Cycling Industry News – Issue 03 2023

STUNNING NEW E-BIKE RANGE FOR 2023 WITH RETAIL PRICES STARTING AT £1,599

The Urban 3L Low step alloy frame with its easy access and upright riding position is suited to getting around town and exploring the countryside in comfort and style. It’s the ideal premium commuting and leisure bike.

Inova 52mm tyres with Kevlar puncture resistance for a smooth comfortable ride, Tektro 9 speed gear system and Tektro Hydraulic disc brakes and a strong rear luggage rack are the main highlights.

The Heart of the bike is the Bafang M200 mid motor producing 65nm of smooth power assist supported by the LG cell Lithium 417wh battery integrated into the aesthetic pleasing alloy frame set.

ADVENTURE SERIES

The Adventure 5R is up graded to feature the M510 high torque mid motor from Bafang.

The 5R model features a roadster frame style.

Integrating the motor mount into the frame optimizes weight distribution for great handling. Wide bars, short stems and progressive geometry make these bikes a dream to ride. The battery is concealed in the down tube giving a sleek, stylish clean looking stunning e- bike.

Large volume Kenda 2.20 Kranium tyres for a smooth fast ride keeps this bike rolling on the most uneven surfaces.

The heart of the bike is the Bafang M510 mid motor system with 95nm of toque which provides a powerful smooth power assist, backed up by a LG cell lithium 522wh battery. Stopping power come from Tektro Hydraulic Disc brakes with 180/160mm discs and gear function through the Tektro 9 speed gear system that completing this top of the range model.

A Rip-roaring ride! Blast the city streets and ace that commute!

To simply call this bike a ‘mini-velo’ would do it a disservice. Designed from the ground up to ride like a full-size bike but be almost as practical as a folding bike, it’s a whole lot of fun! Perfect for those that want a full-size bike but are limited on storage space.

Style over substance? Not here, running on wide 20” x 2.30 Inova performance tyres looking mean and sporty but are supremely comfortable to blast over our pothole ridden urban landscape.

Power assist comes from the Bafang M410 mid motor system with 80 nm of torque coupled to internal 504wh LG cell lithium battery. Stopping power comes from Tektro Hydraulic Disc brakes with 160mm discs and gear function through the renowned Shimano Nexus 8 speed internal hub gear system completing this top of the range model.

ADVENTURE 5R

Powered by

Powered by

RELATIONSHIPS & RESILIENCE

IT’S been a funny show season. We’ve already seen plenty of trade shows post-Covid lockdown, but it feels like there has been a extra level of interest around them this year. For many, it was the first chance to get back to Taipei Cycle (read our report on page 24), California’s Sea Otter Classic seemed to cement its place in the UK trade calendar (if you see what I mean) in the post Covid, post-Interbike world. And on the domestic scene, a revamped iceBike*, a reliably busy Core, and Cycle Show’s Ally Pally return all seemed to generate a fair bit of excitement and positivity, despite the current challenges hitting the cycle industry. And there’s no point pretending that H1 2023 is a vintage period for the trade. We’ve seen (and heard some off-the-record) horrors. High profile businesses like Moore Large ceasing trading have been a shock to the system. Understandably, short-term confidence is thin on the ground (unlike stock) but the longer-term prospects continue to be hugely positive and certain sectors, like e-mobility (of which there is much coverage within this issue) look to be bucking the trends, not least e-cargo. Intriguingly, we’re still seeing investors happy to put cash into nascent or burgeoning eBike and mobility brands and projects, which has to be a positive at a time like this. While roaming the show halls and speaking to the trade I’ve heard some surprisingly upbeat stories (not least Bianchi having to put on a second production run of a popular bike – turn to page 62 for more on that). There are brands doing good business, which perhaps they’ve been shy of sharing in these darker times. Then there is the danger of comparing 2023 with what have been barnstorming, record years, where things will naturally look fairly glum. But pity the purchasing executives of the trade, as they try to predict how much stock they’ll need in the coming months while also negotiating months-long lead times.

On a side note, you’ll have seen that Mark has regenerated again and I’d like to thank all those who have welcomed me back to the hotseat. Mr Sutton remains part of the CIN family, which will continue to include a variety of correspondents and a hopefully increasingly diverse range of opinions and viewpoints, to bring you something worth reading and digesting.

Speaking of which, we’ve got our first snapshot of our latest MARKET DATA on the following pages. This first snippet has something for both the retailer and the supplier sides to chew over. If you’d like more of that to help you formulate your business decisions for the coming months and years, get in touch with Fraser, via Fraser@cyclingindustry.news

www.cyclingindustry.news

Publisher Jerr y Ramsdale jerr y@cyclingindustr y.news

Editor Jonathon Harker jon@cyclingindustr y.news

Staff Writer Simon Cox simon@cyclingindustr y.news

Head of Sales Frazer Clifford frazer@cyclingindustr y.news

Head of Produc tion Luke Wikner production@cyclingindustr y.news

Designers Dan Bennett Victoria Arellano

Published by Stag Publications Ltd 18 Alban Park, Hatfield Road St.Albans AL4 0JJ t +44 (0)1727 739160 w cyclingindustr y.news

SPENDING PRIORITIES

WHERE YOU PLAN TO INVEST IN 2023 IS EITHER A PERVERSE QUESTION OR MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER, DEPENDING ON YOUR VIEWPOINT. WHEN FINANCES ARE TIGHT, FOCUSING IN ON WHERE YOU SPEND PRECIOUS PENNIES IS VITAL...

HOW DO YOU PLAN TO INVEST IN 2023?

WHAT PRIMARILY DRAWS YOU TO CHOOSING A SUPPLIER?

ANALYSIS

The supplier/retailer relationship is always critical, but in lean years those relationships can be put to the test, with the good ones finding ways to work through difficulties. So, what is it that draws retailers to suppliers? Fair and steady margins (70%) are an evergreen factor, but a whopping three quarters now see the quality of B2B sites as integral in drawing them to suppliers. There’s a cost implication for suppliers there – websites can be a tricky business to get right and imply some cash lay out to bring them up to speed, but as younger generations value the speed and access of B2B it would be hard to logically ignore the area. Convenience (and accessibility) makes sense for timepoor retailers which often have few staff performing many roles. Related, but far further down the list, we see EPOS integration, further implying that there’s still a lot of potential to further digitalise retail transactions in the industry.

Perhaps naturally when the purse strings are tighter, low or no minimum order values were picked out by our survey respondents this year. Stability was on most of our wish lists for 2023 and likewise reliable stock holding, trusted back up (in terms of spares, warranty support, etc) and reliable or fast lead times were all picked out by over half of our survey respondents as key draws when choosing a supplier.

ANALYSIS

If you supply services to the bike retail sector then we’ll presume that you will be eagerly scanning through these figures. And if your business relates to the digital side of the business then you’ll no doubt be encouraged by these numbers (which are, incidentally, mirrored in our second survey question later in this feature). Retailers are looking to invest in ecommerce and websites as well as marketing and SEO, with the ‘online shop window’ also a spending priority. CIN writes this at an interesting time, with Wiggle and CRC rebranding their respective sites and having some down time and difficulties in the process, which could make website revamps more intimidating to smaller companies – if Wiggle is having a hard time then how do they avoid similar slip ups? Doubtless there will be plenty of companies out there willing to guide smaller retailers through these processes. Aside from digital dominance, there’s a huge willingness to spend on workshop training, backing that long held belief that most bike shops value their workshops as vital to their businesses.

On the other side of the coin, retailer investment looks to be pulled back from a few key areas, including stock levels – OK, no surprises on that one. Likewise a stepping away from investing in new bike ranges, which will nevertheless make for difficult reading for suppliers. Maybe more surprising is a fall away for café or food services, maybe indicating that more retailers see that area as a ‘nice to have’ but not an essential part of their business mix. That is a bucking of the ‘experiential retail’ trend that we’ve been hearing so much about in recent years, but when you have to pare back then keeping your coffee machine going seems likely to be among the first in the firing line. Company vehicles are seeing a comparable retrenchment in investment, which will likely be a surefire way to shore up cash levels in the short term at least.

Good old fashioned customer service rated highly – the fifth highest consideration for the nation’s independent bike dealers. Another big factor likely to swing business toward particular suppliers was those with IBD focused sales strategy or IBD exclusive lines. In this issue we hear from brands that have dabbled with consumer direct approaches to market, only to find that working with independent dealers is a more successful strategy and the continued resilience of the IBD – compared with other sectors where independents have all but vanished –possibly provide independents with the understanding that they are in a position to demand such exclusive lines or strategies where they are properly catered for.

PROFILE

TRAVEL SOLUTIONS

Estarli founding brothers Alex & Oliver Francis are bringing strong storytelling and software development skills to their young e-mobility brand, all while building a credible retail network for a British electric bike business that is working hard to keep up with demand…

Estarli’s evolving eBike business is based out of leafy Berkhamsted. Things have changed pretty quickly for the firm. Originally based in an office on the high street of that market town, the firm moved to a nearby larger unit. More saliently for the bike trade, its approach to retail has developed significantly too.

Starting out as a direct-to-consumer brand, which was almost out of necessity in its early days, the firm is firmly focused on growth through its independent dealer network. Now Estarli has become established, grown and become more capable of consistent supply, it can properly ser vice retailers and since opening the door to IBDs, has over 50 shop partners stocking the brand and its steadily growing line-up.

Estarli aims to produce affordable, quality eBikes, including city bikes, folders and everyday riding. The latest bike to come out of Estarli’s Berkamsted and Nottingham eBike sites is the e20 Play, a higher spec version of its original e20. The Play weighs under 20kg with all-terrain wheels/tyres and a Shimano 8-speed gearset. It is

pitched as an everyday bike for the city streets and off-grid alike.

“We had a good off-season,” the duo tell CIN. In fact Estarli is, at the time of our visit, struggling to keep up with demand, its warehouse shelves not quite as busy as other bike brands in H1 2023.

Estarli is another fresh-faced eBike brand that is looking beyond the usual avenues to find consumers, pitching up at the likes of motorhome shows. Its relentless social media marketing efforts have been paying off too. “Some people really study us. We are big believers in storytelling online and spend a lot of time speaking to people who have seen the bikes at shows. These can be quite long-term relationships, where a potential customer is really weighing us up before they make their purchase.”

The folding e20 Play is the latest from the Estarli eBike brand

B2C origins

The Estarli founders tell CIN that the direct-to-consumer approach made sense in its early years: “We could manage the growth ourselves while we were setting up and building… making sure the quality was there. The expectation from shops is different – they want product right away. We decided we couldn’t be in a position where we had shops that were unable to get hold of our bikes, so we held back before we started working with a retail network. We wanted to have consistency first.”

Now the Estarli team has the benefit of shop feedback which has laid the foundations of the aforementioned e20 Play: “They wanted something a bit more premium, with higher specs and a higher price point.”

The team had been targeting a shop network of 50 for 2023, but looks on track to exceed that by some margin, having achieved that in February.

Planning For Steady Growth

Feeling the weight of responsibility for staff and partners relying on them, the Estarli founders have refreshingly been aiming for steady, consistent growth. The firm has a bank of bike builders to put its bikes together as well as a number of permanent staffers constructing the models. It hasn’t been short of applicants, which is an encouraging sign of how the industry can easily

attract talent. Applicants haven’t solely come from the usual places either, with those looking for a career change and to work ‘hands-on’ seeking out the business: “We don’t just get typical bike builder CVs and we get applicants who really want to be part of the business. The industry is full of passionate people.”

The steady approach is being mirrored with overseas sales. Currently stocked in a shop in Majorca (which is doing very well) the firm is using the experience to ‘de-risk’ supplying to Europe, where customs has become more onerous than they were a few years ago, all on a small scale before considering ramping things up.

While keen cyclists themselves, the founders bring some perhaps traditionally unusual skills to the bicycle industry, namely expert software knowledge and advertising industry experience. The Estarli bike range’s evolution has

included software updates that have tuned up the performance of the models. Continual improvement of the software is part of brand’s business. And the advertising thinking has become part of the storytelling commitment of the firm, including targeting that noncore cyclist demographic.

Outreach to local groups and councils has come about too, with some fleet sales made to town authorities looking to unlock central government cash for further active travel measures. And there is further range expansion in the works, perhaps even into new areas for Estarli, such as mountain bikes: “We’ve had some requests,” the firm says, adding that cargo bikes are a possibility too.

www.estarli.co.uk

or email play@estarli.co.uk

“THEY WANTED SOMETHING A BIT MORE PREMIUM, WITH HIGHER SPECS AND A HIGHER PRICE POINT.”

