bikebiz #104 september 2014

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ISSUE 104 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

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The self-perpetuating myth

p29 & 30

MTB is playing second fi ddle to road cycling, but is part of the problem the bike trade’s expectations? BikeBiz takes a look at the positive signs for mountain biking

p13Awards Finalists

Cast your vote on who should win the cycle industry awards this year

p23CSG Bike Launch

We cover the new bikes from Charge, GT, Cannondale and the rest

p35Cycle Show Preview

Some of the highlights of the forthcoming NEC exhibition

p41Level the playing fi eldBikesoup explains how IBDs can compete online

p33Got you coveredAre you boosting your bottom line by selling cycle insurance?

p44Future visionWe speak to Recon’s boss who is behind the in-vision brand

p63Winter clothingWe round up apparel and refl ectives for the coming season

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

SEPTEMBER 2014ISSUE 104 @bikebizonline | facebook.com/bikebiz

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NEWS

BIKEBIZ.COM BIKEBIZ SEPTEMBER 7

EDITOR’SCOMMENTA CHANGE? BUT WHY?

WHY DON’T you have a redesign,’ they said. ‘It won’t be much work,’ they said. That’s not exactly how it turned out, as our designer could confi rm (if we ever let him speak), but yes, we’ve redecorated. Hope you like it.

Having had our own Mystery Shopper cheekily criticise the odd bike shop for being in need of a lick of paint, it really did seem like the mag was long overdue a spruce up.

Of course, redesigning the mag with our BikeBiz Awards and Cycling Media Awards around the corner, not to mention Cycle Show, Eurobike, Interbike and with the deadline for the BikeBiz Directory looming ever nearer, it might seem like choosing this time to redesign the magazine was evidence that the BikeBiz team is bordering on the insane, but no, I can confi rm it was…erm, all part of the ‘plan’. Honest, guv.

Whatever your business, a new lick of paint every now and then doesn’t hurt and inevitably ends

up chance to take stock of what you’ve got, and what you haven’t. What needs chucking out? How can we future proof ourselves?

Ideally, you evaluate and improve as you go along, rather than

just wait for a big revamp every now and then. It’s a fact that we should let our

inner three year-old out more often – you know

the one that always asks ‘but why’ about every bleedin’ thing in the

world. Why are we juggling all these wheel sizes? Why

are we updating that Twitter feed? Why

am I providing some incredibly obvious advice in this column? Should you have any thoughts

on the redesign, let us know at [email protected].

Why? Oh, put a sock in it.

45,000 HIT EUROBIKE

AS THIS magazine lands, around 45,000 bike traders will be returning to 100 countries from Friedrichshafen, Germany, as the super show winds down. Early fi gures said 1,280 exhibitors from 54 countries showed off their latest. Kona and Specialized were not among them.www.eurobike-show.com

The BikeBiz Awards 2014 take place on Wednesday September 24th at the Crowne Plaza Birmingham NEC, just a stone’s throw from the NEC exhibition hall setting of Cycle Show.tinyurl.com/bbawardstickets2014

WATERPROOF, breathable and windproof clothing specialist Sealskinz has signed up to support the BikeBiz Awards 2014.

Sealskinz is Event Partner for the cycle trade awards. The brand launched with its famous laminated sock, keeping wet out and warmth in, from which the range grew into hats, gloves and more, all based arounds its motto: “Whatever the weather, whatever the activity, our purpose is to enable you to go further, go longer, leave fi rst and return last.”

Marketing Manager David Richards said: “Sealskinz are proud to be partnering with BikeBiz on the 2014

Bikebiz Awards. The awards are a great showcase of all that is good in the bike trade and a chance to share ideas with like-minded people.

“2014 has been a stellar year for Sealskinz with the new rebrand now coming live, and we are really keen to help support the bike trade and work towards the continual growth of the cycling industry.”

Sealskinz joins Platinum Partner Cycleplan, Category Sponsor nuun and Event Partner Cycle-SOS in backing the BikeBiz Awards 2014.www.sealskinz.com

Sealskinz has the BikeBiz Awards 2014 covered

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @BIKEBIZONLINE

8 BIKEBIZ SEPTEMBER BIKEBIZ.COM

Moore Large B2B marks launch with offers

CMAs announce charity partner

A HOST of offers are available to bike shops as Moore Large launches its new B2B site –b2b.moorelarge.co.uk.

As well as ‘web-only’ one-day-only deals on certain lines at low prices, Moore Large is offering dealers incentives to promote use of the new website. Throughout the month of September every bike order placed via the B2B with a trade value over £1,000 will be eligible for a free Bumper 12” Sparkle bike.

Accessories orders will have a six per cent settlement discount applied when placed through the B2B in September. In addition, the distributor is offering free carriage on online P&A orders over £50.

Moore Large’s aim is to enable customers to place their orders at a time and place and in a way that is most convenient for them.

Built using dealers feedback, the site has a range of easy to use features: Dealers can save favourite

products and lists to make re-ordering as quick and easy as possible; alternatively dealers can skip browsing the site and quick order using part numbers or upload orders via CSV file. Visually the site is more appealing with multiple product images, zoom function and the option to view products in a list or grid format. As dealers often add

to their basket over a number of days and check out once they have a substantial order, the website notifies users when the stock level of an item in their open basket changes. Availability dates are also shown for out of stock items and back orders can be viewed.

There are more updates to come and Thomas Peet, a

Digital Media Executive, has been recruited to look after the digital marketing.

Moore Large customers have been sent new log-in details; if you haven’t received yours, contact Moore Large. Alternatively, for those who are interested but are not currently a customer, contact the sales team on 01332 274 252.

THE CYCLING Media Awards are proud to announce that the Specialist Print Writer award will be named the Steve Worland Award for Specialist Print Writer to commemorate the influential cycling journalist.

The Cycling Media Awards (CMAs) will celebrate talent and excellence in cycling journalism in this its debut year and we will honour the popular bike reviewing

legend for his contribution to the cycling world.

Steve Worland sadly passed away earlier this year at 58. He started writing for Mountain Biking UK in the early 1990s, before editing What Mountain Bike magazine. Later in his career he was a bike reviewer for road.cc and Singletrackworld.com.

The Steve Worland Charity is the Cycling Media Awards charity partner

for the 2014 event. The charity – steveworland.bike – is at present collecting funds for the building of a commemorative bench and to supply defibrillators locally.

The Cycling Media Awards take place on Thursday October 16th at The Bloomsbury Ballroom, in London.

You can find out more atwww.cyclingmediaawards .com

© Intent Media 2014 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.

Executive Editor: Carlton [email protected]: Catholic

Editor: Jonathon [email protected]: Highly questionable

Deputy Editor: Mark Sutton [email protected]: Ride to carvery

Design: Dan [email protected]: Stylistically aloof

Sales Executive: Carole Eagles [email protected]

Production Executive: Alice [email protected]

Publisher: Lisa Carter [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 would you describe your riding style, in three words or less?

“For dealers who add to a basket over

many days, the site notifies

of stock level changes as they

happen.”


NEWS

CYCLE SHORTS9,000 kids take part in TdF Go Ride tour241 Go-Ride Tour events took place to celebrate this year’s Tour de France. It is believed that 3,800 of the kids involved had never taken part in cycle sport beforehand.

Bike shop owner foils 4am raid attemptThe owner of Noah’s Ark, of Stroud, Gloucestershire, confronted four would-be thieves this month, blocking in the loaded getaway vehicle with his own. The four escaped on foot leaving plenty of evidence behind.

Kona quits EurobikeYou’ll not fi nd the Kona teepee or any of the brand’s bikes at this year’s Eurobike. It’s the fi rst time in 20 years the brand has opted out.

Team Sky and Frog Bikes linkKid’s bike maker Frog has linked with Team Sky to offer a line of children’s bikes emblazoned with the black and blue of the pro team.

Grimsby retailer invests £750,000 in ‘superstore’Having outgrown its Pasture Street address, Grimsby’s JC Cook has invested £750,000, 350 square metre superstore in Humberston.

Rusling takes on Tri Industry Association lead roleHuman Race Group CEO Nick Rusling has taken on the role of chairman at the Triathlon Industry Association.

Drover Cycles hit by theft£50,000 worth of bikes were stolen from Drover Cycles of Hay-on-Wye this month. Saracen Mantra Pro hardtails, Pyga OneTen 29ers and Merida road bikes are among the missing stock.

20,000 complete RideLondon-Surrey 100 Over 20,000 cyclists completed this year’s RideLondon-Surrey 100, with 60,000 plus taking advantage of closed road routes.

16 to 35

The most active cycling age group are those cyclists aged 16 to 35 years, who cycle on average once a week. Read more on SPORTS MARKETING SURVEYS INC on page 26.

MP Kerry McCarthy opens new Cyclelife store

LAST MONTH a new Cyclelife store opened at the start of the Bristol-Bath Cycle Path.

Opening soon after it was revealed that under-40s in Bristol are switching cars for bikes, the new Cyclelife store has taken over a former Carpetright store location, itself one of the former Victorian soap factories

on Straight Street, Broadplains and sits within Gardiner Haskins department store.

Cyclelife Bristol will stock a full range of cycling products including road, electric, leisure, kids and classic bikes, but also bikes from Haibike, Diamondback and Dahon, and accessories. Cyclelife Bristol offers

‘try before you buy’, courtesy bikes for commuters while in for repair, a recycle scheme where old bikes are exchanged for a ten per cent discount off a new bike, interest free credit and a coffee area.

Site owner Gardiner Haskins MD Shaun Butcher said: “Our business principal for Cyclelife is the right bike for the right discipline offering professional advice and excellent customer service. Our new location at the start of a cycling route makes it accessible with free parking to the many commuters that use the cycle route.”www.raleigh.co.uk

For breaking news visit:

www.bikebiz.com

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @BIKEBIZONLINE

“Our location at the start of a cycle route allows us to offer free parking to those using

the cycleway.”


OPINION

Could Urban Racing be the next big thing?

Why being a one-trick-pony is dangerous...

FACE Managing Director James Pope explains how the cycling events company is tapping into underground cycling with Parkour Ride…

How do you stand out in a crowded market? David Jesson, global marketing director for Sealskinz, explains how the apparel brand has tackled the issue…

TECHNICAL CLOTHING is a bit of a minefi eld. It would be unfair to claim ‘pigeon-holing’ a customer for hardware is easy, but it is a little more straight forward, with the lines of demarcation drawn. For each individual category of rider there will be half a dozen apparel and ‘soft accessory’ brands seeking attention. So how does one stand out?

Most brands try and fi nd a unique selling proposition (USP) to help them standout from the crowd. Technical advantage, heritage, brand personality (normally gleaned through sponsorship) are all popular ways to pin your colours to the mast. The focus tends to be on a single USP to shout about in an attempt to gain attention and credibility from the competitors.

However, at Sealskinz we are adopting a different approach. The ‘unique’ in a USP is a tricky one to claim and we feel it suits our brand and product to communicate the combination of factors that make our brand successful.

Does this dilute our marketing message? Probably. However, it does this give us a strong brand that can sit across the many categories. Every rider looks for a different key facet during a purchase decision,

consciously or unconsciously. At Sealskinz we need to appeal to

both ends of the spectrum. We don’t listen to short term sector trends; the rise of CX one year, the decline of gravity MTB, the continued explosion of road. Brands trying to jump on the bandwagon are going to make an incredibly hard life for themselves. We are playing the long game.

We recently re-branded. For anyone who’s ever undertaken a full re-brand you’ll know this is not a decision to be taken lightly. However,

it was just part of the process we needed to undertake to broaden our appeal. On a technical front we have always lead the way, but the brand may have been a little too

sterile and technical. Thus the new branding was developed to give us some ‘edgier’ appeal and has been carried through on all packaging, collateral, POS and marketing.

We are also recruiting brand ambassadors to give Sealskinz some personality outside the retail environment. We think it’s not enough to be a one trick pony and although some might say you can’t be all things to all people we certainly believe you can – at least – talk to the masses on their individual wavelengths.

IT IS hard to avoid cycling’s massive rise in popularity over the last few years. Popularity as an elite sport, an extreme sport, a corporate tool, and of course a hobby. Organisers estimated that crowds were as big as four million across the UK stages of the Tour de France, mountain and BMX cycling is at an all-time high, and we are seeing more and more cycling events popping up.

But what the media have not picked up on in quite the same way is the rise in underground cycling. The many grass-route tribes and communities of BMX, mountain and fi xed-gear bikes around the UK, but especially in London are also growing and developing at an impressive rate. Trendy, independent bike shops are diversifying into cafes and creating communities around themselves – most recently in London, Soho Bikes backed by former Mountain Bike pro Rob Warner. Local BMX clubs are producing National and World Champions – Peckham BMX nurtured National Champion Quillan Isidore and Tre Whyte and have just featured in a documentary on MTV.

Here at cycling events company FACE Partnership, being responsible for the Revolution Series and the

Jupiter London Nocturne, have given us ways to connect these cycling groups. It’s very rare that you see BMX, mountain bike and road riders all in the same place.

FACE see urban racing as the potential next big thing and have developed a concept from scratch that they believe has the potential to turn into the biggest worldwide extreme urban cycling event. Enter Parkour Ride. Different tribes of cyclists pitted against each other in a race against time through city car

parks. The inaugural event will take place on October 4th in the iconic Tobacco Dock in London.

This is a gutsy event and it is a real dive into the unknown for

us. It has certainly not been easy to create a concept from scratch. What’s been encouraging is that riders from the worlds of BMX, MTB and road have already signed up to race despite the untested format.

“Despite my 20 odd years of biking (trials/BMX/and now MTB) I’m relatively new to racing, only having raced one downhill and one enduro” said Alex from London. “I fi gured Parkour Ride could encompass all the skills I’ve picked up in the past and put me in good stead (famous last words) to do OK”.

“Riders from all disciplines are signing

up despite the untested format.”

“We avoid listening to short-term sector trends. We play the

long game...”

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BIKEBIZ AWARDS 2014

AND YOUR FINALISTS ARE…The BikeBiz team received more lobbying emails from you than ever before. Thanks to one and all for lobbying. Without further ado, and based on those nominations, here are the 2014 BikeBiz Award fi nalists…

INDEPENDENT BIKE DEALER(FROM OUR TOP 20 IBDS 2014)

CHEVIN CYCLES, OTLEYThe busy Oltey retailer has opened two stores this year, creating 15 new jobs and space for more product. Bike Fitting has been key and Chevin was nominated a Breeze Female Friendly Bike Shop.

CRITERIUM CYCLES, EDINBURGHOffering Trek Project One, weekly rides and more, Criterium prides itself on appealing to novices and newbies alike, with well-trained knowledgeable staffers.

JE JAMES CYCLESThis large IBD has invested in refurbishing stores to appeal to the growing women’s market and is experimenting with manufacturer-specifi c areas.

RUTLAND CYCLINGA packed event schedule, a vast demo fl eet, courtesy bikes, car-free test tracks…and that’s not all. Rutland has scored awards from Total Women’s Cycling and works with schools.

SIGMA SPORT3,000 sq ft of retail space and a reputation to die for, Sigma backs a clean inviting shop layout with a range of services like bike fi tting, and own events like the Triathlon 2014 Launch Evening.

WHEELBASEA vast showroom, stocking 600 bikes over 16,000sq ft makes Wheelbase stand out, as do its free bike washes, showers and changing rooms for customers.

SPECIALIST RETAILER CYCLE SURGERY

Cycle Surgery aims to offer new cyclists and enthusiasts alike plenty of options, with an expanding retail empire and offerings like the regular Women’s Evenings.

EAST COAST CYCLES, HULLCommunity events is something East Coast Cycles is good at. From a three year shop anniversary Rollapaluza celebration, to weekly ECB Belles rides and more.

EDINBURGH BICYCLE CO-OPA revamped own brand range (Revolution), a second shop in Edinburgh and increased service centre capacity, the co-op supports the Edinburgh Festival of Cycling.

EVANS CYCLESThe retailer now runs a ‘customer satisfaction’ Net promoter score every week. Recent highlights include a trade-in offer and ‘For the Odd Ones’ campaigns.

ILKLEY CYCLESFormerly known as JD Cycles, Ilkley Cycles this year relocated to bigger and better premises after 20 years in the trade, with a shop that is ‘raved about’.

PENNINE CYCLESTake advantage of the Grand Depart? Pennine did, getting its dotty yellow bikes on stage with

the deputy PM and a photoshoot with Christian Prudhomme.

VELORUTIONThe famous shop is still famed for pushing the boundaries of urban cycling, offering new products to the market ‘like nobody else does’.

MAINSTREAM RETAILER HALFORDS

Targeting customers before they come in-store, Halfords has been responsible for eyecatching ad campaigns, putting cycle retail well beyond the niche.

DECATHLONThe UK Decathlon empire is steadily expanding, with a widely respected own cycling brand, B’Twin, and bicycles under the same roof as 70 other sports.

GO OUTDOORSAnother mainstream retailer growing its cycle presence, not

least with an expanding line of own brand

bikes.

