BB112 May 2015

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ISSUE 112 BIKEBIZ.COM

F O R E V E R Y O N E I N T H E B I K E B U S I N E S S

BIKEBIZ.COM BIKEBIZ XXXXXXX XXA L T U R A I S D I S T R I B U T E D I N T H E U K A N D T H E R E P U B L I C O F I R E L A N D E X C L U S I V E L Y B Y Z Y R O L T D .

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

p17Energy to burnAre there too many nutrition brands in the cycle market? We get down to the nitty gritty with some of the sector’s big names…

p25Chicken rides the waveBikeBiz paid a visit to Chicken CycleKit, which has been making the most of the road cycling wave

p47X-treme apparel Verona-based X-bionic is seeking a bigger presence in the UK. We headed to their factory to see the gear first-hand

p61Cycling celebs Velorution is the place to be to spot starry-riders, it seems...

p53In a Spin A brand new location for this month’s quirky Spin London

p14Head-to-toe Giro is pitching its full apparel line-up to the trade

p75Women’s cyclingWe round-up bikes and P&A pitched at female cyclists

F O R E V E R Y O N E I N T H E B I K E B U S I N E S S

MAY 2015ISSUE 112 @bikebizonline | facebook.com/bikebiz

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NEWS

BIKEBIZ.COM BIKEBIZ MAY 5

EDITOR’SCOMMENTWHEN IN ROMEI HAD a long weekend break last month in Holland. My hotel room overlooked Nijmegen train station and a two floored bicycle park (maybe my fame had spread and they were giving me a bike view? Or maybe not…) One of my fellow holidaymakers simply couldn’t believe the sheer number of bikes in that cycle park. Did everyone have a bike? Why was the train station cycle park still full at 11pm on a Sunday night? (Good question that).

Then there were the bike lanes. Driving around an unfamiliar town can be a confusing business at the best of times, and Nijmegen like many others in Holland has reddish bike lanes that have priority over car traffic at roundabouts, a fairly mind boggling concept for the average Brit.

But that’s half the fun of being abroad; getting to grips with unfamiliar sights, driving on the

right hand side of the road, eating cold meat and cheese for breakfast and failing to get to grips with the language. Then, before you know it, it all seems very normal and

you wonder whether their way is better (maybe not the cold meat for breakfast bit).

We’re fond of bashing our local cycle facilities in the Britain, but the hire bikes, velodromes and good

cycle lanes (yes, there are some) have quickly become an accepted

part of the furniture. With some foresight and action from

whoever is in Number 10 in a few days time,

the general population would soon adapt to better cycle facilities. Yes, even in the UK.

[email protected]

nuun backs new BikeBiz Women of the Year event

KONA OPENS NEW UK SERVICE CENTRE

VANCOUVER BRAND Kona is opening a Service Centre in the UK for the first time. Located at the Old Fire Station in Chertsey, Surrey, the Service Centre will be a hub for servicing and training, headed up by Barrie Dixon (pictured).

Sessions will run twice a year for its dedicated UK Kona retail network. Dr Dew will head these

Clinics and they will cover alternating areas so the brand can include different types of testing and riding for its dealers.

Jimbo Holmstrom told BikeBiz: “With over 20 years of UK and European business there are a lot of Kona bikes out there that need spare parts and questions answered.” www.konaworld.com

BUILDING ON the success of its popular Women in Cycling project, BikeBiz is launching a new Women of the Year event this June.

The BikeBiz Women of the Year drinks reception is an informal networking event for anyone working in the UK cycle business. As well as providing a forum for peer-to-peer networking, the Women of the Year event will also see a number of prizes given out to individuals for their outstanding achievements.

The BikeBiz Women of the Year event will be held on Thursday June 25th at Look Mum No Hands cycle bar and cafe at Old Street and is open to all – women and men. Tickets are available to purchase now, costing just £35 (plus VAT) to attend, including drinks and nibbles. The event starts at 3pm.

nuun has signed up to back the event, becoming an individual award sponsor. The active hydration specialist was established by competitive cyclists and outdoor enthusiasts and created the original hydration tablet. Lizzy Moxey of nuun enthused: “nuun UK are delighted

to be sponsoring the Bike Biz Women of the Year event at the funky Look Mum No Hands Cafe and support the growing female participation in a typically male dominated sport.

“It’s great to be part of inspiring more women to get out on their bikes, be active and hopefully stay hydrated by nuun along the way!”

A limited number of sponsorship opportunities are available.

Contact Richard Setters at [email protected] or on 01992 535647 to find out more.

6 BIKEBIZ MAY BIKEBIZ.COM

Time to stock up on hybrids?There’s a big rise in cycle to work predicted over the next decade, according to the new 10:10 Report

CYCLE COMMUTER numbers are expected to top 1.2million by 2025, according to a fresh report from cycle to work provider Cyclescheme.

Cyclescheme has based the prediction of a poll of nearly 10,000 commuter cyclists, which would see sick days reduced and productivity boosted, saving the economy £830million.

The 10:10 report says that cycle commuter numbers have already risen by 4.2 per cent on the 2011 Census figures, with around seven per cent of the working population now cycling to work.

“The Cycling 10:10 report shows that the average cyclist of 2015 plays to the ‘MAMIL’ stereotype, but as averages sometimes do, it only tells half the story,” Daniel Gilborn, Cyclescheme director and general manager, told BikeBiz.

“From our records we’ve seen gradual growth from women of varying ages starting to take to commuting by bike. Ten years ago, it was a very male dominated field and the ratio is yet to balance out today, but we are seeing progression.

“With schemes such as the Breeze Rides, held by British Cycling to encourage women to take up cycling, and a rise in female-focused stores like Bella Velo, we’re starting to create a cycling culture that doesn’t exclude people by gender.

“What we’re also seeing in our cycle commuters is a sense of comradery and inclusion, seven in ten have influenced someone else to start cycling to work. Two thirds also consider themselves addicted to cycling and 61 per cent have started cycling more since taking up cycling to work. This shows us that

once people get involved with cycling, they are eager to share their passion. This organic growth is how we see cycling achieving massive growth.”

The report also found that half of cycle commuters cycle outside of work with family and friends and two thirds of cycle commuters say they do so more frequently than originally planned.

Celebrating its tenth year in the business, Cyclescheme authored the report, also backed by British Cycling, Sustrans, the Dutch Embassy, Danish Cycling Federation, Brompton Bicycle, Cyclechic, Institute of Leadership and Management and BMI Healthcare.

While Cyclescheme has been in the business for a decade, the tax-free cycle to work initiative first started in 1999.www.cyclescheme.co.uk

© NewBay Media 2015 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any information storage or retrieval system without the express prior written consent of the publisher. The contents of BikeBiz are subject to reproduction in information storage and retrieval systems. Printed by Pensord.

THE TOUR HITS YORKSHIRE. AGAIN

AS THIS issue lands the inaugural Tour de Yorkshire, launched off the back of last year’s Tour de France Grand Depart, will be arriving in the county. The event debut includes a women’s only race on Saturday (May 2nd) taking in four laps of a 20km circuit in York. A women-only mass participation Cycletta ride follows on the Sunday. The event will also see a Tour de Yorkshire Arts Festival over the duration.

Executive Editor: Carlton [email protected]

Editor: Jonathon [email protected]: Five miles, plus a few on the train.

Production Executive: Elizabeth [email protected]

Deputy Editor: Mark Sutton [email protected]: On road: two miles. Off road: adventure.

Design: Dan [email protected]: 8.8 of your English miles.

Account Manager: Richard Setters [email protected]: Easy version: 20 miles, Full commute: 64 miles. Publisher: Mark Burton [email protected]

Marketing & Circulation [email protected]

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

BikeBiz is mailed FOC to 4,000+ trade addresses every month

ISSN 1476-1505

NEWS

THIS MONTH WE ASK THE BIKEBIZ TEAM: How far is your daily cycle commute?

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“The average cyclist is a ‘MAMIL’, but that’s only half the story.”Daniel Gilborn, Cyclescheme

Quarter of parliamentary candidates back bikes

WITH A new parliament in place in just a few days time, the CTC is aiming to identify new cycle allies through its wide reaching Vote Bike project.

The scheme has seen 22,819 emails sent to 3,283 parliamentary candidates in 650 constituencies.

At time of press almost a quarter have responded (23.4 per cent, 768) and 22.4 per cent of all candidates have come out

strongly in favour of cycling (totalling 737).

Only two party leaders – Nick Clegg and Natalie Bennett – have pledged their support for cycling.

“Vote Bike builds on CTC’s success in persuading the last Parliament to vote for a Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy,” said Roger Geffen, CTC campaigns and policy director. “We now need to know

who our allies will be in Westminster who will help to push for serious investment in cycling, and for the design standards needed to ensure the funds are well spent.

“I’d therefore urge everyone who cycles, or knows someone who does, to use Vote Bike and to ask their candidates where they stand.”There’s more on Vote Bike on page 13.


NEWS

CYCLE SHORTSBrompton scores another Queen’s AwardBrompton won its fourth Queen’s Award for Enterprise, this time for International Trade. Since 2010 the company has grown to sell in 43 export markets. There’s more on Brompton in our Made in Britiain feature (page 38).

Brits thick on the ground at Sea Otter ClassicThe Californian show looks to have become more important to the UK bike trade, with Brit exhibitors arriving in greater numbers, including IslaBikes, Chain Reaction Cycles, Endura, Hope and Brompton (them again).

Shimano Deore XT M8000 11-speed revealedThe MTB groupset has been shown off for the first time, in a more affordable price bracket for MTB riders. The fully mechanical system offers a completely new wider range 1x specific cassette (ranging 11-42T) and will fit existing wheelsets.

SRAM introduces 1x forroad and gravelWith stock to arrive in summer, SRAM’s new single ring system is an extension of its Rival and Force groupsets, offering a single ring setup for both, paired with either mechanical or hydraulic brakes.

UCI to begin testing disc brakes in pro road cyclingAt Taipei, UCI and WFSGI announced testing will begin this season with a view to introducing disc brakes to professional road cycling in the future. During the 2015 pro road season, all teams will have chance to use bikes with disc brakes at two events of their choice during August and September. Turn to page 90 for more.

Bike shop hit by thieves one week before it opensLeicester electric bike shop Ebikes saw over £7,000 worth of bikes lifted from its premises before it had even opened for business. Leicester Police are investigating.

Bike shop video training platform launches in UK

E-LEARNING is coming to the bike trade thanks to Myagi. Already working with the UK outdoor industry and with cycle traders overseas, the business connects retailers and brands with a common industry platform where training can be delivered to help retailers maximise sales. Training is delivered through short videos and can be accessed from any web-enabled device and

uses a short quiz to measure outcomes. Myagi has worked with Lapierre and Norco overseas and – in the British outdoor trade – Jack Wolfskin, adidas Outdoor and Blacks, among others.

Interested parties can head to the www.myagi.com or contact Richard Smith, UK business development manager, on 07940 066592 or richard.smith @myagi.com

For breaking news visit:

www.bikebiz.com

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @BIKEBIZONLINE

“I’d urge everone who cycles to use Vote Bike and ask their

candidates where they stand.”


Finance boom for cycle retail CONSUMER FINANCE is an increasingly important selling tool for bike retailers, with IBD finance schemes rocketing and the UK’s largest bike retailer, Halfords, now offering finance to consumers.

Recent legislation changes have also paved the way for more bike retailers to offer finance. Many smaller bike shops are now exempt from FCA regulation and the accompanying charges (“Regs change to open finance up to more bike shops?” BikeBiz.com, March 26th).

Halfords has recently introduced finance to their business, on any bike over £399. Not only are bicycles covered by Halfords’ finance offer, but also

bundled products on top can be bought with finance.

Meanwhile more independent bike dealers are offering the Ride it away cycle finance scheme, with sales rocketing by over 83 per cent in 2014. That rise was due in part to more retailers engaging in the scheme, but according to

statistics passed to BikeBiz from ActSmart, sales have already increased by around 30 per cent in 2015.

ActSmart director Tony Jones told BikeBiz: “Recent research identified the UK independent cycle finance market potential as £150m-plus and it is without doubt the fastest

growing sales aid for cycle sales in the UK.”

Despite the growth, the cycle trade is lagging behind other markets that are making full use of finance to shift product.

Jones added: “The market is only just beginning to get to grips with how to apply it on a

wide scale basis and most of the best examples are still outside the trade.”

Bundling products with add-ons, like Halfords, is one area that the cycle trade is well behind others.

“There are single outlet IBD businesses with financed sales volumes running into millions and some just several thousands. The individual IBD decides how they want finance to impact on their turnover via local promos.

“We have been inundated with new retailer applications for finance and at present over 100 IBDs are applying to offer finance this summer.”

BikeBiz’s retail survey found over half of retailers were seeing more bikes being sold though finance.

NEWS FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @BIKEBIZONLINE


Freedom & AdventureFor 5-11 year olds who need an everyday bike that’s lighter and more versatile than an mtb, a Dimension series Ridgeback combines the principles of a Metro hybrid with a specification and features specifically designed for smaller riders.

Completely re-designed for 2015, Dimensions are available with a 20” and 24” wheel and combine a triple butted alloy frame with lightweight and robust components designed for regular use.

With a high quality specification to provide the necessary durability to allow the bike to be passed on to a second child, a Ridgeback Dimension is ideal for younger riders who cycle more frequently.

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OPINION

‘Insure’ you’re doing it correctlyBeing the middleman to specialist cycling insurers has become a tidy little add on sale for retailers in recent years. But there are hidden dangers, says Dynamo Cover’s Alex Mills…

BICYCLE INSURANCE is a massively growing market. As the size of the cycling market has grown, increasingly we’re seeing home insurers restricting or removing the cover on bikes, which is fueling the need for independent specialist policies – as the level of cover goes down with the number of cyclists going up, this creates a ‘Void’.

Retailers are increasingly looking to capitalise on this market by offering their customers insurance, it sounds like a great idea. Introduce your customers to the insurer, they in-turn purchase insurance, and you earn a commission or fee – excellent. You may also get replacement work, double bonus.

Things, however, are not all that they seem.

We’re seeing examples of so called ‘insurance companies’ trying to instruct retailers to offer insurance, however, due to limited permissions they’re not doing it correctly and this could potentially land you the retailer, with a fine from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

Insurance sales are governed by the FCA, this means that firms who offer insurance to their customers need to abide by the guidelines set out by the FCA. If you’re introducing customers to an insurance company then you need to have what’s called an ‘Introducer Agreement’ with that company, it works similarly to the old ‘Consumer Credit License’, it permits your business to introduce customers to the insurer.

The problem is that some ‘Cycle Insurance Companies’ are in fact

not that, they’re actually Brokers who sell someone else’s insurance, this could mean that they may not be allowed to appoint an ‘Introducer’, as they themselves are already the ‘Introducer’ to someone else.

If you want to introduce customers to an insurance provider, you need to have an ‘Introducer Agreement’ in place.

WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR…There’s a simple rule to help you identify if you need to have an ‘Introducer Agreement’ or not - This is “how you’re being paid”:

If you’re being paid a percentage of the sale value or a fee for every sale (commission) then you do need an introducer agreement.

If you’re being paid a flat marketing fee to put web links on your website or leaflets in your shop then you may not need an introducer agreement. If however you are being paid on the number of visits to the website then you do

need an introducer agreement.

IS IT BETTER TO HAVE AN INTRODUCER AGREEMENT?When deciding to work with an insurer under an Introducer Agreement or a Third Party by advertising an insurance product, it’s important to compare both facilities and see what’s better for your business.

An Introducer Agreement is considered to be more lucrative, this is because:

You receive a commissionon sales

You receive commission onthe renewals

Cross sale opportunities Mid Term Adjustments

Where as a marketing fee is usually a flat fee to distribute advertising, and isn’t related to the ongoing performance of the insurance.

I THINK I AM INTRODUCING CUSTOMERS WITHOUT AN

AGREEMENT, WHAT SHOULD I DO?The first thing you need to do is stop; stop distributing flyers, telling your customers, and remove any links from your website. You then need to ask the company that asked you to do this about an Introducer Agreement.

If the company is unable to appoint you as an introducer, then do not try to introduce any more customers. If you have any concerns about this then you should speak to the Financial Conduct Authority ‘Firm Contact Centre’ on 0300 500 0597 and explain what’s happening. Follow their advice.

WHO AM I TO TELL YOU ABOUT THIS?I am the Operations Director behind Dynamo Cover, a leading cycling insurance provider that provides ‘Own Brand’ cycle insurance to some of the UK’s leading cycling retailers, including the likes of Sigma Sport, Wheelbase, Hargroves Cycles, Specialized Concept Stores & More.

