bikebiz august 2010_issue 56

Issue 56 | September 2010

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FOR MANY IN the biz the news thatHer Majesty’s Revenue and Customshad revised its Cycle to Work guidelineswas a worrying omen for the future ofthe scheme.

Despite getting off to a slow startwhen it was introduced over a decadeago, Cycle to Work has been regularlyreferred to as a key driver of bicyclesales in the UK and also as a sign that

Westminster has the genuine will to back the cycle industry.Over the past six years or so, since the DfT helped

provide improved guidance and implementation for it, thescheme has seen well-organised providers work with cycleretailers big and small, attracting huge employers and largenumbers of would-be cyclists to the world of cycling. Lastyear we saw over 70 significant companies pledge to the

Cycle to Work Guarantee and promise to improve cyclistfacilities in the workplace – surely a winner for everyone inthe bike industry.

But at a time when the national deficit is so big it’d makea banker blush, fears for the future of the scheme have beenuppermost, prompting the formation of the C2W Alliance.With that in mind the HMRC-imposed changes were notentirely unforeseen.

On the flip side of the coin, the fact that Cycle to Workhas sorely been in need of some clarification is hard to deny.The value of the bike at the end of the hire period has longbeen a moot point and August’s developments will help toclear that up at least, if nothing else.

Is it really the death knell for the scheme? Cycle to Workhas survived objections from the Department of Fair Tradingand the culling of its sister scheme to encourage computerselling (see our history of Cycle to Work on page five).

And while the HMRC appears to have lessened theamount of savings available to customers in buying a bikethrough the scheme, is it really significant enough todiscourage them from using Cycle to Work? Especially whenthe scheme is more widely available than it ever has been?

The jury is out on how the changes will impact on bikesales, but the whole affair shows that C2W is still a work inprogress, a decade after its conception.

Meanwhile, don’t forget to snap up your ticket for theBikeBiz Awards night on Wednesday October 6th, the nightbefore Cycle Show’s trade day. For a mere ten pounds you’llhave chance to cheer the winners and to celebrate with abeer and buffet. See you there!

EDITORIALIssue 56 | September 2010

NEWS 4-9

REGULARS

BikeBiz catches up with co-director Sean Lally after abusy 12 months...17

BIKEBIZ AWARDS FINALISTS

MINTEL BIKE STATISTICS

BRAND SPOTLIGHT 37Timex Ironman’s Global Trainer comes under theglare of the spotlight this month

PEOPLE 54It’s a sales recruitment frenzy this month forEurobike, Silverfish, Paligap and Jim Walker

NEW PRODUCTS 58Sugoi, Scoop, Skins and SKS all feature in thismonth’s new products round-up

Your guide to the finalists up for the prizes at this year’sawards, taking place on Wednesday October 6th

Jonathon Harker, Editor

KIDS’ BIKES ANDACCESSORIES

The current value of the UK bike market, theimportance of Cycle to Work to retail and much more...

CSG UK EVENT REPORTBikeBiz reports back from the distributor’s debut RideThe Revolution event at the CSG UK Poole HQ

29

13

23

CHAIN REACTION 21 DEALER PROFILE 61 EVENTS 74

BikeBiz examines HMRC’s changes to C2W, CycleShow consumer ticket sales rocket and more...

CYCLE SYSTEMS INTERVIEW

FOCUS ON…

BIKE CARRIERS ANDRACKS

63 69

Despite getting off to a slow start,C2W is regularly cited as a key driverof bicycle sales in the UK.

LETTERS 72One dealer shares his experiences of servicing abike sold over the internet

SPONSORED BY

SPOKESMAN 86Carlton Reid wonders whether electric bikesreally are the next big thing for the industry

AWARDS 2010

HER MAJESTY’S Revenue andCustoms has been accused of‘eroding’ the value of the CycleTo Work scheme with a fewsubtle, yet significant rulechanges.

As announced on BikeBiz.comduring August, the final paymentmade by the employee to his orher employer at the end of thelease is now, in the majority ofcases, set to be a lot higher – sofewer savings will be made bythe customer.

The legislation change has, ofcourse, divided trade opinion onwhether or not the scheme hasa future, or whether this isHMRC’s way of effectivelycalling time on the tax-freescheme, without explicitlysaying so.

"Invest in a quality bike withthe Government’s Cycle To Workscheme and you may lose all thebenefits of saving." That’s justone select thought of a retailerusing the BikeBiz forum who is

weighing up the pros and consof continuing running a schemethat has just become a lot lessvaluable to the majority ofcustomers taking advantage ofthe savings to be had.

The retailer in question isreferring to bikes reknowned forpassing the test of time – yourBromptons and Gazelles – toname just two brands known fortheir longevity, which arehighlighted as being some of bigC2W business losers.

Using the ‘A to D gradingsystem’, bikes which are deemedstill in good condition are to beworth a greater sum at the endof the agreed hire period, so willincur a higher ‘full market value’charge. In some cases a highvaluation has the potential towipe the majority of the savingsthat would previously have beenenjoyed by the customer.

Richard Grigsby, director ofCyclescheme, which works withover 1,600 independent stores inthe UK told BikeBiz: "Overallsavings may be affected by thenew procedures, and employees

“Employees mayend up feelingpenalised at theend of the hireperiod for havinglooked after theirbike.”

Richard Grigsby,Director,

Cyclescheme

4 BIKEBIZ SEPTEMBER BIKEBIZ.COM

By Mark Sutton andJonathon Harker

HMRC takes note of ‘undervalued’ bikes and alterslegislation to plug ‘loophole’ � “Customers who maintaincycles will be punished for efforts,” claims retail � Schemestill “offers savings on the majority of purchases,” says CTC

HMRC overhaulsdivides trade onworth of C2W

NEWS SPECIAL: THE FUTURE FOR CYCLE TO WORK

does the figuresCYCLE SURGERY'S PR managerClaire Collins told BikeBiz thatthe firm feels most employerswould not seek payment of thefair market value sum, as in mostcases the employee will havepaid the employer in full duringthe hire period. As a result of thisthe employee will continue toreceive the transfer of the cycle,but with the added certainty of

knowing the precise ‘Benefit InKind’ (BIK) charge they will nowincur at the end of the period.

The table (right) illustratessome typical examples anddemonstrates how the Benefit InKind (BIK) charge is bothlimited in scale, relative to theup front saving, and can besignificantly mitigated byextending the term of the hire.

Purchase Term 20% Tax Payer: 40% Tax Payer: 20% Tax Payer: 40% Tax Payer: Price (Years) Total initial tax Total initial tax individual tax individual tax

& VAT saving on & VAT saving on cost at end of cost at end of purchase purchase term (re-BIK) term (re-BIK)

£400 2 £165.11 £233.19 £16.12 £26.52

£700 3 £288.94 £408.09 £26.04 £42.84

£1,000 4 £412.77 £582.98 £21.70 £35.70

HMRC’s tighteningof legislation looksset to cost C2Wcustomers morethan firstanticipated...

may feel penalised for havinglooked after the bike. But thescheme still represents anexcellent way to use a qualitybike package. The HMRC doesexpect valuations to err on thelow side and our mechanismsreflect this practicalinterpretation."

Full market value is a key termin this controversial legislationupdate. HMRC’s wording used to

read ‘fair market value’, which inthe view of the Government wasleading to ‘unrealistic marketvaluations’ when the employeesettles with his or her employer.

Not everyone in the trade feelsthe scheme is set for expiry,however. CTC senior technicalofficer Chris Juden is one suchadvocate of the scheme’ssurvival.

"All that’s happened is thatwhere an employee mightpreviously have made savings on95 per cent of the bike’s value,one can now make the samesavings on ‘only’ 75 per cent of it.So the total savings, per bike,reduce to 79 per cent of theirformer magnitude."

One of the ‘look on thebrightside’ attitudes relating toHMRC’s clamp down came fromAction Bikes’ Wallington branchowner Chris Inglis who believesthe rewording will "sort the realriders-to-work from those whosimply take the opportunity toget a nice tax-free bike foroccasional leisure use andessentially ‘abuse’ the taxpayer."

Partridge Cycles’ owner ShaunColeman also expressed his beliefthat the majority of schemebeneficiaries to date have not

used the scheme to obtain bikesto cycle to and from work, withmost "wasting tax payer’smoney" to obtain a cheaperleisure bike.

HMRC is already being urgedto re-think the legislation tweakby the newly formed Cycle toWork Alliance, set up by Halfords,Evans Cycles and Cyclescheme.

The group told BikeBiz: “We’reconcerned that this may erode thescheme. The matrix could make ittoo expensive to purchase the bikeafter the hire period.”

Safety equipment obtainedthrough Cycle To Work purchasesis not included in the post-loanassessment.

“Where anemployee may havepreviously madesavings on 95 percent of the bike’svalue, one can nowonly make savingson 75 per cent of it.”

Chris Juden, CTC

Lib Dem U-turn On Bikes? AHEAD of May’s GeneralElection, BikeBiz contacted themain political parties abouttheir commitment to cyclingand the cycle industry.

At the time the LiberalDemocrat Party pledged itssupport for bikes andpromised that it had no plansto cut pledges already madeby the then LabourGovernment.

When quizzed specificallyon whether the party wouldcommit to the current Cycleto Work scheme a partyspokesman told BikeBiz: “Weagree that cycling can help tocombat obesity, man-made

climate change andcongestion and we have noplans to cut pledges alreadymade by the Government oncycling schemes.”

“We recognise that themajority of cycle trips (65 percent) are commuter trips towork or school with the roadnetwork providing the bestresource. That is why we willpromote cycling competencyschemes and encourage betterfacilities for cyclists andensure that road traffic law isenforced with equal vigour inrelation to cyclists in order tosecure the safety of all roadusers."

Xx

Cycle to Work: A History

1999

2003-2004

February2004

November2004

January 2005

May 2005

June 2005

June 2005

March2006

February2007

February2009

September 2009

October2009

February2010

May 2010

April 2010

June2010

August2010

Government introduces the ‘Cycle to Work’ initiative through the 1999Finance Act.

Booost formed as provider for tax-free home computer purchases. Thefirm later moves into bike purchases.

Halfords offers Bike4Work, promoting the service to health trusts, RoyalMail and local authorities.

The Department for Health commits the DfT to work with the cycleindustry to produce guidance on promoting and implementing the cyclebuying initiative.

Cyclescheme incorporated.

Office of Fair Trading calls into question who owns bikes under thescheme.

OFT revokes its concerns after pressure from the DfT.

DfT rebrands tax-free bike buying initiative as ‘Cycle to Work’.

Government scraps home computer buying incentive scheme but leavesCycle to Work unscathed.

Evans Cycles signs the London’s Metropolitan Police to its Ride2WorkC2W scheme.

Asda opens Cycle to Work to its 165,000employees.

Rolls-Royce appoints Cyclescheme to handle cycle to work.

Over 70 major employers, including the NHS and central Governmentbodies, sign up to the Cycle to Work Guarantee, pledging to supportcycling employees through providing bike parking facilities changingfacilities, training and more.

Raleigh launches Cycle to Work programme for its nationwide Cyclelifestore network.

Cyclescheme sold to Grass Roots Group.

Cycle to Work Alliance is formed by three largest C2W providers:Halfords, Evans Cycles and Cyclescheme.

Sainsbury’s launches Cycle toWork initiative with Cyclescheme,affecting 150,000 staff.

HMRC revises ‘fair market value’guidance for the worth of bicyclesbought through Cycle to Workscheme.

Cyclescheme foundersRichard Grigsby and

Gary Cooper

NEWS SPECIAL: THE FUTURE FOR CYCLE TO WORK

NEWS


CYCLE-SOS, the Cyclists’National Helpline, has signed upto the 2010 BikeBiz Awards asevent partner.

The news follows theunveiling of this year’s finalists(see page 29) and after Cycle-SOS’ rebranding last year from aname synonymous with the1980s era of Live Aid.

Despite the new moniker, thefirm’s remit remains the same, asCycle-SOS’ Paul Darlingtonexplained to BikeBiz: “Our mantrahas remained consistent: toremove the obstacles, barriersand apprehensions from theuptake of safe cycling.”

Aside from offering a freeHelpline to cyclists requiringadvice on their rights and theobligations of other road users,Cycle-SOS offers consultancyservices to organisations lookingto implement Cycle to Work orBusiness Bike schemes, like

health and safety and riskmanagement.

Cycle-SOS has worked withthe first tranche of CyclingDemonstration Towns since2005, supporting promotional

events organised by the publicsector and assisting privatecompanies with incentives tolaunch or rejuvenate workplacetravel plans.

Cycle-SOS’ backing of theBikeBiz Awards is a perfectchance to highlight therebranded organisation,according to Darlington: "We'vesponsored the event in order to

increase our profile within theindustry.

“After almost a quarter of acentury, with several hundredthousands of our contact cards

in circulation and a contentedband of compensated clients, webelieve that we're quite wellknown to the grass roots forwhom we've recovered literallymillions of pounds, at no costwhatsoever to them."

Cycle-SOS joins Citrus-Limeand FreeGo as Event Partners ofthe BikeBiz Awards 2010, plusCube Bikes as Platinum Sponsor.

The BikeBiz Awards take placeat 7.00pm on WednesdayOctober 6th at Sway Bar,Holborn, London.

Tickets cost just £10 each –and for that attendees get threefree drinks, a buffet, casinoentertainment, networkingopportunities and, of course, thechance to cheer on the awardwinners. To book your tickets, simplycontact [email protected] Cyclists’ National Helpline: 0808 100 9995www.cycle-sos.co.uk

PedalabikeawaytakeawayGloucestershire-basedPedalabikeaway is up forsale following theretirement of its presentowners. Situated next totraffic-free trails at theRoyal Forest of Dean, thecycle hire, café and shop isavailable leasehold andcomes with its own site –www.pedalabikeaway.co.uk.For details of the sale [email protected].

Container shipshortagecontinuesAccording to a BikeEuropereport, shipping companiesare struggling to meetdemands for containerships, leading to price risefears in the cycle industry. Ashortfall in containers isexpected to last until mid-2011, claimed Dynamarshipping consultant Dirk DeVisser.

Cycle Hire hits100k journeysTwo weeks after launch, theBarclays-sponsored LondonCycle Hire scheme hit the100k journeys milestone.Boris Johnson hailed thescheme launch a hugesuccess, seeing almost 14kjourneys made on thebusiest days. The Hirescheme opened to casualusers at the end of August.

Helmets don’tharm cyclistnumbers A joint-Canadian Universitystudy fuelled controversywhen it found thatmandatory helmet-wearinglegislation didn’t harmcyclist numbers. Accordingto the report, helmet lawchanges in certain provincesdid not change the total ofcyclists commuting or ridingfor leisure, contradictingaccepted thinking on thefiery debate.

CYCLESHORTS

For breaking news visit:www.bikebiz.com

By Jonathon Harker

CURRENT CONSUMERticket sales ahead of theOctober 7th to 10thCycle Show, held at EarlsCourt in London, are up211 per cent up on thistime last year, accordingto the show’s organiser.

Event director AndrewBrabazon told BikeBiz latein August: “We have justdone a ticket salescomparison, and we havesold 211 per cent more

consumer tickets for theCycle Show than thesame time last year.

“I think that this year’screative adverts havereally hit the spot, andwhen visitors to the showwebsite check out theexhibitors list, websitevisits are translating intoticket sales like neverbefore. It looks like wewill smash our recordattendance yet again.”

It was also confirmedto BikeBiz in an interviewwith Brabazon and histeam (seen over on page45) that less than ten percent of the exhibitionspace is now available forsale, though “some keyspots are yet to be filled”.

In other news, theretail zone, now known asthe Cycle Store, hasdoubled in size on thisyear’s floor plan, while

the terrace capacity hasbeen increased toaccommodate 500. Thepiazza area, commonlyused for private meetsand socialising has alsoincreased in size in linewith strong demand.

If you’ve yet to registerfor your free trade pass,log on tocycleshow.co.uk/bikebiz.

Prospective exhibitorsare encouraged to

contact Elizabeth Barileon 020 7288 6443 toenquire about exhibitingopportunities at thisyear’s show.020 7288 6443

Cycle Show consumer ticketsales jump 211% year-on-year

Cycle-SOSgets behindthe BikeBizAwards

AWARDS 201022-year old service rebrands andheightens profile through trade awards

“Our mantra has remained consistentsince we began: to remove theobstacles, barriers and apprehensionsfrom the uptake of safe cycling.”

Paul Darlington

AndrewBrabazon

electron’s new range of cycle lighting has something for everyone,all feature market leading srp’s and 40%+ margins (qty breaks apply)speak to your parts & accessories account manager, call madison sales or email [email protected] for more information.www.electronlights.co.uk

terra 2rechargeableled front light

front rear twin packs backupz rechargeable

terra 1 - £74.99 | terra 2 - £99.99 srp

ideal for commited commuters and entry level night ridershigh power seoultm led & sanyotm li-ion battery at a market leading price pointuseful features such as side visibility, low battery indicators & scuff guards3 modes & run times of up to 70 hours!engineered reflector for improved visibility protected in a water resistant alloy/composite body

With a service record unrivaled in the electric bicycle world, Wisper offer the fi nest and most complete range of high quality electric bikes in the UK.

Next day delivery on both bicycles and parts with full technical on line and telephone backup.

For further information on trade discounts and area availability please contact;

Douglas Lawson 01590 [email protected] www.WisperBikes.com

905eco, 905se Sport, 905se City S, 906xc Tourer Long or Medium ranges from £999.00 to £2,499.00

705se Long range 50 - 70 miles £1,399.00 Medium range 30 - 45 miles £1,199.00

805fe Long range 30 - 45 miles £1,219.00 Medium range 20 - 30 miles £1,019.00

706 Alpino Long range 50 - 70 miles £1,799.00 Medium range 30 - 45 miles £1,599.00

906 Alpino Long range 50 - 70 miles £1,899.00 Medium range 30 - 45 miles £1,699.00

Electric Bikes

the ride of your life

The Range.....

British Electric Bicycle Association

Member

NOW INTO its second season ofproduction, Eurobike hasannounced a series of road showdates for its Moda brand’s 2011line launch. The first kicks off atthe Ashton Court Mansion inBristol, with dates at the NationalCycling Centre, Manchester andthe Lakeside International Hotelin Surrey to follow.

Eurobike MD Paul Stewart toldBikeBiz: “The Moda bicycle rangeexpands in to more areas with

new models, including adedicated winter and summerroad bike at the £999 criticalprice point. Along with excitingtitanium offerings in both roadand MTB, following on from thesuccess of the ‘Legato’ cyclo Xbike now available in metallicred, we will offer a race-readycarbon fibre version with the‘Opus’ model. The search for aframe supplier to work with forthe titanium range was not takenlightly and we are delighted withthe finished products.”

Several titanium builds will becarried by the distributor in thecoming season, including atitanium tourer dubbed theNocturne. Built with a typicalBritish winter in mind, the bikewill come with colour-matchedmudguards and pannier rackeyes, meaning customers caneasily turn the rig into anendurance machine. With allbikes rolling on American Classic

wheels, as standard in the priorline, the 2011 line cuts no corners.