COTSWOLD OUTDOORNow

straddling a number of sectors,


You decide who gets their mitts on a BikeBiz Award

NEED TO KNOWPlatinum Partner Cycleplan, Category Sponsor nuun and Event Partners Cycle-SOS and Sealskinz are backing this year’s cycle industry awards.

The BikeBiz Awards 2014 take place at a new venue, on Wednesday September 24th at the Crowne Plaza Birmingham NEC, just a stone’s throw from the NEC exhibition hall setting of Cycle Show.

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BIKEBIZ AWARDS 2014

Cotswold has moved beyond camping to include gear for cyclists and other activities.

STARSTORE

(NOMINATED BY MYSTERY SHOPPER)

BIKE DOCTOR, RUSHOLMEThe busy local bike shop serves the nearby community. Termed warm and friendly, Bike Doctor provides bike fitting, great products and great service through good and honest advice.

BLAZING SADDLES, HEBDEN BRIDGEThe generously sized shophas a community feel, a vast product range and, in short: “Everything a mountain bike-centric shop in mountain bike country should be.”

EDDIE MCGRATH CYCLES, URMSTONIts well sorted selection of products in its deceptively capacious interior garnered praise. We found the shop to be family-friendly and refreshingly down to earth.

HOLLOWAY CYCLES, ISLINGTON It won praise for its great, common sense store layout and detailed sales briefs from the sales staff, with the shop featuring a tailored line-up for commuters and students.

PEAK CYCLESPORT, MACCLESFIELDFound to be a modern shop with experienced and knowledgeable service, our Mystery Shopper was unequivocal: “This is how all bike shops should be.”

THE BIKE ROOMS, MANCHESTERThis boutique shop is still a shining example of bicycle retail, avoiding that aloof feel and staying friendly despite clearly stocking some top notch, dear gear.

WORKSHOP SERVICES

EVANS CYCLESA centralised workshop facility has doubled capacity and bettered lead times. The dedicated Suspension Service Centre is located in Kendal.

FINELY TUNED RIDEThe Devizes workshop is said to be all the ‘f’s’: flexible, first rate and fast. Finely Tuned Ride also provides with mobile support at races and events.

GREASE MONKEY CYCLESThis Edinburgh business offers free collection and delivery services. Courtesy bikes can be supplied and it also visits workplaces.

HAVEBIKEThis maintenance and bicycle fleet management company has grown to 50 staff in four years, responsible for maintaining Boris bikes, Police, Ambulance and Fire bikes.

MOJO SUSPENSIONThe UK’s only Fox authorised warranty and service centre, Mojo has been in the suspension game for almost two decades.

SRAM TECH CENTREThis Windsor workshop processes warranty and service and boasts eight knowledgeable staff, trained by in-house expert Scott Burris.

TF TUNEDOffering ‘great service as ever’ (as one lobbying email put it), TF Tuned offers expert service and repair, including setting up and supplying spares.

BEST RETAIL EVENT EAST COAST BICYCLES:

ECB KNIGHTSA packed event calendar sees East Coast Bicycles put on weekly fixed wheel rides for gents and ladies and themed oddities like ‘Lonely Hearts Club Valentine Rides’. No shortage of imagination here.

EVANS: ONE FOR THE GIRLSOff the back of women’s only Fixit

classes, Evans launched One for the Girls women’s evenings this year, featuring Q&As, talks and more.

HARGROVES CYCLES: QE CYCLE FESTThe six-store retailer runs QE Cycle Fest, a huge MTB demo day at Queen Elizabeth Country Park, now in its sixth year. It involves a full day of getting customers on new bikes.

JE JAMES CYCLES: TOUR WEEKENDWith Le Tour on its doorstep, JE James made the most of it with a weekend of activity across two locations, including kids cycle coaching and selling lots of bikes.

PENNINE CYCLES: PUT YOU IN LE SADDLEPart of the Bradford Festival, Pennine Cycles worked with other businesses to commemorate Le Tour coming to Yorkshire, including a virtual ride of the cobblestones.

RUTLAND CYCLING: MUMS AND TOTS RIDESThese rides, in partnership with British Cycing’s Breeze, run regularly and alongside the likes of senior cyclist rides, free weekly night rides and many more.

WHEELBASE: BIG DEMO WEEKENDEight years old, Wheelbase has the Big Demo Weekend down to a fine art, with 14 qualified MTB guides, 25 staff and over 250 people each day on 120 bikes.

IN-STORE EXPERIENCE CYCLE SURGERY

Cycle Surgery hosts free in-store events and runs a click and collect service that encourages customers through the door.

EVANS CYCLESBike fitting has been a focus, with all shop floor staff now trained in a basic road bike fit: SizeIt! Is a guarantee to fit customers to the right frame size.

HOOPS VELOTermed a ‘ground-breaking’ shop, the interior was put together with retail design agency Stamp Design and w.e hear reps have been taking pics when they visit.

SIGMA SPORTTipped as a ‘retail experience that’s hard to beat’ and a ‘great shop with really knowledgeable staff who always try to help’, Sigma Sport is famed for its customer focus.

SOHO BIKESShunning slat walls, Soho has reclaimed timber for its spacious, appealing environment, with an open plan workshop and café.

VELOCAFE, BRIGHTONA hub for good food and cycle repairs, bikes adorn the ceiling above those purchasing spares and cakes. Maintenance classes for beginners have been added too.

BIKEBIZ AWARDS 2014

ONLINE STORE ACTION SPORTS

Action Sports started back in 1991 and is based over in Germany, but the retailer is no stranger to UK customers, specialising in custom wheelsets and P&A.

CHAIN REACTION CYCLESCRC is – all together now – the Royal Mail’s biggest customer in Northern Ireland and has a reach that stretches across the globe.

EVANS CYCLESThe retailer has boosted online usability and freshened up the desktop site, while a new gift card solution can be used online and the mobile site has been refreshed too.

PROBIKESHOPProbikeshop started in MTB and now runs in BMX and road. It is supported by Swiss co-op Migros, offering more than 350 brands.

PROBIKEKITProbike is under the retail umbrella of The Hut. This road-focused site aims to provide everything from ‘Italian masterpieces’ to its own PBK branded items to over 100 countries around the globe.

SDJ SPORTSOne of the newer kids on the block, SDJ already has a 1.5m turnover business (which started Jan 2013). It runs weekly rides and ships around 1,000 orders a day.

WIGGLEOnly selling ‘goodstuff’, Wiggle boasts

a 30-day risk-free test on all bikes and free delivery to any address in the country. The ‘goodstuff’ mantra means only selling product it has no reservation recommending.

BIKE DISTRIBUTOR

CYCLING SPORTS GROUP UK One of the trade’s true one stop shops, CSG UK has a diverse range on offer with Cannondale, GT, Charge, Mongoose, wethepeople and the addition of Hoffman Bikes.

MOORE LARGENew bicycle director Paul Stewart oversees the cycle ranges. The new design, marketing and product team has reshaped ranges with appealing aesthetics, specs and pricing and geometry. New ranges inc Bumper, Barracuda and Cuda.

PALIGAPMarin, Cipollini, Ritchey, Tern, Mekk and Avanti all come via Paligap. Marin particularly has grown well – dealer numbers are up 100 per cent since Nov 2013.

SILVERFISHOn top of a year of high sales volume across the board, What MTB Magazine gave its ‘Trail

Bike of the Year’ award to the Mondraker Foxy R. Silverfi sh also saw increased sales with all brands, including Yeti Cycles.

SPORTLINEFrom home grown goodness in the form of Saracen, Genesis, Ridgeback and Rapide to Belgium’s own Ridley, Sportline has most bases covered for the UK market.

WINDWAVETaking on Transition Bikes, Windwave has seen pre-sale orders exceed all targets. Boosted by a new B2B website with live stock feed, Conago has been a stalwart for the Windwave bike line-up.

P&A DISTRIBUTOR

MADISONFrom Shimano to Go Pro, Lazer, Pearl Izumi, nuun, Thule, Garmin and many others, Madison supports the lot with show presences and in-house iceBike*.

MOORE LARGEKnog, Jagwire, Super B, Lake and Dare 2b are among the key names, and Moore Large has seen 85 per cent sales growth in P&A over the last fi ve years.

PALIGAPThere is CycleOps, Ritchey, Stan’s No Tubes, Fast Forward, CNP and Saris – Paligap is Saris’ number one distributor worldwide, and Paligap is the fi rst to implement a

Powertap Service Centre outside of its USA HQ.

SILVERFISH 2014 saw key brands such

as Race Face components, SDG and Formula joined

by new brands Supacaz and Ritte Cycles, further diversifying Silverfi sh’s offering into the road market. Easton Cycling joined in the summer.

UPGRADE BIKESUpgrade has seen big gains

with Lezyne in the LED category especially, as well as Reynolds wheels, X-Fusion and ISM. Upgrade prides itself on keeping brands profi table for IBDs.

WINDWAVEAs well as being BBB’s third best

customer in the world, Windwave also brings Dainese, FSA and Ice Toolz to the trade, along with Gravity, Vision, A2Z and Nokon.

ZYROFrom its new 100,000sq ft warehouse, Zyro brings Camelbak and many others to the bicycle trade. One year into representing Bell, Giro and Blackburn, Zyro won Bell’s International Distributor of the Year Award.

SPECIALIST DISTRIBUTOR BATRIBIKE

Their technical support has been termed ‘exceptional’ and boasts good product availability and a willingness to respond positively to unusual requests (they sent a wheel to a Spain campsite for one rider).

SEVENTIESGoing for the hat-trick, Seventies has tirelessly worked for the BMX sector, backing the grass roots and supplying the likes of Federal, Subrosa and Dub.

CHICKEN CYCLEKITCampagnolo, Cinelli, Columbus, Deda Elementi, Strada, Nalini, Tifosi, Vittoria… the Chicken Cyclekit portfolio includes some highly respected European manufacturers and top-end brands.

ELECTRIC BIKE CORPORATIONEBC is another e-bike specialist, bringing EBCO, D-Cycles and Bosch-powered Ave to the growing market. Aiming to hit everyone from commuters to those riding for pleasure, the ranges are complemented by KED helmets.

JUNGLE PRODUCTSBringing some high-end MTB brands to the trade, Jungle provides Santa Cruz and Juliana, plus Niner bike brands, as well as the very well received BOS suspension range.

BIKE BRAND

KINESIS UKWith success over a number of models in its Racelight, Crosslight and Maxlight (MTB) categories, the Racelight Gran Fondo Titanium recently scoring a memorable ti win


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BIKEBIZ AWARDS 2014

in Cycling Plus – and a frameset of the year victory from road.cc.

VERENTIWiggle’s own-brand road bikes were updated in 2014, and saw a seven per cent increase in sales. The five frame, eight model range hits commuter and winter road bikes among others.

HOY BIKESNow with 19 models, Hoy this year expanded into kids’ bikes, with an accompanying May half term tour starring Sir Chris. It has been a challenge to keep up with demand, Evans says.

CANNONDALETouted as one of the fastest growing brands in the premium sector, the brand saw its Synapse win the coveted Cycling Plus ‘Bike of the Year’ award as well as road.cc’s ‘Sportive Bike of the Year’.

GENESISAs we go to press, Genesis has just launched its first carbon fibre frame, entitled the Zero. The range has been refreshed visually, with a wider range for 2015.

GIANTGiant’s latest launches include the new Avail range, women’s-specific endurance road bikes as well as the 2015 Defy endurance road bikes, unveiled earlier this summer.

SPECIALIZEDSpecialized continues to attract attention, not least due to one Vincenzo Nibali. Recent additions include Diverge carbon models and the Demo 8 downhill bike.

TREKEschewing the model year, Trek has been releasing bikes when they are ready so that bike shops won’t have to discount stock to shift. Bringing Electra under its wing, the firm aims to offer something for everyone.

P&A BRAND EASTON CYCLING

Bars, stems, seatposts, a wheel manufacturing programme…Easton Cycling aims to provide a one-stop-shop for off or on road riders. There’s a range of prices to suit all levels and a full technical support programme in the UK.

GIROProving Giro wasn’t just about the helmets, footwear and apparel were something of a focus this year. Products like the Empire shoe helped, while Giro New Road gave the apparel sector a new option.

LAKEUnusually offering a complete custom fit service for road and MTB riders, Lake shoes are also one of only two cycle shoe brands that use the patented BOA system.

LEZYNE‘Work great, look great’ is the mantra. Pitched as a key mid-priced offering, with new features like Zecto-Auto and Macro-Duo, the range is backed with strong POS, shows and event sponsorships.

MUC-OFFA big year for Muc-Off: Now on sale in 66 countries and gaining road share, sponsorship runs across over ten teams in MTB and road in this, its 20th year in the biz.

RACE FACEThe revitalised range now encompasses hardgoods, softgoods and armour, with high performance MTB wheels and flat pedals as well as expansion of their bars and stems.

TORQTorq has over 400 POS units in UK stores and over 300 testing stations, getting customers to try it. Sales are up 64% year to date.

VULPINEVulpine’s growth has seen team ups with Sir Chris Hoy and House of Frazer, and sales growth up by triple figures (over 400 per cent in some areas of the business).

SALES TEAM CSG UK

With dedicated sales people for Cannondale, CSG UK’s core brands and Sugoi Apparel, the team boasts a long-established workforce with a long history in the company and in the industry.

FISHER OUTDOOR LEISUREThe internal and external sales force not only sell in stores and from Fisher HQ, they also attend launches, events and contribute to charities for a range of customers, dedicated to sustaining IBD business in the market.

MADISON/SPORTLINESharing operational facilities for pick, pack and dispatch, the dedicated Madison and Sportline sales teams have been bringing Saracen, Ridgeback and Genesis, and Shimano, GoPro and Lazer (respectively) to the trade.

MOORE LARGEThe internal sales team are supported with the B2B system, in-house shows and road shows, as well as support for dealers and their individual events. A Premium Brands roles have been created to boost service levels to customers.

PALIGAPHeaded up by sales manager Tony Rose, the team has eight territory account managers. Each of the five territories has an external and internal account manager, providing good contacts for IBDs on the road and in the office.

SILVERFISHOn the road and on the phones, Silverfish’s sales team are

passionate about cycling and supporting IBDs. An expanding on-road presence is supported by an internal sales department to make sure dealers not only get any questions answered quickly but also receive the support needed.

UPGRADE BIKESThe efficiencies of a new warehouse have helped an impressive 39.6% growth figure above last year. Further investment in the sales team was made with full time sales representative Mark Robinson joining last October. An additional five sales agents are backed by the in-house sales team. Ian Manning’s heads up the Sales Team.

ZYROSplit between the Peloton and Velocity divisions, the results of the sales teams has seen international awards from BRG and Camelbak, with a ‘putting the customer first’ approach to sales and the Zyro Sales Academy, training staffers and boosting their knowledge. Training for retailers is also part of the package.

MARKETINGTEAM DARE 2B

It’s been difficult to miss Dare 2b this year, whether headline sponsor of the Yorkshire Festival of Cycling, Sponsor of the Tour of Britain 2014 or sponsor of Cycle Show 2014.

EVANS CYCLESStarting the selling season early with ‘early bird’ marketing offers, the team has been pushing the tax-free element of its c2w offering in the national press, a cunning social ‘Odd Ones’ campaign and cleverly capitalising on their relationship with Sir Chris Hoy.

HOTLINESRider support is something Hotlines appear to excel at. We’re told they are ‘brutally organised and always happy to help’, going above and beyond. The Evolution newsletter reaches over over 1,000 dealers, Hotlines’ events presence has been considerable ramped up as have bike press launches.

MADISON/SPORTLINETeam sponsorship is an eye-catching consumer marketing


BIKEBIZ AWARDS 2014

strategy paying off for the companies, backed by a wide ranging ad marketing campaign pushed out through the press.

MOORE LARGEInvestment has seen ML’s marketing team grow massively, allowing the team to push products to consumers through events, PR, promos, ads, sponsorship, in-store POS and digital media, engaging with UK customers for their brands.

RALEIGHHaving modernised Raleigh’s identity with a new logo, site and ranges, the team has a wide team of brand champions, a gritty Militis campaign and pushes out products to thousands of people to test at events and PR days.

SEALSKINZIt’s been a big 12 months for Sealskinz’s marketing team, with a complete rebrand – a new logo, colour, tagline and identity – marking a fundamental shift for the company, provoking a rise in forward orders and a great reaction from consumers.

UPGRADE BIKESWhether at big public shows like Cycle Show or the London Bike Show or through print and online advertising, Upgrade’s marketing team have been pushing the likes of Lezyne, DMR and Kinesis to the consumer, targeting different sectors of cycling.

ZYROAn expanded marketing team has improved turnaround times while a radically updated B2C website has helped provide an

‘unfi ltered’ brand experience. A reinvigorated house show – Cycle Vision – is more convenient and valuable for trade customers, while POS has also been a highlight.

RETAILER SERVICES ACT

Looking out for the nation’s independent bicycle retailers, the Association of Cycle Traders links IBDs with fi nance options, cycle to work alternatives and much more. Representing the interests of thousands of cycle retailers, ACT also oversees the Cytech training and accreditation scheme.