We’re the insurance provider, and thus operate completely on Introducer Agreements with our retailers. Our business also works alongside a home insurance provider, who have over 4,000 introducers around the UK, and thus the introduction of customers into insurance is considered a ‘core profession’ that we’re proud of.

If you have questions about offering insurance, or introducing customers then please tweet me any questions @AlexMills, or write to me at facebook.com/DynamoAlexMills.



OPINION

Vote Bike!Not sure which candidates have spoken up in

favour of cycling and therefore the bicycle business? The CTC explains how it has been keeping tabs on the UK’s prospective MPs…

NOT SURE who to vote for in the General Election in May? Well, if cycling is important to you, take a minute to go to www.VoteBike.org.uk. CTC, the national cycling charity, set up Vote Bike to help you find out which parliamentary candidate in your area will do the most to support cycling.

Over 3,000 candidates were asked in a letter from CTC President and Channel 4 News anchor Jon Snow to indicate where they stand on five cycling themes: infrastructure, funding, ambition for growth, road safety and positive promotion.

The website, as well as giving constituents a means to see where their candidates stand on cycling, will also allow them to write to their candidates and express how important a pro-cycling stance is to them. Vote Bike will run from March 31st until May 7th, after which date CTC intends to publish a list outlining the new MPs’ stance on cycling.

The five questions we asked candidates were:

Ambition. Will you support measures to increase levels of cycling to ten per cent of trips by 2025 and 25 per cent by 2050?

Funding. Will you support an average government spend of at least £10 per person per year on cycling?

Design standards. Will you support action to create consistently high design standards for cycling in all highway and traffic schemes, on new

developments and planned road maintenance work?

Safety. Will you support measures to improve cycle safety by strengthening road traffic law and its enforcement and revising the Highway Code?

Positive promotion. Will you support the positive promotion of cycling, including cycle skills training, for people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities?

Each candidate’s response to these questions will be available, plus any comments that they wish to make. Through this tool, and wider public engagement, CTC is

keen to make all candidates aware of the cyclist vote and the issues which are most important to them.

THE BIG CYCLING DEBATE Vote Bike follows on from The Big Cycling Debate, which CTC organised at the offices of UK News (on behalf of the UK Cycling Alliance) on March 2nd. The debate was a clear sign that cycling is moving up the political agenda – the concept of pulling together top representatives from three of the leading parties to discuss cycling would have been deemed laughable and beyond ambitious five years ago. Cycling, at best, would have merited a question or two in a transport

debate, but never a full hour of meaningful consideration.

Things are changing in the world of politics and cycling, so make sure you are part of it by taking a minute to contact your parliamentary candidates at www.votebike.org.uk. CTC, national cycling charity, inspires and helps people to cycle and keep cycling, whatever the kind of cycling they do or would like to do.www.ctc.org.uk

“40% of potential British voters have access to a bike. They all have an interest in seeing conditions improve for cycling.”

Paul Tuohy, CTC Chief Executive


’40% OF VOTERS HAVE ACCESSTO A BIKE’“Around 40 per cent of people of voting age in Great Britain have access to a bike. Every one of them has a vested interest in seeing conditions improve for cycling. Vote Bike gives them the means to quiz their future MPs and hear their thoughts on cycling. It’s not about trying to infl uence manifestos at this late stage, but candidates need to know this huge cycling vote exists.”

“Under the past Parliament, cycling has enjoyed a great amount of support from the All Party Parliamentary Cycling Group under Julian Huppert, Ian Austin and Sarah Wollaston. Looking forward, CTC also hopes Vote Bike will help the group identify future members to carry on their good work over the next fi ve years.”

Paul Tuohy,CTC Chief Executive

yyy


GIRO

Giro: Head to toeAs of 2013, when Giro launched its apparel line to markets beyond the US, the brand has been able to offer a head-to-toe offering for retailers and riders alike. BikeBiz takes a look at Giro’s latest line-up…

Empire footwear

SINCE IT first launched back in 1985, Giro has grown to become one of the best known helmet brands in the cycle world.

Following the launch of successful glove and shoe product programmes in 2009 and 2010, Giro had paved the way to diversify its line-up still further.

In 2013, just as Zyro became exclusive distributor for Giro, the brand was preparing to launch its apparel category into territories outside its US home market.

With a strong resurgence in the road cycling market there has naturally been an accompanying demand for higher quality and alternative cycle clothing.

Zyro tells us: “Building an apparel category from the ground up gave Giro an excellent opportunity to break the mould.

“From the very first season, Giro set out to design clothing from a unique point of view, one that focused on the performance that riders require while they are on the bike, combined with comfort, style and versatility.

“Products like the highly acclaimed Insulated Vest and Women’s Halter Bib Short demonstrate how Giro’s signature innovation has carried through into the apparel line. Both items offering unique solutions to everyday challenges faced by cyclists.”

Stuart Hayes, Giro brand manager at Zyro, adds: “The key to Giro’s

success in new categories is their ability to constantly deliver innovation. They are bold enough to stretch the boundaries of what is considered acceptable in the current time, so the products stand out. The result is a range of products that are unique and desirable and that draw customers into store.”

With the apparel line now established, Zyro and Giro are keen

to push the message that the depth of product has given retailers a Giro product to offer every customer that comes through their door.

Amongst these are key products like the Giro Empire and Empire SLX shoes. Worn by riders like Taylor Phinney and Sir Bradley Wiggins, the Empire has reportedly reached cult status with its unique lace

closure system and exceptional performance. Complementing the high end, demand for the new entry level Rumble and Petra shoe models has been phenomenal, Zyro tells BikeBiz, with retailers already seeing great sell through.

The distributor adds that in the helmet range the new Synthe is a perfect example of the Giro design philosophy; cooler, lighter, faster;

creating a product with industry leading performance and high desirability. “Alongside the high-end offerings, the Foray and Saga have provided unbeatable looks and performance at the £50 price point. it’s a refreshing line up with a succinct range for retailers to stock,” Zyro adds.

“Retail sales across helmets and footwear have been incredibly strong, with sales in the UK doubling in quarter one 2015 compared to the same period in the previous year. With the introduction of their comprehensive range of apparel in 2014, Giro have created a truly head-to-toe brand.”

With an increasingly comprehensive product offering and strong sales on the shop floor, Zyro says it is confident that Giro will continue to see significant growth throughout the year.

Retailers can access the full line of Giro products via Zyro’s website atwww.zyrob2b.co.uk or alternatively by speaking to their Account Manager.

“Giro is bold enough to stretch the boundaries.”Stuart Hayes, Zyro



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INDUSTRY OPINIONS

THE STATE OF NUTRITION

Are there too many nutrition brands? Have consumers got their heads around nutrition products?Jonathon Harker collates opinions from some of the market’s biggest players…

MULE BARJimmy Docherty,Co-Founder

Is education a challenge for the cycle energy and nutrition sector? Whilst the pros have a good knowledge of cycle energy and nutrition there is a lot of confusing and technical information out there for the consumer to understand. Marketing plays a big part here with the larger players often pushing people with far more product than they need for an event or training. Education is a big challenge as the consumer

is fl ooded with information and supposed quick fi xes of which a lot are irrelevant or not benefi cial. It’s a small part of the big challenge of getting the general healthy eating message across.

Our products have actively been sought out by professional teams and individuals who believe that going natural and getting the nutritional balance right works for their bodies and improves their performance. Why is the sector growing with so many new brands? Is it healthy for the market?

We think the rapid growth in the market goes hand-in-hand with the boom in cycling. People have spied a business opportunity and started up. Competition is always healthy but consumers may get confused with new brands popping up all the time, not offering anything truly innovative and then seeing them disappear again… What’s the future for the nutrition market? The market in our view is becoming saturated so educating people should be high on the agenda.

“The market is becoming saturated. Educating people should be high on the agenda.”Jimmy Docherty, MuleBar


INDUSTRY OPINIONS

SECRET TRAININGTim Lawson, Owner

Is education a challenge? Education is a big challenge so there is still an important role for the educated specialist store. There’s a lot of misinformation out there and mixed messages. Sometimes suitability for purpose loses out to a nice marketing message. There’s been a lot of interesting science over the past ten years but often the basics are still overlooked.

Why is the sector growing with so many new brands? There has been a perfect storm drawing new brands into the UK and the cycle market. At a corporate level, boards noticed that the sports nutrition sector has grown much faster than regular food and margins were more robust. There has been an increased interest in protein for endurance athletes and cycling is now

suffi ciently large to gain the interest of fi rms that might otherwise have targeted body building-type sports.

At the other end, the entry costs to market of introducing a sports nutrition brand are not high, so there are many hobby-type businesses facilitated by contract manufacturers who can produce copies of more established brands (who often use the same contract manufacturers).

Sports nutrition is now seen as an essential part of the‘cycling package’ to keep customers coming into stores. In reality there are probably not any more nutrition brands than, for example, cycling helmets.

The sector is probably due a shake up. Those who have been around a while may remember Nutriquest, Dynamo, Extran, Maxim, Staminade, Pro gold, Liquid power, Umbro energy drink, or when Kendal mint cake was the go-to energy bar! So actually not so different than in the past but perhaps less dominant players than in the recent past.

What’s the future for the nutrition market? Specialist retailers can

provide an invaluable service to customers by providing good advice and nutritional products in store. Done properly this can improve customers’ cycling experience, keep them in the saddle longer and returning to store for more than an energy gel top up. Competition is good, there will be winners and losers but there’s nothing like a good race – there’s a bit of a shake up at the moment but there will probably emerge a few credible dominant brands that will well serve cycling and its important retailers. Let’s just hope ours is one of them!

There are companies making unsustainable losses fi ghting for market share – so some have found it harder to capture the reported higher margins and for those athletes that are drug tested, doing the screening and sourcing ingredients properly does add a layer of costs that are increasing barriers to entry.

HIGH5 ADVANCED ENDURANCE NUTRITIONRaphael Deinhart, Technical and Marketing Coordinator

Is education a challenge? Using sports nutrition products correctly leads to greater performance gains and enjoyment, especially for those new to cycling. As riders progress, they need extra energy, but are unsure what to take. This is where education makes such a big difference. At High5 we have developed step-by-step guides for cyclists to fuel and hydrate optimally during rides. These cover different distances, rider ability and bodyweight.

Why is the sector growing with so many new brands? Sports nutrition is a growing market with more companies looking to take advantage, but it’s important to understand it takes years to develop great products and even

longer to establish trust in a brand. Many new brands are launching products that aren’t fully developed and tested in the real world racing. A bad experience can put consumers off. We also see many claims on products that are not approved health and nutrition claims, as new brands are not always

familiar with the EU laws. Some of these claims cause confusion. Nevertheless we see competition as healthy and an important driver for growth in the sector. There are a lot of cyclists still not using sports nutrition, or not using it correctly. It’s a big area for further growth and we are excited about being a big part of that.

OTE SPORTSMatt Harrison, Managing Director and Co-Founder

Do consumers fully understand cycle energy and nutrition, or is education still a challenge? I think understanding is improving but there will always be a need for education.

Why is the sector growing

with so many new brands? Is it healthy for the market?The market is growing and that makes it attractive to new entrants which is great as it provides choice for the customer. We have seen a lot of new brands over the last couple of years (us included) but I think we’ll see a move towards consolidation in the market over 12 to 24 months.

“The sector is probably due a shake up.”Tim Lawson, Secret Training

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INDUSTRY OPINIONS

OSMO HYDRATIONDr Stacy Sims & W.R. Garratt Jr, CEO

Do consumers fully understand cycle energy and nutrition, or is education still a challenge for the sector? Sims: No, they don’t. There is mass confusion from marketing vs science. Moreover, cultural aspects still significantly impact an individual’s choice (e.g. due to the confusing messaging, a consumer will base their choice on what their idol/role model uses or what their coach recommends). Education is a challenge, and providing the education will remain a challenge due to the mixed messages of marketing vs science.

Garratt: I agree. They don’t, and education is still a challenge. The nutrition market is somewhat intimidating and overwhelming right now. The big, old school brands, which are based

on decades-old science, are buying races and series and, they hope, the athletes competing in them. These massive marketing dollars are trying to squash the new science, making it hard on both consumers and retailers to know what to use, stock, and support. Fortunately, the shift to new science and thus healthier eating, living and performance, is happening on a macro scale that will eventually overwhelm the old school brands currently handicapping evolution.

Why is the sector growing with so many new brands? Is it healthy for the market?Sims: The revolution for change is here. Athletes no longer want to put up with GI distress, cramping, undue fatigue, and a one-size fits all approach to hydration and nutrition. The sector is growing due to this sea-change and it is healthy for the market.

Garratt: I agree. It’s growing because that’s a healthy and very necessary evolution

for a fairly mature market. And because consumers are demanding change. They, women and parents especially, are saying “no more” to unhealthy, sugar- loaded gut bombs. They want clean and real, and this is likely only the beginning for healthy brands and healthy market growth.

What’s the future for the nutrition market? Garratt: It’s very exciting to finally see true innovation in a market that has been unwilling to change. Stacy and her science are driving innovation that is great for everyone involved.

Athletes are all over the brands she started (Osmo, Skratch), utilising her “hydration in the bottle, food in the pocket” theory to amazing success and health. And the competition is obviously taking note with Clif, GU, and now nuun all changing their formulas to align with her game changing science. Hopefully this is just the beginning of the ‘new, new’!

CLIF BAR & COMPANYDavid Smith, Senior Marketing Manager

Is education still a challenge for the sector?Many consumers do not fully understand cycle energy and nutrition as it can be complicated. In addition, people’s needs vary based on the sport and how active they are. Cycling is a deeply traditional sport and sometimes the latest nutrition science does not get passed on, perpetuating outdated myths about how to eat on the bike for optimal performance. Why is the sector growing with so many new brands? Sports nutrition brands are moving from niche markets of gyms and health food

stores to mass-market. Driven by new ingredients, packaging formats and new consumer behaviour, sport products are heading into supermarkets to satisfy consumer demand for healthy and convenient lifestyle solutions.

Athletes have been the traditional consumers of

sports nutrition products; however, there is growing interest from recreational and lifestyle users. This is great news for brands like CLIF Bar that provide great taste and texture and understand consumers’ desire for active, healthy lifestyles with foods that can meet those needs.

What’s the future for the nutrition market? According to Mintel 2013, close to half (47 per cent) of British adults eat snacks on-the-go at least once a week, and this trend is growing among younger demographics. Retailers offering a range of wholesome snacks for on-the-go, including energy bars, will greatly benefit from this trend.

Historically, cycle retailers have led the way in offering a range of bars as their functionality fits well with their consumers. As new recreational and lifestyle users come into play, the trade as a whole will benefit. We hear from many cycle retailers that their customers are using CLIF Bar for long rides but also purchase the bars for snacks on-the-go when they need energy.

“Retailers tell us their customers also use Clif as snacks while on-the-go.”David Smith, Clif

“Massive marketing dollars are trying to squash the new science.”WR Garratt Jr, Osmo

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INDUSTRY OPINIONS

SCIENCE IN SPORTMark Baines, Chicken Cyclekit

Is education still a challenge for the sector? Definitely. There is no other area of science that is so influenced by what is written in the media, what your mate in your local club says or what the latest internet blog says. Generally people know that you need to take on board extra energy for long rides, but how much, what and when to eat is still confusing for many.

We spend a lot of time developing our products according to the latest science, and making sure that we religiously stick to what we are and aren’t allowed to say in terms of claims that we write on products. Unfortunately you do see a lot of other brands that are less scrupulous. All this just leads to confusion for the consumer.

Why is the sector growing with so many new brands? I think this is a spill over from the general growth in cycling, there are more and more people buying bikes and starting to do more serious riding. The growth in the sportive market particularly creates a need for people to start looking at nutrition more seriously. Most people will be able to head out of the door for an hour or two ride, but to tackle a 100 mile sportive or go to Europe and do a big challenge requires people to prepare thoroughly, practice their nutrition in training and be familiar with how much they need to eat and drink.

I think it is healthy for the market. Competition will always make brands look at developing new products, being competitive on price, and deliver what consumers are looking for. I think the only danger is that brands go after what ever a current ‘trend’

ingredient, just to bring out something different, without researching it properly or claiming that it will do something that it will not.

What’s the future for the nutrition market? I think one of the biggest challenges is to keep balancing the healthy diet messages with the cycling specific nutritional advice. No products can make up for a poor diet, and equally ‘real’ foods will not always be the best thing to eat out on the bike.

