com

October 2017 | 51

ZETA 1300R With class leading power to weight ratio, the Zeta 1300 fitted with the astounding Cree XHP50 sets a new benchmark in precision crafted bike lights. 2 x Cree and 6 x Cree Zeta lights also available, all with wireless remote controls.

Contact your Area Manager for excellent margins on the full Xeccon range Tel: 01332 274252 Email: sales@moorelarge.co.uk Web: moorelarge.co.uk

SECTOR GUIDE

Ritchey

Bar Fly

Genesis

Muc-Off

Ritchey

Rain Fly front & rear mudguards

Volare Disc

Team Sky Hydrodynamic Lube

Distributor: Direct to retailer Ritchey have two new bikes available; a high-performance steel frame with Logic Triple-Butted tubing; the other a full carbon frame designed for travel. The Road Logic has been updated with a new carbon fork, now fitting 30mm tyres. Its classic lines have all the design hallmarks of a Ritchey, but feature modern geometry and tubing. The Carbon Break-Away is the connoisseur’s travel bike. Supplied as a frameset and travel bag, it allows any rider to take their own “superbike” in an airline-friendly package. Contact: +44 (0)7468 608850

www.bikebiz.com

Distributor: 2pure Optimised for road (disc and caliper) and disc CX bikes to protect your feet, drivetrain and bike, these are reported to be the world’s lightest and fastest installing full coverage mudguards. Installation takes fewer than 30 seconds, with reusable zip ties. With multiple mounting positions, they are optimised for different frame types, sizes and geometry. The product includes all mounting hardware and frame protectors. SRP £15.00 each Contact: Jake Law, 0844 811 2001 (ex 3); marketing@2pure. co.uk

Distributor: Sportline For the first time in 2018, the Volare will be available in two disc-ready platforms, the 931 stainless steel Disc frameset and the 853 Disc frameset. For a high-end bike that’ll last the test of time, stainless steel is the ultimate material, and add in the extra stopping power of disc brakes and you’ll have a futureproof, race-ready bike that’ll last for years and years. Contact: rick.hutchings@ madison.co.uk

Distributor: ZyroFisher The Team Sky Hydrodynamic Lube is an all-weather bicycle chain lubricant that has been designed to stand up over long distances and in the harshest of conditions. Hand-blended in the UK, the petroleum-free formula has helped Team Sky win three runs of the Tour de France since 2014. Its increased durability is thanks to added synthetic polymers that promise up to 400 miles of use per application. Contact: Jason Bradwell; jb@ muc-off.com

October 2017 | 53

SECTOR GUIDE

14 13

15 16

CUBE

Mavic

Frog Bikes

Bottle Cage

Ksyrium Pro UST

Frog Road

Team Sky Helmet

Distributor: Oneway Bike Industry BV

Distributor: Direct to retailer

Equally adept on fast, rolling roads or mountain terrain, the Ksyrium Pro UST delivers comfort and performance for a variety of riding conditions. Key updates include a UST tubeless-compatible rim. When combined with the new 25mm Yksion Pro UST tubeless tires, the result is a 15 per cent increase in rolling efficiency at equal tyre pressure. Or 5 per cent rolling resistance improvement with 1bar /15PSI lower pressure to get extra comfort and grip.

This 26 inch kids’ road bike, with 18 speed gears, is ideal for kids aged between 11 and 14 years old with a minimum inside leg of 70cm, 26” inch wheels with narrow and short-drop, child-specific handlebars. The bike is fitted with 18-speed gears, Microshift short-reach brake levers, and a lightweightbut-sturdy frame. Two sets of tyres are available: Kenda road and Kenda cyclocross tyres. Comes with a free 5 year warranty on frame and forks. Available in red, black, white and Team Sky Black. RRP: £465

This comfortable and lightweight helmet in Team Sky design. Fits head size 54-58 cm. Comes with easy-to-use dial for quick and safe helmet adjustment plus anti-pinch buckle. Also has reflective strips on the back of the helmet for added safety. RRP: £40

Designed for everything from mountain bike races to spring classics on the road bike or the first bike outing with the kids – the lightweight bottle cages not only keep a firm grip on the bottle, they are also quick to mount and easy to access. With a range of technologies and designs to choose from, you’ll find the perfect CUBE bottle cage to complement every bike. There are plastic, aluminium and carbon versions available. Contact: info@cube-bikes.co. uk; 0031 10 340 3502

