BikeBiz May 2018

May 18

THE P&A ISSUE

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MAY 2018

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CAMPAGNOLO DISC BRAKE PROJECT ABSOLUTE PRECISION CAMPAGNOLO PRESENTS ITS DISC BRAKE PROJECT: The Campagnolo Disc Brake Project is not one groupset but an entire range, not limited to mechanical transmissions but includes EPS electronic hydraulic controls and is accompanied by not only one wheelset but rather an entire range of wheels designed to interface perfectly with the new braking system.

TM

Every single component in the braking system has been meticulously studied, developed and tested, both via the sophisticated equipment of the Campy Tech Lab and in the field by top professional cyclists, to ensure efficient, safe and modular braking in all conditions.

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BikeBizonline

‘Put simply, GDPR brings data protection into the 21st century’

bikebiz

CONTENT Editor James Groves jgroves@nbmedia.com Editor-at-Large Carlton Reid carltonreid@mac.com

THE EDITOR

GDPR: What will it all mean?

Staff Writer Kieran Howells khowells@nbmedia.com

As you may be aware, the EU’s new Global Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) becomes enforceable from 25th May. The strict regime will mean that severe penalties (up to four per cent of worldwide turnover, or €20 million – whichever is higher) can be inflicted upon any organisation failing to comply with the set requirements. Put simply, GDPR brings data protection into the 21st century, and while it’s disappointing that we had to wait until after a global scandal to finalise regulations, it’s a significant step in the right direction.

Within the cycling industry, the main point of controversy regarding data has related to fitness tracking apps such as Garmin, but the brand that really made the news in this sector was Strava. For anyone not populating the “app-savvy” demographic, Strava allows users to track their running and riding with GPS, join challenges in competition with fellow users, share photos of activities, and follow friends’ progress.

You may vaguely recall a story from December 2015 in which a Manchester-based IT manager claimed he had two bicycles – collectively worth around £1,500 – stolen shortly after he inadvertently shared his address and bike specifications publicly via the popular app. Stories such as this often spark terror among those uncomfortable with technology, and understandably so. It’s horrifying to imagine that a handy, trusted app on your personal device could be the cause of theft; you would undoubtedly feel violated and betrayed. However, incidents such as these have a tendency to be sensationalised, and it’s important we maintain our rationality. Is this example really any more violating than a more traditional method of theft? Is a Strava user statistically more likely to become a victim?

That said, it’s clear that tech companies need to be doing more to ensure that users cannot disable privacy settings with an accidental swipe of the thumb. Today’s technology is fantastic; it’s better we utilise it than live in fear. Hopefully, GDPR will aid people of all generations in reaching that conclusion.

Content Director James McKeown jmckeown@nbmedia.com Designer Marc Miller mmiller@nbmedia.com Digital Director Diane Oliver doliver@nbmedia.com Production Manager/Executive Warren Kelly wkelly@nbmedia.com ADVERTISING SALES Sales Manager Richard Setters rsetters@nbmedia.com +44 (0)207 354 6028 SUBSCRIBER CUSTOMER SERVICE To subscribe, change your address, or check on your current account status, go to bikebiz.com/FAQs or email subs@bikebiz.com

ARCHIVES Digital editions of the magazine are available to view on ISSUU.com Recent back issues of the printed edition may be available please contact lwilkie@nbmedia.com for more information.

REPRINTS/PERMISSIONS All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any information storage or retrieval system without the express prior written consent of the publisher.

James Groves Editor jgroves@nbmedia.com

Managing Director, Mark Burton Financial Controller, Ranjit Dhadwal Events and Marketing Director, Caroline Hicks Head of Operations, Stuart Moody HR Director, Lianne Davey Audience Development, Lucy Wilkie

Editorial: 0207 354 6018 Advertising: 0207 354 6028

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THE TEAM

ISSN: 1476-1505 Copyright 2018

Kieran Howells

Carlton Reid

Richard Setters

Warren Kelly

staff writer khowells@nbmedia.com

editor-at-large carltonreid@mac.com

sales manager rsetters@nbmedia.com

production executive wkelly@nbmedia.com

27/04/2018 16:08

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05.18 THIS MONTH

The P&A Issue

12

Getting to know you

26

Good Forme

35

Re-cycling

Raleigh managing director Pippa Wibberley (pictured left) tells us about her vision for the brand in 2018 and beyond

We chat to Forme about independents, investment and identity following last year’s relaunch

Laura Laker explores the issues surrounding recycling resources for bike tyres, and what the industry can do about it

REGULARS 6 Industry opinions 57 Sector guides 76 In My Team: Shift Active 78 Spokesman

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@bikebizonline

bikebiz 20/04/2018 15:22

OPINION

Why disruption eats innovation for breakfast

by Sam Moore, head of brand and marketing, Knog

Sam Moore (far right) with the Knog team

6 | May 2018

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OPINION

O

f all the tired corporate clichés being bandied about in our industry, ‘disruption’ competes with the best. It’s used when we want to emphasise another cliché: ‘innovation’. The distinction between these two meanings is actually quite useful when not bumbling out of the mouth – or off the pen – of try-hard marketing types like myself. So, let’s look at what they mean and why it matters...

Defining the difference - Encourages bad tactics that attempt to pull the Innovation is defined simply as a “new idea, device wool over customers’ eyes. For example, some bike or method”. Our trusty friend Wikipedia describes light brands create narrow beams on low output lights, it as “the application of better solutions that meet making them appear brighter when pointing them at new requirements”. the floor in a shop Clayton Christensen, a Harvard Business professor, - Provokes copycat products. The most inventive defined a disruptive product as one that either brands pay the heaviest price, either through paying for “addresses a market that previously couldn’t be IP protective processes and legal measures, or worse, served – a new-market disruption – or offers a not investing in them. Fewer copies mean more simpler, cheaper or more convenient alternative incentive to innovate, resulting in better products. The to an existing product – a low-end disruption”. whole industry has a stake in stamping out this problem.

Outside of the cycling industry, Tesla These habits are undesirable, but is the perfect example of new-market understandable – after all, they are a direct ‘Please value consequence of the extreme pressure on disruption. Tesla itself may not have invented the electric car, but its the industry. Ultimately, huge changes are original combination of affordable battery what matter. Brands must disrupt and divert thinking, technology and design set new their focus from inputs to outcomes. They consumer expectations. Sticking with must take risks and commit to world-class provoke the car industry but using the ‘lowdesign. Don’t copy, and don’t tolerate those innovation, end disruption’ example is Tata in who copy – it’s theft.

India. When it released the Nano in and ultimately 2008, it cost $1,500. This changed Make friends who agree create lives and industries, and again set This approach shapes who we partner with. disruption in Within retail, we prioritise IBDs in our new expectations.

Innovation is about inputs, while brand thinking, but we don’t forget the process’ disruption relates to outcomes. multi-store chains in our commerciality.

Disruption is the direct effect on the After all, these are the two pillars of customer, such as a new pricing structure or

disruption – new product and new pricing. a new offering, whereas innovation simply We also seek out leaders in distribution. In the US, we encompasses new ideas and methods. Where use Highway Two, which handpicks a discerningly innovation is an evolution of a single product, small selection of brands. In Germany, Cosmic has disruption is the revolution of an entire category. partnered with us for years and has sold more Knog Oi than any other, leading the charge in IP protection, Why it matters and in the Nordics, we partner with Shimano, which Without industry disruptors, our trade – which has not need no introduction. seen growth for a number of years – would be in We shifted our distribution in the UK to Silverfish in jeopardy of becoming irrelevant. Like badminton.

2016. It shares our prioritisation of – aside from life over It’s not enough to innovate if we tell ourselves that business – a design philosophy for “unboring things”. tiny changes really matter. It’s this type of thinking that: We love our products, we innovate, we aim to cause - Props up ‘safe’ approaches – some manufacturers disruption, and we think that Silverfish do too. Please outsource their design to the engineers at the factory value original thinking, provoke innovation, and because it just needs to work, not work well ultimately create disruption in the process. n

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INNOVATION

The road to self-sustainability

by Jamie Delaney, director of ecommerce, Aqua Blue Sport

I

t was back in 2016 that I first became interested in how the pro cycling sponsorship model works. Quickly realising how flawed the model was, with well-loved teams regularly folding due to inadequate funding, it struck me that the model could be updated to make at least one pro team self-sustainable. changes and improvements based on client requirements.

At the time, it was also clear that brick and mortar Our goal is to be the world’s first self-sustained squad. retailers were struggling to compete with e-commerce.

Riders are selected based on their desire to be a part of our However, the cycle market was still lacking a user-friendly project, their belief in hard work, self-drive and of course, platform with which consumers could interact in a their talent as a rider. It’s hugely important to us that our straightforward manner, comparable to Amazon. riders are team players, and I believe we have created a It occurred to me that an online platform of that very, very special environment as a result. kind could match independent retailers No matter what role you play, you have a with consumers, and simultaneously voice; every member of the team has direct provide a pro-cycling team with funding.

‘I believe we access to each other, and this has brought My family and I began developing the have created a about a fantastic cohesive culture. concept in early 2016. Once the basis for Staying with that theme, we’ve also our website was in place, we began to very, very visited various stores across the UK approach retailers – all of which were special and Ireland with a number of our riders, very supportive of the project, and environment’ introducing them to customers. These days especially of the team-funding concept. have proven to be very successful days for From there, our growth has been mostly the stores, and it is something we are keen word of mouth, with retailers, brands

to continue supporting. and distributors contacting us on a daily basis.

There is absolutely no denying that independent retailers Today, the Aqua Blue Sport website plays host to over are being challenged by the presence of online giants, and 100 retailers, brands and distributors originating from all we’re very keen to offer our aid in this particular regard. aspects of the cycling industry. Of course, we’re always We’ve implemented a user-friendly and cost-effective looking to develop further; we regularly implement

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INNOVATION

media campaigns, the riders social channels, and our email online strategy, which gives it a co-operative feel. The database of 55,000.

Aqua team can take on the majority of the work required Our long-term goal is to be able to offer riders a career to kick-start and maintain an online presence. path at Aqua Blue Sport long after the bike is mothballed; From a retailer perspective, it’s very simple. A retailer this is something we are extremely passionate about. An will be assigned an account manager, who will offer a example is with Martyn Irvine – he retired as a rider last year package to suit individual needs. We will create your and is now excelling in his training as a DS. The rest of 2018 store on the site and supply you with your own store is looking very promising for company as a URL, which include all your store’s whole. The pro team is performing well on contact information. We’ll also upload ‘Today, the the road, while the backroom team is driving your entire product portfolio, either from Aqua Blue Sport transactions, traffic and brand awareness. Due scratch or by choosing from our database to demand, we have just launched the option of over 10,000 pre-built products. From website plays there, depending on your package host to over 100 for our retailers to offer swim and run product lines on the site. We have also just requirements, we will begin to advertise retailers, recruited a team in Australia to introduce the your store and products across many brands and ecommerce platform to the market down forms of digital advertising including under. Next stop, the USA! n Google Adwords, Google Shopping, social distributors’

10 | May 2018

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13/03/2018 13:48:00

INTERVIEW

12 | May 2018

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www.bikebiz.com

20/04/2018 10:50

INTERVIEW

Raleighing the troops As a reader of BikeBiz, there’s a good chance your initial introduction into the world of cycling was with a Raleigh bike. Established as one of the UK’s largest cycling brands, Raleigh is also a key distributor, offering a tightly curated and considered range of products. Kieran Howells sat down with managing director Pippa Wibberley to better understand her vision for the brand, and what Raleigh represents in 2018 Can you tell us a little about your history in the cycling industry?

My job as sales and marketing director at Raleigh UK was my first in the cycle trade. I have been a keen cyclist all my life and it has always been part of my every day. My kids raced cyclocross, my nephew now rides for GB, and I have had more holidays to watch the Tour than I can remember, but it had never been part of my working life until Raleigh.

So what were you doing pre-Raleigh? ​I started my career in the automotive industry, and spent ten years in the motorcycle trade with a major lubricant brand.

In 2015, I left my job at Glow-worm Heating to make the switch to Raleigh. You’d be surprised just how many similarities there are in the boiler and bike trades!