Sports nutrition should be about convenient energy sources, such as drinks, bars and gels, with nothing extra that will inhibit the products performance. For instance, a flapjack is a popular ride food, but they can be high in fat and fibre so are slow to digest and the energy will not be readily available. Energy bars are low in fat and fibre and will be easier on your stomach.

TORQMatt Hart, founder

Do consumers understand energy and nutrition? The reality is that they don’t. TORQ was born from a fitness consultancy and we have our heads into the research every day. When you fully understand nutrition and recognise how to research elaborate claims made by the media/unscrupulous manufacturers, it is a simple reasoning process. We stick to areas that are supported by a substantial body of evidence and filter out headline-grabbing lies. There are genuine innovations, which become increasingly apparent if you’re reviewing the literature regularly. Unfortunately, if you don’t have the confidence and knowledge that we have, it’s easy to be influenced negatively and a huge number of people

who come through our consultancy are confused.

At TORQ, we have worked hard alongside our distributor Zyro to create a retailer accreditation scheme whereby a single member of staff within a store visits TORQ for the day (along with five or six others from different stores) to be educated. The staff member then has to complete an exam in their own time and achieve 95 per cent to achieve accreditation. We firmly believe that achieving accredited status should not be easy. Our aim is simple. To educate the retailer properly so that they can educate the customer properly and so far we have had over 70 UK stores go through this process.

In addition to this, TORQ attends numerous events nationwide to showcase the range and engage with the people using our products.

Why is the sector growing with so many new brands? I think that if you look at the statistics, the market is growing because cycling is growing. This would suggest on the face of it that there

is room for more brands as long as existing brands are happy to share the market and can run productive businesses. This also gives the consumers choice, which is essential in a free market.

As purists at TORQ, who are extremely passionate about what we do and care about our customers, our only frustration is we’ve seen brands in the market that simply copy others, or assume that because there’s an expanding market, they will take a part of it by default. There are also still misleading claims made by some manufacturers.

However, this is always going to be the case in any market. There are going to be brands that aspire to different standards and ultimately the customer is the one who makes the choice. We have a firm belief that if we remain passionate and use our knowledge and experience to constantly innovate, we will receive our just desserts. It’s quite clear that with the number of brands that we have seen come and go in this sector, that the opposite is probably also true.

“You see a lot of other brands that are less scrupulous and this confuses the consumer.”Mark Baines, Chicken Cyclekit

“We aim to educate the retailer so they can educate the rider.”Matt Hart, Torq

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CHICKEN CYCLEKIT

Chicken lays it down After a period of riding the road cycling wave Chicken CycleKit is bolstering the coop with new recruits and updated systems, with sales growth in its sights. Jonathon Harker speaks to the distributor’s boss Cedric Chicken

Melted coins are all that remain of the old Kensworth office

IN THE RURAL wilds of Bedfordshire is one of the oldest distributors, nay, oldest companies in the UK bicycle business.

This company has enjoyed long term relationships with many of the brands in its portfolio, has employees that have spent decades with the firm and the family business has only ever moved three times despite being just four years short of its century – and one of those moves only took place thanks to a fire that almost killed the business off.

We are of course talking about Chicken CycleKit, best known as a distributor of high-end road brands to the bike trade.

In the corner of its Leighton Buzzard meeting room there’s an odd football-sized blob mounted to a plaque, which on closer inspection turns out to be a number of coins that were fused together in the extraordinarily high temperatures of the fire eight years ago. They were inside a safe in the

Kensworth office at the time of the blaze and are virtually the only surviving item.

“The fire was so intense that bricks actually cracked,” Cedric Chicken tells BikeBiz. “We lost everything – it could have broken us. But our computer records were off-site so we were actually up and running the next day.”

Thanks to rock solid supplier relationships, the distributor was back in business in a surprisingly short space of time: “We wrote to all our suppliers and they re-routed consignments to us. In the end we only lost two weeks turnover.”

The fire, which took place back in November 2007, is also the reason

there’s not as much paraphernalia on the walls as you’d expect, the bulk of it consumed in the blaze.

“Pro cyclists have big crashes but they come back. It’s a gritty old sport, you have to dig in.”

Post-fire, Chicken moved to its present Leighton Buzzard site.

Mike Catlin, commercial director and Chicken Cyclekit employee of

around 23 years tells BikeBiz the firm has gone on to virtually double staff numbers in each of its departments, from sales to workshops and beyond, with around 38 staffers now in the ranks.

That depth in people has meant the firm can now do more bike building on-site, with three full-time

bike builders. It used to offer just Tifosi bike frames, but now Cinelli and Deda are part of the service. “We offer an ‘a la carte’ service – you can choose what colour bar tape, type of bar you have, whatever… and we can do it quickly,” Chicken says.

It’s not just bike building, infrastructure has been a focus for Chicken too. A fully fledged new computer system has now been installed – Microsoft Navision. “It will have a major impact for us. We used to have a number of smaller systems but now it is all rolled into one.”

Service has necessitated the growth, the distributor boss explains: “The trade needs to be looked after. So many shops are understaffed but they have to be competitive – it’s really tough.

“We have a lot of staff fully trained up in product and brands and that’s an enormous help to retailers. We’re lucky to be in an industry where there are a lot of

“The trade needs to be looked after. It’s tough for retailers.”Cedric Chicken


Bike building has been ramped up at Chicken HQ


CHICKEN CYCLEKIT

technical advances, but that often means a big jump in knowledge is required – our staff can help with that – like the first time electronic gears were introduced.”

That expansion has also come from growing trade. Chicken Cyclekit’s business has been on the up since about 2006 and ambitious targets have been set for 2015 “which I am sure we will meet”.

“We have seen a bubble in the trade. You often see a wave that lasts seven years or so and then it goes down, but there has been no sign of that.

“If you look at Europe there’s no big growth in France and Germany and quite a lot of distributors over there have been looking to get into the UK market as they see it is expanding here.”

Closer to home there are interesting things going on at the front line of bike retail too. Chicken tells us: “All the shops are improving and the press are backing them by talking about cycling all the time. The standard of retailing is definitely going up. People with money have come into the trade and are good entrepreneurs.

“There’s a huge number of retailers coming in – we have had around 400 new accounts in the last two years.”

Catlin adds: “They aren’t tin pot shops either, there are very creditable ones coming through and it’s not a case of seeing ten new retailers and then ten closing, we’re simply seeing more dealers.”

Those shops are being serviced by an increasingly popular B2B site but there’s still lots of phone contact, we’re told (and when we visited the Chicken sales floor it was quite the hive of activity, we can confirm).

“Three years ago we had one field sales guy,” Chicken says. “Now we’ve three and a sales director. We’ve got a new sales

person in the office too and then there are two brand managers recruited to contact customers. The whole business has really ramped up. You have to reinforce the foundations after a while.”

Despite a number of new brands coming on board recently, there are no new distribution deals in the works, the firm claims, with the intent on growing sales for existing brands instead.

Science in Sport (SiS) was amongst the latest to join the coop, joining as Gatorade’s owner Pepsi decided to put more emphasis on marketing in Europe.

“There’s big potential for SiS. They’ve got a far bigger range and we do tend to do well with big brand names.”

Other signings over the last 18 months or so include Zefal, Flinger

Mudguards and Superior Bikes. There’s another reason for keeping the portfolio tight: “We don’t like to have a lot of overlapping product, it is confusing for retailers. There is colossal choice out there.

“We’ve been working with Selle Italia for decades, 30 years ago there were about ten saddle brands globally and now look at it! I may be exaggerating slightly,” Chicken

admits, but the point is a solid one. “It amazes me how Selle Italia manage to bring out new ideas, using new materials and designs, when there is just so much already out there.”

Tifosi is among the brands that have benefited from the surge in road cycling: “There’s more people watching racing on the telly and reading about it – that has helped push the brand.”

Tifosi now has a good number of cycle to work-friendly models to complement its high end lines. This year the range is completely updated with new models and livery for the first time.

Catlin agrees: “Tifosi has been very strong for us. We’re seen as a high-end road distributor and we have ridden the crest of the wave with road cycling.

“Looking ahead, road disc brakes are becoming more important and we’ve got some in the ranges already, but the 2016 models will have more disc options. Campag are obviously working on something too, so that will be big.

“Campagnolo continues to grow and grow every year – it’s very important to us,” Catlin adds.

“There’s such a big Campagnolo range now,” says Cedric Chicken. “Maybe 60 or 70 per cent of the range wasn’t there five years ago. It’s been a massive sea-change. More pro cyclists are happy to use Campagnolo and it is getting better and better.”

This year saw Fisher start to share distribution duties for the prestige brand: “The market is expanding and Fisher can help open Campag up to a different part of the market for us and help get it in the hands of younger riders.”

Other brands with expansion in their sights include Sapim. Now with a new factory in Antwerp the firm will be able to get more product into the hands of Chicken and its dealer network.

And what about the future for Chicken Cyclekit? “2014 was a year of consolidation for us, and now with new IT and phone systems and improving marketing…this year is all about the sales. There’s so much potential in the UK cycle market. You see a lot of big companies now have subsidiaries opening here and that’s indicative of their belief in the UK market.”[email protected]

“The standard of retailing is definitely going up.”Cedric Chicken

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NEOS CYCLING

In with the NEOS Roughly translated, neos means new, which is an appropriate name for the fresh faced distributor headed up by Richard Allmark with a new take on the traditional distribution model. Jonathon Harker reports…

NEOS IS debuting a new distribution model, how long has it been in the works?Around 18 months ago but the real work began a year ago, with a view to starting in spring 2015. The last six months have been flat out preparing for launch. We are a few months behind schedule, but IBD response has been remarkable and has helped me tweak a few details to make the proposition really compelling. NEOS is Greek for new, and although I can’t claim that all of these ideas are completely new or unique, the model as a whole is new, the brands are new to our market and this is my new venture!

Can you sum up how NEOS CYCLING works with IBDs through your consumer site?Appreciating the spectrum of consumer online buying behaviour is key to this. At one end are consumers who are online resistant, shopping only in bricks and mortar stores while at the other end are online-only shoppers. In the middle is a huge variance like online researchers who buy in-store or click & collect shoppers. The aim of NEOS is to bring a complete offering to all of these consumers. Our research shows many online

shoppers feel guilty about not supporting local IBDs. Fundamental to NEOS CYCLING’s B2C platform is the first class network of IBDs. Like other online stores, NEOS entices consumers to buy from us. We geotag consumers and link them with their nearest or favourite IBD in the network. From the first order onwards, that preferred IBD receives commission on that

consumer’s purchases. The consumer is made aware of this and that the IBD will provide face-to-face advice, returns management and click & collect. This removes any consumer guilt and drives footfall into that IBD. When that new customer is in-store, what then? Simply handing them a box isn’t enough. This is the chance to convert a casual online purchase to a committed long-term customer. We expect some of the consumers we are catching online may have never visited that IBD. The IBD

carries the brands in-store too, giving that touch and feel experience. This means they can sell in-store and make great margins plus earn commission from the NEOS CYCLING B2C channel. Our IBDs get two revenue streams for the price of one.

There will be online promos? NEOS CYCLING will be actively

seeking online shoppers to bring them into our network. Whenever we run online promotions we inform the NEOS IBDs well in advance. They can decide whether or not to run the promo or to simply match price should that be requested. We never ask IBDs to stock up for one of our promos, we simply check the sell through for that period and then issue a credit note on their account to support their margin. This means there’s no excess inventory in-store which means there is no need to clear

stock and depress their margin. We’re sensitive to IBDs needing strong profit margins and not spending too long matching prices or clearing stocks. At the season end, NEOS will collect excess inventories and run a central clearance channel, cleansing the supply chain, supporting the IBD margin and still giving commission to the IBD network for sales made in our clearance window. A credit note is then issued against the returned inventories which is used against the new season buy in.

It’s early days, but have you had much dealer reaction yet?I really couldn’t have hoped for a better reaction. We are only trying to capture 50 to 60 of the very best for 2015. Our digital and search engine marketing will be focused on areas where we have a NEOS IBD. Our dealer network list will be published in our consumer ad programme and online. The NEOS model has been created to work with and support the specialist IBD without ignoring the need for a strong online presence. We don’t sell to anyone else. Our suppliers are totally on board and want long term brand growth. www.neoscycling.co.uk

HydraKnight’s waterproof cycle bags, Fierlan’s female-specific apparel, Walco and JCool are among the brands from NEOS

“Our IBDs get two revenue streams for the price of one.”Richard Allmark, NEOS



SANTINI

Looking good at 50Italian apparel brand is a golden five decades old this year. Alongside supplying the likes of the official Giro d’Italia kit the firm also has a thriving custom kit business. Jonathan Sangan gives Jonathon Harker the details

Santini’s custom kit is produced in the same Italian factory as the regular kit.

IT IS 50 years since Pietro Santini took over a knitwear factory from his sisters and started creating clothing for third parties. It wasn’t long before the company began specialising in the performance cycling clothing it’s now well known for, designing and producing all the range from its base in Italy. Now Santini produces over 3,000 items a day and exports the vast majority (75 per cent) overseas. The UK is one of those markets, where Fisher Outdoor Leisure brings the brand to the British bike business, and have been doing so for years.

According to Jonathan Sangan, UK Santini brand manager for Fisher, year 49 was a strong one for the brand.

“Across the full Santini portfolio our business year-on-year is up 60 per cent. The brand has real momentum and is unique in offering 365 stock, innovative fashion ranges for men and women, replica and custom kit.”

Fittingly, Santini is closely linked with Italy’s primo bike race, the Giro d’Italia, since 1993. Each year the brand brings out Giro kit for consumer consumption.

“The Giro collection has again been well received,” Sangan tells BikeBiz. “The Maglia Rosa is the number one seller of course, but there is also a lot of interest in Stage jerseys. Look out for our Treviso-Valdobbiadene jersey with its Prosecco graphics.”

Santini’s custom kit trade is on the up of late, Sangan adds: “The custom business is especially strong as more retailers are seeing custom as an important marketing tool and a way of creating their own ranges and identity.

“Santini has actually been making custom clothing since its inception in 1965. Santini’s association with local teams to pro tour teams is in their DNA.”

All Santini’s custom kit is made in Italy in the Bergamo factory alongside the brand’s main lines.

“For our customers Made in Italy is a key feature as they desire the association with Santini and Italian racing heritage.”

So is the the full set of kit available in custom wear? “There are over 200 options available to a customer and list keeps growing. Custom encompasses road, MTB, tri and running. It’s a complete package and mainly lines filter down from the Pro Tour, for instance we have now added the Reef water resistant jersey and ¾ sleeve race jersey to the custom

line up as well as a full sleeve Tri skin suit. Minimum orders are generally 30 to 15 units a garment, but smaller quantities and one offs are possible.

Are the margins for dealers comparable to standard kit? “They are slightly less. Dealers can expect

to make between 30 per cent and 40 per cent margin. But the promotional benefits, lack of a need to discount goods and the increased consumer loyalty more than make up the difference. Many dealers are happy to offer kit as part of high-end bike purchases.”

Sadly it appears there have been no particularly outlandish design requests made of the Santini custom team yet, but we hear they are willing to take any on.

Aside from custom kit, what has Santini got lined up for its anniversary year? Sangan explains: “Santini and Fisher have put together an exciting marketing plan this year including Santini sponsorship of the Elite Crit at the London Nocturne.

“Santini is also the official clothing sponsor of the L’Eroica. A fabulous and unique range of product is available now to select dealers. Santini is of course also celebrating its 50th Anniversary this year, so look out for further exciting projects.” Dealers interested in Santini custom kit should contact Jonathan Sangan at [email protected]

“Santini has produced custom clothing since the start.”Jonathan Sangan, Fisher



British steelThink British-made and you’re probably picturing Pashleys and

Bromptons – the go-to brands for politicians selling brand Britain abroad. But many more domestically produced labels are

emerging and thriving, finds Mark Sutton…


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NORMALLY WHEN talking about manufacturing in the UK you may feel almost obliged to rattle out the same old “it’s not what it used to be”, “it’ll never be the same again” and perhaps “there’s just no competing with the Far East”.

Well that’s not how we’re going to begin here, because in recent years we’ve been told different by those actually producing domestically – and finally, the statistics are beginning to back the words of those at the helm of British manufacturing firms.

In what will be music to the ears of whichever government is in place by the time this magazine lands, the UK is currently enjoying an eight-month high in output, following 24 consecutive months growth. Yes, the decline in the ‘70s saw the UK free-fall down the world rankings, however the UK today sits at a respectable 11th on the world production tables. Of all the contributing sectors, consumer goods producers reported the greatest expansion in production and fresh business. So, is it still a surprise to read about a domestic

manufacturer performing well? “Not at all,” says 26-year veteran of UK manufacturing Alan Weatherill of HopeTech. “What’s barmy about the whole situation is seeing companies now applying for grants to re-shore their production. Ten years ago a Government adviser

told us we’d be better off producing in the Far East.

