bikebiz issue41, june 2009

Issue 41 | June 2009

FOR EVERYONE IN THE BICYCLE BUSINESS ISSUE 41 | JUNE 2009

The bike extravaganzahits the UK this month.Jonathon Harker looks athow the annual festivalcan benefit your store...

PAGE 26

BIKE WEEKIs the arrival of a bikestore run by NorthernRail going to change theUK cycle trade? CarltonReid investigates...

PAGE 29

CYCLEPOINTTen years after the groundbreaking C2W legislationwas passed, Mark Suttonspeaks to the majorplayers in the trade...

PAGE 20

A DECADE OF TAX-FREE BIKES

THE UK LOOKS set to see itsfirst hot summer since 2006, butwill the UK cycle trade be able totake advantage of increasedconsumer demand?

The Met Office’s forecast isdecidedly bike-friendly, withtemperatures in excess of 30°Cpredicted to sweep the UK.

And the cycling industry ispoised to make the most of it,with a raft of events – includingBike Week and BikeRadar Live –and the chance to boost sales too.

Madison CEO Dominic Langancautiously welcomed the news:“So far there’s little sign of thishot summer but if it happens itwill undoubtedly impactpositively on sales.”

Leisure Lakes’ Nottinghamstore owner Andy Ramsdalebelieves the weather is a biggerfactor for retailers than therecession: “I’d say that generallythe biggest influencing factor onwhether or not it’s a good year isthe weather. We seem to be moreaffected by the climate than theeconomic situation.”

ACT research has alsoconfirmed the boost that sunnydays can provide, as Mark Browntold BikeBiz: “The industry isdominated by the weather. Wepublished a report last yearwhich found, unsurprisingly, thatthe warmer and drier it gets themore bikes get sold.”

But while the Met Office ispredicting a scorcher of asummer, fears have risen over

whether the distribution networkhas enough stock of certain bikecategories to cope. Supplies arebelieved to have been kept lowdue to the recession, plus pricehikes forced by the pound’sfalling strength. Should levelsprove low during a sales surgebrought about by hot weather,then IBDs could be left with astock shortfall.

An ACT report revealed thatover half the retailers surveyednote significant shortages.Compton Cycles owner ChrisCompton told BikeBiz he hasalready encountered problems:“It’s frustrating that in some areas– particularly road bikes between£500 and £1,000 – there is nostock available. But it does giveIBDs chance to clear stock.”

Bike store Cycledealia’s BrettSanders added: “Availability isgoing to be a big issue thissummer, especially on road bikesranging from £500 to £800.”

Madison CEO Langan toldBikeBiz: “At Madison we put agreat deal of effort intomanaging inventory and have afair amount of scope for handlingand reacting to sales surgesgreater than those planned for.

“It is notoriously hard topredict for longer lead timeproducts like bikes. Mid-to-latesummer is effectively season endwhen stocks are designed to runout. A good season means bikessell out early and a poor onemeans that there is availabilitythroughout. The game is to guessit right – and a year in advance!”

By Jonathon Harker

“With some nice weather onthe horizon more people arelooking at bicycles as a formof daily transport. Stockholding at suppliers isrunning short though, whichmay cause issues.”Andy Ramsdale, Leisure Lakes

“Research shows, ratherunsurprisingly, that thewarmer and drier it gets themore bikes get sold.”Mark Brown, ACT

“It’s slightly frustrating thatin some areas – particularlyroad bikes between £500and £1,000 – there is nostock available.”Chris Compton, ComptonCycles

“Availability is going to be abig issue this summer.” Brett Sanders, Cycledealia

“A good season usuallymeans the bikes are sold outearlier in the year and a poorseason usually means thereis good availabilitythroughout. The game is toguess it right – and a year ormore in advance!" Dominic Langan, Madison

And the heat ison suppliers...

BikeBiz The sun is set to shine on thebike trade this summer, butwill enough stock be in placeto cope with demand?

Phew, what a scorcher!

Trade prepares for the first hot summer in three years � Concerns raisedover whether stock levels will match the high demand for bikes

Please register with us for your chance to preview the new 2010 range that will be available from Autumn 2009Contact us at: E-mail [email protected], Tel 01908 326000

www.saracen.co.uk

2010

AMERICA SNEEZES; Britain catchesswine flu. Or something like that.When it comes to selling bikes, wedefinitely have more in commonwith Boston than Copenhagen. So,when the American top-end marketcollapses – as it has done in recentmonths – it should only be amatter of time before the samefate befalls Brit bike shops.

Er, except we’re doing just great.Luxury togs brands like Rapha and

Campag clothing are storming ahead; and the high-end roadmarket is surprisingly resilient given that all the rich bankers– thought to be that sector’s bedrock – have lost their jobs,or at least their bonuses.

At the Pickwick Club lunch at the beginning of May Italked to some of the best UK bike dealers and their storiestallied: for the last four months, business has been booming.

Almost by definition the Pickwick Club luncheon isattended by only the very best British bike retailers soperhaps the glowing comments were skewed by more thanjust the first warming doses of falling-down juice? But it’swhat I’ve been hearing from smaller dealers, too. And frommost mid to high-end suppliers as well. The first quarter ofthe year has been super strong.

There’s no single factor for this boom. It’s a mix of weightworries, planet-awareness, transport rethinks thanks to therecession and bicycle infrastructure improvements. Yet theUS has all that too. Perhaps we’re in a British bike businessbubble? If so, the bubble seems set to bobble along for awhile yet thanks to the weather gods, with the Met Officetaking the unusual step of predicting a hot and dry summer.Even if partially true, it’ll help keep the good times rolling.

However, inventory could be a problem. Globally, OEMcomponent suppliers are seeing forward orders reduced.Sales of new bikes via US IBDs are expected to drop by fiveto seven per cent this year. Other countries are alsoforecasting softening demand.

Which makes our success all the more perplexing. Yes, wecould do with some actual figures to put flesh on the bonesof this UK-specific market uplift but it’s hard to getmotivated to produce cross-industry sales stats when thesun is shining and there’s hay to be made.

One thing is crystal clear. The servicing side of an IBD’sbusiness is a customer magnet like no other. If yourworkshop isn’t stuffed to the gills with bikes at the moment,you’re doing something terminal.

LATEST NEWSSTRAIGHT TO YOUR MOBILE EDITORIAL

JUNE ISSUE 41

NEWS 6-13

REGULARS

BikeBiz talks to themajor players in theC2W sector

EVENTS 17

20

LETTERS 60Cooking oil for cables controversy, a petitionfor safer roads for cyclists and more...

OFF THE RECORD 61Dahon goes into the property game andunique cycle sculpture comes to the UK...

SPOKESMAN 62Our anonymous retailer columnist vents somesteam about the MP expenses scandal...

CYCLEPOINT

MYSTERY SHOPPER

CHAIN REACTION 14Colin Rees advocates showing shop staff howto deal with customers who complain

PEOPLE 34Urban Movers’ new team shapes up and BMX-brand Alienation bags Tony Delgado

NEW PRODUCTS 57RockShox’s latest, a new 11-speed groupsetfrom Campagnolo, plus more new products

How will the introduction of the CyclePoint store at Leeds trainstations affect local businesses? BikeBiz examines the evidence...

Carlton Reid, Executive Editor

COMPLETE BIKES

BikeBiz sends an undercover reporter to investigate how thebike dealers of Norwich rate in the commuter sector...

WELL OILED MACHINEBikeBiz speaks to UK-manufactured brand Weldtite aboutwhat it takes to stay on top for 70 years in the trade...

BOOKMARK US:MOBILE.BIKEBIZ.COM

30

24

23

42 45

16INDUSTRY OPINIONS 18OFF THE RADAR

Raleigh reveals a strong start to 2009, Taga’sfamily cycles come to the UK and more...

C2W: 10 YEARS ON

FOCUS ON…

EPOS SOLUTIONS

“Perhaps we’re in a British bike

business bubble? If so, the bubble

seems set to bobble along for some

time yet thanks to the weather gods.”

DESPITE NEW guidelines beingpublished for electric powerassisted cycles, the main CENstandard for bicycles is currentlyon hold while the DfT analysesresponses to the initial draft.

The changes to the UKlegislation are still expected tobe announced later this year.However, an Interpretation Panelhas been formed within CENTC333 to investigate andexamine the test methods andrequirements of clauses withinthe proposed standards.

When revised legislation is inplace, discussion with UK testhouses will take place to gain aclearer idea of the impact ontechnical reports, as well as on

existing and proposed new CENrules.

Alan Bush, who is working as aconsultant on behalf of the BA,told BikeBiz: “I am sure the DfTknows roughly what the contentsof the amended regulation willbe. Most likely it will be alongthe lines of: New bikes must stillbe equipped with a bell,unassembled bikes must havetheir brakes correctly set up andadjusted and, of course, theymust conform to GPSR – theCEN standards. The only piecemissing is the date of theamended regulation, or should Isay dates: Made, laid beforeParliament and when they’recoming into force.”

Meanwhile, new standardshave been proposed for BMX

bicycles. One major area fordiscussion is the requirements ofbraking on 20-inch bikes.

Currently, both track and rigtesting are used to certify a BMXbike safe, however it is beingconsidered that just rig testingshould be used. The target datefor submission to the CEN forEnquiry Procedure by nationalbodies is late 2009 with aproposed formal publication by2010 to 2011.

A new draft legislationreferring to trailers is also beingcirculated by national standardsbody BSI. The BA TechnicalAdvisory Group is currentlyreviewing the document and willmake suggestions to the BSIbefore the cut off date of SundayJuly 12th.

NEWS

Slow but steady progress for CEN standardsTrailer and BMX standards to get separate review � Still no dates for parliament viewing or publication

THE DEPARTMENT for Transport’sTHINK! campaign has beguntargeting drivers who text at thewheel with a series of radiocommercials.

Previously only addressing theissue of speeding, the RoadSafety minister Jim Fitzpatrickhas approved the adverts on theback of research that shows 30per cent of young driversadmitted to texting while driving.

The campaign has also beenmet with a steady stream ofcyclists going online to sign theRoad Peace petition asking theGovernment to ban motoristscaught breaking the law.

Allan Ramsay of Road Peace,who submitted the petition toNumber10.gov, said: “Ideally, I’dlike to see the Government takeaction in the form of confiscationof the car and driver’s licence,permanently. Perhaps the DfTcould reconstruct the scene in

which Leigh Dolby was killed by adriver on the phone. Let thenation see the likely trivial textmessage that killed him. This

does happen frequently and itneeds to be addressed with aseries of adverts as striking as the‘reduce your speed’ televisioncampaign.”

An online ‘driving challenge’game – which demonstrates howusing a mobile at the wheel cancompletely distract the driver – isalso being circulated online viasocial networking communitiesand entertainment sites.

Road Safety Minister,Fitzpatrick commented on thelatest campaign, stating: “Themessage that mobile phones and

driving should not mix is gettingthrough to the majority ofdrivers, but some people are stillneedlessly risking their own livesand putting others in danger forthe sake of a text or a call. Ourmessage to all drivers is simple:Don’t use your mobile phonewhen you’re driving.”

Using a hand-held mobilephone while driving was madeillegal in December 2003 by

Section 26 of the Road Safety Act2006 and currently carries a £60fine and a possible three-pointdeduction from a driver’s licence.

To Sign the Road Peacepetition typehttp://tinyurl.com/or876w intoyour browser.

THINK! campaign targets texting drivers

By Mark Sutton

“I’m sure the DfT have a rough idea ofwhat amendments need to be made. Asyet though, we’re still to see what oreven the dates for publication.”

Alan Bush, consultant for the BA

“Our message to drivers is very simple:Don’t use your mobile phone whileyou’re driving and don’t needlessly putother people’s lives in danger.”

Jim Fitzpatrick, Minister for Road Safety

The radio script in fullT.X.T.I.N. SPACE. W.H.E.N.SPACE. D.R.I.V.I.N. SPACE.C.A.N. SPACE.C.A.U.S.E....

SFX; AN ENORMOUS CARCRASH.

V.O. THINK! DON'T USEYOUR PHONE WHENYOU'RE DRIVING

Road Safetyminister JimFitzpatrick

THIS MONTH’S Bike Week is akey chance for the industry toattract new people to the cyclingworld and ‘seduce’ the public intocycling, according to keymembers of the industry.

The mass participation cyclingevent starts on Saturday June13th and runs until Sunday June21st, taking in a huge number oflocally organised events thatpromote cycling. The wider tradehas called on retailers to getinvolved in their local events,stressing that it has the potentialto be hugely beneficial for sales.

"Anything that keeps cycling inthe public domain and in apositive light can only be goodfor the industry,” Madison MDDominic Langan told BikeBiz. “We

know from a recent survey thatmost IBDs were generally insupport of Bike Week, but moreimportantly the general publicwho get involved in Bike Weekevents have a great time cyclingand that is priceless."

Compton Cycles owner ChrisCompton also voiced his support

for the event: “There are all ofthese organisations promotingwhat I do and that’s something Ifelt I had to support. Anything Ican do as a retailer to help outhas to be beneficial to cycling.”

Cycling England chairmanPhillip Darnton stressed theimportance of the event, and

warned that it is a crucialopportunity to encourage ‘non-cyclists’ to take part: “We have tothink about people who don’tthink Bike Week is about gettingthemselves on a bike andenjoying the outdoors. Seriouscyclists are very committed, butsometimes forget what it is toget started, and how you getpeople started is by almostseducing them into cycling.”

Raleigh UK MD MarkGouldthorp added that Bike Weekis an opportunity that has yet tobe taken advantage of fully bythe industry as a whole: “I stillthink that generally we’re allbloody useless at getting enoughout of Bike Week. We’ve gotvarious programmes that we’rerunning with Bike Week and we’resending out bulletins. But it is

difficult – overall as an industrywe’re not good at making themost of some of these things.”

The timing of the event – apeak sales period for retailers –has previously come under fire,but Darnton added that thepracticalities of the season meandealers hoping for a change areunlikely to see their wish granted:

“It is always an extremely busyperiod for cycle retailers and a lotwill say that what we really needis an event that promotes cyclingwhen there isn’t much of it goingon – like February – but the thingis that people don’t enjoy cyclingif it’s wet and windy.”

“I think that the idea that it’sin the middle of June is a given,”Darnton confirmed. For more on Bike Week, turn toour feature on page 26.

NEWS

BW will seduce the public into cycling

HAVING BEEN in developmentfor over three years, Dutch brandTaga has introduced itsconvertible tricycle to the UK.

Designed and developed byindustrial designer Shlomo Barak,the tricycle is inspired bytraditional Dutch cargo bicycles,but with the added twist of beingdesigned exclusively to carrychildren. The design convertsfrom its cycle form into apushchair with one simple foldand as an added bonus is able tobe easily broken down via quickreleases to fit into a car boot.

In addition, the productalready boasts a Eurobike Award,the International Red Dot ProductDesign award and a number ofothers gained since its Europeanlaunch in September 2008.

UK MD Simon Pearson toldBikeBiz at the London launch:“When introducing this product

to prospective dealers I’ve hadmums and dads stop me in thecar park having seen the Taga. I’veended up doing a fulldemonstration outside stores toparents who’ve then asked wherethey can pick one up!”

The lengthy design processtook into account the child’sexperience, as well as thepractical aspects of taking thepushchair out and about. As such,when in tricycle mode, thechildseat is located at the front,giving the parent full control,while the child has full view ofthe road. As a pushchair, themodel fits easily through mostdoors and is highlymanoeuvrable.

Retail price for the model is setat £1,695 and a variety of add-onaccessories are available,including seating upgradestailored to growth up to age six.

Taga is now seekingretailers to carry the modelin both the cycle andparenting trades, particularlyin these areas: Birmingham,Kent, Manchester andNewcastle, as well as northof the border where thebrand is yet to establish apresence. Those interested inbecoming a Taga dealershould contact UK generalmanager Simon Pearson viaemail at [email protected].

By Jonathon Harker

Taga introduces folding family cycling to the UK

Bike Week is a golden opportunity to reel in more customers and grow the sector, says cycle industry

Simon Pearson, general manager forTaga in the UK

“When introducing theproduct to prospectivedealers I’ve beenapproached by parentsasking where theycan buy a Taga.”

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C2-SportschmuckC4CCamelbakCampagnoloCannondaleCanyonCaprioloCarbon SportsCarbon TiCarbotecCaribouCarnacCarnielliCarraroCarreraCarvicoCasatiCascoCastelliCat EyeCatlikeCatrikeCCM SportCentrimasterCEPVCervéloCF Industrievert.Chance GoodCharge BikesCheng Shin HollandChibaCicli EliosCicli FMCicli LombardoCicli PinarelloCiclo SportCiro SportCitecClarksClemenzoCN SpokeCole EuropeColnagoCompagnia EditorialeContinentalCorimaCorratecCorsairCosmic SportsCraftCratoniCubeCuranaCurrieCycle LuchaCycle UnionCytechDAHONDDKDe MarchiDe RosaDe SotoDealwellDedacciaiDelius KlasingDema SenicaDenverDerby CycleDeuterdeVELOpmentDIMBDirtcompanyDMT / GiordanaDOWEDr. LogesDremefaDry SportDT SwissDynatekE. WienerEddy MerckxEffeviEickhausEliteEliteElmerEnchessEndorfinEnduraEPSEroxEschler, ChristianEsperia CicliEtxe OndoEU-BottleEufabEVOC

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No responsibility is taken for the correctness of this information. Subject to change without prior notice.

Argenbühl, Allgäu, Germany

September 1, 2009DEMODAY 09www.eurobike-demoday.com

The world’s leading trade fair and business platform for bicycles, equipment, clothing, travel and more.

Friedrichshafen, Germany

September 2 – 5, 2009

We-Fr 8.30 a.m. – 6.30 p.m.Sa 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.

www.eurobike-show.com

LEADING THE TRENDS 09

CUSTOMERS OF Madison andthose interested in the up-coming Saracen Bikes launchhave been invited to thedistributor’s Milton Keyneswarehouse to get a world firstlook at the revamped range, duefor an early 2010 launch.

The brand manager, SimonWild, will be on hand on each ofthe three dates – June 23rd, 24thand 25th – to talk dealersthrough the progress made sinceMadison acquired the brand earlylast December.