54 | October 2017

Contact: +44 2033215485; https://www.mavic.com/en-gb/ contact

Contact: val@frogbikes.com; 01784 557300

Contact: val@frogbikes.com; 01784 557300 www.bikebiz.com

SECTOR GUIDE

19 20

ColourBolt

TIME

Topeak

Wilier

Maximum Black

Scylon

Joe Blow Ace DX

Superleggera

Distributor: Velorution

Distributor: Extra UK

Distributor: Hotlines

Built for speed, the Maximum Black packs one hell of a punch. It was created with a specific brief in mind – a light, racy custom frame that kicks hard on the flat and glides uphill. To keep the weight down, the designers used TIG welding on the majority of the joins, with a fillet braze between the seat stays adding strength. The tubing is Columbus Max. The result is a road bike designed with a single purpose: “maximum stiffness, minimum weight.”

With a marriage of aerodynamics and power, Scylon’s every detail has been designed and developed to create a true racing machine. Built in France using unique Time technology such as carbon braiding, resin transfer moulding, carbon matrix technology and AKTIV fork vibration damping.

The Joe Blow Ace DX takes the efficient 3 stage, dual-barrel technology of the original Ace, and combines it with the sleek SmartHead DX1 connector and larger, easier-to-read gauge to set a new standard in pump design. Recent winner of the Cycling Plus Magazine Best in Test Award.

Take a step back from your full carbon, 12 speed, aero bikes of today and enjoy the honesty and simplicity of the Superleggera. A tribute to the bicycles that made Wilier famous, this bike has been constructed by skilled craftsmen and proudly wears the iconic Ramto colour that has adorned Wilier bicycles since the 40s. RRP: £4,200.00

Contact: info@extrauk.co.uk Contact: info@extrauk.co.uk

Contact: sales@hotlines-uk.com / 0131 319 1444

Contact: roger@velorution.com

56 | October 2017

www.bikebiz.com

MARS The smartest rear light! • Smart Brake Indicating System - identifies braking to alert those behind you, no matter which mode you are riding in. • Smart Off System – turns off automatically if no movement detected for 5 minutes. • Smart Day Riding Mode – light off, but still identifies braking to alert those behind you.

Contact your Area Manager for excellent margins on the full Xeccon range Tel: 01332 274252 Email: sales@moorelarge.co.uk Web: moorelarge.co.uk

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. Next day delivery on our easy to use B2B ordering system. GREYVILLE ENTERPRISES

01543 251328

www.greyville.com

sales@greyville.com

SECTOR GUIDE

Trailers and boxes 4

3 2

Carry Freedom

Saris

Pendle Bike Racks

LifeLine

Y Frame

Super Bones 3-Bike Rack

Tow Bar Mounted Bike Racks

EVA Bicycle Pod

Distributor: Paligap

Distributor: Direct to retailer

Innovative retractable straps feature one-touch adjustability for ease of car fit and seamless strap management. Pivoting and floating foot easily and intuitively adjusts to vehicle’s design. Dual locking system that securely locks the bike to rack and rack to car.

Pendle Bike Racks provides a wide range or tow bar mounted racks. Mounting on the tow bar is car-friendly – the rack doesn’t touch the vehicle and provides a simple and strong mounting interface on the vehicle. The company produces hang on-type racks as a relatively low-cost system for easy use and wheel support where each bike is individually secured. The wheel support racks are very versatile with options for two, three or four bikes.

Distributor: Extra UK The original Y-Frame trailer is one of the bestselling load trailers in the world. It’s constructed from 6061T6 aluminium, and fits to threaded and QR axles. Large trailer can carry loads of 90kg and has a load bed of 700x500mm. Carry Freedom have also introduced a “noiseless” tow bar system, which stops rattling and a new grip surface that provides good grip without scratching the load. Contact: info@extrauk.co.uk

Contact: info@paligap.cc

Distributor: Hotlines The EVA construction gives the Bicycle Pod excellent durability against impacts and abrasion. Designed to take up to 29” or 700c-wheeled bikes, internal straps and loops help keep everything in place during transit. On the outside, two big rubber wheels make rolling the box a breeze and multiple handles ensure it’s easy enough to lift when you need to. RRP: £189.99 Contact: sales@hotlines-uk.com / 0131 319 1444

Contact: info@pendle-bike.co. uk www.bikebiz.com

October 2017 | 59

In association with

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

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

Moore Large and Co Ltd Grampian Buildings, Sinfin Lane, Derby, Derbyshire, DE24 9GL Tel: 01332 274200 Web: www.moorelarge.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