BIKESOUPThe independent bike dealer is on Bikesoup’s hit list, calling on retailers to combine together on its ‘Rightmove for bicycles’ so they can compete with those heavy hitting online retailers and lure customers through their doors.

CITRUS-LIMEEPOS and ecommerce is a speciality for Citrus-Lime, helping bike shops introduce key features to their sites like click and collect and star buy, as well as a customer rewards module, which is a bit like Nectar points, increasing loyalty and returning customers to stores.

CYCLESCHEMEFrom running Cycle to Work Day

to operating the independent bike dealer network’s largest

cycle to work operation, Cyclescheme is also a member of the C2W

alliance and works with some of the nation’s largest workplaces to help get them out of their cars and into the saddle.

CYCLEWORKSCycleworks offers a wide variety of sectors high quality cycle parking, whether retail, schools, councils or workplaces. Cycleworks provides individual lockers, lockable shelters, multi bike stores or the slightly more familiar bike racks.

TRAINING ATG

ATG Training offers cycle training courses to mechanics and enthusiasts. Bringing Cytech levels one, two and three, the courses go into varying levels of technical detail, helping raise the industry’s standards of cycle maintenance.

BIKE-INNHeaded up by Alf and Teresa Webb, Bike-Inn has been teaching bicycle mechanics for many years.

BIKERIGHT!Bikeright offers cycle training, Bikeability, bicycle maintenance courses, cycle instructor training courses and more. Boss Liz Clarke was nominated for a ‘Outstanding Woman in Business’ Award.

CYCLEFITCyclefi t offers a wide range of bike fi tting services to riders and boasts two studios devoted to bike fi tting in London. Cyclefi t hosts the International Cyclefi t Symposium and runs presentations like the Cyclefi t Sports Science Series.

CYCLESYSTEMS ACADEMYOffering fl eet maintenance and mobile cycle repairs, Cycle Systems

Academy is probably best known to the trade for

cycle maintenance training courses.

EVANS CYCLESBringing the bike shows to

Evans, staff no longer miss out on education

and testing of new products as

the retailer holds Bikefest, now in its fi fth year.

CYCLING ADVOCACY ACHIEVEMENT

#SPACEFORCYCLING, LCCFor the local council elections in London, the LCC canvassed every candidate to support a specifi c action to create safe space for cycling, a huge task in itself, but resulting in half the candidates to support the campaign.

BIG PEDAL, SUSTRANS The pedal to school nationwide competition this year ran over a shorter period by request and saw a whopping 1,142,374 journeys made by bicycle or scooter.

CYCLE TO WORK DAY, CYCLESCHEMEAs if securing over 65,000 incremental bike sales a year for IBDs wasn’t enough, Cyclescheme has also launched Cycle to Work Day to encourage workplaces and commuters to think bike.

DONNACHADH MCCARTHY, STOP KILLING CYCLISTSMcCarthy is co-founder of cycling and road safety campaign group Stop Killing Cyclists. The new group has already achieved meetings with Transport for London and the Commissioner for Cycling.

JOHN MOSS, STOLEN BIKESStolen Bikes is a simple but hugely effective idea, sharing stolen bikes news to a big community within minutes, and a bike checker where you can check if a bike is stolen.

KIDS BIKE CLUB, HALFORDS30,000 children and parents attended free bike workshops in stores as part of the Kids Bike Club. Halfords has also worked with 12,000 pupils in their fi nal year of primary on looking after their bikes and safety hazards to avoid.

STU DAWKINS, SEVENTIESThe head of Seventies has been supporting the UK BMX for quarter of a century, running underground and mainstream jams sponsoring and guiding countless riders, and building Federal into a world player on the BMX scene to [email protected]


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> 01. CHARGEFor Charge the top-end remains largely unchanged, but where entry-level is concerned a few new options are now open to dealers.

For just £330, dealers can now offer a singlespeed specifi c Plug or Grater, the main difference being the choice of a fl at or bullhorn style bar. The head turner for many will have been the introduction of a £850 fat bike, making the category fi nally affordable to some of those waiting for a sub £1,000 bike to land. Last year’s higher-spec model is one of many to benefi t from a price drop, dipping £150 to £1,099.

Coming in at £1,399, the Plug 5 now carries SRAM hydraulic discs, while the label has also introduced a singlespeed version of the Cooker, retailing at £650. At the very top of the pile, the £3,000

Cooker 5 titanium is now specced with 1x11 gearing and comes kitted out with Avid’s new Guide brakes.

On the MTB front, everything now carries 29-inch wheels.

> 02. GTAnother label to benefi t from favourable currency changes is GT, where this year you’ll fi nd all off-road going models now sporting 650b wheels.

The big news from GT is the launch of the Grade line, touted as “an adventure road” series. With all frames taking at least a 35c tyre, the bikes are extremely capable on light off-road sections and towpaths. For the top two models in the Grade line, Stans specifi cally made a rim for the application that’ll accommodate up to 125 psi. Each model, of which there are fi ve

aluminium frames and two carbon, is specced with disc brakes.

The range topper is something worth a look for any casual or training cyclist spending semi-serious money. At £2,000 the Grade carbon interestingly has no rider weight limit, despite a frame weight of just 963 grams. There’s a clever little removable mudguard fender, which is just one of a few things this frame beats the competition too.

GT’s Patrick Kaye told BikeBiz: “We wanted to create something for the regular sportive or fondo rider with geometry that supports endurance. Through two years of development and seven revisions we’ve come up with a frame that uses high modulus carbon where it matters, but long strand glass fi bre cores for the seatstays. The result is a combination of comfort and performance.

There’s a large downtube running into a Praxis adapter specced PF30 BB, which irons out any concerns of premature bearing wear. The combination of materials has allowed us to fi ne tune the torsional rigidity.”

Elsewhere the new UK-orientated Helion is one to recommend to the customer who can’t make their mind up if they prefer light cross country or something a bit more aggressive. With 110mm of front and rear travel, the £1,699 build will withstand trail use.

Another noteworthy change is that the Sensor line now starts at just £1,500 with a revamped lighter back end on the frame.

> 03. CANNONDALEWith design infl uence coming from the World Cup courses, Cannondale’s new FSI Carbon 2 joins the catalogue, retailing at £2,999. Capable on the

With currency fl uctuations having had a positive infl uence on this year’s retail prices, dealers who checked in with CSG’s 2015 preview would have been pleasantly surprised. Mark Sutton reports on some of the key new lines…

The price is right

CSG UKSHOWREVIEW

Charge now have two fat bikes, with this one just £850

WeThePeople’s Helix freecoaster

01


short aggressive climbs and dicey descents, the rider’s weight has been moved further over the rear wheel thanks to 429mm chainstays. Despite the geometry, mud clearance is generous, making it ideally suited to the UK based enduro rider.

The Jekyll continues to evolve with four models available, spanning £2,699 to £5,299.

Built around the Fox developed DYAD RT2 rear shock, the frame offers 95mm of active short travel, as well as the full 160mm all with the fl ick of a switch. Another perk is the adjusted geometry, which makes it extremely simple to alter the chances of ascending or descending the next incline comfortably. The top tier two come specced with Cannondale’s SuperMax Lefty fork, which boasts similar rigidity to some of the market’s dual crown forks, but at a much reduced weight.

The Jekyll’s little brother, the Trigger, again uses the Fox RT2

platform, offering both 85mm and 140mm travel options. For money’s no object customers, the £7,000 Black Inc is well worth a look.

> 04. SUGOICatching our eye in a promotional video, Sugoi’s Zap jacket is as headturning as the marketing spiel may have you believe.

At £99 and in black, red or hi-vis yellow, the jacket looks like a fairly standard cycling jacket in plain light, but hit it with a fl ash of headlights and it lights up like a pixelated Christmas tree. In fact, the only part that doesn’t refl ect light is the zip. Spec wise, there’s internal mesh, a dipped tail and much more packed in.

CSG did suggest that on the back of demonstrations, this is one of Sugoi’s best performing pre-sellers ever, so get your orders in now to avoid disappointment.

There’s Zap shoe covers too at £54.99, which this year remove the

zip from the rear, choosing to make it more accessible on the outer side.

Commuter items aside, the RSX suspension short will be of interest to many, combining a trail short with a fi ve-point adjustable bib and BOA dial adjustable waist, all for £129.99.

The RSX jersey is another trail garment that’s expected to do well during the summer months. Using Icefi l fabrics woven with the same cooling Xylotol found in toothpaste, the cooling properties of the jersey are said to reduce body temperature by up to four degrees.

> 05. FABRICEveryone loves a Spoon. We’re talking about the saddle, of course, and we’re not alone, with OEM customers calling on Charge to make it available for their bikes.

That’s where Fabric comes in, with a specifi c pot of funds to develop its saddle technology. To begin with there’s a choice of the 134mm

wide Line, 142mm wide Scoop and 155mm wide Cell saddle. Each has a very specifi c role, with fl uctuations in certain curves tailored to stances.

The Line is the narrow option, designed for a slim body type and carrying a pressure relief channel. The Scoop’s role caters for the average body types among us, while the Cell better suits those with wide hips.

There’s more too, however, with the ALM providing an ultra light, Airbus engineered saddle that combines 3D printing techniques with alternative carbon lay up techniques. Those behind Fabric describe it as a world fi rst in saddle technology, with even the saddle’s rails tapered for comfort and fl exibility.

There’s a selection of (Rip) bar tape and (Lite) grips set to land with CSG in the near future too.

> 06. GURUWith Dorel having made what it calls a strategic investment in Guru’s bike

CSG UK

05

06

02

02

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fi tting system, CSG UK accounts now have access to the Fit Experience.

Paired with software that allows measurements to be taken in motion, the algorithm can quickly pair a customer to an ideal bike based on an extensive database of bikes. The dealer will be trained to adjust riding positions, while the built in power meter records the rises and dips in power output and other variables while the customer pedals away. Motion and video capture is also available and dealers will be able to offer a basic and premium fi t package.

> 07. MONGOOSEFirst on the minds of many who attended was to fi nd out what Mongoose has for the independent bike dealer now Halfords has access to the brand. Well the answer is a range spanning £199 through to £299, providing dealers with the entry level BMX bikes.

> 08. HOFFMANInto the mid-range and CSG UK has added the Hoffman catalogue, which for 2015 will start at £180 for an 18-inch wheel Imprint and hit various price points right up to the signature Ben Hennon bike, retailing at £339.

20-inch wheels start at £239.99 with the Immersion. Things really advance from the £300 Crucible, which upgrades the frame with a chromoly front end and fork legs, as well as a tyre upgrade. Integrated headsets feature on all bikes over £250.

> 09. WETHEPEOPLEFor the BMX rider after a freecoaster clad bike, WeThePeople has specced a switchable hub on the £499 Crysis.

For those buying in at the very top, the £899 Envy is an eye catcher, built with components from Eclat, including the new Stevie Chuchill signature Fireball tyres, as well as Eclat’s Blind freecoaster.01202 732288

CSG UKSHOWREVIEW

04

08


SPORTS MARKETING SURVEYS INC

CAN YOU give us some background to SMS INC? You are well established elsewhere…Sports Marketing Surveys is an experienced sports research business – and we work only on sport and leisure. We focus on servicing the sporting goods, sports lifestyle, sports facility and sports tourism industries. Working alongside major manufacturers, professional bodies, venues and tourist boards, Sports Marketing Surveys INC are leaders in understanding the sporting population; who they are, what they want and what needs to be done to appeal to them. We work internationally with Sports Marketing Surveys USA to provide a full service of investigation, insight and considered action for the sports industry.

We have a vast portfolio of research spanning over 30 years, and an impressive list of clients and partners. We work with brands such as TaylorMade adidas, Callaway, Titleist and Nike in Golf, with Babolat, Wilson, Head Sport in tennis, with Brooks, New Balance and Mizuno in running, and now in cycling with Giant, Scott, Specialized and Trek, to name a few.

SMS INC is planning to collate sales data from the UK bicycle industry – what information are you seeking?We are collating data for cycles and P&A; evidently this includes clothing. The cycle industry is hungry for robust, reliable research and data across all sectors, and accordingly many of the major brands have already signed up to the programme. We operate these research studies in many other sports markets, and so know that they will be just as commercially valuable and operationally viable in the cycle market to enhance business decision making.

What are the challenges to collating the data? The main challenges have been educational and operational with the brands, rather than challenges around the process. Brands want and need this information in order to maximise their growth potential – it is a case of explaining the value, and then ensuring they prioritise their support and involvement in a timely manner. We have a skilled team of research experts that have made the gathering and analysis of the data a simple process. Education has been key – and many brands now recognise the power and potential that this data can offer to their business.

Companies have tried to achieve this before, so are you confi dent you can crack it? Why?We have been in comparable situations, and faced similar challenges in the past with other sports, and through our knowledge and expertise proved its value. We are working in the same way in the cycling market. We have a dedicated cycle manager with many years of experience in the trade, supported by a committed team of leading sports researchers.

Why is the information important?The information will allow the industry to make strategic business decisions based on robust data. The cycle industry has recently experienced a boom, and in order to continue expanding we must better know the trends and factors affecting the different categories, and in understanding the consumer – “research is creating new knowledge”.

Any messages for the trade?We are here to work with the industry and to help cycling compete and grow in the leisure market across Europe. Gaining initial trust with the market took time – but now with several of the leading names in cycling as our clients, brands are taking note of what we are doing, and so are further exploring our knowledge and asking for more. It is great to see that the industry is responding, and is conscious of what research and insight can offer.

Why did SMS INC get involved in the market and how do you benefi t? We made a concerted effort two years ago to evolve cycling into one of our key sports and we subsequently appointed Kevin Burton who has over 20 years’ experience in the bicycle industry.

Through our international, multisport, participation projects we know the size of the cycle market, and its demographics, and the potential that the sport presents. We want to offer vital information to brands, and bodies, to enable them to understand the market place, and essentially allow the sport to continue to develop. You can fi nd out more about the business through our website sportsmarketingsurveysinc.com or contact Kevin Burton – our cycling business manager – directly at: Tel +44 (0) 1932 345 539kevin.burton@sportsmarketing surveysinc.com

“The cycling industry is hungry for robust, reliable research and data for its many

sectors. We’ve already signed with several of the major brands in order to further

our research...”

CHARTING THE MARKET

Sports Marketing Surveys INC is attempting to provide the bike market with some valuable accurate statis-

tics. Jonathon Harker asks cycling business manager Kevin Burton how the experienced fi rm is planning to

crack this diffi cult task where so many have failed before…

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Master Lock dedicates its passion for security and innovation to bike lovers. The CRITERION™ range is open to everyone, whether you are an amateur cyclist or passionate weekend rider ! Its special construction provides our highest level of protection against theft.Check out more on our website: www.masterlock.eufacebook.com/masterlockuk twitter.com/masterlockuk

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Master Lock dedicates its passion for security and innovation to bike lovers. The CRITERION™ range is open to everyone, whether you are an amateur cyclist or passionate weekend rider ! Its special construction provides our highest level of protection against theft.Check out more on our website: www.masterlock.eu

Speak to your Fisher Account Manager or phone Telesales on 01727 798345Visit

MOUNTAIN BIKE REVIVAL

NORTHERN IRELAND:TRAIL BLAZERNORTHERN IRELAND has just launched a ten year strategy for mountain biking with one key aim – to raise NI’s profi le as a world class mountain biking destination.

Benefi ting the local economy to the tune of £25 million by 2024, that strategy envisages fi ve new national trail centres, three new regional trail centres and six long distance rides, and that’s without mentioning Phase II developments in Rostervor, Castlewellan and Davagh Forest.

That ambitious target comes after a year that saw Northern Ireland open over 110km (almost 70 miles) of trails across fi ve locations. Over 100,000 visits were made to those new trail centres in less than a year.

So is Northern Ireland now the world’s fastest growing MTB destination, and set to remain so for the foreseeable?

Outdoor Recreation Northern Ireland (formerly Countryside Access and Activities Network) is responsible for this new decade-long strategy. BikeBiz speaks with the organisation’s own Chris Armstrong…

What has sparked this surge of interest in mountain biking in

Northern Ireland? There has always been a strong interest in mountain biking here in Northern Ireland with people for years travelling over the border to the Republic of Ireland or by ferry to Scotland in the search for purpose-built trail centres to satisfy their mountain biking urges. Even as far back as 2003, Dafydd Davis (Trails Wales) produced a report, endorsed by Joey Klein (IMBA), highlighting Northern Ireland’s potential to become a world class mountain bike destination and

from then Outdoor Recreation NI (formerly CAAN) has been working tirelessly behind the scenes to make this vision a reality. In 2009 the fi rst network of cross-country trails were opened on the private grounds of Blessingbourne Estate in County Tyrone and it was really the success of this initial compact trail centre that paved the way for the substantial development

of mountain bike trails across Northern Ireland in 2013.