Wild said: “We have beenworking hard on developing acomplete new look for the brand,as well as developing a wholenew range of bikes. Madison isvery excited about the future ofSaracen and we can confirm thefuture of this brand will be putfirmly back in the hands of theindependent bicycle retailer andwill not be offered through anyother channel.

“Over the past six months wehave been travelling the globetalking to new suppliers,finalising specs and working onnew graphics. The new range willhit key price points whilstoffering excellent value formoney and strong dealermargins,” added Wild

In other news, threeappointments have been madeto the Madison team – PaulClements, Mark Greshon andDominic Thomas.

Clements takes on the newlycreated role of finance director, aposition created to cope with thefirm’s growing business. A

Madison spokesperson toldBikeBiz: “Over the last threeyears Madison’s turnover hasdoubled in size and themanagement team hasambitious growth aspirations forthe years ahead, but needs theadditional financial skills withinthe business to help facilitatethese plans.”

Secondly, the Shimano brandhas gained further resource inthe form of Mark Greshon whopicks up the role of Shimano andPro brand manager. Greshon willreport to Phil Hammill – theprevious incumbent of the role.

Last of the recent string ofappointments is DominicThomas, who has been broughton board to handle brandmanagement of DT Swiss, Resproand Thule. Thomas most recentlyworked at Pace Cycles and bringsknowledge, experience andenthusiasm to the firm.

Dealers interested in registeringfor the Saracen preview shouldemail [email protected] assoon as possible.

New Clarksoffering for IBDs Clarks is providing animpressive 25 per cent offtrade prices for retailers thatbuy 20 pairs of disc brakepads. In addition, eligiblestores will also receive a freesales display.

Shimano sales slip Shimano has reported athree per cent rise in profitsin its Q1 results, but alsoreported a sales drop to$469 million. Themanufacturer nowanticipates net profit willreach $78 million in 2009, asharp drop from last year’s$130 million.

BikeBiz on the upBikeBiz.com saw another risein the number of uniqueusers visiting the site lastmonth. 23 per cent month-on-month growth saw theunique users total reach58,135. The latest figuresalso revealed that over 60per cent of the readership isUK-based, while 12.8 percent hail from the USA anda further 5.9 per cent visitfrom within Taiwan.

Families targetedby Halfords The retail chain is to createa Halfords.com spin-offmicrosite dedicated topromoting family cycling.Featuring bike buying guides,tips on cycle routes that arefamily-friendly and more,the site is set to go live laterthis year.

90,000 kidsencouraged tocycle by Bike ItThe first Bike It review waspublished last month andrevealed that the Sustrans-run scheme has visited over500 schools across the UKand encouraged animpressive 90,000 schoolchildren to get on their bikesfor journeys to and fromlessons.

CYCLESHORTS

NEWS

YORKSHIRE-BASED distributorZyro has seen sales of helmetbrand Abus rise an incredible841 per cent in the firstfour months of 2009.

“Our first quarter salesresults for Abus helmetsreflected the hugesupport retailershave shown for thebrand since thelaunch of its all newand significantlyimproved ’09 range,”enthused Abus’ newbrand manager NeilMountain. He added:“This growth isestablishing Abus asarguably one of theUK’s leading helmetranges.”

The German brandhas been ramping upits product designefforts in time forthe 2010 range witha three-fold increase inthe size of the productdesign team over the last12 months.

For more details on the brandcontact Zyro on 01845 521700.

For breaking news visit:www.bikebiz.com

“The future of Saracen is placed firmlyin the hands of IBDs and will not beoffered through other channels.”

Simon Wild, Saracen brand manager

Zyro sees 841 per centsales boost with Abus

10 BIKEBIZ JUNE BIKEBIZ.COM

Moore Large is nowconsidering marketing tofurther universities

BIKE BRAND Velorbis took theunusual step of promoting itsrange at Derby University lastmonth. In a joint promotionalongside its distributor MooreLarge, Velorbis showcased a rangeof bikes to an estimated 600students.

Part-time Moore Largeemployee Rebecca Moore putthe exhibition together. She toldBikeBiz: “We got a fantasticresponse from the people whocame to our stand. They lovedthe Dannebrog because itemphasises fashion and moreimportantly, it’s green.

“Most of the studentsresponded brilliantly to the bike,

suggesting that they wouldactually fork out the money forthis product, because they likedthe way it looked and how itmade them feel. I suppose itmade them feel confident. I alsohinted about Topshop taking oncycling accessories in Londonand they loved the way thatmade biking fashionable.”

The success of the event hasled the firm to consider rollingout more campus-basedmarketing:

“We’re considering visitingother universities and making itinteractive as well to allowstudents to get a real feel of whatit’s like being on a classic bike.”

Velorbistargets student cash

Saracen brand manager,Simon Wild and the MiltonKeynes warehouse

By Mark Sutton andJonathon Harker

IBDs get ‘next gen’ Saracen previewMadison promises independent dealer exclusivity as brand takes on new identity� Distributor reveals three new appointments to handle firm’s growing business

RALEIGH HAS told BikeBiz that ithas recorded a 40 per cent rise insales for the first third of 2009compared with the same periodlast year, despite the difficulteconomic climate.

Another in a line of bike firmsbucking the credit crunch Raleighhas seen parts and accessorysales flourish, while demand formountain bikes has exceededsupply.

Speaking to BikeBiz, RaleighUK MD Mark Goudthorp saidthat despite worries of how theeconomy would impact onbusiness, the firm exceededexpectations: “For the first thirdof the year we’re approximately

40 per cent up on the sameperiod 12 months ago.

“We believe that, particularlyon the bikes side, we’ve got the

range right and that the mix hasreally paid off.”

According to the Raleigh chief,the urban sector has performedparticularly well for the firm:

“Urban 700cs have been verystrong and I think that category

is still doing well, which is furtherevidence that the consumer isgetting smarter about makingsure they buy the right products.

“The product has got to beabsolutely fit for the psyche of ayounger marketplace.”

The MTB sector has also beena highlight so far in 2009: “Onthe off-road bike side we’ve seenparticularly strong performancein our standard issue models,where we’ve massivelyoverhauled the look of the bikes– there’s not a lot you can do onthe spec of the bike, but the lookof the bike has improved hugely.

“Demand has absolutelyoutstripped supply.” � For more from Raleigh, turn toour feature on page 30.

NEWS

Rampant Raleighsees sales rocket

BIKEBIZ.COM BIKEBIZ JUNE 11

UK firm sees sales soar 40 per cent in first third of year andheralds the success of the urban cycle and accessories sectors

“Demand hasoutstripped supplyin many cases.”

Mark Gouldthorp, Raleigh UK MD

By Jonathon Harker

RESEARCH by Cycleguard hasbanished the theory that newcyclists are appearing in wavesdue to eco concerns.

Expanding waistlinesaccounted for why 40 per centof the insurer’s surveyrespondents took up cycling,which also saw many admit tobeing ‘fair weather’ cyclists only.

According to the British HeartFoundation, cycling at least 20miles per week reduces the risk

of coronary heart disease to lessthan half that of non-cyclists. Astudy by Leeds Cycling ActionGroup found a 15 minute ridefive days a week burns off theequivalent of 11lbs of fat a year.

James Pickering, managingdirector of Cycleguard, said:

“Cycling to work isundoubtedly a great way to keepfit and with so many excellentdeals around, it’s a perfect wayfor anyone wanting to work offany extra pies without it costingthem the earth.”

As gym memberships suffer adecline, the uptake of theGovernment’s Cycle To Workincentive has risen sharply.

30 per cent of the survey’srespondents did initially begincycling to work as a way to cuttheir weekly expenditure on fuel,suggesting that even those beingeco-conscious may be just asinterested in cutting their coststo free up cash. Just seven percent stated environmentalconcerns to be their primaryreason for cycling to work.

Pickering added: “We adviseanyone thinking about cycling towork to consider insuring theirbike with a specialist provider.Insurance will prevent cyclistsnew found enthusiasm for twowheels from burning asubstantial hole in their pocketshould the worst happen.”

NEWS

By Mark Sutton

NORWICH store PedalRevolution has scooped the topprize in a Santini and FisherOutdoor Leisure run contest.

Pedal Revolution stalwart IanHolmes received the VIPtreatment at the Giro d’Italia inMay when the store won theSantini-sponsored competition.The sales-initiative was part ofFisher Outdoor Leisure’s latestpromotion for the brand.

Jonathan Sangan, productmanager for Fisher, told BikeBiz:

“Santini is a sleeping giantthat is just waiting to take off inthe UK. It’s a family-runcompany that still manufacturesin Italy using top qualitytechnology and fabrics for theriders through to the stock onstore shelves.

“The competition has justanother way for us to show oursupport for retailers stocking thebrand.” For more on Santini, contactFisher on 01727 792 606.

Fisher gets behinda Pedal Revolution DESPITE only having returned to

the UK for a matter of months,Canadian brand Norco has beenmaking a big impression on thecycle market, according toexclusive distributor FisherOutdoor Leisure.

The firm told BikeBiz that thebrand has already tapped into anestablished loyal customer fanbase with sell-through rates forexisting models ‘veryencouraging’.

Fisher also said that newexposure in the hybrid categoryhave proven beneficial to Norcodealers, offering particularswithin that sector that othermanufacturers may have missed.

The 2009 models debutedearlier in the year at the MBUKDemo Day at Aston Hill, Bucks,and have been demoed atvarious events this year wherethe brand has received positivefeedback: “Riders have been verycomplimentary about thehandling and styling of the bikesand reaction to pricing indicatedwhy they’ve already been socompetitive,” brand managerMartin Hawyes told BikeBiz.

“Riders are pleasantlysurprised to see the range back inthe UK. After talking to

attendees there seems to bequite a bit of residual affectionfor the brand and despiteNorco’s recent low profile in theUK there are still a lot of loyalNorco customers out there.”

Hawyes said that severalframes have been particularlypopular with customers so far,including the hydraulic discbraked VFR disc 4 frame andclassic Norco model the Atomik.

Norco’s triumphant return


Health and fitness worriesconverting more cyclistsGreen issues come in second to health concerns in anencouraging uptake of cycling, according to latest research

“Riders are pleasantly surprised to seethe range back in the UK. There is quitea bit of residual affection for the brand,despite it’s recent low profile. There area lot of loyal customers out there.”

Martin Hawyes, Fisher Outdoor Leisure

“It’s a great way for anyone wanting towork off any extra pies without itcosting them the earth.”

James Pickering, Cycleguard

Health concerns are saidto be the key factors

fuelling cycle uptake

Fisher’s Jonathan Sangan presents the award to PedalRevolution’s Ian Holmes and store manager Marcus Colk

NEWS ANALYSIS BA AGM

BA bringingcycling tothe masses

AS REPORTED in last month’sBikeBiz, Bike Hub is offeringstacks of cash to between oneand five projects aimed atbringing a sustainable cyclingmodel, capable of being rolledout nationwide, to the table. Butthat’s not all the BicycleAssociation is up to, as revealedat its late April AGM.

For the third year running,Philip Taylor takes charge aspresident, with Dahon’s MarkBickerton now lined up as hiseventual successor. Meanwhile,seven members have joined theassociation in the past year. Theongoing progress of Sustrans’Bike It project led discussions,with the charity’s school traveldirector Paul Osborne revealinghis aspirations to the committee.

“At present we have 42 staffworking across 500-plus schoolsnationwide, producing somesterling results among some90,000 children. They’re now ofthe belief that cycling levels haveincreased on the back of Bike Itofficer visits,” said Osborne.

Accompanied by Reigate andBaystead’s officer Gayle Ronson,the pair demonstrated to the BAhow a combination of incentives,encouragement and long-termplanning was boosting numbers,

highlighting Sustrans’ ownsurveys containing someastounding figures.

According to findings, at thebeginning of 2009 just four percent cycled to school almostdaily, with 49 per cent of kidsstating they’d like to. Sustransnow believes that in schoolswhich have had an officer, eightper cent of kids cycle to schoolevery day, while those cycling atleast once a week has increasedfrom 14 to 26 per cent. Toemphasise the gradual impact ofthe project, the numbers of thosewho ‘never’ cycle to school hasfallen from 75 per cent to 55.That’s a lot of new first timecyclists converted by Bike It.

Aside from the obviousnumbers boost, shops local toschools with an officer benefit inmany ways. One local retailer onRonson’s patch visited a schooloffering free cycle maintenanceand knowledge to parents. Thisresulted in further enquiries andultimately sales for the retailer.

BIKEFORALL REVAMPCycle-advice portal Bikeforall.net,as edited by BikeBiz’s executiveeditor Carlton Reid, will beundergoing a makeover andaddress change to Bikehub.com.

Reid said of the revamp: “Thenew name will link better to thename for the levy. Bikehub.com isset to receive a full-on makeover,including all the latest socialmedia bells and whistles. Thiscombined with more content willmake it far more accessible,generating more return visitors.”

STANDARDSDuring his address, presidentPhilip Taylor touched on CENstandards. Following theconsultation period extension bythe DfT, the BA expects a firmdate for the adoption of the newguidelines to be set by 2010.

Taylor said: “It is expected thatnew legislation will be in place bythe year’s end, although it is stillvery difficult to second guesswhat new legislation the DfTmay propose prior to thepublication of new standards. TheAssociation is also working onnew standards for trailers, wherea draft standard has beencirculated for comment by mid-July. An expected publicationdate for this is late 2009 to early2010. The revised EPAC standardhas also now landed (EN15194)and this will come into force onJuly 31st. Copies are availablefrom the BSI.”

The agenda at this year’s BA AGM wascentred largely around bringing cyclingto the masses – from children tocommuters – and not a prospective bikerwas missed. Mark Sutton documentshow the committee plans to deliver atwo-wheeled revolution...

Bicycle Associationdeputy president PhillipDarnton (left) withpresident Philip Taylor

“At present we have 42 staff workingacross 500 schools nationwide, andthey’re producing sterling results forcycling among some 90,000 children.”

Paul Osborne, Bike It

Many names from the cycling trade sit in on the Bicycle AssociationAnnual General Meeting, pictured here at the late April gathering

CHAIN REACTION


Colin Rees, sales trainer to the cycletrade, believes that teaching staffhow to deal with the situations theyfear most – complaints and closingsales without a discount – is the keyto improving those net figures…

Boost your teamstrength…

MANY DEALERS have called mein the past to ask what I offer onsales training courses. I usuallyreply with descriptions of thetechniques we train, openingquestions, closing the sale,psychological customermanipulation, the simple stuff.

Invariably though, the coursecontains a number of techniques,not just designed to increaseskills but to foster a teamattitude, to stimulate discussionback at the shop and to instilconfidence in often quite youngbikey delegates. If I can findsomething that I am pretty surethe owner won’t have thought ofin his own training, it’s a bonus.Naturally, these techniques aremost useful in the really difficultsituations… like when you say tothe customer ‘do you want tobuy this bike?’ and he says ‘no.’

In many cases, that’s enoughto scare off the most confidentsales person as most staff thinkthere really is nowhere to go.There is. It’s the reason why salespeople hate to close sales, thatpowerful human fear of rejectioneven though it is said closingsales can increase sales by astraight ten per cent if you do itevery time.

So how about a littlepreparation? Anything plannedbeforehand gives a betterdelivery than ‘off the top of the

head’. The word ‘no’ reflects anobjection. Something is wrong.There is an issue the customerhas that wasn't covered properly.It might be the comfort of thesaddle, the price of the bike, thecolour and so on. You know thembetter than I do, you deal withthem every day. But what’s thebest way to deal with eachobjection? Have you ever satyour staff down and talkedspecifically about dealing withobjections?

DEALING WITH ‘NO’Surely, logic dictates that if everysingle staff member knows theproper way to deal with everyknown objection that can beraised in buying a bike (becauseyou prepared them properly),then can there ever be a timewhen a customer says ‘no’ anddoesn’t still go out with it?

So, we start the process off inthe sales training session with achart that the delegates discussand fill in listing the mainobjections, the best way to dealwith them and suddenly, theirconfidence in selling bikes goessky high. If the dealer carries iton and flogs it to death in theshop, sales/profits have toincrease. Simple? So why isn’tevery single dealer training salesstaff in handling objections? It’sthe only reason customers do

not buy. By the way, in any facetof human life, if anyone says ‘no’,the next question should be‘why’. What they come backwith is an objection!

HANDLING COMPLAINTSA second area that has beenknown to scare the livingdaylights out of unconfidentsales staff is the complainingcustomer – especially when theboss is on a break. Again, dealershave a right to believe thatcycle-specific sales trainingshould offer something morethan they can give themselvesand customer complaints is agood example. Before you readthis, you might like to jot downthe way you would train a staffmember to handle complaints.Let’s see if we agree anywhere.

We have to take the worstpossible example to help staffthe most. The customer hasspent three weeks working up tothe visit. Egged on by his partner,the lads in the pub and everyoneelse, he appears in your storeready to give someone absolutehell. How on earth can youpacify a screaming maniac? Ouranswer is to do something hedoesn’t expect to bring theconversation to a sensible level.Let him scream himself out, takeno notice of his use of the word‘you’, he means ‘the event’, and

let him burn out. When he’sfinished, say ‘thank you forbringing this to our attention.Unless customers are willing todo that, we can’t put thingsright. Now then...’ He will justnot expect it. The playing fieldwill be level, the aggression willbe gone and you can move on tosolve the situation. Trainingteaches the next steps to take.

I can hear the pundits sayingthat won’t work. Maybe not, itdoesn’t always, but the real pointis, if you give your staff at leastsome guidance in dealing withdifficult situations, they will haveso much more confidence abouteverything – and moreconfidence means more sales.

In all the cycle-specific salestechniques I train, I can only askpeople to try them. Some will,some won’t, but to be able tosend people back to the branchwith more skills, confidence andinclination to work together as ateam has to produce a result. It’sup to the owner to build on that.

I’m sure all owners areperfectly capable of training insales to a degree. The question is,do they have the time toresearch and plan modernpsychological training techniquesthat think outside the box andhold so many distinctadvantages for increased netprofit over just experience?

“An area that hasbeen known toscare the livingdaylights out ofsales staff is thecomplainingcustomer. Givingstaff guidancegives them moreconfidence, whichmeans moresales.”