Masters added: “Also in thepursuit of lightweight exotica, wecouldn’t resist producing a supersleek titanium hardtail MTB usingthe same elegant curves as theroad bikes. At the roadshows wewill present the ‘Solo’, a tight fastand uber-light cross-countryrocket. The ‘Canon’ and ‘Encore’remain our benchmark CarbonMTB bikes, benefiting fromupgrades from Sram componentand Kore carbon finishing kits, asdo ‘Rondo’ and ‘Presto’, ouraluminium models. We lookforward to seeing as many of ourcustomers as possible.”

Eurobike customers will alsobe pleased to hear that two newsales representatives, IanReynolds and Dan Scott havebeen appointed to boost thefirm’s representative coverage ofboth the north and south,respectively.

“The search for atitanium framesupplier was nottaken lightly.We’re delightedwith the results...”

Paul Stewart

Three exhibition dates – Bristol, Manchester and Surrey –planned from late September onwards � Two new salesrepresentatives added to boost north and south coverage

NEWS

By Mark Sutton

Barclays Business Systems hasannounced that its Evopos dealermanagement software has nowbecome web-savvy with theintroduction of a 'Web Store' tool.

The firm is now offering afully-automated online retailstore, which recognises stocktrade-ins and updates,automatically uploading the

information to the web, from thein-house dealer system, Evopos.

Managing director DennisBullen told BikeBiz: “It is a fullweb-store, you can haveeverything you sell in the shopon it and more. This is possiblebecause of the unique way wecan find items in Evopos withoutknowing the part numbers. For

example, web-store

browsers could select clothing,then gloves, then select therange of gloves and then selectthe size they want, or they couldjust enter the glove name if theyknew what they wanted. Oncefinished they can pay usingpayment methods such asPayPal. Their contact details areremembered so next time theybuy it’s easier.”

When a customer orders, theirdetails are automatically storedgiving the retailer access to theirpurchase history and contactdetails on demand. The adminsystem works with time-savingin mind with simple box tickingcontrols dictating whether anitem is displayed online andwhether it is to go in the'specials' section, should yourweb store run deals.

Running costs are sub £20 permonth with hosting as standard.If you're not already a EvoposDMS customer a subscription tothe main dealer managementsystem is necessary, which offersfull back-up support, programupdates and the top-of the rangemanagement system.

Evopos web store module now available“Evopos will helpyou create moresales and operateefficiently. Goodinformation leadsto better businessdecisions...”

Dennis Bullen

Moda 2011 bike launchroadshows announced

� Bristol venue: AshtonCourt Mansion, BS41 9JNMonday September 27th,11am till 5pm

� Manchester venue:National Cycling Centre,M11 4DQ WednesdaySeptember 29th, 11am till5pm

� Surrey venue: LakesideInternational Hotel, GU166JR Tuesday October 5th,11am till 5pm

Eurobike’s RussMasters welcomesIan Reynolds (top)and Dan Scott

WHAT DO you get if you putthe head honchos of two of themost significant cycle retailersinto a room with a bunch ofMPs, a cycling Olympian, theassociate director of the BritishHeart Foundation, media typesand business leaders? Theanswer: the first official meetingof the Cycle to Work Alliance.

Created three months ago bythe three largest Cycle to Workproviders in the country –Halfords, Evans Cycles andCyclescheme – the alliance wasestablished to speak up for thegood works of the Cycle to Workinitiative.

The Alliance held its firstmeeting one afternoon at theend of July, filling theaforementioned room(Stranger’s Dining Room, Houseof Commons) withrepresentatives from foundermembers Halfords, Evans andCyclescheme alongside MPs –including Julian Huppert, MP forCambridge and co-chair of theCycling APPG.

He insisted: “The coalition iscommitted to sustainable travel

and being green. Cycling helps inso many ways.”

Halfords CEO David Wild alsoaddressed the room: “Threemonths ago we decided withsome of the most importantretailers in cycling to form theCycle to Work Alliance. Wewanted to accelerate theinterest in Cycle to Work and tohelp the Government moresuccessfully achieve theobjectives that it has set aroundhealth, emissions and easingcongestion.”

Wild described theGovernment as being positiveabout cycling: “It is building onsuccess. It’s always easier tobuild on something that isalready doing well.”

“The administrative cost ofCycle to Work is born by theprivate sector entirely. It’s agreat example of collaborationin Whitehall, the public and theprivate sector.”

To underline the positivemessage about cycling – andspecifically the way encouragingcycling can make good onGovernment health targets –

associate medical director ofprevention and care at theBritish Heart Foundation, DrMike Knapton addressed theroom. Dr Knapton stressed thebenefits of cycling in tacklingcardiac-inducing inactivity and

also psychological conditionslike depression.

Chris Boardman also lent hisvoice to the Alliance meeting,telling the attendees:“Regardless of the fact I am nowworking with one particularretailer, I am very much behindthe scheme from a personal

perspective. “I’m glad to see the new

Government is behind a culturechange for cycling and I hopethat won’t be eroded. We haveto provide a benefit forconsumers to make sure thatculture change happens.”

“This scheme has beenrunning for ten years. We haveto help more people understandwhat it is. I believecommunicating the scheme andexplaining it is essential.”

The survival of Cycle to Work– ultimately the key objective ofthe Alliance – was the subject ofan impassioned plea fromHalfords boss David Wild. Hesaid: “In these times the C2Wscheme demands ongoingsupport. It is very importantthat the scheme is not in anyway eroded. It is essential.

“We believe it is the glue thathelps Government deliver itsobjectives of increasing cycling.It has to remain economicallyattractive to participants and itis very important that thecollaboration between theDepartment for Health, the

Department for Transport andher Majesty’s Revenue andCustoms service continues to bea work in unison.

“For customers, and franklyfor those retailers and thosethat participate, the scheme hasto remain simple andunderstandable – by doing thatthere will be a higher degree ofparticipation,” he concluded.

Mere weeks before the HMRC revised its ‘fair market value’ guidance forbicycles values bought through C2W – prompting the trade to fear forthe future of the tax-free scheme – the Cycle to Work Alliance met forthe first time in London. Jonathon Harker reports from Westminster…

CYCLE TO WORK ALLIANCE MEETING REPORT

BIKEBIZ.COM BIKEBIZ SEPTEMBER 11

Speak up for bikes

“It is veryimportant thatCycle to Work isnot in any wayeroded. It isessential.”

David Wild, Halfords CEO

Chris Boardmanshows his support atthe Westminster-setC2W meeting

Halfords CEODavid Wildaddresses thegathering

C2W eroded?

DESPITE BEING praised asthe glue that brings togetherthe Government’s objectiveson health, emissions andeasing congestion, the futureappeal of the Cycle to Workinitiative was thrown intodoubt with the arrival of HerMajesty’s Revenue andCustoms new guidance.

With the scheme set tocost the consumer more,some sections of theindustry fear for the futureof Cycle to Work. � For more turn to pages4 and 5.

MINTEL BIKE MARKET REPORT


Market research giant Mintel has just published a majorreport on the UK bicycle market. BikeBiz provides someexclusive highlights…

The big

pictureMARKET PERFORMANCE● Measuring the UK bicyclesmarket is surprisingly difficultdue to a number of factors.Imports fluctuate according toretailer stock levels, and volumesales are difficult to grow due tothe lifespan of the typical bicycleand the prevalence of second-hand bikes in the marketplace.

● Sales values are subject todeflation in the general leisuremarket as well as the currentinflationary impact of weaksterling on exchange rates.

● Taking these trends intoaccount, Mintel has usedColiped’s market estimates andtrade feedback to estimate 2010values at £698 million – eightper cent growth since 2008 –and unit sales at 3.6 million, on apar with 2008 figures and aslight decline on 2009.

● The adult to children’s bicyclesales ratio is approximately

72:28, however this excludeschildren’s bicycles under 635 mmin saddle height.

● Growth sectors have beenroad bicycles, due to thepopularity of sportives, andtraditional/hybrid bicycles, dueto commuters and first-timebuyers.

INTEREST AND PARTICIPATIONAT RECORD LEVELS● The level of interest in cyclinghas been unprecedented,reflected in highest-evermembership statistics for keycycling organisations such asCTC and British Cycling.Hundreds of cycling events tookplace nationwide during 2009,and 2010 highlights include theMayor of London’s Skyride whichis set to surpass 2009’s turnout.

● The core consumer dynamicsare signalling that cycling is onthe increase; more consumers arecycling (regularly and

occasionally), more consumersare watching and Googlingcycling on the internet. SportEngland’s ongoing tracking ofparticipation (Active PeopleSurvey) reveals an encouraging4.46 per cent of the populationnow cycle at least once weekly –up from 4.26 per cent in2008/09.

● Two thirds of adults are non-cyclists; a combination of lapsed,unmotivated and disinterestedconsumers. The increase incyclists on the road should helpmotivate others, and anecdotalevidence suggests that the morecyclists there are, the safer theroads become.

● Motivations for cycling areprimarily fitness and fun.However, commuting hasbecome increasingly popular andeven aspirational as those whodon’t currently cycle to work arethinking it’s a good idea. Otherincentives to cycle include easing

congestion, saving money, andcycling when on holiday.

● Men are the greatest cyclingenthusiasts; women seem toidentify with mainly the ‘green’aspect, preferring to exerciseindoors as part of a group or infront of the TV. While cycling asa family is the main motivationfor the general public, roadsafety is still a major barrier totake-up. The National CycleNetwork is expanding thenumber of cyclists quicker thanit is establishing theinfrastructure of its routes.

INNOVATION GETSTECHNICAL – IN MODELS,PARTS AND ACCESSORIES● Each year, new models areintroduced to stimulate theinterest of the cyclingcommunity. Due to a stockshortage in 2009, some 2010models were brought forward.Within the fragmented supplychain there has been some

“Mintel estimates2010 UK bicycle

values at £698million – eight percent growth since

2008 – and unitsales at 3.6 million,on a par with 2008figures and a slightdecline on 2009.”

consolidation, with brands suchas Raleigh, Giant and Specializedcreating own-branded storeswhere they can raise theirprofile. Some are also starting tomanufacture and brand theirown components.

● Electric bikes, or e-bikes asthey are commonly known, maybe snubbed by the cycle-snobsbut they really are generatingexcitement in the industry. Therehas been considerableinvestment by brands in makingthem more lightweight,compact, and aesthetically-pleasing. Retailers have beenmaking sure they have keybrands in stock ready forconsumers to catch on, andspecialist advisors ready withpurchase and repair solutions.

ROUTES TO MARKET● Independent cycle retailershave survived the recession for themost part well. Cash flow is one ofthe biggest challenges as in otherindustries, although extra revenuefrom parts and accessories hasbeen an unexpected boost. Whileincreased sales of bikes havebegun to filter through in the last12-18 months, the high demandfor parts and servicing reflects thevolume of second-hand bikeswhich are in use.

● Halfords’ overall portfolio hasbenefited from bicycles’ growingpopularity, and investments inabove-the-line advertising andchildren’s and premium rangedevelopment have paid off.

● The Cycle to Work schemehas been a huge incentive forconsumers to start cycling, andfurthermore encourageconsumers to spend up to athird more on their purchase.Retail finance schemes haveproved valuable in keeping thewheels of commerce turningduring the recessionary period.

● The forecast for the cyclingmarket is as good as it gets inthe current economic downturn,but its fortunes are ultimatelydetermined by certain factors itcannot control; namely theweather, currency volatility(which impacts on prices) andgovernment funding. Howeverthe investments ininfrastructure already made bypublic and private bodiesshould make cycling asustainable market for theforeseeable future.

For a full copy of thereport, [email protected] call 020 7606 4533

MINTEL BIKE MARKET REPORT

Own-brandedstores have raisedbrand profiles,according to theMintel report

“Independentcycle retailers have

survived therecession, for themost part, well.

Cash flow is one ofthe biggest

challenges, as inother industries,although extra

revenue from partsand accessories has

been anunexpected

boost.”


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Cycle Systems has trained theLondon Cycle Hire staff – isthat an ongoing relationshipwith Transport for London? We shall have to wait and see. Itis actually a relationship withSerco, which is running thescheme for TfL. We certainly arekeen to help this excitingscheme be a huge success.

It’s almost a year since theCycle Systems rebranded andthat the Academy launched.How have they been receivedby the industry? Have theyboth been successful?The rebrand has been useful, andwe are now nationally know for

high quality mechanic trainingand corporate cycle services.

Our graduates continue toimpress us too, whether that’sby setting up their owninnovative businesses, such asWayne Starling from Urban BikeGear and Go Further Cycling orfitting into high-end bike shopsacross the country. Or eventaking up work in far flungplaces such as Australia.

In each case, the City andGuilds qualification was anessential part of their ongoingsuccess.

Cycle Systems has beenhelping shape that City and

“The rebrand hasbeen useful, andwe are nownationally knownfor high qualitymechanictraining andcorporate cycleservices.”

Sean Lally

INTERVIEW CYCLE SYSTEMS


Cycle Systems’ relationship with Serco has seen it play akey role in Barclays London Cycle Hire scheme

Cycle Systems has packed a lot into the last 12 months,from helping form the Cycle Star Alliance to forging stronglinks with London’s flagship cycle projects. Co-director SeanLally explains all to Jonathon Harker…

Star Systems

INTERVIEW CYCLE SYSTEMS


Guilds syllabus – how is thatprogressing and will it be anongoing project for the future? A new entry level, level one andlevel two syllabus is about to golive, with a level three in thepipeline. It shall be ongoing as weseek to establish the City andGuilds qualification as the tradestandard, and ourselves as thenatural ‘go to’ people for qualitycycle mechanic training.

How closely has Cycle Systemsbeen involved with the CyclingStar Alliance? The Cycling Star Alliancecontinues to move forward, withthe CSA competition winners –Imperial NHS trust and CancerResearch – working with us onyear-long case studies ofcorporate cycle commuting.

Cycling Star Alliance members,such as Cycle Hoop, Broxap andCycle Systems, have won majorcontracts and of courseCyclescheme has had a hugeboost with its recent takeover.

The Cycling Star Allianceremains the premier independent

workplace cycle solution, all theway from inception to delivery.

Forging trade partnershipsseem to be a key focus forCycle Systems. How importantare they for ongoing success? I would say very important. Asthe market develops we can drawon one another’s strengths, skillsand contacts to make two plustwo equal seven!

How does Cycle Systems goabout being ethical and car-free as a business?Innovative solutions such as the‘elephant’ trailer from CyclingStar Alliance members CarryFreedom (see picture top left),and our ‘Long John’ freight bikesmove kit around.

On the green side of things itis easy to source eco-tricity,recycled paper, non-toxic inksetc. My personal opinion is thatthe bike trade has to ‘green up’and also ensure fair and safeworking conditions at point ofmanufacture. A fairtrade mark forbikes and kit, if you like.

I personally feel veryuncomfortable not knowing if mybike frame or components weremade in a sweatshop or not.

Finally, what’s coming up nextfor Cycle Systems? We are very excited to beexpanding nationally, and also tobe building productivepartnerships in the bicycleindustry to help service newmarkets from which we canbenefit. So watch this space forupdates and news!

Another major project for us isthe online mechanical tutorials,with the transmission topicsbeing launched soon onwww.cycle-systems-academy.co.uk, and also onwww.bikemagic.com andwww.roadcyclinguk.com.

I’d also like to say a big thankyou to Al from Madison for theloan of the Di2 bike for this.

Additionally, I’d like to saycongratulations to Cycling StarAlliance member Specialized onwinning the Tour de France.

SHORTLY BEFORE going to pressCycle Systems revealed that itwould be playing a key role inLondon’s other headline cycleinitiative, the CycleSuperhighways.

The organisation woncontracts for bicycle servicingand National Standards cycletraining on the new London-setSuperhighways. Transport forLondon’s novel programme aimsto help businesses on the routepromote cycle commuting, with£5,000 allocated for them tospend on either visiting BikeDoctor mechanics, on-road cycletraining or cycle parkingfacilities. Cycling Star Alliance

member Broxap won thecontract for supplying the cycleparking facilities.

Mechanics and cycleinstructors from Cycle Systemsjoined London Mayor BorisJohnson to launch theSuperhighways in July.

Cycle Systems co-directorJulia Lally says: “We are thrilledto have been selected byTransport for London to deliverthis important Smarter Travelprogramme. While other playershave come into the corporatecycle service market, we remaina trusted and proven supplier forimportant, large and pioneeringcontracts. Our training Academy

is allowing us to scale up ouroperation and retain the highquality of service our clients nowdemand.”

Sean Lally adds: “The fact thatCity and Guilds or an equivalentqualification was required for allthe mechanics for this contract,and indeed many other smallerones we are seeing, really showshow bike mechanics is beingtaken more seriously and thatcertain standards are nowexpected of suppliers. Anycompany wanting to compete inthe marketplace now needstrained and qualified staff, and Iam convinced we have the bestfacility in the UK to train them.”

London hearts bikes

“My personalopinion is thatthe bicycleindustry has to‘green up’ andalso ensure fairand safe workingconditions for allthose involved inmanufacturing...”

Sean Lally

Jamie Staff MBE member of the World Record breaking British Sprint Team trio at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, officially opened Cyclelife Droylsden, Cyclemate in September 2009.

Cyclemate is jointly owned by Neil Walker and Anthony Hayden. Anthony’s background is motor mechanics whilst Neil’s previous employment was in the print industry. Neil however, does also have an impressive cycling history, he began racing at age 14 becoming the British Criterium Champion in 1987. He still competes weekly in the ACT Track League held at the Manchester Velodrome riding for Team Yasumitsu Schlapp.

The decision to open a bike shop was due to the lack of a cycle store in the Droylsden area. Neil, Anthony and many acquaintances had to travel further afield for bikes, parts and accessories. They realised there was a gap in the market prompting them to make enquiries into setting up their own business. They opted to join Cyclelife as a franchisee to get the benefit of joint funding from Raleigh for the shop fit and signage as well as access to Raleigh’s excellent brand portfolio.

The shop has been open for almost a year and business is good due in part to marketing initiatives in the local area – adverts in newspapers, leaflet door drops, cycle to work schemes and the sponsorship of a local race team. They also take advantage of huge discounts that are available to Cyclelife dealers with Yell and Touch Local.

Neil says ”the advantage of being a Cyclelife Partner is:

• The Raleigh brand• Being part of a network to increase

marketing awareness• Advice and assistance from other

Cyclelife partners • Support from Raleigh and in particular

my Account Manager Mike Harrison

There is no disadvantage in being part of the Cyclelife network”.

Future plans for Neil and Anthony include looking at opening a second shop.

Finally, when asked to sum up how he

felt about Cyclelife he said “I would recommend joining the Cyclelife network for the excellent backing and support”. In fact Neil has passed several enquiries from prospective franchisees to Raleigh in the past few months.

Neil and Anthony are extremely pleased with their first year of trading and are looking to build on this success in year two.

New store opportunitiesWe are looking for independent bike dealers in various locations throughout the UK to join the Cyclelife Partner network.

Target Towns – Aylesbury, Bath, Bedford, Brighton, Catterick, Lancaster, Lincoln , Newcastle, Norwich, Oxford, Warminster, Watford,

Target Locations –Cornwall, Derbyshire, Devon, Dorset, East Anglia, Gloucestershire, Isle of Wight London, North Nottinghamshire, Somerset West Midlands, Worcestershire, Scotland, Wales,

For more information please contact Paul Wignall at Raleigh on 07730 666647 or email [email protected]

www.cyclelife.com

Cyclelife Membership Benefits• Retain your independent identity whilst

trading under the Cyclelife brand • Enjoy preferential terms• Marketing Support• Store Development including 50%

contribution towards shopfit, point of sale and signage

CYCLELIFE DROYLSDEN, CYCLEMATE

CHAIN REACTION

FREEGO ELECTRIC bikes are theculmination of three years ofintense research into the electricbike industry. After ordering acontainer of bikes that werepoorly made, it became apparentthat for a customer to buyanything that resembled quality,in many cases the price wasprohibitive.