“Needless to say we didn’t take that advice and I’m glad, because business has been growing by around ten per cent year-on-year for the past few years.”

Ten per cent is of course a very healthy growth figure for any heading on three-decade-old business, but it could be far greater, says Weatherill.

“As it happens, with exports now representing around half of our

business, we could actually have grown more, but our production capacity, though expanding through investment in tooling and staff, wouldn’t allow for much more growth. We now sell to 40 other countries, with some of the largest territories – such as Hong Kong and

Taiwan – actually based in the heart of the Far East where most goods are made.”

Exports are a topic for which Brompton has long been the poster boy for British-made goods. In October last year Boris Johnson took along one of the iconic London-made folders to an event in Shanghai as part of a six-day trade mission to China.

The Kew Bridge firm, despite being immensely popular with the frustrated London commuter,

actually sells the largest chunk of its bikes throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa – totalling some 13,029 bikes. The Asia-Pacific region follows, with 12,882 shipped, while bikes sold domestically total 9,184. A further 3,357 were sold to North and South America in 2014. Each of those figures are sales from February 2014 to 2015.

Chief financial and business development officer Lorne Vary told BikeBiz: “Exports have risen from 66 to 80 per cent of output over the past five years. Over the past year the Asia Pacific region has grown by 50 per cent, with Singapore and Korea at the forefront of that growth”.

The firm’s financials are quite staggering as a result. Since 2011 the business has gone from 115 to over 210 staff by 2014, while managing to more than treble its operating profits in the same period. In a recent interview, also in this very mag, Brompton MD Will Butler-Adams said: “UK manufacturing is in the best place it’s been since the mid to late 70s. For

“Exports have risen from 66 to 80 per cent in the last five years.”Lorne Vary, Brompton


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Bicycle Academy students learn their trade

Pashley now produces around 10,000 bikes annually


the first time there is a cross party agreement, including any other party you care to imagine, that making and exporting is good news for UK PLC, both in terms of balancing the books and giving diverse job opportunities to our young children. Not everyone wants to sit at a computer, some prefer to be artistic and create things.”

There is a downside to surging growth, though added Butler-Adams.

“The resurgence of Jaguar Land Rover, which is a big deal for UK manufacturing, happened over the last six to eight years and it takes 15 years or so to create the next generation of engineers.

“We have this lag between this manufacturing resurgence and the talent being available. The Government is being very sensitive about bringing in talent, which is a threat to the sector’s continued growth. It worries me.”

It’s not all doom and gloom on the skills front, however, as shown by The Bicycle Academy’s sign up figures, as well as those businesses who are benefitting from the fresh crop of talent emerging.

Director of the Academy Andrew Denham told BikeBiz: “Our courses are typically booked up four to six months in advance, with between 150 to 200 passing through each year. With two students to one teacher we give a generous amount of time and attention to making sure the skills are perfected before

they leave and as a result we have students flying in from as far afield as Russia and New Zealand, among others.”

The Bicycle Academy business grew by a quarter in its second year, but leaped significantly in its third year, with a 70 per cent jump in students. Some simply want to try something different, says Denham, but most are practicing with a view to starting out on their own.

“Next week we’re conducting a folding bike specific build course and that’s on the back of student demand. They come to us as they’re aware we won’t restrict to any one territory. We’ll work with students on anything, even cargo bikes. In recent times the gravel bike has been the most popular. What’s encouraging to

us is seeing guys we trained five years ago employing some of the students that leave the academy. At last year’s Bespoke show of the 80 exhibitors 20 per cent had studied with us.”

Denham also argues that the wider industry is helped greatly by having more enthusiasts practicing frame building.

“Cyclists are spending more on their purchases nowadays and really

doing their research. Because it’s an artisan product they’re more likely to part with yet more cash. One of our students won last year’s NAHBS people’s choice award and he’s now got a reputation for quality and is able to make a living doing what he loves.”

Stanforth Bikes is one business to have benefitted from a graduate of the academy, with boss Simon Stanforth telling BikeBiz: “The number of frame builders in the UK is on the rise again, a lot of which is to do with the great work the The Bicycle Academy are doing. So availability of skills is improving.”

So recruiting the right people aside, are the commonly assumed downsides still the main thing preventing UK manufacture taking off? Stanforth suggests that the financial implications are the only negative remaining.

“The only downside is cost – British made is unfortunately more expensive, but the quality of the build is worth paying for.

“Although there are more frame builders available, I feel that currently the capacity for producing affordable

“Customers buying an artisan product will part with more cash.”Andrew Denham, TBA

UK MANUFACTURING

Hope’s staff out testing prototypes

Today Pashley uses over 90 UK suppliers and subcontractors



frames on a mass scale is limited in the UK. Cost is a challenge undoubtedly. I’m hoping this will change with more trained frame builders and increased confidence by the current larger manufacturers to increase their capacity and build British frames at a more affordable price for the smaller manufacturers. I really hope this becomes a reality.”

Despite current manufacturing limitations, Stanforth Bikes has entered its second year with a forecast to triple the number of bikes sold this year, as well as add a Rohloff clad build to its line up. So what are the key advantages for the British upstart?

“The main advantage is flexibility. Closer collaboration with the frame builders mean that ongoing refinements can be made to constantly improve the design without lengthy lead times. The ability to do this is much more limited when importing from Asia. Our Kibo bike is an expedition bike, so designed for all conditions, a range of terrains and for heavy loads; so it’s absolutely crucial that the frame is built to the highest standard. Frames

are only as strong as their weakest link, so the tubing is just one element. Customers are becoming more knowledgeable and increasingly more aware that it’s just not about the quality of the tubing, but how it’s built.”

So with even those in the Far East heartlands of production buying our

goods, does a product bearing the British flag actually influence sales?

John Cookson, USE and Exposure Lights marketing manager, thinks so.

“Export is a key part of our current sales and plan for growth. The Australian and US markets are our biggest for turnover and the Asian market is significant for USE hardware. Feedback shows this is in no small part due to the desire for the Made in the UK badge.”

Like each of the aforementioned manufacturers, USE has posted some very respectable growth in recent times, moving to a much larger facility last year to cope with production and stock demands, as well as coincidentally being one hill closer to the firm’s favoured trails on the South Downs.

The emergence of 3D printing is further helping small firms develop their own product without outsourcing, something which USE has been taking advantage of in recent times.

“Over the years our processes have changed and we now use a 3D printer for a lot of our prototyping which has sped up our development time. We embrace technology and this has again

helped us develop innovative products,” said Cookson.

Seemingly it is now both easier and faster than ever to go from a quick sketch to production with less outsourced help. This opens the doors for anyone who had been tossing around the thought of going it alone. Minus the 3D printer, a very rare skillset is also handy when it comes to going it alone.

One such person to have made the leap, although almost by accident, is Lee Wickens, the mind behind a brand that is now found in the Dianomi stable – Wickens and Soderstrom.

Once more this is a brand going after the high-end customer, though this isn’t a frame builder you’ve not yet heard of, but instead an innovator in the lubrication and sealants market. Developed for his own bike and eventually handed to a local bike shop, Wickens’ business began by chance and based on some overwhelming feedback.

Working alongside some top UK industrial chemists, Wickens has developed a sealant that “never

“Investing in a 3D printer has sped up development...”John Cookson, USE

UK MANUFACTURING

20 per cent of Bespoked exhibitors studied at The Bicycle Academy

Investment in machinery has enabled Hope to stay ahead

Hope Hub shells ready for anodising and assembly

dries”, as well as a lubricant that will not only lubricate, but actively smooth micro imperfections in bearings and parts.

Wickens tells BikeBiz: “We’ve spent a lot of research and development time in the lab, creating as many as 100 formulas spanning two years work to reach a conclusion on the best blends. Our tyre sealant is a complex mix that we’ve developed alongside some experts in the field, including the RAC’s specialist in tyre sealant. Our unique blend of sealant can be installed with a track pump, which most mechanics will be thrilled to hear. What’s more, our testing has shown it to be as good as 98 per cent air tight, with the solution fixing holes by weaving tiny fibres into a patch when exposed to pressure and air.”

Another blender of bike relevant cocktails is Muc-Off, which continues to flourish, growing business some 28 per cent last year with more of the same forecast.

Though odd items such as brushes and cloths are now been outsourced to the far east, that nice pink stuff

that keeps your customer’s bikes and more or less anything else you apply it to shiny has always been made in the UK, where it is now sold exclusively by Fisher Outdoors.

Started in 1991 by the Trimnell family, Muc-Off has heading on for 25 years experience managing the ups and downs of domestic

production. Alex Trimnell, MD told BikeBiz: “We are seeing rapid growth in our export markets and are now selling to over 80 customers in 40 Countries. We’ve sold over 4 million bottles since 1998 and in that time it’s been incredibly important to be in control of our lead times, as well as have a greater level of quality control and flexibility.”

Also enjoying a bit of market crossover is DP Brakes of Nuneaton,

originally a motorcycle brake pad manufacturer, now using its experience to make inroads into cycling via distribution from Claud Butler.

Formerly Dunlopad, the business has over 30 years experience in the production of brake pads and with the expansion into slightly slower

bicycles is revelling in an entirely fresh set of challenges.

DP’s original project engineer Frank Edwards said: “We continually invest in the latest techniques and will be looking to significantly increase production over the next few years by investing in robotics and enhanced production techniques. We could have taken the easy route by using overseas companies, but I feel you

are then lose the ability of control your own destiny.

“We wish to continue to provide secure employment with career opportunities’. By developing product and continuing investing in research and development, we can explore new markets, whether it is bicycles or racing snowmobiles.”

Formerly a staple of the Midlands’ factories, clothing manufacture in the UK is a rarity nowadays, yet in the 80s the region was one of the wealthiest places in Europe thanks to the trade.

Chris Puttnam’s Velobici does Leicestershire proud, producing 100 per cent of his garments in the UK – and he’s no fan of those who only apply the finishing touches here and try to pass it off.

“My father is a knitwear mechanic by trade and owned a small factory when we were growing up,” says Puttnam. “He really began to struggle from the mid-‘80s and ‘90s as everything was moving abroad. I have such fond memories of factory life as a boy, so it seemed to be the logical way to go if it was at all possible to


“We didn’t want to lose the ability to control our own destiny.”Frank Edwards, DP Brakes

UK MANUFACTURING

A Stanforth Kibo taking shape

Muc-Off’s UK made range continues to expand


produce the quality that Velobici demands. I think we’ve proven that the machinery and make up skills are still alive and well. We find it a tad frustrating that certain companies bring in finished garments from outside the UK, put an embroidery on and pass it off as made in Britain!”

One label where there’s absolutely no mistaking where the heritage lies is Stratford Upon Avon-based Pashley, who have been making cycles domestically since 1926.

Proving the quality of the product, the Royal Mail’s tender process originally involved eight European companies, shortlisted to three. Those three makers supplied 180 bicycles for test, with Pashley putting forward the step through framed Pronto. Coming out on top after a year-long test programme, the Pronto became the Mailstar.

Royal Mail has since largely turned its back on delivering post by bicycle, though the Pronto lives on as the bicycle of choice for numerous other albeit smaller delivery firms worldwide. Though

the impact of less delivery bikes has affected the firm, the slack has been taken up by new builds such as the traditional ladies bike, for which the firm is boosting sales with promotions alongside collaborative partners, such as Country Living and Mulberry.

The 160 plus products rolling off

the production line require some 4,270 component parts, all of which are produced and stocked in the West Midlands warehouse.

With near 90 years under its belt, Pashley has sailed the often stormy seas of manufacturing with a determination like few others, says managing director Adrian Williams.

“In order to remain competitive, we have to keep our overheads as low as possible, so our office staff

wear six hats and are kept to a minimum, while we have over 40 production-based employees.

“Of course we do know it would be cheaper to shift our production overseas, but we are committed to producing quality products for our customers and do not to wish to sacrifice quality for quantity.”

Supporting over 90 UK-based suppliers and subcontractors, Pashley’s support for the local economy extends beyond its four walls and staff are repaying the firm’s loyalty to domestic production, with some retained by the firm for as long as 45 years.

With skills retained, the firm has had no problem producing 10,000 bicycles annually in recent times. But the next generation of

engineers is filtering through, says the Pashley boss.

“We have a good age mix of employees and are fortunate that local school leavers are keen to be involved with bicycle manufacture and will take up apprenticeship opportunities with us.

“Where we cannot find them, we train them up and we are currently busy investing in staff and equipment. We have recruited a design and development team, who use the latest computer aided design software complete with finite element analysis.”

Further filling the void left by the Mailstar, exports have become a significant part of Pashley’s business, with a jump from just 15 up to 40 per cent of sales in recent years.

“We are now exporting to 50 countries worldwide and we are getting enquiries all the time from some far flung places, such as Australia and Qatar. Just recently we shipped 50 bikes to Abu Dhabi, so our international sales manager ‘Export Dave’ is being kept very busy,” concludes Williams.

“It’s frustrating when firms ship in garments and finish them here.”Chris Puttnam, Velobici

UK MANUFACTURING

Wickens and Soderstrom produce high-end sealants and lubes in the UK

A Brompton taking shape. The firm has just won yet another Queen’s Award for Enterprise


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UK HANDMADE BICYCLE SHOW


Bespoked BristolWith both cycle collectors and fresh affluent interest in the industry the handmade trade is flourishing. Mark Sutton toured the aisles of Bespoked to handpick some of the exhibition’s many highlights…

Teague’s Bayonet Spigot system that allows the bike on the left to split in two for ease of storage

Keim Cycles hail from the Loire Valley in France. They travelled to Bespoked with three stunning Ashwood builds

Mike Hickman with our pick of the bunch. For more on the design cast your eyes right.


UK HANDMADE BICYCLE SHOW

OKAY, SO we’ll hold our hands up, we’re what most would brand ‘keyboard warriors’ here at BikeBiz. We could perhaps spot a bad weld, but ask us to spot the difference between brazing and TIG welding and we’re going to give at best an educated guess. We’ve never welded anything more than a dirty coffee mug to a desk.

With that said, we’ve cast eyes over a fair few bikes in our time and so when the main consumer shows draw to a close and Bespoked rolls around we’re always keen to check out the design flexibility of the one man band. Like anyone else in the cycling world we are, afterall, always on the lookout for the next addition to our cluttered sheds.

Therefore, we do have a favourite from Bespoked, but perhaps not for the reasons many may imagine.

Design-wise we had a sustained puddle-forming drool over Paulus Quiros, Keim, Saffron and many more on show.

It’s the design implications of one build in particular though that got us thinking. At the centre of this spread is Mike Hickman, stood alongside his exhibition.

Why, among hoards of polished and perfected innovation does Hickman’s design stand out for us?

If you look at the head tube you’ll see a pivot that allows the top tube to be height adjusted, while the saddle has prhaps the greatest fore and aft range we’ve seen.

Hickman suggested to us that he began to build around the idea of a universal design to assist bike fitting. One that could be adjusted, set and rolled out front of the studio as soon as a customer had completed their measurements. Something not right? No problem, you’ll find out on the day instead of down the line and thus require more workshop time.

Hickman also pondered whether hire shops could carry less stock with an adjustable frame design.

Toad Bikes handmade rack with torch mounts and plenty more going on (above) and complete build (right)

By request of a collector the team at Paulus Quiros Bicycles created this beauty for a rather tall rider (above)

Bikepacking’s on the rise. Revanche Bikes were told such a system was difficult to produce – but here you have it, a magnetic frame bag.

A world first? Creator Peter Charnaud thinks so, claiming to have created the only wooden full- susser around.

Tom Sturdy’s TT bike. That cockpit is all connected, from both bars to the fork.


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X-BIONIC

What’s a beaver got in common with a cycling jersey? More than you might think, according to Italian producer of top-end cycling apparel X-bionic. Mark Sutton tours the Verona factory to find out more…

Beavers and bionics

THE DICTIONARY definition of bionics reads “the application of biological methods and systems found in nature to the study and design of engineering systems and modern technology.” It’s one of the many reasons the desert fox, wallabys and a snow grouse, among many other exotic animals, feature prominently on both X-bionic’s website and in the Verona showroom.

Drawing inspiration from some of nature’s most robust creatures has seen the manufacturer register some 69 patents, as well as over 200 design patents. The result? A more than three-inch glossy thick awards book taking pride of place in the showroom. Within the cycling business, the firm has registered iF design awards, Eurobike Awards on each year it has entered a garment for review and many more.