How has the MTB community responded to the plans? Last year was an incredible year for mountain biking in Northern Ireland with over 110km of purpose-built trails opened across fi ve locations including Ireland’s fi rst offi cial dirt jump park in Belfast and much anticipated downhill trails in Rostrevor. Needless to say, these developments had been long awaited amongst the mountain bike

community who are now immensely proud of their own trails and enjoy now welcoming visitors to ‘their trails’ from the rest of the UK and Ireland. Of course opening fi ve trail centres in six months clocking up over 120,000 visits can create the feeling of ‘let’s keep going …where next’ and so we’ve had to manage and harness this enthusiasm through working with the local MTB

community to set realistic targets for the development of mountain biking moving forward.

You hope to bring international MTB events to Northern Ireland. What’s your timescale? Despite only being open eighteen months, Northern Ireland’s fl edging trail centres have hosted the mountain biking elements of the World Police and Fire Games, the Single Speed European Championships and the Red Bull Foxhunt as well as various Ulster and Irish XC and DH championships. With this experience already under our belt our aim is for Northern Ireland to host at least one European standard mountain bike event by 2018 and to host an event of International status by 2020.

Have you any fi nal thoughts to leave us with? The vision to make Northern Ireland a world class mountain bike destination will only be realised through a consolidated effort from public sector, private sector and the mountain bike community and we are really looking forward to driving this forward over the next few years. outdoorrecreationni.com

120,000 visits were made in six months to the new trails in Northern Irelands

“Last year was an incredible year for mountain biking in NI.”Chris Armstrong


Not content with opening 110km of purpose-built trails open across fi ve locations last year, Northern Ireland has plans to bolster its mountain biking credentials still further. Jonathon Harker hits the trail...


MOUNTAIN BIKE REVIVAL

Stooge aims to provide an easy way into mountain biking

ANDY STEVENSON lives in Oswestry, Shropshire. He has been in bicycle retail for the last 12 years, working back when MTB was “as huge as it’s ever likely to be,” says Stevenson. “Fast forward a decade or so, and of course Bradley Wiggins and the tour created a similar explosion in road cycling, which continues unabated to this day,” he rues.

BikeBiz is talking to Stevenson 12 months after he created Stooge Cycles. The fl edgling brand has so far produced one frameset – a rigid steel 29er with progressive geometry and twin top tubes – a frameset that Stevenson says is “a back to basics alternative with the best geometry in the game”.

In the last month Stevenson has sold twenty frames and found a number of outlets to take on his brand: Charlie the Bikemonger and Keep Pedalling in Manchester, and a US distributor that he shares with Singular Cycles, Colorado Speciality Velo.

“In the last 12 months I have gone from having an idea for a bike company, through designing a frame, getting a prototype produced by Maxway Cycles in Taiwan, to fi nally getting stock in one month ago.

“The feedback I have had from buyers has been 100 per cent positive. I’ve more models planned and I believe that the ‘simple’ MTB will see huge growth as riders look for something simpler and less maintenance-heavy. The bike’s geometry is truly forward thinking.”

When it comes to mountain bikes, Stevenson is not one to shy away from a strong opinion or two, believing that the industry-wide ‘road is king’ thinking is harming MTB prospects.

“I’m a dirt bike rider fi rst and foremost,” he tells BikeBiz, “but I love all avenues of cycling. My other place of work is a bike shop in Chester, a retailer that has all but turned its back on MTBs. In many industry circles it seems to be a common belief that MTBs are over, and in many cases I think it’s been self perpetuating. Shops no longer carry the stock as they want to spend their money on road bikes.”

In the race for innovation, the sector has become remote and expensive, Stevenson argues: “From my point of view, one of the real problems is that they’ve become so expensive and so technologically advanced that there’s no easy, or ‘cheap’ way in for younger riders without a lot of money. My own thoughts were also that bikes had got so good that riding was no longer a challenge, anything was possible within reason. So I deliberately set out

to design a rigid bike that was A: visually exciting, B: affordable, and C: more than capable of keeping up with the so called superbikes, but without the car level of servicing required for modern suspension bikes.”

That philosophy has been justifi ed by the results, the Stooge founder argues: “The feedback I’ve received from riders has been phenomenal. The bike is addictive

and incredibly accomplished across very technical terrain, in many ways more so than many full suspension bikes. It’s also designed to be extremely versatile and can be built up in many ways (with drop bars, for example). The bike has been particularly popular in the bikepacking scene, which is where old school MTBers seem to be hanging out these days, and is certainly a huge growth area.”

Recent retail experiences have only cemented his belief that the MTB market is alive and kicking: “I’ve just spent the last ten months working for One Planet Adventure in Llandegla and it convinced me that MTBs are far from dead. If anything, the money being spent on them is at an all-time high, but again, there lies the problem for me. But I think the last generation of mountain bikers grew up and then discovered road bikes. This latest generation of new cyclists on road bikes will move on and discover MTBs and the joy of cycling far from the madding crowd. Because they are used to simple, well-engineered machines, this new form of simplicity will appeal to them, as will the relative safety of traffi c-free tracks and trails.” stoogecycles.co.uk

“MTBs have become so advanced, there is no easy way in.”Andy Stevenson

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CYCLEPLAN

Got your bike covered?HOW HAS Cycleplan’s fi rst yearin business been?As a company, we’ve worked in sport insurance for 17 years and the take up of cycling insurance is unprecedented. We’ve certainly exceeded expectations and I think there are three main reasons for this: One, we spent a lot of time and effort researching the market and we think our insurance product hits the nail on the head. Secondly, due to the rise in popularity of cycling and, three, the increased amount cyclists are spending on their bikes and accessories. But we know we’ve just scratched the surface as the majority of cyclists still don’t have specialist cycling insurance.

Are most new bike purchases accompanied by bike insurance policies? No, most cyclists aren’t taking out specialist insurance. That’s because there’s an assumption they are covered by their home insurance and that’s often not the case. Yet, with one bike a minute being stolen in the UK it makes sense to take out a policy. It’s not

just the bikes themselves that need cover, but also accessories. Cyclists are investing more and more into equipment, which can be costly to replace if they are damaged or broken in an incident or stolen. In addition to protecting the bike and accessories, cyclists can insure themselves. Sadly, in 2013 serious bike related casualties had risen to nearly 19,500 per year. By taking out cover cyclists who unfortunately get injured or cause an accident can get assistance at this diffi cult time. It’s often only when the worst happens, people realise they should have been insured.

What are the benefi ts of signing up to Cycleplan for consumers? For fi rst time customers, there’s a 20 per cent year one introductory discount. We also offer the same

premium for different types of bikes, road, mountain, electric and so on – we don’t discriminate. Plus we can put more than one bike on a policy and accessories as well. Feedback from customers tells us that a key feature they like about cycleplan is that they can personalise their cycle insurance by building a tailor-made policy online that meets their needs exactly.

How does cycleplan work with bike shops? We work with bike shops by listening to what they want. One of our key messages is that ‘we sell the insurance’ ‘leaving you to sell the bikes’. It is our marketing strategy that helps the bike shop win the business, especially with promotions such as four weeks free insurance, which can be offered to

customers who purchase a bike or accessory. We think we offer unprecedented marketing support for our retail partners and of course we also offer an attractive commission rate. This runs from the fi rst year and right through the duration of the policy. So each year the customer renews the retailer receives commission providing the partner agreement is still in place.

If a claim is made, can customers use their local bike shop? With each new retail partner of Cycleplan we continue to grow our preferred suppliers list for repair and of course replacement. We like to give the policy holder the option of replacing the bike from where they originally purchased the bike from. The average turnaround is just 3-5 days.

How can retail get in touch? Best to speak to Steve Lewis, our

business development manager, on 0161 902 2696, or email [email protected] . We’ll both be at the BikeBiz Awards on September 24th and

we’d be more than happy to chat on the night or the following day

at the Trade Day of the Cycle Show event at the NEC.

Is the bike insurance message getting through to consumers? And why should bicycle retailers care?Managing director of Cycleplan John Woosey provides the answers for Jonathon Harker

(L) Steve Lewis – Business Development Manager, The JRW Group and (R) Michael Grimshaw – On Yer Bike, Sales Director

“It’s often only when the worst hapens peopel

realise they need insurance...”John Woosey,

Cycleplan


BUYERBIKES & ACCESSORIESNOTTINGHAMWe are Britain’s leading retailer of Tools and Machinery with 65 Superstores Nationwide, and thriving web and mail order sales.

Having launched a great range of Mountain, Road, and Town Bikes, we now have an exciting opportunity for a professional Bikes Buyer to develop and take full control of this range.

Currently employed as a Bikes Buyer, you must have an in-depth knowledge of this growing market, including Electric & Folding Bikes.

Range selection, pricing policy and tough supplier negotiations to ensure your ranges are highly competitive, will all be areas in which you have proven experience, and are indeed central to this role.

If the opportunity to put your extensive experience to good effect, running the growth of this category within our business and in turn reaping the rewards, is attractive to you, then please send your c.v. to: [email protected] quoting reference 94B290714



NuunThe original portable hydration tablet will be found on stand D65. Sugar-free and non-sticky, the nuun packs in electrolytes and no carbs, which basically means riders can manage their energy needs with their favourite choice alongside nuun hydration. They’ve been in the game for over a decade, so to benefi t from that experience head to over D65.

PowerBar The PowerBar Nutrition Lab is a concept where athletes get to meet nutritionists, trainers and experts from PowerBar to discuss taste, product concepts and packaging. The Nutrition Lab is now being thrown open to athletes in the UK, to exchange ideas and participate in the development of sports nutrition. The exclusive community gives athletes the chance to join creative online workshops, home test exciting product prototypes or meet for group discussions to exchange ideas with other athletes, trainers, nutritionists and PowerBar staff members about new products, nutrition and sport in general. This constant exchange of ideas will lead to products that match the nutritional requirements for optimum athletic performance

and help endurance athletes reach their goals, we hear. There are more details on that over at www.powerbar-nutrition-lab.com and on stand D61 at Cycle Show.

Bob ElliotThe Funkier TPU Windproof Jacket will be among the Bob Elliot highlights at the NEC. Featuring Quick Dry Active Protection, the jackets are waterproof, windproof

and breathable. The single back waterproof zipped pocket boasts inner lining, while the two front pockets are closed with a zip. Front and rear refl ective piping aid visibility, while TPU microfl eece collar lining help keep temperatures reasonable. For more on those, head to stand M71.

Chicken CyclekitIt will be Chicken’s biggest ever NEC show presence, we’re reliably informed, with dedicated areas for Campagnolo, Datatag, Deda Elementi, Selle Italia and Vittoria. The completely redesigned Cinelli range, starting at the entry level Experience, right the way through to the top end Very Best Of, will be on show. Four new models are

The NEC-set Cycle Show draws nearer, so what kind of brands and products can we expect to see there? Jonathon Harker previews...

The stage is set

CYCLE SHOW 2014SHOWPREVIEW

OPENING TIMES:Thursday September 25th (trade and press)9.30am to 6pm

Friday 26th to Sunday 28th (consumer)9.30am to 5pm

LOCATION: Halls 10,11 & 12NEC, BirminghamB40 1NT

FREE TRADE TICKETS VIA: www.cycleshow.co.uk/trade

ORGANISER: Upper Street Events020 7288 6733


CYCLE SHOW EXHIBITORS LIST 2014

CYCLE SHOW 2014

L28 1partCarbonH141 A2BK13 Academy EyewearJ145 ACT (Trade Day only)L67 Active TravellerM21 Aftershokz Sport HeadphonesJ45 AguesportJ42 Alpine CadenceK130 ANSMANN UK LTD.F45 Arc Carbon WheelsA70 Ashfi eld Special Needs LtdJ71 ATB SalesK190 BatribikeG61 BBBC35 Beaconfell & Protool CycleworksB57 Beet ItF37 Belgian-Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce in Great BritainH101 BianchiA15 BicicieloH125 Bicisupport Srl

M20 Bike Lights UKJ36 Bike RegisterJ144 BikeBiz Magazine (Trade Day only)N16 BikekloxM33 BiKLOX LLPL82 Bloomsbury Publishing PlcM71 Bob Elliot & CoH133 Body Geometry FitN25 BosalL69 British CyclingH151 Brunton - Rosker LtdM27 Buhel UKC73 Bushnell Performance OpticsF3 BWT LtdK145 BYOCYCLES LTDD1 C Originals LtdG111 CampagnoloF71 Cherry Marketing InstituteD21 Chicken Cycle KitM34 Chilli TechnologyL47 Cicerone

P24 CiclaJ147 Citrus-Lime Ltd (Trade Day only)H81 ColnagoG101 Condor Cycles LtdC67 CTCA25,A31 Cube Bikes G31 Custom Performance Kit LtdJ146 Cycle Show (Wales) Ltd (Trade Day only)J34 Cycle Works LtdB54 CycleschemeF81 Cyclesure from Butterworth SpenglerM35 CycleWiz LtdN17 Cycling BuddyK73 Cycling Costa DauradaL33 Cycling WorldD77 CyclistH81 Dainese / Marzocchi / TransitionM72 Dare 2bD67 Dassi

D23 Datatag ID LtdD24 Deda ElementiL31 Diamond BackH11 DMRB41 Doom BarA55 Dynamic BicyclesG41 Early Rider LimitedH131 EBC LtdL17 EDZ layeringL57 ElectraK166 Electric Bicycle CompanyK150 Electric Bike MagazineK22 Equisafety LtdF63 EuroRaxxJ140 Evopos UK Ltd (Trade Day only)L73 Exodus Travels LtdK72 Explore!G91 Extra UK LtdA51 Extreme-Eyewear LtdM15 Fat Lad At The BackJ32 Fibrax Limited

being added to the Tifosi line-up, mostly under the £1,000 cycle to work threshold. Carbon specialists Dedaccai will be bringing in a number of new models for 2015, including their fi rst road aero frame, the Atleta. For the fi rst time Deda will also be introducing a sub £1,000 bike, the AP01, assembled with top name brands. Attendees will have a chance to see and try on the latest clothing and eyewear from brands Briko, Nalini and Vermarc, the latest helmets from LAS and shoes from Vittoria. Also displayed are the successful Miche SWR wheels that were launched in conjunction with the Wheel Test Programme. Start your run at the Chicken brands on stand D21.

Rubena The Gaadi is an easy-change tube from Rubena, which enables cyclist on the go to change a tyre

without the hassle of removing the wheel. How so? The new Gaadi tube features an open-loop system that allows the rider to simply

remove the sidewall of the tyre from the rim, remove the old tube and insert the open-loop tube into the tyre. The wheel is then rotated all of the way around until the ends meet.

The tube will retail for around £12 and although made primarily for E-bikes, can be used on any bike with a size range from 20” to 29er. Trade enquiries should be directed to Rubena’s UK distributor Bike Tyrestore on Freephone 0800 281413. Or over on stand A7.

Fisher Outdoor LeisureFisher Outdoor will be joining a vast collection of names at the Cycle Show this year and has a wider ranging group of brands for all attendees to see. Along with big names such as SRAM, LOOK, Santini and Troy Lee, there will be some new and exclusive names presented for the fi rst time in

September, we’re informed. Head over to stands K61 and J43 for more on those.

GreenoverGreenover will be bringing the New Rocky Mountain 2015 range to the NEC, but the

distributor is being tight-lipped so far, revealing nothing despite us asking very politely indeed. We can tell you, however, that the distributor will also be bringing along the Nutcase helmet range, including one of the brand’s most popular designs – the Watermelon. Find all that on F39.

Citrus-LimeCitrus-Lime has been specialising in retail systems for cycle retailers for a number of years and is constantly developing its platform with the aim of being the most complete offering from a retail services provider operating in the trade. The most recent addition to the huge list of features is version

two of the Customer Rewards loyalty scheme – based around the ‘points mean prizes’ loyalty concept, and now retailers can determine how many points their customers earn based on things like departments, categories, brands and even specifi c products. Citrus-Lime says the scheme can increase profi ts, retain existing customers, attract new custom, encourage repeat business, capture customer data and increase brand awareness, so probably worth considering. J147 is the stand to head for if you’re considering the fi rm.

This is, of course, but a small selection of the brands and companies appearing at Cycle Show 2014. We’ll be covering some of the remainder in our October issue, so if you missed out this month and want to be included next time around, email us at [email protected]


CYCLE SHOW 2014

CYCLE SHOW HIGHLIGHTS: TRADE DAY: A number of

stands will be available to visit for one day only, including ACT, Citrus-Lime, Cycle Show Wales, EVOPOS, Kettler, Northern Flags, Nutrition Works, The Hooky, Vaude and (ahem) BikeBiz.

THE STAGE: not just for consumers, the stage will also play host to numerous trade-focused seminars, including one from Bikesoup, hosted in partnership with ACT.

TRADE FACE-OFF: An industry cyclocross race will take place on the 28th, raising money for Wings for Life, the spinal cord injury charity that Martyn Ashton is raising money for.

FRAMEBUILDING EXPO: If live brazing and framebuilding demos fl oat your boat, get yourself to the Expo, hosted by Prestige Cycles and The Bicycle Academy.