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

North Sports 38 Kingston Avenue, Neilston, Glasgow, East Renfrewshire, G783JG Tel: 07746 933795 Web: www.northsports.co.uk

Continental North Parade, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, Wales, SY23 2JR Tel: 01970 626777 Web: www.conti-tyres.co.uk

EBCO 5 Pegasus House, Olympus Ave, Warwick, CV34 6LW Tel: 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

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

Pitbitz Ltd Unit 6 Thorpe Drive, Thorpe Way Industrial Estate, Banbury, Oxon, OX16 4UZ Tel: 01295 269333 Web: www.gazeboshop.co.uk and www.thebikeboxcompany.co.uk

Mealor-Clarke Cycle Spares Ltd Unit 1, Eastlands Road, Leiston, Suffolk, IP16 4LL Tel: 01728 830 055 Web: www.mealorclarkecyclespares.co.uk

Raleigh UK Ltd Church Street, Eastwood, Nottingham, NG16 3HT Tel: 01773 532600 Web: www.raleigh.co.uk and www.cyclelife.com and www.diamondback.co.uk

Met Helmets / Bluegrass 22-24 Ely Place, London, EC1N6TE Tel: 0207 1937 496 Web: www.met-helmets.com

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

The BikeBiz Directory 2017 is out now, providing the industry with a must-have guide to the UK’s retailers, distributors, manufacturers and related businesses. If you’d like to find out more or require additional copies please contact rsetters@nbmedia.com or call him on 020 7354 6028

DISTRIBUTION AND WHOLESALE

E-COMMERCE AND EPOS

EVENT ORGANISERS, HOSTING, HOLIDAY AND HIRE

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

Stolen Goat Unit C1E Threshold Way, Fairoaks Airport, Woking. GU24 8HU Tel: 01483 361146 Web: www.stolengoat.com

The Cycle Division Unit 27 Gatehouse Enterprise Centre, Albert Street, Lockwood, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, HD1 3QD Tel: 01484 456137 Web: www.thecycledivision.com

ZyroFisher Ltd Roundhouse Road, Faverdale Industrial Estate, Darlington, DL3 0UR Tel: 01325 741200 Web: www.zyrofisher.co.uk / www.zyrofisherb2b.co.uk

MANUFACTURERS

MARKETING, PR AND CONSULTANCY

MEDIA AND PUBLISHING

ASSOS 57 Farringdon Road, London, EC1M 3JB Tel: 0203 621 1555 Web: www.assos.com

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

Met Helmets / Bluegrass 22-24 Ely Place, London, EC1N6TE Tel: 0207 1937 496 Web: www.met-helmets.com

ORGANISATIONS, CHARITIES AND ASSOCIATIONS

RETAILERS, WORKSHOPS AND MAIL ORDER

SERVICES AND TRAINING

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

700c Cycle Shop Insurance Plough Court, 37 Lombard Street, London. EC3V 9BQ Tel: 0333 433 0827 Web: www.700cinsurance.co.uk

Cycleguard Insurance Southgate House, Southgate Street, Gloucester, GL1 1UB Tel: 0333 004 3444 Web: www.cycleguard.co.uk

Oneway Distribution BV PO BOX 12, 3000 AA Rotterdam Tel: 0031 10345 3510 Web: shop.o-w-d.nl PowerBar UK The Hive, 51 Lever St, Manchester. M1 1FN Tel: +44 (0)161 641 0056 Web: www.active-nutrition-international.com Pinhead Components Inc Jasper Ave, Edmonton, Alberta. Canada. T6K OK6 Tel: 1-780 465530 Web: www.pinheadlocks.com Red Industries Borough House, Berkeley Court , Borough Road Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire ST5 1TT Tel: 01782 824026 Web: www.redindustries.co.uk

Bike Rental Manager c/o H W Fisher & Co Acre House, 11-15 William Road, London. NW1 3ER Tel: +33 4 66 03 14 32 Web: www.bikerentalmanager.com

Citrus-Lime Limited Lantern House, The Ellers, Ulverston, LA12 0AA Tel: 01229 588 628 Web: www.citruslime.com

Rozone Limited Queen Street, Darlaston, Wednesbury West Midlands. WS10 8JB Tel: 0121 526 8181 Web: www.rozone.co.uk Oxford Products Ltd De Havilland Way, Range Road, Witney, Oxon. OX29 0YA Tel: 01993 862 300 http://www.oxfordproducts.com/bicycle