Your appointment as managing director was officially announced in November last year. What were your initial priorities at that time?

2017 was a really important year for Raleigh. The team took brave steps to get the brand in to the shape we needed to be in. 2017 was all about simplifying our business, focusing on what we are good at, and implementing our plans with energy. Our digital capabilities simply didn’t exist – we addressed that and have gone from being behind the times to leading the way, which is a great achievement. We also implemented clear brand strategies, which saw us discontinue a number of brands and products, and allowed us to ensure we have the right portfolio – sold through the right channels – without conflict or duplication. We’ve really stepped up our distributor game too. Our customers now know Raleigh UK as a ‘one-stop shop’ for everything they need. www.bikebiz.com

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We are driven to deliver the best brands, with the best availability and the best service levels. All signs show that this is exactly what dealers want and need, which is why our partnerships are growing daily. We came out of 2017 looking and feeling fantastic, having created the momentum we need to reach our full potential in 2018.

How do you ensure Raleigh is continually on the cutting edge of the industry?

Raleigh UK is leading an Accell group-wide web platform which will take our digital capability to the next level, we are part of a pan-European team implementing state-of-the-art CRM systems, and Accell Group has invested in important consumer insight research in the UK, which we are now using to drive our business decisions. On top of this, we are working at a central level to ensure that, as a group, we secure the best P&A brands for our retailer partners. This ensures they can have the products their customers want, on their shelves or available to order for delivery the very next day. Being part of Europe’s biggest bicycle company has never been more important and will give us real competitive edge.

“Our digital capabilities simply didn’t exist – we addressed that and have gone from being behind the times to leading the way” Pippa Wibberley May 2018 | 13

20/04/2018 10:50

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10/04/2018 15:56:58 10/04/2018 12:48

Raleigh’s showroom was unveiled in January 2017

“We are driven to deliver the best brands, with the best availability and the best service levels” Pippa Wibberley Managing director is a title we hear a lot, but what does your job specifically entail, on a day-to-day basis?

The best thing about it is that no two days are the same – it is a super varied role. Being part of Accell Group means we have access to some amazing brands, and the entire organization is to focusing on innovations, on e-bikes, on digitisation and on consumer centricity. My role in the UK is to work with my team to understand what the UK consumer needs and wants, and then use the resources available to us to get the right brands, the right products and the right services in place so we can provide the best experience together with our retailer partners. www.bikebiz.com

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There’s not really such thing as an average day in this job. I travel a lot to meet with customers. I am lucky enough to visit the US, the Netherlands, France and Germany to work on strategic projects with my Accell Group colleagues.

When I get in to the office, it is a big focus on catching up with the team and making sure I am supporting them in the great work they are doing.

What bike(s) do you personally ride, and where do you like to cycle?

As cycling is a big part of family life, our garage is pretty full! I have two daughters who are the same height as me, so the fleet is interchangeable. If I am out on a Sunday morning with my husband then it’s the Raleigh Mustang,

which is a perfect ‘go everywhere’ bike for the Peak District where I live. If I am nipping out to the shop then I love using the Raleigh Sherwood, which gets loads of attention in the village! I have recently bought a Raleigh Strada E too, which is the go-to when I get the chance to cycle to work.

What developments at Raleigh are exciting you at the moment?

The market we are in is undergoing huge transition, and Raleigh is facing it head on. It’s all about the consumer journey – getting consumers in store and creating an effortless experience when they get there, giving the consumer something the internet cannot offer. Raleigh UK retailer partners will see us invest in: •

•

Online platforms, giving consumers the content they need to make decisions. Bike configurators, live webchats answering questions there and then. New IT solutions allowing consumers to see and buy the stock our dealers have in-store, video content that answers consumers questions and helps them choose the right bike for them.

In-store experience drivers. Consumers are telling us that they want to see, feel and try the bike before they buy, and this is only possible if we are working with our retailer partners. Online booking of demonstrations, dedicated demo centres and digital POS to integrate the journey are all on the way.

May 2018 | 15

20/04/2018 10:51

INTERVIEW •

• •

When asked to name a bike brand, without any prompts, 28 per cent of consumers named Raleigh.

This was 12 percentage points higher than the nearest competitor 52 per cent of people would consider Raleigh when making their purchase Raleigh customers are more likely to recommend a friend. Our Net Promoter Score is 59 per cent. That’s ten percentage points higher than the industry average, not to mention highest overall.

This stuff is gold dust for independent bike retailers who stock Raleigh. No other brand is more recognised, more considered or more recommended. The challenge is getting these consumers in to the store. All too often, they are buying somewhere else.

Raleigh is looking to reach its “full potential” in 2018

•

Great service is also going to be vital. This is the other area where the bike retailer really does offer something that the internet cannot, and it will become more and more important as the e-bike market continues to grow. Designing bikes carefully with the best user experience in mind, having spare parts in stock so dealers can get their customers back on the road, and having an easy, trust-based warranty process to make retailers’ lives easy are where we are focusing.

Do you feel somewhat bound by Raleigh’s heritage, or do believe it can adapt and change as the team sees fit?

When you are growing a brand like Raleigh, the consumer is incredibly powerful. We recently talked to more than 1,200 UK consumers who have bought a bike in the last 12 months – the results were really astonishing and supported our belief in the power of this great UK super-brand.

“The entire retail space is challenged.

We must adapt to stay relevant to the consumer” Pippa Wibberley 16 | May 2018

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A large number of IBDs are closing their doors at the moment. What, in your opinion, is causing such a huge downturn in business?

It is not just IBDs. The entire retail space is challenged. Big names like Toys R Us, Maplin, New Look, and Jamie Oliver are all struggling, and that demonstrates how all sectors are finding it tough. We must adapt to stay relevant to the consumer. This is why our investment is focused on digital marketing and in-store demonstration capability. 80 per cent of the consumers we interviewed completed their transaction in-store; we need to make sure that’s one of our retailer partners. Click and collect is not ‘going direct’, it’s getting consumers in to bike shops! We recently launched a partnership with the Caravan and Motorhome Club. Since launch, I have been receiving calls and emails from our IBD partners telling me they are getting new customers in the door – people who would not normally have visited them.

One store sold three e-bikes to CAMC members the day after we launched – that’s what you call driving footfall!

I strongly believe that the independent bike retailer is vital to the success of the UK bicycle industry going forward, and our consumer research backed this up. What the consumer wants is changing, and our role is to work with our retail partners to ensure that we both adapt to deliver the value the consumer is looking for.

Many distributors are feeling the pinch too; what position is Raleigh in?

Trading conditions are tough, but we are finding that a focus on great brands, great availability and amazing service is delivering for us. We were the first distributor in the UK to offer a next-day delivery service for orders placed up until 6pm, and rest assured, we won’t stop here. Our independent retail partners need this to offer great service to their customers, and we will continue to improve our service to support them in this. www.bikebiz.com

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INTERVIEW

“The e-bike product just makes sense, and it will only become more relevant” Pippa Wibberley

Raleigh’s work with Accell Group means the brand con offer a “fantastic” selection of brands

You have a large and dedicated team working at the company. What attracts them?

Very often it is ‘Raleigh’ that makes people want to work for Raleigh – regardless of whether they are cyclists or not. We have a real pride in the brand and a common passion for making it successful. Raleigh UK is absolutely unique in the UK bicycle industry. No other distributor can offer the combination of superbrand status with Raleigh, global brand choice with Haibike, Lapierre and Diamondback, expertise and scale in growth markets such as e-bikes and global P&A brands, and a one-stop-shop service which gets the brands you need in to your store, or to your customers home the next day! On top of this, we have a fantastic team of talented individuals dedicated to driving customers in to IBD stores and working with them to create the best experience for the consumer when they get there. What’s not to love about a job like that?

What does the team do to socialise and unwind?

We are lucky enough to have a Velopark on site here at Raleigh UK HQ, and in the spring and summer months, we have weekly events where staff can try out our latest kit.

Naturally, we tend to be a bit obsessed with cycling, and working with a product you love is a real privilege. With demos being such an important part of the job nowadays, you can imagine that many of the team spend their weekends at trail centres and store events.

Are there any new Raleigh brands that we should be hearing about?

Being part of Accell Group means we can offer fantastic brand choice with our range of bicycles and e-bikes – Raleigh for leisure, commute and fun, family and fitness, Haibike for 18 | May 2018

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e-Performance, Lapierre for Performance Road, MTB and EMTB, and Diamondback for recreational MTB. Consumers want and demand a choice of brands; we can offer that choice from a single partner. Our focus is completely on where we can win now. We have removed low-end and entry-level brands to ensure we develop and grow where we are strong – mid- and high-end e-bikes and bicycles.

On P&A, our in-house labels of XLC, Raleigh and RSP continue to grow as they offer the bike retailer a real value and margin-led proposition that doesn’t put them in direct competition with pure web players. The XLC range has been increased by 1,300 SKUs to offer everything a UK bike retailer needs, and Raleigh accessories are being developed to align with the bicycle range so the consumer can get everything they need from Raleigh. A great example of this is the new kids range, including the Mini-Burner and Mini-Sherwood, which will come with matching helmets.

We also have some fantastic new P&A brand partners. Pedro’s tools and cleaning, Grip Grab, and working with Continental tyres boosts our ‘one-stop shop’ offer as our retailer partners can now satisfy all their need for tyre brands and products from the Raleigh B2B. E-bikes are becoming more prominent than ever before.

Do you expect this trend will continue indefinitely?

I hear people talk about it ‘topping out’, and I understand this as the dip in the road bike market is still hurting. But we have to look at the European market. 18 months ago I was talking about the 500,000 e-bikes sold in Germany, and the number felt astounding – it still is, compared to the very embryonic UK market. But the German market grew by a whopping 19 per cent last year with 720,000 e-bikes sold! I think we have a way to go in the UK yet. The e-bike product just makes sense, and it will only become more relevant. n www.bikebiz.com

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FEATURE

Starting

from Skratch

Sports nutrition specialist Skratch Labs celebrated its six-year anniversary in January.

Kieran Howells catches up with founder Dr. Allen Lim, who talks remedies, hydration and staying ahead of the curve

T

he very concept of nutrition has undergone something of a rebrand in recent years. A notion once met with repudiation has now emerged as one of the key areas of innovation within our industry.

Naturally, classics are classics for a reason, and no one is going to tell you to give up the Clif Bar anytime soon, but when contemplating a change in nutritional tack, the plethora of options now on offer can be somewhat discombobulating. What really goes into producing quality sports nutrition? It’s an expansive question, and one I can’t touch with a bargepole without consulting an expert.

Dr. Allen Lim, founder of Skratch Labs, has been in the cycling nutrition field for many years, and is a go-to expert on all things relating to the health and fitness of a rider in-session.

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“When working as a coach and sports scientist on the pro cycling tour, the single-biggest complaint that athletes had was that conventional sports nutrition left a bad taste in their mouths, and an even worse feeling in their guts,” Lim recounts.

“The problem is not limited to world-class athletes.

It has affected almost anyone who has consumed sports nutrition under the guise of performance, be it drinks, bars, chews or gels. In an attempt to remedy this problem, I began making food and drink from scratch, blending a simple sports drink with less sugar, more sodium, and real fruit to keep athletes better hydrated. At the same time, I prepared delicious recipes like savoury rice cakes, parmesan potatoes, and freshly-baked cookie bars to fuel our team.” www.bikebiz.com

20/04/2018 10:54

FEATURE

“I saw an opportunity to solve problems with nutrition and hydration for active people” Dr. Allen Lim, Skratch Labs

From these humble yet prestigious beginnings, Lim noticed the changes in his riders’ performances. “As an exercise physiologist, I saw an opportunity to solve problems with nutrition and hydration for active people while pursuing my passion to understand performance in cycling.”

Although the brand had established its identity, and athletes up to Tour de France-level were already relying on Lim’s creations, the scientific and technical attributes had yet to be distilled into a specific marketable product.

Following months of research and practical application, Skratch Labs was officially formed in 2012 along with technical specifications for each product. So let’s delve into the science of nutrition.

“Any more than a three per cent weight loss during exercise due to dehydration has dramatic effects to the person’s performance,” Lim explains. “Let’s dive specifically into hydration and why water is not enough.