SHOWPREVIEW

B51 fi refl y™ Sports RecoveryK61 Fisher Outdoor Leisure LtdJ31 Four4thH61 FSAJ121 & J131 & K142 FWG Freego Wisper GroupG71 Gear Club LtdM30 Get in Gear LtdN13 Ginger & French LtdF5 Golden Eagle EnterprisesK71 Green Jersey Cycling ToursF39 Greenover LtdF7 Grit.cxL84 Gwynedd Council - Visit SnowdoniaD11 Halfords LtdK26 Halo HeadbandC1 HardnutZL81 HeadwaterB52 Help for Heroes TradingN26 HentyG31 Hersh Bike srlB32 High 5G42 Hope Technology

L12 i-rideB21 i-ride - De RosaB31 i-ride - OrroM32 Icetagg LtdG154 Immediate MediaH15 Impact Cycle Trading LtdP14 Intrepid Apparel LtdF49 Italy Cycling HolidaysL83 Jet2holidaysM31 Jura Cycle ClothingG73 KALAS WEAR LTD.K25 Keela International LtdJ155 KETTLER (GB) Ltd (Trade Day only)D13 KiddimotoG21 KinesisC2 Kool-Stop Europe BVH121 KTM Bike IndustriesN23 LightriderL15 Lucas Bike LightsF48 Lusso SportswearG143 Lyon Equipment LtdK140 MadhogC11 Madison - GoPro, Garmin and Lazer

B11 Madison - Shimano, PRO and EliteL11 Magicshine UKL65 Malta Tourism AuthorityK123 Momentum Electric LimitedA41 Moore Large/Todays Cyclist K200 Moustache BIkesN10 Northern AlbionJ151 Northern Flags Ltd (Trade Day only)B56 Nurishment ActiveJ143 Nutrition Works (Trade Day only)D65 NuunH97 O’Neal / Azonic / DIRTY /San MarcoG51 OndaG131 BioracerJ38 Optimum CyclingWorld Champs Cafe Ordnance SurveyH51 Paligap Ltd - Marin BikesA56 PediBal LimitedK230 Peugeot CyclesM14 Piga CyclingJ49 PitBitz LtdH12 Pivot / X-Fusion

P28 Plain LazyK154 Powabyke UK LtdK121 PowacycleD61 PowerBarG150 Pragmasis LtdK76 Premiere VeloH154 PrestigeH91 Primal Europe LtdM18 Pro Vision Cycle Clothing LtdL63 Protect Your BubbleB55 PulsinA77 Quest 88M22 Rackshack.co.ukD41 Raleigh UK LtdD51 Raleigh UK LtdD29 Raleigh UK LtdC71 RAM Mount UKJ33 Rearviz Pty LtdH41 Reece Cycles Plc.F79 Reid BikesK74 Rendezvous HotelP20 Ride UK BMX MagazineK51 Rock Machine BikesM36 Rockets


CYCLE SHOW 2014

SHOW CHECKLIST

1

5

2

6

3

7 8

1. QUIRKY BRANDS2. BIG BRANDS3. BRANDS YOU’VE NOT HEARD OF (YET)4. BRANDS EVERYONE HAS HEARD OF

5. INNOVATIVE BRANDS6. BRANDS YOU ALREADY STOCK7. E-BIKES BRANDS8. AWARD WINNING BRANDS

SHOWPREVIEW

CYCLE SHOW EXHIBITORS LIST 2014K220 Roodog LtdD17 Rose BikesJ37 Roswheel UKF77 Rouleur MagazineK127 Royal Dutch GazelleG152 RSPBA7 Rubena TyresA21 Rudy Project/GiordanaD5 SALICEK24 SAM WearC61 Scimitar SportsJ43 SeaSuckerD84 Selev HelmetsG115 Selle Italia srlB53 Shok-BoxD79 SicleriL71 Silent WolfD25 Silverfi shH95 SiS (Science In Sport) LtdK155 smart BirminghamC59 SMP 4 Bike - Dillglove

G33 So CycleP26 Sorrymate.comF35 Spitfi re UK Distribution LtdN15 Sportif MagazineF1 St John Ambulance Cycle Response UnitG121 Starley BikesP16 StayStrongA52 Stebles BikesH27 StiqueG125 Storck Bicycle UKG151 & G35 SUB-4 Health & Wellbeing CentreF67 Success Cycling LtdC65 Sure ClinicA53 SURE SPORTSD85 Surf & TurfL41 SustransJ111 Tannus TyresL16 TCL SportsC70 Tenn OutdoorsG153 The Bike Bag

L45 The Bike ListJ150 The Hooky (Trade Day only)D81 The Sock MineC21 Moore Large/Todays CyclistC51 Torq LtdD63 Tour RidesJ61,J51 TrekC77 Trillion CyclesG140 Ultimate Sports Engineering LtdA57 Universal Cycles LtdG32 Valke LtdG147 Van NicholasJ153 Vaude (UK) Ltd (Trade Day only)A54 VegloF69 VelosureJ41 Velotec LimitedG40 Velotech Services - RotorC63 VisualsoftD22 Vittoria SpAH21 VitusL55 Vulpine

H31 Wattbike LimitedH25 Westfalia - AutomotiveL77 Woodland TrustD71 Wosskow BrownH155 Yellow Jersey Cycle InsuranceA11 Yellow LtdK14 Zero 50 Retail LtdG45 ZipVit

4

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‘Combine and compete online’Bikesoup ‘s proposition has taken a while to sink in for some, but it seems the online marketplace, not dis-similar to the likes of Rightmove and Autrotrader, is gathering momentum. Jonathon Harker asks Bikesoup founder Antony Auty if this really is a chance for IBDs to level the internet-shaped playing fi eld…

FOR THOSE unaware of Bikesoup, can you give us an explanation of what the site offers?Bikesoup is a cycling specifi c marketplace which caters for both the independent dealer network and private sellers too. Every bike shop in the UK now has a searchable shop profi le on the Bikesoup Store Finder and for an additional subscription the dealer can list an unlimited number of bikes for sale. The upload process is very simple as we have data for every bike from over 70 manufacturers stored in the website. Currently over 3,200 bikes from 2014 with the new 2015 bikes going up on the site now.

You founded Bikesoup a few years ago now, has the Bikesoup offering changed in that time? We now have a number of key tools on the site that direct site visitors to dealer adverts on the site, like the Store Finder, Cyclopedia and the Magazine. We’re mobile and tablet friendly with 50 per cent of our traffi c coming through touch screen devices.

Since we got a signifi cant investment in Bikesoup late last year we have been able to complete the website build to the specifi cation required for today’s online users and optimise our SEO so that dealer adverts are easily visible through organic Google searches. We think that launching ‘Click & Collect’ and

‘Click & Reserve’ for every dealer in the UK will deliver signifi cant returns, both in traffi c to store and in direct sales, especially for shops who struggle to get visibility on Google.

Tell us more about Click & Collect – how is this driving footfall? We believe it will be a very strong driver of new customers into the bricks and mortar shops but that the measure of its success shouldn’t be only in direct sales through ‘Click & Collect’. Our research suggests that ‘Click & Reserve’ will be a much stronger selling tool as the bike

buying public is, generally, more reluctant to commit to purchase a bike online, but are more comfortable buying in store.

What’s the potential for Bikesoup?Many of our bike listings exceed over 100 page views per month and we expect that traffi c fi gure to keep increasing as more people get to hear about Bikesoup and our search engine visibility gets even better. Once we have enough sign up, we’ll

start listing on Google Shopping too.

Does Bikesoup really level the playing fi eld for IBDs, potentially?We can genuinely deliver a much more consistent and equal fl ow of customers based on dealer territory, rather than what is happening at present, in which online search results are dominated by about 10 or 12 dealers – single unit or multiples. If the industry, brands and dealers, fully engages with Bikesoup we can make life much easier for the dealers by increasing revenue and more satisfying for the consumer because

everything is in one place. Very soon we’ll be releasing our Store Finder database populated with all of the top cycling brands to other publishers, so that product reviews can direct readers directly into their local retailer, rather than straight back to Google.

Are you still working with the ACT and are there still discounts available to ACT members? Yes, we’ve been working directly with the ACT since we launched in 2010

and they remain a very important partner of Bikesoup. We’ll be starting to promote their retail products – RideItAway fi nance & Fetch insurance – to Bikesoup users very shortly. All paid ActSmart subscribers – Silver, Gold & Platinum – enjoy a 17 per cent discount on all Bikesoup packages.

What is the pricing structure for bike shops? Our full e-commerce platform with ‘Click & Collect’ is available with ‘The Awesome Plan’ and includes unlimited adverts from £25/month. ‘The Deluxe Plan’ which includes an enhanced dealer page with extra features and shop image gallery is available from £10/month. All subscribers will enjoy a no quibble 30-Day free trial.

What is next for Bikesoup?The next major upgrade will be integrating with EPOS providers so that shop stock is automatically listed on Bikesoup and removed when the product is sold. By the end of September we will have launched analytics and traffi c reporting for dealers so that they can identify which bikes are generating the most traffi c. Of course, the Bikesoup website is being developed to improve the user experience for both buyer and seller. See us at The Cycle Show where we’ll be doing a trade presentation on Thursday 25th September at 3pm.

“Paid ActSmart subscribers enjoy a discount on packages.”Antony Auty, Bikesoup


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NEW

GO-RIDE

Levy-supported Go-Ride to take 300 kids to Tour of BritainThanks to support from the Bike Hub levy fund 300 young cyclists will have the opportunity to emulate their cycling heroes during the Tour of Britain.

BRITISH CYCLING’S Go-Ride programme is giving young people the chance to ride on the Tour of Britain course, as the penultimate activity on the finish straight before the elite race arrives. Teams of riders from Go-Ride Clubs and local schools involved in the Go-Ride programme have been invited to take part in the opportunity, with young people aged under 16 getting the chance to experience the thrill of racing in front of the crowds. Go-Ride has been sponsored by Bike Hub since February 2014.

The Go-Ride activity will take place on eight stage finishes. Joe Fisher, who was involved with the Skoda caravan at the UK stages of the Tour de France, will provide

commentary on the day to add to the excitement.

British Cycling’s director of coaching, education and development John Mills, said: “This year has been an incredible time for cycling in the UK, with the first Women’s Tour of Britain, the Tour de France visiting our shores and most recently the Commonwealth Games. The Tour of Britain is now offering another chance to watch elite cycle racing live.

“Once again, this is an opportunity to inspire the next generation of cyclists and we hope the young people will enjoy playing a special part in the event. We look forward to seeing the crowds lining the streets once more and cheering on our future stars.”

Go-Ride is British Cycling’s youth development programme, with a network of 300 Go-Ride Clubs across the country providing entry-level coaching and competition for young people.

The programme provides the first step on the ‘Performance Pathway’, with over 60 per cent of riders on the Great Britain Cycling Team having progressed from the Go-Ride Clubs.

Starting on Sunday September 7th in Liverpool, the eight stage Tour of Britain road race will this year travel to various locations in England and Wales, including a summit finish on The Tumble in Wales and a time-trial finale in the City of London.britishcycling.org.uk

There are now over 300 Go-Ride clubs

“We look forward to seeing the

crowds lining the streets cheering

on our future stars.”



RECON INSTRUMENTS

SECOND SIGHT

Recon Instrument’s futuristic ‘direct to eye’ ride technology raises the wearable tech sector to new heights in the bike world.

Mark Sutton speaks with Recon Instruments CEO Dan Eisenhardt…

TELL US about the Recon story, where did the idea come from? Dan co-founded Recon Instruments in 2008 and has been CEO since day one. Having swum competitively at an international level, both in his native Denmark and in the United States, his athletic background was a key inspiration for founding the company.

One of the big problems in swimming is that you are totally cut off from any information, save for the pace clock that you can glance at every 50 metres or so. Dan’s a data junky so this was a real problem for him on a very personal level and it was with this in mind that Dan fi rst got the idea for a swim goggle Heads-up Display (HUD).

There were challenges associated with executing the swim goggle HUD (form factor constraints at the time, waterproofi ng challenges and cost) so along with his fellow co-founders they switched their sights to the snow-sports market and built the fi rst consumer heads-up display in the world.

We’re now well north of 50,000 units shipped and have partnerships with the likes of Oakley and Apple.

So what performance data can be relayed back to the rider?Recon Jet is a fl exible computing platform that delivers all the processing power of a modern smartphone.

It comes loaded with software customised for cyclists. The key “7 deadly metrics” Jet delivers are speed, distance, time, vertical, heart rate, power and cadence. Some of these are generated, of course, by HR sensors, power strain gauges and cadence sensors, communicated to the smartglass via Jet’s ANT+ or Bluetooth Smart protocols.

It’s not just ride data that can be relayed – mobile messages, the weather and more too?You can also see the caller ID and messages in the display.

This is a major safety benefi t; we’ve all seen riders reach for their phones in their jersey pockets to check a message or answer a call, which is super unsafe. Jet also has a HD video camera, which is incredibly convenient for grabbing quick photos and video.

And it’s Ant+, Bluetooth and Wifi linkable too, so compatible with most heart rate monitors around?Defi nitely. Third-party sensors like power meters, heart rate monitors, and speed & cadence sensors can connect to Recon Jet via ANT+ and Bluetooth Smart (a.k.a. Bluetooth Low Energy).

What advances made it possible to get so much tech into a small space?

Recon has benefi ted most notably from the emergence and scale of mobile/smart phone technology. The entire suite of capabilities, driven by the smartphone industry, has made possible the miniaturisation of sensors, huge leaps forward in CPU processing speed, dramatic improvements in battery performance and advances in measurement accuracy of GPS.

What developments could we theoretically expect in future?On the software side, Jet is built on an open platform with an open web API and SDK. This enables app developers to build new apps and address new use cases where hands-free, instantly accessible information would be useful. We’ll be nurturing the development of the app ecosystem as a core initiative.

Do you foresee a day when the retail price could come down to make the tech more accessible to all?Yes, for sure. As volumes rise, costs will drop. But, even today at 579.99 BPS, Jet is actually a very competitive product when you think about it. The eyewear alone is on par with $200 offerings from established brands. Combine that with a very high-end computer, sensor suite, HD camera and display and the price starts looking more than reasonable.

VITAL VISUALS

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The Jet is just 60 grams, all in

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Distributed in the UK by Fisher Outdoor Leisure www.fisheroutdoor.co.uk

SEE YOU THERE!

the cycle show

EXHIBITING AT


FROM YOUR perspective, how is the outdoor business faring so far in 2014?We visited the European show, OutDoor in Friedrichshafen, Germany, in July (the same venue as Eurobike) and you can normally get an indication how the trade is doing – that show was vibrant, suppliers seemed pleased with current business and attendance was slightly up on the previous year. Of course that is a European perspective – here in the UK everyone looks for an excuse for poor trading and blames the weather especially! Good weather doesn’t suit everyone but it’s great to get people outdoors and enjoying camping trips and outdoor pursuits. The waterproof and protective outerwear suppliers would of course prefer it was wet but you can’t have it all and so far this summer we have experienced some balanced weather conditions.

In general, exhibitors that we have talking to seem fairly confi dent about the state of their businesses but of course the outdoor retail market is largely dominated by the large chains and they seem to be getting larger with even more consolidation and sadly we are continuing to lose the smaller

independents as they simply cannot compete.

Exhibition space has sold quicker this year (the 100 exhibitor milestone was hit in May) – can you put your fi nger on why that is, exactly?Perhaps that suggests a bit of confi dence in the market to make

an earlier commitment, but we did have an early bird incentive to book and get a reduced space rate. Perhaps more exhibitors decided to take advantage of that offer this year. Bookings tend to slow down after that cut-off date, although we did extend an offer to members of the

Outdoor Industries Association and maintained the special rate if booked by a certain date.

I think also that exhibitors are very often keen to secure the same stand location within the halls year-on-year and by making an early commitment to exhibit, they have fi rst option to keep the same stand space.

You’ve been set at Stoneleigh for a number of years now – what are the benefi ts of the location? We launched the show in 2006 at Stoneleigh after researching other venues. As we had been running a show for tent suppliers for a number of years at Stoneleigh we were familiar with the venue, the facilities and the staff and it just seemed to offer the best of both worlds with good quality exhibition hall space and outside grass areas for the display of tents and caravan awnings. We also wanted a location in the centre of the country, hence the Midlands was ideal. Stoneleigh has other benefi ts as well – it is cost effective (and that was important for our exhibitors), with very easy access for build-up and breakdown. The towns of Leamington Spa, Kenilworth and Warwick are on the doorstep so there is plenty of accommodation nearby and the motorway and rail

“Stoneleigh is cost effective, as well as having great wheelchair access. That was

important for our exhibitors.”

SHOW PREVIEW

The Outdoor Trade Show at Stoneleigh Park, one of the key bike/outdoor crossover events on the calendar, is almost upon us. Jonathon Harker speaks with organiser Alasdair Scobbie…

OUTDOOR PREVIEW

Stoneleigh Park hosts the OTS


networks make it relatively straight forward to get there. It just ticked all the boxes and the show is now entering its ninth year!