It’s much the same story where the brand is visible in professional circuits, with the Power Horse triathlon team sporting the garments and X-bionic clad athletes registering consecutive Ironman wins from 2009 to 2013, among other victories.

It’s by no coincidence then that X-bionic lays claim to be the number one performance brand in its homeland at present. But why should UK retailers care, the brand’s not been represented in here for some time now?

“We’re signing up at present,” says UK country manager Zach Thackray. “My main aim for X-Bionic is that it is a destination brand available through bricks and mortar stores. We’re working closely with partners on Trick Test events that give dealers the

potential to give their customers the chance to ’try before they buy’. We’re offering one test event per dealer, per year at present.”

The product itself is something that the firm says “has to be tried to be believed” and as a result,

retailers are fully supported by the brand when dishing out demo gear. The purchase rate, once tried, is apparently incredibly high. Going head-to-head with the likes of Assos, the firm says, in both performance and value terms, it believes the end-user will choose X-bionic every time once experienced first hand.

What the firm has lacked to date that has been a tried and tested formula for driving sales of high-end gear is the backing of a pro tour team, something the Italian business aims to have in place by the 2017 season.

The brand of today is a far more technically advanced beast when compared to the last outing in UK stores. On the factory floor you’ll find intricate machines reading digital maps of a garment, before weaving jerseys in as little as 20

“X-Bionic in the UK is a destination bricks and mortar brand only.”Zach Thackary, UK Sales


A pro tour team sporting X-Bionic is an ambition in progress


X-BIONIC

minutes. That’s no typical jersey either, X-Bionic’s chosen fabric is Polyamide, which the firm is able to intricately shape into a proprietary 3D structure, typically utilised at the chest and back to assist overheating and aid insulation during recovery. The result of such technologies is an incredibly consistent and managed body temperature – in fact independent studies have shown that certain garments are not only excellent at maintaining the perfect 37 degrees body heat, but also in aiding muscle longevity while in the saddle – something to which several existing retailers touring the Verona facility were happy to testify to.

With women’s cycling and sales of gear now outstripping men in some areas, it was re-assuring to be told that equal research and development cash is dished out for

both sexes. R&D cash has also gone into projects such as producing a proprietary chamois pad, which unlike the competition’s offerings, sits on the outer side of garments. Again, the firm suggests

that judgement of this approach is best reserved until in the saddle.

So all of these quirky design features must have some performance advantages, right? Well yes, in short garments using the firm’s Effektor technologies claim to give a ten per cent performance boost, delivered via a

seven per cent reduction in lactate production, a 2.4 beats per minute slower heart rate and 50 per cent less heat build up. Add to that a 20 per cent faster recovery time and the claims are too bold to not peak

curiosity, particularly if your customer is regularly competing at a high level. Interestingly, these stats come from the Verona University, not X-Bionic’s own R&D lab.

In a coordinated effort to drive customers to stockists, the brand is expected to score coverage in several mainstream and cycling

press publications, including GQ, SquareMile, The Telegraph, Cyclist, ProCycling and many more.

With that in mind, the entire catalogue is now ready to be shipped to UK shores in two days direct from the Italian factory where each garment is hand checked prior to being packaged up and sent on its way.

“I think one thing to stress about X-Bionic and the beauty of having our own factory, is that we are reactive to stock. We do not make product for others meaning we are always in stock,” concludes Thackary.

Dealers are offered packages that will include manikins and point of sale that’ll effectively show off the partial-compression gear, among other items.

For UK sales contact X-Bionic UK via email at [email protected]

“With no outside label production we’re quickly reactive to stock shortages...”

Inside the incredible Verona factory

OXFORD PRODUCTS


HIGH VIS gear, super-high vis gear, reflective trims, lights for frames, wheels, spray-on glow-in-the-dark reflective paint… there’s a growing arsenal of innovations and products coming to market that are designed to ensure cyclists are seen on the road. Created to boost safety and peace of mind – and to try to make cyclists visible to even the least-attentive motorists out there, the growing sector is packed with choice with a few products shining out as different from the rest of the pack.

The Commuter X4 rear light from Veglo is amongst the newest and first came to our attention last year.

It was in April 2014 that the Commuter X4 was singled out in

the inaugural British Inventors Project and showcased at the Gadget Show Live of the same year. It might have ended up a runner up to the top prize, but it helped the device come to the trade’s attention and since then the Commuter X4 has been picked up by trade distributor Oxford.

Veglo was founded by Ed Ward, with the inspiration for the light coming after he was knocked from his bike from behind and thrown into the middle of a four-way junction. Designed to maximise visibility, the central light is flanked by four red fibre optic strap lights which not only provide better back and side visibility, but are independently controlled from the

main light, so riders can set different flash patterns for maximum visibility.

As you’d expect the pack is water resistant and USB rechargeable. Handily it boasts a fairly unique and adaptable fitting system that means it can be worn over clothing or even fitted to a backpack (typically up to 35 litres). The main light itself has five modes and up to 70 lumens of light output. The fibre optic strap lights have three modes of operation and come with silver reflective straps. Running time ranges from 3.5 hours to 20 hours depending on mode. For more details on the Commuter X4 or the POS options available to dealers, contact Oxford Products.


CITRUS-LIME

All set for summer?

The season is in full swing with bike shops chock full of new gear. Grant Hadwin, head of sales and marketing for Citrus-Lime, tells Jonathon Harker how the firm can help keep summer running smoothly for retail…

THE TRADE is moving to its busiest season. What has Citrus-Lime got up its sleeve to help? Not fulfilling orders is a sure way to upset customers and lose revenue. Citrus-Lime’s understanding of cycle retail enables us to build systems that support the retail process from start to finish. Our customers use our Supplier Integration Module (SIM) to ensure stock availability is live, providing customers with accurate delivery times and also easily identifies when to restock. Our retail management system is also designed to ease the distribution of products, enabling fewer staff to work more efficiently. Our systems work in conjunction with MetaPack ensuring deliveries are guaranteed on time. It also allows for upselling to premium delivery options so there’s more flexibility to customers and a better margin for retailers.

With summer being so busy, marketing is easily overlooked. Can Citrus-Lime help there too? With the continuing popularity in biking, summer is certainly a peak time for IBDs. Our Cloud Reporting

supports this and identifies where and how customers are spending. Cloud Reporting can help with driving your marketing decisions, such as ‘who brought what and how’. Indeed marketing can be easily overlooked, however it is necessary to harness the surge of shoppers during this time. We offer key marketing services such as managed Google shopping campaigns, monthly newsletters,

web affiliate marketing, SEO and remarketing. We recommend our managed Google Shopping as the first and most important marketing service as it can produce huge ROI of immediate effect.

Remarketing campaigns are a particular focus, our experienced design team produce attention-grabbing banners that build and reinforce the brand. Used correctly

these can be very effective, after all for a large purchase such as a bike the customer will often think about the purchase and revisit the site later to make the purchase.

Can you explain how Reports can help over the busy season? As you know we’ve launched Cloud Reporting, a series of reports directly relevant to the cycle retailer. The stock turn optimiser

and seasonal buying planner are two reports particularly relevant over the busy season. These look at how quickly stock turns and achieves profit. The reports are designed to assist you to identify which brands work best for you and generate the best achieved profit during the season, enabling you to react quickly to make decisions whilst demand is there. These

reports can also be filtered by department, category and channel to provide the information you need. We have two versions of Cloud Reporting; the Professional Licence and the free Dashboard version. Existing customers should call us for their access and log in.

And more distributors have signed up to your Supplier Integration Module? In the last few months we’ve signed up Extra, Mojo, Raleigh and so many more to join the list of 24 core industry suppliers. SIM is our dynamic link to suppliers with live stock level updates, product details, codes and prices. This means easier management and creation of products on the website and in-store, saving shops time. Also worth a mention is the stock check function, used to drive sales it is incredibly important and unique to Citrus-Lime. The integrated suppliers are so much easier to deal with, it really makes a difference to retailers and suppliers. Citrus-Lime is pioneering the technology in cycle by streamlining the supply chain. 01229 588 628

Whilst riding out at Grizdale Forest, Grant Hadwin and the team discuss whether they can see their houses from here

“Not fulfilling orders is a sure way to upset customers.”Grant Hadwin, Citrus-Lime



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SPIN LONDON

Spin cityAs if urban cycle show Spin wasn’t unusual enough already, it has openly stated it isn’t looking to grow indefinitely, but instead to refine its engaging, alternative experience. Event founder Alex Daw explains all to Jonathon Harker…

SPIN HAS CARVED out a niche as as one of the most quirky bike shows around. Despite being substantially larger than it was at launch in 2013, the organisers are not planning to grow Spin indefinitely, planning instead for the eclectic show to broaden its appeal further.

The first step in the process has been re-locating the show at The Sorting Office in New Oxford Street. Event founder Alex Daw fills us in: “We always set out to create the most accessible cycling show experience. The East End is great but has a very definite crowd that are very budget focused. There’s also limited space for bikes to ride and park. By moving to an easily accessible West End, we are able to invite and attract a much broader audience from in and around N,S,E and West London and beyond.

“We are trying to appeal to a more mainstream audience in an accessible way so have invited more established brands like Rapha, Brompton, Canyon and

Passoni alongside our usual mix of eclectic international brands and smaller innovative start-ups.”

Spin’s move is in keeping with a show that has been keen to try out new formats, as Daw explains: “Spin London this May marks just two years since the first event.

Since then I have experimented with several venues and formats as well as ‘spin-off’ events such as the collaboration with The London Coffee Festival and recent Craft beer festival at Christmas.

“The first show was in a basement in The Truman Brewery with around 40 exhibitors, we are now in a venue around five times the size with 100 exhibitors on show. There’s no intention to keep

going bigger, rather create a truly alternative, engaging cycling consumer experience.”

This time around Spin London has a revamped Art Hub format amongst its quirky offerings.

“We have always featured art, so are now curating this and housing a

mini art fair within the event. We have screen printing and peloton painting workshops as well as loads of great art and illustrations on display and for sale from some really talented creators. We also have the makers lounge which houses talks and workshops featuring London Craft Week and Frame-building live with 14 Bike and Tom Donhou, Martyn Ashton, Eileen Sheridan – 91 year

old female cycling legend – and special guests plus loads more.

“We also converted the basement of the sorting office into a sub-level test track where riders can test the latest bikes.”

Spin London 2015 will also include a celebration of frame makers: “The Hall of Frame is something I have wanted to try from the outset. This year we are looking to house between ten to 20 frames and suspend them in a one off installation. We really aim to try and showcase the finest frames and builders we can get our hands on at each show.”

As this mag lands, Spin London is mere weeks away from its Central London debut, but before it kicks off, Daw has a few words of thanks: “Thanks for sticking with us over the last two years, we appreciate the support of the industry and all of our exhibitors past and present. If anyone is interested in coming to the show as an exhibitor in future or as a visitor please get in touch.”[email protected]

Spin London takes place at the Sorting Office, New Oxford Street, WC1; from May 8th to 10th

“We always set out to create the most accessible cycling show experience.” Alex Daw



SMS INC

There’s a statistic deficit in the cycle trade, something SMS INC are trying to remedy. Jonathon Harker speaks to Kevin Burton, Cycling Business Manager for SMS INC, to see how close we are to knowing how big the market is…

FOR THOSE not in the loop, what is SPORTS MARKETING SURVEYS INC hoping to achieve in the bicycle market? We are hoping to mirror what we have achieved in our other core sports like golf and tennis, by helping the industry – brands, venues, event organisers and federations – understand the market in order for them to make insight-led decisions to enable successful and long-term development. There’s a lack of data in the trade, so we simply want to work with the business to allow the sport to continue to evolve.

How’s it going so far? Since we last spoke we’ve made good progress, working with a large cross section of cycle brands, from bike manufacturers to clothing brands, each requiring unique understanding of their sector.

SMS INC has a service called “The Shipment Programme” that many leading bike brands are now participating in, which gives them a vast amount of detailed information on the market, and their share.

We also have been very successful with our latest Participation Reports with many brands using this data to establish

who is taking part in cycling, along with why, how and where. We ran this study in 21 different countries, allowing brands to develop a varied portfolio based on their understanding of the contrasting cyclists around the globe.

Where we have probably been most pleased is helping brands with specific issues and doing bespoke projects for them – these have resulted in some new strategic

approaches for the brands in question, and this is very satisfying for our team here. Of course we still have other research programmes that are in the early stages of getting to market, but it’s exciting to see the interest they have already generated.

Have there been any unforeseen challenges to getting the data? The issues are similar to those we faced when first operating in sports like golf and tennis, so the

challenges are simply educational and operational rather than around the process. Justifiably, sensitivity of data has been an obstacle to overcome in terms of “The Shipment Programme”, so we ensure that a NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement) is in place to protect both parties.

Also many brands and cycle companies do not have a budget for research, so this is a case of

helping them recognise the power and potential that data offers to their business, and the ROI.

As we have previously said, research forms the foundation of development and policies around the world in all industries and cycling is not any different. Instead of merely speculating on a marketing plan, our research offers hard data to maximise growth.

When the reports are running, will the only way to get to see

the full statistics be if you are a contributor of data? This depends on the type of research or report. For example, The Shipment Programme is only available to brands that sign up, and partake in it; this particular example will give the brands information on total market share including value, units, ranking, average price and percentage change, along with yearly trends across all categories. Other investigations such as our Sportive Equipment Census are available to anyone who wants to understand what brands and models (across all categories from bikes to group-sets to shoes etc.) are being used by sportive riders.

Can you share any titbits of data? We have some very insightful data from syndicated cycling research we’ve already conducted. For example, our Participation Report showed that in the UK we have just over 8.7m participants which equates to almost 17 per cent of adults in the UK having cycled at least once in the last 12 months.

Alongside this kind of research we conduct bespoke studies for individual brands, and companies that has uncovered some profound results – which obviously can’t be shared – but has offered better understanding allowing these clients to adapt, and be among the most innovative in the industry.

Are there still companies you are trying to reach but haven’t yet? We have a strong network of contacts, but yes as cycling has been the boom sport, there are a multitude of companies (not just the brands) who we have not yet spoken to.

There are so many cycling related companies with whom we are working with, for example insurance companies who require intelligence on the cyclist’s opinion on their policies, to governments and local authorities who are looking for help with regards to cycling infrastructure. This shows the diversity of our services, and so the list of companies we could reach, and be of benefit to, is vast.Find out more at sportsmarketingsurveysinc.com or contact Kevin Burton, cycling business manager at: Tel +44 (0) 1932 345 539 [email protected]

“The list of companies we could reach and benefit is vast.”Kevin Burton, SMS INC

KEEPING TRACK OF THE STATS


INSPIRINGGRASSROOTS

View 360 ̊images of the complete 2015 Dawes Academy range at: www.dawescycles.com

ACADEMY 20 ACADEMY 24

The British Tri Trust aim to use the engaging sport of triathlon to encourage children to become more active, not only improving their health, but also developing their social skills, increasing self esteem and nurturing good habits such as commitment, discipline and respect. Over 17,000 ‘active days’ were delivered in 2014 and their invaluable work continues into 2015 with support from Dawes Academy bikes.

With our range of bikes we hope to inspire a whole new generation of cyclist’s, be it for competition or general health. Go online or instore to view the full Academy range, including our latest eye-catching colour options.

Dawes CyclesDiscover Your World

ACADEMYROAD 650C


Safety and design combined to create a seat for the most important passenger.

ZENITH RELAXHAMAX

CARESSHAMAX

C O L L E C T I O N

NEW!

• Seats to fit almost every bike• Exciting new models for 2015• Comprehensive range for every need• Multiple carrier bar options• In-store POS available

Contact your Zyro Account Manager for further details.

20years

celebrating

1995 -2015

Also available with frame bracket

With rack adapter

RETAIL ONLY

IT WAS 2009 when BikeBiz last took a proper look at the state of salaries in the bike business. Looking back to the magazine article, the then sub-editor’s pull quote of choice at the time read “57 per cent stated their salary does not cover living expenses.” And little wonder when 48.4 per cent of the 324 respondents placed their earnings under £20,000 a year. 21.1 per cent sat under just £15,000 annually.

The key change to any staff benefi ts since then will of course be the addition of mandatory pensions. Back in’09 just 21.6 per cent of the pool enjoyed a contribution.

In response to a jaw dropping Independent headline last month, in which it was claimed that not one High Street retailer pays the Living Wage at present, I asked around the industry. First port of call – the industry’s chain stores. Turns out it’s true, not one of the big chains is paying the Living Wage and judging by email responses, they’re not keen on discussing the topic either.