After being 'caught' once, I(founder, John Heath) becamemore determined to deliver a topquality electric bike to themarket at prices that are veryaffordable. So FreeGo ElectricBikes was born.

Freego employs its ownChinese staff, not agencies,people who really buy into theculture of quality and reliability.With the right people in place,the right manufacturer wassourced, a manufacturer whocould build quality electric bikes,consistently, not just samples.

The UK market has been verycautious of electric bikes.'Unreliable, overpriced, can't getthe spares' – this is the typicalperception of the trade.

The Freego warranty reallydoes answer those questions,unreservedly and with no

hesitation. The Unique FreeGowarranty says simply this: ‘Ifduring the first year the FreegoElectric Bike malfunctions andcannot be repaired within fivedays, a brand new replacementbike will be given’. An industryfirst, we believe. No othermanufacturer will offer such beltand braces warrantees. This is atrue reflection of the confidencethat Freego has in its products.

The battery warranty is 24months, not the usual 12months, the frame's is four years,while all other components arecovered for 12 months.

The FreeGo brand is aimed atthe top-end of the market, butat affordable prices. The Hawkrange is all aluminium, holds a36v lithium ion battery, with alow, medium and high motorcontrol adjuster. It hasaluminium wheels, frontsuspension, lights, rack, six-speedShimano gears, available in stepthrough or cross bar derivatives,for only £799 at retail.

The Kingfisher is the bikedesigned and aimed right at theheart of Government's Cycle toWork scheme, being the verybest specification available. In

addition to the Hawk, it has twindisc brakes, 250-watt brushlesssilent motor, quick release fullyadjustable handlebar and stem.This gives riders completepersonal comfort, no more backaches or shoulder aches. It isavailable in mountain bike, crossbar or step through, all for £999.

FreeGo electric bikes use only36v lithium ion and lithiumpolymer batteries, neither 24-volt,nor lead acid batteries are used.

FreeGo is able to keepproduction and costs lowbecause it only has productivepeople– from the chairman, EricLane, through to managing

director John Heath andnew business

directorMartinLawrence –everybodyis

productive and has a definedrole within the organisation.

Freego Electric bikes come ina variety of colours, not just theusual black and silver; even inlimited edition colours, such asthe recently announced 'pinkchampagne', 'shimmery blue' and'midnight black'.

Currently FreeGo ElectricBikes are actively recruitingdealers in the UK and Europe,not just existing bike shopseither. Mobility shops arewelcome to make contact asFreeGo electric bikes make agreat bedfellow alongsidemobility scooters. FreeGo offers30-day credit facilities and willalways be there for our dealers,however small or large they are.

FreeGo Electric bikes can beseen at the SouthamptonInternational Boat show inSeptember, where the firm willunveil its new compact, a newsmall electric bike that goesfrom bike to luggage in fiveseconds; it serves as a superbstowaway on boats and is idealfor the regular commuter. InOctober, exhibition space willalso be taken at Cycle Show.

Having been the recipient of a container full of ‘non-starter’ electric bikes prior toFreeGo’s creation, founder John Heath understands very well many dealer’sreluctance to become involved with the market. Here he explains how his brandaims to reverse the perception that the electric market will always stutter along…

“I was determinedto deliver a topquality electricbike to market atprices that arevery affordable.”

The Freego Story


Xxx

CYCLING SPORTS GROUP

ANY ORGANISED rides plannedfor the CSG show in Poole lastmonth may have been rainedoff, but the distributor is on aroll, nevertheless. Less than ayear on from Dorel's move toacquire Hot Wheels and theCannondale brand owner,alongside Russell Merry's men(and women) put on the firm'sfirst ever house trade show,which if footfall is anything togo by has been well receivedamong CSG’s customers.

“Our brand managers aretelling me they’ve seen quite adiverse line-up, with both largerfirms and smaller independentstores kindly making the journeyto our Poole distributioncentre," says joint managingdirector Russell Merry.

With many samples freshlydelivered, this was anopportunity for many unable tomake Eurobike to get a first-hand look at the investmentplaced in each and every brand's

2011 catalogue. Take, forexample, popular bike brandCharge. The Duster frames haveshaved 25 per cent off theframe weight thanks to somesuper-skinny Prestige tubing.

Brand owner Nick Larsen toldBikeBiz: “It’s not been easy toachieve this weight saving; therewere a lot of design tweaks tospread stresses on the frameevenly and to get the bikesthrough a super-strict CENtest. But the finishedproduct is reallysomething to look at.What’s more, we’vetested these quiteheavily, even againstprior models andtitanium models,and nearlyall our

testers are saying these ride likea titanium frame, if not better.”

Though not heavily publicisedbefore the event, two newbrands, both courtesy of thelong-standing link-up withWeThePeople, were on show.These are Radio Bikes, an entrylevel BMX brand to sit belowWeThePeople's minimum pricepints and also Almond

Footwear, designed by thevery same minds

behind the bikes,with input

fromtwoUK-

based BMX riders.Read on for just some of the

show’s product and newshighlights:

ALMONDAlmond has been a fairly wellkept secret for a little whilenow, only emerging on ahandful of BMX-dedicatedwebsites in the months beforethe UK debut at CSG’swarehouse. The four modelsshown are nearing the finalsample stages, though manyprofessional BMX riders havebeen testing the brand’s productfor some time now, includingJared Washington who is thefirst to receive a signaturemodel.

Having spent the last two tothree years in the design anddevelopment (much of whichwas spent sourcing a factorycapable of producing the desiredquality), Cycling Sports GroupUK now think availability to the

Radiogaga…

Less than a yearafter Dorel’s moveto acquire HotWheels, RussellMerry’s men (andwomen) put onCycling SportsGroup UK’s firsthouse show...

Last month’s event was Cycling SportsGroup’s debut house-show and fewknew what to anticipate so soon afterDorel’s takeover. Nonetheless, buyersfrom retailers large and small flocked toPoole during the week-long show.Mark Sutton reports on the two newlabel additions, investments in brandsand more…


CYCLING SPORTS GROUP

trade will come in early spring.There will initially be fourmodels boasting threecolourways each.

RADIO AND WETHEPEOPLEAnother very well kept secretfrom Klaus and Harry atWeThePeople is the creation ofa budget-friendly brand to sitbelow WeThePeople – namely,Radio Bikes.

BMX brand manager ChrisMcArdle explains: “WeThePeoplehave always sought to offer on-a-budget BMX bikes of aconsiderable quality, though theWTP name is associated withperformance quality product.That’s where Radio comes in,spot on the £200 to £350 pricepoints which are so popularwith beginners. To begin withwe’ve got a three bike range tosell, each in two colours, thoughall carrying the 25/9 gearingthat’s so popular with kidswanting a respectable BMX."

Radio bikes will be kitted outwith Salt components, whileWeThePeople’s main line nowcarries an enhanced version ofthe Salt brand – Salt Plus –offering the weight savings plusthe performance of higher-endparts.

"We've picked up on a fewtrends in recent years, which areall considered on Radio’s bikes.Things like wider tyres andlarger pedal surface areas are alltaken into consideration in eachbike's spec,” adds McArdle.

CHARGE25 per cent lighter tubing aside,Charge’s Nick Larsen was

enthused by the debutappearance of some Chargebranded 120 tpi gumwall tyres,which will appear in much of therange going forwards, thanks tothe firm opening a new mould.

“We think these are the only120tpi gumwall tyres around,"says Larsen. "And they'll beavailable as aftermarket tyrestoo. It’s not cheap opening anew tyre mould, but we thinkthe investment has paid offnicely and the Charge tyresreally look great on the bikesthey're carried on.”

Charge’s Cyclocross line hasbecome increasingly importantthis year with the addition ofthe £799 Filer Mid, which isdescribed by Larsen as theperfect commuter andcyclocross cross breed andmultitasking bike – an areawhich he feels is taking off inthe UK.

Recent press interest hasrevolved around Charge’s Hob, aunisex town bike that has gonedown a storm with themainstream fashion press. This,alongside the Steamer –Larsen's cruiser and ‘dutch’ stylecrossbreed – again drew plentyof attention. Larsen told BIkeBizthat Eurobike attendees shouldlook out for a 700c version ofthe Steamer at the show.

GTRiding high on theback of theannouncement thatCSG will ceasesupplying Halfordsthe GT brand andfocus on

independent channels, the brandwas prominently displayed.Stock of most models arrivesfrom the beginning of thismonth, particularly cheaperlines such as the Aggressor andAvalanche lines. These budgetmodels have been given a specboost, despite a near negligibleprice increase this year. This ismainly thanks to the return ofGT's parts brand AllTerra,specced on much of the low-to-mid price bikes.

Product manager Ashley Clarkwas quick to highlight some ofthe progression in much of thehigher end bikes to BikeBiz.

“Within the Zaskar range ourcarbon frames are totally newthis year and have lost awhopping 300 grams thanks to

a more expensive weave

of carbon which is forceoptimised to remove and traceof bubbles or defect."

The urban lines have receivedsome impressive touches too,with rubber bumpers nowcarried on top-tubes asstandard, meaning no accidentalscratches. The decals carry anice touch too with the use of3m Scotchlite reflectivematerial used in the graphicwork. Two 29-inch wheelmodels are also now on offer inthe GT catalogue at £649 and£799.

GT’s BMX line remains largelyunchanged aside from thespeccing of Xposure stems,brake levers and sprockets onhigher-priced models. The rangebegins at £219 for the Slammerand tops-out with the £500fueller.

MONGOOSEThe Mongoose Salvo turnedheads at Press Camp and didthe same in Poole. The newadjustable suspension travelsystem is the bike’s uniqueselling point and utilises your‘bottle cap’ bearing covers,giving the linkage acustomisable edge. Despite notcosting the world, the entry-level full-suspension bike packsa punch with an SLX derailleurand a claim to 'never need toadjust the shock's air pressurewith travel adjustments'. Three

variations are

available – a comp, sport andelite model, with the elitecosting just £1,000.

As usual, anything fixed gearrelated turned heads and theMongoose Maurice was noexception. Suited to fixiefreestyle, the geometry isdesigned around tricks, as are thecomponents. Take the stem forexample, the clamp placement isbased around the barspin trickand a rider's tendency to catchtheir knees as the bars rotate.

The £369 model comes infour colours, though CSG onlydisplayed two of these and itwas not able to be confirmed allfour would hit the UK.

XPOSUREMerry hinted to BikeBiz duringthe show that he feels “Xposurecould be the UK’s largestvolume BMX components brandthanks to keen pricing and thewild, standout colour range”.As this year’s catalogue goes,there's not a massive amount toshout about, though behind thescenes Chris McArdle showedBikeBiz some coloured ED finishbars that are could make it toproduction in the coming years.

Sporting an almosttranslucent coloured finish, therust-resistant bars are cheaperto produce than the currentpowder coated handlebars andlook twice as stylish.

Mcardle also told BikeBiz thatXposure's price points mayadvance past budgetcomponents in the future,though is unlikely to go as far asperformance parts.

“Our brandmanagers havetold me that bothlarger retailersand smallerindependentstores have visitedthe show.”

Russell Merry


GT’s Fury DH World Cupmodel. Just frames will beavailable from CSG.

CATEGORIES

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Includes 3 drinks vouchers • Casino • Buffet

Limited availability

MYSTERY SHOPPER

Sweet and sourMystery Shopper’s visit tothe home of British Sugar,Bury St.Edmunds, was largelyvery positive, with a sweetsales pitch from Halfords, aguided tour from RevelOutdoors and a very personalservice from HardcoreHobbies. Sadly, the visit wasever so slightly soured...

Bury St Edmunds

Hardcore HobbiesAS A SPECIALIST for BMX and skate goods, HardcoreHobbies wouldn’t have been able to supply the freeridebike sought elsewhere on the day, so Mystery Shoppertook this opportunity to replace a few spokes on the20-inch steed.

The resident BMX expert soon spotted me in storeand quickly set about finding the correct length ofspoke, of which two sizes were required on both thefront and rear wheels. Without any hesitation thecorrect sizes were quoted and supplied, showing theshop’s clear expertise in its field.

Perhaps more impressive, though, was the interestshown in myself as a customer. Kicking off aconversation about what kind of riding I took part in,the assistant told me about a few local skate parks andspots worth checking out, as well as discussing thestore’s shop team.

Hardcore Hobbies staff gave the impression that theywere highly passionate about their niche and the localriding scene, all the while displaying the technicalknowledge needed to run a successful business.

Mick’s Cycle CentreTHE FIRST impression of Mick’s Cycle Centre is of a wellkept, tidy store that’s highly presentable. However, onthis occasion Mystery Shopper arrived with whatappeared to be unfortunate timing and was greeted bythe store assistant having a semi-heated argument witha customer on the phone. Sadly, this set the tone for thevisit and having wandered an empty store for tenminutes seemingly having been ignored by the two staffon hand, Mystery Shopper went to leave. Thankfullythough, I was stopped on the way out.

The experience wasn’t redeemed quickly, withMystery Shopper’s brief of a well-built freeride bikeappearing to baffle the assistant to begin with. Once ithad been established the bike would be used for heavieroff-road use, the Specialized Rockhopper series wasrecommended, though little detail was provided as towhy I should go for these bikes.

Mystery Shopper took away a few website addressesand a bit of information on what various price pointswould buy me in terms of longevity. Otherwise theassistant’s tone was largely dismissive.


MYSTERY SHOPPER


Cycle KingDESPITE BEING the largest Cycle King store BikeBiz hassent the man of mystery to, this store was no less a seaof wheels than any other Cycle King branch. Havingbrowsed stock for a few minutes, missing a key model inthe process, Mystery Shopper approached the counter,listening in on a conversation about a recent fight onthe way to the counter, which could be intimidating tosome shoppers.

Once greeted, I was pleasantly surprised to find theassistant to be polite and honest in his advice, thoughhe did undersell the store by confessing that local RevelOutdoors would satisfy my brief better. Leading me toone model in the window matching my brief perfectly,the staff member explained that this build would be agood base to build on and perfect for someone lookingto get back into off-road riding.

Providing one of the best Cycle King experiences ofMystery Shopper’s travels, the assistant rounded off hissales pitch with precise explanations of currentcomponents, detailing what would likely need replacing,should my riding progress to include heavier usage.

SummaryDARE I SAY IT... Halfords was the most impressiveof the visits and capable of satisfying my brief. Theassistant had his sales routine absolutely spot on,making him perfect for the shop floor. It was alsoencouraging to see such a depth of technicalknowledge and understanding of product.

Hardcore Hobbies, though unable to supply afreeride bike for obvious reasons, offered a newlevel of personal service, sparking up conversationabout must-visit local riding spots while attendingto my query. Sadly, I feel Mick’s Cycles had beencaught on a bad day thanks to an irate customeron the phone. Nonetheless, Mystery Shopper wasmade to feel unwelcome by the dismissive tone ofthe female assistant who laughed at one customerexplaining their brief. Following that, there wouldhave been little chance of a sale or return visit.

HalfordsHALFORDS has pledged to put ‘people in the know’ andMystery Shopper is happy to confirm that appears to behappening in the retailer’s Bury St. Edmund’s store.

Displaying customer service rarely seen in chainstores, or even some independents, the clearly busymechanic stepped away from the job in hand to help.He explained that as a smaller Halfords branch noBoardman bikes – best suited to my brief – were instock, though could be ordered in by what turned out tobe a heavily plugged Reserve and Collect system.

Seemingly knowledgeable beyond his years, it wasclear the staffer was an enthusiast and discussed veryfine spec details, even showing an example of a splinedbottom bracket, having been told Mystery Shopper hasa habit of rounding tapered systems. Upgrades werediscussed as I explained I’d likely modify the bike overtime, though he stressed that early investment wouldpay off in the long term. As Halfords visits go, this wasby far the best of Mystery Shopper’s time on the road.

Revel OutdoorsSPOTTED FROM quite a distance down the street, RevelOutdoors has a stunning, open glass front, displaying aselection of sleek bikes highlighting the store’s speciality.

Once inside the large store, an assistant greetedMystery Shopper on entry, largely thanks to a wellplaced counter in line with the entrance.

Providing a guided tour of the bikes in store satisfyingmy brief, the assistant neglected to ask my budget,which I found gave some scope of what various pricepoints in the top end will buy you. When a price closerto £1,000 was quoted, the staffer was happy to discussvarious brands with the aid of several catalogues,stressing that any of the bikes could be ordered.

Key to his pitch was the comparison between pricepoints and an emphasis placed on investment andquality, as well as specific details such as warrantycoverage and reliability. Mystery Shopper left with abusiness card with key models scribbled on the rear, aswell as a good lasting impression thanks to theassistant’s willingness to offer “further help and supportonce I’d given a purchase further thought”.

THE ONLY NIGHT that celebratesthe UK bicycle business is nowjust weeks away.

Wednesday October 6th willsee the trade gather at Sway Bar,Great Queen Street, London todiscover the winners of theprestigious BikeBiz Awards 2010,praising the very best in the biz.

With 12 awards up for grabsand more bike brands,companies, publications andretailers than you can shake astick at, here’s a guide to thecompanies that you, the cycleindustry, selected to be yourfinalists for 2010...

Independent Retailer

PENNINE CYCLES Pennine Cycles is making itsthird appearance as a finalist inthe BikeBiz Awards and has along-standing bike heritage,founded way back in 1946.Current owners Paul and SandraCorcoran (the latter of whom

reached the finals of theYorkshire Woman ofAchievement 2010) have been incharge of the business for tenyears, during which time thefirm has built on its rich history.Pennine Cycles itself handbuildsbespoke Pennine framesets onsite in Bradford, Yorkshire, and ispart of the SME network,Bradford University ManagementCentre and contributed to theDirector Support Network.

A keen participant in BikeWeek and local Cycle Fest, andsponsor of the VC Bradford cycleclub, Pennine Cycles boasts aninternational reach and is aparticipant in the UKTI Passportto Export Programme.

BOBBIN BICYCLESSet up in March 2007 bydirectors Sian Emmison and TomMorris, Bobbin Bicycles aimed toapproach bike sales from a new

angle, specifically for ‘non-sporty’ traditional uprightcyclists. After attracting a wealthof attention from the nationalpress, Bobbin moved to a small

retail space in Islington inSeptember 2008, setting upwhat the firm describes asBritain’s first bicycle boutique.The rest, as they say, is history.

Turnover tripled, customersqueued to get into the shop andBobbin upped sticks to a biggerspace in September last year.The retailer is now a big playerin the cycle chic movement,with 80 per cent of customerswomen, and further expansion isplanned before the end of theyear. IBDs looking for anotherreason to root for Bobbin maybe interested to know that theyturned down an approach fromTesco to appear in a TV ad.