Colin Rees

Colin ReesCycle specific sales trainer07786 262 [email protected]

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SEATSTEM&BAR&HUB&PEDALS BY NSBIKES

www.hotlines-uk.com I email: [email protected] I tel: 0131 391 1444

for UK distribution contact

[ S T R O N G P R O D U C T S ]

INDUSTRY OPINIONS

THE MAIN reason for a brandsponsoring a rider with productsis to generate interest andincrease sales of the brand. Thisis why companies look to thebest riders as they usually obtainthe most media coverage andhave a certain influence overwhat the public buys.

One of the most well-knownon Ison’s books is Sam Pilgrimwho we sponsor with TSG, Halo,Gusset, ODI, MRP and KHE. Samhas his own signature colourwayHalo SAS Purple Haze wheelsetand also a signature Evolutionhelmet from TSG.

When Sam does well in acomp or has a great videosection he gains good exposureon websites and in magazines.This leads to greater interest inproducts that Sam uses, whichin turn, leads to a sales increase.

This doesn’t only apply to thespecific parts that Sam usesbecause the brand as a wholebenefits from the increasedexposure. We then see increasedsales of the whole range fromthat particular brand.

A good example of this wouldbe Sam winning the QashqaiLondon event last year. Almostimmediately after the event wesaw a definite increase in salesof all the brands he represents.His signature colourway HaloSAS Purple Haze wheels sold outalmost as soon as they arrived!

As a very media-savvy rider,he understands what beingsponsored entails in respect ofbrand expectations, whichmakes him a great sponsorshipproposition. Matt Andrews, MarketingManager, Ison Distribution

I SEE online videos as one of themost effective forms of marketingfor Charge. Some of our recentfixed videos have had over 30Kviews in 48-hours on Vimeoalone. On top of that, we publishthe videos on Apple, Freecaster,extreme sports website Mporaand You Tube.

Compared to print advertisingthis sort of product marketing isso much more effective. It showsthe products being used in

demanding situations, andmotivates and inspires people toride.

From the positive feedback Iget, it is undoubtable that bikeenthusiasts and non-enthusiastshunt out these videos and ofteneagerly await the release of thenext. So it’s about as effective aform of targeted marketing as wehave at our disposal.Nick Larsen, MD, ChargeBicycles

A LOT of the time it’s prettyhard to nail down the benefits ofsponsoring riders, especially ifthey don’t have NationalChampionships to their name.

Of course, when someone likeDanny MacAskill has anovernight explosion of interest

in a video, it is a great thing forbrand awareness in general. Wenever expected anything like twomillion plus page views in undera week with the latest edit.

It would have been great tolink the release of the video witha new range, but the potentialpublicity generated almostnegates the new product range.Potentially, people that havenever heard of your brand beforebecome aware, so the entirerange is ‘new release’ to them.

Most of the time the extraenquiries and sales generated bysponsored riders is questionable,and in my opinion nearimpossible to quantifyaccurately. If you commit thefinancial and time levels tosupporting a top rider then thereare definitely benefits in termsof sales as most people willagree. However, unless acustomer states on the phonethat they are calling because acertain rider uses the product,

who is to say that seeing theproduct elsewhere wouldn’t havehad the same effect?David Cleaver, MD, InspiredBicycles

SPONSORSHIP can be a veryvague area to assess and thebenefits can be wide ranging. Agreat example of one of our long-term rider support programmes isthe K-UK Kinesis Race Team,which has provided us withinvaluable information about thedomestic race scene and a betterunderstanding of our customersand how they might use theproduct.

In contrast we also have acouple of brands that have seensignificant increases in exposurein the last 12 months. Danny

MacAskill is now widely knownand having our Atomlab logo onhis rims and at the end of hisYouTube hit video will no doubthave an effect on the brand’sfuture .

Another stark example of howteam support can have a hugeeffect in a relatively short time-scale has been the Oval brand.Morgan Nicol of Oval Conceptsbuilt a close productdevelopment relationship withboth Silence-Lotto andSlipstream, which saw Ovalcomponents being fitted to teambikes during the 2008 season. Thisresulted in a large amount ofexposure in cycling press and on-line. As a visible sponsor, Ovalalso benefitted from advertsplaced by other team sponsors.All this coverage has really startedto pay dividends with a noticeablerise in sales and demand duringthe 2009 season so far.Tom Marchment, Sales andMarketing Manager, Upgrade


On April 19th an Inspired Bicycles weblink featuring Danny MacAskill, wentlive on YouTube. Just four days later wellover one million people had viewed thefive-minute plus edit. Mark Sutton asksa number of brands what effectsponsoring talent has on business…

Performance

sales…

Sam Pilgrim with part of his sponsor’spackage and Danny MacAskill (top)

Both non-enthusiasts and riders alikehunt down web releases, so I have nodoubt they’re about as an effective

form of targeted market as wehave at our disposal...

Nick Larsen, MD, Charge Bicycles


SPOTLIGHTUPCOMING EVENTS

BMX WORLDS Wednesday June 10th – 12thCologne, Germanywww.bmxworlds.de

IRONMAN 70.3Thursday June 11thWimbleball Lake, Devonhttp://ironman.com/events

BIKE FESTIVALFriday June 12th – 14thWillingen, Germanywww.bike-festival.de

BIKE WEEK Saturday June 13th – 21stNationwidewww.bikeweek.org.uk

YORK CYCLE SHOWSaturday June 20th – 21stYork Racecourse, Yorkwww.yorkcycleshow.co.uk

RELENTLESS NASSFriday July 10th – 12thBath and West Showground,Shepton Mallet, Somersetwww.nassfest.com

BIKE EXPOThursday July 23rd – 26thMunich, Germany www.bike-expo.com

EUROBIKE 09Wednesday September 2nd –5thFriedrichshafen, Germanywww.eurobike-exhibition.de

TOUR OF BRITAIN 2009Saturday September 12th –19thNationwidewww.tourofbritain.com

FESTIBIKE 2009Las Rozas, SpainFriday September 18th – 20thwww.festibike.com

EXPO BICIPadova, ItalySaturday September 19th –21stwww.expobici.it

INTERBIKE 2009Wednesday September 23rd –25thLas Vegas, USAwww.interbike.com/ib

PARIS CYCLE SHOWFriday October 2nd – 5th Paris, Francewww.mondial-deuxroues.com

ROC D’AZURFrejus, FranceWednesday October 7th –11thwww.rocazur.com

CYCLE SHOWThursday October 8th – 11th Earls Court, Londonwww.cycleshow.co.uk

BIKE MOTION BENELUXFriday October 30th –November 2nd Utrecht, Hollandwww.bikemotionbenelux.nl

June 2009

July 2009

EVENTS

September 2009

October 2009

BIKE WEEKSaturday June 13th – 21stNationwidewww.bikeweek.org.uk

NOT TOO long ago, callingoneself a cyclist conjured imagesof lurid colours, bulbous helmetsand pasty white legs flappingaround in ill-fitting spandex.

Cycling, after all, was forvegetarians, students and peopletoo tight to drive to workeveryday. No one actually rodefor fun. The bicycle was simply atool for linking A and B withminimal effort and cost.

When I started cycling, it wasmountain biking that grippedme the instant I tried it and I’vebeen utterly addicted ever since.I didn’t give a damn what Ilooked like, it was the feeling Igot that pulled me in. Thatimmense satisfaction of speed,freedom and exhilaration –knowing that that time I madeit, and maybe next time Iwouldn’t. It was the fastest,most fun way to see thecountryside – and the quickestway to blat to the bike shop.

However, at some pointsomething changed. I stoppedbeing a lone voice in thewilderness and became thevoice of reason.

I don’t know what did it – thewhole green issue, the creditcrunch, the terrible congestionwhich has crippled our biggestcities… No matter. As theindustry reports continuedgrowth in the face of the biggestrecession we’ve seen for 60years, it’s clear that people arecatching on now.

These days cool people ridebikes. Keith Flint from TheProdigy rides a mountain bike,Pharell Williams part-owns theBrooklyn Machine Works bikecompany, that Duffy bird startedan uproar when she wenthelmetless in the latest Cokeadvert riding a bike and BorisJohnson demonstrates,amusingly, how much he likeshis, even if he is fond of jumpingred lights and talking on hismobile at the same time. Bikesare on TV; bikes are in men’smonthlies listed as expensiveand desirable ways of getting fit;and bike videos are infiltratingpeople’s inboxes on a daily basis.

Look at Danny MacAskill –the incredible talent of the

Scottish trials rider has beenchampioned by MBUK forsome time, but when hislatest video stormedYouTube recently theimpact was there foreveryone to see, withfour million hits andgrowing. Even my petrol-head friends who scoffat bikes were hasslingme to find out more.One of them, whosimply must be part ofthe latest thing, evenbought a bike off theback of it.

You see, bikesaren’t just tools fora job – they’remuch more. Bikesget you places, get

you fit, get you noticed and theyget you an image.

A recent visit to Glentress leftme open-mouthed at the sheernumbers of people getting intoriding. The place was litteredwith kids and families, and itwas refreshing to see not one bitof elitism from the high abilityriders. Mountain biking seemsevidently more tolerant andwelcoming these days. Times arechanging. Cycling is cool.

But while Top Shop is bustlingwith High Street cycling chic;the cool crew are clogging upHoxton Square with theirbeards, stamps and fixies, andthe roadie elite are beingmeasured up for tailored £3kRapha/Timothy Everest suits, I’llbe plugging away up hill anddown dale with the biggest grinon my face doing something I’vealways thought was cool. Andmore than likely, I’ll be doing itin a bulbous helmet, offensiveshorts and lurid colours…

OFF THE RADAR


MBUK’s Andrew Dodd provesthat he, like cycling, is no longera stranger to fashion

These days cool people ride bikes. KeithFlint from The Prodigy rides a mountain

bike, Pharrell Williams part-ownsBrooklyn Machine Works bike firm andthat Duffy bird started an uproar when

she went helmetless for Diet Coke.

He’s in fashionMountain Biking UK features ed AndrewDodd finds that he is finally on-trend...


C2W: A DECADE ON

AS PART OF the Government’sinitiatives to promote healthierliving and reduce pollution, the1999 Finance Act introduced taxexemption to those buyingbicycles for the purpose ofcycling to and from work. Thescheme works by encouragingemployers to get their workforcecycling, offering tax-free bicyclepurchases to employeesinterested in a healthier meansof travelling to work.

Salary sacrifice arrangementsare commonly used, where theemployee repays the employerover time. Employers of all sizesand sectors can use the scheme.

Debates have raged aboutwhether or not the schemebenefits smaller retailers, withthe main pro point beingincreased sales volume driven bythird party brands. But manyothers suggest that thecommission taken by third partyfacilitators slashes margins.

Although not commonknowledge, e-bicycles andtricycles can also be obtainedtax-free, as can safety andsecurity product, including lights,bells, helmets, mirrors, reflectiveclothing, locks and mudguards.

The only major limitations tothe scheme have been put inplace by the Office of FairTrading, advising: “The groupconsumer credit licence willcover schemes up to £1,000.”

CYCLESCHEME

Perhaps the biggest player in themarket, Cyclescheme reaches8,500 employers and 1,338retailers in the UK, on average

gaining new clients at the rate ofaround 50 per day. It is projectedthat over 1,500 IBDs will workwith Cyclescheme by year end.

Working with organisationslike the Greater ManchesterPolice, Sellafield and Asda, thebusiness is going from strength-to-strength recording ten-foldgrowth in the firm’s second year

over the first, slowing to a four-fold growth in year three. Thisyear, MD Richard Grigsbyexpects to have doubled lastyear’s turnover, having achievedit month-on-month to date.

“There seems no reason toexpect a slow-down as mostschemes are repeating and weare seeing many new clients joinus daily,” says Grigsby.

“After moving into a threefloor Georgian building when wehad just seven staff, we’re nowlooking for larger premises for 23staff.”

The firm has also made solidinvestment in extranet softwareallowing the company to groworganically. Approving andpayment for vouchers is nowlargely automated and thesystem also allows instantviewing of live applications 24/7.

Grigsby says of the future ofCyclescheme: “None of us wouldbe so churlish as to assume thatC2W will continue because ‘it’ssuch a great scheme’. The risk ofhaving to wind up our businessat the whim of a Governmentdecision is omnipresent and aconstant reminder of the frailtiesof our business. To put this intoperspective I have met the manwho axed the Home ComputerInitiative so I am under noillusions over the potential risksof persistent scheme abuse.”

Grigsby shared someinteresting statistics withBikeBiz, revealing that anaverage voucher is worth £600,with 15 per cent of that goingtoward safety equipment. Somost purchases are going onreasonably specced bikes, butnot ‘dream racers’, suggestingthat Cyclescheme is genuinelydrawing new faces to cycling. Infact, survey responses show that50 per cent of customers areentirely new to cyclecommuting and Cycleschemedoesn’t shift small numbers...Cyclescheme: 01225 448933

CYCLE SURGERY

As a company largely based inLondon, CycleSurgery has longbeen a bike and servicingdestination for cycle commuters.With a demographic largelymade up of London’s cyclists,the multiple would be mad notto offer a C2W solution.

According to Cycle Surgery’sTax Free Cycle RepresentativeJames Robertson: “This hasalways been reflected in our bikesales where a large portion ofsales are suited to commuting.What the Tax Free initiative hasdone for us is to allow existingcustomers to upgrade theirbikes, making commuting faster,more comfortable and safer,while introducing new customerswho wouldn’t necessarily haveconsidered biking to work.”

The higher-value purchasesgained have bolstered theretailer’s Cyclescheme-runprogramme too, giving staff theconfidence to offer customersbikes that are far-higher speccedthan they could have hoped for.

“The introduction of thescheme has brought cycling to awhole new demographic whoaren’t ‘cyclists’ but are looking tothe bike as a commodity, in thesame way as they view a bus ora car. It’s just the quickest andcheapest way to get from A toB,” continues Robertson.

The 1999 Finance Act containedclauses that allowed employersnationwide to loan cycles toemployees as a tax-free benefit. Tenyears on, several companies areoffering cheaper cycling to themasses. Mark Sutton gathers variousperspectives on the schemes…

Ten years of

C2W

Cyclescheme MD RichardGrigsby tells BikeBiz how the

organisation is faring

“Vouchers redeemed in ourstores on tax-free schemes havenearly doubled in the past year.The scheme has been around forten years, but has really onlybecome widely recognised in thepast two or three years.”

The store also runs its ownscheme, dubbed Tax Free Cycle,operated alongside Cycleschemeand launched at the end of 2008.

Robertson says of this: “Thebenefits to us are not so muchcommission-based – it’s notcheap running your own scheme– but more that we can beguaranteed that if we spend timeand resource on winning a firm’sbusiness, all employees buyingbikes on the scheme will cometo our stores – increasing ourreturn on investment.”

So for this multiple at least,the scheme is proving a shot inthe arm. Existing cyclists arebuying new bikes when theypreviously would have made dowith their current ride. People areriding who previously wouldn’t, apercentage of which are boundto become regular cyclists.

EDINBURGH BICYCLE CO-OP

The Government’s greentransport plan has undoubtedlybrought new awareness and anenthusiasm for cycling to agrowing group of entry to mid-level cyclists.

For Edinburgh Bicycle, whichoperates its own in-houseprogramme, the legislation hasmeant extra footfall and sales.

MD Jeremy Miles tells BikeBiz:“The early years of the planbrought additional business asthe early adopters were keen toget involved and to work hard topromote their scheme toemployees. However, as schemeawareness increases it’s clear alarge number of existingcustomers are holding off onpurchases to benefit from thesavings. This doesn’t cause us anyparticular problems other thanthe minimal admin cost of thescheme and the extension ofcredit terms to some of thecompanies we work with. Thatsaid, if we had to hand asignificant slice of the sale overto a third party provider then itwould certainly bite into analready moderate margin.”

Miles believes anyoneoperating a similar scheme needsto be flexible and deliver aspeedy and efficient service. “If acustomer has to wait more thana week to enjoy the bicycle thenwe feel they have been let downby the administrative process.

We find that increasinglyemployers are interested in howlong the transaction takes andare keen to work with providerswho can shorten this down. Ourability to operate a flexiblescheme gives us an advantageover our competitors. We alsofind that willingness to providepromotional support toemployers generates moreconversions and puts more ‘bumson saddles’ in the long run.”

Edinburgh Bicycle also worksalongside employers to run C2Wroadshows. Printed material iscirculated, providing reference forpotential customers.

“Overall, running theprogramme is beneficial for bothas it delivers a staff benefit forthe employer and increasedfootfall and sales for us.”

CYCLE TO WORK NOW

Having designed and builtHalfords’ C2W platform, Cycle ToWork Now then set out on itsown venture targeted at small tomedium sized retailers – themajority of UK businesses. Thecompany has no minimumorders, meaning supplying singlebikes is not a problem.

At present the firm has onesupplier, but more are due tocome on board as the companyexpands. Perhaps one of thefirm’s strongest assets, and onethat appeals to IBDs, is that itffers immediate payment.

C2WN owner Rob Howessays: “We think local bike shopshave a huge part to play in thefuture of green transport, butthey need to modify their game.The hardcore cycling enthusiastcan be quite intimidating to anew cyclist and they have oftenforgotten what it’s like when youfirst get on or return to a bike.That’s the reason for our C2WNblog, to share the experience andprovide encouragement.”

With aspirations to become aleading player in the market,Howes adds: “We think there is agreen revolution coming andbikes have a major part to play.”

As with other businesses inthe sector, Howes kept a closeeye on this year’s budget for fearof legislation change. “Unlikeprevious schemes run alongthese lines such as the HomeComputer Initiative, cycling hassuch health and environmentalbenefits it’s hard to see why anyGovernment would want to dropit. The costs are tiny and thesaving to the NHS are huge.” www.cycletoworknow.comPhone: 0207 183 1316


C2W: A DECADE ON

Both London-based retailer Cycle Surgery and Edinburgh Co-operative operate programmes based on theGovernments tax-free incentives to get employees on bikes. Cycle To Work Now founder Rob Howes(pictured above) took part in the programme himself to dramatic effect...

BRAND SPOTLIGHT WELDTITE


Smoothrunning

WELDTITE MIGHT be 70 yearsold, but that hasn’t got in theway of its continuing moves intofresh territory. With newdevelopments and accolades thefirm has, appropriately enough,remained supple and ready foraction – all while staying true toan impressive heritage.