One positive discussion came from the Edinburgh Bicycle co-op,

which, given the nature of the business, often does manage to give staff a bonus that takes wages above living levels – this does of course ebb and fl ow with business performance, but in recent times has tipped pay over the non-London minimum, we were told. Further digging on the subject did turn up

positive results for both Brompton and most recently, IslaBikes.

There will surely be others who haven’t declared themselves a provider too. It is, however, staggering how low some industry salaries remain. The coin has two sides, sadly. Many businesses will struggle to pay a decent wage without a history of consistent growth.

Consider this, however; the main reason cited for a potential change of job in the near future in our survey was overwhelmingly fi nancial strain. Skills are worth investing in, as are the people who possess them. The old adage ‘worth their weight in gold’ is as relevant now as ever. One proven, skilled and reliable staffer is worth many times that of ten idle workers.

Is there something that could be done to improve life for one of your hard working staff, fi nancial or otherwise? Such a gesture will often work wonders for morale and be rewarded with loyalty.

RETAIL STATS

NEW PRODUCTS:A round-up of some new cycle products available this month.

p59

STORE OFTHE MONTH:

p61

ELECTRIC BIZ:

E-industry newsp65

SECTOR GUIDE:

Women’s goodsp69

SECTOR GUIDE:

Nutritionp73

OPINION

[email protected]


THE SILENCE IS DEAFENING

APPS: Sales made through apps now account for a third (33%) of all retail spend on mobiles

DEVELOPING: Despite the above statistic, only ten per cent of retailers offer a shopping app at present

THE TRADE’S GUIDE TO SOURCING STOCK, UP-AND-COMING IBDS AND THE VERY LATEST PRODUCTS

“Not one High Street chain is

paying the Living Wage.”

33%

10%


RETAIL ONLY

This month there are new sticky tyres, tyre sealants, tri shoes and summer jerseys.


NEW PRODUCTS

ENDURA FS260-PRO SL Direct to retail: 01506 497749

Summer’s here so if you’ve yet to stock up on those fast-wicking garments that’ll see riders comfortably to the pub and back, check out Endura’s new FS260-Pro SL jersey.

Developed alongside both Oli Beckingsale and the University of Kent, the jersey’s results are said to deliver a

15 per cent reduction in heat build up on a simulated alpine climb at 30oC than a key rival jerseys, and at a mere 85g (size medium) it is a lightweight number too.

The jersey is cut with an athletic fit and features a minimalist, low weight triple rear pocket construction.

FLR F-121 TRIATHLON SHOE Bob Elliot: 01772 459887

Joining Bob Elliot’s gradually growing triathlon product stocks, the F-121 is a great option for the entry-level rider at £59.99.

Designed for fast pit stops, the two-strap closure design sports an open tongue for ventilation and large heel pull for easy entry.

The sole is stiffened via an injection fibreglass, while a vent port at the front will provide effective colling. Two non-slip side panels are included to give the rider stability when on their feet.

WETHEPEOPLE STICKIN TYRE Cycling Sports Group: 01202 732288

Following the success of the brand’s Grippin and Feelin tyres, WeThePeople is to introduce the Stickin, a new 2.3 and 2.4” width performance BMX tyre.

Using a specially designed shape and specific rubber compound, the tyre is designed to stick to all

surfaces, yet enable a rider to grind without getting their tire stuck on the side of the rail or ledge. Expect stock to land with Cycling Sports Group during early summer.

W&S N08 TYRE SEALANT Dianomi: 01865 245 463

You may have read about Dianomi’s latest brand addition on BikeBiz.com earlier last month, but for those who missed it, it appears Wickens and Soderstrom are bringing a unique lubrication and tyre sealant catalogue to the trade.

Developed with industrial chemists, the new sealant’s

formula works with or without inner tubes and is non-drying, so will last the lifetime of the tyre. Capable of sealing holes up to 6mm, the solution weaves a fibre filler when exposed to air and pressure, filling the hole. And the label claims this sealant is fitable with a track pump.


Nuts, unsweetenend fruit & almond oil, that’s it! COLDPRESSED & HANDMADE

CLEAN CYCLING FUEL great for pre and post ride. Visit www.primalpantry.com

Our selected distributor is COMPLETE SPORTS NUTRITION

For wholesale offers and sample requests please contact [email protected] or call 01753 362282

Suits you,cyclist!

NESTLED BETWEEN numerous BBC offi ces and other big business we arrived to a bustling Velorution, full of fresh curiosity and loyal custom alike. Despite the undoubtedly higher overheads, W1 is a great postcode for a retail business in London. The footfall is largely affl uent, creative and happy to broaden their horizons – a perfect fi t for a bike shop specialising in arriving in style and comfort on one’s own steam.

With so many high profi le organisations in the area, it’s no coincidence that Velorution counts David Beckham, Russell Crowe and Derren Brown among its past customers.

“Stephen Fry even popped in to browse recently,” an enthusiastic staffer tells BikeBiz as we browse the unique catalogue of bikes, blazers and trinkets. London artist and friend of the shop James Straffon pops by to sample one of the store’s fresh coffees, now delivered out front on the decking via a custom designed Pashley Barista Trike.

Straffon’s cycling art is both displayed and sold via Velorution, adding an extra dimension for those with lives that are embedded in cycling.

“We like to offer the whole cultural experience,” says Gretta Cole, Velorution co-owner. “You’ll have spotted that we also sell a range of Hassleblad cameras and the reason for that is that we like to offer our customers

a truly immersive urban cycling experience. We’ve covered the A-to-Z of riding in style, from own brand tweed jackets, to artwork for the home. We enjoy strong sales with own brand goods. Thanks to an innovative team of designers, we were able to respond to what we saw as a gap in the quality leather

cycle shoe market, so we launched our own.”

As seems to increasingly be the case in cycle retail, Velorution has set itself up to be a destination store for brands and often labels totally exclusive to the business in the UK. There’s brands we’ve never heard of, brands papped by BikeBiz cameras on the other side of the globe and numerous one of a kind builds. Everything has character

and curves. Every bike above a certain price point is as unique as the last, but why?

“We travel the world to fi nd these brands,” says director Conrad Lewis. “We’re just back from Taipei with a few fresh ideas. Often we’re approached by labels who understand the Velorution business

and want to be involved. Quality is always our priority when choosing which brands to carry.”

It’s noticeable too, with a healthy smattering of British-made goods, plenty more sporting the simple, quiet and effective belt drive – something for which the store has become a specialist – as well as some of the most practical rides you could possibly own in the city. Vanmoof Bikes, for example, are rarely seen in the UK, but with integrated dynamo lighting and security, such a bike is a no-brainer for London. There’s a wealth of folding bikes too, from Strida and Airnimal to freshly added exclusive Ori, a brand designed by ex-Formula One engineer Jon Whyte.

“Quality is of paramount importance, but that doesn’t mean we’re all about getting from A-to-B as fast as possible,” says Cole. “We’re huge fans of everyday cycling and doing so in comfort. We’ve a deep range of stock carried simply to allow the rider to arrive in comfort – that’s very important if we’re ever to grow

“We offer the whole cycle culture experience, extending as far as art and cameras...”Gretta Cole, Velorution

BIKEBIZ.COM BIKEBIZ APRIL 61

Widely recognised as London’s answer to urban cycling in style, Velorution is on the brink of something big. Mark Sutton talks to the team about an expansion into Selfridges, unique labels and magazines…

STORE OF THE MONTH

64 BIKEBIZ APRIL BIKEBIZ.COM2

STORE OF THE MONTH

cycling in the UK to Danish levels, for example.”

Cycling for transport is central to the Velorution ideology, so much so that the branch is in regular contact with London’s key cycling Tzars – even bagging an interview with Andrew Gilligan for the launch issue of the store’s own magazine. Yes, you read that right; Velorution has its own self-titled magazine, now onto its third issue and serving not only as a platform to assist Velorution’s customers, but also as a platform to advertise the store’s brands.

The magazine aside, the store has also scored strong press coverage for its rather unique catalogue, something Cole believes has helped drive footfall.

“We never stand still. The creative side to our business is what makes us interesting. Many of our smaller brand partners approach us because we have a fantastic reach through our magazine, newsletter and our constant press coverage showcasing our fabulous products.”

It’s a strategy that’s working, with Cole telling BikeBiz the business is doubling turnover year-on-year.

When asked what the greatest challenge facing cycle retail was at present, the answer was, however, far from the standard complaint.

“It’s keeping up with demand,” said Cole. “The market is growing at an astonishing rate, so many people choose to cycle and we are really proud to be part of that.”

STORE INFO:TELEPHONE:0207 148 5572

EMAIL:[email protected]

WEB:www.velorution.com

TWITTER:@_velorution

LOCATION:75-77 Great Portland Street, Marylebone, London, W1W 7LR

CUSTOM COLLECTIONS: Among Velorution’s stocks you’ll fi nd own brand jackets, shoes, coffee cups and much more, as well as artwork from James Straffon

OPENING IN SELFRIDGES

NOW OPEN at 400 Oxford Street on the lower ground floor of Selfridges, Velorution has launched what it calls an Urban Cycling Store – the only one of its kind in the iconic London department store.

Exclusively found within the 110 square metre branch will be brands including Montana Gold Bike, Maserati Bike, Rizoma Metropolitan Bike, Randonneur Furntiure, Paul Smith 531 clothing, Velorution Lumatwill Tweed Jackets, Edige Leather Helmets, James Straffon Artworks, Velorution Vintage style leather Shoes and Pashley Clothing.

In addition to its range of bicycles Velorution will be showcasing some exclusive bikes at Selfridges, including a €36,000 gold bicycle adorned with more than 11,000 Swarovski stones and a luxurious Python leather seat.

www.james-straffon.co.ukwww.velorution.com


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

0845 1661983 www.greyville.com [email protected]

An extensive selection of mid range parts and accessories well priced to off er excellent value for money and good margins for dealers. Available for next day delivery on our easy to use B2B ordering system.

ABE-21501Acor External Bottom Bracket

(Shimano® Compatible)

ABR-21504Acor Hydraulic Disc Brake Set

ASM-21501Acor 1.1/8” Reuseable Ahead Plug

For Carbon Steerers

ABS-21506Acor Replacement Caliper Brake Inserts

For Alloy & Carbon Rims


ELECTRIC BIKES

UK-made e-bike sights export market

£180,000 spent to establish new facility in Britain that will be able to turn out 10,000 electric bikes a year

UK-MADE bikes tend to enjoy a strong export market and e-bike fi rm CycloTricity is planning to tap into that after moving production of its electric bikes from the Far East to the UK.

It has recently completed its fi rst full assembly line for its full range after a year long process of setting up facilities, machinery and processes to turn its Aldershot premises into an assembly factory.

Whilst many of the components in the bikes continue to be selected and bought from suppliers around the world, CycloTricity has taken the step of manufacturing some key components in-house with the help of small British engineering fi rms, moving the assembly process closer to a deeper level of manufacturing.

The new facilities required an initial investment of £180,000 to set up and can be expanded to have a production capacity of 10,000 bikes per year. Although, the target for this fi rst year is only 3,000 bikes, the company hopes for large growth judging by what it says is “the undeniable shift in the e-bike market over the last few years”.

Rami Akily, managing director of CycloTricity said: “There is

a misconception that ‘Made in Britain’ always comes with a premium price tag, which is true in the majority of cases. But in certain circumstances, it could actually be quite the contrary. We Brits are far more effi cient in manufacturing highly technical and ‘clever’ products. The more technical and intricate the product is, the more effi cient we tend to

be at controlling its build process, which eventually translates into a reduced price tag compared to outsourced manufacturing that’s only remotely managed, or sometimes mismanaged.”

CycloTricity has a young management team of eight and intends to take its Made in Britain range to the wider European market. Their fi rst overseas branch was set up this year in Malmo, Sweden to cater for the

Scandinavian market. Plans are in place to replicate their export model in Germany, Italy and the Netherlands as a next step to make room for a British-made e-bike in those countries.

“We knew that relocating our production to the UK made sense. And although we knew how to make it viable theoretically, getting the process to manifest

itself practically was harder than fi rst anticipated. One challenge we didn’t anticipate for example was how diffi cult it would be to hire the right skill set. It turns out that Britain is full of very talented engineers and bike mechanics, but due to the lack of factories here, the experience of running a functional production line was hard to come by. As a result, we had to design and optimise our own process from scratch. This took

quite some time, research and a lot of trial and error.

“We eventually managed to implement a very well structured process where we train new mechanics to seamlessly fi t within the assembly process. They are trained to a level at which they can even run their own production line at some stage in the future if they so wished! We are incredibly proud to have perfected this process and help bringing the manufacturing skills back to Britain.

“That said, it wasn’t all full of challenges. We also had a number of pleasant surprises. Since we do a lot of the research and development ourselves, we benefi tted from signifi cant tax savings for our R&D efforts. That is a great incentive for us to carry on developing more and we are now embarking on building our own crank drive motor made from parts 100 per cent engineered in the UK.

“We also realised the prototyping and engineering process is much smoother and more effective done here in the UK. With the advent of 3D printing and other rapid prototyping techniques, we can get a proof of concept fairly quickly

“Prototyping and engineering is much smoother in the UK.”Rami Akily, CycloTricity

Sponsored by


CycloTricity aims to prove e-bikes can not only be designed, but also built from the ground up in the UK


ELECTRIC BIKES

NEW DRIVE systems and plus-sized tyres are among the innovations promised for the bike sector at Eurobike this year.

The organisers said the “quickly growing” e-MTB sector will see more manufacturers climbing in, including the forthcoming announced mountain bike version of Shimano’s STEPS. According to ‘insiders’ Shimano has had to produce a particularly shake-proof mount for the battery system for the MTB variant of the STEPS system, which will be optimised to

work with the 11-speed Shimano gear systems. Like Shimano, Bosch is revamping its existing systems and has a new special MTB variant of its drive system for next year.

Eurobike takes place from August 26th to 29th 2015 at Friedrichshafen. This year for the fi rst time there will be a Media Day preview for Eurobike, hosted at the end of June in Kirchberg, Tirol, which are incredibly likely to feature e-MTB systems for trial.

without having to design and re-design costly moulds.

“And it turns out that there are plenty of small engineering fi rms in the UK that will machine parts in various different specialities, so partnering up with a few of them to improve some of our components was a delight compared to doing such intricate work offshore.

“Electric bikes have traditionally been riddled with technical problems for far too long. The quality control process has always been a struggle for manufacturers having their build process in the Far East, especially for those with a long supply chain and too many parties involved. Not only does this add to the retail price of the end product, but quality issues tend to slip through the testing phase and only appear in the fi eld when a customer is riding the bike.

“Problems such as dysfunctional

motors, dying battery cells, connection short circuits and other mismanaged issues throughout the outsourced build process. This is the case in both the upper and lower ends of the market to varying degrees.

“We are determined to change

that for good by providing our customers with bikes that have been assembled under our own watchful eye.

“Manufacturing in Britain is of course not for everyone given the usual challenges of high labour costs, scolding business rates and

employer taxes. But in certain industries where the product needs a concentrated level of quality control throughout its production stages, there are in fact enough advantages in taking onboard more in-house and still neutralise the added costs.

“CycloTricity is the only team of designers, engineers and mechanics that has taken the leap into proving this to be the case. We are now superseding the quality of most electric bicycles, and can in fact even compete with the readily imported electric bikes from the Far East pricewise.

“We are hoping that we can lead the way and be an inspiration for other companies to at least consider such a shift in thinking,” Akily concluded.CycloTricity: 01252 757 368; www.cyclotricity.com

Eurobike promises e-MTB innovation

Sponsored by

Shimano and Bosch are both expected to reveal new e-MTB products at Eurobike ‘15.

CycloTricity’s UK production line



Cycling must not be an effort, cycling should energize you! Contact our export department to get Royal Dutch Gazelle on your shop floor! [email protected].

www.royaldutchgazelle.co.uk

Visit us at the UK # 1 ycle Show in Birmingham 24 - 27 sept 2015.Birminghangh

THE FINEST

QUALITY

LIFESTYLE

AND E-BIKES

since 1892.

THE FINEST

QUALITY

LIFESTYLE

AND E-BIKES

since 1892.

WOMEN’S GOODS

JUNGLE PRODUCTS 01423 780 088

For those riders looking to broaden their horizons, Jungle Products is able to supply several Juliana female specifi c builds and frame kits.

Frame only prices begin at £2,799 for a Rubion, Furtado or Joplin base, with build kits beginning at £5,399, £3,099 and £2,999, respectively.