Our thirst mechanism is driven by how salty our blood is.

As we lose water, the salt concentration in our blood increases, so we get thirsty.

“So, during exercise if you were to only drink water, you would stop feeling thirsty before you replace all of the water lost. This is because your body is more concerned about maintaining a constant sodium concentration than it is at maintaining a constant amount of water in the body. In fact, your body will actually let itself dehydrate in order to keep the sodium balance in check. Skratch Labs has the right ratio of electrolytes relative to sweat in its hydration product range to avoid this issue.

“Tests carried out during the Tour – where riders were weighed in and out – showed that, when using Skratch, riders left to their own devices drink enough www.bikebiz.com

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to avoid dehydration and stay within two per cent of their body weight.”

How does this apply when it comes to bars and other snacks? “First and foremost, the stomach digests food, which turns it into liquid. The liquid then passes to the small intestine, which is where water and energy are absorbed. Now, if your carbohydrate is in liquid form, it bypasses the stomach really fast.

“In the past, the working sports nutrition theory has been to bypass the stomach with very highly-concentrated carbohydrate drinks immediately filter through into the small intestine. Unfortunately, the flaw with that theory is that in actual fact, the small intestine cannot absorb that carbohydrate fast enough, so it creates create a new bottleneck within itself, which can cause bloating, a bad gut and in some cases, exercise-induced diarrhoea – something which is common in endurance athletes.”

He adds: “As a result of these findings, we recommend to athletes and consumers to get most of their calories by eating such products like the Skratch Labs Energy Chews and Energy Bars.”

This is all well and good for athletes looking for increased hydration, but a well-rounded offering also has to consider those looking for calorie replacement during heavy exercise. According to Lim, the secret lies in discovering what works best for the individual.

“While the simple answer is to eat solid, real food, the type of food matters and there are, of course, significant individual differences in how different people process and deal with different foods. Despite this general piece of advice, it’s still important to experiment and stick to foods with minimal ingredients that are low in fibre during exercise.” n May 2018 | 21

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13/04/2018 09:41:25

EPOS

Demystifying the supply chain BikeBiz caught up with three key companies in the EPOS sector to uncover the latest and greatest in retail innovation. We start with David Gaule, business development manager for Citrus-Lime Can you give us a little background on Citrus-Lime?

At the heart of Citrus-Lime is our passion for the outdoors, all that we do in it and the brands it inspires. Most of us are keen mountain bikers and/or road cyclists too.

That’s why we’re super-enthusiastic about supporting retailers in the cycle sector.

For the past 19 years, we’ve been putting that passion and experience into providing stock control, point of sale and online store software to IBDs. In recent years, we’ve used our knowledge to create our own product from scratch, called Cloud POS, which has been well received by both our existing and new clients.

What sets you apart from your competitors?

We’re an all-in-one provider of retail management software – stock control, POS, integrated workshop management, integrated ecommerce, and digital marketing services. That makes synchronising stock levels in-store and in online marketplaces as accurate as possible. About one third of the CitrusLime team have worked specifically in cycle retail. That experience is spread throughout our development, sales, account management and support teams.

So, put simply, we get it.

What is your focus for 2018?

Our main project is focused more on the industry than our products. We’re doing everything we can to make it more affordable for IBDs to keep up with the pace of change that technology is bringing about in retail as a whole. It’s rapidly changing consumer-buying habits. Tell a friend they’re going to buy a particular www.bikebiz.com

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product, then ask them where they can get it, how much they’re willing to pay for it and how soon/conveniently they can have it. Chances are, the first thing they’ll do is reach for their phone. Retailers need to consider the following question: “When a customer almost invariably does that, how do I make sure they know I’ve got what they want?” Our aim is to demystify that question and provide IBDs with the technological tools and advice, for them to combine with their knowledge of industry trends and products, to remain relevant in the coming years. The foundation for all that is accurate stock management.

How is your work benefitting IBDs? We don’t just want to sell our software to IBDs and let them get on with it; our success can only come from their success, so we want to help each of them make an actual difference to their businesses with it. To do this, we advocate a proven, simple and effective retail philosophy for stock management. It’s not just “Stack ‘em high and sell ‘em cheap” either. It’s a sustainable approach to growth that involves monitoring and acting on ‘margin by brand’, ‘weeks cover’ and ‘aged stock’, combined with an IBD’s keen industry intuition. In 2017, our clients with Citrus-Lime Ecommerce sites saw an average of 43 per cent growth in online sales revenue, compared with 2016.

One client has used our retail philosophy to help grow total revenue by an average of 39 per cent every year for the past five years, whilst maintaining the same healthy profit margin. As it’s the foundation for all that we offer, we encourage IBDs to book a free, no-obligation online demonstration with us. n

Take control of your stock Victor Davies, UK brand and content coordinator, Lightspeed HQ Can you give us a little background on Lightspeed?

Our EPOS retail omnichannel platform enables independent retailers to create a seamless shopping experience, both online and in-store. With Lightspeed’s cloud-based system, retailers can build an online presence that reflects the brand and lets them manage their inventory, sales and customer data across their entire business – all from one place. This, we believe, is why over 40 per cent of UK bike retailers choose us.

What sets you apart from your competitors?

Our EPOS system equips businesses with an array of features designed to simplify workflows and daily operations — starting with serial numbers. Naturally, bikes never come in one piece, which means that tracking sales, assembly numbers and warranties can be a hassle. So whether a business makes the majority of sales through new equipment or through repair workshops, managing the service becomes a whole lot easier.

Lightspeed EPOS provides a service module-oriented platform, providing an end-to-end system that tracks special orders and servicing for customers. It enables users to keep on top of ongoing repair cycles, access product history, and utilise real-time repair status to ensure a streamlined, efficient in-store experience for customers.

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EPOS Our bike retailers can also access and upload over 200 vendors including Giant, Specialized and QBP, enabling them to create special orders with ease.

Additionally, our EPOS system offers access to Bike Rental Manager, BikeBookings and more, improving efficiency and driving sales through one centralised platform.

What is your focus for 2018?

Naturally, we want to continue expanding and taking over more markets. This year, we are focusing on thought leadership and helping the independent businesses through masterclasses, volunteering in the local community and partnering with like-minded influencers and retail champions to empower independents nationwide.

How is your work benefitting IBDs? Lightspeed EPOS enables independent bike retailers to take control of their stock, staff and data. From wheels and frames to pumps and cycling gear, your inventory management system should understand that your store’s inventory isn’t limited to just bikes.

Our goal is to equip all independent bike retailers with the same tools used by the world’s largest brands to improve their customer service. As the industry continues down the path of digital, we’re looking to help users build a consistent shopping experience to drive traffic and sales across all channels through seamless management integrated between in-store and online.

What are your latest products we should be on the lookout for?

This year will hopefully see the launch of Lightspeed Analytics in Europe, with a greater focus on how data can boost sales while saving you time that can be spent on other areas of the business. It will include visibility on the number of bikes sold, labour costs, lifetime value of customers, dusty inventory and gross margin return on investment, among other features.

This is in addition to platform updates every three weeks, free on-boarding and 24-hour technical support. Running a bike business is more than simply selling custom frames and new tyres! n

Evening the odds Jean ‘JP’ Parker, VP partnerships, Myagi Can you give us a little background on Myagi?

Myagi is an online learning network that connects brands, suppliers and retailers to their sales associates, offering the best and latest training materials available to help drive sales.

It all began when we, a group of sports retail and brand specialists, targeted a massive need to empower sales associates so that they could deliver amazing in-store experiences for customers. Using seamless training and communication online, we’ve been able to change the way specialist retailers look at training.

We now have offices in San Francisco, the UK, France, Germany and Australia.

Our online tools are used at 17,000+ retail locations with over 120 brands across Cycle, Outdoor, Sport and Hospitality.

What sets you apart from your competitors?

Myagi represents a true network of brands, retailers and skills trainers committed to improving sales and customer experience.

This sets us apart from standalone learning management systems that often cannot cope with sharing materials from brands to their dealer networks. Most importantly, Myagi is designed to offer a great user experience for the learner, who can access everything they need from one app right in their pocket – no more visits to lots of different sites to get the latest training or updates.

What is your focus for 2018?

Retailers using Myagi – large and small – have seen the positive benefits increased

Parker believes training is crucial for long-term success knowledge brings to their sales associates and bottom line. A big project for Myagi in the coming year will be to make these free retail tools available to the entire cycle industry.

How is your work benefitting IBDs? As an IBD, time is always limited and training is crucial for long-term success.

Every happy customer counts, and making sales keeps the store alive. Everything Myagi does is geared towards improving service and sales results. Consider the time and cost of organising in-store training for every brand in a season.

Myagi simplifies training and reduces costs while also ensuring it delivers the latest information where and when it’s needed.

What are your latest products we should be on the lookout for?

In 2018, we’ll be expanding our skills learning tools. Alongside the growing network of cycle brands offering training through Myagi, we’ve built a library of courses from world-class sales and service trainers like The Mann Group and You Are The Difference.

We have taken the best instructorled courses and made them available to everyone, regardless of both their size and their budget. These courses sit alongside over 75 others covering essential areas such as accessibility, GDPR and career development.

Everything sits within Myagi and is accessed in the same way as brand training – through our user-friendly app, making learning incredibly simple. n

24 | May 2018 www.bikebiz.com

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GLOBAL FEATURE

Forme has experienced something of a rollercoaster ride since its launch in 2010. Moore Large sales director Adam Biggs chats to Kieran Howells about independents, investment and identity

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hose who have been a part of our industry for longer than five minutes will no doubt be aware of the influence Moore Large has on the cycling sector. The distributor, which was established over 40 years ago by industry veteran John Moore, remains one of the few family-owned businesses to maintain a huge presence in the UK market. With 130 employees and a 250,000 square-foot warehouse in Derbyshire, Moore Large has pooled resources into shaping a range of both bicycles and accessories from brands such as Tern, Polygon, Haro and Kenda, but one of its biggest success stories is Forme. A simple Google search will reveal the general feeling toward its range; two recurring words appearing across forums are ‘affordable’ and ‘quality’.

In 2008, Moore Large identified a gap in both its portfolio of brands and the market itself. As a result, the company decided to bring forth a new mainstream British brand, beginning with a small range of Cyclescheme-focused road bikes,

26 | May 2018

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introduced in 2009. An official Forme launch quickly followed in March 2010.

The new brand experienced rapid growth, expanding to over 50 models covering all mainstream genres and price points by 2013. It was at that moment that Moore Large reached something of a crossroads with this burgeoning creation, and was consequently faced with one of its greatest challenges as a distributor.

“In 2013, we decided to expand the number of brands on the bike side of the business and reduce the volume of models in the Forme range, aiming to minimise crossover,” explains Moore Large sales director Adam Biggs. “This meant that Forme lost some of its focus and identity, so despite continuing to bring an excellent range of bikes to the table, the brand slipped off the radar for many dealers and consumers alike.”

In September 2017, as part of a refined and consolidated focus for Moore Large, Forme was relaunched with a multi-discipline range, from £260 premium junior rides through to £5000+ carbon road bikes.

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L

FEATURE

“There is a level of quality expectation attached to British brands in most industries” Adam Biggs, Moore Large “The brand now sees greater support and investment than ever before, and is set to expand its collection rapidly over the next few years,” adds Biggs. “We have carefully considered our brand positioning following the relaunch to ensure our market positioning will allow us to offer a genuine British alternative to some of the most established brands in the bike industry.”

After the brand refresh, one of the first key elements in pushing Forme into the modern bicycle arena was its investment in research and development. The core team of Biggs, brand manager Leon Stimpson and brand designer Rich Burley put their heads together and resolved to create a new comprehensive range of bicycles.

“Our HQ is like Aladdin’s Cave!” laughs Biggs. “We have many prototypes currently being tested, and as our brand development is in full swing, we’re currently testing bikes from our new Trail & Enduro, Aluminium & Road Adventure and E-bike ranges.

“As a new brand aiming to penetrate the market with the level of impact we are looking for, the highest level of product quality is a given, so our team is constantly under pressure to micromanage every part of the process to ensure every product we bring to market is the highest possible standard.”