Is the cycle element of the show getting bigger?I think the show presents an ideal opportunity for savvy retailers to come and have a look and see what products might fi t wither existing product offering. I’m

a cyclist myself and every year you can just see the selection of available products that would sit nicely within a cycling store. Perhaps not too much available for the traditional road cycling market but if you think of the recreational, touring, hybrid, mountain and commuting markets there’s lots on offer. There is such

a cross over between outdoor / camping and cycling and at the show you can fi nd anything from hydration systems, GPS, socks, insoles, base layers and protective outerwear to bike lights, stoves and lightweight tents and a plethora of everyday gadgets such as torches and knives. I would

encourage retailers to come and have a look and for suppliers to visit and see if they feel that there is an opportunity to tap into that wider market.

How can retailers get the best out of OTS 2014?I would suggest that they do their homework in and advance and

plan their time effectively – have a look at the website at www.outdoortradeshow.com and identify the exhibitors that they want to go and visit (there are web links to each exhibitor). Make sure they visit the brands that they want to see but also allow time to wander around and identify that

‘must have’ new product – to gain that competitive advantage. Also many exhibitors will have ordering incentives at the show – this could be a great opportunity to obtain a discount on forward orders.

Any fi nal thoughts on OTS?It will be ten years of OTS next year and whilst we recognise that the trade has different requirements and the retail landscape is changing, we are in a position to remain fl exible with things like timing but need to appeal to the majority and match the needs of retailers and suppliers. We also still have space to grow and would be interested to hear from suppliers that might for example want to develop a cycle trade section within the show. There seems to be such a cross over with elements of the outdoor trade it would be good to capitalise on this.

SHOW PREVIEW

THE OUTDOOR TRADE SHOW RUNS SEPTEMBER 9TH TO 11TH AT STONELEIGH PARK EXHIBITION CENTRE, CV8 2LG WWW.OUTDOORTRADESHOW.COM

1. SUGRUThe small London-based team behind the self setting rubber, Sugru, will be inviting their resident ‘sugru guru’. Stand Number: 74, sugru.com

5. MINI FLOODLIGHTFind out how devices featuring COB LEDs offer several benefi ts over standard LED devices atStand Number: 39

2. HANDLEBANDThe Handleband can be positioned where wanted, allowing for full functionality of the smartphone while it is in place. Stand Number: 66

4. KELTY’S CAPTURE 25SMG Outdoor brings Kelty to the outdoor market (as well as F-lite, Wenzel and Sierra Designs). Stand Number: 337

“Many exhibitors will have ordering incentives at the show, so it could be a great opportunity to earn discounts... ”

SHOWPREVIEW

PRODUCT PICK:The Outdoor Trade Show is pitched as a great opportunity for retail buyers interested in crossing over into other markets due to the wealth of accessory products on display, being showcased by the main outdoor suppliers.

1 2

34

53. COMMUTE COMPLETE Silva’s range of multi-sport lamps and visibility clothing will feature heavily at OTS. Stand Number: 28www.silva.se

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Speak to your Fisher Account ManagerPhone Telesales on 01727 798 345Visit us at b2b.fi sheroutdoor.co.uk


ELECTRIC BIKES

Charged up for EurobikeThe super show for the international cycle trade has plenty for the electric bike market to get its teeth into

ELECTRIC BIKES are having a typically strong showing at Eurobike this year, again fi lling out the Zeppelin hall with an extensive test track starting at the East Open Air Grounds.

One brand with a foot in both the bicycle and electric bicycle markets is Gates, the company behind the Gates Carbon Drive belt system, which is unveiling a big range of bikes and e-bikes at Eurobike this year.

Brands displaying new or updated Gates-equipped bikes and pedelecs in their own booths include Ghost, Cube, Marin, Tout Terrain, Kettler, Mika Amaro, Patria, Riesse & Muller, Pilot, Derby, BMC, and more. Meanwhile new e-bike brand Klaxon is launching 12 new models with Gates Carbon Drive in its booth and Demo tent.

Gates is showing off a range of Carbon Drive compatible eBike systems too, from Bosch, Panasonic and Yamaha to Impulse, GO

SwissDrive, Hoganas and BionX. Gates is currently working with Shimano to integrate with its STEPS eBike drive in 2015. The busy company has also published a new eBike Technical Integration Manual for manufacturers to more easily specify Gates Carbon Drive.

Todd Sellden, director of Gates Carbon Drive Systems, said: “The electric bike category is a strong growth segment for Gates Carbon Drive because our system provides a clean, smooth and simple alternative to chains for daily transportation. We are also proud that Gates belts are being used on so many different styles of

bikes. Our motto for Eurobike 2014 is simply ‘Belting the World’s Best Bikes and eBikes.’

“We want to show dealers, consumers and the media the wide range of Gates Carbon Drive equipped bikes that are available now or in stores soon,

and introduce new products and applications that make it easier for bike manufacturers to create clean, low-maintenance bikes that get more people out of their cars and into the saddle.”Gates Corporation can be found touting chain-free bikes and e-bikes in hall A2-203 at Messe Friedrichshafen.

E-bikes of all shapes and sizes, even full sus MTBs, are at Eurobike

EUROBIKE IN E-BIKESAccording to the organisers, a trend from this year’s show is that the electric bike market is being increasingly carved up by new entrants. Automotive supplier Brose has started to produce e-bike drives. MTB specialist Rotwild has unveiled its fi rst e-bike models using those Brose drives. Elsewhere, Giant is using an e-bike system from household name Yamaha.

“The e-bike categoryis a strong growthsegment for Gates.”Todd Sellden

Sponsored by



ELECTRIC BIKES

Cargo gets charged up

ELECTRIC BIKE and conversion kit brand Dillenger, of Queensland, Australia, is to be imported and distributed in Europe through Norbert Dentressangle.

The brand, established in 2007, recently sold its 10,000th unit.

Norbert Dentressangle will manage imports from Australia to the UK by air and sea, warehousing, inventory and stock management, online order fulfi lment and UK and European distribution. The company also registered Dillenger for VAT and EORI, aimed at giving its customers the added confi dence

of dealing with a business that is registered in the UK.

Sam Sewell, Director, Dillenger Electric Bikes, said: “Norbert Dentressangle has a strong track record in helping companies establish a platform to start trading in the UK and Europe and offered us a complete range of services to launch our range in an important new market with confi dence.

“As a global organisation, they also have the ability to support us in other geographies as we continue to grow our business.”www.dillenger.com.au

WHILE THEY’RE still relatively thin on the ground here in the UK, Eurobike has a sizable selection of cargo bikes on show, a category

for which the electric drive is particularly well suited, with some bikes capable of holding a thigh-shattering load of 200kg.

According to the team behind Eurobike, electric drives are being installed to increasing numbers of cargo bikes, including the Bullit

model from the Danish cult brand Larry vs. Harry in an e-bike version with a powerful Bronx drive system. Meanwhile the Dutch cargo bike specialists at Urban Arrow use a Bosch system and the Loan Hybrid model from Riese und Müller, the Darmstadt manufacturer of folding bikes and e-bikes.

The Eurobike team is keen the push the cargo bikes sector, adding that a study fi nanced by the EU revealed that around half of goods shipments made in European cities could also be carried out with cargo bikes.

Some companies are waking up to the possibilities faster than others – the German sustainable transport association VCD has launched an extensive information portal dedicated to cargo bikes, we’re told.

Eurobike is running while this magazine lands, from August 27th to 30th, on the Messe Friedrichshafen fairgrounds.www.eurobike-show.com

Dillenger comes from down under

Sponsored by

USE YOUR LOAF: E-bikes are a boon for the cargo market

Will Dillenger bring some Australian glamour to the market?

B u i lt w i t h N u k e p r o o f r a c e p r o v e n r e l i a b i l i t y .

P r i c e s f r o m o n ly £ 1 2 9 9 . 9 9

“ Ta i l o r e d f o r a d v e n t u r e ”

S c o u t C o m p - £ 1 5 9 9 . 9 9

S c o u t R a c e - £ 1 2 9 9 . 9 9

D e a l e r e n q u i r i e s w e l c o m e

Harness the power of social media and grow your Cyclescheme sales in 3 easy steps (and win a staff night out to boot).

Take a picture of Cycleschemers leaving your store with their new bike and upload it to your social media accounts.

This will increase your exposure and result in interest and sales. We will also share your updates via our social media pages.

Each month we will pick the most proactive store and pay for you and your team to have a staff night out!

Cyclescheme LTD will refund winning retailers the cost of a staff night out up to the value of £100. All we ask is that winning retailers send us receipts for the claimable amount and a photo from the event showing some of their staff in attendance. Cyclescheme LTD retain the right to choose winners based on their subjective preferences and retain the right to change the terms and conditions of the promotion at any time.

A/ Cyclescheme Ltd, PO Box 3809, Bath BA1 1WXT/ 0844 879 5101 F/ 0844 409 9464E/ [email protected]

Getting a new bike is contagious

Latest Cycleschemer looking very cool with their new bike! Leaving our highstreet store this morning.

#cycleschemeSnap Cycleschemers

as they leave your store on their new bike.

Share the images on your social media pages and include @cyclescheme

and #cyclescheme.

Facebook + Instagram = @cyclescheme Twitter = @cycleschemeltd

#cyclescheme works on all platforms

This will result in compelling content for your

social media pages. In turn Cyclescheme will

promote your posts.

Each month the Retailers that are the most proactive

in integrating their social media with Cyclescheme’s will be

eligible to win a staff night out.

RETAIL ONLY

WE HAD some excellent feedback to the question asking whether or not the industry was relying too heavily on the promotion of sport cycling to draw in new cyclists recently. As we all know, anecdotes are not evidence (despite what a select group of MPs will have you believe) so this month I decided to use the busy calendar of 2015 launches to ask the question: “Within which price bracket do your bread and butter sellers sit”

The response? A near unanimous £300 to £500 from all suppliers and retailers we challenged who dabbled in the low to mid-range markets.

Granted, that value is undoubtedly higher than if we had asked the same question fi ve years ago. Specialists in high-end aside, the majority of the market still largely caters for the impulse and short-term curious customer on a predetermined budget that often tends to fi ts in with their monthly expenditure elsewhere. Cyclescheme has contributed

heavily to the seemingly continuous average sale price increase of the past decade, with bikes specced just to meet the £999.99 limit.

According to Cyclescheme communications manager James Borley, “the average sale price of the scheme is now around £650.”

Interestingly, of Cyclescheme customers surveyed, 65 per cent wouldn’t have bought a bike at all if it wasn’t available through the Cycle to Work scheme.

So, the stats don’t lie. Despite the fact we in the UK spend less on our bikes than countries better equipped for cycling, our mid-range is alive and well. Yet promotion of everyday cycling and anything below 105 spec is lacking. Why?

RETAIL STATS

“Our mid-range sales are alive and well, by all accounts. Yet promotion of everyday cycling and sub 105 spec is still lacking...”

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

p57

STORE OFTHE MONTH:

p55

SECTOR GUIDE:

Kids productsp59

SECTOR GUIDE:

Winter clothing and refl ectives p64

SECTOR GUIDE:

Indoor trainingp69

Desirable and exotic bikes adorning the

shop window? Mark Sutton asks; What should be put on a

pedestal in your store and for what reason?

OPINION

[email protected]


CHAMPAGNE TASTES, BEER BUDGET...

13.4%

14.9%

Britain’s shop vacancy rate has remained stable at 13.4% in June.

Online sales of non-food products grew 14.9% in July, year-on-year.(Source: BRC-KPMG)

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

Online: www.clarkscyclesystems.comEmail: [email protected]

Clarks new light weight disc brake suitable for MTB bikes.Available in 160mm and 180mm rotor options.

Content Supplied 1 x Calliper including bracket (IF I.S ordered) 1 x Wavy design rotor 6 x T25 Torx head rotor bolts 2 x Mount bolts and spacers 1 Pair of organic pads pre-fitted


CJ PERFORMANCE CYCLES

Film location An old cinema proved to be the perfect setting for CJ Performance Cycles to expand into last year. Owner and manager Chris Jenkins tells Jonathon Harker how the move has helped the four year old fi rm usher in further growth…

HOW’S BUSINESS? We’ve been exceptionally busy this year, the uptake in cycling, especially in ladies cycling, has been far better than we expected and our expectations were already very high.

I think Le Tour de Yorkshire really put cycling on the map in the UK and the Giant brand with Marcel Kittel winning the yellow jersey.

We took on two new brands this year too, in February Boardman Elite joined us and last month Scott Bikes.

The weather has played its part too, we’ve been lucky enough to have a very mild winter and now a very nice hot summer, long may it continue.

Any big sellers for you at present?Hybrids and our ladies bikes seem to selling well at the moment. Road bikes are always our best sellers though; the Giant Defy range sells out year after year. You can’t beat the value for money for the frames and spec of these bikes. And now we stock the Boardman ‘Elite’ range they sit very nicely next to our Giant Carbon Road bikes. Carbon is ultimately what every

‘roadie’ would like and the market for this expands year after year.

We spoke to you back in 2011 when the business was just one year old. How has the shop changed since? Since we opened in Feb 2010 a lot has changed. The rapid growth in cycling throughout the UK and our shop meant we needed bigger premises to accommodate more stock and

new brands, so in February 2013 we moved to a former cinema, the Old Rex. This allowed us to expand our stock, display things better, introduce new brands and house a larger open planned workshop.

We now have a new clothing section for men and women and a Bike Fit facility is on its way too. This is a

necessity nowadays especially if you’re selling high-end carbon road bikes.

How many staff do you have now?There are now four members of staff who work full time, which includes myself. I gave up my profession in quantity surveying a year ago to come in here full time. The time was right, we were growing so fast and the business needed a permanent manager and

being the owner it was a perfect move. My father is still involved in the

business, but has taken more of a back seat role. Stacey, my better half, oversees all the marketing, admin, accounts of the business. And tries to keep me organised! Then there are our two full time mechanics, John Ferry and Ben Othen. John has been with us

since 2010 and Ben has just joined us.

How do you engage with the locals?This year we have regularly put on events in the shop for local cycling clubs and customers so it gives them a chance to meet and greet the people behind the brands we sell.

We recently catered for an OTE nutrition evening which was helpful to both staff and customers and we also put on a Police bike marking session which allowed anyone whom bought a bike from us or not to get their bikes marked to help prevent theft.

What would you say to someone setting up a bike shop?If anyone was thinking of setting up their own bicycle shop be prepared for hard work, long hours and expecting the unexpected. There is never a dull day in here. Before setting a bicycle shop up make sure you think about the brands you want to sell and try to secure the accounts beforehand if possible. Always have some spare cash tucked away too as its unbelievable the running costs which go into a business.

“Bike fi t has become a necessity, especially for those dabbling in high-end.”Chris Jenkins, owner & manager

TELEPHONE:01670 712536

WEB:www.cjperformancecycles.com

EMAIL:[email protected]

OPENING HOURS:Mon to Fri 9:30 – 5:30Sat 9:30 – 5:00Closed Sundays

LOCATION:The Old Rex CinemaFront StreetKlondykeCramlingtonNE23 6RF


Ask your wholesaler for details

The ultimate range of mechanicapproved total bike cleanersDirtwash Bike Cleaner 100% acid free – cleans quickly and safely with minimum scrubbing1 Ltr Spray 03028 5 Ltr Refill Tub 03031 25 Ltr Refill Tub 03033Citrus Degreaser Specially formulated to degrease chains and gears400ml Aerosol 03002 75ml Liquid 03017 150ml Spray 03011 250ml Spray 030231 Ltr Refill Tub 03022 25 Ltr Refill Tub 03030 Disc Brake Cleaner A heavy duty cleaning spray for disc brake systems250ml Aerosol 03029Silicone Polish A high quality silicone/wax blend polish for a high gloss finish500ml Aerosol 03042G String Cleaning Strings Elasticated, non-abrasive strings for cleaning gears and sprocketsPack of 5 G Strings 06006Chain Degreaser Machine A robust chain driven machine with four-sided brush actionMachine and 75ml bottle of Citrus Degreaser 06017Hand Cleaners Kind to skin, tough on dirt – with polymer beads to aid cleaningBeaded Hand Cleaner 5 Ltr Tub 03008 Citrus Hand Cleaner 500ml Tub 03020

MADE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM


RETAIL ONLY

This month we take a look at look at lids, locks, brakes and cooling fabrics

available to stock...


NEW PRODUCTS

HIPLOKDirect to retail: +44 7946 545455

As you may see at Eurobike, Hiplok continues to bring new angles to the bike security market. Introducing both the Hiplok Gold and Hiplok DC, the fi rm has designed for the highest risk areas. The Gold features a 10mm thick premium hardened steel chain, 12mm hardened steel shackle and adds Hiplok’s new speed buckle fastening, which adjusts to fi t the rider’s waist without being locked to them. As the name suggests, the lock is also tested and given the top rating by accreditation house, Sold Secure.