THE CASE FOR CARGO BIKES GETS CLEARER

It takes more than just a spike in interest for a bike segment to go mainstream, but few will now argue that cargo bikes are breaking the barrier, both on the streets and in units sold. CIN looks at the milestones and case for a continuation of cargo in the UK…

At the end of March, held in London’s iconic Guildhall, the National Cargo Bike Summit was opened by bicycle industry lifer Phillip Darnton OBE, a trade veteran that has seen trends come and go. From his position leading the Bicycle Association in one form or another over the years there are few better placed to trust when understanding whether something is niche, emerging or mainstream. Speaking to a chamber that was fuller than some events that address all bicycle types, Phillip opened by exclaiming “Welcome to taking cargo bikes mainstream.”

Around 10,000 units that can be defined as cargo bikes sold in the UK in 2022, which is admittedly a small number, but nonetheless it was one of the few segments that retained growth and at the fastest rate of all segments. That, for anyone living in cities, or observing the quiet progress big logistics businesses are making to greening up fleets, will be no surprise. As Britain often is on urban trends, we

trail mainland Europe’s larger markets, which if you’re opportunistic, means there’s still time to get involved and ride the wave up. After all, explained Phillip, Europe expects to shunt 400,000 cargo bike units this year, something that he said would “save 300,000 tonnes of CO2 versus using vans.”

In Europe there is separate legislation driving the ‘greenification’ of fleet vehicles. A European Cycling Declaration sits juxtaposed to a UK Government that has just slashed two thirds of the active travel budget and essentially kneecapped the newly formed Active Travel England. As we look across the water at a comprehensive plan that is detailed enough to account for cycling in new building regulations, the message from Government to the industry is clear; you’re on your own to make this cycling revolution happen.

That was rather the point of the Landor Links-organised Cargo Bike Summit – a get together of the brightest minds in the cargo bike industry to

“EUROPE EXPECTS TO SHUNT 400,000 CARGO BIKE UNITS THIS YEAR, SOMETHING THAT HE SAID WOULD “SAVE 300,000 TONNES OF CO2 VERSUS USING VANS.”

address policy makers, planners, police, local authority leaders and anyone else with an interest in the future of logistics and transport.

Out of the summit emerged stunning presentations from organisations like Just Economics. Here Director Eva Neitzert was among a handful to ponder the remaining, but diminishing, reluctance by some businesses to acknowledge and embrace the cargo bike as a true alternative to van deliveries, in particular when booking a courier for deliveries.

JustEconomics’ research, she revealed, had discovered that many van delivery firm’s costs were being absorbed or externalised somewhere “usually by the driver” who may be on a flexi contract. “This explains why gig economy drivers are working long hours and driving fast to compete,” she said. Meanwhile, the same was not generally true for cargo bike logistics businesses that are generally employing their staff. That means a generally high per parcel cost to deliver.

But what is the true cost? That is factoring in the hidden social costs –that’s noise, pollution, infrastructure costs and maintenance, congestion’s approximate £8 billion annual cost to the economy, plus the health and wellbeing of both drivers and the public at large.

Calculating the positive and negative externalities a true cost per mile calculation and thereafter a true fair value cost per delivery was offered up. For the diesel van that figure was put at £6.42, while for the EV van that many are choosing to beat ULEZ and other charges with the cost was £5.68. The electric cargo bike trumped both, coming in at £4.98 as a fair value delivery cost.

To business, rosy and green sentiment is one thing, bottom line is another. Now here’s the crunch, the cost per mile of a diesel van ran at 68 pence per mile, an eight-fold cost on the cargo bike’s 7.8 pence per mile.

Another to ponder, fully understand and significantly overcome the reluctance toward cargo bikes is Oxford’s EAV, which CyclingIndustry.News visited

“THE COST PER MILE OF A DIESEL VAN RAN AT 68 PENCE PER MILE, AN EIGHT-FOLD COST ON THE CARGO BIKE’S 7.8 PENCE PER MILE.”

10,000 units defined as cargo bikes were sold in the UK in 2022, a small number, but nevertheless a sector that retained growth and at the fastest rate of all segments

and profiled in 2022. This is the company now supplying everybody from Westminster Council’s waste collection teams, right through to fleets for Amazon’s decarbonisation efforts. The online retail behemoth is even showing off EAV’s vehicles in its promotional videos, taking the vehicle mainstream in the minds of a fast delivery expectant consumer; and the van just wasn’t meeting expectations in urban areas.

Nigel Gordon-Stewart is the Executive Chairman at EAV and he told CI.N: “Traffic is vile and getting worse. The biggest obstacle is a desire in people to really change, it’s cultural, so it’s tough. The people who get it embrace it fully and go on to tout it, while

like-for-like thinking – trading a petrol Mercedes for a battery Mercedes –means no change whatsoever.”

Thankfully, despite having that common grumble EAV is busy doing something to drive the change. The Oxford company has just recruited a Production Director to take the company up to 7,000 units per year, which in the context of the numbers found at the start of this article, outlines just how deeply committed this UK manufacturer is.

Nigel adds: “We have revised our production processes to achieve more volume, if needed, including setting bikes up for export. We can go larger again with an OEM partner and some are taking an interest; many companies

NUMBERS AND MILESTONES

• According to Transport for London’s Cargo Bike Action Plan it is estimated that cargo bikes could replace 4% of van kilometres by 2030, a figure that rises to 17% when you get into the denser sprawl of inner London.

• Barclays just invested £5 million in cargo bike logistics business Zedify.

• EAV has appointed Halfords a service partner and Fettle just inked a deal with Kwik-Fit to similarly become an e-bike and e-cargo service partner.

• Pedal and Post estimate that in its home of Oxford alone a switch from cargo bikes alone could be worth £14 million in annual taxpayer savings. Extrapolated across the UK the figure is closer to an estimated £4.2 billion.

• Pedal and Post also estimate, way ahead of the Transport for London prediction, that 33% of all urban deliveries could be made by cargo bike. At the present time it delivers around 1,000 parcels daily via its electric cargo bike fleets, equating to 100,000 van miles not driven.

are looking for opportunities to get involved with these vehicles. Every ecargo we make replaces a van.”

How does a cargo bike of the size of EAV’s most popular model directly replace a van? Nigel says: “Most vans are only a third loaded, so with our vehicles we are happy with weight carriage and volume capability. This means we can easily help businesses move up to 250kg worth of goods. If you want to move more than a quarter of a tonne, that’s when you find something bigger.”

The concept has had to be proven amongst even the most sceptical and those customers have been found in the construction market. How will you move construction materials? It’s an obvious question, but perhaps often one asked without full thought and too big a dash of sarcasm.

Nigel concludes: “We have not had a customer say it’s not working yet. Whether that’s Ringway moving roadworks infrastructure, or DPD’s couriers, not a single trial or customer settling in is saying it’s not working. By that we mean they’re saving money, not worrying about parking, or the tickets, they’re getting to locations faster too. We have London Ambulance feedback from a trial that shows they have been able to get to locations quicker than normal ambulances. They succeeded every single time. For logistics firms that means more deliveries, but for the health service that’s lives saved, so we want to make those inroads.”

• The CEO of the parcel firm revealed that across the lifetime of a diesel van and accounting for negative externalities the cost to the NHS is around £25,000, versus £150 for a cargo bike.

• Cargo bikes have been shown to produce 92% less greenhouse gas emissions per delivery versus a diesel van’s journey, all of which would reduce an estimated 17,000 premature deaths annually from respiratory illnesses.

EAV recently recruited a Production Director to take the company up to 7,000 units per year

WE DON’T SELL PRODUCTS...

That’s not strictly true, of course. We hold huge stocks of over 20,000 product lines, which we happily sell every day of the week. Yes, they need to be the right products at the right prices, marketed appropriately to the end user and presented in consumer-friendly packaging.

But what makes Oxford different is that it doesn’t end there. It doesn’t even start there, frankly. Our starting point is “how to deliver sales in-store?” and our answer is “by creating the right environment for all those products!”.

OUR CYCLE BROCHURE

480 pages of parts and accessories from Oxford and its world class distribution brands.

...WE PROVIDE RETAIL SOLUTIONS!

To achieve the right environment for our products to sell, we have designed a vast range of bespoke display systems. As part of our commitment to being the best supply partner to shops up and down the country, these are not only provided free of charge to our retail partners, but delivered, set up and merchandised in-store by our highly skilled team of ambassadors.

They then return on a regular basis to provide refreshes and seasonal changes, in order to keep products selling all year round.

WE ALSO DON’T:

• Sell direct to the public because that’s your job.

• Overstock your shop or leave you with products that don’t sell.

• Keep you waiting for returns, credits or answers.

TACKLING BUDGET CUTS AND INEQUALITY IN ACTIVE TRAVEL

In its wisdom, the government has chosen active travel to save some short-term cash. But despite the priorities of the current incumbents, there is still an opportunity to divert funds from car-centric projects and work towards well-planned policies to provide mobility options that are affordable, argues Skedgo

Active travel like cycling offers many benefits to help ease some of the challenges faced in society, from encouraging physical activity and social interaction to reducing air pollution and mitigating climate change. Cycling, alongside walking and wheeling, can help us achieve personal goals, boost our mental wellbeing, and make our cities less congested by avoiding singleoccupancy car use. For these reasons alone, active travel needs to remain at the forefront of government policy.

Yet, many people feel excluded from active travel due to limited mobility, chronic health conditions, or other reasons such as their immediate built environment making it difficult or unsafe to navigate.

Budget cuts and barriers to active travel

Recent budget cuts announced by the Transport Secretary earlier this year have also confirmed that overall active travel funding for the current parliamentary term is being reduced from £3.8 billion to £3 billion. This includes a two-thirds cut to promised capital investment in infrastructure for cycling, walking and wheeling from £308 million to only £100 million for the next two years.

The cut will mean the Government will not be able to achieve its target of 50% of all journeys in English towns and cities being cycled or indeed walked, by 2030.

With 22% of the UK population (14 million people) living with a disability in the UK, accessibility for people with disabilities or those with limited mobility,

“THE GOVERNMENT WILL NOT BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE ITS TARGET OF 50% OF ALL JOURNEYS IN ENGLISH TOWNS AND CITIES BEING CYCLED OR INDEED WALKED, BY 2030.”

should be at the forefront of all transport development.

Barriers to active travel still exist and need to be broken down. From inadequate infrastructure such as uneven or poorly funded cycle routes, to inaccessible public transport and disconnected active travel routes; these modes of travel can be difficult to rely on.

UK charity and custodian of the National Cycle Network Sustrans, carried out a nationwide study which highlighted that just 12% of disabled people cycle weekly, compared to 19% of non-disabled cyclists surveyed. Sustrans owns just 2% (271 miles) of the 12,763-mile National Cycle Network, making it difficult to remove physical barriers to cycling although it works hard to progress what it can.

Alongside these challenges are concerns around personal safety, too.

Research by the European Cyclists’ Federation found that women are typically more sensitive to traffic risks when it comes to cycling. This is compounded by gender and cultural norms, as well as the fear of sexual harassment and assault when using modes such as cycling, walking and public transport at certain times of the day. Protecting safety is paramount so that everyone feels secure when engaging in active travel.

Collaboration across communities

Creating open dialogue and promoting positive representation are key elements in addressing inequalities related to active travel. It provides an ideal platform for transport authorities, mobility providers, and other stakeholders to better meet accessibility needs so that built environments are easier to navigate. For instance, technology enablers can collaborate with users to ensure their tech works well with assistive technology such as screen readers, as SkedGo did with its MaaS projects for US nonprofit Feonix – Mobility Rising.

In Sustrans’ guide entitled ‘Walking for everyone; Making walking and wheeling more inclusive’, the authors call for the installation of route planning tools and audio assistance (both digital and non-digital) to help reduce language barriers and provide step-free routes. MaaS apps could support these capabilities. This would offer convenient access to people with smartphones and allow transport providers to gain anonymised data from the apps as well as direct feedback from users to improve the overall mobility experience.

Supporting cycling participation in active travel

Integrated multimodal transport is essential to ensure seamless journeys – particularly when changing between modes. This entails optimally connecting public transportation with active transport, along with on-demand and door-to-door services, to guard against possible isolation and reduce dependence on cars and taxis, particularly for that first/last mile.

