3 minute read
Use Locally Meets
Use Locally Meets… Chris Rice
Owner of Pedal Electric Cycles, the area’s electric bike specialist, in Navenby.
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Tell us a bit about your background and where you grew up?
I grew up in Lincolnshire and returned many years later, having gone through university to train in Product Design and develop a successful career in Marketing and New Business, finishing off as a freelance New Business consultant introducing retail design consultancies to brands.
How did your business Pedal Electric Cycles come about?
I was thinking about a change of direction and considered turning my passion for motorcycles and working for myself into a business and looked into opening a motorcycle dealership.
One of my clients at the time was Raleigh, who had recently been bought by a Dutch cycling company, who had already seen the growth electric bikes in mainland Europe and were predicting the same in the UK, so I decided to look into selling electric bikes, rather than motorcycles. It was a leap of faith when we opened five years ago but the demand for electric bikes was building nicely but exploded when the first lockdown started and the rest is history…
What are the benefits of having an electric bike?
● No hill or headwind is going to stop you enjoying a longer and more interesting bike ride. ● You can keep up with family and friends. ● You will improve both your physical and mental fitness, as you will ride your electric bike more often and further than before.
● You can save money by using an electric bike rather than your car, for shorter journeys to work or to the shops etc ● You can contribute to a cleaner healthier environment now and in the future.
Would you say that your typical type of customer is changing?
Definitely and fast. We are seeing a younger customer come through the door every day and they are buying as a lifestyle choice, rather than through necessity. I believe more people now see a decent electric bike as an investment in their future physical and mental well-being. Customers also seem prepared to spend more on their first electric bike than in previous years. Many customers are using the money they have saved during the Covid pandemic. This is due to the fact they have been unable to go on their main overseas holiday or haven’t spent money going out. We are also seeing an increasing interest in customers giving up their cars for a more environmentally conscious electric bike.
What do you love most about what you do?
Putting a smile on customers faces, when they try an electric bike for the first time and when we handover their new bike. We also enjoy receiving feedback from customers when they come back in for service and they tell us it was ‘one of the best decisions they ever made’ and it has been ‘life changing’
Where is your favourite place to go on a bike ride?
Anywhere there is a big hill, with a good view. I particularly enjoy riding around the Lincolnshire Wolds and Rutland Water.
What future plans do you have for the business?
We have just opened a new and larger workshop on the outskirts of Lincoln and plan to expand the size of our Navenby showroom, so we can offer an even wider choice of electric models. We are also negotiating on a second store/hire centre/workshop on the East Coast, to enable us to offer more customers the opportunity experience an electric bike ride while on staycation.
● ✔ Sales, Service & Hire ● ✔ 0% Finance Available ● ✔ Cycle to Work Scheme
THE AREA’S ELECTRIC BIKE SPECIALIST