Biggs continues: “This involves daily contact with the factory, many factory visits and exceptional due diligence.

All bikes are designed in-house and tested by our team, which includes some of the most experienced bike riders in the industry – including current World Cup-level downhill riders and ex-professional road riders. Usually, we have at least two prototypes of any model prior to final production confirmation. In addition to product development, we are also able to carry out all graphical development in-house as Rich Burley, our brand designer, has all equipment required to be able to ensure all of our graphics are accurate. This eliminates lots of time going back and forth with the factory.”

One of the key contributing factors to any brand’s success is its identity. Creating a product with high technical specifications is one thing, but communicating an ethos and an image can be the difference between a

www.bikebiz.com

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May 2018 | 27

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FEATURE

commercial failure and a narrative that customers and dealers alike can rally behind and invest in. For Forme, one of the crucial elements of the brand’s image is its British heritage.

“There are many fantastic brands and products in the industry, so the fact that we are a British brand is arguably one of the largest influences on a consumer’s buying decision,” says Biggs. “When considering the consumer journey for any bicycle purchase, more often than not, if they are shopping via a specialist retailer, they are looking for guidance and options to meet their needs and want it at a particular price point.

He adds: “Consumers are usually open-minded, so assuming we have the support of the dealer, if we can offer the key ingredients of looking cool and representing great value, the main point to close the sale is simply being British! Alongside the consumer’s desire to be patriotic, there is a level of quality expectation attached to British brands in most industries.”

A conscious decision was made in the early days of Forme’s creation to put the dealer at the heart of the brand’s pricing and distribution structure. Promoting a dealer-centric ethos in a time of widespread economic uncertainty has been an enduring mission. Biggs explains: “We’re currently in a transitional period of consolidation in the bicycle industry, so encouraging a dealer to stock something new and position Forme alongside well-established international brands is never going to be easy. After all, why would a dealer even think about adding us to its lineup if it already has good support and products from existing, better-established suppliers?

“Bringing a quality product to the attention of a dealer is never going to be enough to get you across the line, so the brand position, story and direction become the most important parts of the selling process.”

28 | May 2018

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One of the first things the brand resolved to offer dealers was a defined route to market. “Omnichannel selling works well in many areas of retail, and if you look at global mainstream brands such as Nike, it makes complete sense,” says Biggs. “I can also see how this works for certain bicycle categories, apparel and many accessories. It makes buying easy for the consumer and opens up 24/7 shopping availability.

However, I think there is only one way to guarantee the highest level of customer experience for a premium, mainstream brand like Forme, and that is to offer one clear route to market via specialist bicycle dealers. The key brands try to butter up selling direct as an advantage to the dealer, but they are ultimately cannibalising independent retailer sales and removing ownership of the sale. The retailer could have upsold to the next bike up in the range, they could have cleared the model they have invested in on the shop floor, and they could have tagged on a bike fit to guarantee size and improve the customer’s experience. Put simply, what I am trying to say is that we are 100 per cent supporters of the IBD!” n

“The key brands try to butter up selling direct as an advantage to the dealer, but they are ultimately cannibalising independent retailer sales and removing ownership of the sale” Adam Biggs, Moore Large www.bikebiz.com

20/04/2018 15:55

“Can I try these wheels?”

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13/04/2018 12:06:38

Fighting

INTERVIEW

tyre tyre with

When push comes to shove, a product oozing quality is irrefutably more valuable than any legacy brand name or price tag. For Vee Tire, reciprocal, progressive relationships with dealers take precedence over world domination. Kieran Howells caught up with Vee’s Jordan Smith to discuss the brand and its place in a tyre market historically dominated by household names Can you give us a little background on Vee? Vee Tire is owned by Vee Rubber, which is based in Thailand. It has over 4,000 employees and runs everything in-house, offering all types of tyres, from truck through to bicycle. Most of its business is OEM and own brand tyres.

What gives you the confidence to compete with the more established brands?

We are on a constant learning curve. We do everything in-house, which means we’re proactive and www.bikebiz.com

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not reactive. We can develop and bring products to market quickly and efficiently – affordable, innovative creations that take people further.

The market has been heavily dissolved with the number of brands available. Maxxis and Schwalbe are naturally the benchmark for sales volumes, but we try and do our own thing and steer clear of comparing ourselves to any other brand. We strongly believe there’s enough room in the marketplace for all of us!

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INTERVIEW

“The best way to benefit IBDs is to help them combat the ongoing retail storm by offering them the highest margin possible” Jordan Smith, Vee Tire How important is the IBD market to Vee? We absolutely feel that we have a duty to support this intrinsic part of the cycling industry. So many careers in our trade begin in the local bike shop, and we believe that the internet and the IBD market can go hand-in-hand to help future generations of the cycling industry.

How do you benefit IBDs? Quite simply, we offer industry-leading margins! We feel that the best way to benefit IBDs is to help them combat the ongoing retail storm by offering them the highest margin possible. We run a very lean and dynamic operation here in the UK, ensuring that our operating costs are reduced, which in turn enables us to offer better margins for our customers. In addition, we are a direct distributor, cutting the process from the equation and passing that margin ring onto the IBDs.

How and where are the tyres tested?

We have a number of UCI ranked teams and riders on our roster helping to test and develop the tyres.

We have an emphasis on the 99 per cent of the cycling community, not the one per cent of the racing community.

How does the brand go about ensuring construction quality?

Every tyre produced is barcoded and stamped by the production team in Thailand, enabling us to monitor exactly when and where any particular tyre was produced. We are confident in our product, and have recently introduced a 30-day satisfaction guarantee to demonstrate this.

Do you think that the finite shift to online retail is inevitable in the long term?

This is the million-dollar question! Business is about evolution, and the online boom is clearly part of that. The question remains deeply connected to profitability. Having a website does not make you 32 | May 2018

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Vee Tire’s Jordan Smith

into a millionaire overnight. Many large businesses are funded by hedge funds or VCs, which effectively means that bets have been placed on their success. However, all businesses have operating costs, and the constant race to the bottom, i.e. the internet, seems to work towards serving the customer, as opposed to the actual profitability of the business. I wonder if it won’t be long before we begin to see closures from online retail sectors too.

The brand exhibited at The Bike Place this year, how was the show for you?

Excellent, The Bike Place is always a positive event to attend and well executed by the organisers, we were very happy and we can confirm now that we do plan to be back there next year!

Can people catch Vee at any of the upcoming summer shows?

We will be supporting all of the HSBC National DH Series, Welsh Gravity Enduro, UK Gravity Enduro and several “Grass Roots” events and we will also be attending the Malvern Classic, which we are very excited about as we think that a classic like that definitely has its place in the UK. n www.bikebiz.com

20/04/2018 11:21

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17/04/2018 12:43:47

CLOSE TO PEOPLE Technical partner of ROAD TEAMS

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DISTRIBUTED BY: I-Ride www.i-ride.co.uk - Chicken Cyclekit www.chickencyclekit.co.uk

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09/04/2018 08:54:56

FEATURE

Understanding the scale of the problem Discussion surrounding the recycling of tyres – or lack thereof – is not new, but it's an ideal that appears to have dropped off the radar in recent times. Laura Laker investigates

A

s cycling grows, so does the use of consumable parts, such as tyres. Although bicycle tyres are a small contributor to overall tyre waste, an estimated 1.6 million bike tyres are disposed of in the UK each year from independent bike retailers alone. A tyre’s lifespan varies enormously between manufacturers, tyre type, and usage.

Packaging waste such as plastics and paper, along with metals, can usually be recycled because of their composite nature and chemicals used in their production. Recycling tyres, however, can prove difficult, and there is inevitably waste. The Tyre Recovery Association (TRA), representing an industry that processes a combined 40 million used motor vehicle tyres each year, tells BikeBiz none of its members were able to recycle bicycle tyres – though it added the industry is looking into doing so.

It is perhaps unsurprising then, that in a survey carried out by Oxford Brookes University, 80 per cent of bicycle retailers and repair outlets in the UK weren’t recycling bike tyres. Although a quarter of respondents claimed they www.bikebiz.com

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recycled, further enquiries found the company or local authority accepting used tyres didn’t actually recycle them, but more likely sent them to landfill.

In the survey, 71 per cent of those who didn’t recycle blamed a lack of available recycling facilities.

Seven per cent said recycling was too expensive, while the same percentage claimed it was too difficult. The scale of the problem was demonstrated when, of 44 respondents who didn’t recycle, 52 per cent disposed of 1-10 per week, and around ten per cent were disposing of between 21-50 tyres per week. Of all respondents, 40 per cent disposed of between 11-50 tyres per week.

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FEATURE

'Although our tyres cannot be widely recycled at the moment, they can be shredded for other uses, such as playground surfacing' Tannus Tyres

Based on these figures, it is estimated that approximately 1.6 million bike tyres are disposed of in the UK each year from 2,774 independent cycle retailers identified by the Association of Cycle Traders (ACT).

Cost to the industry of disposal Used tyres are generated by the cycle industry, from customer repairs and servicing, while some people take tyres to bike shops specifically for disposal. According to data from Oxford City Council, also cited in the Oxford Brookes report, the collection cost alone, for disposing of bike tyres to landfill, range from 15p to 40p per tyre, while the university’s own research verified costs of 10p to 50p per tyre.

In a straw poll on Twitter, people reported stockpiling old bike tyres in cupboards or garages until the pile becomes unmanageable, and then taking them to the tip – or simply binning them.

They reported some council doorstep waste collection services won’t take tyres. While waste recycling centres will tend to accept bike tyres, it is unlikely they recycle them. www.bikebiz.com

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CASE STUDY

James, from the Bristol Bike Project, said: “While we re-use what we can, we have a huge number of scrap tyres piled up here at BBP. We have always been committed to minimising what we send to landfill wherever possible.”

He said tyre recycling company Fraser Evans takes BBP’s used tyres to reprocess them for things like rubber matting, or cement kiln fuel. BBP's other tyres are picked up by the local Scrapstore, which uses them for its playpod scheme – a mobile container filled with scrap for what it calls "spontaneous, creative play".

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FEATURE

“It’s a debate that certainly should be happening. It would be an overhead for Schwalbe UK, but can you put a price on corporate social responsibility?”

Dave Taylor, Schwalbe UK

There is a risk that, without adequate recycling facilities, and if waste contractors refuse to take them, people will be tempted to fly-tip or burn the tyres.

Components – and recycling possibilities Pneumatic bicycle tyres have three components: the tread, which is mostly rubber; the sidewall, usually a nylon fabric with a rubber coating, and the bead – steel hoops that gives the tyre its structure. In some tyres, Kevlar plays this structural role. Although the components of tyres don’t vary that much from brand to brand, separating them can be difficult, not to mention expensive. It's also worth noting that some of the other materials, such as the fabric component, aren’t recycled.

Places that are recycling them – what they’re doing Although it is hard to recycle tyres, it is not impossible. Of businesses surveyed, 88 per cent of non-recyclers said they’d be interested in a bicycle tyre recycling service, if it were available.

38 | May 2018

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Some car tyre recycling outfits also claim to offer bicycle tyre recycling, but the Oxford Brookes research indicated most retail and repair outlets weren’t using this, possibly because they didn’t know about them.

Around ten years ago, Schwalbe’s tyre manufacturer, Bohle, took bundles of old tyres via the company’s UK distributor, Fisher Outdoors, for recycling at a plant in Germany.

Although the scheme still exists in Germany (costing €1 per customer) the UK service was later discontinued. Oxford Brookes research believes this was because demand exceeded the capacity to transport tyres to Germany for reprocessing.

Some tyres can be reused. Re-Cycle, which sends old bikes to Africa to be refurbished as transport, says 75-80 per cent of donated bike tyres are in good enough shape to keep being used for a time. The remaining 20-25 per cent are sent to landfill.

Schwalbe makes a tyre with ‘green compound’ – renewable and recycled rubber products, such as rubber gloves and door seals. www.bikebiz.com

24/04/2018 14:38

“Can I try these wheels?”