There is also the opportunity for services that provide adapted cycling equipment, such as recumbent bicycles, tricycles and handcycles, so individuals can travel safely and comfortably, perhaps through shared bike schemes. All of these opportunities require well-planned policies to provide improved mobility options that are adaptable, accessible, and affordable. Ultimately, this may require the reallocation of funds from car-centric initiatives towards more inclusive active travel measures.

Tackling inequality in active travel is essential to help create a sustainable and inclusive society. It benefits both individuals and society at large in multiple ways; people can save money, reduce their carbon footprint and enjoy improved overall wellbeing, whilst traffic congestion, air pollution and unhealthy lifestyles are reduced.

www.skedgo.com

“CREATING OPEN DIALOGUE AND PROMOTING POSITIVE REPRESENTATION ARE KEY ELEMENTS IN ADDRESSING INEQUALITIES RELATED TO ACTIVE TRAVEL.”

Protecting safety is paramount so that everyone feels secure when engaging in active travel.

The European Cyclists’ Federation found that women are typically more sensitive to traffic risks when it comes to cycling.

MANUFACTURING WE ARE

Our exciting new range of KX Wheels are produced right here at Bob Elliot HQ. Utilising our specialist machinery, we prepare the hubs using reliable, economical, high quality componentry and lace the wheels before finishing them to precise tolerances with the use of a robot which are then quality checked to deliver the perfect wheel every time. Competitively priced replacement wheels offering a wide selection for 700C and all MTB disciplines.

To find out more about KX Wheels contact your area sales manager or email sales@bob-elliot.co.uk or call us on 01772 459887 www.bob-elliot.co.uk

GLOBAL INDUSTRY REUNION

For the first time after the end of the pandemic, the Taipei Cycle Show welcomed an international audience again. In addition to technical innovations and sustainable initiatives, the focus of this year’s show was particularly on networking and making contacts. Werner Müller-Schell writes for CIN

When the President herself gives a speech at the opening ceremony, it shows how important an event is. This is what happened at this year's Taipei Cycle Show 2023. When the Taiwanese bicycle trade fair opened its doors on 22 March, Taiwan’s head of state Tsai Ing-wen was one of the speakers at the opening ceremony, and once again underlined the great importance of the bike industry in the East Asian country. In her speech, however, she not only emphasised the economic importance of bicycles for Taiwan, but also promised additional support measures to improve the competitiveness of Taiwanese companies – both in terms of supply chains and sustainable technologies. In a way, the President provided a preview of what awaited the visitors over the four days in the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Centre: an industry meeting that, in addition to the presentation of technical innovations, also dealt with the current situation and

future development of the Taiwanese bicycle industry.

The Taipei Cycle Show 2023 had already raised great expectations before its actual start: for the first time since the complete opening of Taiwan’s borders after the pandemic, the trade fair welcomed international visitors again. Additionally, more than 1,000 exhibiting companies had announced their participation – including all major Taiwanese players, first and foremost industry giants Giant and Merida, and many other winners of the Taiwan Excellence Awards.

The number of visitors was impressive, and especially on the first three days of the fair, it was almost a reminder of the show’s successful pre-pandemic times: The organisers counted a total of 21,800 participants, with most of the international guests coming from Japan, South Korea, the United States, Singapore and Germany.

THE IMPORTANCE OF FACE-TO-FACE MEETINGS

“After the break caused by the pandemic, it is important for people to meet in person again,” said Jeff Chen, President of the Taiwan Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association (TSAM), a statement that many participants agreed with. Many guests used the event in the Taiwanese capital to strengthen their personal contacts again after the long absence. For this reason, the Taipei Cycle Show 2023 felt in some ways like a global class reunion of the bicycle industry.

“Taipei Cycle has been very important to WTB as a business for the last 15 years, but the pandemic caused us a lot of disruption. It’s great to be back here in Taipei this year, the show has been extremely busy and it’s so good to see the industry meeting in person once again,” said Peter Ladman, General Manager of Californian component manufacturer Wilderness Trail Bikes (WTB). Dave Evans, APAC Region Sales Director at US group manufacturer

Sram, agreed with him: “We were amazed at how busy and vibrant the show has been this year. The show has given us the opportunity to have some brilliant meetings with customers, from distributors to OE partners. This is really the first time in over three years that the industry has been together again, and it’s been a terrif ic three days.”

Thomas Lattke, Managing Director at Tektro Europe, summed up the mood: “Overall, the fair was very well attended – especially by our European original equipment manufacturers. In addition, there were very good personal discussions, which unfortunately did not take place in this way in previous years due to the pandemic. It seems that the Taipei Cycle Show is developing into a kind of bridge fair – perfectly situated between Taichung Bike Week and Eurobike.”

And Jimmy Yang, CEO of Yuanlin-based tyre manufacturer Kenda Rubber, said: “It’s good to meet old acquaintances again. Considering the current situation, the solidarity you can feel here is like crisis therapy.”

TAIWAN’S BICYCLE INDUSTRY IS UNDER PRESSURE

Yang referred to the global economic situation hovering over the fair. In Taiwan, too, manufacturers have had to cope with the consequences of the pandemic, inflation and the current worldwide decline in purchasing interest. As a result of these developments, almost all companies reported that they are struggling with full stocks, having reduced their production capacities accordingly and are busy selling off excess stocks. “Up until the summer, our last year was very good. After that, however, the market

“IT’S GOOD TO MEET OLD ACQUAINTANCES AGAIN. CONSIDERING THE CURRENT SITUATION, THE SOLIDARITY YOU CAN FEEL HERE IS LIKE CRISIS THERAPY.”

weakened. Today, I would describe the mood in the market as rather cautious,” said Cash Yang, Senior Marketing Manager at Merida in Taiwan, for example. “My personal observation is that pretty much all companies in Taiwan are struggling with similar challenges right now: due to the global economy, however, consumer spending slowed down. And the products in the full warehouses have to be sold off before the situation will normalise,” he added.

The reserved purchasing mood that bicycle dealers in Europe are feeling these days is accumulating in the warehouses in East Asia. Just as the consequences of the Corona pandemic were weakening and Taiwanese producers were beginning to make up for the delivery backlogs with ramped-up production capacities, the Russian war of aggression on Ukraine sparked an economic chain reac-

tion that, on the one, hand drove up inflation and, on the other, slowed down the consumers’ appetite for goods. The result was cancelled orders and hundreds of thousands of bicycles and even more components that had to remain in East Asian warehouses for the time being. “Bullwhip effect” is what this phenomenon is called in economics, where extended lead times and inaccurate demand estimates lead to high inventories and cause disruptions in supply chain management and sales accordingly.

When talking to the companies on-site, the stories of their experiences were always similar: Syuan-Yo Lin, Marketing Manager at the Taichung-based drive manufacturer Hyena E-Bike Systems spoke of “an overheated market that first has to cool down before the supply/demand ratio balances out again”. Adrian Bleiler, Senior Sales Manager at KMC in Tainan reported “cancelled orders, especially in the lower price segment”. And Michael Lin, President of Pacific Cycles in Taoyuan, also called the current situation “extremely challenging”.

Kenda CEO Jimmy Yang provided a detailed look behind the scenes: “In general, the global economic situation is very slow. But the bicycle industry is among the ones that have been hit the hardest. We can see this, for example, in comparison with the car or motorbike tyre business, which has not been so badly affected,” he explained and also gave an insight into his production volume which amounts to up to 230,000 tyres and 300,000 inner tubes a day at full capacity. “At peak times during the pandemic, we had an order volume of 150%. Today we are running at half capacity. It will take time to return to normality”, he said.

“THE BULLWHIP EFFECT IS WHAT THIS PHENOMENON IS CALLED IN ECONOMICS, WHERE EXTENDED LEAD TIMES AND INACCURATE DEMAND ESTIMATES LEAD TO HIGH INVENTORIES AND CAUSE DISRUPTIONS IN SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT AND SALES ACCORDINGLY.”

Taipei Cycle Show

A SPIRIT OF OPTIMISM AT THE SHOW

The Taiwanese manufacturers believe that – assuming the global political situation calms down again in the near future – a full recovery of the market can probably be expected in the second half of 2024 or even in 2025. However, the on-site research also revealed that the companies are generally quite positive about the longterm development of the market despite the currently challenging situation. This was also shown by the numerous new products presented at the Taipei Cycle Show 2023. Tektro and its premium brand TRP presented the new mountain bike group “EVO 12” for trail, enduro, downcountry and cross-country bikes. On the other hand, it was announced that the Tektro-TRP braking system will be available for all Bosch-powered eBike types optimised for specially developed ABS modes (ABS Touring, ABS Allroad, ABS Cargo and ABS Trail). Furthermore, there was news from German drive manufacturer Neodrives which showed the first samples of a new compact motor for urban light eBikes. The system, consisting of a hub motor and slim battery, is supposed to weigh less than four kilograms and, thanks to its compact design, be used in the class of light urban eBikes.

The topic of e-mobility was certainly the main theme of the Taipei Cycle Show from a product technology point of view. The current state of the art was presented by the Taiwanese brand BESV with its Smalo project. Smalo stands for “smart” and “velo” and describes smart e-bikes that are intended to bring the technologies of the future to the bicy-

cle. At the Taipei Cycle Show, the “LX2” showed what this looks like in practice: The bike comes with AI-driven functions such as automatic shifting, a smart bike lock, GPS tracking and automatic lights. Also worth seeing was a project by the Taichung-based manufacturer Hyena: the drive specialist highlighted a prototype e-road bike equipped with its “E-Road AIR Drive System”. The motor itself weighs only 1.3 kg and delivers a torque of 30 Nm on rear hub. The company stated the total bike weight to be just 10 kg.

In addition, the topic of gravel was very much present. The Taiwanese industry leader Giant presented its new “Revolt X” gravel bike live and in colour, making the bike one of the eye-catchers in the sporty high-end segment. The model includes a short-travel suspension fork designed specifically for gravel riding with 40 mm of front travel. Additionally, riders can choose between three seat post options: an included dropper post, a proprietary DFuse seat post for more compliance, or a traditional 30.9 mm round seat post.

And component manufacturer Full Speed Ahead (FSA), originally from Taichung, showed two handlebars especially designed for adventure riding, gravel racing and cyclocross, including time trial extensions that should make life easier for long-distance and bikepacking athletes. The “K-Force Loop AGX” is a carbon handlebar that can be combined with a matching extension. The “Pro-Wing AGX” is a one-piece set made from aluminium. Marketing Manager Giorgio Marra described the Taipei Cycle Show as a “must-attend event” for his company, whose importance they wanted to underline with these and other new products.

THE INDUSTRY SHIFTS TOWARDS SUSTAINABILITY

Many manufacturers in East Asia now also see the topic of sustainability as a duty. That sustainability would be one of the main topics on the four days of the fair in Taipei was already to be expected before the start. After all, the organisers, had proclaimed “Sustainable Moves” as one of five trade fair mottos. Several forums were held on the topic of sustainability, and both James C. F. Huang, Chairman of Taitra, and Robert Wu, President of the Taiwan Bicycle Association (TBA), referred in their speeches during the opening ceremony on the first day to the great task of the bicycle industry to become more climate and environmentally friendly.

A tour of the fair confirmed that these were not empty words. Numerous manufacturers emphasised at their stands that they take this topic seriously. The most prominent example was the Taiwanese industry leader Giant, which

Sustainability, sustainability, and more sustainability

“THE TOPIC OF E-MOBILITY WAS CERTAINLY THE MAIN THEME OF THE TAIPEI CYCLE SHOW FROM A PRODUCT TECHNOLOGY POINT OF VIEW.”

Taipei Cycle Show

presented the result of a complete life cycle analysis of its “Stance 29 1” model. The exciting finding: over its entire life cycle, the mountain bike produces 159 kg CO2, with the lion’s share (108.7 kg CO2) coming from the procurement of raw materials. Only then come production (32.7 kg CO2), the use phase (15.4 kg CO2), distribution (1.7 kg CO2) and recycling (0.5 kg CO2). According to those present at the Giant stand, the analysis is to be used as a basis for saving an impressive 40 kg CO2 per bicycle produced by 2030.

Other manufacturers also took the opportunity to announce their corporate goals in terms of climate and environmental protection. Kenda has set itself the target of reducing its own CO2 emissions by 3% per year. This is to be achieved, among other things, through more sustainable production techniques and modernisation of the production facilities, as CEO Jimmy Yang explained. And tyre specialist Maxxis presented its new “Seawastex” project to the public: This project involves collecting old fishing nets from the seabed and processing them into

nylon pellets and then into nylon threads, which are then used in tyre production. One of the main messages of the presentation: the road to sustainable bicycle tyres is still very long – but a first, important step has been made.