MADISON: 01908 326000

Lazer has been busy refi ning its women’s catalogue and the MOI range is the result of some careful thought.

At the top of the range there’s the Cosmo on the road front. This lid features technology such as T-Pro temple protection, which offers the rider greater coverage on the sides of the head. Ventilation is a priority too, with the rider kept cool and comfortable via deep ventilation channels. A medium helmet weighs in at 225 grams and the Cosmo will cost £199.99 at retail.

AVOCET 0161 727 8608

At the entry-level of women’s cycling, Avocet offers the Viking Girondelle road bike.

Built around an aluminium chassis with tailored female geometry, this rig is one for jaunts out into the countryside, with ample mudguard clearance offered, alongside space for water bottles.

ZYRO: 01325 741200

Designed by the label’s female design team riders, Altura’s catalogue continues to make use of the Progel formula.

Utilised on the £19.99 Synchro mitts, this women’s-specifi c garment carries palm padding and a silicon palm print to boost grip. The mitt is strapless, opting instead for a blend of stretchy material, so it’ll simply slide on and off with the assistance of silicon cuff tabs and fi nger pulls. In addition, these mitts have micro-suede sweat wipes and refl ective details for low light visibility.


Wonder Women

With women’s participation in sport and everyday cycling surging, chances are your

customer base may be shifting. Mark Sutton looks at a handful of casual and performance

goods tailored for the female rider…

FEEDBACK FROM THE SPORTIVE SCENEOver four-fi fths of a sample of 2014 female sportive riders owned two or more bikes

Over one-third had owned their ‘competition’ bike for a year or less

The average expenditure on their competition bike was

£1,395

(Source: SPORTS MARKETING SURVEYS INC.)

WOMEN’S GOODS

TREK 01908 282 626

Fine tuned for female racers, the Trek Silque platform packs in the tech and begins at just £1,400.

For long days in the saddle, the Silque sports the IsoSpeed decoupler, a feature that doubles vertical compliance. Then there’s the WSD ride tuned frame, available customised to the rider’s dimensions and with a geometry that is stable at speed and confi dence inspiring.

IFIVE: [email protected]

Now in stock with iFive distribution is the 2Toms portfolio. Designed to make long stints exercising as pleasant as possible, the fi rm has developed a female-specifi c Sport Shield product.

Designed to deliver skin protection and comfort, the formula creates a glossy barrier that will vastly reduces friction until washed off. Ideal for triathletes, Sport Shield for her is sweat and waterproof, won’t melt, is fragrance-free and is easily applied via a roll on.

VAUDE: 01665 510660

Built for the British summertime, Vaude’s Tremalzo rain jacket is a lightweight 2.5 layer garment intended to be thrown on in the event of a sudden downpour.

At £115, this rainjacket boasts eco-credentials in its production, choosing a minimum of at least 90 per cent environmentally friendly materials. Technically it’s a performer too, with venting under the arms, waterproof zips, two sternum pockets, adjustable cuffs and bottom hem, as well as refl ective detailing.

RALEIGH: 01773 532600

With Manchester-made Lusso among its stocks, Raleigh has a strong selection of women’s cycle clothing on offer.

A highlight of the jersey catalogue at present is the Layla, available as a long or short sleeve. At £50, your customer will take home a jersey with full frontal zip, Lusso’s SC9 Gripper around the hem, three rear pockets and on additional zipped storage spot. It’s an anatomically cut garment that’s machine washable and offers UV protection.

FAT LASS AT THE BACK

[email protected]

Fat Lass at the Back caters for ladies who want to complement their curves while in the saddle.

With designs that fl atter the average UK woman, the fi rm has designed both its cut and its colour palate to provide confi dence and comfort. The jerseys are also longer in the body, so cyclists have no need to fear garments riding up and exposing their curvy bits.

The unique sizing is based on bust, waist and hip measurements.

FISHER OUTDOORS

01727 798345

The public had spoken and Troy Lee has taken note. No longer are there fl oral or butterfl y clad designs all over the women’s catalogue. What the rider really wanted was Troy Lee’s classic styling, combined with a tailored fi t.

The Women’s Moto short and Skyline jersey are two of this year’s highlight pieces. The short sports refl ective detailing, two cargo pockets, a ratchet waist adjust system and a high-performance four-way stretch Spandex in the crotch area.



CUSTOM CLOTHING

CUSTOM CAPS

CUSTOM BOTTLES

CUSTOM MUSETTES

CUSTOM SOCKS

CUSTOM PHONEPACS

for more information visitwildoo.co.uk

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

[email protected] www.kineticbikebearings.com

Striving to improve the efficiency of your workshop!


ENERGY & NUTRITION

Fuel, ride, repeat

Bars, gels, tablets, powders and even protein mousses…there’s a host of nutrition options to energise your

customers with. Jonathon Harker eats his way through some of the options…

CHICKEN CYCLEKIT

01525 381 347

SiS has two core ranges: GO and REGO. GO contains energy powders, isotonic gels, energy bars and hydration tablets, while the REGO focuses on recovery protein powders and bars. As the UK’s newest supplier for SiS, Chicken has a host of deals for new and existing customers, with up to 50 per cent off, free POS displays and full SiS rep support and training. Dealers are encouraged to contact their account manager.

2PURE www.2pureb2b.co.uk

The idea behind Osmo’s Acute Recovery for women is to supply the body with the right nutrients after a training session to help start the recovery process. Osmo Acute uses two proteins to halt the catabolic response in the muscles, the brand says. That big protein hit works to shut down the breakdown effects of exercise with progesterone to increase the amount of circulating amino acids to promote muscle synthesis. There’s also a small amount of caffeine included to enhance the recovery.


FISHER OUTDOOR LEISURE

01727 798 345

The PowerBar Performance Smoothie 90g comes in three fl avours: Banana-Blueberry, Apricot-Peach (new for ’15) and Mango-Apple. Made of a minimum 65 per cent fruit purees they now deliver C2MAX, a 2:1 ratio of glucose and fructose sources. They have a smooth natural taste. Performance Smoothies are pitched as the ideal combination of the advantages of bars and gels: they are easy to swallow without chewing and a higher satiety feeling than PowerGels. This year sees an improved recipe with more carbs plus extra sodium to provide the same functionality as you have in one PowerGel.

EXTRA UK

01933 672 170

Clif Bar’s portfolio includes CLIF Bar energy bar, delivering nutrition for energy; CLIF Builder’s, CLIF SHOT BLOKS and CLIF SHOT Gel. Committed to delicious, nutritious food made in a way that’s good for people and the planet, Clif uses wholesome ingredients like organic rolled oats (between 15-18 per cent) in all of its products. In addition to using high quality ingredients, Clif steers clear of partially hydrogenated oils or high fructose corn syrup. Aiming to be more sustainable, Clif works to reduce its environmental footprint from the fi eld to the fi nal product, with fi ve equally weighted bottom lines: to sustain its people, brands, business, community and the planet.


210 x 13mm 280 x 13mm NEW 150 x 14mm NEW 210 x 14mm CRITERION 270 x 16mm

New Gold Sold Secure D-Available in mini & standard sizes

To place an order or to become a stockist please contact your Fisher Account Manager, b2b.fisheroutdoor.co.uk or call sales on 01727 798 345

Introducin

Master Lock D-LocksA complete range of Gold Sold Secure D Lock’s – now available


ENERGY & NUTRITION

MADISON

www.madisonb2b.co.uk

The distributor’s nutrition offering includes nuun, Science in Sport and MuleBar. The latter has come up with a cunning alternative while consumers are looking for something quick and easy to ‘top up the stores’ – the Nosebag. Available in two fl avoursome combinations, the Nosebags are full of healthy goodness and made from natural ingredients, packed in a compostable bag. The Fruit Avalanche is a mix of tasty super fruits, ideal for a fl avoursome energy boost, full of fruity carbohydrate goodness, with a tang of tartness. The Savoury Tamari nuts with Seeds includes nuts and Tamari-coated wild apricot kernels and seeds. This combo is protein high.

NUUN

www.madisonb2b.co.uk

The brand behind the original hydration tablet has an increasing number of fl avours available but has resolutely stuck to its hydration guns, meaning nuun hydration tablets are still focused on exactly that. The brand supplies electrolytes, so it doesn’t include sugar or carbs, and riders can independently manage their energy needs with their favourite choice, whether bars, gels, bananas, brownies or sausage rolls. Nuun replaces the essential electrolytes that get lost during riding and also through everyday activities, helping users to avoid dehydration, fatigue and muscle cramps. Madison brings nuun to the trade.

RALEIGH

01773 532 600

OTE is a relative newcomer to the sports nutrition market having launched a range of hydration, energy and recovery products in 2013. OTE’s products have been developed to offer a complete fuelling and recovery solution. Used intelligently and effi ciently OTE products complement the user’s diet to help them get the best results. Offi cial nutrition partner to World Tour Team Lotto NL – Jumbo, there are energy gels (blackcurrant is the latest), energy drinks (lemon & lime the newest), hydro tabs and energy bars.

HIGH 5 highfi ve.co.uk

The High 5 Race Pack (£14.99) includes a bunch of nutritional offerings put together with enough to see a rider through at least a four hour event. That pack includes High 5’s award winning EnergySource Sports Drink, the race proven EnergyGel and IsoGel, a scientifi cally calculated dose of caffeine and even a step-by-step nutrition guide for specifi c sports, distance and bodyweights. Individual product price is £23.03, so it should be a no brainer to sell in store.

High 5’s other offerings include its Zero electrolyte sports drink tab, with zero calories, light natural colours and no artifi cial colours or preservatives. Zero contains Vitamin C and fi ve electrolytes, including sodium, magnesium and potassium.

ENERGY NURITION


SECRET TRAINING [email protected]

Another new brand on the nutrition block, Secret Training comes from a former founder of SiS pioneer Tim Lawson. The range includes the Stealth super hydration drink mix powders that come in 14g packets. Offering an advanced hydration carbohydrate combination, they contain nitric oxide modulators to protect the gut and drive hydration with 20g of carbohydrate per litre. The sachets should be added to 500ml of water, shaken up and consumed – up to four sachets per hour during exercise as required. The range also includes isotonic energy gels.

ZYRO www.zyrob2b.co.uk

TORQ had a second year of success with Zyro, with sales up over 50 per cent and the dealer base up 30 per cent. Having nailed it with their simple Fuelling and Recovery systems, TORQ has turned its attention to the snack market and innovated with their Snaq bar.

Produced with Fairtrade cold-pressed (uncooked) ingredients, Snaq bars offer a delicious low-fat all-natural option for athletes and physically active people, to be consumed at leisure. Rich in natural micronutrients, containing maltodextrin, protein and dietary fi bre, TORQ Snaq bars are also gluten-free and suitable for vegetarians. And the fl avours? TORQ has cut no corners– from White Chocolate & Raspberry Fizz to Dark Chocolate & Orange, these are highly indulgent bars, without the guilty bit.

POWERBAR

www.powerbar.com

PowerBar’s Protein Plus 30% bar is now available in a new Jaffa Cake fl avour. These ‘building blocks’ for muscle growth and maintenance are ideal for consuming after exercise to deliver a high amount of tasty premium quality protein. It delivers Premium trisource Protein, a special mix of casein, whey and soy protein. Other new additions include a fresh tasting orange fl avoured Powergel Shots, delivering the same function as PowerGels with a scientifi cally developed combination of different carbohydrate sources. They are designed for before and during sport, are easy to portion and not too bad on the tongue either.

PowerBar is exclusive with Fisher Outdoor.

USN www.usn.co.uk

This is a new one on us: USN has launched Protein Mousse, an indulgent guilt-free dessert that is available in three fl avours, designed to help support the maintenance of lean muscle. High in protein and low in fat, USN Protein Mousse has been formulated to support the body with essential amino acids while users sleep. USN’s new Protein Mousse is packed with 15g of high quality dairy protein and since it takes longer for the body to digest and metabolise protein, more calories are burnt processing them. At £26.99, each tub consists of 16 servings and is available in Peach & Mango, Café Latte and Strawberry White Chocolate.


In association with

FROG BIKES Tel: 01784 557300 Web: www.frogbikes.com

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

HOTLINES EUROPE LTD Unit 17 The Loan, Viewforthbank Industrial Estate, South Queensferry, EH30 9SD Tel: 0131 319 1444 Web: www.hotlines-uk.comwww.hotlines-europe.com

I-RIDE 7-8B Mid Sussex Business Park, Ditchling Common Industrial Estate, Folders Lane East, Ditchling, Sussex, BN6 8SE Tel: 01444243000 Web: www.i-ride.co.uk

JUNGLE PRODUCTS LTD Unit 3, The Cedar, New York Mills,Summerbridge, HG3 4LA Tel: 01423 780088 Web: www.jungleproducts.co.uk andwww.santacruzbikes.co.uk

LEATHERMAN Aynam Mills, Canal Head North, Kendal,Cumbria, LA9 7BY Tel: 01539 729573 Web: www.whitbyandco.co.uk

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

MARA MEDIA Unit 5 Teach na Rosann, Annagry,County Donegal, Rep of Ireland Tel: 353 (0) 74 954 8935 Web: www.maramedia.ie

atg training

for your future...

ATG TRAINING - HEAD OFFICE Future Centre, Smeaton Close, Aylesbury,Bucks, HP19 8SZ Tel: 01296 737815 Web: www.atg-training.co.uk

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

BIKE SOUP 55a North Wharf Road, London, W2 1LA Tel: 020 72982784 Web: www.bikesoup.com

BOB ELLIOT AND CO LTD Unit C4 Binary Court, Matrix Park, Western Avenue, Buckshaw Village, Chorley, PR7 7NB Tel: 01772 459 887 Web: www.bob-elliot.co.uk

BUFFERA LIMITED Cranborne House, Cranbourne Road, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, EN6 3JN Tel: 01707 852244 Web: www.buffwear.co.uk

BTR DIRECT LTD 148 Portland Road, Hove,East Sussex, BN3 5QL Tel: 01273 205945 Web: www.btrdirect.co.uk

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

CUSTOM SPORTS CLOTHING LTD Tel: 07875 095 793 Web: www.customsportsclothing.com

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

CYCLEPLAN The Royals, Altrincham Road,Manchester, M22 4BJ Tel: 08000 92 92 68 Web: www.insure4sport.co.uk/cycleplan

proudly presents

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

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

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

EVOLUTION IMPORTS 27 Widmore Road, Bromley, Kent, BR1 1RW Tel: 0208 290 0807 Web: www.evolutionimports.

FAT BOY IMPORTS Unit 10, Weavers Corner, Hampson St, Horwich, BL6 7JH Tel: 07966 401165 Web: www.fatboyimports.com

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

If you’d like to find out more or require additional copies please contact [email protected] or call him on 01992 535647

DISTRIBUTION AND WHOLESALE

E-COMMERCE AND EPOS

EVENT ORGANISERS, HOSTING, HOLIDAY

AND HIREMANUFACTURERS MARKETING, PR AND

CONSULTANCYMEDIA AND PUBLISHING

ORGANISATIONS, CHARITIES AND ASSOCIATIONS

RETAILERS, WORKSHOPS AND

MAIL ORDER

SERVICES AND TRAINING

MAVIC Theta Building, Lyon Way, Frimley, Surrey, GU16 7ER Tel: 01276 404870

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

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

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

cc

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

PARKLIFE (HAVANT) LTD Unit 5, Butterick Building, New Lane, Havant, P09 2ND Tel: 02392 475895

PEAK DEVELOPMENT 2 Flanders Park, Hedge End, Southampton,Hants, SO30 2FZ Tel: 01489 796979 Web: www.peak-uk.com

POWACYCLE Akhter House, Perry Road, Harlow, Essex, CM18 7PN Tel: 01279 821243 Web: www.powacycle.co.uk

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

RED CLOUD MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS Delfan, Llangyniew, Welshpool,Powys, SY21 0JS Tel: 01938 810873 Web: www.redcloudmc.com

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

SCHWALBE TYRES UK LTD Schwalbe Centre, Hortonwood 30, Telford,Shropshire, TF1 7ET Tel: 01952 602680 Web: www.schwalbe.co.uk

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

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

SQUIRT Unit 10 Quadrum Park, Old Portsmouth Road, Peasmarsh, Surrey, GU3 1LU Web: www.in2dust.co.uk

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

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

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

WALKERS CYCLE COMPONENTS LTD 22 Holywell Road, Leicester, LE2 8SG Tel: 01162 833885 Web: www.walkerscycles.co.uk

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

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

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

The BikeBiz Directory 2015 is out now, providing the industry with a must-haveguide to the UK’s retailers, distributors, manufacturers and related businesses.