GIVE YOUR CUSTOMERS THE ANSWER THEY WANT TO HEAR, JOIN OUR DEDA ELEMENTI WHEEL TEST CENTRE SCHEME

WHY BECOME A TEST CENTRE? • • • •

Wheelsets are EXCLUSIVE to Independent Bike Dealers - a great reason for customers to visit your store Demo wheelsets include 38mm carbon clinchers, 30mm carbon disc and alloy clinchers Option to loan 88mm and 45mm SL Tubular wheelsets for demo use Free of charge POS, plus spare brake pads and Campagnolo/Shimano freehub bodies all included

FOR MORE DETAILS PLEASE CONTACT US ON 01525 381347

BikeBiz FP Template_210x265mm.indt 1

27/03/2018 13:49:25

FEATURE

The company says a third of its Marathon tyres’ puncture protection belt is made from recycled products.

Dave Taylor, Schwalbe UK’s marketing manager, told BikeBiz he believes tyre recycling is something the industry needs to look into as a whole.

Managing end of life tyres at a national level: the options EU legislation banned the landfilling of whole tyres in 2003, and shredded tyres in 2006. However, this directive excludes bicycle tyres. Tyre waste is problematic because of the durable and non-biodegradable nature of materials.

While there isn’t an established recycling market for bike tyres in the UK, there is a market for car tyre recycling, which hints there may be a recoverable value from bike tyres.

Between 1994 and 2010, the EU increased the number of car tyres recycled from 25 per cent to nearly 95 per cent, with roughly half of end-of-life tyres used as combustible fuel in, for example, cement kilns. The other half is material recovery, where tyres are shredded for use in anything from shock absorbing playground mats, to moulded rubber products like wheels for bins, to gravel replacements, to roads.

There are three European national models relating to car tyre recycling: • ‘Producer Responsibility’ scheme (PR) where tyre producers collectively finance tyre recovery.

Here, not-for-profit companies, financed by tyre 40 | May 2018

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•

•

producers, manage collection and recovery of end-of-life tyres, reporting at the end of each year to the national authorities. The European Tyre and Rubber Manufacturers’ Association (ETRMA) estimates the annual investment in R&D at around €5 million per system. The ETRMA says: “Producer responsibility achieves more robust results than the purely market-driven approach”.

A ‘free market’ system, as in the UK. Here, legislation sets recycling objectives but doesn’t designate responsibility, so individual operators deal with recycling or disposal as they see fit, within the legislation. Cooperation between companies is possible but voluntary.

A government-responsibility tax scheme. Financed by a levy on tyre production, passed on to the customer, the government is responsible for organising and funding operators in the recovery chain.

The ETRMA says that, because of growing pressure from the public on the environmental impact of tyre waste, “it is in the interests of the tyre industry to continue being proactive and take responsibility collectively for end of life tyres”.

In its 2011 report on tyre recycling in Europe it states: “The remarkable progress that has been achieved is due largely to the proactive attitude of the profession.”

There is also a recycling scheme in Canada, in British Columbia, supported by the Bicycle Trade Association of Canada and Tire Stewardship BC., which disposes of bike tyres free of charge to customers and bike shops. www.bikebiz.com

24/04/2018 14:40

FEATURE

The potential for industry-led recycling Industry schemes have existed in the UK before, albeit led by the German parent company of Schwalbe UK. However, Schwalbe’s Dave Taylor believes an industry solution is possible, and needs to be discussed.

He says: “We have an inner tube recycling policy in Germany. We are looking to implement that into the UK. We don’t have a date, but it’s something we are looking at with DHL or other logistic partners. I know it’s particularly labour intensive for Germany, though, they get boxes of tubes sent back from retailers, and within that they have got rubbish, crisp packets, other packaging.

All of those different boxes have to be opened, and checked and stored in warehouses, then when there’s enough to fill a 40ft container they are shipped out.

“It’s a debate that certainly should be happening. It would certainly be an overhead for Schwalbe UK, but can you put a price on corporate social responsibility?

'Re-Cycle, which sends old bikes to Africa to be refurbished as transport, says 75-80 per cent of donated bike tyres are in good enough shape to keep being used for a time' “Ten years ago, we took on a lot of brands of bike tyres, and it was for our benefit, because from those tyres we produced recycled rubber matting for workshop floors – we sold those so it was beneficial to the brand.

“It stopped because it didn’t make sense for us to do it any more. There weren’t enough tyres coming back to warrant us keeping it.

“The difficulty with this is getting people around the table at the right time. There’s no doubt that other brands have considered the topic, but I don’t know if they want to start something. It is a topic for discussion, though, certainly.

“Someone has to make the first move and get the ball rolling, but I think it’s important to base discussions on research and facts and statistics.”

Taylor adds he’d take the conversation to his European partners. “We have European and international sales meetings, with Germany, and our own markets. I will ask all our companies what they are doing, and what their thoughts are on it.”

A different type of tyre One way to minimise waste is to maximise usage of products in the first place. Two solid tyre companies www.bikebiz.com

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claim to produce less waste by making tyres that last longer, and are more easily recycled.

Tannus Tyres uses a 'co-olefin polymer', a compound the company describes as “very similar to a shoe sole”. Ricky Gawera, European sales and marketing manager for the brand, says: “Tannus has the life span of around 2-3 tyres and depending on how lucky you are, roughly 3-5 inner tubes. They last around 6,000 miles.”

Tannus say the fewer raw materials in its tyres, made in a two-step process, as opposed to the standard seven- or eight-step process of inner tubes, make its solid tyres more environmentally-friendly because they do not need to be separated before shredding.

However, the company notes “although [its tyres] cannot be widely recycled at the minute, it can be shredded into other uses such as playground surfacing”.

Gawera adds: “I think from a general industry point of view, there should be a much easier way of recycling.”

He says European companies are “doing a much better job than here in the UK” with recycling tyres, and believes a government and/ or industry scheme, similar to a bottle deposit scheme, could be a solution to reduce tyre waste to landfill.

Gecko Tyres have been selling in the UK for a matter of months, but the company’s founder and product developer, Richard Adams, believes there may be a solution to the tyre waste problem. Geckos differ from other tyres in that old Gecko tyres can be ground down and remoulded to make up new tyres – though a maximum ten per cent of new tyre material can be from recycled tyre. The rest, as with Tannus, can be shredded; again the benefit being the lack of wire beading or textile element that needs to be separated before recycling. Geckos are made from a mixture of rubbers, with air bubbles in. Adams claims they have good damping properties. n Fashion made from bike tyres, from bags and purses to belts: felvarrom.com www.velo-re.com www.cycleofgood.com laurazabo.com In Hungary: felvarrom.com

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TEN TOP ACCESSORIES

Must-haves The desire to purchase new and exciting products in your local IBD is an every day part of being a cyclist. In fact, many passionate cyclists consider the execution of their self-restraint successfully utilised if they manage to leave a bike shop without purchasing a new ride, let alone an accessory or nutrition haul. As a retailer, curating a range of highly visible and highly desirable parts and accessories is absolutely essential.

Below you’ll find ten products that fit the bill perfectly – we’re sure you’ll agree.

1

Muc-Off Nano Tech Bike Cleaner

Knog Oi! Bell Aussie brand Knog is known for taking the mundane and making it special, and with the Oi! Bell, it’s done just that. A staple of the range, the bell is available in many different finishes, and utilises a spring-loaded hammer to chime the curved metal surround, producing a loud tone. The large model fits 23.8mm to 31.8mm bars, and smaller models are available.

Muc-Off is known for its shocking pink branding and diverse range of products. The cleaner is a mainstay of the range, sharing the pink colour of the branding, and is available in one, five and 25-litre volumes. The unique alkaline-based formula cleans “on a molecular level” and is free from CFCs and solvents. Don’t worry about that perfect finish, as it’s designed to be safe on all parts, including carbon fibre.

MilKit Punctures – we all hate them. Millions of pounds have been invested in preventing them, and one of the most effective products to come from this is the MilKit System. The syringe-based applicator is designed to enter the tyre through the valve, and insert sealant. The kit is also capable of measuring the level of sealant in the tyre, and adjusting based on requirements.

www.bikebiz.com

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TEN TOP ACCESSORIES

Proviz Reflect360 Plus The Proviz Reflect360 Plus Cycling Jacket is the more ‘technical’ version of the classic Reflect360, which launched in 2014. The Plus was designed using high breathability and waterproofing material, which also sports the reflectivity of the original. The jacket incorporates a far more tailored fit for cyclists in all weather conditions and also features watertight pockets.

5

Hiplok Z Lok

The Z Lok is designed to implement an extra layer of security to a bicycle on the go. The compact lock works and looks very similar to a zip-tie, but sports a more robust build with a double-sided ratchet securing systems and a secure locking system with a reinforced steel core. The small locks have a 40cm-locking diameter and are available in a range of colours in packs of one or two.

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Fenwick’s Chain Lube For over 20 years, family business Fenwick’s has been quietly making some of the most reliable cleaning and lubrication products on the British market. The brand’s environmentally friendly chain lube is designed for everyday use, and can withstand a myriad of weather conditions whilst still performing well. The lube comes in a 100ml bottle as standard. www.bikebiz.com

24/04/2018 14:44

01772 459 887 t.co.uk

www.bob-ellio

ine

@BobElliotOnl

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

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08/02/2018 11:38

TEN TOP ACCESSORIES

Lizard Skins DSP Bar Tape Science In Sport GO Isotonic Energy Gel A best-seller in the SiS range, the Go Isotonic Energy Gel is designed to be easily digestible while delivering a quick supply of carbohydrate for energy during exercise. The packs can be consumed without water, minimising the risk of being bloated mid-exercise.

Each unit provides the user with 22g carbohydrate per gel.

Lizard Skins has seen massive growth in the business in recent years due to other applications in the sporting world, but the original purpose of the DSP Bar Tape stands true. The tape is available in a vast range of colourways, and weighs in at 56g for an 82in roll. Lizard Skins claim that the tape was designed for “excellent durability, increased shock absorption and a great feel�.

Magnolia Double Bag Pastel This Magnolia Double Bag has a total capacity of 35 litres, making it ideal for storing larger items and a whole host of daily essentials. Constructed from durable polyester, this bag is also water-repellent and features reflective trims for road safety in low light. The double bike bag attaches to a luggage carrier using the Universal Bridge system, meaning the user can fix it in place with simple straps to their luggage carrier.

POC Octal x Spin The new Octal X Spin helmet from POC has been developed from the same technology and design as the award-winning Octal road helmet, specifically utilising the increased ventilation, low weight, unibody high performance polycarbonate shell construction and aerodynamic efficiency. The helmet is available in three sizes and a range of four colours.

46 | May 2018

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www.bikebiz.com

24/04/2018 14:45

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11/04/2018 15:08:51

FEATURE

Life after love The reseller market is a treacherous place, but it doesn’t have to be. Exact Cycle is looking to legitimise the process while benefitting the dealer. Creator Harry King chats to Kieran Howells

S

econd-hand bikes pose quite a conundrum for the cycling industry. Some shops embrace the resale of a secondhand bike, while others avoid the whole market like the plague – and with good reason.

When cycling becomes a true passion, you no longer consider the bike to be a singular unit. A bicycle is composed of many durable parts, but unless that rare frame that your grandfather coveted has remained carefully stored in the garage for fifty years, it’s inevitable that all componentry, regardless of quality, will suffer wear and tear over the years.

Many IBDs ultimately do not have the time to restore a second-hand unit to its former glory, and often the resulting low resale value is simply not worth the hassle. Conversely, one of the biggest advantages of cycling is the almost non-existent environmental footprint. As we like to say, cars run on money and make you fat – a bike runs on fat and saves you money!

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Although the N+1 rule may be an inevitable compulsion for most cycling fanatics, tossing a perfectly good frame or wheelset by the wayside is no way to uphold the industry’s eco-credentials. The resources that went into creating your old forks aren’t unlimited.

Last year, I travelled to Isambard’s Cycles on Bethnal Green Road to meet co-owner Sarah Breese, where we discussed the shop’s position in the local cycling community. The store, which has been trading since 2013, has made a success of running purely from its workshop, and the resale of second-hand bicycles. The shop has a strong reputation for its quality range, offering student-esque reliable workhorses to high-end builds for those looking for something a bit special. The key to the shop’s success, however, hinges on the legitimacy of its trade.