RUTLAND CYCLINGEstablished since the early ‘80s,Rutland Cycling has three shopsoffering retail, maintenance andcycle hire, and a growingworldwide online business – thelatter seeing year-on-year salesrise 315 per cent over the last

Your guide to the finalistsJudges, it’s over to you: BikeBiz is calling on the UK bicycle trade to put on its judging hat and be ourvery own Simon Cowell (or Cheryl Cole if you prefer). In other words, the time has come for you to takeyour pick of the very best in the bicycle business from the list of finalists. You already know the names,but we’ve sweated blood to provide you with a reminder of why they have been nominated...

BIKEBIZ AWARDS 2010


AWARDS 2010

Platinum Sponsor

Event Partner

Event Partner

� Independent Retailer� Online Retailer� High Street Chain� Distributor – Bikes� Distributor – P&A� Bike Brand� P&A Brand� Product Innovation� Consumer Magazine� Consumer Site� Retailer AccountManager(voted for only by retailers)� Rising Star(a business that hasgrown/developedsignificantly in the last 12months)

Thecategories...

Pennine Cycles

Event Partner

12 months through the recentlyrevamped site.

The firm holds the accolade ofbeing number one in the Cytechtop 50 (2009-2010), providingcustomers with top-notchongoing technical support andbike set-up properly tomanufacturer’s guidelines.

Customer service is also apriority for Rutland Cycling andits 100-plus dedicatedemployees. Sporting years ofexperience and productknowledge, recent surveys haveseen 85 per cent rate service asabove average. Last year the firmscooped Business of the Yearaward at the Rutland andStamford Mercury BusinessAwards.

18 BIKESDespite suffering a break-in atthe end of last year, the NorthDerbyshire-based 18 Bikes cancount the last year as a positive12 months. From its picturesquelocation in Hope in the PeakDistrict National Park, the shophas garned national attention,not least by picking up theSingletrack Reader Award in ’09.18 Bike has, of course, previouslybeen nominated for a BikeBizAward. Joint owners Simon andMatt Bowns have their fingers onthe social media pulse, busilyfound Tweeting, blogging ontheir own site or engaging inbanter on the BikeBiz Forum.

CONDOR CYCLESBy the retailer’s own admission,Condor Cycles is having amassive year. The shop has beenfully refurbished and expandedand Condor’s warehouse hasbeen relocated to a site threetimes the size of the old one. It’salmost full too, BikeBiz is told.The firm is seeing continuousproduction and has an orderbook still full from last year’sCycle Show. With a new websiteamong the projects in thepipeline, Condor Cycles is acontinually busy cycle dealer.

JAKE’S BIKESInnovatively operating below theVAT threshold, Bristol-basedJake’s Bikes services and repairsbicycles, builds bespoke bicyclesto order and offers tuition andtraining in cycle maintenance.

Jake’s Bikes, titularly headedup by Jake Voelcker, also buysand sells used bikes and has asustainability mantra runningthrough the business, helping asmany people as possible to leada greener and healthier lifestyleby encouraging and enablingthem to cycle every day.

Online Retailer

WIGGLEAside from being among thelargest and best-known onlinecycle retailers in the business,the firm has taken on newbrands galore. Wigglemerchandising director PaulBolwell tells BikeBiz: “The past 12months has seen unprecedentedgrowth at Wiggle with lots ofnew brands on board such asFox, SE, De Rosa, Pinerello andmany more, coupled with thelaunch of our first own bikebrand, Verenti. Growth has beensupported by increasing ouremployee count by a massive 72per cent year-on-year. Wigglecontinues to support the cyclingindustry as a whole with a seriesof 28 cycling events throughoutthe country and sponsoring a

growing number of athletes bothpro and amateur. Wiggle iscommitted to setting benchmarkbuying methods such as our 30day test-ride on all bikes, withsome even more excitingchanges in store for 2011.”

TARTY BIKESThe business was established justover six years ago by twoUniversity friends and keenriders. Since then the firm hasseen substantial growth, movingpremises three times and gaininga second warehouse. Despite thecurrent economic climate, thecompany has seen continuedand rapid growth, with a 40 percent turnover increase between2008-09 and 2009-10 tradingyears, and is now importing aneven larger range of productsand brands. Tarty is reportedlythe only trials-specific retailer inthe UK which employs full timemembers of staff (six in total).

CHAIN REACTIONWinner of the 2008 BikeBizAward for online retailer, ChainReaction Cycles has become oneof the biggest names in onlinecycle retail in the UK. The firm is25 years old this year andstarted life as Ballynure Cycles inNorthern Ireland. The firm wentbig into mail order when rivalswere still thinking locally, thenmoved online in 1999. Now thefirm has 300 staff and is theRoyal Mail’s biggest customer inNorthern Ireland.

J WINSTANLEYThis well-established mail-ordercycle retailer has been in thebusiness for seven years,predominantly supplyingmountain bikes to consumers. JWinstanley also has a hugeshowroom at its Wigan basewhere it stocks over 3,000 bikes.Retailing an impressive range ofbrands, the firm is committed toa speedy mail order service,providing useful technical infoand advice and offering afriendly and professional service.

JE JAMESFamily-run JE James actuallyboasts large bicycle stores inthree towns across Yorkshire andDerbyshire, including Sheffield,Chesterfield and Rotherham. Theretailer is famous for turningover huge volumes and a wideselection of cycling goods,holding bicycles in a number ofcategories, including road bikes,commuter bikes, BMX, mountain

bikes, XC, downhill, electric bikesand folding bikes too.

RIBBLE CYCLESPreston-based Ribble isundoubtedly one of the oldestfirms across all the categoriesthis year, having beenestablished way back in 1897.

Despite that long-runningheritage the firm has not beenslow to form an online retailoffering that sees it serve thebike community with product inthe road, track, triathlon, MTBand BMX sectors, to name just afew. Also offering special editionroad bikes, Ribble builds bikesthat have been critically praised.

High Street Chain

EDINBURGH BICYCLE CO-OPThe growing reach of this HighStreet Chain – Britain’s longest-established co-operatively-runbicycle business – saw it open itssixth branch in March 2010 inSheffield. Aptly enough the new8,000 sq ft premises were mostrecently occupied by a cardealership, a move embodyingEdinburgh Bicycle Co-op’s slogan:‘The Revolution Will Not BeMotorised’. The firm has 110 fullco-op members, with dozensmore staff serving their one-year‘apprenticeships’.

HALFORDSThe UK’s largest retailer ofbicycles is a formidable, butindisputable, title that Halfordshas owned for some time.Sporting over 400 stores, theretailer has worked hard onimproving customer service in-store and, with marketing hittingnational TV and newspapers, thefirm is never far from the publiceye – making it one of the mostpublic faces of the UK industry.

CYCLES UKCombining expert knowledgeand high levels of customerservice, Cycles UK strives totailor its offering to customers’needs. According to the firm,fostering a non-jargonistic but

BIKEBIZ AWARDS 2010


The Judging Criteria

IndependentRetailer Judges should consider: � Customer service� Product knowledge� Range and in-storemerchandising

Online RetailerJudges should consider: � Reliability� Range� User interface� Commitment to anorderly marketplace

High Street ChainJudges should consider:� Customer service� Product knowledge� Range� Commitment to anorderly marketplace

Distributor – BikesJudges should consider:� Speed of service� Order fulfilment� Customer Service� Product condition� After sales support� Commitment to anorderly retail marketplace

Distributor – P&AJudges should consider: � Speed of service� Order fulfilment� Customer service� Product condition� After sales support� Commitment to anorderly retail marketplace

Consumer MagazineJudges should consider: � Compelling editorial� Circulationdevelopment� Design� Independence andintegrity of review

Wiggle Chain Reaction

18 Bikes

knowledgeable environment hasbeen the secret of its continuedgrowth over the course of thelast twelve months.

EVANS CYCLESEvans Cycle has been evolving itsalready strong offering over thepast 12 months and shows nosign of slowing. With a strongonline offering, the chain is alsoopening new stores and hasextended its opening hours tosuit the needs of its customers.Running in-store maintenancecourses and cycle traininginitiatives, the firm has alsooverhauled its IT systems toprovide better information andprocesses to its staff, providing abetter experience to itscustomers in turn.

CYCLE SURGERYThe Cycle Surgery chain has gonefrom strength-to-strength, thisyear opening its 20th store (its11th stand-alone outlet inLondon). The latest shop in thegrowing empire is placedstrategically near the West End’sWestfield shopping centre andcovers 2,500 sq feet.

LEISURE LAKESEstablished over a quarter of acentury ago by four brothers inPreston (apparently building thefirst shop with their own hands),Leisure Lakes has grown into aseven store-strong chain with adedicated mail order centre.

Two generations of the Noyfamily now work throughout thecompany, helping Leisure Lakesretain that family feel. The firmoffers a VIP club for customers, as

well as employing Cytech trainedmechanics.

Distributor – Bikes

HOTLINESWith the likes of Lapierre underits hat, Hotlines has seen astaggering 300 per cent growthyear-on-year and massive brandacquisition. The firm took on theeye-catching Creme earlier in theyear and Hotlines has investedheavily in personnel too in recentmonths, as well as uppingmarketing efforts significantly.

MADISONProbably the biggest distributorin the business, Madison stillfinds time to work with smallscale projects like the LundyIsland cause. The firm’s essentialIceBike* dealer show went twiceyearly this summer, while its raftof bike brands has been wellreceived, perhaps most eye-catchingly with Saracen, whichrecently expanded to cover theBMX sector. Madison has alsojoined BikeRadar Live for the firsttime this year, in a big way too.

SEVENTIESAdding Cult and the Make to itsgrowing portfolio earlier thisyear, BMX-focused distributorSeventies complemented the36,000 print run of its cataloguewith a web ‘flipbook’ this year onits website. Sponsoring around50 riders, the firm aims to helpthose retailers sometimes scaredoff by BMX, as well as serve theever-growing sector throughforging long-term relationshipswith the industry.

SILVERFISHAdding Spanish bike brandMondraker to its line-up thisyear, Silverfish promises goodstock levels, fast delivery and asecond to none back-up service.Putting on demo days aroundthe country and attending dealerdemos to back-up and increasesales locally, the firm alsodistributes Rocky Mountain aspart of its complete bike brandoffering.

RALEIGHStill one of the world’s bestknown bike brands, Raleigh hasdeveloped its offering to includehigh-end electric bikes anddevelop its BMX brandDiamondback – doubling salesfor the name in the process. Thefirm picked up exclusivedistribution for BH Bikes at thestart of 2010, and now offers aRaleigh-run Cycle to Workscheme to its ever-growingCyclelife store portfolio. And as iflaunching Team Raleigh intoaction wasn’t enough, the firmeven brought its historic heronheadbadge back into circulationaround the globe.

CSG UKOffering reportedly the broadestportfolio in the industry, there’sno denying the last 12 monthshave been huge for the new firm.

Born from the Hot Wheelsacquisition by Dorel, the firmnow has a 37-strong workforceand is set to reach a turnover inexcess of £20 million. Its bikebrands have blossomed too,including Cannondale, GT,Mongoose, Wethepeople, Charge

and Summer. The firm alsolaunched its Ride the Revolutiondealer show last month.

JIM WALKERHaving taken on Campagnoloservice centre status with twoother distributors in February, theCore Bike stalwart has put itswillingness to try new andinnovative ways to approachdoing business as key reasonsbehind recent successes. JimWalker distributes legendaryroad racer Eddy Merckx’s ownbrand alongside the likes of SunnBicycles and Argon 18.

Distributor – P&A

HOTLINESThe ever active distributor isbringing back X-Lite (under thestewardship of Brant Richardsand Shedfire) and picked upLeatt in time for the brand torelease its first cycle-specificproduct.

With the likes of WTB, NukeProof, Ragley, Brand X and XTools, the firm is increasinglyhaving a hand in thedevelopment of brands too.

2PUREThe Edinburgh-based distributorrecently completed a move tonew premises to support itsgrowing P&A business. Boastingdistribution of Clif Bar, CrankBrothers, Pinhead and LizardSkins to name just a few, thebusy company has hit somethingof a growth spurt, reporting 67per cent like-for-like sales growth

last year and the addition of fourbrand new product ranges,including Ibis and Pedro’s.

ZYROLast year’s winner of P&ADistribution, Zyro is 15 yearsyoung and distributes 27 cyclingbrands, including own-brandsAltura, Bodyfit and Tortec. Threesites later and with anothermuch larger multi-purpose site inthe works, the Zyro team is now105-strong. P&A brands likeCateye and Panaracer were withthe firm at the start, but weresoon joined by the likes of Abus,PowerBar and GenuineInnovations.

FISHER OUTDOOR LEISURE Sporting world-famous nameslike SRAM alongside own-brandslike bspoke, Kaaboom and manymore, Fisher Outdoor Leisure hasrecently boosted its B2B site fora more in-depth offering to itsdealer base. Its annual Expo showupped sticks from Edgbaston toSt Albans in the last 12 monthsand saw record numbers attendthe key industry show.

MOORE LARGEThe busy Derby-based distributorhas launched a Road Show fordealers and a brand new websiteover the course of the last fewmonths. The new site coversboth IBDs and consumers too –leading prospective cyclists totheir nearest dealer. Moore Largeholds a huge range of P&Abrands in its portfolio, fromevergreen Knog, to Blackjack,

BIKEBIZ AWARDS 2010


Consumer SiteJudges should consider: � Compelling editorial� Design� Independence andintegrity of review� Reliability� User interface

Bike BrandJudges should consider: � Commercial success� Innovation� Marketing� Performance

P&A BrandJudges should consider: � Commercial Success� Innovation� Marketing� Performance

Product InnovationJudges should consider: � Creativity� Uniqueness� Impact on the sector� Popularity

Retailer AccountManager(voted for only by retailers)Judges should consider: � Product knowledge� Depth of advanceinformation� Customer care� Communication

Rising Star(a business that hasgrown/developedsignificantly in the last 12months)Judges should consider: � Growth over the last12 months� Performance overthe last year� Reputation

Edinburgh Bicycle Co-op Halfords

Zyro

BIKEBIZ AWARDS 2010


Apex, Limar, Michelin, Lake andmany more.

ISONWith brands like Halo, Indentitiand TSG, Ison has no shortage oftop notch P&A brands. The firmmoved to a larger base in Ely,Cambridge in the summer of ‘09to allow it to carry increasedstocks, enable more efficientprocessing and improved servicefor its many dealers. Otherbrands under the Ison umbrellainclude KHE, Kenda and Renthal.

Consumer Mag

SINGLETRACKLast year’s winner of BestConsumer Mag was bagged bythis privately owned mountainbike magazine. ChippsChippendale, Mark Alker andShaun Murray remain atSingletrack after founding theever-popular title at the start ofthe century.

SHREDShred used to be the UK’ssmallest bike magazine when itlaunched back in 1996 as a localbike mag. Over the years thetitle has risen in stature, scopeand circulation. In 2002 the magadopted a free business model,going online in ‘05 and is moving

with the times by working on aShred App, bringing the mag tothe iPhone and iPad.

CYCLING PLUSThe prestigious Cycling Plus didnothing to knock its hard-earnedreputation when it won the PPAspecialist consumer mag awardin June. The Rob Spedding-editedtitle saw its last ABC circulationincrease an impressive 15.8 percent year-on-year, its 12thconsecutive rise.

RIDE UKFactory Media’s BMX-centrictitle focuses on all aspects of thesector, showcasing fancy ridingfrom around the world andfeaturing parts reviews, eventupdates and much more.Profiling up-and-coming BMXtalents, offering freebies forreaders and approaching its150th issue, Ride UK has hadanother impressive 12 months.

CYCLING WEEKLYIPC Media’s weekly two-wheeledfocused title specialises inbreaking cycle racing news fromthe UK and abroad, providingrace reportage, fitness advice,product reviews and inspirationalfeatures for cyclists.

Consumer Site

ROAD.CCLess than two years old andRoad.cc has already hit onemillion impressions per month,with a monthly unique userfigure of 159,276 consumers.(Google Analytics). The site tellsBikeBiz: “It shows that the UKroad sector is continuing to growand attract new consumers.

“Road.cc is at the centre ofthis growth with its uniquevoice, respected product reviewsand news stories.”

Technical editorial staffheaded up by Mat Brett,together with two news editors,steered forward by Tony Farrellyand Dave Atkinson, thecommercial expertise of ElaineCurtin will ensure its growth andhelp the site retain the alreadyestablished industry respect andsupport.

THE BIKE LISTThe Bike List is planning to helpover one million riders find theirperfect bike this year, withuseability a key cornerstone forthis online bike choosing tool.Users can select their ride frommore than 4,600 bikes by brand,bike type, price, suspension,frame material, gender, age oryear. With a simple design,

reliable writing and info-packedreviews this new kid on the blockis carving itself a niche in theconsumer site world.

LONDON CYCLISTThe site is, BikeBiz is told,currently receiving 60,000 to70,000 visitors every month andhas recently sprouted off aniPhone application called BikeDoctor which has been so farvery successful, staying in thetop of the Sports category for along period. The site is pitched asa great place for London’sgrowing cycling community tomeet, discuss and learn. The newFriday comment feature where aquestion is asked, is proving verypopular, inspiring many Londoncyclists to share their thoughts.

BIKERUMOR.COMBikerumor.com is a quick, easydose of fresh cycling goodnessdaily. Covering all the latestbikes, tech, gadgets and gear,Bikerumor delivers the goods inan easy-to-read format withconstantly updated content onroad, mountain, triathlon,commuter and urban bicycles,plus advocacy and industryrumours. In just two short years,Bikerumor has attracted threequarters of a million monthlypageviews, the site tells BikeBiz,and continues to grow rapidly.

BIKERADAR.COMThe two-time winner of thisaward has a fearsomely largereadership, grown since the sitelaunched back in July 2007.Appealing to road cyclists,mountain bikers, commuters andeveryone in between, the sitehas seen the successful brandextension of BikeRadar Live, now

in its second year, doing whatthe site does but in the flesh.

Bike Brand

LAPIERREThe French brand has been a starperformer for owner Accell,according to the firm’s latestfinancials. It’s been a topperformer for UK distributorHotlines too, generating salesand plenty of column inches –not least with rumours ofLapierre’s TIme Trial bike, whichdebuted at Dauphine Libere andappeared at this year’s Tour deFrance Prologue, appearing atretail for 2011.

SARACENThe Saracen brand has been afeel-good story in recentmonths. From its reinventionunder the watchful eye ofMadison at the end of2008/start of 2009, Saracen hasacquired goodwill and plenty ofpraise from consumers and thetrade alike. Working with IBDs,the brand has grown and willincorporate BMX in 2011 lines,as previewed at IceBike* Wintera few months ago.

APOLLOAs one of Halford’s leadingbrands, Apollo is the top sellingbike brand in the UK accordingto the retailer – reportedly everyone in three bikes sold in GB isan Apollo. This summer thebrand launched eight MTB andseven town and trail bikes formen and women, all developedwith superior frame geometry inmind. The women’s models havespecific design modificationsincluding different saddles,narrower width handlebars and

shorter reach levers and cranks.

CUBE BIKESThe multi-national company hasearned a prestigious reputationin the industry, striving to forge anon-US centric path and seeingwhat the firm has calledoverwhelming expansion overthe last ten years. Designed andtested in the Alps, Cube Bikeshave impressed journalists,retailers and consumers.

KONAKona has continued to be anasset for distributor Paligap, notleast when sales jumped 40 percent in value in Q1. Thedistributor has moved the brandcloser through its recentwarehouse move, too. Commuterand road platforms haveperformed well for Kona, withmountain bike sales up for thefirm last year, and the Cadabrarange selling particularly well for2010.