Sales director Chris Jenkinson,assures BikeBiz those 70 yearshaven’t dented the firm’s originalsimple mantra: “Our philosophyhas always been to create acomplete bike maintenancerange, whilst retaining themanufacture of our products inthe UK wherever possible.”

UP TO THE CHALLENGECovering all areas of cyclemaintenance including repair,lubes, cleaners and tools,Weldtite also provides productfor the motorcycle sector.

In an increasingly crowdedmarket, staying ahead of old andnew competitors is an ongoingchallenge, but one thatJenkinson says Weldtite is readyfor: “There are always companiesthat are offering a new lubricantor cleaning product within theirproduct portfolio, but onlyWeldtite has consistentlyproduced a complete range ofmaintenance products under theone umbrella.”

Innovation and willingness tochange remain key: “We are

continually monitoring cyclemaintenance developments andthen responding to marketdemands by developing productsusing in-house personnel andproduction in our factory atBarton-on-Humber.”

Yes, Weldtite is one of thoserare beasts that has retained ahefty product creation facilityon these shores: “Weldtite is thelargest manufacturer in the UKof all the maintenance lines weproduce. Our in-house designdepartment has also created acomplete range of cycle-specifictools made for both theconsumer and the professionalwhich has made Cyclo the onlyBritish designed tool brand onthe cycle market.”

High service levels have beena key consideration: “It is ourheritage that the products wemake are manufactured in theUK. This not only improves theservice we can offer, but ensuresall our products comply with EUregulation both for quality andspecification,” Jenkinson reveals.

And while currencyfluctuations have been hittingmany firms where it hurts –margin – Weldtite has actuallyreaped the rewards of sticking toits guns. “We have certainly seenour repair business increase withmany firms reverting to UKproduction for better service,price and availability.

“We export to 38 countries.All our international distributorsare seeing an increased interestin British products, particularlyin Australia, South Africa andScandinavia.”

LUBE-ING ON UPA recent success story forWeldtite’s is the TF2 line-up.Making up a quarter of its range,TF2 lubricants are pivotal to thecomplete maintenance process,says Jenkinson. With keyproducts like the award winningaerosol spray at the heart of therange, TF2 products have ratedfirst, second, third and sixth (outof 14 top selling lubes) inindependent tests made by atop UK university.

“Weldtite has the Europeanlicence to use Teflon in ourproducts, so when we originallydeveloped the new lubricantbrand we incorporated theTF of Teflon into thename. TF2 has nowbecome a marketleader for cyclelubricants, whichled us to rebrandthe whole lubecategory under theTF2 name.

“TF2 lubricants now offera synergy between packagingand brand, offering retailersand consumers a range thatis formulated to ensure the

best possible performance andprotection for your bike.”

Despite BikeBiz’s best efforts,Jenkinson remained tight-lippedon future ranges: “Unfortunately Icannot give away all our tradesecrets, but behind the doors ofthe Barton Factory there are anew products to ensure Weldtitecontinues to lead in developmentand manufacturing.”

Jenkinson concluded: “Thereare any number of lubricantsavailable in the market, but ourmission is to ensure that when aconsumer is looking to improvethe life and performance of theirbike they ask for TF2, safe in theknowledge they’ve bought aquality product from the onlyUK manufacturer of Teflon basedlubricants.”

Seven decades, multiple awards and a richheritage have all made Weldtite the well-oiled success it is today. Sales director ChrisJenkinson talks to Jonathon Harker…

THE IMPORTANCE of keepingbrands stuck in the minds ofconsumers and retailers isparamount, and sponsorshipcontinues to be a reliable way

of achieving that –an essentialprocess evenwhen a producthas already won

prizes andaccolades.

Jenkinson

explains: “TF2 is an awardwinning brand leader, but it isimportant to keep the productsin the minds of both theretailers and consumers. During2009 in order to increase theawareness of the brands we aresponsoring more riders,attending more than 18 eventsthroughout the UK andpromoting retailer loyaltythrough our new partnerprogramme.”

Clever print marketing alsoplays a key role: “People alwaysremember the big green can,but by realigning the productsinto an easily understandablerange with the same graphicimage we are finding the salesof all the specialist lubricantshave now increased.”

Stuck on you

Weldtite’s sponsorship tie-in dealshave helped the brand remain

uppermost in the minds of customers


MYSTERY SHOPPER

Look EastThe commuter urban market is regularly touted to be the next growth area for cycling retail. But isretail geared up for the sector – and for an influx of novice cycling customers? BikeBiz’s MysteryShopper went to work and visited bike dealers in Norwich to check out their customer service...

NORWICH

Cycle RepublicWELL SITUATED on apedestrianised street in theheart of the city, Norwich’sCycle Republic store is welllaid out, giving customersplenty of space to examineand compare bikes. In fact theseemingly pared downselection on show looked asthough it might not offer thedepth of some of the othernearby bike stores, but inpractice there were plenty of bikes to choose from in the sector I was there to see.

Two sales assistants were present in the store at time of visiting, both dealing witha customer at the counter. Soon after finishing up, one of them approached me andasked if I needed any help.

After setting them the task of finding me a commuter-style bike in the region of£300 the assistant showed me two displays – one priced under £500 and, consideringthe rang I’d quoted, a more optimistically priced set of bikes over the £500 mark. Hementioned the Chris Boardman bikes were a premium option and pointed out some ofthe differences between the price bands.

When quizzed on alternatives, including folding bikes, the sales assistant suggestedthat I disregard that bike category. He told me that folding bikes were only reallysuitable for short-range distances and they were a bit bendy if you “really go for it”.

Before leaving me to mull over his advice he said I was welcome to pull out a bikemyself for further examination, and offered further help if I needed it.

Despite the fact that the store brand’s future has been in the news lately, it didn’treflect on this staff member’s willingness to provide friendly advice and help...

Freeman BicyclesINDEPENDENT DEALER Freeman isset on the edge of the city centrenear a busy dual carriageway, just ashort walk beyond a nearby retailpark. The shop, which has been afamily business for over onehundred years, naturally contrastedstrongly with Cycle Republic, beingpacked tightly with plenty of bikesand accessories. When I arrived thestore had just taken delivery ofnew bikes, but this didn’t stop thesales assistant greeting me and offering help as soon as I stepped inside.

Again asking for a commuter bike in the region of £300, I was offered a large rangethat stretched from under the £200 mark all the way up to just over £500.

I was shown a variety of models and was encouraged to look at bikes from last yearthat had, as I was informed, better prices than this year’s models. The sales assistantalso offered more expensive models from this year and said he could order them in forme if I liked. Despite slightly higher prices, most of the bikes shown were within theprice range I’d asked for and I was informed that all of the models were ready to gowith no additional extra purchases required.

When I mentioned that I was going to be leaving the bike at a train station I wasadvised to think about getting some bike security products. I also asked him whetherhelmets were compulsory as I’d heard a lot about them in the news recently. Heinformed me that they weren’t but they were recommended, especially if you werethinking of ‘putting the miles in’ on the bike.

The staff member spoken to provided appropriate (and friendly) advice, was clearlyvery knowledgeable, was a rider himself, and was not in the least bit patronising.

MYSTERY SHOPPER


Streetlife HEADING SLIGHTLY further out of towninto the suburbs of Norwich, Roxy Music-themed Streetlife is situated on aresidential street corner. No sooner had Iopened the door than I was greeted andasked if I needed any assistance. The staffmember spoken to wasn’t quite as chattyas the last, but was still friendly,informative and happy to answerquestions.

Notably, Streetlife was the only storewhere the sales assistant took thetrouble to get the bike out of its display so I could take a closer look – before I’d evenhad chance to ask. The sales assistant I spoke to took the time to explain bike jargon,taking pains to ensure all the information was clear to a novice bike customer.

The sales assistant also took the time to upsell, encouraging me to see thebenefit of a model £50 more expensive than the one I was looking at(which was priced at £300). He convincingly recommended the jump upas “you get so much more for your money” – in this case suspensionfork and a saddle upgrade.

Again I asked if helmets are compulsory and was correctly informedthat they weren’t, but they were recommended. I wasn’t shown aparticular model of helmet as a result, potentially missing out on anadded sale, but he did add that bells were an essential requirement forbikes being sold out of the shop.

The sales assistant also discussed the weight of bikes and made meaware that while there are lower priced alternatives, they generally gotheavier the lower the price.

Mandarin Cycles EYE-CATCHINGLY situated near abusy junction close to the centreof Norwich, Mandarin Cycles hadbikes on show outside the shop,while inside the product displayswere simply laid out with the bikesall easily accessible. I had chanceto browse before being approachedby a member of staff, who asked ifI needed help soon after I stoppedat a display.

The advice I received wasfriendly, personal and informative. I was taken around a range of potential bikes – allclose to and under the price tag I was interested in. I was told that each bike waspretty much ready to go and would need no additional purchases.

I was taken through different types of models within the criteria I provided,including hybrids and more traditional models. Similarly, all of the bikes recommendedwere within the general price range I requested. He went on to show me more sportyversions of the bikes (without mudguards, etc) and had a substantial range of bikeswithin the price bracket I had gone into the shop with.

After some explanation the assistant went on to encourage me to make a purchaseby making me aware of special offers that were available on relevant bikes, including a£50 discount that lasted until the end of the week.

The sales assistant also tailored his advice to me – taking note of my body shapeand suggested that I wouldn’t need a suspension saddle which could potentially makethe bike too tall for me. It was interesting to to see that my individual needs werebeing considered for the potential purchase.

Velo CyclesANOTHER BIKE shop situated on avery busy junction a short wayoutside the city centre was VeloCycles – another well-stocked bikedealer.

After spending some timelooking at the display, the salesassistant was busy chatting and Ihad to approach him for service.It’s a small point maybe, but I feltthat this was one shop where Icould have easily left the premiseswithout being approached by a member of staff, unlike most of the others I visited inthe city.

My request for a commuter bike in the region of £300 again met with a wide rangeof suitable bikes and I was taken through some of the key features of each model. Ifelt that the sales assistant was rushing through the options a little, especiallycompared to the unhurried and excellent service I’d received in most of the othershops in the area. But there was plenty of opportunity for me to ask further questions.

When another customer entered the shop with a problem with a pump, the salesassistant was keen to attend to her, possibly resulting in a rushed service for me. It’sgood to see shops ready and willing to look after what I imagine was a regularcustomer, but it did leave me with £300 burning a hole in my pocket.

Overall though, my service at the shop was good – certainly not at the degree ofsome of the best of the other shops I visited in Norwich, but still boasting a good levelof service that met the needs of the customer.

SummaryOVERALL, the cycle shops of Norwich impressed. Allseemed well geared up to deal with both the thrivingstudent population and cycle commuters of the city. In themain each shop had friendly staff who listened to what thecustomer wanted, and advised without being pushy orpatronising. While only one of them got bikes out withoutbeing asked, all had a range of appropriate options on offer.

Overall, Mystery Shopper found that Norwich’s bikeshops met with a high standard of customer service, andthe city’s bike retailers look set to be a hard act to follow.

BIKE WEEK is a long-runningannual fixture in the industry’scalendar, first taking placedecades ago when the trade wasmuch younger. The seven-day-long celebration of cycling iswell established, andopportunities for the trade toget more involved are many.

Cycling England chairmanPhillip Darnton tells BikeBiz:“Bike Week is probably thebiggest celebration of bicyclingin the year.

“BikeWeek thrives by being agrass roots series of events,rather than a top-down,centrally organised event. It’sreally about thousands andthousands of people gettingexcited about cycling.”

The grass roots nature of BikeWeek is part of its charm, as areits challenges, according toDarnton: “That is the great joyof local events, but at the sametime it’s something that makes

it difficult to pull together andmake more successful.”

The aim of Bike Week is theessential business ofencouraging people into cycling– and broadening the potentialcustomer base for retailers:“Many people who arepassionate about cycling enjoycycling long distances andcycling up steep hills. With BikeWeek we’re trying to say thateven though you may likecycling 40 miles, new cyclistsaren’t going to become a fan ofcycling with a 40-mile demo.

“We have to think aboutpeople who don’t think ofthemselves as cyclists.

“It’s more about peoplegetting on a bike and enjoyingthemselves. Serious cyclists arevery committed, but sometimesforget what it is to get started,and how you get people startedis by almost seducing them intocycling.”

The timing of Bike Week –this year from Saturday June13th and running to Sunday21st – has been a contentiousissue for some retailers and issomething that Darntonaddresses: “It is always anextremely busy period for cycleretailers and a lot will say thatwhat we really need is an eventthat promotes cycling whenthere isn’t much of it going on –like February – but the thing isthat people don’t enjoy cyclingif it’s wet and windy.

“I think that the idea that itsin the middle of June is a given.”

But it needn’t be an obstacle– smart retailers can plan ahead:“I think that the imaginativeretailers have all sorts of goodideas and that many of them arestarting now and doing things intheir shop – like makingcustomers aware that it’s onlyeight weeks until Bike Week, andnow is the time to come and get

your bike checked over – don’twait till June when the sun isshining and everyone is in store.

“I think retailers do have agreat opportunity but very oftenI think, and I’m no expert, theydo leave it a bit late.

“I think there are ways ofexploiting that it’s coming forseveral weeks before hand. Ithink that if we can help tocatch organisers and let themknow who their local bikes shopsare and if we can get retailers tofind out who their localorganisers are – which they canfrom the Bike Week website –they can say we’re prepared tohelp you and we’re prepared todo all sorts of things – andnow’s the time.

“It isn’t about saying it’s up toyou to make the effort in BikeWeek, it’s all about theopportunity that leads up to itfor retailers.”www.bikeweek.org.uk

BIKE WEEK


“Bike Week isabout gettingmore people on abike enjoying theirtime out andabout on twowheels...”

Phillip Darnton,Cycling England

OPINION: Chris Compton, Compton Cycles

GettinginvolvedBike Week is a golden opportunity to encourage more people intocycling – and to widen your customer base. Jonathon Harkerlooks at how the annual event can benefit your business…

CHRIS COMPTON has a uniqueperspective on Bike Week. Thefounder of south London bikestore Compton Cycles also sitson the Bike Week board.

“I can empathise with moststores – it is a busy time of theyear. But changing the date ofBike Week is never going tohappen.“

Compton offers practicaladvice for bike dealers: “Makeyour shop the centre ofinformation for any events. Andwhatever you do, make it storebased. Ultimately you want todrive people into your shop.”

Getting involved in locallyplanned events is beneficial forbike retailers, Compton argues:

“Underpinning other people’sevents is ideal, but make sureyou get the recognition. If youare providing support you needto make sure you get some wayof helping drive people throughyour store.”

Raising awareness of BikeWeek needn’t be timeconsuming either: “In my shop

at the moment we’ve got anotice board to make peopleaware of local events that arepart of Bike Week.”

Compton left the biz withsome sage advice: “When I firstgot involved in Bike Week Ifound it hard to gauge theeffect it was having on mybusiness.

“Then I turned it on its head– there are all of theseorganisations promoting what Ido and that’s something I felt Ihad to support. Anything I cando to help out has to be good.

“However, you can’t quantifyit and say ‘I’ve had an extra£500 of sales’ because of BikeWeek, which is a shame.”

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IN 2010, Northern Rail – ownedby Ned Railways of theNetherlands – is spending bigbucks on a trial retail concept atthe front of Leeds station.CyclePoint of Leeds will beprominently sited; and the retailformat – which has bike parkingat its core – could be rolled outin other UK stations, including inLondon.

CyclePoint is modelled on theDutch ‘FietsPoint’ shop. NedRailways operates 25 of thesestores at railway stations acrossthe Netherlands. These bikeshops also provide bike parkingfacilities, bike rental, and same-day bike servicing. They areoperated as a means ofgenerating more bike-to-the-station journeys, rather than asprofit-centres.

Stephen Bond, head ofbusiness development atNorthern Rail explains: “TheLeeds CyclePoint is the first of a

planned series of similarinitiatives, and can be replicatedat a number of other locations.”

NedRailway’s CEO Anton Volk– who, of course, cycles – offers:“Cycling plays an important rolein supporting sustainabletransport and facilitatingefficient door to door journeys.In the Netherlands we have longunderstood the transportbenefits of a fully integratedcycle system, as well as thepersonal benefits to be derivedfrom improved health and eventhe simple pleasure that cyclingbrings.

“CyclePoint is based on aproven Dutch concept whichcombines manned and securecycle storage with retail, repairand hire facilities at majorstations. I hope [the LeedsCyclePoint] will pave the way forfurther CyclePoints at majorstations across the UK.”

The Leeds CyclePoint will sit

in the front of the station. It willhave two floors. The developmentwill start small, but is ‘scalable’says Bond. “Storage can beincreased as demand increases.”

He adds: “A detailed financialand demand appraisal indicatesthat, by 2012, operating costs ofthe Cyclepoint will be coveredby the revenue generated.”

Northern will pay for kittingout the bike shop and bikeparking levels, and will also fundthe salaries of the CyclePointemployees. So, CyclePoint couldbecome a real force in UKbicycle retail.

Opportunity or challengeACT’s Mark Brown offers: “Inprincipal I think this is anopportunity for bike shops inLeeds. Any high profilepromotion of cycling is a goodthing. There is the possibility ofsome erosion of sales andworkshop business, but it’sdifficult to say at this early stageand if CyclePoints can actuallygrow the local market then Ithink all sides benefit.”

CyclePoints will be owned byNorthern Rail, not franchisedout like, say, a station forecourtStarbucks. Brown believes this isa shame: “Ideally I would havepreferred that local shops weregiven the opportunity to tenderfor this operation as I am suretheir skills and experience wouldbe of huge value to the project.”

David Hembrow, an Assen-based ex-pat bicycle basket

maker attracted by the cycle-friendliness of the Netherlands,sees FietsPoint shops as anormal part of the Dutch retailscene.

“In my view, what cycling inBritain needs now is not moretrains, not more bike shops, butconditions which make cycling atruly attractive option.”

And potentially, that could beCyclePoint’s Achille’s Heel.Covered parking garages – withbike shops tagged on – work inthe Netherlands because thejourney to the station is sobicycle-friendly.

Infrastructure obstacle?Convincing the good citizens ofLeeds to cycle to the trainstation in big enough numbersto pay back Northern Rail’sinvestment in CyclePoint isgoing to be tough.