BikeBiz Directory 2015 is now available to view online at

www.bikebiz.com


COMMUNITYSponsored by

“I do love seeing a shopping basket in a bike shop. RT: Boost your basket spend...with baskets”@KingerStu (Stu King)

“@BikeBizOnline thank you all your support, having BikeBiz as a resource has been invaluable to someone new to the trade.”@MickeyCranks

“We’ve been voted in top 20 indie bike shops in the UK. Thanks all, we didn’t know we were nominated! #win”@bikeuk (Bike UK Bristol)

“Good news made public at last. @Cyclefi tUK to open 2nd store in Man-chester… Exciting times.”@tomstaniford

“Sorry to hear about your setback, @PurpleHarry – very well reasoned in-terview, good work #davidvsgoliath”@VeloVixenUK

“UKIP candidate talks of ‘discriminatory’ cycling spending...We need to design for all and enable more people to cycle.”@jdwohare (Jamie O’Hare)

@bikebizonline

BikeBiz is keen to publish your opinions, whether you send them via email, Facebook, Twitter, BikeBiz.com or post…

This month the lucky winner will receive a Commuter X4 personal

illumination system…

STAR COMMENT

Easter trading 2015:How was it for you?

IN THE bike trade, Easter is often seen as the beginning of the retail season for a combination of reasons: The sun is supposedly likely to be shining as spring gets underway, consumers have more time on their hands over the long weekend and parents will want to give their children something to do that doesn’t involve sitting on the sofa over the school holidays. And then there’s chance to shift a few of those Easter egg calories too.

So, how was Easter trading for our readers? We asked: “Easter 2015 – how was it for you?” in our straw poll.

The majority of our respondents (53 per cent) said sales were up on last year. The rest of the respondents were fairly evenly split between sales being about the same as last year and sales being down on last year.

One of our respondents told us that sales were up “90 to 100 per cent in March 2015 compared to 2014”.

Other comments included: “The weekend prior to Easter was very good for us, despite the poor weather. It was all about kids bikes!”

Another read: “[We’re selling] higher price point bikes but P&A is down.”

While logic might suggest that a good Easter shouldn’t really be any indication of the performance of the bike market across the rest of the year, it’s something we’ve heard anecdotally over the years in the bike trade. We’ve also heard that the demand for stock in Easter is now huge, so does the performance of Easter really have any bearing on the rest of the calendar month?

We asked: “Is Easter generally a good guide to how the rest of the year’s trading will go?” The respondents were split as evenly as possible, between ‘yes’, ‘no’ and ‘meh’. One survey taker pointed out: “Most of our customers are on holiday [during Easter], it picks up around one week later.”

So according to our results, the jury is well and truly out on whether Easter really is an indicator of a strong year ahead in the bike trade, but if it was then 2015 would be looking pretty encouraging. If you missed your chance to have your say email us at [email protected]

21.05% - Sales were about the same as last year

52.63% - Sales were up on last year

26.32% - Sales were down on last year

52.63%21.05%

26.32%

BIKES & ACCESSORIES

BIKES & ACCESSORIES BIKES & ACCESSORIES

The GPS Ally is more than just an app; it’s the centerpiece of our interactive GPS platform.

Using Bluetooth Smart technology, saved rides can be seamlessly synchronized to the app

from the Lezyne Power and Super GPS units and subsequently analyzed at the Lezyne Root

website. The app can also communicate with the Power and Super GPS computers, sending

notifications of incoming phone calls, text and/or emails.

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customisable display. Up to 100 hours of data is easily accessed. Cross-compatibility with

Lezyne GPS Root web site as well as Strava™ and Training Peaks®. SRP £109.99

BIKES & ACCESSORIES


MARKETPLACE TO ADVERTISE IN THESE PAGES PLEASE [email protected] OR CALL 01992 535647


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

BOTTOMBRACKETSOLUTIONS 33 integrated, CNC machined aluminium complete BB Solutions


MARKETPLACE

GPS Root is a user-friendly website created to organize and analyze ride and training

information. Data can be uploaded directly from any Lezyne GPS computer and then shared

(optional) on Facebook® or Twitter®. Examine route details in low, high or ultra resolution in

the map feature and view specific training informationfor comprehensive evaluation.



EXPOSURE LIGHTSNEW SPRING COMMUTER& POS DISCOUNT

Now available by contacting [email protected] or01798 839 300

COMPONENTS



ULTIMATE SPORTS ENGINEERING

available till the end of May for USE stockists.

(c) crankphoto

For information contact [email protected] or01798 839 300

BIKES & ACCESSORIES

BIKE FRAME LABELS & GENERAL PRINT

BIKES & ACCESSORIES

EPOS & ECOMMERCE

DISTRIBUTION


GIFT VOUCHERS, CARDS & PROMOTIONAL GOODS

MARKETPLACEDEALER MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS


WEBSITE SERVICES WEBSITE SERVICES

High-quality and ultra-reliable bicycle tyres and tubes, made in Europe

To find out more about dealer opportunities and pricing structure, or to arrange a visit from our brand specialist, contact the Rubena UK Trade Distributor

BIKE TYRESTORE FREEPHONE 0800 281 413, Email: [email protected] To place an order online, or open a trace account, visit www.biketyrestore.co.ukFor product information, visit www.rubenacycle.co.uk or www.mitascycle.co.uk

Rubena by Mitas has a tyre suitable for all disciplines covering road to MTB and everything in between, including the new and

revolutionary GAADI open-loop tube.

■ GREAT TRADE MARGINS ■ OVERNIGHT DELIVERY ■ ORDER VIA FREEPHONE OR ONLINE ■ AFTER-SALES TRADE SUPPORT

TYRES AND TUBES


RACKS


Profi ts, popularity and pilfering. We’ve got statistics on them all and more in our latest arbitrary plethora of facts and fi gures...

NUMBER CRUNCHING

£4.4MOperating profi t for Evans

Cycles hit £4.4m last year, up

70 per cent on the previous year

(£2.6m) thanks for “increased

sales and excellent cost control”.

Employee numbers are now at

1,179 (1,116 in 2013).

ONE WEEK; £7,000 New Leicester bike shop Ebikes had approximately £7kbike stolen one week before it opened, with two rare

Rotwild e-MTBs stolen.

OFF TRACKOFF TRACKRANDOM TITBITS, PROFILES AND STATISTICS FROM THE BIKE TRADE

Cycling is the third most popular sport in the UK, only behind swimming and running, with 18 per cent of the population partaking.(Source: Sports Marketing Surveys INC)

300From June 6th to 7th, Fort William will host

around 300 of the fi nest riders from 26 nations,

including World Champs Gee Atherton and Manon Carpenter.

£4MAll Terrain Cycles is

a growing bike dealer in

Yorkshire, employing 24 staff

and a recently completed £1m

investment programme, increasing

display stock to over 1,000

bikes. Turnover is £4 million.

(Pictured: Tony Booth and

daughter Natasha)

3RD © PIC CREDIT : Steve Fleming

OFF TRACK


I N A S S O C I A T I O N W I T H f i ’ z i : k

How many bikes do you own and where do you ride?Three: The Orbea Orca M20 – I’ve never ridden a bike with

such ride quality and it’s an absolute stunner too. I’ve also got

an Orbea MX20 MTB – it’s not too fl ashy but good enough

for a ride in the woods every now and then. Finally I’ve an

un-named Singlespeed. Living in York it’s essential to get

around town. My lock is worth more. And I’m a Yorkshire Boy

at heart so nothing beats riding through the North Yorkshire

Moors on a sunny day.

What’s your background in the trade?I needed some extra pocket money when I was 13 and it just

so happened that the local bike shop needed a Saturday lad

so my parents forced me into it. It all went from there. Then

I worked my way up and became solely responsible for all

things online sales-based. Time passed and I decided to join

the Zyro sales team. After they moved further north, I looked

for something closer to home so I ended up back in a shop

again, but my passion for the trade couldn’t be quite shown

to its full potential.

I wanted to be my own boss, and be responsible for my

own income. I couldn’t get that working for someone, and I

saw an opportunity to become a sales agent in the trade.

I’m currently area manager for Orbea bikes and Solo Cycle

Clothing. It’s been a quick learning curve as each brand has

needed a signifi cant amount of work to get things to a point

where I can start to shape them for the better.

And are you the youngest sales agent in the business?I’m pretty certain, and probably by far. Most other guys I’ve

bumped into have been out on the road since I was just a

kid. At fi rst, I was looked down on however I’ve tried to bring

in a fresh approach to the shops I deal with, and I’ve had

nothing but positive comments.

And you’re open to expanding your portfolio?I’m interested in having a conversation with any brand that

wants to work strategically within Northern England. Building

a brand strategically with a long term outlook is the most

stable form of growth [email protected]; 07926880660.

IN THESADDLEMatt Wrigley, North of England account manager for Orbea and Solo

BMX GOES BACK TO SCHOOLLast month’s UCI BMX Supercross World Cup in Manchester wasn’t just about the cream of international talent – Manchester secondary school students rode too after a competition on Manchester’s indoor BMX track.

55 budding BMX riders took part in this latest initiative from the National Cycling Centre (NCC) BMX

development programme. The students were selected after showing promise at in-school sessions.

National Cycling Centre BMX development coach Andy Akin said: “Schools development and a broad-reaching legacy programme is core to the future of BMX everywhere.” @BMXSuperX

X-RATED RIDES

The bike trade once again dreamt up some fi ne April Fools efforts (including Hope’s infl atable futureproof hubs) and among the highlights was this offering from Poole bike shop Ride. The kinky retailer unashamedly promoted its full range of lubricants, clamps, chains and leather and invited, er, punters to get dirty with them. For a MTB ride, of course. What were you thinking?


OFF TRACK

PLEASANT SURPRISES

Daniel Gillborn is director of Cyclescheme, the UK’s leading provider oftax-free bikes for work. You can reach him on Twitter @cycleschemeltd

IT’S BEEN well over a year since the cycle-

to-work guidance was clarifi ed regarding

joining the scheme without a bike (in case

that news passed you by, you are reading

this correctly; employees can now benefi t

from substantial savings on Accessory

Packages). During that time we have

been pleasantly surprised by the surging

popularity of these requests.

Our anecdotal research into what

motivates this new breed of Cycleschemer

to head in-store paints a straightforward

picture – many who invest in a new bike

simply ‘didn’t know what accessories they

would need’. This demonstrates that there

is clearly more initial work to be done on

thesales-fl oor; ensuring all new and returning

cyclists leave with at least a helmet, some

lights and a lock. However, with the advent

of Accessory Only packages retailers have

a second bite at the cherry and a chance to

help customers get all the kit they need to

commute through the seasons.

All the usual cycle-to-work rules apply

and stores need to be pragmatic in their

approach to allowable items. For example,

cycle computers remain off limits based on

the original HMRC guidance.

Riders do not need to have been through

the scheme before, the only prerequisites

are that their employer offers a scheme.

Their savings match those of the wider

scheme ensuring a minimum saving of 25

per cent. With Certifi cate requests of up to

£500, better margins and a new Accessory

Only process built into the Cyclescheme

website, isn’t it time you started raising

the profi le of this exciting (and tangible)

opportunity with your staff and shouting

about it with your customers too?

Daniel Gillborn, Director

Sponsored by the brands ofMoore Large 01332 274252

“The industry is delighted by this news and also thanks the UCI for the very

positive collaboration.”WFSGI secretary General Robbert de Kock praises

the UCI as disc brakes take a step closer to pro road cycling.

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

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WITH ZYRO? I’ve been with Zyro for nearly 20 years. I started

in October 1995 as an Account Manager covering

the South of England.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU WORKED IN THE BIKE INDUSTRY? I’ve been in the industry for 32 years – since

leaving school. I’ve done all sorts of jobs from

frame & wheel building to working in retail!

WHAT’S THE BEST THING ABOUT WORKING IN THE TRADE? It’s a friendly, enjoyable industry to work in.

Everyone shares the same passion for cycling that

I have, so it’s great!

WHAT’S THE BEST PART OF YOUR JOB?AND THE WORST? The best part of the job is working with such

fantastic products – it’s like being in a sweet

shop! I wouldn’t say there is a worst part to the

job but the most challenging parts are those that

are out of your control.

WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON AT THE MOMENT? Rob Noble recently joined our team as our

National Field Sales Manager so I’ve been

working with him to bring him up to speed on

everything. Our goal is to have a sales team

that can support our retailers and help them to

achieve their goals. I’m also working with the

Brand Management team so we can continue to

bring new products to the market.

HOW CAN THE TRADE GET IN TOUCH? That’s easy – you can contact me at andy.budd@

zyro.co.uk, give me a call on 01325 741200 or

fi nd me on LinkedIn.

TRADEACCOUNT

Andy Budd, Zyro

C Y C L E T R A D E R ’ S I N S I G H T


LAST WORD

IN THE early 1900s the French cycle-tourist Paul de Vivie – most usually known by his pen-name Vélocio – rode thousands of miles through the Alps on a bicycle equipped with a primitive form of rear derailleur of his own design. He chastised the pro peloton who struggled to climb mountains when he could do so easily, even with loaded pannier bags. “It is a timid Tour that avoids the true diffi culties,” he wrote in 1910 of the riders in the Tour de France, organised by newspaper L’Auto. “Why does it not go over the Galibier, the Izoard, the Tourmalet? Then one could see how good a single-speed bike is. L’Auto keeps simpletons in the belief that a single gear is suffi cient to go anywhere one desires.”

Tour de France organiser Henri Desgrange spat back: “True men don’t change their gears!” (The debate was carried in Vélocio’s Le Cycliste and L’Auto.)

That variable gears were clearly better didn’t seem to bother Desgrange or pro riders (mind you, they were forbidden from riding with gears). Consumers had better choice than the pros – Peugeot had road bikes with parallelogram derailleurs as early as 1935 but it wasn’t until 1947 that Coppi used Simplex gears on his road bike. Similarly, when Tulio Campagnolo patented the quick release skewer in 1930, and founded his eponymously-named bicycle component company, it took some years before the QR became standard equipment on road bikes. Technological improvements don’t get adopted by pros immediately.

Many still subscribe to the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fi x it” way of looking at life.

So, don’t expect road bikes equipped with cantilever brakes to become “old fashioned” overnight even if, as expected, the Union Cycliste Internationale fi nally okays the use of road disc brakes in the pro peloton.

That the UCI is very close to a decision was revealed at the Taipei show by the World Federation Sporting Goods Industry. The WFSGI’s “disc brake group” (made up of bike industry technology experts who want to sell disc brakes) have provided the UCI with technical data, test reports, and also feedback from some ProTour teams.

Accell Group’s Jeroen Snijders Blok, chairman of the WFSGI Bicycle Committee, said: “Very soon we can expect a decision by the UCI on when disc brakes can be used in UCI races. Whether

they will be be okayed to be used in UCI races that are taking place this year is not yet clear.”

However, it’s clear they will be ratifi ed soon. Just because they will become “legal” doesn’t mean they’ll be taken up with gusto by

ProTour teams. There are logistical hurdles given that neutral support vehicles will have to carry two types of wheels. And, if the best use of disc brakes is for descents, perhaps disc-brake equipped bikes will be used only for mountain stages?

Of more importance to you and I is whether being sanctioned by the UCI will make disc brakes something every roadie will want, leading to a profi table churn as weekend warriors switch to “modern” disc-equipped road bikes. Other cycle tech developments have shown us that this churn takes many years.

Clearly, if disc brakes offer performance benefi ts – and descending more quickly because of confi dence in the ability to stop in all-weathers is very much a performance benefi t – they will be eventually adopted by the pro peloton and thereafter by everybody else.

But the churn could take ten years or more and, if it does take this long, there would be little clear benefi t to the trade as the sales of new bikes would take place almost at the same time as the standard churn. (Hip-hip-hooray for carbon bikes as they are defi nitely more likely to be replaced every few years compared to steel or aluminium bikes.)

Nevertheless, change is good, and innovation always to be welcomed, a point expressed by Vélocio in 1911: “Make no mistake, uniformity is leading us directly towards boredom and towards routine, whilst diversity, even though it distracts us, holds our attention, our interest and the spirit of enquiry always on the watch. To change is not always to perfect, and I know that better than any others newly come to cyclo-technology. But to stand still, to sink into a rut, that is the worst of things for industries and for men.”

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“Just because disc brakes will be

‘legal’ doesn’t mean they’ll be taken

up with gusto by ProTour teams.”

Will road discs setthe tills ringing?With the UCI expected to ratify the use of road discs in pro races at any moment should we get ready for the sales damn to burst, asks Carlton Reid?


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