GIANTAside from its expanding Giantbranded store programme, whichis now also heading into the US,Giant has seen its revenue rocketin the early months of this year,with a 39 per cent rise inrevenue in March. The firm alsoinvested in production inJanuary, pouring $15 million intoa new facility in China.

BROMPTONThe ever-popular folding bikebrand has successfully facedlegal battles to protect its IP thisyear, but in more positive newshas won no less than twoQueen’s Awards for Enterpriseand has seen its WorldChampionship gain in popularity.The firm also saw founder anddirector Andrew Ritchie bag anMBE in the New Year Honourslist – so, not a bad 12 monthsfor the classic British brand.

P&A Brand

HOPEHope’s ‘designed, tested andmade in Barnoldswick, England’philosophy has been at its coresince the firm came into beingtwo decades ago. Producing discbrakes and plenty of otherquality bicycle parts, the firm istotally independent, operatingfrom its factory on the edge ofthe Yorkshire Dales.

LEZYNEOffering a broad range ofproduct to the trade, the Lezynebrand includes pumps, hydration,tools, bottle cages, luggage andRide UK

Cycling Plus

Road.CC

Bike Rumour

BIKEBIZ AWARDS 2010


plenty more besides. Distributedby Upgrade, the brand has seenphenomenal growth, withturnover multiplying many timessince 2008 when Lezynelaunched at Core Bike. Now wellestablished, the aestheticallypleasing lines are regularly foundat key cycle events.

DT SWISSMadison took over DT Swissdistribution in the UK at thestart of the year. The firmproduces wheels, suspension,components and accessories, alldesigned for a perfect ride.Picking up the suspension andrigid fork business from PaceCycles in 2006, the firm startedits own carbon production in2007 and hasn’t looked back.

CATEYEThe manufacturer of cyclecomputers, lights and reflectorswas founded in Osaka, Japan in1946 and has been distributed inthe UK by Zyro since the mid-90s. A keen innovator in bicycleelectronics, the firm recentlyreleased upgraded LEDs thatsport up to 50 per cent morepower, overhauling andenhancing CatEye’s popular lines.

SRAMOne of the most respected firmsin the business, SRAM has hadanother successful year, seeingits product ridden by the winnerof the Tour de France (again –

now for the third consecutiveyear) and released a wealth ofwell received P&A product lines,including 2x10 X0 groupset, X72X10 drivetrain, the Rock ShoxSektor fork among others. Thefirm’s UK popularity exploded in‘09 too, according to FisherOutdoor Leisure head honchoRichard Allmark.

SHIMANOAnother one of the best knownand respected component firmsin the cycle trade, Shimano sawsales in the cycle arena rocket inthe first half of 2010. The well-received 105 series for road bikecomponents and Deore XT andSLX mountain bike componentshave helped the firm have asuccessful year.

CLARKSClarks started 2010 with a bang,releasing a whopping 60 newproducts to the market. With anew wide range of handle bargrips to complement the growingbrakes ranges, Clarks alsolaunched the new Skeletalhydraulic brake, offering thefunction of a high-end brake at acompetitive price. And as if thatwasn’t enough, Clarks alsocreated a brand new website forOEM and aftermarket.

Product Innovation

GOCYCLEKarbon Kinetic’s creation hascome a long way in a shortspace of time. Bagging Gold atthe Eurobike Awards last year,Gocycle appeared at Cycle Showbefore attracting enough praiseto earn it a spot in 33 EvansCycles stores (60 per cent of theretailer’s footprint) and JohnLewis’ flagship Oxford Streetstore. From taking part in BikeWeek, to garnering praise for itsdesign, this British innovation isalso available through the new-to-the-UK Best Buy chain.

ANGLESET, CANE CREEKCane Creek’s headtube angletweaking headset was finally

revealed to an expectant trade inJune. Providing a method forriders to simply adust a head-tube angle, the innovativeproduct allows for six angleadjustments, ranging from 0.5degrees to 1.5 degrees in oneslick package. Set to appear as astock or upgrade option on anumber of 2011 bicycle modelsfrom the likes of Intense, Pivot,Santa Cruz and other high-endmanufacturers, the Angleset willbe available from September.

TIMEX GLOBAL TRAINERWith a whopping 150 years ofwatch building experience, andthree decades with the Ironmanbrand, the Global Trainer isTimex’s first entry into the cycle-specific market bringing speed,cadence sensors andcompatibility with a range ofpower metres to cyclists on awatch strap.

BIKE REVOLUTIONBike Revolution has made a bigimpact on the trade with itscrime-combating service. In anutshell it is a free, online servicefor registering bikes, but thebrains behind the operation havegone one step further and havealready attracted attention fromthe likes of the Met Police. Thefirm has created a growingcommunity of people able towatch out for bikes and checkwhether they’ve been stolen.

Anyone with a smart mobilephone can read a tagged bikeand instantly determine if it hasbeen stolen and contact theowner by email instantly.

LYNSKEY PRO 29 FRAMEJoining Hotlines at the start of2009, Lynskey went on toimpress with its revampedtitanium 29er frame – the PRO29. The twisty marvel providesprecision handling and stabilitywithout sacrificing that all-

important rider comfort. Thehigh-performance frame boasts amulti-shaped tubeset forstiffness, slinky aestheticallypleasing lines and race-provengeometry.

BIKEHUB IPHONE APPThe soon-to-launch BikeHubiPhone App represents the kindof forward thinking that keepsthe cycle industry firmly on theright route (ahem) for the future.

Paid for with cash from theBikeHub levy, this cunning pieceof software allows users to plantheir journeys by bike and topinpoint their nearestindependent bike dealer IBD ifthey need repairs en route, orjust fancy looking at some newgear. The app will link up withthe also soon-to-launchBikeHub.co.uk.

COBRA TUBE, FLY BIKESThe Cobra is a slither of lineartube designed to fix a flat inseconds. The patented design canbe inserted into the tyre withoutthe need to remove and re-alignthe wheel. Unveiled at the startof the year and with a snakecharming print ad to boot, theCobra can replace a flat in lessthan two minutes with the helpof a good pump, according to Fly.The cyclist takes off one side ofthe tyre, takes the flat tube off

and the Cobra just slides in.Simples.

APLS SUSPENSION SYSTEM,PRONGHORN BIKESThe Anti-Power-Loss-System waspitched as providing the best ofboth worlds for mountain bikesuspension. The rear shockabsorber is mounted on the toptube, better utilising the rider’senergy and delivering powerefficiently to the back wheelwhen required by the cyclist. Thebrains behind the APLS sussystem is Pronghorn, whichended last year looking for a UKdistribution partner, then pickedSurf Sales up in March.

Retailer AccountManager

GRAHAM BEAUMONT,REECE CYCLESGraham Beaumont of ReeceCycles came highlyrecommended by a number ofretailers, one of which toldBikeBiz: “We have found that forany enquiry, warranty, stock,delivery schedules, or invoicingwe speak to Graham first, and healways sorts it. He has even beenknown to courier non Reecebikes between dealers when wehave had to transfer stock.”

DAVE PAGE, CANNONDALEDave Page has been Cannondalerep for Southern UK for over eightyears for the firm now known asCycling Sports Group UK. Startingin telesales, Page was soon sentout on the road to provide dealersupport face-to-face.

DAVE COLTMAN, WALKERSCommunication is key to DaveColtman’s appeal, according to anumber of retailers. Calling everyweek without fail, always ringingback and a being fountain ofknowledge have been among hiskey skills. Coltman has beenreported as willing to try andfind a product even if it is not abrand that he sells and drops offgoods on his calls.

WILMA RALSTON, 2PUREThe Edinburgh-based distributorhad one account managersingled out in particular byretailers lobbying for the award –Wilma Ralston. Providing top-notch support to the dealers sheworks with, Ralston is always onhand for her customers.

BEN WASHINGTON, GORE BIKEWEARWashington is a stand-out retailaccount manager according toone retailer in particular: “He

Hope

SRAM

GoCycle

Bikehub

visits us when necessary withnew product, and never just forthe sake of it. He makes himselfavailable for any staff trainingrequired and takes on boardconstructive criticism. He isalways available by phone oremail when needed.”

RICHARD STATON, MADISONAside from providing everydaysales support for his dealer base,Staton has also been involved inhelping support local racingteams. Station (along with DaveSharp, also of Madison fame)helped source helmets and shoesfor the ActivCycles-Corbridgerace team.

SCOTT GREENWOOD,OCTAGOCYCLESPORTOtagocyclesport has beensteadily growing as a distributorof niche cycle products and oneof its team – Scott Greenwood –has been singled out by one ofthe UK’s premier independentbike dealers as a top performer. Offering a personal andindividual service, the man hasbeen top notch at looking afterretailers and making them feelimportant and valued as acustomer, BikeBiz is told.

Rising Star

WISPERDoubling turnover and being akey founder of the BritishElectric Bicycle Association arejust two of the reasons the firmhas made it onto the Rising StarFinalist this year. The firmunveiled the first carbon e-bikeat the Earls Court-based CycleShow last year and Wisper is akeen supporter of the electricbike scene, including the annualTour de Prestigne electric bikerace in North Wales.

HAVEBIKEThis young company providescycling services to public and

private sector organisations(including a number ofemergency services) providing atailored service to clients’specific needs. Its fully qualifiedmechanics undertake onsitescheduled bike maintenancevisits for institutions andorganisations in the city.Notably the firm works with theLondon Cycle Hire scheme andeven organises corporatemountain bike days in sceniclocations just outside London.

THE BIKE LISTThe Bike List is planning to helpover one million riders find theirperfect bike this year, withuseability a core cornerstone for

this online bike choosing tool.Users can select their ride frommore than 4,600 bikes by brand,bike type, price, suspension,frame material, gender, age oryear. With a simple design,reliable writing and info-packedreviews, this new kid on theblock is carving itself a niche inthe consumer site world.

ENIGMA TITANIUMHaving carved a reputation forbuilding high quality titaniumbikes since the firm first wentinto business four years ago,Enigma Titanium has sinceadded a steel bike range to itsportfolio in the last 12 months,all handcrafted in its Sussexworkshop.

Reportedly the only UKmanufacturer that can buildwith titanium, the firm has itssights set on becoming a worldclass British brand to competewith the most prestigious namesin the industry.

GREEN OILFrom humble beginnings in agarden shed with a single chainlube and basic machinery, GreenOil has ramped up its gamesignificantly over the past 12

months. From opening a factoryin Wales to produce its awardwinning range and expandingthe line-up to five products, thefirm uses ecologically soundmethods and produced theworld’s first fairly traded bikeproduct – the EcoSponge. Thelast 12 months have even seenthe firm gain a foothold in othercountries (from Moldova to theUSA) and has doubled turnover.The firm also supports localcycle events in the UK.

Green Oil recently bagged aspot on BBC Breakfast news,boosting its growing reputation.


BIKEBIZ AWARDS 2010

Only a tenner a ticket!For a mere £10 you cancome along to the BikeBizAwards night at Sway Bar,61-65 Green QueenStreet, London, close toSomerset House andHolborn tube station. Aswell as chance to hob nob

with the trade you getthree free drinks, a buffet,entertainment, a casinoand chance to grab aprize. Email [email protected] tograb your ticket for the2010 BikeBiz Awards.

Wisper Green Oil

TIMEX IS a firm with a seriousheritage in the time business –but how long has the TimexIronman range been inexistence? I am sure most people haveowned a Timex product at somepoint in their life. The Ironmanrange began in 1984 with ourfirst digital sports watchincluding chronograph andadvanced timing features.

Since then Timex Ironman hasbecome a favourite amongtriathletes and runners and,following the development ofour heart rate monitors and thefirst GPS-based training system,we have been searching for anddeveloping the right technologyto enter the cycling market.

Timex brings 150 years ofwatch building and designexperience to the table. As partof the development of TimexIronman we’ve worked with topathletes for over 25 years,developing a range of productsthat satisfies demandingsportsmen and women.

The Global Trainer representsthe first serious entry into thecycling market from a brandthat’s been at the forefront ofsports technology advancementsover the last ten years.

Timex Group UK MD GavinCrilly-Mckean got it spot onwhen he said that the GlobalTrainer has the right technologyto truly enter the cycle market,

with feedback saying it hits allthe right buttons and more.

Whether you’re a road racer,mountain biker or track cyclist,the Global Trainer is a powerfuland versatile training tool thatenables you to monitor andanalyse your performance likenever before.

Has the Ironman brand grownwith the rise of triathlon?Yes, of course the Ironman rangehas grown with the triathlonmarket, but we’ve also seengrowth across the board overthe last ten years from running,swimming, cycling, team sportsand the fashion markets.

Why has Timex entered thebike market now? We know cyclists are anexacting bunch and we wantedto be sure we had the best tech

available so we could meet theirdemands. Knowing what weknow about endurance athletesand working with our TimexMulti Sport Team, we now havethe right technology to raceahead of the pack withoutstanding connectivity andversatility, making this the

choice product for any cyclist,triathletes or runner.

What are the key features?The Trainer can be handlebar-mounted with the custom-designed fixing for easy viewingwhilst riding, or worn on wrists.

Integrated SiRFstarIII GPS usesgeostationary satellites forpinpoint accuracy and the ANT+wireless sensors enable pace,speed, distance, altitude, heartrate, cadence and power to bemeasured with precision.

Timex builds on establishedfeatures already developed andone of Ironman’s definingfeatures is its user interface.With Global Trainer this isenhanced with five modes ofoperation; performance,multisport, review, configure andPC sync.

The striking oversized designwill attract admiring glances too.For such a multi-tasking piece, itlooks good and maintains therugged hardware look that TimexIronman has developed.

What kind of feedback has thewatch been getting?Our staff are a demandingbunch of enthusiasts andexperts, particularly our salesforce comprising of elite andsportive cyclists, triathletes andswimmers. The response from

them has been amazing and I’venever seen a team so enthused.

We’ve taken demo units outon club runs and to events andthe response has beenincredible. We soft launched theGlobal Trainer in the US earlierthis year. The sales figures havebeen amazing, out-performingthe competition significantly.

What incentives are availablefor dealers?We have a ‘Big on the HighStreet’ initiative which is key forus as we want to work withdealers to develop awareness ofthe links between products andperformance, and authenticatethis with our sports scienceknowledge. We’ve recently had aNew Sports Science Laboratoryopened by Darren Campbell MBEto bring sports science andtraining knowledge to all levelsof athletes. We have a mobileversion of this lab which we taketo stores and clubs to highlightthe need for sports science.

Since rumours of the Traineremerged in February we have hadan unprecedented number offorward orders from UK dealers.

Prospective dealers cancontact our team [email protected] or call 01978664743. From that moment amember of our accountmanagement team will workwith that retailer to maximisesales and profitability.

“We know cyclistsare an exactingbunch and wewanted to be surewe had the besttechnology beforewe launched.”

Simon Bradeley

BRAND SPOTLIGHT TIMEX

Iconic watch brandTimex has built on itsIronman product rangeto produce its first-evercycle-specificproduct: the GlobalTrainer. But whatled the firm toramp up itscycle offeringnow? JonathonHarker finds outfrom SimonBradeley of Timexdistributor Sport Assist…


High time

The Timex Global trainer (left)

The Global Trainer’s PC sync is one aspect of the multi-faceted device

THE CYCLING EXPERTS – ACT’spromotional website –relaunches on Friday October1st in time for the Cycle Show.

The redesigned consumer-facing The Cycling Expertswebsite will help raise the profileof all specialist cycle retailers,commencing with promotion toall public visitors at Cycle Show2010 at Earls Court.

ACT aims to generateincreasing exposure and interestin local cycle shops, highlightingthe services, products, technicalskills and passion for thepromotion of cycling available inevery local cycle shop.

Independent cycle shops havea critical part to play in thegrowth of cycling and the ACT ispromoting The Cycling Experts toassist in getting more people onbikes via quality products andservice.

CONSUMER PROMOTION FORYOUR STOREWith an ever-increasing numberof services available toconsumers via specialist cycleretailers it is important toemphasise what each specialistretail outlet offers, including alllocalised services.

The Cycling Experts hasdedicated areas promoting thefact that independent retailersare the best place to shop, howto buy a bike, getting startedwith cycling, and some basicbike maintenance tips.

THE PLACE TO BE SEEN Consumer visitation to TheCycling Experts is at record levelsand growing exponentially, with

Cytech, Jobs and the ShopSearch being the majorattractions.

The Cycling Experts featuresthe most up-to-date directory ofspecialist cycle shops in the UK.All cycle retailers have a basicentry with the option of creatingtheir own extended, unique,promotional listing including:

� What’s special about yourshop� Accessory, bike and clothingbrands stocked� ACT membership� Cytech accreditation � Other value-added servicese.g. ride it away cycle finance,cycle hire etc. � Shop photo, logo � Employee pictures� Website links� Opening times

The shop listing feeds anincreasing number of otherpopular sites, enhancingconsumer traffic to c. 250,000per month.

If you have a website, thelistings can help drive morevisitations; if you don’t then thisis a great way to get onlinewithout incurring any costs.

Extended shop listings arefree to all ACT members andcurrently cost from as little as£25p.a. for non-members.ActSmart (FOC) Bronzesubscription is required toupdate listings.

Simply visit www.TheCyclingExperts.co.uk to check yourpromotional listing. To updatedetails visit www.actsmart.biz/cycles login and click onAdd/Edit Promotional Listings.

Now with easy navigation,social media integration and‘find a bike shop’ featured onevery page

Home page features the Shopof the Month

Information features all theproducts and services specialistretailers offer to their locality

ACT supplier members whosupport the specialist retailsector are promoted on everypage throughout the site

Find-A-Shop allows consumersto search local shops, services,brands and technical service.

Cytech Accreditation, ACTmembership, Ride It Away cyclefinance, cycle hire facilities,demo bikes, etc, can all besearched

Shop search results aredisplayed within a radius asdetermined by the customer,who can ‘enter the shop’ to seethe full shop details; openingtimes, brands stocked, pictures,services offered, direct links toyour website and much more

ACTSMART: THE CYCLING EXPERTS


A month ahead of its site relaunch,the ACT explains how The CyclingExperts portal is set to enhance itsdealer offering…

Callingall bikeshops

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For all dealer enquiries contact

PETER DENK might be thetechnical director for the CyclingSports Group of America, but heis based in Freiburg, Germany.He works in a 300-year oldformer carpentry workshop andfrom his door he can test-ridehis bikes on a variety of climbsand descents.

“Half a mile from my frontdoor, the trail starts,” Denk tellsBikeBiz. “I have to climb forroughly one hour on singletrackand then I can choose between abuilt downhill trail or naturalsingletrack. Or I can do two hoursclimbing and then do a one hourdownhill. Or I can do epic eight-hour tours all over the hills here.”

Denk is noted for his prowesswith suspension, but also withcarbon fibre, and for making Tourde France road and time trial

bikes. He was the head designerat Scott for 12 years. The 44-yearold has been with the CyclingSports Group since 2009. Hisbusiness – Denk Engineering –owns a number of suspensionpatents licensed to Scott, RockShox and Fox. To date he hasbeen working only on CSG'sCannondale but in the future willalso work on GT and Mongoose.

“For CSG, I'm technicaldirector. I have an engineeringteam of three here in Freiburg.There are 15 engineers workingfor CSG in Bethel, USA.