CyclePoint could be creating anew genre of British bike shop,one with cycle parking at itscore. This has been tried before.In 1994, Phil Cavell and JulianWall now of Cyclefit, createdBikepark of Covent Garden. Itlasted almost ten years.

“It was an idea ahead of itstime,” Cavell tells BikeBiz.“Cycling was still seen assomething you did for free. Nowit’s seen much more as alifestyle choice, and it’s not free.CyclePoint’s timing is aboutright. Bike parking mixed withbike rental and retail of locks,pumps and other accessories is a

lovely business model. “But it doesn’t make money.

Bikes may be smaller than carsbut storing them still takes upexpensive real estate. To work, abike parking business needs tobe supported by a bigger entityand it sounds like CyclePoint hasthat support. With the rightbacking, such a concept couldwork really well.”

As they are train customercreators, not just bike shops,FietsPoints in the Netherlandsdon’t have to make money, theyjust mustn’t lose money – a bigdifference.

With British cities eager toget cars off the road and putmore people on trains, the timecould be right for the start ofDutch-style bike parking in theUK. This will create more cycle-users. CyclePoint isn’t somethingbike shops could copy or musclein on – as a subsidised concept,it doesn’t have to wash its facecommercially so would be hardto defeat – and shouldn’t leechcustomers from existing citycentre bike shops. Instead, it’s asign that the UK is slowly butsurely creating a more bicycle-friendly culture. And what’s goodfor cyclists has got to be goodfor bike shops all over.

Northern Rail is to open a bike shop atLeeds station. If successful, there couldbe a UK chain of CyclePoints.Opportunity or threat to IBDs, asksCarlton Reid...?

Watch it and weepCheck out this video of aFietsPoint and be amazed bythe never-ending stream ofcustomers:http://tinyurl.com/CyclePoint

Railcompanygets intobike retail

CYCLEPOINT


IT TURNS OUT that the year hasgone rather well so far forNottinghamshire-based bikemanufacturer and distributorRaleigh. But expectations foreven one of the best-knownnames in the business werecautious for 2009, to say theleast. Raleigh MD MarkGouldthorp explains:

“The way the recession hadbeen talked about was a double-whammy with the nosedive ofthe strength of sterling. It put ahuge inflationary pressure on allof the industry with immediateeffect.

“Not only was there thequestion over whether peoplehad got the money to spend onbikes, but we had to put upprices as well.”

But despite those worriesRaleigh’s sales have not onlybeen surprisingly robust, they’veexceeded expectations: “For thefirst third of the year we’re upabout 40 per cent year-on-year.

“We believe that, particularlyon the bikes side, we’ve got therange right and that the mix haspaid off. It’s also a combinationof decent weather, that theproducts have justified theprices that we’ve had to put onthem and that productavailability is better.”

Gouldthorp cites urban 700cbikes and Raleigh’s “standard-issue MTBs” as strongperformers, with demand for thelatter outstripping supply.

Meanwhile the performanceof the parts and accessoriesmarket has been something of arevelation, according to the MD:“We’re seeing a huge increase inaccessories and it has possiblyeven overtaken bikes in being onthe attractive side of the fence.

“Probably some of mycompetitors have known that fora long time – but it’s only justdawned on me becauseultimately we’re a bike companyto start with. It’s a very strongpart of the business and there’smore profit in it. For everybody.”

CYCLELIFERaleigh’s Cyclelife network –which now has in the region of135 to 140 stores – has beengoing from strength-to-strengthtoo, and currently enjoys thekind of mix of outlets the MDhad been hoping for.

“We’ve got a nice balancenow of brand new dealerscoming to the fore with brandnew shops and we’ve had a fewmore conversions recently too. Iwas at the opening of theLichfield store last month and itwas nice to be in a town thathas not been particularly wellserviced by bike shops. It’s greatto be at the birth of somethingnew.”

“We’ve helped one guy inLong Eaton take over a long-established Cyclelife dealershipwhich had been in an oldbuilding off the High Street. He’s

managed to move into modernHigh Street premises and hisperformance is up around 60 percent year-on–year. He’s nowlooking at opening a secondshop in Melton Mowbray.”

Raleigh’s role in helping thedealer make those changes iskey to what Cyclelife can do,according to the Raleigh MD:“That for me is a great exampleof what Cyclelife is all about –helping someone take that firstshop on, helping move to abetter location, then helping himopen a second shop – that’sexactly what we’re about. That isCyclelife in a nutshell.”

Combined marketingfirepower is another Cyclelifebenefit coming to fruition:“We’ve just helped put togethera 13-week radio campaign inStaffordshire with AdeEdmondson. It features fourCyclelife shops and each ofthem get a slice. They’ve put inhalf the cash, costing them £200each, and we’ve put in the otherhalf. That’s what it’s all about.Individual dealers could not getthat deal on their own.”

So, how about the short-termfuture for Raleigh and itsCyclelife dealers?

“Cyclelife growth is a slow-burner. We’ve still got to havethe right products at the rightprice, and thankfully the salesperformance this year reallylooks like we’ve hit the rightmark,” Gouldthorp concludes.

RALEIGH


“We’ve helped one guy take over adealership and then move premises toa better location. Now he is looking atopening a second shop and that for meis what it is all about. That’s Cyclelife ina nutshell.”

Mark Gouldthorp, Raleigh UK

THE FIRM has just announceda raft of new appointments,with two new members of theparts and accessories team –Jimmy Taylor and Andy Parker.Meanwhile the sales team hasalso been bolstered with a raftof new recruits, includingScott Davidson, PeterHancock, Gary Adcock, GarryPulling and Nigel Watson.

Raleigh MD MarkGouldthorp explains: “There

are lots of contributing factorsto our success. We continue toinvest on the sales andmarketing sides of thebusiness and those are now attheir biggest during my timein the company. We’ve had tocut back on things that arenice but not essential, but atthe same time we’ve stuck toour guns in terms of sales andmarketing. It really is payingdividends.”

Building internal expertise

A Raleigh

positiveoutlookManaging director Mark Gouldthorp speaks to JonathonHarker about how the right products, building internalexpertise and a flourishing Cyclelife network have seenRaleigh’s sales well and truly buck the crunch in 2009…

THE BIKE HUB levy is paid byindependent bike shops andsuppliers. It's not always beenclear what it has paid for, andwhy. But, as the joint creation ofthe Bicycle Association and theAssociation of Cycle Traders, it'san example of how two verydifferent organisations can putaside their differences and agreeto work for the common good.The levy, in fact, has been aleveller, a reason for the twotrade bodies to meet at regularintervals.

Bike Hub may have beenguilty of hiding its lights under abunch of bushels, but it'sbrought two bodies closertogether and showed themcooperation pays dividends.Similar levy schemes were triedin the 1970s. They paid for PRschemes and other short-livedpromotional efforts. Bike Hub,on the other hand, has lastedand lasted. In truth, it's lasted fora lot longer than anyone wouldhave believed possible. It wascreated in 2003. Six years laterand it's raising the best part ofhalf a million pounds a year.

The ACT's Mark Brown admitscommunication about the schemehas been lacking in the past.

SIDE-BY-SIDE FOR CYCLING"Most bike shops have heard ofBike Hub. Afterall they arepaying invoices which detailtheir contribution to the fund.Whether those shops have aclear understanding of what BikeHub does is a different matter,

but one that we are nowactively working to address.

Brown says Bike Hub hasbeen a victim of its own success."The three main projects wehave historically focused onhave all performed really well.Bike It has been a real trailblazerand delivered some fantasticresults. The BikeForAll website isgetting well over 30,000 visits amonth, helping people finduseful information on manyaspects of cycling. Finally BikeWeek is working as a massparticipation event. Thecommittee has been guilty ofnot spreading the word on BikeHub as effectively as it should,to the trade and beyond.

“After the initial launch of thefund and the flurry of publicitythings died down and we lostfocus. This was partly due to thefact that the projects andinvestments were doing so well Ithink we all assumed the worldknew. We are working to changethings and I hope more peoplein the industry will be aware ofwhat's happening with Bike Huband that we are generating agood return on their investmentin the fund.”

Unaware of what Bike Hubstood for, and how it unlockedmillions of pounds ofGovernment cash for cycling,some IBDs have struck off BikeHub tallies on invoices, leavingsuppliers to pick up the tab.

"If shops can pay they shouldpay," claims Brown. "I appreciatethat not every region has a Bike

Hub project in it, but we areworking on this. However, takinga broader perspective, I think thefund is good for cycling andincreasingly good at promotingour industry. Some of our futureinitiatives will also raisepromotion of specialist cycleretailers which I think isimportant. Hopefully as the BikeHub committee re-focuses itsefforts on promoting what ishappening, more people will seewhy they should pay the levy.

WE NEED YOU..."The new £100,000 investmentproject will hopefully go someway to addressing this, andhopefully getting some localcycling projects off the groundwhich could involve bike shops.

"We are working withSustrans to more effectively linkBike It officers around thecountry with local stores, whichI think could be a very goodopportunity. And, of course, weare doing more to communicatewhat is happening with BikeHub on a more regularl basis.

“The re-developed BikeForAllwebsite – to be re-namedBikeHub.com – will also have amuch stronger promotion of thefund and of bike shops.

"Cycling in the UK is at a veryexciting time and I think theindustry needs to be joined-upin doing something big whichcan have a widescale impact. Ialso think it needs to be seen tobe joined-up and investing inthis way. While I appreciate notevery project will have atangible benefit for eachcontributor it does have anincremental and long-termbenefit for the industry.

"We are currently working to'map' Bike It officers and theirregions with local bike shopsand make the connections.From here bike shops can joinBike It projects. I certainly thinkthere might be opportunities tocreate templates for bike shopsto follow, however I also thinkwe have to be careful of notundermining the benefits of aco-ordinated approach versusindividual actions."

If Bike Hub had never got off theground, would Britih bike shopsbe in a better or worse positiontoday? Does Bike Hub have agenuine market impact?

"I think the impact of Bike Hubis still to be felt," says Brown.

WORKING FOR TOMORROW"Certainly, some bike shops havereally benefited from it to date.Yet, we still don't know aboutthe long term impact of gettingmore kids cycling to school andthe impact that might have asthey become the cyclists andadvocates of the future."

If Bike Hub implodedtomorrow, what would that tellthe Government and the trade?

"The trade would say 'toldyou so, we can never worktogether'. Government wouldsay 'told you so, the bike tradecan never work together'."

But the bike trade has beenworking together. Since 2003the levy scheme has raisedmillions of pounds for promotingcycling. And Brown wants to seethat continue.

...divided we fall. What does the ACT thinkabout the Bike Hub levy scheme? MarkBrown tells Carlton Reid...

BIKE HUB


Togetherwe stand...

The ACT wishes for trademembers to continue

raising money to developthe future of cycling

ANDY TUCKER � Manchesterbased cycling trainingorganisation BikeRight! has hiredAndy Tucker as its sales andmarketing manager.

Having spent 25 years workingfor design, advertising andmarketing agencies, Tuckerdecided to put his skills to gooduse in developing the BikeRight!brand and promoting thecompany’s offering to bothpublic and private sectors.

“I am really looking forwardto the challenge ahead and thereare lots of exciting developmentson the cards at BikeRight! As akeen mountain biker it wasamazing to spend my first day inthe job with a group of youngadults on an off-road skillscourse,” commented Tucker.

BikeRight! MD Liz Clarkeenthused: “Andy is set to buildupon recent developments here

that saw us awarded Business ofthe Year and Growth Business ofthe Year at the North WestWomen in Business Awards inJanuary 2009.”

DAN ELLMORE � Followingthe sale of Impsport in July lastyear, Dan Ellmore has set up hisown private venture – EllmoreConsultancy.

Ellmore told BikeBiz: “SinceDecember 31st 2008 I have beenan advisor and e-commerce/website consultant to Impsportand other companies in andaround the cycling and sportsindustries through my newventure Ellmore Consultancy.”

Ellmore is also workingalongside Simon Burney on theSchlamm clothing line.

Of the collaboration Ellmoresaid: "Schlamm is about to tie upsome partnerships with events in

Ellmore Consultancy opens doors to the trade � Tony D joins Alienation � Urban Mover team takes shape

BikeRight! bolsters line-up with Tucker


PEOPLE AND RECRUITMENT

Send your recruitment news [email protected]

Andy Tucker Dan Ellmore

the USA and a well-known brandfor the 2009 Cross Season.”

For more information onEllmore’s new business, visit thewebsite atwww.ellmoregroup.com.

TONY DELGADO � BMX-brand Alienation has snapped upHaro brand manager TonyDelgado. ‘Tony D’ – as he is oftenreferred to in the industry – hashandled the BMX side of Harosince 2005, including teammanagement duties andinvolvement in speccing eachbike. Many in the UK trade willknow Delgado for hisappearances at Moore Large’strade days.

The move comes on the backof a string of appointments forAlienation including new salesand marketing manager JerryLandrum and (USA) West-Coast

sales rep Rob Morgan also joiningthe firm.

MARTIN HALL ANDADRIAN SHAWCROSS �Electric bike firm Urban Moverhas made a string ofappointments as it gears up forUK and worldwide expansion.

Martin Hall has come onboard to take the role ofcommercial and finance director.Hall is both a charteredaccountant and engineer, havinghuge experience in high growthtechnical service andmanufacturing sectors.

Meanwhile, Adrian Shawcrosshas taken on the role of logisticsand technical manager.Shawcross comes from a broadtechnical background in themanufacturing and productionsector, although he began hisworking life as a teacher.

Shawcross will take on day-to-day responsibility for ongoingtraining and customer supportacross all Urban Mover product.

NIGEL STANLEY � NigelStanley has begun work atWalkers Cycles following 17years at Fisher Outdoor Leisure.

Stanley started his working lifein the bike industry at AlfredKemps in Hull during 1974. Heworked in the firm’s warehouseuntil 1980 when he went on theroad for the company. Stanleycontinued this line of work untilthe firm closed in 1992. He thenwent on to join distributor Fisherof Finchley, now known as FisherOutdoor Leisure.

"I’m joining Walkers at a veryexciting time,” Stanley toldBikeBiz. “Especially since I’ll havethe opportunity to work with theimpressive new Serfas line.”

PEOPLE AND RECRUITMENT


People & Recruitment is Sponsored by Halfords

Nigel StanleyMartin Hall and Adrian Shawcross

RETAIL ONLY

IN THIS MONTH’S ISSUEDEALER PROFILE 38Broxbourne’s Cycledealia discusses hardtail sales taking off whilefull suspension models begin to decline...

COMPLETE BIKES 41With trends to follow, yet so little floor space, whole businessesrevolve around these stock decisions. Browse the latest bikes here...

ELECTRONIC POINT OF SALE 45There are newcomers entering the market this year. Find outwho can offer the best tailored point of sale solutions here...

RETAILCOMMENT

The trade’s guide to the best customer service, up-and-coming IBDs and the hottest products

While browsing BikeRadar's coverage of the Sea Otter eventlast month I came across this comment: "Interesting report,though I haven’t seen anything from the Sea Otter that Ican actually afford yet."

The consumer who left that remark has a point.Understandably, companies will want to show off the mostanticipated high-end kit, but could these displays of designand technology excellence at disproportionate cost to theaverage budget actually be putting newcomers off cycling?

Our industry is not alone in its over-zealous approach to'upgrading'. The car trade is also over-doing technology. Aquick Google search brings up plenty of unnecessary'innovation' – heated cup holders, need I say more? Sowhere does that leave the consumer? Often more out ofpocket than they need be, assuming they buy in to the beliefthat these 'improvements' will heighten their experience.

So what is the average UK cycle consumer after,hobbyists aside? Aesthetics play a big part, as doesreliability and of course, the biggest factor of all, cost. Afamily member came to me recently asking advice on abike, giving only these specs: "Must have a basket able tohold a small dog and should be able to handle light off-roadriding." The conclusion was intriguing. "I don’t mind payinga bit more if it will last, but I don't want to spend a bundle."Do you have anything in stock to match these requirements?

IBDs who have surrendered their low-end business to themultiples and supermarkets probably won't regret it; there'soften very little money to be made flogging bikes under£200. But to what extent is the mid-market graduallyescaping the grip of independents?

Halfords has the Boardman range, which at the majorityof price points, is incredibly well-specced. There’s GT andKona too. Two household brand names and both major mid-market players. Dare I mention the discounts on offer too?

Needless to say, losing a grip on the mid-market would bea nightmare for the independent sector and there couldn't bea worse time to allow customers to be tempted elsewhere.

The majority of cycle stores, independent or otherwise,will not be lucky enough to be able to earn a living off high-end product alone. Therefore, isn't it about time that showsbegan highlighting the product that customers actuallybuy? It's all very well having eye candy, but given thegeneral decline in affluence, what purpose does it serveother than generating content among the consumer press?

The leisure sector, with any luck, should have a strongsummer. Make sure you do too with sensible stock choices.

[email protected]

“Losing a grip of the mid-marketwould be a nightmare for theindependent sector...”

“THERE’S BEEN absolutely nodecline in trade.” That’s the wordfrom Cycledealia, a two-storecycle retailer selling everythingfrom Pashleys to Konas. ThePashleys do well in the Hitchinstore, a market town wherecustomers are seeking bikes to

cruise around on come Saturdaywhen the town is bustling.

“It’s the girls who buy thePashleys. We don’t order in thegents models,” says Paul Hurrel,manager of the Broxbournebranch. “Here in the Broxbournestore there has only been one

decline and that’s in sales of fullsuspension bikes. But this hasbeen more than made up for bythe purchases of hardtails, sometoward the higher-end of thescale.”

Cyclescheme has given thesesales a thorough price boost too.Hurrel added: “Sales throughCyclescheme tend to add a fairbit to the final price tag and as aresult we’ve sold a bundle ofmid-range Konas and others. I’dsay we average £500 or more oneach voucher. We’ve certainlynot had many under that value.Then again, some weeks we canshift ten bikes through vouchers.Other weeks it can be zero.”

The scheme is a boost to add-on sales too, with helmets andeven clothing boosting theretailer’s margins. “Clothing is abig performer for us andCyclescheme only adds to thesales. We’re doing particularlywell with performance itemssuch as Endura jackets, and notnecessarily just £40 items either.Customers seem to be beginningto invest in quality cycle gear.For example, our CycleOpstrainers have been going down a

storm and we have to keeprestocking.”