FLY SPRINGHAMMER BRAKE

IMG Distribution:0845 8725446

Some BMX riders still run stoppers and for those few Fly has come up with a much simplifi ed take on braking.

Using a ‘spring loaded cable’, as opposed to left and right hand side springs at the caliper, the brand has made brake installation just a touch simpler for the novice mechanic.

The calipers run on Kevlar washers to keep the arms moving freely. To adjust the tension, all the rider or mechanic need do is simply bend the spring inward or outward to achieve the right tension. Expect these to land with IMG during early October.

SEND PRODUCT DETAILS INCLUDING A HI-RES PHOTO AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRODUCT TO:

[email protected] or call 01992 535646 for a chat

ENDURACOOL

Direct to retail:+44 7946 545455

Chemical free and delivering a long-lasting cooling effect, Mission’s re-useable Enduracool towels are widely known and used in the USA and, as of this month, they’re available to UK retailers too.The patented EnduraCool fabric quickly cools when wet, helping the athlete keep their core temperature down for several hours during intense exercise.

KEDClaud Butler: 01652 656000

Claud Butler has added KED’s Certus K-Star refl ective helmet to its catalogue. For further enquiries please contact Claud Butler on 01652 656000.

AWE

Sport Direct:0845 269 3069

Now found exclusively with Sport Direct is Euro helmet label AWE.

Currently in stock with the distributor is the £69.99 Aerolite, a 24-vent, double in-mold lid that packs in plenty of features, despite its low weight.

AWE helmets range £29.22 all the way up to £129.99 and cater for off road riders, road goers, downhill, BMX, ladies, enduro, city and lids designed for children.

Dawes Cycles | Discover Your World

www.dawescycles.comView 360˚ images of the complete Junior range & find your local dealer at:

The comprehensive 2015 Junior range from Dawes Cycles covers the majority of today’s cycling categories. From drop bar road bikes, to the prim and proper Lil’ Duchess, there’s something for everyone. Not only do our bikes look the part, but they are also carefully thought out to ensure your child gets the most out of their riding experiences. Kids are more than just small adults. They have different needs that due to their strength, reach and weight limitations can affect the way they handle their bike. By carefully choosing our geometries, components and materials we ensure all the kids have to worry about is having fun! Talk to your Dawes Account Manager or get in touch with us on 0121 748 8050 to find out more about the latest sign-up deals.

Lightning 20”

Lil’ Duchess 24”

Giro 300 Jnr 24”

NEW JuniorCatalogue Out NOW!

Lil’ Duchess 12” Blowfish 14” Sprint 20” Bullet HT 24”

JuniorRange

Dawes

The Perfect Start

For Any Cyclist

SECTOR GUIDE

Childrens bikes & accessories

From tiny acorns grow the mighty oaks of the cycling world. So, what products are available for those kids who shun the Xbox in favour of the great outdoors? Mark Sutton rounds up

some market highlights…

DISTRIBUTOR:RALEIGH

CONTACT:01773 532600

Raleigh’s new 2015 kids bike range launches this September. All 20 and 24-inch models feature upgraded Shimano rear derailleurs, as well as Revoshift gears and non-slip pedals.

DISTRIBUTOR: MOORE LARGECONTACT: 01332 274200

KidZamo offer a comprehensive range of children’s cycling accessories including helmets, elbow and knee pads, baskets, bells, locks, mitts, horns, bottle cadges and streamers.


DISTRIBUTOR:HOTLINES

CONTACT:0131 319 1444

If it’s kids lids you’re after, the Cratoni Akino helmet meets the highest safety standards. This lightweight lid offers features on par with the adult’s helmets, including the one handed Rapid Lock System, 13 vents and a rear light.

DISTRIBUTOR:PALIGAP

CONTACT:01454 313116

With the available accessories, a Trail-A-Bike can last for years, easily accommodating a child from the age of 3 to 8. It’s also more compact than any competitor; utilising a unique folding mechanism.

DISTRIBUTOR:ISON

CONTACT:01353 662662

The TSG Nipper range of helmets carries full safety certifi cation. Derived from the ground-breaking inmould TSG Superlight helmet, but with a modifi ed shell shape for kids and toddlers, these are available in Mini and Maxi sizes.

DISTRIBUTOR:GREENOVER

CONTACT:01803 558885

Greenover has kids covered with the Nutcase helmet and Wishbone balance bike (pictured) labels. Nutcase has become popular in recent years, boasting a strong catalogue of varied and colourful designs tailored for kids.


SECTOR GUIDE

DISTRIBUTOR:ZYRO

CONTACT:01325 741200

House brand Altura doesn’t just cater for the adults, having created Night Vision waterproof jacket, costing £49.99, which much like the adult version carries a solid amount refl ective detail.

DISTRIBUTOR:KIDDIMOTO

CONTACT:01749 871175

Introduced to the Kiddimoto catalogue this year is the £74.99 Super Junior Max balance bike, which is best suited to the toddler. With no cranks or pedals, this is a pure pushbike, which sports a customised seat with ergonomic handle to help parents stabilise kids should they need help. There’s also a rear brake to teach kids the controls early.

DISTRIBUTOR: FISHER OUTDOORCONTACT: 01727 798345

Newly added to Fisher’s extensive portfolio are both Limar and Melon, two helmet labels that cater for kids with much the same gusto that goes into the adult goods.

DISTRIBUTOR:ULTRASPORT

CONTACT:01332 813 150

For the girls, Ultrasport brings in the Bern line, which this year has the £40 Bandita. For kids aged 8 through 12, look for the small to medium size. For ages 12 to 15, the medium to large should do the trick.

DISTRIBUTOR:MET

CONTACT:[email protected]

Met’s classic for kids, the Buddy, strikes the perfect balance between solid volume and good ventilation and all for a competitive £19.99. Child friendly touches, such as an anti-pinch buckle and refl ective stickers feature.

DISTRIBUTOR:MADISON

CONTACT:01908 326000

Ridgeback has recently announced an entirely new range tailored to the 6 to 11 year old. There are two sizes available – the Dimension 20 at £259.99 and Dimension 24 at £279.99. Additional models are also promised in the near future.

DISTRIBUTOR:2PURE

CONTACT:0844 811 2001

Like many others, POC are trickling down their top-end helmet technology into the kids models, taking elements of the best-selling Crane and tailoring to smaller heads. Two sizes for kids are now in stock with 2pure.

TO ADVERTISEFor more details and to advertise,

contact Lisa Carter on 01992 535646 or email [email protected]

GET LISTEDEmail your updated details NOW [email protected]

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RETAILERS, WORKSHOPAND MAIL ORDER

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AND AGENTS

welcometo

www.dare2b.com

The Dare 2b cycle apparelcollection incorporates cuttingedge design and features forperformance and rider comfort.

welcometo the front view

of oscar pereiro(you probably won’t see it again)

Tour de France Winner 2006


SECTOR GUIDE

Clothing & Accessories

Baby it’s cold outside…so it’s time to grab your thermals and refl ectives. Jonathon Harker attempts to dazzle you with a helpful seasonal selection…

DISTRIBUTOR:BOB ELLIOT


The Funkier TPU Windproof Jacket uses TPU fabric, created by laminating the membrane to high-performance textiles that are breathable, then sealing them for 100 per cent waterproof protection. Nifty. Front and rear refl ective piping boost visibility, while the microfi bre warm breathable winter fabric has front vent zips for cooling and two front zipped pockets.

DISTRIBUTOR:CHICKEN CYCLEKIT

CONTACT:01525381347

Briko’s winter collection maintains the brand’s value for money creed. Since it re-launched earlier this year, the summer range has been a huge success, we’re told, with the range complementing a top end line, offering consumers an entry level price point, but remaining good quality.

DISTRIBUTOR:ENDURA

CONTACT:01506 497749

The Endura Luminite II Range shines with a bespoke LED lighting concept paired with lots of refl ective material. Using EN471 approved materials throughout, the Luminite collection incorporates refl ective safety chevrons in a bold aesthetics across the jackets, tights, biblongs, overtrousers, gloves, overshoes, helmet and backpack covers.

DISTRIBUTOR: 2PURECONTACT: 0844 811 2001

Secure and lightweight, Lightspur helps both cyclists and runners be seen while out and about. Completely waterproof and equipped with an easily replaceable battery, the spurs have multiple settings and come in black/sulphur or tango red/white. Then there is the Lightbender Visibility, also for £19.99. Instead of the ankle, it attaches to the arm, wrapping around for 360-degree visibility.


SECTOR GUIDE

DISTRIBUTOR:HOTLINES

CONTACT:0131 319 1444

Club Ride apparel is based around the concept of offering technical clothing in everyday, down the pub or in the offi ce-style wear. The autumn/winter range is no exception to this philosophy, with one stand out item the Flannel jersey. It features breathable, wicking, woven fl annel fabric that is quick drying for moisture control.

DISTRIBUTOR:MOORE LARGE

CONTACT:01332 274200

Dare 2b has a range of high quality winter clothing and accessories. The line-up uses advanced materials with a huge choice of jackets on offer – a bestseller is the Momentum windshell for men and the Expedite windshell for women, both retailing at £49.99. The two-in-one design, with detachable sleeves, is made from a wind resistant fabric with a water-repellent fi nish.

DISTRIBUTOR:ORTLIEB

CONTACT:015394 33592

Ortlieb’s High-Visibility Back Roller Classic aims to tackle the worst of winter. Priced at £180.00 for the pair, the best-selling pannier is now available in a high-visibility bright yellow, with additional refl ective material. The features mirror the standard Back Roller Classic, with roll closure and QL2.1 mounting system, tear-resistant fabric, shoulder carrying strap and pockets.

DISTRIBUTOR:EXTRA


Pogu’s refl ective stickers are an incredibly simple way to boost visibility on the bike. Visible up to 365m, according to the blurb, each pack includes an assortment of shapes and sizes (12 of them), which are refl ective whether wet or dry. Also eye catching is the new Rapid Racer Products Enduro Guard, which can be used as both a front and rear mudguard.

DISTRIBUTOR: CONTACT:MADISON 0870 034 7226

Madison clothing is rapidly growing, with stand out lines including the windproof, waterproof and highly breathable Stellar jacket. Available in a range of bright colours and with refl ective details, it is pitched as a perfect commute jacket, with a limited lifetime warranty to boot. The range also offers the Pro Softshell Jacket, priced at £169.99 and providing a single wind and water protective fabric.


WINTER 2014 NOW AVAILABLEDEVELOPED SPECIFICALLY FOR THE BRITISH WEATHER

TO VIEW THE FULL LINE, VISIT ZYROB2B.CO.UK

Performance Fit Waterproof Breathable StretchWindproof

British winters are harsh. During these months the bitter cold and driving rain will challenge even the most passionate of cyclists. It’s when faced with these challenges that we thrive, and at the heart of our brand we have always, and will always, strive to make products that keep riders on their bikes 365 days a year. For winter 2014 it seems fitting that our Nevis Jacket, the jacket that founded the brand and launched an entirely new category to the cycling industry, has been redesigned from the ground up. The benchmark product by which all others are measured has been taken to a new level, providing maximum protection from the elements, and

exceptional performance for cyclists.

We haven’t stopped at the Nevis though, and the 2014 line will introduce you to an entire range of new and innovative products that use our unique technologies to bring lightweight waterproof protection, thermal insulation, defence from chilling winds, and

sleek performance designs to cyclists across the spectrum.

It’s winter, let’s ride.

RIDER WEARS:Altura Vapour JacketAltura Raceline Windproof Bib TightsAltura Raceline Windproof GlovesAltura Thermastretch Neoprene OvershoesAltura Raceline Socks


SECTOR GUIDE

DISTRIBUTOR:PROVIZ

CONTACT:Moore Large: 01332 274200

The brand’s new REFLECT360 range was fi rst glimpsed back at Moore Large’s‘Geared’ show earlier this year and since then pre-sales have been incredible, we hear. Now the fi rst shipment of REFLECT360 jackets are about to arrive, with the Rucksack and Rucksack Cover in the range following slightly later in the Autumn.

DISTRIBUTOR:SEALSKINZ

CONTACT:01553 817990

Hands bear the brunt of the cold weather on the bike, and Sealskinz’s low-profi le, close-fi tting and hard-wearing DragonEye Gloves are a fi ne antidote to winter weather. Totally waterproof, breathable and windproof, they feature anti-slip to improve dexterity and virtually eliminate pull-out, while a very handy feature on the index fi nger allows use of touchscreen devices without exposing fi ngers to the chill.

DISTRIBUTOR:RALEIGH


Ideal for slinging over whatever the rider is already wearing, the Polite High Viz waistcoat is highly refl ective, a tried and tested method of improving visibility for cyclists on the road. The patented design is EN 1550 safety approved and features a fully adjustable rear.

DISTRIBUTOR:ZYRO

CONTACT:www.zyrob2b.co.uk

Altura’s Night Vision City Overshoe (£34.99) fi ts over all sorts of footwear, while the Night Vision Bib Tights (£64.99) keep riders comfortable while commuting. The robust Tortec Refl ector Mudguards (£34.99) not only guard from the wet but also feature refl ective stripes down each side.

DISTRIBUTOR: PALIGAPCONTACT: 01454 313116

Based in Verona, Alé is 100 per cent made in Italy – and new to the UK. Pictured is the PRR (which means Pro Racing Research) Ponenté Long Sleeve Jersey in red and white (SRP £115). This Jersey has been wind tunnel tested on professional teams and is entirely made of thermal and fl eece stretch printable fabric. It uses a J Stability system and features three rear pockets, one zippered pocket with a refl ective zipper and refl ective stitching on the back. This will be available in Yellow Fluo and Sky Blue, with Winter shorts and Tights to match. A more affordable range called Plus will also be available with Jerseys starting from £65.

Professional Bike Tools

t: 01332 274200e: [email protected]

www.moorelarge.co.uk

NEW ORCA.Luz Ardiden. Alpe d’Huez. Empire. Mortirolo. Flagstaff. Marmolada. Hautacam. La Pandera. Galibier. Angrilu. La Linea. Navacerrada. Maybe you’ve experienced some of these cycling monuments. Perhaps they are only jagged lines the maps and

– these names incite passion and memories of heroic struggles between the giants of cycling, impossible feats made painfully real by competitors who refused to surrender. It’s these storied climbs and the riders who made them sacred that inspired the newest Orca. An Orca born from competition and love of cycling, ready to write history on pavement everywhere.

CONQUERMOUNTAINS,CLIMBPODIUMS.


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Specialist legal services following a cycling injury:

to get you back on your bike

Enjoy on our website the easy and friendly menu for 120 gear hangers. These are available from stock at wholesalers, razor-sharp priced and including special hangers for TREK, Specialized, Cannondale and Giant.

www.marwi-eu.com/gh

the solution! Finding the right gear hanger is from now on child’s work!

Choose! Find! Fit!

We have


SECTOR GUIDE

Indoor TrainersAs Mother Nature prepares to turn the thermostat to ‘brass monkeys’,

Jonathon Harker lists some stocking options that allow cyclists

to stay fi t without enduring the Great British winter…

DISTRIBUTOR:2PURE

CONTACT:0844 811 2001

The Kinetic Trainer line-up has options spanning £249 up to £464, with the uppermost product offering natural side-to-side motion, so that the core muscles have to engage to maintain balance.

DISTRIBUTOR:PALIGAP

CONTACT:01454 332110

Paligap has been working in partnership with CycleOps since 2001, and the full 2015 range of trainers, indoor cycles and accessories is in stock now.Add in the new 2015 PowerSync Virtual Trainer & App software and indoor training no longer needs to be viewed as an act of basement torture. The huge trainer range stars sub-£200 and runs all the way up to peaking just over £1,000.

DISTRIBUTOR:CHICKEN CYCLEKIT

CONTACT:01525 381347

For winter 2014-2015, Jet Black has introduced the whisper Drive turbo trainer, a wheel off trainer available for under £500. Pre-orders have fl ooded in, we’re told, due to the trainer’s versatility, performance and value.

DISTRIBUTOR:MADISON


Elite’s Muin trainer had a successful debut year as direct drive continues to gather pace. Priced at £499.99, the rear wheel is replaced entirely, with the bike’s drivetrain directly driving the heavy duty 197mm and 6kg fl ywheel, removing any slippage.

DISTRIBUTOR:ZYRO

CONTACT:www.zyrob2b.co.uk

Minoura’s Live Ride 340 is just under the £200 price point, using the latest Mag technology and Neodymium magnets. The trainer uses the power of the iPhone to bring to the handlebars Wattage using an ANT+ or BLE Speed/cadence sensor. The trainer is foldable and portable so can be used when away on business or for a pre-race warm up.


DISTRIBUTOR:FISHER OUTDOOR LEISURE

CONTACT:01727 798340

The Tacx i-Genius Virtual Reality trainer displays the race on the screen of a PC and true-to-life terrain mapping signals are transmitted by the trainer’s brake to the bike, so climbs feel very real.