“CSG engineers come toGermany for one or two weeksand we kick off projectstogether. The sales team givesme a lot of feedback fromdealers, which is really importantfor me. I combine the feedback

from dealers and sales with whatI get when I go to bike festivals,seeing what people are riding,and how they ride.

“When I ride locally there willbe at least 20 other mountainbikers at the summit. Amongthose there will be 10 to 15different bike brands. I listenwhen people talk about whatthey like and dislike about theirbikes. I try to get a feeling forwhat is coming next, the trends.”

These trends include e-bikes(see box on pge 42) and urbanbikes. He lives and works in amountain biker's playground but,turn the other way, and he's inGermany's bike-friendliest city.

When CSG's bike designersspend time with Denk they fallin love with Freiburg; the cityand the surrounding hills.

“We're very lucky,” admitsDenk. “We have every type ofriding right out of our front door.”

The hardtail Flash was thefirst Cannondale bike producedfrom Freiburg.

“We didn’t need to make thelightest frame. For Cannondale, astiff frame is more important.The next step with a hardtailwas to bring comfort. Thiscomfort makes the Flash fun toride. Riders are able to put moreenergy into their legs instead oftheir upper bodies.”

The frame on the Flash wasbeefed up in critical areas. “Weadded big aluminium drop-outs.Mount 140mm calipers directly toa carbon mount and the calipergets very hot. When the bondreaches 80 degrees celsius thebonding strength is only 50 per

Futureshock

INTERVIEW PETER DENK, CANNONDALE


Carlton Reid takes a spin withCannondale’s design guru, PeterDenk. The German suspensionspecialist talks about Simon,Cannondale’s Bosch bike and whybike design is more complex thanaerospace design...

“Bikes are at thecutting edge ofcomposites. Weuse more carbontechnology thaneven Formula 1.”

Peter Denk

INTERVIEW PETER DENK, CANNONDALE


cent. On a downhill section whereit’s very technical. Where you don’thave lots of speed to cool yourdiscs, but you have to brake a lot,your disc brake gets to 300-400degrees, and your caliper goes upto 100 degrees. You can pull outthe brakes from the bosses. As adesigner you have to know yourmaterials.”

Denk is self-taught oncomposite technologies.

“There are no books, nouniversity courses where you canlearn how to make compositebicycle frames. There are carbonengineers available on the marketbut if you hire them don't knowhow to make a bike frame. Theycan calculate a laminate for you,they can calculate what’s goingon in the carbon layers but theproblem is how to design a partthat works with carbon fibre.

“The bike industry isamazingly advanced when itcomes to carbon fibre. To designcarbon fibre parts for aeroplanesthey duplicate metal parts. If wedesigned bikes how the AirbusA380 is designed our bikes wouldbe 20 per cent heavier. Theaerospace industry doesn't usenew technologies. They only usetechnologies that have been onthe market for many years.

“Bikes are at the cutting edgeof composites. We use moreadvanced carbon technologythan even Formula 1. In F1, theyput most of their resources in

aerodynamics, the gearbox andthe engine. For them, lightweightconstruction is important but it’snot first. On bicycles, that’s first.

“On a bicycle, we look to losesmall amounts of weight. We findone gram here, one gram there.Sometimes half of one gram.

“If you look at the kinematics

of making a bicycle it’s verycomplex. A motorcycle enginehas a linear delivery. Cyclists haveon each stroke a peak and a low;a peak and a low. That makes itextremely difficult to find a goodkinematic for a bicycle. ”

THE EARLY YEARSDenk cut his teeth with PacificCycles of Taiwan, working forGeorge Lin's company in 1990 as awork placement during his mastersdegree in mechanical engineering.During his university holidays he

stayed with Lin and produced hisfirst full suspension design. Hetook these designs to Germanyand created a bike company.

The young brand had lots oforders but not enough money tofulfil them. “We had orders forsay, 2,000 bikes but we couldonly deliver 30,” explains Denk.

He sold the brand (it stillproduces bikes for the Germanmarket) and Denk Engineeringstarted to do freelance designwork for Scott USA ofSwitzerland. “We designed Scott'sfirst downhill bike just to putbread on the table. But thenScott said 'Whatever you design,whatever it costs, just do it.' Thatwas a dream.”

Denk Engineering wasresponsible for some iconic Scottbikes: Strike, Spark, Genius, CR1,the Plasma 2 time trial bike, theGambler downhill bike.

The Genius travelmanagement bike is how allmountain bikes will operate inthe future, believes Denk.

“Two bikes in one is the future.It's not possible to make ageometry that’s perfect for uphillsand downhills. But with travelmanagement you can solve thatproblem. When we came up withthe U-turn on Rock Shox peoplesaid there was no need. Five yearslater it’s hard to sell a forkwithout a climbing device on it.”

In the future, suspension set-up experts won't be as necessary.Set-up will be intuitive. With theJekyll, Denk is almost there.

“On the Genius 150, the shockis difficult to set-up, even for me.The new Fox shock [on the Jekyll]is a lot easier to set up.

“On other shocks you have toadjust pedal platform, sometimeslow speed/high speedcompression. Even most of myfriends don’t know how to set

this up. Mostly they leave it howit is or open it up completely.These don't ride well. With theJekyll, riders don’t have problemsto adjust things. The travel optionis self-teaching.”

On bike functions that areimportant, Denk is adamant thatdisc braking for road bikes iscritical. The UCI has okayed theuse of discs on cyclocross bikes,now the UCI should do the samefor road bikes, urges Denk.

“I really want to use carbonrims on my road bike but I can’tdo it here, because of rain anddownhills. 12 per cent hills can'tbe descended safely in the wetwith carbon wheels. Disc brakesfor road bikes is a safety issue. Ifyou race, you need brakes.”

The UCI would do well tolisten to Denk. He has beenproved right in the past and he’sone of an elite number of bikedesigners who, over the years,have shaped markets.

TWO YEARS in development,Cannondale now has an electricbike. It's equipped with apropulsion system produced byBosch. Cannondale worked withBosch on the bike side of thedevelopment and had a head-start with the technology butBosch is selling the system toother OEMs as well asCannondale.

For Denk, a Cannondaleelectric bike had to be designedto appeal to a youngeraudience:

“The problem with e-bikes isthe target group is mostlyretired people. Whether youhide the batteries or not, thebike should be a sport bike.People like me and my friendswant cool bikes.

Cannondale’s Bosch Bike

CHANCES ARE you’ll have seenat least some of the advertspromoting this year’s CycleShow, if not the whole series,each depicting a different ‘faceof cycling’.

From a mud-soaked freeriderto a first-time child cyclist, themarketing material promotes theshow as a diverse, yetcomprehensive tour of thefuture of cycling.

It’ll be a widespread campaigntoo, driving the message hometo tube commuters, cycling magbuyers and even pushed viaflyers at the next Skyride, as wellas other race events. In fact, thecampaign will be more or lessunavoidable to anyone with aninterest in cycling, which is greatnews for the exhibitors currentlybooked in and occupying 90 per

cent of the available space. Thatremaining ten per cent,according to show directorAndrew Brabazon, is set to sellfast as the deadline to takespace draws close.

“There are some prime spacesleft. People are calling andassuming we’ve only got scrappypositions left, but there’s somekey spaces that we expect won’tbe around for long.”

That’s why Brabazon isencouraging the trade to actquickly if they want to be one ofthe record number of exhibitorsfilling Earls Court this year.

“Prospective exhibitors canring our sales girl Elizabeth Barileon 020 7288 6443, or drop heran email on [email protected] todiscuss what exhibition

opportunities remain. We’re veryhappy to have broken well pastthe 200 exhibitors mark thisyear, with space remainingthanks to a little re-jig of theshow features.

“It’s a new record for us and Ithink a sign of how the show hasbecome a firm favourite forcyclists of all kinds. That’ssomething we’re keen toemphasise as we go forwards –Cycle Show is for everyone,whether they ride unicycles,recumbents, BMX or commuteby bike. The show is now morediverse than ever.”

Brabazon tells BikeBiz that it’sthe small and medium standuptake that has picked upimmensely this year with farmore small and perhaps nichecompanies looking to show their

wares, as well as do tradebusiness. It’s not just the smallerfirms placing their faith in theshow, however.

“This year we’ve seen FisherOutdoor Leisure increase theirstand more than five-fold, whilePaligap has booked a large 115sqmetre spot. TfL is again at theshow, this time with three largestands – a Cycle Hire booth, aSuperhighways booth and a verythought provoking ‘changingplaces truck’, in which cyclistscan sit inside a truck and get afirst-hand look at what’s visiblein the wing mirrors of yourtypical HGV.”

Quirky features are part ofthe main draw for the show’sconsumer audience, though arealso a huge support to theexhibitors. The ‘skate park’

Showing off!Another year, another huge floorplan to pore over. Leading up to the Earls Court CycleShow, that’s what show director Andrew Brabazon’s days consist of. Mark Sutton asks how, once again,more cycling content than ever is to be found under one roof come October…

CYCLE SHOW PREVIEW


REGISTER FREE AT:cycleshow.co.uk/BikeBiz


returns thisyear, but withthe addition ofprofessional 24and 26-inchwheeled ridersgiving it a whirl –upping the show’sappeal with a newroster of big name riders.

Elderly and disabledvisitors are catered for thanksto Wheels of Wellbeing who willbe running rides on thecommuter test track, as well ashanding out advice.

British Cycling has an all-ages, all-abilities ‘Cycling SkillsChallenge’ series, as well asfocused sessions with six to 12year-olds. Four of theorganisation’s trained staff willbe on site, setting kids cyclechallenges and tasks.

Women cyclists are onceagain equally catered for atCycle Show, with female-specific cycle clothing firmMinx holding advice sessions forfemales, as well as providingshow tours of the women’s-specific product featured withinEarls Court. Sessions with theMinx team, as well as variousother show activities are allpre-bookable on the CycleShow website.

Perhaps of more interest tothe trade is Brabazon’sconfirmation that the ‘piazza’area, often used to conduct on-site business meets, has beengreatly extended this year,providing firms ample space to

talk product,distribution andlink ups.

Furthering theappeal to many

exhibitors handlingclothing, protection

and lighting product,it has been confirmed

to BikeBiz that the retailzone, now known as ‘the Cycle

Store’, has doubled in size,greatly increasing the appeal toconsumers ready to splash theircash. The sale categories remainmore or less the same, thoughtools are now also sold within.

Exhibitors may be interestedto learn that there’s still salesspace within the ‘Cycle Store’too, for which ‘quick action’ isencouraged should the space beof interest.Exhibition sales: 020 7288 6443Sponsorship enquiries: 020 7288 6010

CYCLE SHOW PREVIEW


The facts and figures

£35 millionThe figure reached by post-show research

showing how much the Cycle Showaudience spends on cycling annually.

200+The record number of exhibitors who

have taken exhibition space this October

6 to 12 year-olds The target age group of a new ‘Go Ride’

installation to be run by British Cycling atthis year’s Cycle Show.

5 Seminars scheduled for each day of the

show. Some trade discussions are done inpartnership with the ACT.

Double The amount of floor space dedicated to

‘The Cycle Store’, previously known as the‘retail zone’.

5 fold The figure by which Fisher Outdoor hasincreased its space at Cycle this year.

Approximately 10%The amount of exhibition space stillavailable as this issue goes to press.

Over 200 The number of exhibitors on board this

year at the time of press, compared with182 in 2009.

Cycle Show providesthe chance for the

trade to meet as wellas show off the latest

product ranges

“That issomething thatwe’re keen toemphasise. Theshow is morediverse thanever.”

Andrew Brabazon

1st and 2nd place for SRAM RED and Zipp at the 2010 Tour de France. Alberto Contador (Team Astana) wins the Tour for the second consecutive year while Andy Schleck (Team Saxo Bank) takes second place.

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DOUBLETAP VICTORY!

YELLOW JERSEY

18 DAYS IN YELLOW

8 STAGE WINS

BEST TEAM

WHITE JERSEY

2008 GIRO 2009 TDF2008 VUELTA 2010 TDFDistribution in the UK: Fisher Outdoor Leisure LTD, www.fisheroutdoor.co.uk & Saddleback Ltd, www.saddleback.co.uk


CYCLE SHOW PREVIEW


PREVIOUSLY known as theRetail Zone, this year's CycleStore has doubled in size,accommodating moreexhibitor product than everpreviously.

The sales categoriesremain more or less thesame, though those takingspace are now permittedto sell tools and pedals, aswell as the traditional softgoods, lighting productand helmets on sale inprior years.

Brabazon confirmed toBikeBiz that space is stillavailable within theCycle Store, thoughwarned: "We extendedthe space thanks to higherdemand for space to sell to thepublic and that demand is stillstrong. Contact our sales girl

Elizabeth Barile on020 7288 6443 for enquirieson remaining plots."

The cycle shop is open

THE POPULAR piazza area,commonly used for businessmeets at Cycle has beenextended this year to offer agreater capacity.

Brabazon told BikeBiz:“Among the features we’veextended is this area whichmany find crucial to taking abreather from the stand or todiscuss business away from thebustling show.”

The terraces have also beengiven a rework, meaning 500seats are now available for mainstage shows. “Last year certainseminars had crowds gatheringat the foot of the ramp area, as

well as filling the terraces. Thisyear the capacity should copemuch better,” says Brabazon.

If electric bikes are startingto catch your curiosity, it's alsoworth noting that six electric-exclusive brands have takenspace at this year's show,

including Batribike, Wisper andFreeGo, to name a few.Representatives from the BritishElectric Bicycle Association willalso be at the show and areinterested in hearing thoughtson potential up-coming e-bikelegislation changes.

Terrace capacity upped to 500 � Piazza area expands �Electric fever hits

It’s business time… ElizabethBarile

CYCLE SHOW PREVIEW


Action Medical Research F14

ActSmart C24

Alzheimer's Society F16

AM and Co Importers (Cycle Store)

Amazing Wheels D17

Aroma-Sports E22c

Assist E29

Asthma UK F9

ATB C14

Batribike E11

Bernds D13

Bespoke Cycling D15

Bespoke Cycling E1a

Bigfish Folding Bikes E8

BikeBiz Magazine S2

Bike Eye D8

Bikegreece B4

Black Sheep Sports Ltd F13

BM7 Displays B8

Bohle UK E37

Boutique Cycles F25

Breeze Blockers F8

Breeze Blockers (Cycle Store)

British Cycling E17

Bromley E23

Brompton C21

Buro 9 E21a

Butterworth Insurance F15

Campagnolo E36

Cape Town Cycle Tours Trust C1

Carbon Repair Technology C2

Carradice E19

Ciclismo C9

Condor Cycles Ltd E33

Cooper Bikes B2

Cycle Works E22d

Cycleurope UK Ltd - Bianchi Division E37

Cyclodelic (Cycle Store)

Dakine F19

Demon Frameworks E14a

Design Headwear F21c

DillGlove Ltd E20c

Dreamslide D11

Early Rider E26

EFX Performance UK D31

Embers Merino (Cycle Store)

Endura (Cycle Store)

Endura E24

Eurozone Brands & Sales Marketing D27c

Exodus F11

Explore

Exposure Lights (Cycle Store)

Extra UK E35

Fishers Outdoor Leisure A2

FLI Distribution F13

Folding Bike Hut C3

Foska (Cycle Store)

FreeGo Electric Bikes D9

Garmin B11

Go Cycle C6

Greyville C19

Greyville (Cycle Store)

Hope Technology C8

IAM E20b

in2dust E2a

Italy Bike Hotels C25

J D Cycles D2

Jim Walker D21

Jolly Wear F27

Juice Lubes F20

Kemper Fahrradtechnik D13

Kidney Resarch F23

Kleinebenne GmbH D13

Kool-Stop Europe C16

Liix D19a

Love Velo E2B

Lyon C27

Maxi B8

Milani B15

Minx A1

Mobiky-Tech C24a

Moore Large C17

Moose Cycling F29

Mosquito C20

Multisport Distribution E27

My Velo F21d

Nemesis (Cycle Store)

New Metal Tech D30

ONDA B7

Osporto Trading Co – Gipiemme E30a

Paligap 22a

Pashley C12

Pashley as Moulton B6

Peugeot B6

Polaris (Cycle Store)

Polaris Apparel E2c

Powacycle B3

Primal Wear Inc F12a

Quest 88 D10

Redspokes F10

Ribble Cycle Co. D18

Rose D16

Royce UK Ltd F24

Satmap B13

Sealskinz F3

Sealskinz (Cycle Store)

Shiner B17

Sigma C11

Simon A Holt & Co E7

Singer F12

Spencer Ivy F17c

Split Second E12

St John Street Cycles E2

Sub 4 C23

Surf Sales (Cycle Store)

Surrey Human Performance Institute E21d

Target Wheels F22

The Big Paper Bag Co D29b

Torm Cycling Cycle Store

Torq B10

Triathlon Consultants Ltd (Cycle Store)

Twenty 26 E18

Ultimate Sports Engineering and Exposure Lights D26

Ultra Motor E5

Unicycle.com E5b

Upgrade (Cycle Store)

Upgrade E28

Utility C29

Velotex D10b

Vitesse Pro cycle Wear (Cycle Store)

Wheels for Wellbeing (WiZZBiKE Foundation) D1

Wiggle C13a

Wildoo Limited C31

Windwave D19

Wisper Ltd E3

WyndyMilla B8

ZipVit E30

Exhibitor List

THANKS TO Minx Clothing, acycle clothing specialist tailoringcycling specific gear for women,female attendees to the showcan be given a guided tour of theshow’s girl gear.

Show director AndrewBrabazon tells BikeBiz: “The girls

at Minx have kindly offered toshare their wisdom on properbike sizing for girls, as well asgive guided tours of the show’sproduct tailored to females.”

Pre-bookable time slots areavailable on the Cycle Showwebsite – www.cycleshow.co.uk

Guides for girls

CYCLE SHOW PREVIEW


Register free at:cycleshow.co/uk/bikebiz

7th-10th October 2010Earls Court, London



CYCLE SHOW PREVIEW

THESE CHIRPY chaps and chapettes willbe unavoidable if you’re in the cycletrade and beyond in the coming weeks.The series of helmet-clad models willappear in a diverse range of consumermagazines – from 20-inch titles like RideBMX, mountain bike publications such asMBUK, as well as a variety of otherscovering all aspects of cycle sport,leisure and transport use.

The creative adverts will also beprominent on the underground acrossLondon, pushing many ‘could-be’ cycliststoward the show.

Show director Andrew Brabazon toldBikeBiz: "Last year’s characters were a bitof a love/hate affair with our visitors, so

this year we’ve decided to show themany diverse faces of the Cycle Show.We’re truly universal in our content nowand we feel the cyclists used reflect howthe show has progressed to offer realreasons to attend for each and everysector.”

The show organisers also haveextensive marketing planned via regionaland national press publications, directmarketing such as email and postaldrops, as well as a direct involvement inevents such as the Skyride at which‘street teams’ will be handing out flyers.Brabazon estimates that over five millionpeople will be reached through thevarious forms of marketing.

The faces of the

future

� EUROBIKE DistributorEurobike has appointed two newsales representatives: IANREYNOLDS for the North andDAN SCOTT for the South.

Reynolds joins Eurobike withan established history in thecycle trade, bringing a wealth ofknowledge to the distributor.Reynolds welcomes tradeenquiries in the North and canbe contacted on 07584 102803.