So Cycledealia must have acluster of enthusiasts? Notnecessarily, explains Hurrel.“We’ve noted major take-offs inBMX and also our Claud Butlerhybrids. These are everyday bikesthat leisure cyclists and first-timers are buying. Kona is thebiggest seller and we’re shiftingbikes of around £500 in value.”So there’s a mix of leisurecyclists, budding enthusiasts andhigh-end kit junkies.

Clothing aside, Saris racks areperforming in-store too. Havingsold out on BikeBiz’s visit, Hurrelexplained the store has had tomake several repeat orders aspeople begin to travel with theirbikes. So is it down to thesunshine teaser of early May?

“The weather does of coursehave an impact, it affects footfalleverywhere. The leisure cyclistscome out in force when the sunis shining and this naturally doesaffect sales.”

So with a prediction of a hotsummer, could anything damagebusiness as the rays beam down?“Shortages are the only real

concern. Price rises don’t seem tohave deterred people frombuying bicycles. However, forthose looking for road bikesbetween the £500 to £800 markthis summer the shortages maylose us sales,” says Hurrel.

Of other concerns, the storemechanic’s volume of work hasbeen constantly high. “I’ve neverknown the workshop be empty,but in recent times we’ve seen ajump in jobs. We offer two freeservices on a sale and customersonly tend to expect one, so thatworks as a good sales tool,especially when we’re asked toprice match. Much to our delight,the workshop has noted a realboost in customers upgradingtheir bikes. We make a point ofonly selling durable completes,so it’s good to see customersinvesting in their bikes’performance.”

Situated among a cluster oftrail hotspots, including Eppingand Chicksands, as well astowpaths stretching into centralLondon, it’s no wonder staff areall advocates of cycling. And itseems Cycledealia’s enthusiasmis rubbing off on its customers…

IBD PROFILE

Cycledealia

“Clothing is a big performer for us and

Cyclescheme only adds to the sales.

Performance items are really strong.”

Paul Hurrel, Cycledealia

CycledealicOwner: Paul Hurrel

Location: Broxbourne

Telephone: 01992 445640

Web: www.cycledealia.co.uk

Opening Times: Monday to Friday: 10.00 – 6.00pm,Saturday: 9.30 - 5.30pm


Broxbourne and Hitchin-based Cycledealia reveals how Cyclescheme and the urban market has boostedsales in-store. Mark Sutton visits what claims to be Hertfordshire’s most mis-spelt bike shop...

SECTOR GUIDE COMPLETE BIKES

BromptonCONFIGURING a build is a keydifferentiator for Brompton. It’ssomething that reinforces the fact thatthe firm builds bikes here in the UK.

Consumers are increasinglyinterested in tailoring a bike to their

needs, something made doublyimportant if your customer is going tobe frequently using it for several yearsor more. Retailers can also benefit frombespoke orders, as they tend to result inhigher value purchases.

But with so many options,consumers can feel a littleoverwhelmed, which is why a step-by-

step online configurator is the perfecttool for the job. Brompton marketingmanager, Emerson Roberts tells BikeBiz:"Brompton's web team has, in the past,designed similar systems for all theleading car brands, but apparently oursis a more demanding brief. Appropriate,really, as our powder coaters tell us thatwe are more demanding than their

automotive clients too."We should have the system up and

running by the summer, along with afacility for dealers to use it for orderingbikes direct. The plan is to have retailprices for all our markets live on theconfigurator, along with weights andlocal variations in configuration, by thestart of 2010."

It’s without doubt an exciting time for everyday cycling, as well as cycling for sport and transport.Mark Sutton gathers the latest information on what’s selling across a number of sectors…

The complete deal …

PaligapDESPITE having beenvictim of a theftof 40 or sobikes lastmonth,Paligap willstill be ableto offerdealers themajority of Litespeed,Merlin, Kona and Quintana Roo models.If you're offered any of these brands byanyone you suspect to be less than legit,get in touch with either the police orPaligap without delay.

It's hardly surprising the thieves chosethe Bristol-based distributor as a victimwith bikes such as the Litespeed Icon instock. The Icon represents all the firmlearned from the Archon, meaningfeatures such as WRAP Technology andBi-Planar chainstays are utilised. If yourcustomer is looking for the definitiveworkhorse of a racing frame then lookno further. A high balance of strength to

weight performance isto be expected from

the build, whichcomes in a super

stylish brushedtitanium finish,or acombination ofeither blue or

white andtitanium.

For 2009, Paligap'slongest standing complete bike brand,Kona, has produced an all-inclusive fleetof commuters that can handleeverything from pothole-riddled streetsto gravel roads to buttery-smoothasphalt. The Dew platform expands toeight models, giving consumers theoption to choose suspension, droppedhandlebars, clipless pedals and more.With a multitude of different specs,prices and featuring more rear wheelclearance for those who want to runfatter tyres, the 2009 line of Dews isone of the finest, most wide-ranginglines of commuter bikes on the market.

MadisonMADISON'S customers currently haveaccess to Genesis, Ridgeback andCommencal, all of which haveestablished firm reputations for qualityamong both the consumer press anddealers alike. It also won’t be long nowbefore information on Saracen’s 2010line filters through.

At £729.99, the Genesis Core 20 isspecced to hold its own on any trail,carrying Shimano Deore and SLXcomponents and Rock Shox'sdependable Tora 289 120mm forksup front.

For a little moreinvestment, customers canpick up Ridgeback'sFlight 04, an all-black, stealthy, flatbarred super-commuter builtpurely for speed,low maintenanceand ease of use.Constructed around

a light, responsive triple butted ALX9aluminium frame and equipped with thenow-proven Shimano Alfine eight-speedinternal hub and equally impressiveShimano SLX hydraulic disc brakes withServoWave, the Flight 04 is ready fortough inner city duties from the box.

For those looking to make a seriousinvestment, Commencal's Meta 55 hasbeen designed exclusively for the UKmarket. The build features Fox Float140RL QR15 forks and a mix of the bestXT and SLX groupset product all builtonto the highly-admired Meta 55 frame.


CannondaleCANNONDALE’S Synapse range ofperformance road bikes blend efficiencyand all day rider comfort with seamlessstyle and aesthetics to create a highlydesirable and sellable product. UsingHigh Modulus carbon fibre allowsCannondale engineers to tune every area,

providing a frame weighing little over1,000 grams.

What’s unique is that Cannondaledevelops components and frames as oneunit, a philosophy known as SystemIntegration. This technology is clearlyevident with the oversized BB30 bottombracket and crank, ensuring no rider inputis lost through unwanted flex.

Synapse Compact gearing and tailoredgeometry for both men and womenensure a confidence inspired ride rightfrom the first pedal stroke. Prices rangefrom £799 to £5,299.

If you’re looking for all-roundversatility then Cannondale’s Rize is abike of choice. With framesets availablein both carbon and aluminum thefundamentals remain the same. Prices forthe Rize begin at £1,599 and top out at£5,999.


EurobikePROFLEX DUAL suspension bikes allfeature the ICP system, a frame designtotally unique to Proflex.

The ICP system is based on thestudy of instant centre mass and ofhow to locate it in the most effectiveposition. It defines the instant centremovement curve throughout the wholesuspension cycle. The form, longitudeand direction of this curve influencehow the suspension behaves. Thesystem’s main advantages are: efficientpedalling, smooth shock absorberaction, virtually no interaction betweenthe chain and the suspension and anincredibly low-pressure shock absorberconfiguration.

The system uses a shock absorberthat is much larger than normal andthis allows for a lower leverage ratiothan in similar designs. The mainadvantages of the low leverage ratioare that the shock absorber works at avery low pressure and therefore doesnot need any assistance to achieve acompletely efficient pedalling action.

GoCycleGOCYCLE is a lightweight urban two-wheeler developed with young cityprofessionals and their families in mind.With innovative design andbreakthrough technology, Gocyclecombines on-demand electricpower, portability and style tooffer the rider a no-effort, no-emission and low-cost urbantransport solution.

A full charge takesapproximately three hours, whichprovides up to 20 miles use dependingon terrain and pedal input.

GoCycle is available via London-

based Karbon Kinetics. [email protected] for more informationabout becoming a dealer.

IsonIDENTITI has long been one of Ison'sbest sellers and the p66 Comp is provingno exception. The 26-inch expert leveltrails bike is built around the IdentitiP66 frame and loaded with top qualitycomponents, trails-specific geometrybut is also suitable as a lightweight parkbike.

A double-butted, disc-only, cro-molyframe with integrated headset and EuroBB keeps everything light and clean.

The P66 also uses the exclusive MazADS (adjustable dropout system), whichincorporates a sliding dropout systemfor chain tensioning together withsliding disc mounts to maintain acorrectly aligned disc brake and rotor.

The components list includes the

award-winning Society Xeno 80mmforks, Halo Combat II singlespeed wheelsand Gusset EXP cranks.

The colour choices are varied too,with the black bike coming with purpleparts, the red bike with white parts andthe white bike with white parts.

At £799.99 this bike has been called"the best looking off-the-peg jump bikewe've seen," by MBUK magazine.

MontagueSWISSBIKE has added new bikes to itsline-up for 2009, including a specialedition variation of its flagship model,the LX. The standard model nowfeatures a Shimano SLX derailleur andthe special edition will have a RockShox Dart3 fork and front and rear discs.

Another new model for 2009 is theMontague X5 Tora, which is based onthe ever-popular MontagueParatrooper, but specced-up for moreserious off-road action. The Tora has,as its name suggests, a Rockshox Torafork, Truvativ Firex crank and discs

front and rear.All models will now come with

replaceable derailleur hangers and framemountings for retro-fitting of reardiscs, as well as compatible rear hubs.

Hot WheelsHOT WHEELS carry a variety ofcomplete bike brands: WeThePeople -aimed squarely at the BMX rider, whileGT and Mongoose produce both MTBsand BMX. Then there's SummerBicycles, designed exclusively forwomen's use and finally, Charge which

covers a few markets in style.From Mongoose, the Crossway 350

combines durability and lightweightwith comfort. It is available in a varietyof configurations, either with disc or V-brakes with either suspension or rigidforks. Mongoose offers four sizes in thegent’s version and two sizes in theWomen’s.

Prices range from £299.99 for therigid V-brake version through to £349.99for the suspension disc brake version.

Based on the hugely successfulCharge Plug fixed gear bike, the PlugGrinder takes style to the next levelwith colour co-ordinated mudguards,flat bars and both a fixed cog andfreewheel. £549.99 buys yourcustomers a piece of the action.


RaleighCORRATEC, launched in the UK early thisyear, caters for a broad market from roadand XC race bikes through to utilitytrekking. The brand's unique frameconcepts combined with performance-orientated components from brands suchas Shimano, Fox, SRAM, DT, Zzyzx, SelleItalia and Continental means all models arereal showroom eyecatchers

A highlight of the roadrange is the hand made CarbonCorratec CCT PRO,which has a 900gram frame weight.

All the UK bikesare assembled inGermany exclusively

for the UK market and distributed byRaleigh UK. Corratec is exclusive to dealersthat sign up as stockists, of which there are42 across the UK to date.

Meanwhile, Diamondback's Axis modelhas just scored a high rating in MountainBiking UK, receiving nine out of ten marks.The brand's hardtails are built for theharder side of riding, trading XC raceweight for some larger travel and strength.All bikes boast UK specific design features

such as larger tyres, but stilloffering amply mud

clearance, designateddowntube mudguard

fixings andhydroformed tubesets that give extrastrength, but allowweight savings.


Bronx BRONX'S comprehensive range ofcomplete bicycles is available in a varietyof wheel sizes (12 to 26-inch and 700c).Bronx continues to grow in popularity

due to its wide range of models andvalue for money products. According tothe company, sales of its classic bikes(Vintage and Regal, Savannah, Velo-

Marche’) have trebled since lastyear.

The Bronx Rambler, forexample, is the brand's fullyequipped 21S hybrid, withalloy frame, Suntourchainwheel, Suntour forks andShimano EZ Fire shifters

retailing at £269.99. This hasbeen a Bronx big seller.

SeventiesWITH KIDS hooked on all forms offreestyle and BMX racing, Seventieshas a number of brands to satisfydealer needs.

One is Kink, now in its third yearin the complete bike business. The

Kink 2010 range is the first of thecore brands to launch in the marketand they're offering a greatcombination of price, spec anddesign with a range of ten bikesretailing between £250 to £699.These are available with dealermargins up to 37 per cent.

Secondly, Subrosa throws the rulebook out the window. When it wasall about colours, the brand launcheda highly successful range in black andwhite only. This year sees Subrosarefining its range to ten bikes andintroducing red as a 'guest' colour onsome of the models. This year alsosees Subrosa's first entry into thefixed gear market and the bike willcome with a pivotal seat and post.

GelertGELERT'S debut range of 'signature'series models is featured in thedistributor's launch brochure 2009available to dealers now.

Gelert's John Malcolm told BikeBiz:"We have carefully chosen ourmanufacturing partner, who hasmany years of dedicated high-qualitymanufacturing experience andsophisticated up-to-the-minutewelding, painting and assemblyprocesses, controlled by innovativemanagers with a quality controlprogramme second to none."

Pictured here is the Aquilla availablefrom £349.00.

The super smooth riding unisexstep–thru geometry, combined with astrong aluminium frame, smooth tyres,a comfortable saddle and frontsuspension forks offer customers abike ideal for towpatch rides.

DawesPROBABLY best known for its touringand trekking bikes, the 2009 range fromthe Birmingham-based company hasmany great looking and great valuemodels in its line-up.

The Red Feather is a city bikeoffering a lightweight alloy low stepframe, 26-inch wheels and fullmudguards. For the low maintenancebenefits of hub gears then the Harlemand Geneva models come in both gentsand ladies alloy frames and are fittedwith full mudguards and a rack. TheGeneva also has a dynamo front light,LED rear and a horseshoe frame lock.

For classic styling the Heritage range isyour first stopping point with steelframes and retro paint finishes cateringfor that city chic look.

To view the full Dawes range online,including a new budget range calledBarrosa, visit www.dawescycles.com orfor more details call its sales office on0121 7488050.

Fisher OutdoorNORCO is known for cutting-edgeproducts and innovative bicycledesigns. In-house engineering, researchand development, and meticulousattention to detail ensure that Norcobikes meet rigorous standards forperformance and durability.

What’s more, Norco’s productmanagers are as passionate about

cycling as they are about the productsthey design; they are racers, dirtjumpers, freeriders, BMXers and roadieswho bring with them a diverse industrybackground from retail sales tomanufacturing tocompetition.

The latestdownhillheavy

hitter, the Atomik, has been developedto tackle some of the rougher routesdown a mountain, utlising a lowershock position built into a framedesigned purely around strength, althoughit’s no heavyweight. It’s well-speccedwith Boxxer forks, a Funn direct

mount stem and E-13’s LG-1chainguide, as well as both SRAM

SX-5 and X-7 components.Retail price is £1,999.

AvocetTHE PIRANHA range from Avocet covers20, 22 and 24-inch wheeled bikes.

Piranha's 200 model is built around aTig welded Hi-tensile 'street' frame withtop and down tube gussets. Hot forgedone-piece ranks power a 36-toothchainring and 16-tooth freewheel. Thewheels should hold up to a bit of stickbeing built with 48 spokes, both on 14mm axles. Alloy V-brakes link up to twofinger levers. The saddle carries extrapadding on the front and rear to take allthe scrapes, while two stunt pegs aresupplied for kids wanting to give 'backies'.

The Piranha Twenty Four takes on afew upgrades, notably three-piece cranksmeasuring 170mm. The bike runs on thesame gearing and a similar wheel set up,just four inches larger. 630mm barscombined with an alloy Ahead headsetmake up the steering.

Avocet: 0161 727 8608 www.avocetsports.com

Bronx: 01494 529980www.bronxcycles.com

Dawes: 0121 748 8050 www.dawescycles.com

Gelert: 0208 459 9970www.gelert.com

Cannondale: 02380 391 602 www.cannondale.com

Hot Wheels: 01202 732288 www.hot-wheels.co.uk

Eurobike: 01332 774796 www.eurobike.uk.com

Raleigh: 01773 532600 www.raleigh.co.uk

Ison: 01223 213800 www.ison-distribution.com

Montague: 01730 711 140 www.montague-uk.com

GoCycle: 07921 337 162 www.gocycle.com

Seventies: 0845 3103670 www.seventies.co.uk

Madison: 0208 385 3385 www.madisonb2b.co.uk

Brompton: 020 8232 8484 www.brompton.co.uk

Paligap: 01179 825500 www.paligapltd.co.uk

Fisher Outdoor: 01727 798345 www.fisheroutdoor.co.uk

Contacts:

BIKEBIZ.COM 43 BIKEBIZ JUNE

SECTOR GUIDE EPOS

Keeping track of cash and product is only half thestory of what modern technology can do to assistbike specialist retailers. Jonathon Harker takes alook at some of the latest EPOS and ecommercesystems and how they can revolutionise HighStreet bicycle businesses…

RegisterrevolutionCitrus LimeCITRUS LIME has created a range of‘Clicks and Mortar’ solutions for theretail market tailored specifically forthe bike market.

MD Neil McQuillan says: “Now morethan ever retailers need to be running atight ship, providing excellent customerservice, keeping a close eye on theirstock position, taking every opportunityto up-sell and making sure that theymeet the needs of their customers firsttime, every time.”

Lime’s offerings will help dealers dojust that, according to McQuillan: “Eposis a key tool in achieving this. It’s notjust about being

able to serve customers quickly at thetill, it’s having a complete overview ofyour trading position – how muchstock you hold and how quickly is itmoving? Epos can help retailers toreduce the amount of capital tied up inslow-moving stock and make sure thatthey don’t lose sales with stock-outs.”

The core of Citrus-Lime’s offering isMicrosoft’s RMS Epos system – astable, secure and scaleable Epos andStock Control system. Modules can bebolted on, including one for theworkshop which cuts down the amountof management time the workshoptakes up, with tools to run it efficientlyand profitably.