Visijax Cotesbach House, The Precinct, Main Street, Cotesbach, Leicestershire, LE17 4HX Tel: 07810 838934 Web: www.visijax.com

The BikeBiz Directory 2017 is available to view online at

www.bikebiz.com

MARKETPLACE

TO ADVERTISE ON THESE PAGES PLEASE CONTACT rsetters@nbmedia.com or call 0207 354 6028

BIKES & ACCESSORIES

AVAILABLE FROM 2PURE/

BIKES & ACCESSORIES

SPARES DISC BRAKES BLEED KITS BRAKE PADS CABLES WIRES SPARES DISC BRAKES BLEED KITS

ORDER AT 2PUREB2B.CO.UK AVAILABLE NOW / TRADE@2PURE.CO.UK / 0131 449 4147

BIKES & ACCESSORIES

62 | October 2017

BIKES & ACCESSORIES

www.bikebiz.com

MARKETPLACE BIKES & ACCESSORIES

BIKES & ACCESSORIES

WWW.TIGERCYCLES.COM

Introducing the new Urban Culture BMX Range Visit www.tigercycles.com for full specification. Excellent Dealer Margins available

R.R.P. From Â£149.99 To become a retailer contact us by phone: 01683 220837 by email: info@tigercycles.com

www.bikebiz.com

October 2017 | 63

MARKETPLACE BIKES & ACCESSORIES

TO ADVERTISE ON THESE PAGES PLEASE CONTACT rsetters@nbmedia.com or call 0207 354 6028

BIKES & ACCESSORIES

BOTTOM BRACKET SOLUTIONS

33 integrated, CNC machined aluminium complete BB Solutions

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

BIKES & ACCESSORIES

64 | October 2017

GIFT VOUCHERS, GREETINGS CARDS, TROPHIES & PROMOTIONAL GOODS

www.bikebiz.com

MARKETPLACE BIKES & ACCESSORIES

BIKES & ACCESSORIES

ORDER YOUR 2018 STOCK TODAY!

e S t oc k O ff

U lt i

5 s O ver Â£

info@use.group

info@use.group | 01798 839 300

BIKE FRAME LABELS & GENERAL PRINT

01798 839 300

BIKES & ACCESSORIES

SIMPLE, FAST AND TRANSPARENT.

LIVE-QUERY ON AVAILABILITY MORE THAN 3000 ARTICLES INDIVIDUAL CUSTOMER DISCOUNT LOW SHIPPING COSTS New Dealers can register online.

magura-b2b.com

www.bikebiz.com

October 2017 | 65

MARKETPLACE EPOS & ECOMMERCE

TO ADVERTISE ON THESE PAGES PLEASE CONTACT rsetters@nbmedia.com or call 0207 354 6028

EPOS & ECOMMERCE

GET STAFFED! One customer has used our products and proven methods to double revenues every year since 2011. We’ll show you how. WWW.BIKEBIZ.COM/JOBS Book a free demonstration today.

www.citruslime.com/demo Call us on 01229 588 628 (Mon - Fri, 09.00 to 17.30) or email hello@citruslime.com

Annual Turnover below £400k? Discuss the Entrepreneur Pack during your demo to discover more.

66 | October 2017

IS WHERE THE TRADE GOES FOR THE LATEST JOB OPPORTUNITIES Contact: rsetters@nbmedia.com or call +44 (0)207 354 6028 www.bikebiz.com

RETAIL INSIGHT: THE BIG QUESTIONS

RESULTS

Do you think road bike part exchange is beneficial to the dealer?

44% YES

56% NO

Respondents felt that road bike part exchange was no longer beneficial to the dealer, despite it once having been the norm. The impact of online sales platforms like Ebay on this service, and the â&#x20AC;&#x153;unrealistic expectationsâ&#x20AC;? of sellers, were cited as reasons.

Polls are conducted via twitter @bikebiz_online

Which brake do you think is the safest for road bike users?

28% rim brakes

72% disc brakes www.bikebiz.com

Do you think steel road bikes can challenge carbon and aluminium road bikes?