Hundreds, if not thousands of people have been scammed or left with an unrideable mess after dropping a chunk of change on a potentially stolen bike on Craigslist. The answer from every cyclist www.bikebiz.com

20/04/2018 13:44

FEATURE

“It is inevitable that thieves and fraudsters will try to take advantage of people’s good nature” Harry King, Exact Cycle

when this subject is discussed? Always buy from a reputable dealer. But what if that legitimacy could be brought into the modern digital retail arena? What if a customer could buy a bike from a Craigslist-esque online platform, safe in the knowledge that the unit had been pre-checked by a trusted mechanic?

These were the questions Harry King found himself pondering when trying to downsize his bike collection, working in an Oxfordshire IBD at the age of 19. “As I worked in a bike shop, I knew they all worked perfectly. However, I couldn’t seem to get this message across to the people buying the bikes,” he says.

“I then thought, if I could sell a bike with verification of its condition from a trusted source, then my bike would stand out as one a purchaser could trust. This would ultimately allow me to sell it for more and make the whole process safer for both buyers sellers and. I started talking to cyclists and quickly realised they had experienced the same frustrations.” www.bikebiz.com

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King’s idea was simply to take the open reseller landscape and build in the trusted certification of an IBD. The platform he envisioned wouldn’t be hindered by the slim selections of local shops, all of whom would rely on the luck of the draw as to whether a desired bike was in stock or not. “The second-hand market is a troublesome place and can often leave sellers and purchasers feeling disappointed. Our aim is to help both,” explains King.

“The seller can have their bike assessed before they sell it, or a potential purchaser can get the bike assessed before they exchange with the seller. With over two million second-hand bikes sold every year in the UK, it is inevitable that thieves and fraudsters will try to take advantage of people’s good nature.”

The concept certainly had strong potential, but King’s next bump in the road was the challenge of translating the concept into reality.

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FEATURE

“I believe that the IBDs that stick out the next few years will be the ones that survive for a very long time” Harry King, Exact Cycle

“I think the biggest challenge was realising that I didn’t have the money to get the assessment software made,” says King. “I had one quote for over £100,000, but I knew I had to keep going, so I learned how to do it myself. It was a bit overwhelming at first, looking at lines of code and trying to make sense of it all. After a while, I managed to get the hang of it and the business started coming together.”

King left his job to pursue the idea full-time in 2016, with a plan to slowly but surely build the business with his own knowledge. He spent his time developing the assessment system and criteria for judging the condition of second-hand rides, while also building partnerships with companies such as the National Bike Register to prevent the re-sale of stolen bikes.

After two years of development, Exact Cycle launched to the public in February 2018.

For now, the aim is to connect with the national independent bike shop network, with which King believes a mutually beneficial relationship is essential to the future of the company. “It always frustrated me that B2B businesses in the trade do very little to reward those who are on the ground selling products,” he says. “Having run a cycle shop and understood the challenges, I wanted to make this product benefit cycle retailers so they can continue to exist for years to come.”

So, how does it work? “An average of 5,000 used bikes are sold within a five-mile radius of a bike shop every year,” explains King. “IBDs profit by carrying out the assessment on the bicycle using 50 | May 2018

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our digital assessment system. The system then generates a certificate, which is sent to the customer. When bicycles are assessed, they provide the perfect opportunity to upsell workshop services to the customer. Shop staff can also use this as a great moment to start conversations with the customer about a new bike purchase.”

With the cycling industry in a current state of flux, it’s a somewhat unstable time to enter the sector. In spite of this, King envisions a bright future for the company, and the industry as a whole. “A good friend of mine has a saying: ‘things go down until they go up’. Cycling has been around for hundreds of years, and it’s not going anywhere.

“Frustratingly, the ones that are suffering are the small businesses who have been forced to compete. However, I believe that the IBDs that stick out the next few years will be the ones that survive for a very long time. I see Exact Cycle changing the way second-hand bikes are bought and sold online. We are planning on continually growing our network of assessment centres across the country, working closely with them to deliver excellent service to customers.

Continual learning and communication with both cyclists and cycle retailers is important too, as we want to be able to meet their needs in the best way possible.” n

“The second-hand market is a troublesome place and can often leave sellers and purchasers feeling disappointed. Our aim is to help both” Harry King, Exact Cycle www.bikebiz.com

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27/03/2018 11:34:57

TRICKS OF THE TRADE: WORKSHOP

Going back to school Cycle Systems director Sean Lally gives us an insight into the first three months of Skills Dialled 2018

C

ycle Systems Academy is three months into its new ‘Get Your Skills Dialled for 2018’ online training programme.

While the idea of a webinar, rather than hands-on training, was a radical idea for some, the benefits have been widely appreciated already. We have found that bike shops often do not want to release a mechanic for two weeks at a time for workshop-based training, so an online interactive course such as this can be easily assimilated into the working day. Given the lower overheads involved, it also makes it considerably cheaper.

The first two months of the programme focused on suspension tech and serviving, hosted by Plush Suspension Tuning’s Mat Clark. Feedback from students has been excellent, who have responded well to the new webinar format of learning. It would not suitably replace a course for a beginner or improving mechanic, but for a Level 3 graduate or equivalent, this is the perfect way to top up your skills each year with the best in the business.

“What could I learn that I don’t know already” is a common statement from shop mechanics.

However, when you have consummate experts from specialist fields such as Mat, as well as Graeme Freestone King from Campagnolo and Velotech, as well as the latest kit from e-bikes to twin tube damper shocks and Team Sky bikes, even the most experienced mechanic will see the benefit. www.bikebiz.com

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‘For a Level 3 graduate or equivalent, this is the perfect way to top up your skills each year’

I have been teaching bike mechanics since 2009, but I’ve still managed to learn a huge amount from each lesson.

For example, the new Fox air springs have replaced float fluid with grease. In fact, keeping with the old method could mean the negative chamber becomes overloaded with fluid and ultimately be rendered inactive. Mat’s methods for working with forks and shocks are often based on experience. Tech manuals are often designed for factories, where everything is new and shiny.

Unfortunately, in service centres, this is not usually the case!

Live lessons have concluded until the Autumn, but users are still able to sign up and get access to this content. You can also hear our podcast with Mat on the Cycle Systems website.

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TRICKS OF THE TRADE: WORKSHOP

We are currently live with road bike technology for 2018, and our upcoming lessons will take you through Shimano Di2 and Sram eTap. This will encompass set-up, programming options and repair diagnostics, featuring bikes from Team Sky and Windwave, as well as local racer Juliet Elliot.

Three of the lessons in this unit are taught by ‘Mr Campagnolo’ himself, Graeme Freestone King.

Introduced with another free-to-access podcast (again available via the Cycle Systems website), Graeme is offering lessons in Ergopower lever servicing, all three versions of the EPS systems and the new Campagnolo disc brakes.

The Skills Dialled programme is an ideal intro to Pro Shop training, which can be delivered by either Graeme himself at Velotech Training, or at Cycle Systems Academy, depending on your location.

By that time in 2004, ProShop was starting to mature, and Velotech Cycling started to push for technical training courses as a requirement for ProShop status that were very, very brand-specific.

The advent of 11s in 2009, quickly followed by the Electornic Power Shift (EPS) in 2011, cemented the need for that advanced training in Campagnolo’s mind. Since then, for a shop to claim ProShop status, a general cycle mechanics accreditation has been required alongside a Campagnolo Accreditation.

Product knowledge and detailed technical understanding became a strict requirement – it was no longer simply a case of moving boxes!

Today, the full ProShop course is spread across three days, and covers all aspects of the Campagnolo product, assuming that the candidate is well-versed in the finer points of bicycle mechanics practice, and is ready to build on a sound knowledge of generic road bike technology. Ultimately, the aim of the course is produce a technician compeltely at home with the assembly, adjustment and diagnosis of problems in any Campagnolo system, be it a bottom bracket, a wheel, an EPS system, or the cutting-edge technologies of road disc brakes, tubeless clincher wheels in carbon, and of course, 2x12 speed shifting.

Di2 is a commonly-requested training course at the Academy, and we’ve been unable to provide it on-site due to the sheer variety of new groups coming out for both road and MTB systems.

However, this module will get you up-to-date as well as offering a recap on the older, 7970 system for anyone who missed it the first time around. The Sram eTap is also still a relative newcomer to many, and Skills Dialled 2018 will get you up to speed on all the setup and diagnostic issues you may encounter.

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‘I have been teaching bike mechanics since 2009, but I’ve still managed to learn a huge amount from each lesson’

Throughout the coming months, we will also deliver unit four, covering e-bikes, which again, you can ignore at your own peril.

A whole raft of new customers await and we have to be ready to service their machines and give the correct advice for someone looking at buying or upgrading a machine. Again, we’ll cover set up, diagnostics, repair and also legalities.

Our final unit from the five-month Get Your Skills Dialled 2018 programme will cover advanced wheel systems and both road and cyclocross tubular tyres.

Again following on from Level 3 we’ll look at tube gluing from Scott Dedenbach, from Bike Shop CX podcast fame and the Cyclocross Network Racing Team. For anyone who listened to the older, Bike Shop Show and Scott’s current output on CX Hairs Radio will know he’s an even bigger tyre geek than me, if that’s possible.

We’ll also have the return of Graeme from Campagnolo to go through Fulcrum and Campagnolo wheel tech (touched upon on the podcast interview). If you want to be able to explain the wheel designs we see nowadays to your customers, as well repair them effectively, this is for you. n

Get Your Skills Dialled will be dropping free and exclusive content into its public Facebook group, as well as hosting interactive live events. You can keep in the loop here: www.facebook.com/groups/CSA2018

www.bikebiz.com

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SECTOR GUIDE

BMX - bikes, parts and accessories 1

2

4

3

1

2

3

4

GT BMX

Demolition

Blank

Box

BK Team Comp

Momentum Tyre

Ammo

Box Two M30-P Crankset

Distributor: CSG UK

Distributor: Ison Distribution

Distributor: Hotlines

Distributor: Moore Large

GT’s top range model for 2018 is the BK Team Comp. It features street-oriented geometry and frame size designed in conjunction with street pro / legend Brian Kachinsky. The trimoly frame is paired with cromoly forks, iconic GT 4pc OG 9in cromoly bars, cromoly cranks, and sealed bearings all round. GT has also set this bike up with plenty of quality after-market parts, including the 2.3in Pool tyres, BK stem, and Supersoft GT grips. market.

If you are looking for a fastrolling tyre that is ready for any terrain, then look no further.

The Momentum tyre by Demolition is one of the lightest wire bead tyres on the market:

Blank’s Ammo is the first full size 20in model in its bike range, and offers great value for money, while also being by far the most popular of the range. It is equipped with three-piece CrMo cranks, wide 2.3in tyres, and a fully sealed rear hub. A 20.5in top tube makes it perfect for those just progressing to 20in wheels for the first time and it’s available in three colour options.

Box Two M30-P cranks have a 30mm 7075 aluminium alloy, Praxis M30 spindle that fits frames with European bottom brackets, paired with the same hollow-forged arms and 104 BCD spider as the Box One M35s. An independent test lab compared a wide range of cranks to both the Box One M35 and Box Two M30-P cranks. Both systems proved to be stiffer than anything on the market, with the M35s coming in at about ten per cent stronger than the M30-Ps.

Contact: 01202 732 288 mark.noble@cyclingsportsgroup. com

Contact: 01353 662662 Adam@ison-distribution.com

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High pressure (110 psi), lightweight, wire bead tyre Threads Per Inch (TPI): 60 Low profile rectangle tread pattern Grips on any terrain Available sizes: 2.2 and 2.35 Weight: 19oz (2.35 tire)

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

Contact: 01332 274252 sales@moorelarge.co.uk

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SECTOR GUIDE

5

6

8

7

5

6

Bell

Box

GT BMX

DK

Local

Box Three Pro Wheelset

Performer

Golf Flight BMX Bike Bag

Distributor: ZyroFisher

Distributor: Moore Large

Distributor: CSG UK

Distributor: Hotlines

At home on the dirt or in the streets, the all-new Local blends classic skate style looks with new-school comfort and technology. The re-tuned shape fits closer and looks smaller and the Local adds a cycling-style Fit system to a street helmet for more security. Hit the pump track, shred some vert, or rock it while you’re riding around town.