Also available is the SupplierIntegration Module – saving time,improving profitability and reducingoverheads. Citrus Lime also offersIntegrated Ecommerce Websitesfor dealers that integrate with itsEpos solutions, all providingessential assistance with runningthose all-important ‘Clicks andMotar’ retail businesses.0845 603 9254www.citrus-retail.com


AbacusDEVELOPED over 20 years, AbacusBusiness Software can handle stock overmultiple locations and features a fullyintegrated online shop/ecommercewebsite. The system also boasts full barcode support and operation, and controlat sales order point, or POS.

Other key features include purchaseorder processing, sales order processing,quotation and kit selling, customertracking and all-important contactmanagement for keeping tabs oncustomers and suppliers.

Abacus takes care of a wide variety ofessential business procedures, includingtracking profit and loss and balancesheets, as well as looking to the futurewith stock forecasting based on bestsellers and slow movers. Managementreports help owners to keep track of thebusiness and a cunning feature allows forportable stock checking and updates. Itcan even handle the likes of marketingthrough email shots and text messages.

Abacus is currently based in over 150cycle shops. 0151 342 9799www.abacusonline.net

Abacus has been developedover 20 years and has areputation for stability,

performance and flexibleand comprehensive

functionality. Although theproduct has sold very well in the

retail sector it has also beenused by accountants anddistribution companies.

Abacus has over 150 cycle shopinstallations throughout the UK.The software is fully multi-userand multi-company. Running onWindows 2000 or Windows XP.

Abacus Online:PO Box 79, Heswall,

Wirral, CH61 1WFTel: 0151 342 9799Fax: 0151 342 9433

Email: [email protected]: www.abacusonline.net

•Effective handling of stock – multi-location•Fully integrated online shop/e-commerce website•Full bar code support & operation•Control at sales order/POS•Purchase order processing•Sales order processing•Quotation & kit selling•Customer tracking & contact management•Advance payment/Christmas club•Integrated accounts with Euro and full multi currency support•Profit & Loss, Balance Sheet &Trail Balance•Stock forecasting, best sellers & slow movers reporting•Management reports•Trade Counter Facility•Portable stock checking & update•Batch update between branches•Live link operation between branches•Powerful marketing & direct mail facility•Workshop module with job tracking•Lost sales reporting•Customer Loyalty schemes•Customer order tracking•Graphic/catalogue support•SMS Text Message•Warehouse module•WEB links•Email shots

The main features of the system are:-

We haveonly just started withAbacus and alreadywe don`t know how

we managed without it.We cant recommend

Abacus enoughAlex Pink

Roy Pink CyclesNewport Pagnell

"Probably the mostcost effective all in one

solution available on the markettoday. With constant improvements

via regular upgrades the AbacusSoftware just gets better and better.

A real business orientatedsolution and support package.

UK Mobility is pleased torecommend Abacus."

Steve O’HalloranUK Mobility,

Kent

"We havebeen using the Abacus

system for the last 6 years and havegrown with it. The latest 32-bit incarnationis a joy to work with and the new Abacus

management team are flexible and genuine.The feedback that we give as a user is both

welcomed and promptly acted upon and the resultsof theUser Group meetings are immediatelynoticeable in the frequent system updates.

We have been able to reduce ourstock holding by almost 30%

and significantly increase sales at thesame time. The workshop systemis a godsend, increased efficiencyand profitability here alone morethan justifies the system costs."

Steve CoramCycle Logic, Helston

“We have been withAbacus since about 1989 now

and during that time have seen ourbusiness grow by an average 25% per

year. This is partly because Abacus helpsus by looking after many routine

stockordering tasks that we would ordinarilyhave to do manually, leaving us free to get on

with running the shop and planning for thefuture. There are still many parts of Abacus

that we are yet to use but as a businesswe would be lost without it.”

Dave Quinn The Bike Factory,

Chester

“Having used Abacusfor seven years, virtually

trouble free, upgrading to the new32 bit system has given welcome

speed & new features. Listening to their customers through user

groups, and now accelerating thedevelopment of the software, putsAbacus in a leading position as an

EPOS supplier to the cycle industry.”Rob Turner

Ben Hayward Cycles,Cambridge

What ourcustomers say

about us:

RETAILER SOLUTIONS

ABACUS BUSINESS SOFTWARE

EPOS and website solutions

“We havebeen using the Abacus

system since its inception in 1992.The on going developments have

created a package which quitefrankly we could not live without.

At last we are gaining controlof our business. If I were to be

honest- Before Abacus thebusiness was running me.”

Bryn WilliamsNicholsons Cyclelife,

Dundee

“The systemworks well, we

wouldn’t want toconsider running thebusiness without it."

MikeEric Burgess Cycles

Burnley

“Cyclesense havebeen using Abacus for a

number of years and the support anddevelopments from Nick and,more recently, Duncan & Bill

have been tremendous.The upgrades this year have beensuperb and we are looking forward

to getting even more benefitsfrom the system.”David Stainthorpe

Cyclesense,Tadcaster.

SECTOR GUIDE EPOS

Xsilva (ViaSquare)XSILVA’S RETAIL-SPECIFIC LightSpeedsoftware is a next generation retailPoint of Sales tool built exclusively forthe Mac and designed expressly toaccelerate growing small businesses andimprove the efficiency of largerorganisations – even formulti-sites.

The clever softwareprovides stores with afull set ofstraightforward toolsthat make it easy tooperate and track allaspects of a cycleretailer’s business.

Using an easy-to-learn iTunes-likebrowser, it uses an innovative POSinterface designed for high-speed, error-free checkout. A Web Store integratedmodule (sold separately) takes businessonline, downloading orders into thesoftware. This functionality is built on arobust multi-user database, scaling tosatisfy the needs of your business. 0845 873 8245www.ghc.co.uk/lightspeed


ActinicACTINIC’S EPOS is a range ofelectronic POS hardware and softwareideal for smaller retailers and chainsproviding simplicity and efficiency atthe touch of a button, according to thecompany.

Networked systems also link to theActinic Business ecommerceapplication, to offer a complete multi-channel sales solution.

The Actinic Epos electronic tillsoftware is at the heart of the systemand runs on a user-friendly WindowsPC or PC-based till linked to aMicrosoft Access or SQL Serverdatabase. It integrates with standardEpos peripherals including cash drawer,barcode scanner, customer pole display,touch screen and receipt printer tooffer a complete in-store checkout andstock control system. Moreover thesystem has been designed to grow withbusinesses and is equally reliable froma single till up to multiple sales pointsacross a chain of outlets.

Electronic stock control reducescapital tied up in slow-moving stockand helps eliminate sales lost throughstock-outs. Sophisticatedmerchandising features help maximise

revenue through the use of specialpromotions and discounts. Powerfulreporting facilities give retailers fargreater control on their business. Andadvanced security features reduceopportunities for theft and fraud.

Actinic’s Epos software starts at£399, while complete till systemsincluding hardware start from £1,449.

The Epos Solo is a low-cost single-till system priced at £399 (plus VAT).The Actinic Epos Network is a network-ready version supporting multiple tills,retailing at £799 (plus VAT). Finally, theActinic Epos Head Office provides headoffice functionality for businesses withmultiple stores all for £1500 (plus VAT).0845 129 4800www.actinic.co.uk

Lightspeed’sintuitive iTunes-likeinterface is simpleand easy-to-learn. Itis currently used inmany stores in theUK, including Applereseller outlets

Can you give us somebackground to thecompany? Ultrakleen Sports suppliesultrasonic machines to themanufacturing industry and hasnow branched out into sportsequipment. We currentlyprovide machines for scubadiving, cycling, skating and golf.

Can you tell us aboutyour product range?Ultrasonics are high frequencysound waves that createpowerful bubbles in water thatimplode on contact with solidsurfaces and drive dirt away.

We supply multiple sizeultrasonic baths. The smallversions can clean a part at atime and are perfect for smallworkshops, clubs andenthusiasts. The medium sizedbaths can clean multiple partsat a time and are ideal forsmall/medium workshops. Thelarge version can basically cleanall drive train components at

once and is a perfect additionfor the busy workshop.

Can you explain howyour products are green?We use the power of ultrasonicstogether with mild biodegrabledegreasers (which are EU

certified) to get parts cleaned.No petro-chemicals and noCFCs are required. In additionthe cleaning solution isconcentrated and is diluted withwater by the client to reduceboth transport and packaging.

Why should bike retailersstock your product?

Firstly, it is a labour savingdevice for workshops. Parts areremoved from the bike andplaced in the ultrasonic bathwhich does the cleaning inunder five minutes. As it savesin labour it reduces costs,increases productivity andallows for a better servicefor the customer.

Our products have beentried and tested on thematerial used on bicycles andthey are safe to use on softmetals such as aluminium,carbon fibres, steel and plastics.

Will you be creating anymore green products forthe trade?We have just released a ready-to-use emulsifying degreaserspray. This is to be used as apre-wash for parts with old drygrease before they are put inthe ultrasonic bath, but can alsobe sold to customers as adegreaser. Again it is fullybiodegradable.

“Our productsreduce cleaningtime, cut costsand increaseproductivity forbike workshops.”

FEATURES PLANNER


JULY 2009

To advertise call Carly Bailey on +44 (0) 1992 535647, or email her at [email protected]

For editorial contact Jonathon Harker on +44 (0) 1992 535646,or email him at [email protected]

� BMX

� CYCLE COMPUTERS

AUGUST 2009� Bicycle Lighting � Bicycle Carrier Racks

Editorial Deadline: July 13th Advertising Deadline: July 14th

SEPTEMBER 2009� Children’s Bikes and Accessories � Cycle Show Preview

Editorial Deadline: Aug 13th Advertising Deadline: Aug 14th

OCTOBER 2009� Clothing and Accessories

Editorial Deadline: Sept 14th Advertising Deadline: Sept 15th

NOVEMBER 2009� Stocking fillers � Trailers and Trailer Bikes

Editorial Deadline: Oct 15th Advertising Deadline: Oct 16th

DECEMBER 2009� Core Bike Preview � Tyres, Wheels and Pumps

Editorial Deadline: Nov 10th Advertising Deadline: Nov 11th

JANUARY 2010� Core Bike � Customisation � Oils, Cleaners and Tools

Editorial Deadline: TBC Advertising Deadline: TBC

FEBRUARY 2010� IceBike � Helmets � Frames, Forks and Gears


MARCH 2010� Media and Magazine Analysis � Electric Bikes � Folding Bikes


Editorial Deadline: June 15th 2009

Advertising Deadline: June 16th 2009

Editorial Planner

Contact: Ninetyfive Limited(Trading as Ultrakleen Sports)74 Winchester Road, Twickenham, TW1 1LBwww.ultrakleensports.comt: 0845 474 7786email: [email protected]

GREEN PROFILE: Ultrakleen Sports


BIKEBIZ MARKETPLACETO ADVERTISE IN THESE PAGES PLEASE CALL CARLY BAILEY ON 01992 535647

The BikeBiz Marketplace offers a completemarketing package of print, online andeditorial visibility, allowing companies theopportunity to maintain contact withreaders each month without the associatedcost of full display advertising.

The BikeBiz Marketplace, and its associatedonline version, has been designed to offerreaders a directory of all products andservices in the bike trade.

Your presence in this section ensures thatyour company’s details are easily found,keeping you one step ahead of yourcompetitors.

The standard package includes:� A quarter page advert in each issue� Regular editorial coverage in the

dedicated column� Company details listed in the online

directory with web link� Company details listed in the BikeBiz

Marketplace Contacts

To get your company featured here contact:

Carly Bailey on 01992 535647 or

[email protected]

Marketplace Rates: Quarter Page£175 (minimum six months)

BIKEBIZ MARKETPLACE CONTACTS

BIKES & ACCESSORIES

Paligap 01179 823 673 paligapltd.co.uk

Madison 01908 326000 madisonb2b.co.uk

BMX PARTS AND ACCESSORIES

Seventies 0845 310 3670 seventies.co.uk

COMPONENTS

USE Ltd 01798 344 477 www.use1.com

Bob Elliot & Co Ltd 01772 459 887 bob-elliot.co.uk

Pace Cycles Limited 01723 867919 pacecycles.com

Centristore 07789 075 818 in2dust.co.uk

The Cycle Division 0845 0508 500 thecycledivision.com

Buff 01707 852 244 buffwear.co.uk

EPOS

Abacus 0870 442 8240 abacusonline.net

Citrus Lime 0845 603 9254 citrus-retail.com

FOLDING BIKES

Montague 01730 711 140 montague-uk.com

INSURANCE

Cycleguard Insurance 02476 851027 cycleguard.co.uk/bikebiz

LIGHTING

Exposure Lights 01798 344 477 exposurelights.com

PRINTING SERVICES

Peter Dobbs 01482 224007 [email protected]

RACKS

Pendle Engineering Ltd 01282 699 555 pendle-bike.co.uk

Maxx Raxx Trading Ltd 0845 230 3799 maxxraxx.co.uk

RESPRAYS & REPAIRS

Argos 0117 972 4730 argoscycles.com

SALES TRAINING

Colin Rees 07786 262 460 [email protected]

TRAINING SERVICES

Aylesbury Training Group 0161 230 6241 atg-training.co.uk

The Bike Doctor 07786 636771 the-bike-doctor.co.uk

WATER BOTTLES

Wildoo Ltd 08709 771 550 wildoo.co.uk

Bottlestore 0845 602 9267 bottlesport.com

WEBSITE SERVICES

I-Bikeshop.com 01709 511766 I-bikeshop.com

Simple eshop 0116 267 5145 simpleeshop.com

Call our sales team today and start making more money!

0845 310 3670w w w. s e v e n t i e s . c o . u k

Your one stop for everything BMX

UK’s largest selection of core BMX at the highest dealer margins.

BMX PARTS AND ACCESSORIES

BIKEBIZ MARKETPLACE

COMPONENTS

BIKES AND ACCESSORIES


BIKES AND ACCESSORIES

COMPONENTS COMPONENTS

COMPONENTS COMPONENTS


BIKEBIZ MARKETPLACE

BIKEBIZ MARKETPLACE

EPOS FOLDING BIKES

EPOS


COMPONENTS

PRINTING SERVICES

INSURANCE LIGHTING


BIKEBIZ MARKETPLACE

RACKS


BIKEBIZ MARKETPLACE

TRAINING SERVICES TRAINING SERVICES

RESPRAYS AND REPAIRSRACKS

WEBSITE SERVICES

WATER BOTTLES WATER BOTTLES


BIKEBIZ MARKETPLACE

WEBSITE SERVICES

Can you give us a brief history ofMontague Bicycles? Swissbike is a part of Montague Bikesand has been specifically developed togive the range we offer a more leisureand lifestyle appeal. It also moves us onfrom the original military heritage,though that will be retained with modelslike the Paratrooper and the new Tora.

The Swissbike branding has reallytaken off in the last six months or soand is the focus of most enquiries wereceive. Continued interest from theemergency services means we need tofocus on one brand for the future.

You received plenty of praise at theGadget Show. Tell us about that:Being featured on the cult-viewing TVshow late last year was a real boon andthe interest and enquiries from thatappearance continue to this day. Wefollowed that up with a stand at TheGadget Show Live in April and had30,000 people looking at the bikes overthree days, so interest in the brand is atan all-time high for us right now.

The folding market has taken off inrecent years in the city. Is there a

market for folders that are capable ofgoing off-road? Most definitely. Our bikes were designedfor that market and are ideal for anyonewho wants to get out into thecountryside on a bike. Many peoplestruggle with bike-racks or simply wantthe security of leaving their bike insidetheir vehicle when they’re not riding, soour foldable mountain bikes fit thisniche extremely well.

We don’t try and compete with thetraditional small-wheeled folders for thecore commuter market, but we do nowhave a lot of customers using our bikesfor ‘park and ride’ commuting.

How’s business?Business is good. We’re now into oursecond year as the UK distributor ofSwissbike and Montague. Despite all theeconomic doom and gloom, we’refinding the picture is nowhere near asbad as the media would like to paint it.

Are there any plans for expansion?We are lucky to already be in quite largepremises, with room for plannedexpansion, so the main aim is to bringon some dedicated people to look after

the emergency response and corporatesectors. That’s an area where we see agreat future for our bikes.

Are you seeking UK dealers? Yes, we get calls and emails daily frompeople asking where they can see, tryand buy in-store and we simplyhaven’t had the time to develop thedealer network fully as yet. We areparticularly keen to find outlets in theSouth-West, central London, theMidlands, the North, Scotland and allparts of Ireland.

Can you tell us a bit about the fold? The fold is really simple; just two quick-releases and you’re done. With practiceit takes about 30 seconds. The frontwheel comes out first (secured with aCLIX skewer), then undo a second Q/Ron the frame and the whole bike folds inhalf. There are no cut frame tubes so,most importantly, no hinges, whichmeans the core strength of our frames isnot compromised by the fold. Oncefolded, the bike fits into our large nyloncarry-bag and, at approximately 13kg, isvery easy to carry with the suppliedshoulder strap.

JIM GRIFFITHS, Director, Montague Bicycles

TEL: 01730 711140WEB: www.montague-uk.com


BIKEBIZ MARKETPLACE

COMPANY PROFILE

“Business is good.Despite all the doomand gloom, we’refinding the picture isnowhere near as bad asthe media paints it.”

Jim Griffiths, Montague

NEW PRODUCTS


Pronghorn debuts in the UK,while Campagnolo introducesthe 11-speed Athena group...

Campagnolo Athena 11-speedJim Walker08707 528777

CAMPAGNOLO has added another 11-speed groupset to its catalogue, the Athena.The 11-speed rear derailleur has an aluminium outer plate and lightened rollers coated with rubber designed to

dampen vibrations. As a result of Ultra Shift 'parrallelogram geometry’, the unit is stiff and has high shift accuracy.Moving on to the front derailleur, a Z-shape internal arm provides a better leverage and greater rigidity, thusproviding a firm shift on demand. The steel cage used is also surface treated to prevent rust taking hold.

Athena's Ergopower Ultra Shift carbon control levers has perhaps the longest set of upgrades to boast. The leverreach has been shortened too for enhanced comfort, particularly for those with smaller hands.

The 11-speed cassette is precision engineered, with teeth designed around the Chorus chain shape. Itsaluminium body has received a nickel-chrome treatment making for longer life and lower wear.

The Ultra-Torque crankset is available in both a carbon build and standard aluminium. Both are of similar designand offer high stiffness for efficient transmission. UltraShift chainrings have an asymmetric tooth profile on the innerchainrings, offering slick shifting. An Ultra Torque bottom bracket features on both. Prices are still to be confirmed,but delivery should start in July.