Twist, Lock & Go!The ultimate smartphone mount

Quad Lock® is the only mounting system that lets you integrate your smartphone in an active lifestyle. By securely attaching your phone to your bike while you ride, Quad Lock® makes it much easier and safer to interact with your

The innovative Twist, Lock and Go™ system allows you to mount your smartphone in an instant and the Dual Stage Lock gives you the

always securely attached.

Quad Lock® is the lightest, strongest and most secure smartphone mount on the market. Once you try it you will wonder how you ever got by without it!

Now available for immediate delivery – check out our website for B2B ordering or

iPhone 4/4SGalaxy S4

iPhone 5/5S

01603 510752

Watch the YouTube video:

Universal


COMMUNITY

Cycle the new school

runWith 600,000 new primary school kids starting school this month, Sustrans is urging pupils and

parents to cycle instead of driving. Berno, regular commenter to

BikeBiz.com, pondered the point…

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

THIS IS a good example of how the bicycle industry should engage with the developments towards a broader use of bicycles for everyday tasks.

I do however think the industry should also consider the type of bicycle children are sold. Most children’s bikes are essentially toys, mountainbikes in miniature. Children sit relatively high of the ground, with a lot of their weight on the steering, which has the effect of them being quite wobbly. Great for slaloming around pylons in the school yard bicycle profi ciency test, but not so good to keep to a safe straight line when cycling among other traffi c. A good children’s bike, fi t for the school trip and other journeys, has a low point of gravity, doesn’t confuse with too many gears, gives the child an upright position so they can keep a good look around for other traffi c and comes complete with mudguards and a chainguard to allow cycling in any clothes and any weather. It is this type of bike that allows Dutch children to cycle to school safely in huge numbers, and take on longer trips as well.

If the notion that children need one type of bike for playing but also another, proper one to safely travel to school or other destinations would be widely accepted then that could of course be very benefi cial for the bicycle industry. Obviously this calls for a serious amount of marketing, but the bicycle industry could make a good start

by at least stocking these bikes.Apart from the small children

starting primary school there must be at least the same amount of secondary school children of 14, 15 years old currently growing out of their last children’s bike. What has the industry got to offer to them?

In my efforts to promote the Dutch hybrid as an ideal multipurpose bike for Britain (by offering test rides) I am shocked by the amount of people who

confess they haven’t been on a bike since they were a teenager. This situation is such a contrast to that what I grew up in Holland where every child is given a suitable bike at all ages and usually get their fi rst adult bike by the time they seriously start growing in height.

Again, apart from the obvious advantages for the health of the country, this seems a huge opportunity for the bicycle industry. As you can see, these bicycles allow grown up children to go everywhere under their own steam. It gives them the freedom to meet up with friends, go to their favourite gathering spots or even go on holidays. Children who own a proper bike will not have such a strong urge to learn to drive, because they have that freedom already. So here is an idea for a marketing drive towards parents of 15-17 year olds: ‘postpone driving for a year, buy a good bike instead and save thousands’.

This is just one example. There must be far more ways to sell bikes. How did you end up with twenty different bottles of shampoo on your shelf?

“This seems a huge opportunity for the industry.”

Berno

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This month the lucky winner will receive a precision engineered tool for on the go and workshop use, for

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STAR COMMENT

“Chuffed to nestle in the bosom of cycling http://www.bikebiz.com/news/read/cycle-clothing-fi rm-enters-dragons-den/016746 …. Good job we’re not treading on anyone’s toes!”@FatLadAtTheBack

“Exciting news to start the week. Pearl Izumi opens factory store in UK http://www.bikebiz.com/news/read/pearl-izumi-opens-factory-store-in-uk/016742 …”@kellieparsons

“Wales. Not only home to some of the best cycling destinations in the UK, now it’s well on its way to ‘cycling mecca’ [Wales rides ahead with cycle route design guidance] http://fb.me/2QX-f0YY0G”@Yeticharge

”Fantastic news that @NorthBarDrinks are offering free coffee for Cycle to Work Day!”@cycletoworkday

@bikebizonline

ECO-FRIENDLY LUBES, CLEANERS & POLISHESAvailable from: Moore Large & Co, Derby

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A simple yet effective range of cleaners, degreasers and lubricants well presented in compact counter displays.

No need to stock a huge range of products half of which sit on the shelf. With just 5 products Dirt Doc provides asolution to all a cyclist’s day to day cleaning requirements at attractive margins for dealers.

As an incentive to give us a try we’re currently running an excellent promotional offer.

ORDER12 bottles Bike Cleaner at best rate12 aerosols in any mixture at best rate

RECEIVE1 x 5 litre Bike Cleaner refill free of charge1 x Counter Display free of charge

WEB: WWW.GREYVILLE.COMEMAIL: [email protected] | PHONE: 0845 1661983

SCAN THE QR CODEFOR MORE INFORMATIONREGARDING THIS PROMOTION


MARKETPLACE


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

How’s business? Growing healthily. Since the launch of Exposure Lights nearly a decade ago the company has gone through a number of major transitions. In the last four years the need for space has quadrupled which has now led to the completion of a new purpose- built factory six miles down the road to the foot of Bury Hill. This brings all the elements of the business back under one roof with a bigger improved machine shop at the heart of the company, offi ces and design studio overlooking production with views across the hills and updated assembly areas to ensure quality is easily maintained.

How big is the cycle side of the business compared to Marine? Marine is in its infancy, but with Olympic medallists and World Champions racing with the lights there’s no better test bed to ensure they will continue the market leading achievements of Exposure Lights. The latest lights are embarking on the Volvo Ocean Race with the crew of the Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing Team, among others.

How is the export business now? The export business is looking good

and soon to increase. There are a number of key markets in Europe and Asia that desire the British manufacturing and quality of USE hardware. Lighting continues to grow internationally with Australia and the USA being the biggest markets. Germany has had a strange year with regulation changes of cycle lighting, but it is now in a good place to exceed previous years.

What are the key new launches from USE that the trade should know about? We’re just about to launch our EVO91, a lightweight seatpost that goes back to the

original USE design from 1991. It’s undergone a lot of development, so is again at the forefront of seatpost design and it will soon be turned into a Shokpost.

And for Exposure? Refl ex Technology spreads even further into the range and there are new additions of OLED displays, Capacitive Switching and TAP mode change.

How can the trade get in touch? [email protected] or 01798 839 300 and our new address is, Ultimate Sports Engineering Ltd, Bury Mill Farm, Bury, Pulborough,W. Sussex, RH20 1NN

John CooksonMarketing ManagerUltimate Sports Engineering01798 839 300

COMPANY PROFILE

“Export business is looking good

and set to increase.”

BIKES & ACCESSORIES

DMR Bikes 01404 711 611 www.upgradebikes.co.uk

M&J Distributors Ltd 01613 379 600 www.mjdist.co.uk

Madison 01908 326 000 www.madisonb2b.co.uk

The Cycle Division 0845 0508 500 www.thecycledivision.com

BIKE MAINTENANCE

Clarks Cycle Systems 01827 382 800 www.clarkscyclesystems.com

Weldtite 01652 660 000 www.weldtite.co.uk

CLOTHING

Wildoo 01908 374 555 www.wildoo.co.uk

COMPONENTS

Pace Cycles Ltd 01751 460 599 www.pacecycles.com

Sonic Cycles 0207 2432 848 www.soniccycles.co.uk/b2b

USE Ltd 01798 344 477 www.use1.com

DEALER MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

Evopos 0845 644 9424 www.evopos.com

EPOS & ECOMMERCE

Bike Rental Manager +33 686 451 310 www.bikerentalmanager.com

Citrus Lime 0845 6039 254 www.citrus-retail.com

Seanic Retail Software 01926 338 932 www.seanicretail.co.uk

RACKS

Pendle 01282 699 555 www.pendle-bike.co.uk

TYRES & TUBES

Rubena 0800 281 413 www.rubenacycle.co.uk

WATER BOTTLES

Bottlesport 08456 029 267 www.bottlesport.com

WEBSITE SERVICES

SiWis Limited 01709 511 766 www.siwis.co.uk

MARKETPLACECONTACTS

MARKETPLACEGET YOUR COMPANY FEATURED IN THE

BIKEBIZ MARKETPLACE BY CONTACTING:Richard Setters on 01992 [email protected]

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


BIKES & ACCESSORIESBIKES & ACCESSORIES

BIKES & ACCESSORIES BIKES & ACCESSORIES

MARKETPLACE


BIKES & ACCESSORIES BIKES & ACCESSORIES

FREESHIPPING on all parts via www.madisonb2b.co.uk

Hangers, BB solutions, Bearing presses, Sealed bearings and Workshop solutions

www.wheelsmfg.co.uk

BIKES & ACCESSORIESBIKES & ACCESSORIES



BIKE MAINTENANCE CLOTHING

wildoo.co.uk [email protected] 01908 374555

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Custom Sports Bottles

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WEBSITE SERVICESWATER BOTTLES

To find out more about dealer opportunities and Rubena pricing structure contact Rubena UK Trade Distributor

BIKE TYRESTORE.

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Comprehensive range of high-quality tyres and tubes covering all disciplines from road to MTB.

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OFF TRACK


It seems it is time you opened another bike shop – stats from two sources declare that car use is down in the UK, so expect increasing numbers of punters across the threshold…

CAR NUMBERS HAVE DRIVEN TO DECLINE

X2While 74 per cent of cycle

commuters in Bristol are

male, female cycle commuter

numbers have doubled from

2.3 per cent to 4.6 per

cent in the city.

I N A S S O C I A T I O N W I T H B R O O K S

WHERE ARE YOUR FAVOURITE PLACES TO RIDE

AND HOW MANY BIKES DO YOU OWN?

Just the one bike used for the occasional commute

(maybe that’s too honest), I like to get away at

weekends and challenge myself on some of the harder

climbs from the TDF.

WHAT DOES YOUR DAY-TO-DAY JOB INVOLVE?

We monitor our product ranges daily to maintain

stock levels, organise promotional lines and study the

competition. We try to spend at least one day a month

visiting dealers across the country to keep up with

what’s hot and what’s not.

HOW WIDE IS THE JAGWIRE RANGE NOW? DOES

MOORE LARGE OFFER THE FULL RANGE?

Currently we stock around 99 per cent of the Jagwire

range leaving out only items that we feel are less

popular in the UK than mainland Europe. Their offering

is comprehensive, catering for every riding style, colour

option and budget.

WHAT’S COMING UP FOR JAGWIRE – WILL THERE

BE ANY BIKE EUROBIKE LAUNCHES?

There will be new items launched during the Eurobike

show but it will be more than my life’s worth to reveal

those prior to the event.

HOW ARE INDEPENDENT BIKE DEALERS KEY FOR

JAGWIRE’S STRATEGY?

Jagwire is all about upgrading and customising your

bike and IBDs are absolutely key for sales of the

aftermarket product.

HOW CAN THE TRADE GET IN TOUCH?

Please contact your Moore Large Area Manager or sales

on 01332 274252 for more information.

IN THESADDLEGraham Darby, Jagwire product managerMoore Large

Nationwide, the average distance ofcar trips have fallen 12 per cent.But that’s because of the economic decline, right? Actually, no – the drop in car use started wayback in 1995.Source: Department for Transport

UNDER 40S

Bristol City Council has found that for the under 40s, driving to work is no longer the norm.

57 per cent of the age group walk, cycle or use public

transport.

12%


OFF TRACK

THANKS FOR SUPPORTING CYCLE TO WORK DAY

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

BY THE time this column goes to

print, our second Cycle to Work

Day will have been and gone. At

the time of writing this, 81,417

miles have been pledged which

means we’re well on our way to

reaching, and surpassing, our

achievements from last year.

Rather than use this space as a

way of reviewing the campaign,

which I simply couldn’t do justice

at this point, I’ll instead talk about

some of the many great supporters

we’ve had the pleasure of working

with throughout.

First, to our partners the Bicycle

Association, British Cycling,

Business in The Community and

Sustrans – thank you. Your support

has helped us enormously to realise

a truly nationwide campaign.

Secondly, to all of the retailers

across the UK who have offered

Free Bike Health Checks (438 and

counting) – your support, at a grass

roots level, is vital. Thirdly, to the

employers who have rallied behind

us and promoted the day to their

colleagues – Dell, Chelmsford

City Council and the University of

Cambridge to name just a few.

And last, but by no means least,

to the cyclists. To the thousands

who pledged their usual cycle

commute and to those who

hopped onto a bike for the fi rst

time in years. You are the reason

that we run the campaign – you are

all champions.

Visit www.cycletoworkday.org

to see the full results of the Cycle

to Work Day campaign.

Daniel Gillborn,Director

Sponsored by the brands ofMoore Large 01332 274252

For more on these stories, head to www.BikeBiz.com

“I decided to get on board with Buy British Day because the time is right forit and we need a lot more consumers,

British manufacturers and British brandsto support British business.”

Wayne Hemingway on the launch of Buy British Day, taking place on Friday October 3rd

PIPPA PEDALS FOR HEARTS Not content with pedalling 500 miles across America for charity, Pippa Middleton has donated her signed, bespoke Dassi bike to the British Heart Foundation. By the time you read this it’s probably going to be too late to bid for the bike on eBay, but rest assured it probably earnt more than its £2,500 value for the worthy cause.More info at bhf.org.uk/media/news-from-the-bhf /pippa-donates-bike.aspx

The ever popular Brompton World Championships, for which you have to ride in jacket and tie, took place at Goodwood earlier this summer, with Mark Emsley crowned victor, and Manuela De Luvis as Fastest Female, both completing the 15km course in under 25 mins. Brompton MD Will Butler-Adams had a personal best in 64th place. Next year the event is in its tenth year. More info at http://bwc.brompton.com

BROMPTON CHAMPSSEE 800 COMPETE


LAST WORD

Chain Reaction Cycles: smell the country airHow did a tiny bike shop in rural Northern Ireland become so big? Carlton Reid tries to fi nd out by paying them a visit.

DISCLAIMER: CHAIN Reaction Cycles did not fl y me in to see their operation in Northern Ireland. I went under my own steam (a Brompton, to be exact, although, yes, an aeroplane was also involved) and I paid my own way. Or, at least CRC didn’t pay for me to be in town, I was there giving a talk at The Fred, a cycling festival in Belfast and it was this festival which covered my expenses. I highlight this up front because a certain highly-placed individual wrote to BikeBiz towers complaining that I had visited CRC “on a jolly”, inferring that any comments I might make about the Watson family business would be darkened by the colour of their money. (Of which they’ve got lots – the Watson family was sixth on this year’s Sunday Times Irish Rich List and is claimed to have a personal fortune of £200m.)

Right, that’s out of the way, what did I think about CRC? I was very impressed, as are all who visit. It’s a slick, highly professional organisation, run by bike enthusiasts. Famously, it sprang from a small bike shop in the tiny town of Ballyclare in 1989. I was taken there. The shop is now a barber’s shop, a very small barber’s shop. This was the second shop. The fi rst, started in 1984, was Ballynure Cycles, an even smaller operation. The business was founded by George and Janice Watson – their fi rst sale was a chain link costing 11p. Any bike shop that was around in the mid-1980s MTB boom could have grown to become CRC. There were a number of similar bike shops at the time, selling mail-order goods in “the comic” and MBUK. Some are still around, but they never expanded in the same way as Ballynure Cycles. When, in 1998, the business moved to Ballyclare the decision was

made to change the fi rm’s name, and Chain Reaction Cycles was born. The website was launched the following year. Offering more than 90,000 products, with a turnover in excess of £150m, Chain Reaction Cycles is now probably the largest online bike store in the world. Almost 40 percent of CRC’s sales come from outside the EU, as dealers in Australia and America know only too well.

When I was there, parcels on the conveyor belt had address labels from a dizzying collection of countries. CRC employs support staff from around the world, with French, Spanish, German, Italian, Japanese and Russian native speakers. In another industrial unit there’s a bikes-in-boxes operation that looks – and operates – just like a IBD’s workshop. Some of CRC’s industrial units – thanks to expansion, the outfi t has a number – are on bog-standard industrial estates. You could be anywhere in the UK.

CRC might also be the only British bicycle retailer to sponsor a bunch of roundabouts. Twelve in the Ballyclare to Belfast area have been branded. (I saw some while riding to the fi rm’s 150,000 sq ft HQ.) The roundabout sponsorship is community PR, good for attracting staff (of which CRC has nearly 600). The retailer has also opened a fl agship 10,000 sq ft store on the outskirts of Belfast.

CRC’s presence in this part of Northern Ireland is dominant – it’s one of the area’s biggest employers. To boot, the fi rm is Royal Mail’s largest customer in Northern Ireland, mailing more than 40,000 parcels a week. How does it manage that? With tech. Packers don’t work from print-outs or hand-held gizmos – they are told what to pack, where it’s located and where to put it by a computer voice from a headset. That might be normal for Amazon, but does Amazon have cows at the door?

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I SPY: Something beginning with ‘c’.

“Any bike shop that was around during the mid-80s MTB boom could have grown to become

Chain Reaction Cycles.”

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bikebiz #104 september 2014

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