Dan Scott is a keen cyclist,who spent time in retail beforestudying law and going on to geta degree. Scott is extremelyexcited about his new role andwelcomes trade enquiries for theSouth of England. Eurobikecustomers and prospectiveaccounts should contact him on07584 102804.

� SILVERFISH Silverfish hasappointed KATE PRING to therole of South Eastern area salesrepresentative.

Pring brings with her a strongbackground in sales and herdepth of experience in similarmarkets is key to herappointment at the Cornwall-based distributor.

Sales manager RICHIEROWLAND said: “Kate is a greatappointment for Silverfish andwe’re pleased to have her onboard with us.

“Her previous experiencewithin the surf and outdoorsports industries will ensure shebrings a professionalism andenthusiasm to the role that both

Silverfish and our dealers canbenefit from. As Silverfishcontinues to grow, dividing theUK into three territories andincreasing our managers on theroad is the logical next step, onethat we’re confident will allowour dealers to grow with us.”

Silverfish UK can be contactedon 01752 843882 for enquires.

� PALIGAP Bristol distributorPaligap has expanded its salesforce to a team of nine withthree new appointments to thecompany.

With the new recruits takingon their roles from early August,some dealers may have alreadyhave had the pleasure of meetingJAMIE NEWALL, JOE MCNEICEand ROBIN LARCOMBE.

Eurobike, Paligapand Silverfish allbolster their UKsales presencewith a raft of newrecruits...

September sees sales rep recruitment galore


PEOPLE AND RECRUITMENT

Send your recruitment news [email protected]

Dan Scott, Eurobike Ian Reynolds, Eurobike

Newall will cover the South East ofEngland and comes with a proven trackrecord from one of the UK’s premiumparts and accessory distributors. He canbe reached via email [email protected], or by phone on07966 273243.

Joe McNeice joins Paligap and willcover the North of England and NorthWales, and returns to the cycle tradewhere he worked for a period with 2 x 2.His email is [email protected] his mobile number is 07786 311880.

Robin Larcombe joins Paligap fromCasamasferre and will cover Scotland andIreland. He can be contacted via email [email protected], or by phoneon 07918 685127.

DAVID LANE, managing director forPaligap, said: “Paligap’s focus is to ensurewe are servicing UK IBDs by havingaccount managers visiting the storesregularly with our portfolio of brands, andwith the three new appointments in thefield, we feel that the future is very brightwithin this sector.”

� JIM WALKER The warranty and salesteams have been bolstered at Jim Walkerwith the appointment of JORSOPPERMAN and TONY BARTON.

Having worked in the industry for fiveyears Opperman is first point of contacton the phones and is also a qualifiedwheel builder, and so is able to fixFulcrum returns, as well as offer help andadvice on any Jim Walker product. Tospeak to the Jim Walker warrantydepartment please call 01323 445155.

Joining the sales team – on his secondstint at Jim Walker – Tony Barton hascome to the firm with 20 years’experience.

“Having just spent the last ten yearssetting up and running Magura Bike PartsUK, I was looking for a new challenge,”said Barton.

“Having previously worked at JimWalkers back in the late nineties it wasgreat to have the opportunity to workwith them again.”

Barton will be managing South Wales,Midlands and the North.

PEOPLE AND RECRUITMENT


People & Recruitment is Sponsored by Halfords

Jamie Newall, Paligap

Joe McNeice, Paligap

Robin Larcombe, Paligap

Akhter House Perry Road Harlow Essex CM18 7PN

01279 821243

JN-1470 15.4.09 Prices subject to change without notice. E&OE

email: [email protected]

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RETAIL ONLY

IN THIS MONTH’S ISSUENEW PRODUCTS 58A selection of this month’s new stock from a variety ofdistribution sources - including Scoop, Skins and more...

CYCLE SURGERY PROFILE 61BikeBiz catches up with the ever-growing chain anddiscusses locations, the Snow and Rock tie up and more...

KIDS’ BIKES AND ACCESSORIES 63The vast majority of stores will carry product to cater forthe youth. Flick to 63 for a market round up...

RETAILCOMMENT

The trade’s guide to sourcing stock, up-and-coming IBDs and the very latest products

JUDGING BY internet reports and based on the ‘thumbs up’given to London’s scheme by the majority of users, despiteteething troubles, it seems London could simply be an earlyadopter of sharing cycling with the masses. Other cities arealready tentatively declaring interest in mimicking the partBarclays-funded hire scheme, which can only be positive newsfor cycling nationwide.

Merseyside City Council has reportedly put out a tendercalling on interested businesses to submit their vision for acycle hire scheme on the streets of liverpool.

Then there’s Edinburgh, York, Newcastle, Birmingham andan indecisive Bristol City Council. So that’s several of thecountries forward-thinking big cities on board then.

London’s Cycle Hire was allegedly dreamed up some tenyears ago when Ken Livingstone was in office, though theLiberal Democrats are now claiming it was their idea... As putby Road.cc: “One sure sure fire sign that a scheme is workingis when politicians across the political spectrum start claimingthe credit for its creation.”

The ‘Boris Bikes’, though too early to really conclusively say,are being hailed as a success, so, for now let’s assume thescheme will be mimicked nationwide over the coming years.

So, what does that mean for cycle retailers? Will bike salessuddenly dip in areas where the only wheels on the road arehired steeds? Afterall, BikeBiz’s own Carlton Reid has snappedempty docking stations in Paris before now and reports havinghad difficulty tracking down a hire bike, so surely those hiredbikes are lost sales?

If precedent in Paris, Lyon, Monteal and other cities runningsimilar ‘pay as you roll’ programmes is anything to go by, thenno, quite the opposite effect is to be expected. Sales in all ofthese cities were shown to have either remained steady, orincreased - largely down to ‘new’ cyclists trying hire bikes andrediscovering the joy of pedal power. Having tried the heavierhire bikes, the ‘have-a-go’ riders largely went in search ofbetter bikes to call their own. Nothing to worry about then.

A rumour found its way to me recently that the owner of astore local to BikeBiz was on his way back from grabbing abite to eat and decided to cheekily ask customers exiting aneighbouring off licence if they fancied taking up cycling. Theysaid they’d hired a few bikes on a recent holiday and enjoyedthe experience. Half an hour later they were the proud ownersof shiny new steeds. If only all sales were as straightforward.Perhaps some could be, what’s to lose?

Cycle sales in cities who’ve run a cyclehire scheme for some time have heldsteady and in many cases increased...

[email protected]

Skins Cycle Pro jerseyDirect01543 420550

AVAILABLE in a long and a short sleeve, Skins CyclePro jersey is one of the more styled compressiongarments in the firm’s line.

The micro polyester and spandex garment is supersoft and shapes to the body’s contours. The backpanel features a dipped tail with a rubbery insert tostop it riding up your back, while other sewn-infeatures include well placed high-vis Skins logos.

Customers looking to reap the benefits of thegarment’s compression properties – designed toincrease blood flow to the muscles – are highlyrecommended to use chest measurements.

Sugoi VersaDirect07734 206702

WITH WINTER lines being finalised among retailers,Sugoi has announced a new jacket for both sexes.

The Versa features a magnetic snap-on set ofsleeves, which are designed to be tugged off whenthe rider gets hot – both sleeves can be easily stowedin rear pockets. Instead of delicate zippers that won’twork the way you want them to, the ten magnetsput the sleeves back in place almost by themselves.

The Versa boasts brand new light weight Argonfabric and for safety, the jacket also features lots ofScotchlite reflective material to offer 360-degreevisibility at night.

Demolition componentsScoop01462 650741

SCOOP has just taken stock of Demolition’s newcomponent line, now available in a shade of Purple.

The new Denis Enarson Open Bar is part of thedrop and, fitting with the current trend for wide bars,is 29-inches wide and 8.25-inches high. Also in thedrop is Dennis Enarson’s signature grip, the F1Sprocket, now equipped with a 48-tooth spline drivebuilt in – removing the need for a crank bolt.

Dealers should also look out for the street-readyDemolition Phantom front hub with dome sockettool fittings and hub guard, as well as Chris Doyle’ssignature Keystone stem.

SKS Rowdy guardsRaleigh, Madison, Chicken Cyclekit01773 532600, 0208 385 3385, 01525 381347

SKS HAS answered every parent’s prayer with thecreation of a kids’ bike-suited mudguard coveringboth the front and wheel wheels.

The Rowdy guards use a multi-adjust design,allowing mounting to almost every type of frame,including full suspension bikes. Two different clampsizes make mounting possible to either the seat postor the frame. Extremely robust materials are used,ensuring the guards won’t fold in the wheel at thefirst opportunity, too. The Rowdy guards arecompatible with tyres fitted to 20 and 24-inchwheels. Retail price is set at £16.00.

LATEST PRODUCTS

Breezer 29ersUK carrier sought (Currently available via ASI Europe)

NEW FOR 2011, the Cloud 9 is a milestone forBreezer. It’s the first carbon fibre bike from the MTBdesigner and the crown jewel of the 29er line.

Suited to marathon cross country rides, the Cloud9 comes as a frameset, ‘pro’ build, or as a limitededition build. The frame uses Breezer’s D-Fusion,effectively diffusing stress evenly. Shorter chainstaysproduce a responsive ride, while the new 3D carbonBreeze-In dropouts offer twice the rigidity of flatdropouts at half the weight. Breezer Bikes is currentlyseeking a UK distribution partner, though the bikesare available via ASI Europe, based in Stuttgart.

Pro Tharsis trail componentsMadison0208 385 3385

PRO HAS thought outside the box with this superhigh-end groupset, naming it after the highestknown mountain range on Mars – Tharsis.

The component line is unique to the market,being constructed entirely from carbon and suitedto all mountain conditions. By using special lay-updesigns and fibertypes Pro engineers succeeded indeveloping strong, durable and lightweightcomponents. These unique products are topped-offwith a trendy mat and nude UD carbon structurewith a refined artwork and polished alloy detailing.The components will hit Madison in October.

Featuring some of the latest brand-spanking-newproduct available to dealers, BikeBiz heads forCloud 9 and looks at a Rowdy range for kids bikes... New gear


JAN 30TH - FEB 1STWHITTLEBURY HALL

Register online at:

www.corebike.co.uk

“Core bike is the one show every serious bike shop should attend, the variety of product from the many distributors and the heads up on the new season’s product make the show invaluable. Core is the one show that all the shop staff want to come to (in their own time as well!!) maybe it’s the great party atmosphere in the evening or maybe it really is seeing the bike

product….. either way if you are only going to one show make it Core or add it into your already heavy show schedule you will not be disappointed!”

Steve Gill, Rutland Cycles

Core BrandsCore Companies

Just one Corebike show

COREBIKE

CycleSurgery

Telephone: 0800 298 8898Web: www.cyclesurgery.comEmail: [email protected]

Theatre of dreams

Tell us about the CycleSurgery/Snow and Rock link-upand its benefits.Snow+Rock acquired CycleSurgeryin November 2007. With thegrowth in the cycle marketalready underway, Snow+Rocksaw this as a great way to becomea part of it. The crossover benefitsare now being realised where wehave set up CycleSurgeryconcessions within the larger out-of-town Snow+Rock stores, in factit now works both ways.Snow+Rock customers arebecoming CycleSurgery customersand vice versa. We also havecross-over benefits in ourwarehousing and logistics.

How many CycleSurgery storesare there and can we expectthe chain to expand?We are now up to 20 outletsincluding the seven concessionsin the Snow+Rock stores. Forsure, we want to continue toexpand, but only when we findthe right opportunities andlocations.

CycleSurgery has held women’sspecific evenings – do theseprove popular?Our first event was in associationwith Bike Envy and was wellattended at our Victoria store.We have two more planned atKings Cross and Holborn. Theinformal format worked well; wewere amazed how many ladieswere hanging on our mechanic’severy word as he went throughbasic maintenance, like puncturerepairs. He enjoyed it too!

You’ve got a store or two insome unusual locations, suchas Hemel Hempstead’s skislope – what’s the thinkingbehind these locations? We believe there is a significantcrossover between skiers,snowboarders and cyclists.Snow+Rock have a great trackrecord of retailing at the skicentre. When we saw the extentof the new centre that opened in2009 and realised how muchmore appealing an indoor snowfacility was compared to the old

outdoor nylon surface, we knewthat it would attract lots ofvisitors with active lifestyles. Addto this some of the greatmountain biking terrain in thearea and the decision was easy.

Can you point out both a highand low point for the businessin the past year or so?January and February 2010, mostof the period was below zerodegrees and there was snoweverywhere. Not great for ourLondon commuter customers, orcycling in general. Summer 2010seems to making up for thewinter though, with many of thenewer stores really starting toearn their keep.

As prices rise on more or lessall bikes, what spend are youseeing typical customers forkout and on what kinds of bike?As we are mainly London based,commuter bikes make up thelargest percentage of our sales.With price rises, we have seen asmall increase in average

purchase levels, but not as muchas the average price increases.Some people are happy to spendmore to get the bike and specthey want; some have a fixedbudget and will stick to it.

How has the Cycle to Workscheme affected yourbusiness?The tax break has been great forbusiness for many years andseems to continue gatheringmomentum. If it ended it wouldnot be great for cyclists orretailers as there are benefits tobe had on both sides.

Many retailers are reportingstrong workshop business –has the demand for repair beenconsistent for CycleSurgery? With our brand name theworkshop is always going to bekey. Turnover in the workshopshas been ahead of last year, butwe have more stores now so wewould expect that to be thecase. For existing stores it's asimilar level with last year.

“If the Cycle ToWork schemeended, it wouldnot be great forcyclists orretailers.”

Dion Taylor, MD

IBD PROFILE


With slow, yet steady progression across the UK, CycleSurgery is focusing on existing business asopposed to a random store-opening spree. Mark Sutton talks to MD Dion Taylor about ladies nights,its workshop business and its snow sport crossover…

BufferaPROTECTIVE headwear takes manyforms, but kids won't wear it unless it’sfun to wear. For this reason Buff has a

wide range of junior styles. Available inOriginal and Polar styles, Junior OriginalBuff offers fun, versatility and protectionfor the head and neck from the sun andwind.

Simply by twisting, turning or tying itinto a pirate, saharaine, foulard or scarf,Junior Original Buff can be worn inmultiple ways. It will wick perspirationaway from the skin and is seamless formaximum comfort when worn under abike helmet. Made with polyestermicrofibre, Buff headwear is wind-resistant, small enough to keep in apocket, machine washable and fast-drying.

In addition to a wide selection ofjunior Buff designs, the range alsoincludes licensed Kukuxumusu, Batman,Disney, Spiderman, Snoopy and HelloKitty versions. Retail prices start at£13.99.01707 852244

KIDS BIKES AND ACCESSORIES


The UK’s largest Cycle Show returns to Earls Court from October 7th to 10th. Call Upper Street Events on 0207 2886443 for booking details.

Child’s play…

GelertSINCE THE launch of both Kidcool andXcool brands some six years ago, thechildren's bike range has gone throughsome major expansion anddevelopment.

Gelert now has stock of a diverserange covering boys and girls,featuring wheel sizes from 12-inches all the way up to 20-inchwheels. There are now 18individual models available andGelert says maintaining a healthydealer margin has been key tothe range's development.

Beginning with Kid Cool'scolourful wooden balance bikes,the distributor's range has plentyof quirky seasonal items as wellas beginner bikes. Particularlypopular around Christmas are the

firm's aluminium folding scooter line.To back up the bike stock, Gelert

also has a wide range of helmets, bells,baskets, streamers and bottles tocomplement sales.

If you're interested in opening aGelert account, [email protected] 459 9970

As the bread and butter of many bike shops, kids’ bikes are carefully considered purchases. MarkSutton gathers information on a variety of children’s cycles, trikes and accessories for your perusal…

ZyroZYRO'S DIVERSE parts and accessoriescatalogue gives retailers a wealth ofproduct suited to small people.

Camelbak's one of the quirkier brandswhen it comes to design. Built for smallhands, the Skeeter reservoir backpack is afun way for kids to take on fluids on themove. With a 290-gram reservoir, theSkeeter's tank carries antimicrobialprotection reducing any risk of nastytummy bugs.Customers will onlyhave to pay £19.99to keep their kidshydrated on themove via the Skeeter.

Also fromCamelback the BetterBottle 'Tritan',retailing for £14.99,places 400ml of fluidcapacity in the handsof kids. Cleverfeatures on this bottleinclude a 'Big Bite'

valve activated by a integral push-button.The valve self seals, preventing thosespillage accidents. The bottles are BPAfree and available in four colours.

Altura caters for the kids too with anew Night Vision vest in two colours. At£14.99 it won't break the bank, but willkeep kids visible, much thanks to thereflective trim used, as well as a Velcrostrip that accommodates a separatelysold Lightstick LED, also available via Zyro.01845 521700

HotlinesOF THE many new brands to join theHotlines stable in recent months, ‘KoolKidz’ is one that's slipped under the radarfor some retailers. Designed for childrenbetween two and five and aimed atdeveloping children’s motor skills andsense of balance, the bikes are pedal-freeand rely on scooting.

Learning to balance first will givechildren a huge boost in confidence whentransitioning to bikes with pedals –removing the need for stabilisers/training

wheels, according to the firm. Coming in two different sized models –

the Speedster and the Little Speedster –and also a range of bright colours, thebikes are bound to appeal to all children’sindividual characters. All versions featureheight adjustable saddles, pneumatictyres and timber construction.

Prices start at £89.99 for the naturalwood finish Little Speedster and gothrough to £119.99 for the graphicfinished Speedster version. Stock will beavailable from Hotlines Europe in earlySeptember.0131 319 1444

PaligapKONA has been producing pint-sizedversions of its popular adult modelsfor many years now. For 2011 the firmhas reworked the ‘Stinky’ to cater fornine year-olds upwards. Coming with a13-inch ‘Clump’ frame, the ShimanoAlivio-specced build carries aMarzocchi DJ3 100mm fork completewith tough 20mm dropouts.

As the signature model of Kona’shardtail dirt jump collection, the

Cowan is named after freeride pioneerJohn Cowan and sits bang on the£1,000 price point. Built around alightweight Clump 7005 aluminium,coming in 12, 14 and 15 inch top-tube lengths, the build is an ideal‘ready to ride’, out of the box solutionto those wanting something sturdyenough for trails and street. It’s asinglespeed too, meaning no gears tobe torn off by rogue tree stumps.

Paligap has an extensive kids’ rangein stock, viewable at konaworld.uk.com.01454 313116

UpgradeFINDING A trueperformance raceframeset,designedspecificallyfor juniorriders isnot easy.Taking a fullsize road race frameand simply scaling it down isthe mistake that many frame buildersmake. A smaller, lighter rider does notrequire the same tubing as theaverage male pro. The KR-210L,designed by Upgrade, uses lighter andsmaller diameter chain and seat staysand an SPF thin wall front triangle.This keeps things light and responsiveand smooths out the ride for lowerweight riders.

A shorter top tube is important forcomfortable reach from seat to bars,as is a smaller frame height for more

stand-over clearance. The KR-210L hasfour sizes from 40 to 49cm and virtualtop tubes of 49 to 53cm. It also has

short head tubes tominimise stand-overand bar height. Short,small frames with fullsize wheels cancause toe overlapproblems, so theKR-210L hasslacker headangles to helpavoid this and

also lengthen thewheelbase and tame the handling.