Gouach, which is working on developing and producing more sustainable lithium-ion batteries for e-bikes, is also a good example for how much space sustainable product ideas had at the Tapei Cycle Show. The French manufacturer aims to apply the principle of the circular economy to e-bike batteries: Unlike conventional e-bike batteries, the Gouach battery is made without spot welding, making it easy to assemble, repair and recycle. According to the manufacturer, it takes less than ten minutes to remove and replace individual cells. The company was awarded the “Taipei Cycle D&I Gold Award Green Price” for its initiative – a new label that was also created as part of the sustainability initiative of the Taiwanese trade fair.

HIGH AMBITIONS FOR 2024

Numerous product innovations, a strong focus of the East Asian bicycle industry on the topic of sustainability, but also the opportunity to socialise and network – these are the reasons why those responsible at the organising Taitra considered the Taipei Cycle Show 2023 a success. In the coming years, the organisers want to make the fair the international must-attend event it was before the pandemic. A date for the Taipei Cycle Show 2024 has already been set: then the fair will return to the Nangang Exhibition Hall 1 and 2 in Taipei from 6 to 9 March.

“MAXXIS PRESENTED ITS NEW “SEAWASTEX” PROJECT TO THE PUBLIC: THIS INITIATIVE INVOLVED COLLECTING OLD FISHING NETS FROM THE SEABED AND PROCESSING THEM TO BE USED IN TYRE PRODUCTION.”

ALTURA’S SWEET SPOT

Altura has bolstered its working relationships with fabric tech innovators, revamped its branding and placed a renewed emphasis on helping customers understand the sweet spots of its range. Amy

Over the past three years the Altura brand has undergone some significant developments, taking the core elements which won it many fans amongst commuters of all types – durability, functionality, sustainability – and adding to this mix a clearly designed style, combining technical fabrics with a distinct identity, creating a product range with a look and feel that aims to deliver both on and off the bike.

Talking with Amy Spencer, Head of Altura, and Stuart Grieves, Altura Brand Manager, it’s clear that each Altura garment has an easy-to-understand point of difference, something which enables customers to identify every product’s sweet spot.

FABRIC TECH MAKES IT POSSIBLE TO FURTHER OPTIMISE CLOTHING

A practical, user-based, example of this: Altura factors in designing garments for eBike riders, where the differing level of exertion impacts heat generation, influencing insulation material choices. For commuters there’s additional detail on how best to combine layers for maximum breathability and insulation. This consumer education piece also leads into the staff training Altura offers retailers stocking the brand.

This kind of confidence ‘in-detail’ approach, starting with design and

manufacture, finishing with end user education, is possible thanks to working relationships with fabric technology innovators such as Pertex and Polartec.

For gravel, MTB and road riders there’s an extensive range of apparel, spanning base layers, jerseys, jackets, gilet, trousers, shorts, and bibshorts, including the Icon, which features chamois developed in conjunction with industry leaders Elastic Interface, a brand Altura collaborates closely with across its shorts designs.

For sport-focused garments, the brand meets riders expectations with swing tags detailing essential fabric technologies such as hydrostatic head ratings. For Amy, with a background in equipment design for outdoor and adventure brand Berghaus, it’s these small details which make the difference for more hardcore who often compare value and performance at purchase.

MADE FOR RIDING. TESTED IN THE REAL WORLD

Irrespective of riding style, all garments and Altura’s extensive range of luggage, including panniers, are lab and field tested by a community of hand-picked riders who each offer unique insights into feel, fit and performance. This robust product test team includes an 81-year-old cyclist who’d been using a 20-year-old set of

Altura panniers for his daily travels and weekly food shop. Testament to the brands durable and functional core focus, then, and now.

ALTURA STYLE

What’s new is the brand identity – a signature visual style – paired with colours which give a modern yet classic and classy look that transcends season changes. This is further complemented by a naming strategy which ensures customers can find their favourite garments year after year. With key lines in store all yearround, as part of a commitment to delivering on core essential, seasonal pieces of the range naturally follow changing weather conditions and needs of riders. This season change over strategy is designed to work for retailers and riders alike.

In store, Altura visibility is further enhanced by retailer support in the form of branded fixtures and fittings, giving the Altura brand a space which clearly stands out, delivering the best possible way to present the brand to customers.

Altura’s Spring/Summer range and POS are available to order now via ZyroFisher Account Managers, or via the B2B platform. www.altura.co.uk

Spencer, Head of Altura, and Stuart Grieves, Altura Brand Manager, speak with CIN

Social media has highlighted just how much we can be influenced by others. When it comes to role models, can they play a part in getting more women cycling? And where do the pockets of potential lie to get more women using a bike as their mode of transport? Caz Conneller tackles the big question…

Istarted my business, Cyclechic, back in 2008 as a rebellious reaction to a bike industry that didn’t speak to me. I wanted to make cycling cool, to make it appeal to women. Women like me, who were being put off. What have I learnt over the 15 years? What’s worked? And what’s the next chapter and opportunity to get more women embracing a life on two wheels?

Background

I cycle solely for transport. I am what the Dutch called a fietser. Whilst I’ve got nothing against cycling for sport or leisure, I do other things in my spare time. My bike, now an eBike, though beloved, is my vehicle not my toy.

Cycling as a form of active travel has seen big increases in recent years. Cities have seen major infrastructure overhauls. Attitudes are changing, and it’s not just for the plucky few anymore. But the number of women making these trips is still less than half that of men. Why? And what can the industry do to address this? And rather than seeing this as a negative, surely there’s a massive opportunity at stake.

I’ll tell you about my journey, how I started cycling, how I overcame barriers and how it compelled me to start my business and find a way to invite more women into cycling.

When I first decided, aged 26 – a young fashion-conscious woman, living in London, working in TV – that I wanted to cycle to work, I found barriers coming at me like sledgehammers. Advice on cycling online was dull. Images of women on bikes looked dredged up from the ‘80s, and not in a cool way. A uniform of Hi-Viz and Lycra seemed obligatory. Bike shops were dark and dusty, products were sporty and masculine, eyecontact was minimal and I felt like running a mile. The bike industry didn’t speak my language.

I had seen a girl cycling along Kensington High Street, hair billowing in the wind, looking glamourous and stylish on her bike. She spoke my language. I wanted to look like her! And this was the turning point that inspired me to face the barriers head on and find a

way to cycle to work in London.

I had learnt my first lesson: the power of the role model is strong.

I embarked on a research process to start cycling my way. I found a gorgeous second-hand vintage bike for £80. I got a free cycle lesson through Hammersmith and Fulham Council. I wore my own clothes, dresses, cape and heels and refused to wear a ‘uniform’ just to get on my bike. And I went on a mission to find a stylish bike helmet. It was though this process I realised if we wanted get more women like me cycling we had to come at it from another angle. And on International Women’s Day 2008, I launched Cyclechic, an online retail brand selling stylish cycling accessories with a mission to make cycling as accessible and desirable as possible to women.

So what worked?

Merging fashion and lifestyle with bicycles in our branding worked. Women came and women shopped and thanked us. Looking more like an online fashion brand than a bike brand worked too. It lured women in and kept them coming back. Aspirational yet accessible imagery worked. People found us

online in a sea of images and products that didn’t appeal to them.

What also worked was getting a deeper understanding of our customers by talking to women who didn’t cycle so we could address their barriers – ‘safety’, ‘image’ and what I call the ‘faff factor’ (this is a complex mix of why women feel cycling is more of a ‘faff’ than other modes of transport). Women thanked us for helping them cast off their fears and barriers and we were proud to be par t of their journey towards cycling day to day.

I learnt the power of product market fit. Women valued safety and women valued style, but there was no bike helmet on the market at the time that addressed these two values. We were the first UK bike retailer to sell the Bern helmet and Bern’s biggest UK account in those early years. Their flattering shape and peaked style appealed. We secured an exclusive colour with Bern and we sold a lot of helmets and got them featured in mainstream press, including The Times Style, The Financial Times and Vogue Magazine. The demand was there and we filled it. We felt like we were winning.

Caz Conneller riding a Tern eBike with her children, a product that truly speaks to women

CYCLING TRIPS PER PERSON PER YEAR, BY AGE AND GENDER, ENGLAND, 2021 (NTS0601)

But when I look at the Government’s National statistics for walking and cycling for 2021 and look at trips by gender, it’s clear this was merely a drop in the ocean. Whilst some positive steps have been taken by dynamic brands and organisations to entice a new wave of cyclists, women are still staying away in their droves. The sledgehammers just keep coming.

But with a note of optimism, flipping it on its head, you could say the gaps in this bar chart represent the untapped market.

The UK government’s ambition is to make walking, wheeling and cycling the natural choice for the public for shorter journeys, or as part of a longer journey, by 2040. In the interim, the government expects half of all journeys in towns and cities to be cycled or walked by 2030.

Energy and resources must be put into helping women overcome their barriers to active travel. There’s not one simple solution and the answer is a highly complex combination of infrastructure changes, and behaviour change methods. Active Travel

England’s announcement on 6 Feb 2023 that its new £200 million funding will include a focus on helping women feel safe is enormously welcome. Safety is still the biggest barrier putting women off, and this has to be addressed in a real and meaningful way.

I personally swapped my analogue bike for a Tern Quick Haul eCargo bike and it has enabled me to do so much more by bike. I can get up steep hills without breaking a sweat. I can carry my fiveyear-old daughter, who was getting too big for her seat on my regular bike. I feel safer cycling, stopping and starting in traffic. It’s easier cycling in bad weather as that e-assist just takes you along. My bike has become my vehicle even more than it ever was, I use my car less and I feel proud to be par t of the future every time I ride it.

I talk to many women who feel the same, there is an electric buzz.

However electric bikes could be a big part of the solution. I started noticing more and more of our customers were buying and riding eBikes about two years ago. Now I would say the balance is tipping to about 50/50, maybe more.

Ebikes are a major barrier-breaking force that could unlock the female market and increase uptake. And how we communicate the benefits is key. EBikes are not about going fast, they are about you feeling safer. They are about you being able to carry your children and all the stuff you need for your life.

‘Men go women bring’ is a great quote I learnt from Kari Anne Solfjeld Eid, who runs a subscription electric cargo bike company in Norway. This company, Whee, is barrier-busting in

“ACTIVE TRAVEL ENGLAND’S ANNOUNCEMENT ON 6 FEB 2023, THAT ITS NEW £200 MILLION FUNDING WILL INCLUDE A FOCUS ON HELPING WOMEN FEEL SAFE IS ENORMOUSLY WELCOME.”

so many ways for women. It removes the large cost of a purchase, it removes worries about maintenance and theft and it allows women to carry stuff, including their children, on their bikes.

We have to provide bikes that cater for women’s lives as vehicles, not as toys. It has to be easier than other modes of transport whilst looking appealing too. I met a woman on the train recently who told me she would never cycle. She always drives because she feels safe, she feels in control and all her stuff is with her. So, we have to make women feel safe and in control on a bike.

I had a great experience recently test-riding eCargo bikes at eBike retailer Fully Charged in London Bridge. I went with my five-year-old daughter and I felt welcomed immediately. There was a play area for kids. She had a great time and I had a chance to talk to the staff and a chance to think. I talked to their chief eBike sales guru, Richard Barling, who told me female customers are often nervous, but he goes out with them on test-rides and helps and supports them.

I tested out the Tern eBikes and fell in love with them. It’s no coincidence that Tern, who in my eyes make a product that truly speaks to women, employ a 50/50 split of men to women in their workforce. This is rare.

Sally Middlemiss is heading up a research project called Diversity in Cycling for the Bicycle Association of Great Britain that aims to address the in inequality in the UK’s bike industry.

“Women make up 49% of the UK workforce yet in the UK bike industry, just 8% of workshop roles and 19% of customer facing roles are occupied by women. Whilst women hold 40% of the administrative roles, only a small handful have progressed to senior leadership roles.” Diversity in Cycling, Bicycle Association of Great Britain.

However, Middlemiss’ research shows that ‘the top 25% of companies in male-dominated industries that have the most gender-diverse executive leadership teams are 47% more profitable than those in the bottom 25%’.

It pays off to level up!

So, if women are represented in all areas within the industry – leadership, product design, branding, marketing and communication, customer service – the industry will speak to more women and more women will be invited in.