For comfort and style, keep it local and for younger riders, the Bell Span fits tight and right.

Box Three Wheels are made with Box One front and rear rims and 36-hole, Box Three Pro Hubs laced three-cross front and rear with 14-gauge stainless steel spokes and brass nipples.

Wheelsets are built with Wheelsmith Spoke Prep and inspected using a DT Swiss tension meter for quality control.

It weighs in at 1850g/65.3 ounces.

GT Performer’s 2018 bike comes in two toptube lengths and two colour options, sports pro-level geometry, GT’s robust build quality, and all the good features that modern riders are looking for – sealed hubs, 25:9 gearing, 3pc cromoly cranks, topload stem, taller bars, Supersoft grips, Pivotal saddle, and 2.3in street tyres. The Performer bike now also comes in 16in and 18in wheel size versions for younger kids looking to get into BMX with the perfect starter bike.

Originally designed to avoid costly airline fees by disguising your BMX as a set of golf clubs, the “Golf” bag actually makes transporting your bike a breeze even if you’re not flying. Users can carry or pull their bike on the bag’s wheels, while internal straps and padding keep everything secure and protected.

Contact: www.zyrofisherb2b.co.uk

www.bikebiz.com

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Contact: 01332 274252 sales@moorelarge.co.uk

7

8

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

Contact: 01202 732 288 mark.noble@cyclingsportsgroup. com May 2018 | 59

20/04/2018 11:32

SECTOR GUIDE

9

10

12

11

9

11

12

O’Neal

Mongoose

Giro

Wethepeople

Mayhem Gloves Palms and Maholo Designs

L80

Quarter

Curse

Distributor: CSG UK

Distributor: ZyroFisher

Distributor: CSG UK

The Legion series from Mongoose offers everything a BMX rider could need.

Mongoose has infused over 40 years of experience along with feedback from pro athletes to develop the best line of Legion bikes yet. The L80 has a cromoly main-frame, Mongoose forks, 2pc tubular cromoly crank, sealed wheels, 2.3in tyres, 25:9 gearing, a Pivotal saddle and is available in translucent blue with black-splatter parts.

The Quarter is the lowest profile helmet Giro has ever made, and it’s also the lightest, with an ABS shell. All of the essentials are here – a tough outer shell with impact-absorbing EPS liner, riveted webbing anchors and plush, sweat absorbent pads that are easy to swap for dialling in the fit. A polyurethane coating helps to protect the EPS liner from daily wear and tear.

Available in a bunch of colours and three Super Fit sizes.

The Curse bike is popular with riders and retailers alike due to its sub-£400 price tag. For this, you get a Wethepeople frame with up-to-date geometry, the shortest back end at this price point helps make this bike feel and ride like a pro model. The high quality Wethepeople frame is matched with Salt Plus products – taller 2pc bars, topload stem, cromoly cranks, sealed wheels, mid-size BB, Pivotal saddle and 2.3in tyres.

Contact: 01202 732288 mark.noble@cyclingsportsgroup. com

Contact: www.zyrofisherb2b.co.uk

Contact: 01202 732 288 mark.noble@cyclingsportsgroup. com

Distributor: Moore Large The Mayhem glove is O’Neal’s fan favourite, and has some of the most original graphics and designs in its range. The glove features silicone printing on palms and finger tips for improved grip and braking control, whilst long lasting and flexible material is utilised for the optimum fit, with an adjustable Velcro wrist closure.

Contact: 01332 274 252 sales@moorelarge.co.uk

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10

www.bikebiz.com

20/04/2018 16:14

5 REASONS TO SWITCH YOUR SPOKE SUPPLY TO SAPIM:

1

We will buy back your existing spoke stock when you place a new Sapim order*

2

Same day custom spoke cutting service, order anything from 1 single spoke, up to 100 spokes.

3

Highly competitive price points on all spokes, including OEM bulk packs for wheel builders

4

New dealers will receive a welcome pack with branded tools and POS

5

Unlike competitor brands Sapim make both their own spokes and nipples, so you can be assured of their high quality and compatibility

CONTACT SIMON MOSS IN THE SALES OFFICE ON 01525 381347 FOR MORE DETAILS *Offer available for a limited time

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SECTOR GUIDE

Energy and Nutrition 2

1

3

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3

1

2

OTE

Nuun

High5

Duo Bar

Nuun Electrolytes

Protein Recovery

Distributor: ZyroFisher

Distributor: Extra UK

Distributor: Hotlines

The Duo Bar is a great tasting, easily digested carbohydrate energy bar made from crispy rice and milk chocolate chips, designed and developed by professional sports nutritionists to fuel and maximise your workout. Duo Bar can be used before, during or after exercise, or as an alternative healthy snack when on the go. Taking a Duo Bar one-to-two hours before exercise will give you that carbohydrate boost you need.

You sweat, nuun electrolytes replenishes. Just dissolve in water. Made with natural, plant based ingredients and no artificial sweeteners. Packed with electrolytes, light flavour, clean ingredients, nuun hydration is the perfect sports drink. The electrolytes found in nuun will help alleviate cramps, help muscles function and burn energy efficiently. Available in nine flavours – six without caffeine and three with caffeine.

Protein Recovery is the ultimate drink for after exercise; time after time, High5 has found that the product is the choice of the professionals. The whey isolate used in Protein Recovery is a quality source of protein, which contributes to muscle growth and maintenance. The product also offers carbohydrate, which muscles are low in after exercise.

Contact: www.zyrofisherb2b.co.uk

Contact: 01933 672 170 orders@extrauk.co.uk

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

www.bikebiz.com

20/04/2018 11:34

01772 459 887 t.co.uk

www.bob-ellio

ine

@BobElliotOnl

ZÉFAL BOTTLES Choose quality bottles from the world’s first cycle accessory manufacturer. 130 years of unique experience since 1880

Custom bottles also available, please contact us for more information or visit us online

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

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10/04/2018 15:49:47 10/04/2018 15:36

UK DISTRIBUTION BY GREYVILLE ENTERPRISES

GREYVILLE ENTERPRISES

灰色--C0 M0 Y0 K85 黃色--C0 M10 Y95 K0 New to the UK for 2018, Geardrive cassettes offer excellent quality and great value.

Available in 8 to 11 speeds, with a range of ratios, including 11-50t for wide range 1X setups. Order from our easy to use B2B ordering system for next day delivery

CONTACT :

GREYVILLE ENTERPRISES BikeBiz HP Template_183x115mm.indt 1

Untitled-1 1

01543 251328 01543 251328

www.greyville.com www.greyville.com

sales@greyville.com sales@greyville.com 10/04/2018 16:19:34

16/04/2018 09:23:17

SECTOR GUIDE

4

5

6

4

www.bikebiz.com

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5

6

N-Fuse Sports

Osmo Nutrition

TORQ

Surge Energy Powder

Active Hydration For Men

Hypotonic

Distributer: MDI (Mike Dixon Imports)

Distributor: 2pure Ltd

Surge Energy Powder has been developed by athletes and sports nutritionists from various sports, including cycling. The goal of the product is to enhance and retain an individual’s energy levels before and during a race or training session. The product is designed to allow the body to be refreshed and hydrated while maintaining its taste and enhancing the body’s energy levels.

Three-time World Champion Peter Sagan has been hydrating with Osmo since 2013. Active Hydration is a during-exercise hydration drink that was developed to be the fastest way to rehydrate. Based on peer-reviewed science, the formula contains an optimised ratio of natural and functional ingredients like sucrose, glucose and electrolytes, and is flavoured with real fruit to increase power output and improve endurance.

Contact: 01253 343 090 info@mikedixonimports.co.uk

Contact: 0844 811 2001 trade@2pure.co.uk

Distributor: ZyroFisher Hydrating you much faster than an electrolyte tablet, the 100 per cent natural Hypotonic powder makes 500ml of instantly-thirstquenching drink and will soon be available to buy in a single serve format. Each inner box of 12 Hypotonic sticks is provided with a clip strip to merchandise them effectively, to drive impulse purchases. Each drink retails for £1.25, and is available in tangerine, lemon or watermelon flavours.

Contact: www.zyrofisherb2b.co.uk

May 2018 | 65

20/04/2018 11:35

SECTOR GUIDE

7

8

9

7

Clif Bar

Sport Recovery Mix

Training Mix Powder

Clif Bar Alpine Muesli Mix

Distributor: Madison

Distributor: Extra UK

Ideal for long, fat burning rides, Stealth’s Training Mix Powder was developed in conjunction with World Tour professional cycling teams. With a natural flavouring, it’ll provide the energy needed for riding with a smooth, palatable taste and it’s teeth-kind to boot. Available in Pineapple, Watermelon or Orange flavours.

The new flavour from Clif Bar – a delicious mix of oats, peanuts, chocolate chips and raisins. Clif Bar is made with wholesome ingredients that deliver energy.

Clif Bars have whole ingredients you can see and taste, such as rolled oats, fruits and nuts. Each bar contains B6 and B12 which contribute to the normal release of energy for use in the body.

The bars are also a source of protein and fibre.

Sport Recovery Mix is a highcalorie food that you can drink.

It’s designed to be a very convenient way to consume a lot of calories with an optimal ratio of carbohydrate, protein, fat, and salt to refuel and rehydrate you immediately after your longest and hardest workouts, when you don’t have access to a freshly prepared meal from scratch.

The two flavours for this are ‘Chocolate’ and ‘Coffee’.

Contact: 01752 843882 sales@silverfish-uk.com

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9

Stealth

Distributor: Silverfish UK Ltd

66 | May 2018

8

Skratch Labs

Contact: comms@madison.co.uk

Contact: 01933 672 170 orders@extrauk.co.uk

www.bikebiz.com

20/04/2018 11:35

5 REASONS TO SWITCH YOUR SPOKE SUPPLY TO SAPIM:

1

We will buy back your existing spoke stock when you place a new Sapim order*

2

Same day custom spoke cutting service, order anything from 1 single spoke, up to 100 spokes.

3

Highly competitive price points on all spokes, including OEM bulk packs for wheel builders

4

New dealers will receive a welcome pack with branded tools and POS

5

Unlike competitor brands Sapim make both their own spokes and nipples, so you can be assured of their high quality and compatibility

CONTACT SIMON MOSS IN THE SALES OFFICE ON 01525 381347 FOR MORE DETAILS *Offer available for a limited time

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SECTOR GUIDE

Brakes 1 2

3

1

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3

ACOR

Clarks

S-900 Direct Mount Rim Brake

Disc Brakes

M3 Hydraulic Disc Brake

Distributor: Greyville Enterprises

Distributor: Bob Elliot & Co Ltd, ZyroFisher

As SRAM’s first direct mount road brake, the S-900 does more than just complete SRAM’s road brake product line. It has a design that delivers great power and superior feel. The design reduces what engineers call ‘splay force,’ sending energy into the brake instead of the frame and fork. This results in a more efficient transfer of energy from lever to rim, making for solid modulation and a snappy return.

The ABR21504 hydraulic disc brake set for front and rear weighs in at 142gr per wheel with a RRP of £149.95. The 160mm rotors have dual piston system for smoother operation and longer life for the semi metallic pads. They can be used with the easy to fit ACB21402 Inline Cable Adjusters. The ABR21405 offers a complete set front and rear cable operated mechanical disc brakes including 160mm rotors for an RRP of just £48.95.

Delivering superior looks with an alloy cast radial-style lever, Clarks shed a large amount of weight from the M2 brake system, as well as improving aesthetics. The radial design lever increases room available on the handlebar, creating a cleaner look on the bike. Caliper weight and aesthetics have also benefited from alloy casting, as well as the system’s ability to deal with heat build-up.

Contact: www.zyrofisherb2b. co.uk

Contact: www.greyville.com

Distributor: ZyroFisher

68 | May 2018

2

SRAM

Contacts: sales@bob-elliot.co.uk www.zyrofisherb2b.co.uk

www.bikebiz.com

20/04/2018 11:40

SECTOR GUIDE

4 5

6

4

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6

Box

SRAM

eeBrake

Box Three V-Brake

RED eTap HRD

Distributor: Extra UK

Distributor: Moore Large

Distributor: ZyroFisher

The eeBrake is a uniquely robust patented design, developed and refined by relentless engineering, both at the computer and through real-life testing. At half the weight than that of its competitors, eeBrakes continue to set new standards by which all other high performance road brakes are judged. The supreme upgrade for performance oriented riders, a dramatically higher overall stiffness provides better modulation and more power.