Pronghornwww.proghornracing.dk0871 231 9966

DANISH BRAND Pronghorn has just debuted in theUK and is now seeking dealers.

The products are aimed at performance cyclistsand designed by one of the world’s top bikedesigners. The brand's frames are built fromlightweight custom-drawn aluminium and anodizedfor strength.

A carbon XC race frame, the PR6 SW, is alsoavailable and carries a few of Pronghorn's ownpatented technologies, including Latex hosingmolding as opposed to plastic. This results in asmoother finish, lowering stress and making theframe feel incredibly rigid, even for carbon.

Kid CoolGelert0208 459 9970

THE LATEST KidCool and Xcool children's bikedesigns have landed with Gelert. These range from12-inch wooden balance bikes for toddlers learningto roll and then a variety of sizes, including 12, 14,16, 18 and 20-inch bikes, to cover kids as they growand learn to pedal. All designs are available in bothboys and girls versions and are in stock now. The 20-inch BMX available for boys retails at £99.99.

The wooden balance bikes are cut from asustainable wood source and feature an adjustablesaddle height, EVA wheels and tyres, as well as avariety of colours to suit all kids. Retail price is £49.99.

NaliniChicken Cyclekit01525 381347

ONE OF Nalini’s first garments available in the UK isthe Argentine jersey. The ultra light item is built fromhigh-tech moisture transporting polyester fibre'Mantodry'. A short zipper features, while the wearerhas three pockets in which to hold on-the-road snacks.

Also from Nalini and made in Italy, the Corniolabib short is one of the higher value items in therange. The garment carries Nalini's own proven PTN-NAT chamois, white mesh braces to keep you cool,and extremely lightweight lycra fabric blend.

Chicken Cyclekit has good stocks at present andwelcomes enquiries from interested dealers.

RockShoxFisher Outdoor01727 798345

THE 2010 Revelation has undergone several changesin the past year and will now carry an increased150mm travel, as well as an all-new chassis.

The new lower legs feature 'Power Bulges' thatadd stiffness and improve the bushing’s durability.The popular 20mm Maxle Lite thru axle optionprovides a rigid support for an already tough fork.

The Ario rear shock, first introduced in 2005, hasalso undergone a revamp, gaining a redesignedchassis and entirely new internals. Half-inch hardanodized three-piece captured mounting hardwarefeature, as seen on the Monarch and Vivid shocks.

New gear

NUMBER CRUNCHING

Statisticallyspeaking

While statistics are in frustratingly short supply acrossthe bicycle industry, there is still a selection of factsand figures available that will impact on the trade inone way or another. In this month’s round-up BikeBizfinds that bike sales have not only risen significantly,but are due to receive a boost from a hot summer...

The number of views Inspire Bicycles’ video of trials rider DannyMacAskill (see p16) garnered in just 10 days online. The videowas rated near 20,000 times and notched up over 8,000comments in the same period(Source: YouTube)

How much mandatoryhelmet use would cost the

UK, according to amathematical model put together by Piet

de Jong at Macquarie University, Sydney. Compulsory helmetswere estimated to cost US healthcare authorities US $4.8 billion

– all as a result of the knock-on decrease in cycling numbers(Source: New Scientist)

35%How much the reaction time

of a driver is slowed by texting– more than the 12 per cent

slowing of reaction time foundin drivers who are slightly

above the alcohol driving limit(Source: RAC Foundation)

8% BIKEBIZ.COM BIKEBIZ JUNE 59

4.4%

2,083The number of pedestrianshit by cars on pavements in2007. By contrast 57 cyclists

hit pedestrians onpavements in 2007, while

HGVs took out 137 (Source: DfT.gov)

20%The increase of sales in April,compared like-for-like with

April 2008, for over half of thebike dealers surveyed by the

ACT (Source: ACT)

The growth in the numberof pupils cycling to school(from four per cent) in2008. 49 per cent of pupilssurveyed by Sustrans saythey would prefer to cycleto school than be driven(Source: Sustrans)

£0.27BILLION

The increase in retailfootfall in April 2009,

compared with April 2008 (Source: The Retail Bulletin)

50%The chance of temperatures

in the UK being aboveaverage duringsummer 2009

(Source: The Met Office)

2,800,000

Pic

© B

BC

New

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BikeBiz is keen to publish your opinions, whether they’re fromletters, emails or via BikeBiz.com...

LETTERS PAGE


I’M DISMAYED to read of thecancellation of several UKroad races due to policeconcerns. It makes no sense toban cycle racing from publicroads on account of it beingdangerous. It’s not the cyclistswho are dangerous andirresponsible, but rather thelunatic element of drivers whohave no respect for safety andthe rules of the road.

For every cycle racecompetitor that ignores theHighway Code – sometimesinadvertently, sometimesunavoidably, sometimes forcedby the demands of all-outcompetitiveness – a hundred,if not a thousand drivers surelyignore it, and in a far more lifethreatening manner – onaccount of them beingshielded in big lumps of metal.

Instead of the policelooking out for law breaking

racing cyclists, why aren’t theylooking for law breakingdrivers? The speed freaks andmobile phone menaces, whoas we all know, are on theirbest behaviour when they seea police car, yet are on theirworst behaviour when theyhave us alone on quiet roads.

The lunatic drivers on ourroads, and the likes of JeremyClarkson and Nigel Havers willbe elated when they hear ofcycle race bans. If thesepeople win the day, whatchance for the likes of obesity,congestion and globalwarming? What chance forthe youngsters who want tobecome pro bike riders? Whateffect on the cycle industry?

Get online and sign:http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/mobilemenaceban/Allan Ramsay, RoadPeace

Mail to:Saxon House, 6A St. Andrews Street, Hertford, Hertfordshire, SG14 1JA

Email:[email protected]

Diversify to optimise online trade...

The mobile menaceis still out there…

AS A PROVIDER of managedEPoS and e-commercesolutions to thousands ofstore-based users and hundredsof web-based retailers, we’re ina position to see precisely howour clients’ businesses arefaring in these economicallychallenging times.

An interesting trend isemerging. As is widelyacknowledged, online andmulti-channel businesses aregenerally doing better thantheir store-only peers.

However, what we areobserving is nuanced. It’s clearto us that the greatest successis coming not from ‘pure play’online retailers that sellheadline items, but fromcompanies who sell spare parts,add-ons and support services.

If you are sellingmainstream products, evenleading brands or those withparticular cachet, competitionis very tough. This is less thecase for ancillary products –often specialist items.

In the world of bike retailing,the ones who seem to beperforming best are thoseselling spare parts and upgradeitems that are more difficult toobtain. The market also seemsto be less price-sensitive.

There’s no doubt that therecession is encouragingconsumers to recycle, repair orreuse. Add to that a greenretailing agenda that is startingto resonate with more andmore of us, and you end upwith customers who are slowlyturning their back on the

throw-away economy. Aspeople are more prepared tomend or to upgrade what theyhave already, ‘second tier’retailers are likely to do betterthan their ‘first tier’ peers.

We’re seeing our clients inthis ‘second tier’ work reallyhard on their websites, puttingtime into getting good productimages loaded and makingthem easy to navigate. Theirfield of operation is frequentlynot well optimised for searchengines, so they have to workextra hard on their ownpromotion.

Their reward seems to becoming in sales that generatenot only high margins, but alsorepeat business.Ian TomlinsonManaging Director, Cybertill

CEREDIGION County Councilhas recently published an A4brochure called Get CyclingCeredigion with the help of theCompany of Cyclists in York. Itis being distributed free-of-charge to local residents and Iunderstand similar publicationshave also been produced forother UK local authorities overthe past five years or so.

I’m writing to express myconcern that this otherwiseexcellent publication containsone piece of very bad, andpotentially dangerous, advice –that ‘basic replacement (brake)cables are fine – run a little oilover them before installing –even cooking oil will do.’

I wrote to the County inJanuary, drawing its attentionto this error. They, in turn,contacted the Company ofCyclists and I have received areply. A quotation from theCompany of Cyclists says thatthey will remove this advice

from future Get Cyclingpublications, but also that ‘wedo not agree that the referenceto cooking oil presents a risk.’

I disagree with this assertion,as do other engineers whoseopinions I have sought. There isa risk that riders who followthis advice may not be able tooperate their brakes properly.And my fears aren’t merelyacademic as I have personallywitnessed the seizing-up of

equipment that was incorrectly‘lubricated’ with cooking oil.

Over time, cooking oilbecomes thick and sticky. Usedon brake cables, the brakeswould become progressivelyharder to operate and wouldbecome reluctant to returnfully under their normal springtension. Also, most cooking oilsolidifies in very cold weather.

There seems to be a seriousdifference of opinion betweenmy experience and that of theexperts which the Company ofCyclists has called upon. Whatdo other engineers andmechanics in the trade think?

Finally, I must emphasisethat, apart from this one pieceof bad advice, Get CyclingCeredigion is an excellentpublication, and I applaud thegood work done by theCompany of Cyclists inencouraging people onto bikes.Chris Bell, Highpath Engineering

Cooking oil for cables?

Star LetterWhether it’s a hand-written, sent-through-the-post letter, email or a comment madeon the BikeBiz forum, the best letter of themonth wins a prize from Oxford Products.

This month the lucky winner will receivesix of the most popular designs fromOxford's range of Comfy (3 pack) micro-fibre neckwarmers.

BELGIAN REAL estate agency,Euro-Domus has been havingtrouble selling apartments inthe current economic climate.That was until a partnershipwith Dahon changed things.

Euro-Domus CEO MichelGilbert came up with a uniquecampaign to sell flats in twoapartment buildings, byincluding a DahonCurve D3 foldingbike in the price asan integrated‘mobility gift’ forevery new owner. Starting at just100,000 euros,buyers become a

proud owner of a trendyfolder with a lifestyle-matching, en suite (studio)parking area. The result? Aresounding success, as Gilberthas already sold more than 50per cent of the bikeapartment combos.

What's more, to make surethat buyers’ new two-

wheeled folders arekept in top runningcondition, Euro-Domus has arrangedfor assembly andmaintenance of thebikes to be takencare of by a localindependent dealer.

quoteunquote Sponsored by the brands of

Moore Large 01332 274252

“There is infact goodevidence thatcycling getssafer themore cycliststhere are, andthe sameapplies forwalking. Forpedestriansand cyclists there really is“safety in numbers”. Forinstance, there has been a91 per cent increase incycling on London's mainroads since 2000, with a 33per cent reduction in cyclistcasualties over the sameperiod.” CTC Chair David Robinson,The Guardian, April 29th

“What confusesme more thananything is theadmonition thatthese spokes areintended forracing and 'lightstreet'. What is'light street,'exactly? Nogrinding? What

about 360s? Is it a weightthing? I suppose the bestway to figure it out is tobuild a wheel with thesespokes. If you don't breakthem, congratulations,you're riding light street.”SPRFLS blog, May 1st

“While I'm quite happy toqueue up behind somebody

at an intersection, I havenever, ever had somebodystop behind me. If you'rewaiting, someone will pullup ahead of you. If a thirdperson comes, they'll rollahead and stop in front ofthe second person. On abusy day, this accumulationresults in sort of a shoal ofcyclists which juts out intothe middle of the street likea sandbar of idiocy.”BikeSnob NYC, May 13th

“I was just being cautiousas I haven't passed thecycling proficiency test. Mypersonal view would beconcern if anything happensto me while on the bike andit hasn't been risk-assessed

or insured. In this day andage you have to cover allbases. It's the way of theworld.”PC Tony Cobbanexplaining why hewouldn't sit aboard abicycle for a photocall,Manchester Evening News,May 6th

“If the article convinces justone rider to wear a helmetthen it's totally worth it as Iwould hate for a fellowrider to have to go throughwhat I have…”Nik Ford talking to RideBMX magazine about anaccident which saw him'dead' for three hours.May 11th.

“My initial feeling of testingthe trailer was terror. Ineeded a bit of help toassemble it, but once I gotgoing I discovered that thetrailer was light, moved wellwith the bike and was easyto control.” Cheryl Bevan reviewinguse of a bike trailer forbikebelles.org.uk, May11th

“It would be easy for aforeigner to think that the‘real Copenhagen’ isprobably a completelydifferent thing, but really, thisis how it is day-to-day. Fullof bikes.”Copenhagen Cycle Chic,May 14th


OFF THE RECORD

AT 66 YEARS of age, SouthGloucestershire residentEddie Sedgemore is nostranger to a challenge,and later this year he willset out with the aim ofachieving his secondGuinness World Record.

With support fromBath-based companyPowabyke, Eddie is lookingto break the existingrecord for the longestjourney on a motorizedbicycle which currentlystands at 1,654.6 miles,and will be raising money

for the British HeartFoundation (BHF) atthe same time.

Sedgemore willtravel to the keycompass points of LandsEnd and 'The Lizard' inCornwall, Dunnet Head inScotland, and Lowestoft inSuffolk. This will entailvisiting the northern,southern, eastern andwestern extremes of theUK mainland. Eddie andPowabyke have calculatedthat his route will takehim over the 1,655 miles

neededto set a newworld record.

Eddie will be travellingon a Powabyke X-bykewhich has a range ofapproximately 10 to 15miles per charge,depending on thelandscape and conditions.He will also be able topedal to increase his range.

X-byke rider goesfor world record

Send your pictures to [email protected] THE RECORDDahon selling apartments?

CYCLE ARTIST DavidGerstein is set to bring hisunique cycle wall sculpturesto the UK for the first time.

Boasting Lance Armstrongamong his ‘collector’customers, the artist hasgranted the Catto Gallery in

London distribution rightsto his work. Armstrong evencommissioned the Israel-born artist to construct apiece depicting 51 cyclists -one for each of his careertournament victories. Whathappens if he wins another?

The Catto in London isnow pitching the work atbicycle distributors andretailers.

Iain Barrett, director ofthe Catto, said: “Gersteinhas an internationalreputation, so it’s great to

be able to bring his work tothe UK. The sculptureswould make an eye-catching addition to anybike company’s boardroomor reception area.” To find out more visithttp://catto.co.uk

Gerstein set to sell his cycle art in the UK for the first time

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STRAIGHT TO YOUR MOBILE

WRITING THIS in early May with the wind howlingthrough the office, one starts to wonder if summer willconsist of more than three days this year. So far saleshave been steady, but without sunshine the impulsepurchases of cycles will lay dormant in the garages andsheds – which won’t help the 'add-on' or repair trade.

Lead times seem to be all over the place at themoment. It is difficult to know if the Taiwan factoriesare busy or just lack funding. Many small builders havegone, and apart from the bigger factories, many of theframe and wheel building sheds have closed. The dollarhas improved slightly, but raw material seems to creepup on each invoice, so prices will stay on par this year.

I believe it will be a good few years when we’ll wesee the dollar match old rates of 2008 at $1.80 to thepound. With the Euro also bad for exchange, I can’t seea start up of European companies being able topenetrate Far Eastern prices or even having thecapability. Transporting product from Italy is moreexpensive than bringing in containers from Taiwan. � The recent news of MPs fiddling expenses beggarsbelief over the huge claims that have been made, fromdry cleaning to the purchase of a tractor. To those repsout on the road, are you fiddling mileage to get freemiles for the family weekend?

Many years ago, when we still manufactured bikes inthis country, I had a call from my MD telling me thebooks would be closing on a certain child’s bike for theChristmas market. I shot over to the Isle of Wight to sellmy quota before deadline. Leaving the island with a200-mile drive home and with my quota sold I treatedmyself to a slap-up meal. Weeks later the MD called meinto the office to explain the pricey meal. Explainingthat I had left the island after 5pm, and having soldmore than a further 50 of said bike, I deserved a goodmeal before the drive home. He said okay and paid the£14 meal. Two months later the company went intoliquidation. I never did get my expenses paid.� After following the Tour de France last year it becameclear that our roads are terrible compared to even

country lanes in France. It would seem they spend theirtax collections on their own country, rather thanfighting other nations’ wars, as we seem to.� It is interesting that Halfords has dropped the nameBike Hut and Republic. I said last year that whoeverthought up the name had to be nuts. It’s a terriblename, just reminds me of third-class bikes, with third-world manufacturing. No doubt they eventually agreed.

No multiple selling food, clothes, or car accessorieswill ever compete with a specialist, who understand theproduct and provide great service. Those shops whichhave put effort into the female side of the market willbe way ahead of anything Halfords will be able to offer.

As this credit crunch continues to bite, the cycleindustry has to go from strength-to-strength, neverfalling back to those silly price reductions that neverenhanced the profit margins. Profit is not a dirty word,it pays the bills.

Philip Diprose

“No multiple selling food,

clothes or car accessories will

ever compete with a specialist,

who understands the product.”

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What bikes do you own?My shed consists of a Dave Yates singlespeed hardtail, aresprayed Mercian fixed gear, a Trek 2100 road bike, aSanta Cruz Superlight, a Specialized Tricross SinglespeedCX bike and a Bontrager frame that needs building. Anda Cannondale geared CX bike is on its way – all allowedby a very understanding wife in a small London flat.

Tell us about your business background:I’m a video editor, so my business experience is outsidethe bike industry. Like most folk though I know what Ilike, and thought I could do better. This experience, agroup of incredibly talented contributors and journal-mates, and a willingness to climb a steep learning curvehaven’t let me down yet.

What’s the biggest rush achievable on a bike?The joy of a narrow ribbon of singletrack, whippingthrough the trees with a few rooty bits and some dropoffs can’t be beaten. Add mid-spring sunshine, goodfriends to chase and a cold beer after the ride. Bliss.

What were you hoping to create with the Journal?An alternative to what was already being done well byother publications. Something that spoke about therider and not about the bike.

Now it is established, what are your goals?At the end of issue one we didn't know if there wouldbe a second. Now that issue two is out I can confirmthere will be a third. After that, who knows. The goal isalways to show a side of cycling that seems under-represented, the passion that flows through riders veinsand the creative side that seems to go with it.

OFF THE RECORD

As Westminster reels in scandal over dubious expenses, the rest of ushave real business to get on with. Spokesman calculates the costs…

62 BIKEBIZ JUNE

SPOKES IN THE SADDLE

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Editor, The Ride Journal

Profit is not a dirty word

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bikebiz issue41, june 2009

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