Fast forward to 2040. The lady on the train who always drives and would never cycle sees a segregated bike lane pop up at the end of her road. She can get a free cycling lesson through the council or Cycling UK. She sees a gorgeous eBike with a beautiful coloured frame built by a company that understands her needs, sold to her in environment where she feels safe and welcomed. She can get a subsidy to buy it. It will save her money in petrol. She sees a woman she admires cycle past her house every day. She is inspired. All this might, just might, compel her to start.

And it’s a snowball effect. Once more women cycle, more follow. The power of the role model is strong, and the future of cycling is exciting. www.cyclechic.co.uk

Caz Conneller is spearheading a campaign called ‘She’s Electric’ to help more women embrace and enjoy eBikes and eCargo bikes. See full details over at Cyclechic.co.uk and message caz@cyclechic.co.uk to get involved or contact her on LinkedIn: Caz Conneller (nee Nicklin)

“ONCE MORE WOMEN CYCLE, MORE FOLLOW. THE POWER OF THE ROLE MODEL IS STRONG, AND THE FUTURE OF CYCLING IS EXCITING.”

Role models are a powerful force to get more women cycling

Boost is a new e-bike conversion system with a difference. Our product has been designed and assembled here in the UK ensuring quality and no issues with stock.

We are also prioritising distribution through independent bike shops.

What cyclists and mechanics are saying about Boost...

“I commute to work now and also beat my boyfriend up the hills!”

To find out more, visit boostbike.uk | For pricing & how to become a Boost Stockist, go to boostbike.uk/trade or email: trade@boostbike.uk.uk

“I’ve recommended it to anyone who will listen”

“The kit is great and really easy to fit.”

UNNO BICYLES

UNNO BICYCLES TALK BIKES, POST BREXIT DISTRIBUTION CHALLENGES, AND RETAIL EXPERTISE

Following the announcement that Unno Bicycles had appointed Sven Kuhlke as Head of Sales in the UK, CIN had the opportunity to sit down with Sven to discuss the Barcelona-based mountain bike company’s plans for the year ahead.

We open the conversation by exploring the unavoidable complexities of doing business in post Brexit Britain. Actually, for serving UK, it is kind of like Switzerland, but more complex than that. The Brexit challenge is a significant one. And as we want to do distribution for ourselves, not working with a distributor, we have been looking for a good solution. We have one now which looks very good, so we’re in a position to talk with our existing dealers in the UK – Bike Bros, Afan Valley Bike Shed, Sprockets Cycles, and Pedal to the Metal – and open conversation

with other interested retail partners.

We’re fortunate that with the unique nature of Unno Bicycles we have a lot of retailer interest. As a result, I’m looking at how we locate new retailers; we plan to have 20 to 25 dealers across the UK and Ireland. The aim is to give every retail partner between 50 to 70 kilometres as an area of exclusivity. We do the same in in Germany, and Austria with good effect. I’m always looking to ensure our partners have enough space between the shops.

MITH: 170/160MM Travel, 750WH battery and mullet set up

It’s a unique product. In that context, it has a destination factor of its own.

Agreed. And we know, from our existing retail partners, that people are willing to drive to see something unique.

Equally, we want the retailers selling our bikes to have that star quality, so that when a person, be they an owner or someone interested in becoming an owner, does drive to the store, they receive a 5-star experience. I think anyone who spends ten or more thousand Euro or Pounds on a bike should experiences this level of service and experience.

In Germany, also in Sweden, we see people travelling 200 or 300 kilometres so we need to ensure the retail experience matches the uniqueness of the bikes, that the package is worth it from the customers point of view (and the bike shops).

How does manufacturing and shipping work for Unno Bicycles?

As a business, we build up the bikes completely in Germany (the frames are manufactured in Asia), shipping then from Germany, to our retail partners. At the moment, after all the freight shipping struggles of the past two years, this is working well for us.

So, where you’ve got an increased cost to import that’s being reflected in the retail price?

Exactly. And now we have found a solution, which we have announced to dealers, that has involved changes in the RRP of the bikes, taking into account half of shipping costs. Here we first compared our bikes, as ‘like for like’ spec and quality, with other brands. Even after the price adjustment we are still less expensive, despite a much

Makes sense, and I’m guessing, price point wise, you’re also benchmarking Yeti, Ibis, and Pivot, for example, niche brands with a fan base that thinks much less about price point?

Exactly this. For context, this year we will produce, or we planning to produce, 1,000 bikes.

We want to be a niche brand. We have zero ambition to rise our quantities to 10,000 or 15,000. It makes no sense, in our opinion, because we want to be exclusive. Our plan is for a maximum of 2,000 bikes, until 2026.

Of course, it’s a good comparable with these brands, because when you see our specs, for example in the factory versions, and you compare with the new Yeti SB160 for example, the Yeti is about €15,500. Our factory version is €13,700 or €13,800 and our specs are still better.

You get a better specc’d, better riding, more unique bike, and a UK price point which neither Yeti or Pivot is close to.

This is so important going forwards. When you’ve factored in import tariffs and associated costs, you have clear margin to work with, and the ability to benchmark yourself against other halo brands in the retail space. Exactly, and this is what our challenge was in the last months. We had a lot of meetings internally, looking to figure out how we manage import costs best. I’ve worked in retail. I know what works as a margin, the percentage, and what doesn’t, no matter how much you love the brand.

It’s why we’ve made the decision to add those import costs onto the RRP.

BURN: a combination of ultimate stiffness and robustness, featuring a double row EnduroMAX bearings and high strength Toray carbon. Solid and nimble

PROFILE

“WE WANT TO BE A NICHE BRAND. WE HAVE ZERO AMBITION TO RISE OUR QUANTITIES TO 10,000 OR 15,000. IT MAKES NO SENSE, IN OUR OPINION, BECAUSE WE WANT TO BE EXCLUSIVE. OUR PLAN IS FOR A MAXIMUM OF 2,000 BIKES, UNTIL 2026.”

Yeah, and combining this with ‘1,000 units a year’ means you’re able to clearly communicate that ‘uniqueness value’ with your marketing. Yeti and Pivot are certainly making significantly more bikes each year. People who are drawn to Unno are aware that they are getting something ultralow volume. They’re not a price point customer. They’re buying something different. The value that they see is focused on price or cost.

This is exactly the point, and this is what we see as a brand. It’s what I experience when talking with retailers. Unno Bicycles are extremely rare. This is a strong differentiation based selling point. Then we have strong specs. Finally, we have a unique aesthetic. The frame design is like no other.

It’s great that the last six or seven months have seen growth, not only for bike sales, but also for the shops Unno Bicycles are sold in. So, this is the strategy we work with at the moment – slow growth – and, for us, is the best way we can do it. Small numbers of bikes. Very select retail partners. A truly unique experience for retailers and customers.

Maintaining the desirability for retailer and customers. It also makes it a little bit easier for us because we can really select who we want to work with.

We have a lot of requests from dealers, but we are looking for really skilled and experienced retail partners, people with the capability to deliver an amazing experience, and support for customers who expect more from them. That’s who we want to work with. Retailers who are seen by their customers as experts, who offer a specialist service, and, equally, a very special product.

UNNO BICYLES

This is particularly important because our bikes need a detailed understanding, which requires explanation. Unno Bicycles doesn’t make your typical enduro or free ride bike. It’s really a bike which needs to be explained. The geometry needs to be explained, as does the stack and reach, because it’s different regarding our frame.

For example, we have three sizes, and whilst we have a size guide, that’s not a very tailored way to ensure your customer gets the best experience. People come in all shapes and sizes.

We really want to work with shops that have a bike fitting knowledge and experience. A shop who has knowledge of custom building, and customising, recommending bikes based on geometry, for the body size and riding style, as well as handling preferences.

When you’ve got your premium product, and you’ve got your premium dealers, how do you deliver remote warranty support?

We do it ourselves. Our aftersales and warranty is all in-house. For example, we had it now with a frame which was damaged in transit – a scratch, which is cosmetic, but not acceptable. Here we replace it. Warranty is three years on paint, and on the frame, we give lifetime warranty. That the process is taken care of in-house means these things happen quickly.

You have in-person pre and post-sales support service; the process is mapped out to deliver a speed and accuracy of replicable process, acknowledging that a premium product requires premium support. If a UK dealer has a warranty challenge, they speak with who?

Let’s be clear; we don’t do it like other brands. I’m serving 35 dealers and I’m in very close contact with them all. They have my number, and my email address. They can call me, or email me, even send me a message on WhatsApp.

I have a preformatted form which I will send them. They fill this out, put in photos, and then Mark (who does our aftersales and warranty cases) will pick this up and open direct contact with the retail partner. It’s a seamless process that is mapped and managed to ensure a retailer and customer experience in line with the expectations of the brand.

www.unno.com

FOR THOSE RETAILERS WHO’VE READ THIS AND ARE KEEN TO DISCUSS UNNO BICYCLES IN MORE DETAIL, HOW SHOULD THEY CONTACT YOU?

Sven

Kuhlke

Head of Sales DACH, UK and Scandinavia

WhatsApp: (0034) 657 889 182

Mobile – NEW!: (0034) 689 646 478

Barcelona Office: (7.30am to 15.30pm)

(0034) 930 464 312

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/svenatunno

BIKE NOW ROWASH LATER

UNRIVALLED CLEANING

The most advanced non-hazardous, pH neutral cleaner

IMPROVES SERVICING EFFICIENCY

50% faster than spray and rag, less mess

LOWERS ENERGY CONSUMPTION

Eco-mode and double skinned tank reduces energy usage by up to 54%*

REDUCES WASTE

Bioremediation – oil-eating microbes keep fluid clean

*Based on internally conducted controlled laboratory tests in 2022

0121 514 0607

WWW.ROZONE.CO.UK

WILL NEW DEAL DELIVER FOR ZEDIFY AND NEW MOTION LABS?

Zedify is among the UK’s largest cargo eBike fleet operators, so the news that it is partnering with New Motion Labs following “overwhelmingly good” trials of Enduo Cargo on its Urban Arrow bikes, is not inconsiderable.

Zedify was formed with a mission to bring about positive environmental change for the UK’s cities through clean, cost-effective and sustainable urban deliveries. Zedify now carries out thousands of zero-emission deliveries every day. The operator recently announced it had secured a £5m investment led by Barclays and Mercia, with support from Green Angel Syndicate.

Tom Scruby, National Opera tions Manager at Zedify, oversaw six months of extensive live tests of Enduo™ Cargo on the Zedify Urban Arrow fleet: “At Zedify, our mission is to transform urban deliveries and help make better cities and ensure they’re fit for the future. Our fleet is made up of 95% cargo bikes and we rely on them running at their best to keep parcels arriving efficiently and on time,” he said. “Enduo Cargo is a brilliant, cuttingedge product, launched by fellow

Green Angel Syndicate-funded innovators, New Motion Labs. It helps reduce our maintenance needs and increase our mileage per charge, because efficiency in the drive chain can have a huge impact on energy use. We're delighted to be working together and can't wait to get the product rolled out across our fleet.”

Zedify is backed by Green Angel Syndicate, the UK’s largest network of specialist investors tackling climate change who also support New Motion Labs’ pioneering work. Green Angel

Syndicate has already invested across seven green sectors and attracted a £10m commitment from British Business Investments as well as 350 members, saving over 135,000 tonnes of CO2 in the process.

Nick Lyth, Founder and President of Green Angel Syndicate, said: “Everyone at Green Angel Syndicate is delighted by this development. It is a perfect illustration how, by working together, we can integrate individual company's innovations to change a working process. This change will remove the harm the old system inflicts while leaving the benefits of the process to the economy and the consumer unchanged.”

Enduo Cargo sprocket and chainring

New Motion Labs has also revealed that it will exhibiting its awardwinning Enduo drivetrain technology at Eurobike 2023. At the Frankfurt event, running June 21 to 25 June, the NML team will be at Booth B22 Hall 8, available to provide demonstrations and answer any questions from attendees. Book a meeting via sales@newmotionlabs.com or find out more on the information on their website.

Zedify is partnering with New Motion Labs following “overwhelmingly good” Enduo Cargo trials…

“AT ZEDIFY, OUR MISSION IS TO TRANSFORM URBAN DELIVERIES AND HELP MAKE BETTER CITIES AND ENSURE THEY’RE FIT FOR THE FUTURE.”