The Box Three v brake arms are cold forged from 6061-T6 aluminium and feature 35mm of vertical brake pad adjustment – more than most linear-pull brakes. Cold forging produces the strongest, stiffest, lightest weight and most durable bicycle parts.

The best of both worlds.

Without wires or cables, SRAM was able to design a simpler way to shift. Now, the intuitive simplicity of SRAM RED eTap is available with the added performance of hydraulic road disc brakes. The SRAM RED eTap HRD shift-brake control offers the world’s first wireless drivetrain with SRAM’s most advanced HRD platform yet, HydroHC. Simpler shifting, better braking – all in the name of true advancement.

Contact: 01933 672 170 orders@extrauk.co.uk

www.bikebiz.com

5

Cane Creek

Contact: 01332 274252 sales@moorelarge.co.uk

Contact: www.zyrofisherb2b.co.uk

May 2018 | 69

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In association with

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Moore Large & Co Grampian Buildings, Shinfin Lane, Derby, DE249GL Tel: 01332274200 Web: www.moorelarge.co.uk

North Sports 102 Charleston House, 87–95 Neilston Road, Paisley, PA26ES Web: www.northsports.co.uk

Oneway Distribution BV PO BOX 12, 3000 AA Rotterdam Tel: 0031 10345 3510 Web: shop.o-w-d.nl

Oxford Products Ltd De Havilland Way, Range Road, Witney, Oxon, OX290YA Tel: 01993 862 300 Web: www.oxfordproducts.com/bicycle

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

The Bikebiz DIRECTORY 2018 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

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DISTRIBUTION AND WHOLESALE

E-COMMERCE AND EPOS

EVENT ORGANISERS, HOSTING, HOLIDAY AND HIRE

MANUFACTURERS

MARKETING, PR AND CONSULTANCY

MEDIA AND PUBLISHING

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

Clarks Cycle Systems Head Office, Unit 1 The Old Dairy, Pessall Lane, Edingale , Tamworth, Staffordshire, B79 9JL Tel: 01827 382800

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

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

AWE® Unit 80, Courthill House, 60 Water Lane Wilmslow, Cheshire. SK9 5AJ Tel: 01625-873130 Web: www.awebike.com

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

Walkers Cycle Components Ltd 22 Holywell Road, Leicester, LE2 8SG Tel: 01162 833885 Web: www.walkerscycles.co.uk

ZyroFisher Ltd Roundhouse Road, Faverdale Industrial Estate, Darlington, DL3 0UR Tel: 01325 741200

Web: www.zyrofisher.co.uk / www.zyrofisherb2b.co.uk

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

Dexshell Unit F1-F3 Longford Trading Estate, Thomas Street, Manchester, M32 1JT Tel: 01618644666 Web: www.dexshelltrade.com

ORGANISATIONS, CHARITIES AND ASSOCIATIONS

RETAILERS, WORKSHOPS AND MAIL ORDER

SERVICES AND TRAINING

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

Cycling UK Parklands, Railton Road, Guildford, GU2 9JX 01483238300 Web: www.cyclinguk.org

Aqua Blue Sport LTD 4 Cleve Quarter, Monahan Road, Cork, Ireland Tel: 00353214847477 Web: www.aquabluesport.com

Yellow Jersey Cycle Insurance Prospero, 73 London Road, Redhill, Surrey, RH1 1LQ Tel: 0333 003 0046 Web: www.yellowjersey.co.uk

Invisiframe Tel: 01743 232297 Web: www.invisiframe.co.uk

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

Smartmotion International Ltd RM C, 13/F, Harvard Commercial Building, 105-111 Thomson Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong Tel: 8615895656508 Web: www.smartmotionbikes.com

700c Cycle Shop Insurance Plough Court, 37 Lombard Street, London.

EC3V 9BQ Tel: 0333 433 0827 Web: www.700cinsurance.co.uk

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

The Bikebiz DIRECTORY 2018 is available to view online at www.bikebiz.com

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20/11/2017 11:15

MARKETPLACE FRAME RESPRAY, REPAIR & BUILD SERVICES

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

BIKES & ACCESSORIES

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

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BIKES & ACCESSORIES

72 | May 2018

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BIKES & ACCESSORIES

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17/04/2018 11:41

MARKETPLACE BIKES & ACCESSORIES

BIKES & ACCESSORIES

ORDER YOUR 2018 STOCK TODAY! at

e S t oc k O ff

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MARKETPLACE

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

BIKES & ACCESSORIES

BIKES & ACCESSORIES

New 2017/18 trade catalogue available

BOTTOM BRACKET SOLUTIONS

33 integrated, CNC machined aluminium complete BB Solutions

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

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2018

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BIKE LABELS, BOTTLES, BAGS & GENERAL PRINT

16/08/2017 12:00

www.bikebiz.com

17/04/2018 11:41

RETAIL INSIGHT: THE BIG QUESTION

RESULTS

-

57% YES 43% NO

-

RESULTS

Have you witnessed gender inequality in the cycling industry?

Do you perceive a gender pay gap in the cycling industry?

55% YES 45% NO

Polls are conducted via Twitter @BikeBizOnline

The issues within professional gender inequality are far from isolated cases.

Recent studies have highlighted a national average wage difference of 18.4 per cent – women make up just 44.1 per cent of higher paid jobs.

www.bikebiz.com

75 StatsAndFigures final.indd 1

However, these statistics don’t reflect the averages in some of the UK’s biggest cycling companies. Wiggle has an average pay gap of 0.3 per cent, while high street mainstay Evans Cycles has revealed a gap of 4.1 per cent in favour of female employees. On the higher end of the industry scale, Outdoor and Cycle Concepts, parent brand of Cotswold Outdoor, posted an average pay gap of 7.5 per cent.

May 2018 | 75

20/04/2018 11:42

IN MY TEAM

Shift Active Media The Shift team discusses exciting expansions, changing attitudes and rescuing puppies How many members of staff do you have?

We have a total of around 40 team members here at Shift, and over 100 at Play Sports Group.

still vital members of the team, guiding the company through a period of exciting expansion and growth with a great team of people around them.

Who’s your most passionate cyclist?

We’re packed full of passionate cyclists - including dedicated commuters, racers and weekend riders ranging from Ironmen to those racing the local cyclocross leagues.

How did the company go about building its current client base?

Given our long history in cycling, we were able to draw on our global connections early on, and form relationships with clients we still work with today including KASK, fi’zi:k and Wiggle. Initially, we were up against some very established agenices, so we were always pleased when brands put their faith in us. Today, we continue to work with some of the

Who are the longest serving members of staff?​ Shift started back in 2010 and was set up by Simon Wear, Peter Stothard and Manolo Bertocchi, who are

76 | May 2018

76-77 InMyTeam-Shift Active final.indd 1

www.bikebiz.com

20/04/2018 11:43

What are the key challenges to breaking a new brand or product?

Seven out of ten new brands fail, so to be successful, you need to establish a clear point of view – a proposition for your brand based on a strong understanding of the target audience. The key is delivering a concise, appealing and engaging brand experience, which is disruptive and brings people into your brand.

What are your greatest strengths as a company, and what sets you apart from the rest?

Few others can say that they are a full-service, international marketing communications agency that is dedicated to cycling and tri-sports. We always aim to deliver best-in-class cycling ideas and execution.

All of this is underpinned by a deep understanding of cyclists, cycling culture and the bike industry.

What do you do to have fun as a group?

As a group, we go for regular company bike rides. We usually end up at a pub for some good food and drinks. This is a great chance for everyone in the company to ride together and get to know each other, as we are growing quickly. Rest assured, we don’t ride back! Outside of company-organised activities, lots of our team go out riding with each other on weekends.

Shift Active Media started back in 2010, set up by Simon Wear, Peter Stothard and Manolo Bertocchi

biggest players in the industry, which has helped us go from strength to strength as we’ve developed our businesses together.

“We want to be recognised as one of the leading agencies operating in the cycling

and tri-sport markets” www.bikebiz.com

76-77 InMyTeam-Shift Active final.indd 2

What are your current team goals?

We want to work with the world’s most ambitious cycling brands, to help grow and achieve their marketing goals and objectives, and in doing so, be recognised as one of the leading agencies operating in the cycling and tri-sport markets.

What projects are you working on that the industry should know about?

We have just wrapped up working on a disruptive integrated campaign for the launch of YT’s new Capra Enduro bike. From filming and production to media planning and buying, we collaborated very closely with YT, orchestrating the whole campaign.

We are also preparing for Sea Otter in the US next month, where we will be working with our clients on a number of exciting new products – most of which are still under wraps for now!

Tell us about your past and recent successes.

We are really proud of the work we create, and we have worked with Zwift since our launch. Most recently, we used experience planning, performance marketing and digital creative to accelerate the growth of Zwift users, relaunch its brand identity and ultimately change attitudes towards indoor cycling.

We also worked on a successful brand relaunch campaign for YT Industries that involved an 87-yearold nun who regularly competes in Ironmans, and a former Brooklyn mob member who now rescues puppies. Our creative work was seen 12.5 million times by a highly-targeted and relevant MTB audience.

The campaign’s social posts delivered 800,000+ engagements and over 770,000+ video views, with 60,000 video views on the campaign microsite alone.

Furthermore, Continental tasked us with creating global print and digital advertising product packaging to differentiate Premium and Performance tyre ranges across all markets. This was a fully-integrated campaign, built around the the ‘Born for Champions, Handmade for you’ idea and was designed to live where its audience lives, spanning the customer journey from specialist press to PR and social, right through to POS and packaging. n

Contact: 30 Monmouth St Bath, BA1 2AP 01255 448 333 info@shiftactivemedia.com

May 2018 | 77

20/04/2018 11:43

SPOKESMAN

Evolve or die? Pah, that’s not radical enough!

Carlton Reid’s local convenience store is soon to sprout a micro-pub. What does this augur for bike retail?

I

’m lucky enough to live within easy walking distance of an exemplary corner shop. It’s large compared to many other such convenience stores and, as well as stocking what a small supermarket would have to offer, it also boasts an expansive and gloriously eclectic selection of beers and spirits.

I’ve always figured this model of speciality retail was largely future-proof, partly because there are big-boy copycats such as Tesco Metro and Little Waitrose. I, among many others, have long assumed this venture to be a gold mine. Why, then, is the owner planning on converting part of this wonderstore into a micro-pub?

“Everybody’s now buying their groceries online,” he explains, gesturing over to a Tesco delivery van parked opposite his store. “We can’t compete with that. Ask the driver – he’ll tell you that students are happy to pay a fiver to get a delivery of a few yoghurts. It’s crazy out there.

“We did great when it snowed, but it was shocking to get so much business from locals visiting us for the first time [because the vans weren’t operating during the cold snap].”

It’s not as though the supermarkets are coining it with this shop-to-door service. “They lose money on it, but they can’t stop because they’ve educated the consumer to buy even basics online,” says the store’s co-owner.

No doubt the supermarket groups fear that if they stopped home deliveries they’d lose loyal customers to their rivals, but with the grocery business operating on such wafer-thin margins, it must be galling to offer a service that’s cutting so deep into store footfall. But as the supermarket groups continue to invest in this model, it appears unlikely this trend will recede anytime soon.

“We’re looking three years ahead,” explains the owner. “We’ve got to offer something the supermarkets can’t.”

78 | May 2018

78 Spokesman final.indd 1

“Everybody’s now buying their groceries online.

We can’t compete with that. Students are happy to pay a fiver to get a delivery of a few yoghurts.

It’s crazy out there” I’m not about to advocate that bike shops should become upscale boozers, but if even thriving convenience stores are looking to morph, that’s yet another sign that retail isn’t simply underdoing a slow transformation – it’s facing a complete revolution. That’s something that will be scary for some, and exciting for others.

There will be winners, there will be losers, but what it’s not is static and staid. n www.bikebiz.com

20/04/2018 13:54

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