67% 33% yes no

October 2017 | 67

IN MY TEAM The Volt Bikes team receiving their award for Specialist Distributor at the 2017 BikeBiz Awards

Volt

We ﬁnd out about Volt’s obsession with cycling, and the team’s dedication to competetive ping-pong. What does your core team do? Between our core team, we manage sales, marketing, press, web design and logistics. On the right-hand side of this image, we have the two directors and founders James and Lyle. Our back office team deserves a massive shout-out too as nothing would function properly without them! Who’s your most passionate cyclist? Our whole team is obsessed with cycling: we all choose to travel on two wheels, come rain or shine. We make sure we keep on top of the latest bike tech so we can integrate the best and latest equipment onto our own bikes. We’re so keen that we genuinely spend our free time reading about bike tech and anything bikerelated. Lyle cycled from London to Paris earlier in 2017 for a bit of fun, and Andreas cycled a massive 3,000 mile ride in the US in 2016. What do you do to have fun as a team? When we are not playing high stakes

68 | October 2017

competitive ping-pong, we’re quite often competing to see who can get the furthest distance out of a single charge on one of our e-bikes. It’s a bit of a silly contest because the more competitive members of the team don’t even turn the power on unless they really need it! Steve so far is claiming to have got 330 miles and counting out of his. To completely relax we can be found at a local bar in London Bridge, with so many choices locally for great food and drink it’s just nice to grab a cold beer and discuss the latest developments in the world of electric bikes. Obviously we don’t ride home after! Who’s the longest-standing team member? Besides Lyle & James who set up VOLT in 2008, some of the back office team have been here almost right from the start. What are you currently working on? We have just developed our own motor technology, SpinTech. It’s an enhanced drive system for our electric bikes which delivers

www.bikebiz.com

IN MY TEAM

amazing performance. SpinTech is our own complete e-bike system with each component being designed to work in perfect sync with the other. The final result is an e-bike which feels better, rides further and delivers more power than anything we’ve done before. We have developed this power system in collaboration with two major e-bike manufactures Ecoride from Sweden & Blix from the U.S. SpinTech is currently being rolled out on all our latest electric bikes. Anyone who wants to keep up with our latest news and product developments can follow us on social media. Who’s the team joker, and why? The title of team joker is a highly contested one, each day presents a new opportunity for a hungry contender to challenge for the award. The current reigning champion is Antonio – so far twice this month he’s come in to the office in disguise and pretended to be a customer buying a bike, Steve in sales has fallen for this both times which is ridiculous as he sits next to him all day long!

KEY PRODUCTS: CONTACTS: Contact the Volt team on: 02073784728 www.voltbikes.co.uk

www.bikebiz.com

• The VOLT Pulse

• Kensington

The VOLT Pulse is one of our favourite e-bikes, it looks great, is superb to ride and continually gets great reviews.

The stylish step-through Kensington is also a favourite amongst our female clientele, utilising all of our latest technology, but maintaining a timeless vintage look

October 2017 | 69

SPOKESMAN

Before I was a bike freak, I was a kayak anorak By Carlton Reid, editor-at-large

T 16, when all my school friends could talk about was the time left until they could drive, I consciously chose a different direction. I bought a bike. This was a Claud Butler Majestic from old-school bike shop Bryant’s of Norwich (which closed in 2000). Wet behind the ears, I time-trialled on the thing. A touring bike, pedalled in trainers, isn’t the best bike to bag a good time in the local “ten”, but I was hooked anyway, and on the journey to today, which started with a two-year solo cycle touring expedition around half of the world. But that Claud Butler wasn’t my first humanpowered vehicle. To buy my first “proper” bike I sold my kayak. I had been a white-water teen even though I lived in pancake-flat Norfolk. When not bagging lifts to rivers that had genuine rapids I played in the frothing “stoppers” on weirs or cut in behind river boats to get a second or two of slightly raging waters (I liked the speed-limit breakers, their bow-waves were choppier). Getting away from the maddening crowd via human power is shared by cycling and kayaking, and this relationship is mined by Exeter’s Saddles and Paddles (a bike shop that also rents out kayaks) and Tynemouth’s Bike & Kayak (a guided tour company which offers customers both bikes and sit-on kayaks). I didn’t get into either kayaking or cycling to save the planet or get fit, I was smitten by the humanpowered independence. Cycling as transport is a youngster compared to kayaking – Inuit peoples have been taking to the water in kayaks (it’s their word for solo hunting boat, and “anorak” is their word for a kayak’s

NEXTMONTH – Out late October. What we saw at The Cycle Show 70 | October 2017

waterproof splash-deck) for thousands of years. But cycling is more practical: few are able to kayak to work. However, I’m now thinking of bikepacking with a kayak substitute. I’ve already got the Brompton, anybody want to sell me a pack-raft?

‘I didn’t get into kayaking or cycling to save the planet or get fit – I was smitten by the human-powered independence.’

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