BEST PRACTICE: HOW TO DRESS YOUR WINDOW DISPLAY

When it comes to window displays, the pressure is on. Few can afford to put off potential customers with cluttered, dirty or changed-once-in-a-blue-moon displays. Retail designer Gosia Adamska provides a checklist for revamping your shop front…

Have you ever as a child stood in front of a toy store’s window display, with your nose stuck to the glass, fascinated about what you can see, dreaming about all those great toys you could have and imagine how much fun you could have played with them? Or perhaps you seen scene like that in one of the Christmas films? Well, I must tell you that a great window display will have a similar impact on us adults too.

There is no better marketing for your brand than when people imagine riding their dream bike, using awesome gear and to wear nice cycling clothing by only looking at your inspiring window display.

Do you think your potential customer will be more likely to want to get inside your bicycle store to get the product if you displaying it in an awesome, stimulating their imagination way? The answer is simple: Yes, they will be.

Potential customers make a subconscious judgement within 90 seconds about either they will shop at your shop or not, and that is all based only on your store’s appearance.

Perhaps by now you have realised the importance of your store window display, which is like a first representation of and invitation to your brand. For that reason you must make sure that this part of your business is cared for with great attention.

Even if your bike shops windows aren’t as big as these ones, there are opportunities to market your business in your (literal) shop front

If you are lucky to have a window display at your store’s front, what can you see when you are looking at it from outside? Is it well lit? Is it inspiring? Does it show product related to the season, celebration, or maybe is it related to any current campaign? Does it tell your potential customer a story of what they can find inside your bicycle store and informs them why they should enter? Can they tell straight away what your brand is about? Is your window display clean and not cluttered? If you said no to some of these questions, or you maybe now think that maybe your bicycle store’s window display could look bet ter, then keep reading. You might be wasting a great opportunity to advertise your business, to invite people in, and at the same time you would obviously be losing money and potential for your business by not looking after it well enough.

Now, I would like to explain what you can do with your bicycle store’s window display to make it look appealing and to

make your potential customer want to enter, to browse, to purchase and to keep coming back to your shop.

1. DEFINE YOUR TARGET CUSTOMER

Before you create any shop front think about who your target customers are, and what that group of people would like to see in your window display What might be that one thing to stop them in front of your store? Is it a road rider or mountain biker you would like to impress and invite inside, or maybe someone who likes bike packing adventures, or maybe a person who commutes on their bike every day to work or to school? Would that be men or women, or maybe both? What age group are they supposed to be in? Would you like to speak to adults, youths or children the most? Whomever it is, you need to relate your display to that group of customers, finding the right balance at the same time, so the display does not alienate another potential customer.

“THERE IS NO BETTER MARKETING FOR YOUR BRAND THAN WHEN PEOPLE IMAGINE RIDING THEIR DREAM BIKE, USING AWESOME GEAR AND TO WEAR NICE CYCLING CLOTHING BY ONLY LOOKING AT YOUR INSPIRING WINDOW DISPLAY.”

Another subject to think about would be, what message you would like to deliver to your customer? Do you want to inspire, or inform them? How can you do it in a simple, clear way to

engage your potential customer? Would you like to inspire them to ride after work, school, maybe to quit a car and use a bicycle instead? Maybe you would like to inform your customer about current sale, or some season

Defining your target customer goes some way in helping guide your window design

“IF YOU PROVIDE YOUR CUSTOMER WITH THE CORRECT MESSAGE WHEN CREATING YOUR WINDOW DISPLAY, IT CAN DRIVE IMPULSE PURCHASES.”

gifts? If you provide your customer with the correct message when creating your window display, it can drive impulsive purchases.

3. CORE VALUES

Think about what core values you would like to present in your bicycle store’s windows that you would like your customers to identify your brand with. You can try to connect with your customers emotionally by informing them about what your mission statement is before they even enter your store.

4. ATTENTION-GRABBING WINDOW DISPLAY

Make your shop window look impressive, interesting and engaging and

2. WINDOW DISPLAY MESSAGE

Should your shop window inform or inspire potential customers?

think about what story you would like to share with people that are passing by your bicycle shop. Make them slow down and stop so they are willing to look into it in more detail, and perhaps enter and shop.

5. KEY PRODUCTS AND ELEMENTS

Identify the key products or elements of your store’s window display and place them at eye level to draw people’s attention. Products should be large enough to catch a shoppers’ eye. For example, you can show a mountain bike in woodland, or a mountain background dressed up with equipment you’d normally put on that type of bike, then if you have space, you can place a mannequin next to it dressed in mountain biking clothing, helmet shoes, and accessories, you can also add message on your window, and create depth layers. Add some fun, not necessarily directly cycling related accessories too, to make it look more like a lifestyle image. It is also good idea to consider a screen where you can play inspiring short films, and in that way, you can always play fresh content. There is plenty of ways to be creative here. But remember to keep it simple and do not clutter it.

6. REGULAR CHANGES FOR FRESH LOOK

Make sure you change your store window display on a regular basis, for a fresh look, which would be at least four times per year as four seasons, winter, spring, summer and autumn. Products and items related to that season should appear on it. Ideally you would change window display more often, there are so many celebrations you can relate your window display to – such as Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Father’s Day, Mother’s Day which gives you opportunity to set your window display accordingly targeting buyers shopping for gifts for their loved ones.

7.

CLEAN IT / REPAIR IT

You must remember your store front is like your business card – so keep it clean and well maintained. Your windows should be cleaned, frames painted on a regular basis, pavement around swept. Avoid putting lots of cluttering chaotically placed stickers or logos of brands you are selling, mixed messages and badly designed store signage.

8. LIGHT IT WELL

After all that effort you put into thinking about what and how you should be dressing your window display, you must not forget about one very important element – lighting. Your store window needs to be well lit, so it looks visible from a distance during the day and night. Dark, badly lit windows look dull and would not stand out well enough to grab attention. Without good light, whatever you put there in your bicycle store’s window display, will look not visible and not interesting enough to drive your potential customer towards it.

If you need help to create your window displays or if you would like to learn more about the subject feel free to contact Gosia Adamska @ Which Interiors, gadamska@whichinterios.com

“YOUR STORE WINDOW NEEDS TO BE WELL LIT, SO IT LOOKS VISIBLE FROM A DISTANCE DURING THE DAY AND NIGHT.”

Lighting a window can be overlooked, but to do so could scupper your hard efforts

‘TIGER ON THE MOVE’

Since gaining independence in 1990, Lithuania has become one of the fastest-growing economies in Europe. A visit to the Baltic country suggests it also could soon play a more important role in the bicycle industry.

The street of the industry. The name on the ageing, slightly rusty sign is one of many indicators that we are in an area with a long industrial past. As early as the 19th Century, the Lithuanian city of Šiauliai had developed into an economic hub. And even today, factory buildings and warehouses line the roadside of the “Pramonės gatvė”, as the road leading through the south of the city is officially called. It is therefore no coincidence that the destination of our journey – a large red building at the end of the industrial road – Is also a testimony to this artisanal history. Bicycles and bicycle components have been manufactured here for 75 years. Today, the factory, on whose façade the words “Baltik Vairas” are emblazoned in large letters, is the largest bicycle producer in the Baltic States.

“We are one of the best-known companies in the region. And also one of the most traditional. For several generations, a significant part of the inhabitants of Šiauliai have had some kind of relationship with the bicycle factory,” says Iain Mackay. The Dutchman has been working as a sales manager for the Lithuanian company for seven years. During a tour through the modern-looking production halls, he gives us an intimate look behind the scenes. In the entrance area, several black-and-white photos remind us of the long history of the production plant. The “Šiauliai bicycle factory”, as it was origi-

nally called, was once one of the most important bicycle manufacturers in the Soviet Union. After the fall of the Iron Curtain, it eventually evolved into one of Europe’s leading bicycle and eBike producers. “Today, we employ 660 people and can produce up to 500,000 bicycles and eBikes and up to 50,000 cargo bikes per year. We cover the entire production spectrum – from R&D to manufacturing, painting and logistics,” Mackay explains.

On the radar of the bicycle industry

The largest bicycle producer in the Baltic States and one of the leading bicycle factories in Europe, with its comprehensive range of services, Baltik Vairas is a symbol of the recent upswing in the Lithuanian bicycle industry. An industry that for a long time played only a minor role on the international bicycle map, but which could well grow into a permanent fixture in the European two-wheeler scene in the coming years. At Baltik Vairas in Šiauliai, located around three hours west of the capital Vilnius, Mackay and his team already works together with numerous internationally known bicycle and eBike manufacturers. And recently, the Dutch Pon Group also declared its intention to open an own production facility in Kėdainiai next year. Up to 450,000 bicycles and pedelecs will then roll off the production line annually in the city, which is located exactly halfway

“TODAY, WE EMPLOY 660 PEOPLE AND CAN PRODUCE UP TO 500,000 BICYCLES AND EBIKES AND UP TO 50,000 CARGO BIKES PER YEAR.”

Werner Müller-Schell reports on the former “Baltic tiger state” for CIN…

The Baltik Vairas plant in Šiauliai is looking back on a more than 70 years long history in bicycle production.

between Šiauliai and Vilnius. “After reviewing a range of options in Central and Eastern Europe, Lithuania came out best,” said company spokesman Jacques Geijsen when announcing the plans in January 2022. “The country clearly stands out in terms of stability, ease of doing business, as well as a motivated and skilled workforce. Given the recent market developments, the excellent logistics Lithuania can offer also were a deciding factor,” he added.

In fact, Lithuania has become an extremely interesting location for international companies in recent years. Indeed, since regaining its independence from the Soviet Union in 1990, the country has experienced a remarkable upswing, making it one of the most successful economies in the region. This development was further strengthened by the introduction of the Euro as the official national currency in 2015, which attracted more foreign investors and helped to further boost job creation and infrastructure development. With a gross domestic product (GDP) of 28,094 US dollars per capita, the Baltic state is still below the panEuropean average, according to the latest data of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). However, it is only ranked slightly behind Spain and ahead of countries such as Greece, Croatia,

Portugal or Poland. To put this in perspective: Just eight years ago, Lithuania’s GDP amounted to only half of today’s figures.

“This development is no coincidence. Companies find very good economic conditions to develop here,” explains Ieva Kiškytė. She is the spokeswoman for Invest Lithuania, a Vilnius-based organisation that helps foreign companies gain a foothold in Lithuania. So far, it has assisted more than 400 companies, many of which have opened offices in the country. One example is the German manufacturer Continental, which has been operating a plant in Kaunas, the country’s secondlargest city, since 2018. Here, 770 employees manufacture electronic components for Continental’s automotive division. “I would say that Lithuania as a location offers four advantages for companies: A very good business environment with lean processes, a world-leading online infrastructure, a large talent pool of highly educated workers and a central location that makes logistics in Europe fast and efficient,” Kiškytė continues. The latter is one of the great strengths of the Lithuanian economy, she emphasises, and points to the statistics: the logistics sector accounts for a proud 12% of the gross domestic product. The manufacturing industry even accounts for 20%.

A land of makers

Only about 15 minutes from Vilnius, in the Liepkalnis district, there is a bicycle manufacturer that is making these exact advantages its own. The international Timyo Group, which has its roots in both China and the Netherlands, has been operating a factory here for three years, assembling up to 50,000 bicycles and e-bikes a year – both for in-house brands like VanDijck and for OEM partners. “Our frames come from China and are then transported in large parts by rail via Russia to Lithuania. Once the bikes are finished, they are sent to Rosendaal in the Netherlands, from where they are delivered to the customer,” says Dmitry Cherniak, the plant director who was running a bike shop before building up the Timyo factory. Today he is showing us around the large production hall, which is conveniently located in the immediate vicinity of a branch of the logistics company DB Schenker. There are two production lines, 35 employees are busy with transforming naked bicycle frames into ready-to-ride e-bikes. “Logistics is certainly one of Lithuania’s great advantages. But I would also say that it is the people. There are many highly educated and, above all, motivated workers here. If necessary, I could double my team in no time,” Cherniak reports.

Indeed, Lithuania has an extremely attractive labour market with a labour pool of around 1.5 million people. 56% of the young population have a tertiary degree, positioning Lithuania in the EU’s top four. In addition, according to the latest data from Invest Lithuania, 41% of current students are enrolled in mechanical engineering or similar programs. “The manufacturing industry is the backbone of our society,” confirms Elijus Čivilis, CEO of Invest Lithuania. For him, because of these prerequisites, Lithuania is absolutely predestined as a location for the mobility industry and thus also for the bicycle industry. “Another advantage is that we can quickly adapt to new situations and trends. This is shown by numerous statistics in which Lithuania occupies top international positions – for example in digitalisation. In the current economic situation, this adaptability is particularly important. Small countries now have a great opportunity to stir up the market – this also applies to the bicycle industry,” he emphasises.

Baltik Vairas is currently the biggest bicycle producer in the Baltic countries.

That this is not an understatement can be seen right outside the doors of the Invest Lithuania branch in the city centre of Vilnius. Although the capital, which has a population of around 550,000 inhabitants, is not as large as other European cities by a long shot, Lithuania’s rapid economic rise over the last few decades is clearly noticeable. High-rise buildings with reflecting glass facades are piling up here, along with several largescale construction projects. New road surfaces, wide cycle paths and numerous green spaces are also a testimony to the fact that large sums of money have been invested in modernising the infrastructure in recent years. This also applies to the rest of the country beyond the capital: Lithuania has three international airports and a cargo airport, and the icefree seaport in Klaipėda is the largest of the Baltic countries with an annual cargo volume of 70 million tonnes. In addition, billions have been invested in rail transport and the road network. In the “Global Competitiveness Report” of the World Economic Forum (WEF), this puts it in second place in the field of Central and Eastern European countries. “Lithuania,” says Čivilis, not without reason, “is a country of makers”.

State-of-the-art bicycle production

It is an impression that Iain Mackay can also confirm. The sales manager of Baltik Vairas has already been living here for 17 years and has experienced the impressive change of Lithuania from the former “Baltic tiger state”, as the country was called due to its rapid economic growth around the turn of the millennium, to a flourishing industrial nation at first hand.

A COUNTRY FOR INVESTORS

To make it easier for foreign investors to start their businesses in Lithuania, the government in Vilnius has launched numerous support programmes. Among other things, seven so-called “Free Economic Zones” (FEZ) have been established, in which no business tax has to be paid for a certain period of time. In addition, a so-called “Green Corridor” has been created to promote large-scale foreign investment projects. This initiative is intended to provide a quicker and easier start for investors with particularly high volumes – regardless of where in the country they want to set up their business. In the “International Tax Competitiveness Index”, an index that evaluates the competitiveness and neutrality of a country’s tax system, Lithuania currently ranks eighth worldwide. Around 3% of Lithuania’s GDP is currently generated by foreign companies that have set up their operations in the country as a result of these incentives. More information about business opportunities in Lithuania can be found on www.investlithuania.com.

Baltik Vairas offers the entire spectrum of bicycle production – from R&D to manufacturing, painting and logistics.

Dmitry Cherniak, director of the Timyo factory near Vilnius.

“NEW ROAD SURFACES, WIDE CYCLE PATHS AND NUMEROUS GREEN SPACES ARE ALSO A TESTIMONY TO THE FACT THAT LARGE SUMS OF MONEY HAVE BEEN INVESTED IN MODERNISING THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN RECENT YEARS.”

SPRING SUMMER COLLECTION OUT NOW!

Clifftop trails, dusty white gravel roads, bike packing or a cheeky stop for a beer and a snack before getting back to your adventure. What about you? What feat are you planning tomorrow? Whatever your planning Northwave will have you riding like a pro

BOMB JERSEY SHORT SLEEVE

The BOMB JERSEY is the result of the collaboration between two Enduro legends Cédric and Cécile Ravanel and their Commencal EnduroTeam. It has a fast-drying surface as well as a wind-repellent front and particularly breathable back. Can be worn with body protection and elbow protectors. You will always feel comfortable even in hot temperatures and on the toughest rides.

ROCKSTER BAGGY SHORTS

The ROCKSTER BAGGY are versatile bike shorts for men that are just as suitable for your gravel tours as for your MB adventure or your everyday ride in the urban jungle. The bike shorts are the ideal choice for all cyclists who are looking for a high-tech piece with an outdoor feel.

CROSSLAND PLUS

Designed with your cycling adventures in mind, the new CROSSLAND PLUS is a brand-new shoe specially specced for flat pedals. This shoe will stand you in excellent stead during your cycling trips. The brandnew X-Dial SLW6 with step-by-step micro adjustment will make sure you feel at one with your bike.

#RideYourWay #RideYourWay

“When I came here, the locals didn’t understand why someone from the Netherlands would want to live and work in Lithuania,” he smiles. Today, he says, the situation is different. “People are proud of their country and what they have achieved.” An observation that is also reflected in the population statistics: For a long time, the number of those who emigrated, hoping for better living conditions abroad, was higher than the number of those immigrating. However, this trend has been reversed for a few years now.

The average gross salary in the country today is around 1,900 euros per month –and higher in the cities, especially Vilnius. How advanced Lithuania is in terms of bicycle and eBike production is shown by the tour through the production halls of Baltik Vairas. There are six state-of-the-art production lines, with an electric bike going through 55 assembly steps before it is ready for shipping. The entire journey from the raw frame to the finished eBike takes around 1:20 hours, compared to just 45 minutes for conventional bicycles without electric drivetrains. To support the workers in their activities, there are video screens at each workstation that show the individual working procedures in detail. On a wall not far away, different statistics precisely document the work carried out.

“Our long experience is certainly an advantage, because it allows us to work very efficiently. Our partners also appreciate that and befit from it,” Mackay explains. In another hall he proudly presents two new production lines for cargo bikes that have been installed just recently, in order to meet the increasing demand for cargo bikes in European cities. In the future, the company wants to

CYCLING IN LITHUANIA

A tour through the capital Vilnius shows that Lithuania is currently investing heavily in cycling infrastructure. During our research on site, we met, among others, the Deputy Minister of Transport, Agnė Vaiciukevičiūtė. She reported that the country-wide network of cycle paths, which currently covers 3,000 kilometres, is to be extended to 5,000 kilometres in the upcoming 15 years. However, the journey is still at the very beginning, and an overall analysis of the country's cycling infrastructure has just been concluded. On the basis of this analysis, targeted investments will now be made in close cooperation with the municipalities. “Our goal is to make Lithuania a cycling country,” said Vaiciukevičiūtė. How much cycling is on the agenda in the capital Vilnius, showed also a meeting with Anton Nikitin, the city's chief engineer. He told us that the number of cycle lanes in the city has quadrupled over the past eight years. The result is an increase of 60% when it comes to cycling rides in the city compared to the time before the Coronavirus pandemic.

A worker is assembling one of Timyo’s VanDijck branded bikes.

Timyo has been active in Lithuania since a bit more than 3 years.

“THE PRODUCTION HALLS OF BALTIK VAIRAS FEATURE SIX STATE-OF-THE-ART PRODUCTION LINES, WITH AN EBIKE GOING THROUGH 55 ASSEMBLY STEPS PRIOR TO SHIPPING.”

CREATE YOUR PERSONALISED MOBILE APP FOR A BETTER BRAND EXPERIENCE!

Anti-theft features Lock/unlock, movement notification, sound alarm, track and trace

Maintenance guidance Customisable alerts & notifications

Stats and trip history

WANT

also put a bigger focus on R&D – a field that has become more and more a business pillar,” says the sales manager. That is Lithuania, too. In many respects, the country has long seen itself not only as a production location, but also as an ambitious development partner. At Baltik Vairas, customers are already accompanied through all areas of the R&D process. Another example of the Lithuanian engineering know-how is the Elinta Group of Companies in Kaunas. With the development of smart electronic components, battery modules and production robots, founder Vytautas Jokuzis has built up here one of Lithuania’s largest high-tech centres. His charging stations for electric cars have already won several international prizes. Recently, the electronics specialist has also become involved in the bicycle industry: under the umbrella of the brand Rubbee, they have developed an electric motor that transforms an ordinary bicycle into an electric bike in less than a minute through a plug-and-play system. The motor and battery are attached to the seat post, and the drive is provided by friction via the rear wheel. “No manufacturer has yet succeeded in firmly establishing a friction-based eBike drive on the market. We intend to do just that,” says Laurynas Jokuzis, CEO at Elinta Motors and Technical Advisor at Rubbee. While presenting the story of Elinta and Rubbee, he also hints at the potential of Lithuania as a high-tech location. According to him, Lithuania is a favourable country for startups as well as for investors: “As a relatively small country, Lithuania focuses on the

export business. And we have very good conditions for that, because there are numerous grants and subsidies for new and established companies.”

A future bicycle country?

Countries such as Portugal, Italy, Germany and Poland continue to lead Europe in bicycle production by volume. However, a visit to Lithuania – starting with established bicycle manufacturers like Baltik Vairas to innovative start-ups like Rubbee – shows that the former “Baltic tiger” has been making leaps forward in recent years. A momentum that may well accelerate in the coming years, given the high ambitions in the region. Additionally, the investment of the Dutch Pon Group – the largest bicycle manufacturer in the world – In its own production facility in Kėdainiai is likely to have a further pulling effect and attract other players in the bike industry to consider Lithuania as a base for their ambitions on the European market.

“Lithuania is increasingly earning its place on the international bicycle map,” notes Iain Mackay at the end of our factory tour at Baltik Vairas, the largest bicycle manufacturer in the Baltics, which has inseparably linked the Lithuanian city of Šiauliai with bicycles already for 75 years. The slightly aged, rusty street sign near the factory hints at it: Here, in the “Pramonės gatvė”, the street of industry, it once began, Lithuania’s long road to becoming a bicycle country.

Words & pictures: Werner Müller-Schell

Agnė Vaiciukevičiūtė, Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications of the Republic of Lithuania

“LITHUANIA FOCUSES ON THE EXPORT BUSINESS. AND WE HAVE VERY GOOD CONDITIONS FOR THAT, BECAUSE THERE ARE NUMEROUS GRANTS AND SUBSIDIES FOR NEW AND ESTABLISHED COMPANIES.”

Long established and start-up bicycle manufacturers alike can be found in Lithuania’s growing production scene

TAKING CHARGE OF BATTERY SAFETY

Les Day, UK Regional Sales Manager for asecos Ltd, talks through some of the considerations and best practices when storing eBike batteries…

RISKS

The major problem with lithium ion batteries is the so-called Thermal Runaway. This is a process that starts in one cell of a battery, leading to a temperature increase that causes the cell to disintegrate and suddenly release its stored energy.

This release of energy creates a domino effect, causing adjacent cells to also disintegrate, releasing more energy and temperature increases. This chain reaction can be very unpredictable – a slow smouldering fire with occasional flareups or a rapid fire / explosion.

Are there warning signs that a battery is a risk? Not always, but the main ones to look out for are:

Heat: Batteries will generate some heat when charging or in use but if a battery feels excessively hot to the touch, there’s a good chance it is developing a problem.

Swelling: If a battery looks swollen or misshapen, stop using it.

Noise: I have seen many videos where the batteries have started to hiss before a fire starts.

Smoke: Pretty obvious but if a battery or device is smoking, a fire has already started.

Apart from that, a battery that takes longer than normal to charge or fails to fully charge can also be taking as warning signs.

REGULATIONS ALREADY IN PLACE

At the moment, there are no specific regulations for the storage and charging of batteries.

For the time being, we have to rely on organisations such as the Fire Protection Association, the RISCAuthority and the Fire Industry Association who have issued general guidance documents.

The London Fire Brigade have also put together a good guide. See: www.london-fire.gov.uk/safety/lithium-batteries/

A Private Members Bill was tabled in the Commons last September but this was more to do with industrial battery storage. It was due to have a second reading last month but this is now delayed until next November.

COMPLIANCE

Without legislation there is very little to say on compliance. All you can suggest is “good practice” such as:

Handling and Use

Handle batteries/battery-powered devices cautiously to not damage the battery casing or connections.

Keep batteries from contacting conductive materials, water, seawater, strong oxidizers and strong acids.

Don’t place batteries in direct sunlight, on hot surfaces or in hot locations. Inspect batteries for signs of damage before use. Never use and promptly dispose of damaged or puffy batteries.

Keep all flammable materials away from operating area.

Allow time for cooling before charging a battery that is still warm from usage and using a battery that is still warm from charging.

CHARGERS & CHARGING PRACTICE

Never charge a primary (disposable lithium or alkaline) battery; store onetime use batteries separately.

Charge or discharge the battery to approximately 50% of capacity before long-term storage.

Disconnect batteries immediately if, during operation or charging, they emit an unusual smell, develop heat, change shape/geometry, or behave abnormally. Dispose of the batteries.

Remove cells and packs from chargers promptly after charging is complete. Do not use the charger as a storage location.

Charge and store batteries in a fireretardant container when practical.

Do not parallel charge batteries of varying age and charge status

Do not overcharge (greater than 4.2V for most batteries) or over-discharge (below 3V) batteries.

STORAGE

Keep batteries away from combustibles. Remove batteries from the device for long-term storage.

Store the batteries at temperatures between 5°C and 20°C (41°F and 68°F).

If practical, store batteries in fireresistant storage cabinets with monitoring capabilities.

Visually inspect battery storage areas at least weekly.

Charge batteries in storage to approximately 50% of capacity at least once every six months.

DISPOSAL

Dispose of damaged cells and cells that no longer hold a substantial charge. Dispose of used batteries by taking them to a dedicated collection/recycling facility.

Never throw batteries into general waste bins!

IMPACT ON LIABILITY (INSURANCE)

Many insurance companies, such as AXA, Zurich, Allianz etc. are alert to the dangers of lithium ion batteries and are starting to advise clients that they need to look at sae storage / charging. AXA, in particular, have warned of the dangers posed by lithium batteries in e-bikes and scooters. See: www.london-fire.gov.uk/safety/ lithium-batteries/

SOLUTIONS

Many companies have approached us, not necessarily from the eBike sector, informing us that their insurance advisors, fire inspectors etc. have instructed them to purchase cabinets that provide 90-minutes fire resistance, for storing and charging their Li-On batteries.

Whilst there are numerous 90minute cabinets available, these usually meet the EN14470-1 standard and are thus certified to provide fire resistance from the outside in. However, as the risk is with the batteries themselves, they actually require a cabinet that provides fire resistance from the inside out i.e. cabinets that have dual certification, for example EN14470-1 and EN1363-1.

Asecos product is available to the UK cycling trade via Madison.

BUILT FOR EFFICIENCY JOEBLOW ®

BIANCHI BRANCHES OUT

Do full suspension bikes and eBikes spring to mind when you think of Bianchi? UK Area Manager

Russ Masters explains how Bianchi is not resting on its lightweight road racing heritage laurels, with a new state of the art manufacturing facility in Italy and a strategy that is seeing the brand having to put on a second production run for a bike in 2023…

How’s business been for Bianchi? You joined at a disrupted time for the industry… The cycling industry is full of people that want to be in it and working at Bianchi is amazing for me, to be on the inside of this iconic brand. To actually be involved in it is fantastic – it’s a cultural fit for me. Bianchi’s heart is in Italy, part of my job is bringing and translating that message for the UK.

It seems as if we are in different company now. Bianchi’s approach to the UK has changed, with Italy taking it over in its entirety. That was a big change. It’s almost like there is old Bianchi and new Bianchi. As you know, Bianchi was distributed in the UK and the rest of Europe by Cycleurope. Then Italy took over, Cycleurope was bought up and Bianchi was direct to the UK, and that had quite an impact. Because I think my

colleagues in the UK have worked for many years with Cycleurope and it was a different approach. There was a period of finding their feet a little bit with the UK and all the other territories.

It was brought home to me because I attended my first international sales meeting in January in Italy, where I met all my opposite numbers from every other territory. Instead of feeling like the new boy, you’re actually joining a group of 28 Area Managers who have a lot of similarities. We’re largely sharing similar pains, whether you’re talking to the manager from Sweden, or Germany or France or Turkey.

It was a very open forum for communication and Bianchi headquarters take into consideration the different territories. Business in the UK is, as we all know, fairly challenging. But for Bianchi, we don’t

seem to be suffering from masses of stock that we’re seeing elsewhere in the market.

As a brand, we are committed to introducing eBikes, which has been a challenge in the UK. Bianchi isn’t always a go-to brand for eBikes, for the consumer, at least. We have that natural association with lightweight road bikes. The Italians make the distinction between eBikes and standard bikes, calling them muscular bikes. So, we have been known predominantly for muscular bikes. Finding dealers to sell road bikes has not been a challenge, but sometimes getting enough of those bikes for the shop has been maybe more difficult.

The announcement of Team ArkeaSamsic riding Bianchi has been a fantastic driver, not only for the profile of the brand, but also for the particular models they’re riding. The interest in it was

Bianchi ambassador Nicolas Roche and Bianchi UK Area Manager Russ Masters

phenomenal. We went to market just before Christmas and we’ve had such a positive response that we’re actually going into a second production run on that bike, which is an unusual situation to be in at the moment.

It was a slightly different direction for Bianchi, to be very data-led, aerodynamics focused… For Bianchi to produce a nice lightweight road bike is not unusual, but having that focus on weight saving, increasing power, it’s sightly unusual and it’s given us wider appeal.

To pick up on one of those points, having spoken to quite a few brands about overstocks, which some say will take a year to work through, it is astounding to hear about a second production run to keep up with demand…

Definitely. Our meeting in Italy opened with a speech from the CEO, Fabrizio Scalzotto. He clearly sits in a position to look at the global industry and he has a very positive outlook on the market. He made it quite clear that we are not sharing the same pain as our competitors. Certainly business is not as painless as we’d like it to be, is it ever, but in terms of some of those challenges like overstocks, we’re not feeling them. So, we’re going into a second production cycle with a model that has definitely outperformed expectation.

And Bianchi has a fairly new manufacturing facility in Italy…

Yes, we had chance to have a virtual tour of this new manufacturing facility. Then, a physical tour, which was mind blowing. It will be completed by the summer. The new facility has been completely redesigned from the ground up, made bespoke for the production of carbon bikes. It’s a massive investment for the future.

For me, it is a really positive message that we’re investing very heavily in the future of the Bianchi and here’s the facility where they are creating it. There are a lot of good things going on over there that don’t make their way out of Italy.

How does the UK measure up for Bianchi? When I joined I wasn’t sure where the UK fitted into the Bianchi plan, how it is regarded, but any fears have been completely dispelled. As a territory, we are important in terms of business figures. Germany and Italy are very important territories for Bianchi, as you can imagine. It’s a household brand. The UK is ahead of other countries I might have assumed were in front and it’s seen as a growing market. Bianchi HQ is eager to know what the UK wants, how the perception is of the brand.

Bianchi can be regarded as a niche brand but that’s not how we wish to be depicted, we are a brand with a diverse range of SKUs.

Bianchi’s new manufacturing facility at its Italy HQ is set to be completed mid-2023 and represents an “investment for the future”, says Masters

“BUSINESS IS NOT AS PAINLESS AS WE'D LIKE IT TO BE, IS IT EVER, BUT IN TERMS OF SOME COMMON CHALLENGES LIKE OVERSTOCKS, WE ARE NOT FEELING THEM.”

With the eBike side, Bianchi is of course a familiar traditional name in the cycling trade, but eBikes are an opportunity to reach out to new customers. Is that a difficult balance to strike, so you reach out to new riders but don’t alienate existing customers and shops?

I suppose it can be, but for me, the eBike movement in the UK is changing. I feel it’s slowly but surely separating from the mainstream cycling industry. Having more dedicated businesses that look after eBikes and then traditional cycle shops, it’s clear that the two are not the same.

If you can generalise, the consumer for the eBike and the consumer for the ‘muscular’ bike is not always the same. Different people respond to different stimulus when buying a bike.

Of course, there are obviously very successful dealers that know how to combine the two. But I do think that to do that successfully is a really tough task. It’s because you are selling almost two different products and if you assume that you’re selling it to the same audience, then I think that’s where mistakes can be made. Also, with eBikes we now have very informed customers who know what they want and what brands they want their eBikes to be specced with.

Bianchi has to be considered as an eBike brand. We are and always will be Bianchi, a brand that is proud of our heritage, we’re the oldest bike brand in the industry. But I found out recently that Bianchi designed a full suspension bike for the Italian miliary to carry arms and it was literally dropped out of planes. So, you could argue that Bianchi was responsible for the first ever full suspension bike. Although it’s obviously a million miles away from what we recognise as a full suspension bike these days!

You see all that history at the museum at Bianchi’s museum in the factory, it’s mind blowing. You even bump into former Tour de France riders who work there.

We are all about new product, innovation and we’ve certainly got some new products lined up for 2024. We’ve had a lot of innovation on the eBike side of things over the last couple of years and I think it will be quite welcomed that the new models for the end of this year and early 2024 are definitely ‘muscular’, with a real emphasis on super lightweight road bikes. We’re really going to the extreme with gravel and have a strong association with gravel racing now. We have Nicolas Roche as an ambassador and he’s racing as many high level gravel events as he can. This

Branching out: Bianchi’s e-Omnia T-Type is an eBike tourer

“WE ARE AND ALWAYS WILL BE BIANCHI, A BRAND THAT IS PROUD OF OUR HERITAGE, WE’RE THE OLDEST BIKE BRAND IN THE INDUSTRY.”

bike is definitely designed with Nico involved, without giving too much away. He’s a very grounded character and is great as an ambassador. Obviously really enthusiastic about cycling but he is also ingrained in the details. He is absolutely energised by cycling, which is quite infectious.

Changing tack, we’ve seen brands developing their own retail chains. Is that something that appeals to Bianchi for the UK or elsewhere?

I don’t see this as something on Bianchi’s radar. In the past, Bianchi has had facilities in other countries, but they’ve been more about concept retail and experience.

Sticking with retail, are you looking to grow your independent retail network at the moment? Anecdotally we’ve heard smaller dealers are faring quite well, despite difficult trading conditions… Yes. Having worked with different bike brands in the past, you’ve always got to deal with the industry’s perception of a

brand. I have found that Bianchi has such a huge following and that includes the IBD.

I believe that to work well with Bianchi, you have to ‘get it’ as a brand, to understand the depth behind it. I think we work well with certain brands that we share floor space with in shops and others not necessarily quite as well. I think we’re different to a lot of the bigger brands in that way.

The IBD side is something that we definitely want to grow and have more coverage. Some retailers tend to like to have a collection of brands so they like to seem to be offering a very diverse range of brands. But I often think that we’ve worked well with IBDs when we are important to their business, and they become important to us. Bianchi is definitely is a partnership sort of brand.

When a shop becomes a big Bianchi dealer, you often see consumers coming out to them that they haven’t seen before. That’s a great sort of driver. Invariably, the consumer that follows the brand is an enthusiast, somebody that understands the brand and sees it as an iconic brand.

Bianchi's bicycle racing heritage is much in evidence at the museum

Bianchi HQ includes a museum chock full of Tour and racing bikes, team cars and related paraphenalia. And there’s a good chance you might bump into former pro cyclists, now working for the bike brand

“THE CONSUMER THAT FOLLOWS THE BRAND IS AN ENTHUSIAST, SOMEBODY THAT UNDERSTANDS THE BRAND AND SEES IT AS AN ICONIC BRAND.”

ASK THE BOSS

Bianchi

And they’re naturally drawn to the more competition side of our product. So for us, I think we have a stronger audience with the IBD. A lot of the bigger stores will judge all their bikes by a set criteria and maybe Bianchi won’t score as well as some other brands based on that criteria. I don’t know if that’s the best way for us to progress as a brand.

The IBD network is definitely something that we’ve been more focused on. And like you say it seems as if the IBD, the smaller shops, the smaller businesses are quicker to react and quicker to turn. And, you know, as we know, you know, some of the bigger outfits have been casualties of the current situation. So yes, independent bike dealers are definitely our focus.

The overstocking problem, obviously, is exacerbated by the idea of model years. While it’s not affecting Bianchi in a big way, do you think this will help shift the industry towards moving away from model years?

I personally think it is healthy for us to move away from that system, because of the restrictions it places on the industry and the pressures it puts on existing stock. However, there’s also the argument where you are part of a brand that

produces the latest ranges and that has such a cache with our consumer that are looking for the latest high end models. I’ve worked in the past with brands where model years and the sales window is so short, which can be very, very difficult.

Bianchi is not a brand that is looking backwards. We’re excited about what’s coming up with the facility in Italy and really capitalising on manufacturing within the country. Bianchi is a progressive brand. Although the Bianchi name sits very firmly in the history of competitive road cycling, we are building on that to be seen as a bike name that covers more SKUs than just lightweight road.

The eBike side is definitely something that we will continue to drive into the UK. It’s very strong in other territories in Germany, there’s going to be countries, Italy, the ebike. The sales numbers are probably much higher than they are here in the UK. But I think that different markets have different tastes. I think we have such a strong reputation in the UK for the road side of things that it’s kind of difficult in a way to get away from that unless you opt in at the younger crowd. But that that’s what we aim to do.

Bianchi's Oltre

“BIANCHI IS NOT A BRAND THAT IS LOOKING BACKWARDS. WE’RE EXCITED ABOUT WHAT’S COMING UP WITH THE FACILITY IN ITALY AND REALLY CAPITALISING ON MANUFACTURING WITHIN THE COUNTRY.”