A custom painted, aero blade,carbon fork with lightweight dropoutscompletes the package. Coloursavailable are white/blue or white/redmetallic and the frameset retails forjust £449.99. Centre to top seat tubesizes range from just 40cm and theframe geometry has been carefullytweaked to ensure 700c wheelcompatibility. 01403 711 611



MVSports 0121 748 8065

MV SPORTS has a range of award-winning Ben 10licensed wheeled products ranging from 10 to 16-inchwheel sizes. For all the Star Wars mad kids out there, MVcan also supplies a 'Clone Wars' 16-inch bike completewith graphics taken from the film.

And for the girls there is the super chic Moxie Girlz16-inch bike. With floral decals, shimmering streamersand a two-tone pearl paint finish, it’s perfect girls.

Other licensed product includes designs bearing imageryrelating to Bob the Builder and Thomas and Friends.

FirstBike 0203 002 3883

AVAILABLE IN two styles and a range of colours,FirstBike is a popular balance bike for youngsters fromas early as their second birthday.

The 'Cross' version has knobbly tyres, in a stylishred/silver/black colour scheme. The 'Street' hasstandard tyres and is available with a choice of a red,blue, green or pink frame.

FirstBike is designed and manufactured in Germany,though is available via a UK supplier who iscontactable on 0203 002 3883.

Coyote 01473 652768

COYOTE Sports offers a wide range of accessories forchildren’s bikes, as well as a number of bike modelsthrough the Avocet Sports division.

The accessories range includes, bells and horns,Spokey dokeys, 'Dolly' seats, streamers, padsets, bottleand cages, and off course a full range of kids’ helmets.The firm also has plenty of children’s mitts in extrasmall and small, as well as a stock of smallermudguards, stabilizers and saddles, all under theCoyote banner.

GreyvilleTHE MINI+ from Bobike is Greyville'sstock answer to retailers requiring aunique front mounted child bike seat. It issuitable for childrenaged from ninemonths old and upto 15kg in weight.Being frontmounted itprovides childrenwith full visibilityso they canenjoy the ridefar more.

The seat isavailable is achoice ofcolours andcomes withadjustable footsupports and athree-pointsafety belt and

buckle. For added protection from windand other elements there is an additionalwindscreen and extended cover availableseparately.

The Mini+ can be fitted to bikes withboth Ahead and Quill stems and retailsfrom £70.95. The optional windscreen andcover is £27.95.

What makes Bobike child seats uniqueis that that they all use a

three-point mountingsystem, which is easy to fitand once fitted to bicyclesthe seats can be removedwithout the use of tools.

Bobike are one of theleading suppliers of

children’s bike seats inEurope. All Bobike seats are

manufactured in theNetherlands where they meet

EU safety requirements and areapproved according to the EN14344 safety norm.01543 251328

RaleighWITH A rich history inproducing kids’classics, Raleigh hastaken its knowledge ofthe market andproduced a diverseline-up for 2011.

The Krush range will be a key linefor many retailers this year, offeringwheel sizes ranging from 16-inch upto 24. With bikes kitted out to caterfor football fans, trendy chicks and avariety of other tastes, retailers canpick and mix to suit their customer'stastes.

The 16, 18 and 20-inch Krushbuilds come equipped with a frontbrake modulator, non-slip pedals, andeasy to pedal single speed gears (16and 18-inch) or six-speed Shimanogears (20-inch) ensuring a Princessarrives safely and in style. All modelsare equipped with a cool printed

saddle, coloured cables, and a stylishhandbag. The 20-inch Krush isavailable in 11 and 13-inch framesizes.

For the larger wheel size and olderchild, the 24-inch Krush comesfinished in lipstick pink with additionaldesign work on the saddle and wheelsto match. The build is finished with18-speed Shimano gears for easy gearchanging and a front brake modulatorto stop the child safely.

To view the complete new 2011Raleigh kids’ range visitwww.raleigh.co.uk01773 532600

Moore LargeBARRACUDA Bikes’ junior range has neverbeen so extensive. With the new Cudabranding, improved frame design andexciting graphics it offers the perfectpackage for brightening showroom floorsand offering reasonably priced bike stock.All bikes (except BMX range) are builtwith 6061 aluminium to create that lightbike a young rider needs.

The Blox range of light-weightpavement bikes are serious, butcomfortable, with a natural riding positionso the child can enjoy cycling. The bikesare available in 14 and 16-inch wheel.

The 20 and 24-inch wheelmodels follow on from theBlox range and they areall great looking,reliable bikesequipped withShimano drivetraincomponents.

The new BMXrange is perfect for arider new to thefastest growing

recreational activity for kids. The rangeoffers five models from your everydayBMX to the starter race bike. The rangealso includes a jump bike for those riderswho are a little more experienced.

The Cuda range retails between£109.95 and £219.95. Moore Large alsostocks Barracuda Trail-Buddies and Trail-Gator tow bars.01332 274200

Mission CyclesTHE NEW Tri Speed Cruiser is thelatest innovation to accompanyMission's broad range of tricycles.

This revolutionary leisure styletricycle boasts the most advancedchainless design, which not onlyincreases speed, but together with thedual joystick enables easy steering.The magical ingredient of the tricycleis that it is propelled by using a frontwheel mechanism. And as it is low tothe ground the bike handles withsafety considered foremost in its

design. This is especially useful for theless-abled person.

With an adjustable robust framethat makes it suitable andcomfortable for a variety of shapesand sizes, it interacts beautifully withthe well-proportioned comfortablypadded seat that is designed toalleviate pressure from the joints. Allof which makes it appealing to bothchildren and adults.

This contemporary creation hasbeen designed with the whole familyin mind. For fun days out, or simply touse as an accessory to keep fit.01622 815 615



HTI 01253 775611.

FOLLOWING ON from the summer launch of Toy Story3, HTI has produced a range of licensed wheeled toysshowing off the film's stars.

The HTI licensed catalogue features 10, 12, 14 and16-inch bikes, a standard three wheel scooter, trikes, tri-skates, skateboards, as well as helmet and protective gearto complement any sales.

Meanwhile, HTI also continues to enjoy wheeled toysuccesses with Disney Fairies, Baby Annabell, Spiderman,Baby Born, Fifi and the Flowertots and JCB.

John Crane 01604 77 49 49

THE FIRST BIKE collection from toy manufacturer JohnCrane consist of three versions of a wooden framedbeginner bike with no pedals. Each First Bike has apadded seat to ensure a comfortable ride and allcome with easy grip handlebars ideal for little fingers.What’s more, the chunky pneumatic tyres not onlymean a safe ride, but also give a grown-up feel too.

There is also an add-on bike stand, ideal for busyretailers who need a hand to make the ultimate indisplays for their store.

Polaris 01246 240218

POLARIS' KIDS clothing range is aimed at children fromage five to 12. All garments come in four sizes, smallthrough extra large. All the products have beendesigned and tested at the firm's new headquarters inDerbyshire. All the winter items feature reflective prints(including the firm’s logo) for increased low light safety.

The company also has a new waterproof jacket comingout (Apollo – available in Fluo Orange and Fluo pink)aimed at the commuters of the future. It has a roll awayhood, too, so is ideal for wearing throughout the winter.

Mont BlancMONT BLANC’S Barracuda, aroof mounted bike carrier,places a bike’s wheels in amoulded profile,holding the bikeupright. This meansthe rider can use bothhands when securingthe wheel and frame. Whenthe bicycle is attached to the frameholder, the bicycle holder is secured tothe load carrier.

The Scott carrier, meanwhile, is astable, easy-to-use roof mounted bicycleholder in a new design. Easily fittedwithout tools, the Scott takes frame

diameters from 25 up to 80 mm. Thewheels rest in adjustable wheelholders and are fastened with strongsecuring straps. The Scott can befitted to all standard load bars and

aluminium profiles. Also up from

Mont Blanc, theExplorer is an

innovativealuminium rear bike

carrier. Boasting high impact plasticcomponents, the Explorer is light,versatile, stylish and very easy-to-use. Youcan find out more from Coyote, one ofMont Blanc’s distributors at www.coyote-sports.com, or direct from the firm itself.

Mont Blanc: 01525 850800

CARRIER RACKS


Carry oncyclingFrom luggage racks to car racks,there’s a broad range of product outthere for cycle retailers andconsumers to get to grips with.Jonathon Harker takes a look atsome of the latest on offer…

The UK’s largest Cycle Show returns to Earls Court from October 7th to 10th 2010.Call Upper Street Events on 0207 2886443 for booking details.

MaxxraxxMAXXRAXX’S cycle carrying systemhas proved to be versatile and robust,standing the test of time. The firm tellsBikeBiz that satisfied customersreplenish or replace worn or lost partsafter over a decade of faithful service.

Ease-of-use and secure bikeattachment have been Maxxraxx’smainstays. With a unique load capacity– up to five bikes on vehicles with therequired nose weight rating – it has

proved popular with families. Althougha wall mounting bracket has alwaysbeen available to convert the carryingrack into a storage/work-station unit,Maxxraxx has packaged a dedicatedtwo-bike wall storage and work-stationproduct. The included secure wallfixings and integral padlocked securitycable provide safe and secure storage,while the unique ratchet tensionedbike holding device holds bikes firm todouble up as a handy ready-madeworkstation.

Maxxraxx: 0845 2303 799

ZyroMINOURA’S regallymonickered KingCarrier and KingCarrier Junior areamong the latestfrom the Japanesemaple wood-finishedGamoh carrier series. Incredibly strongand durable, these steel tubed racksare hand-built to carry substantialloads. The Junior version will carry aslightly smaller load, naturally, fittinganything from 20-inch to 700c bikes.The range starts from £74.99 SRP.

Also up from Zyro is the Tortec line,including the Supertour Rear Rack

priced at £29.99. This latestaddition is even lighter andmade from 10mm alloy tubing.Designed for 26-inch or 700cbikes, the rack is ideal forcommuting and touring.

Tortec also offers the TransalpRear Disc rack, priced at £29.99(and in black or silver, like the

former too). Specifically designed forbikes with disc brakes, mounting to 26-inch and 700c bikes is simple andsuper quick to mount. Produced fromlightweight 10mm alloy tubing andwith lower pannier mounting rails, it’seasy to attach a rack pack withoutinterfering with pannier hooks.

Zyro: 01845 521705

Moore LargeTHE ETC BRAND has a range of front andrear luggage carriers retailing between£11.49 and £27.99. The brand also offersa range of Grandtour car racks, and all areapproved to TUV safety standards andcome fully assembled, so no tools arerequired. Even the straps come threadedthrough the buckle.

The comprehensive range features thefull gamut from rear fitting and roof barracks (with a tandem version available) totowbars and 4x4 racks.

Speaking of towbars, the new modelsfrom that range include the DeluxePlatform bike carrier and the Deluxe Armmount, the former coming in a two andthree bike version. Easy to mount anddismount, the carrier comes with arms forthe second and third bike and a fullnumber plate holder with lights, plus a 13

pin plastic plug to boot. The two-bikeversion retails at £279.99 and the threebike at £299.99.

The Deluxe Arm Mount, meanwhile,comes in two, three and four bikeversions,retailingbetween£89.99 and £99.99.

Moore Large:[email protected]

UpgradeLEZYNE’S NEW Power Rack pushesluggage carrying technology to thenext level, says distributor Upgrade.It features oversized-hollow10mm alloy construction forimpressive strength-to-weight ratioand orbital seat stay mounts which allowhassle-free fitting to almost any bike.

The new Power Racks are set to beavailable to the trade around mid-September, with silver or black anodizedfinished and retailing at £39.99. An Eliteversion of the Power Rack is also availablefeaturing a laser-etched flat top-plate andthis retails for £69.99. For more detailsgive Upgrade a call on the number below.

Upgrade: 01403 711 611

PaligapPALIGAP’S ever-popular Saris rack rangeincludes the Bones 3-bike carrying, youguessed it, three bikes.

The eye-catching arc-based designfits over most spoilers and separatesbikes on different levels. The injection-moulded arms and legs are, accordingto Saris, the strongest there areavailable on the market. They’reecologically sound too, built with 100per cent recyclable, non-rustingmaterials. Coming in multiple-

colour options, the Saris 3-bike retailsat £134.99. Famed designer FabioPedrini is the brains behind the rack,which is easy-to-install as well as beingaesthetically pleasing. Ratchet strapskeep the bikes secure to the rack arms,exclusive anti-sways and articulatedrubber feet protect the finish on the carand vinyl-coasted hooks strap securelyto the car with spring-buckles, makinginstalling Bones easy. For more, contactPaligap on the number below.

Paligap: 01454 313 116


CARRIER RACKS

RaleighRALEIGHDISTRIBUTES itsown range of Avenircar racks. The line-up features stylish,hard anodizedaluminium frames,tool-freeadjustment, softtouch bike contactpoints and optionsto mount on theroof, boot or towbar of the car.

The best seller of the Avenir range isthe Montana three-bike boot mount,Raleigh tells Bikebiz. Fitting nearly allcar types, the Montana attaches tosaloons, hatches and vans.

The Peruzzo range is at the valueend of the market, constructed from

coated steel and designed to last.Tested to the same stringent standardsas Raleigh’s premium Avenir range, allof the Peruzzo product line-up comeready-to-fit and have boot or roofmounting options.

Raleigh: 01773 532600

MadisonACCORDING to distributor Madison, theThule EuroClassic G5 is the daddy of allbike racks when it comes to towball-mounted options. Securing to the towballis achieved via a lever which is easilyoperated by one hand and in onemovement. The smart tilt functionenables quick and easy access to the boot

while the bikes remain in-situ on the rack.The frame holder is detachable and easy-to-move, ensuring top-notch versatilityfor different bike frames and designs onthe market. Available in two or three bikevariants, another bike can be added withan adapter.

The two bikes SKU is £359.99 SRP, andthe three bikes is £414.99 SRP.

Madison: 01908 326000

GreyvilleGREYVILLE carries the Mont Blanc rackrange, including the Snowdon – apremium hi-mount rear cycle carrierthat can transport three bicycles upto a maximum load of 45kg.

Retailing for £87.95, theSnowdon attaches to a car via sixUV stabilised, high strengthwebbing straps, giving the racksecure fitting without causingany damage. All joints arequick release and multi-adjusting in order to fit awide range of vehicles.When fitted there’s no needfor a separate number plateholder or lighting board.

Weighing a mere 6.62kg,the Snowdon comes with afixing kit for glass edge rearhatches.

Greyville: 01543 251328

Pendle RacksPENDLE’S BRITISH-MADE range of racksalso includes a wealth of options forcycle consumers and dealers.

One of those is the Wheel Supportfour-bike ball mount, ideal for cyclistswhether they’re about to blast around atrail centre or set off on an epicmountain tour. The dependablerack is simple to use and is,according to Pendle, the mostversatile rack in its range – fittingalmost any vehicle with a towbar and almost any bike.

The clever and simplemounting system sees the bikeheld in place by both tyres andleans against a vertical support,giving it a solid footing. Strapssecure the bike to the rack at

these three points. Crucially there are nofiddly, gimmicky bike clamps either.

Adjusting to fit the bike in moments,the rack adapts for wheelbase, frameshape and bike width. Including a lightunit and much more, the nifty device canbe fitted to Pendle’s garage mount foruse as a home storage system.

Pendle: 01282 699555

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

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

Email:[email protected]

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

This month the lucky winner will receive Oxford’s Ultra Torch 9.

Part of Oxford’s top selling range of LEDs and lights, the front lighthas nine ultra bright diodes, a quick release mounting bracket andcomes complete with batteries. The sturdy aluminium bodymakes it ideal for general purpose use as a compact torch. Therear LED has 3 modes, 7 diodes and a universal mounting bracket.

STA

R L

ETTE

RLETTERS PAGE


From the Forum...CUSTOMERS SIZING UP

I HAVE BEEN having problemslately with customers enteringmy shop saying: "can you sizemy child up for a bike?”

The problem being, they comein, you spend all your time andeffort sizing the child correctly,then you tell them the size, theythen look at you and say “atleast I know what size he needs”.Then they go and source thesame bike online at the lowestprice possible. It’s a waste oftime for me, and the customergoes away full of information hewould never have got any other

way. Anyone else having thisproblem, and how do you copewith it?

Crucial

The first thing I do is put themon the right size bike, and say:“there you go – it’s this size;here’s our selection of bikes tofit your little angel.”

If the punter insists on beingtold the size, we have a simplesytem where a 12” wheel bike issize 1, all the way up to a 22/23”frame adult bike at size 11.

Wallkies

The Forum responds…

Letting off steam

THERE’S AN online store thatsells a current model bike atnearly 50 per cent discount.After being purchased onlinethe bike then came into ourworkshop as the rear cabledisc was rubbing and basicallynot working.

Once in the workshop wealso discovered a number ofproblems; the front wheel wasnot fitted straight, as the discwon’t actually clear thecaliper if positioned correctly;

the front wheel nuts are handtightened only (as are thepedals); the rear brake cable iskinked and the rear disc brakecaliper is totally ineffective atstopping the wheel.

We quoted the customer areasonable price – £160 – toinclude a new set of qualitydisc brakes and also to givethe bicycle a full checkoverand service.

This resulted in a call fromthe internet supplier accusing

us of ripping off thecustomer...

I’m sorry, but doesthis soundunreasonable to you?

I know what toexpect on cheap nastybike shaped objects(BSOs), but this is a£250 bicycle from oneof Britain’s top bikebrands.

Aincat (from theBikeBiz Forum)

“I’m afraid this is a bit of a rant…”

I have seen this kind of thing toooften. My approach is:

1. Point out the faults to thecustomer and if the bike is new orin warranty then advise them to goback to the supplier to get itsorted. That approach avoids thekind of problem you have got into.

2. Quite often customer will askme to fix it. Then I offer options...

a) Set up and service the bikeproperly, replacing damaged parts(in this case brake cable andouters) and advise customer that itwill finish up as good as it possiblycan be. On cheaper bikes suggestthis is the best option, advising thecustomer the bike is what it is andthe ‘half price bargain’ was not asgood as they were led to believe.On a £250 bike with disc brakesthere is no real merit in fittingupgrades to any single item.

b) Replace low quality parts withsomething better. This more often

happens with expensive stuff wherecorners have been cut on brakes orchainset/bottom bracket.

3. Take the opportunity to help thecustomer understand that there isa bit more to choosing a bike thana discount on a price tag.

Handled well, this sort of buyer canbecome a customer of yours and,more than that, so will all of his orher mates.

The trick is to send them awaywith a solution they are happywith and confidence that you aregoing to sort them out and not letthem down.

It’s not too difficult because youcan put all the blame on the outfitwho sold them the bike.

I hope you told the internetsupplier that you were horrifiedwith what you had seen and thatthey should be ashamed ofthemselves? Either that or tellthem to f**k off and stop trying tokill your customers.

DocB

To order copies of BikeBiz Bible or ensure inclusion in the 2011 edition please [email protected]

2pure0844 811 2001www.2pure.co.uk DISTRIBUTOR

Abacus Online Ltd0151 342 9799www.abacusonline.netEPOS

Ascend RetailManagement System01908 280667www.ascendrms.com EPOS

Bohle UK Ltd01952 602680www.schwalbe.co.uk DISTRIBUTOR/IMPORTER

Cube Bikes Uk Ltdwww.cube.eu0031 180441350 DISTRIBUTOR

Custom SportsClothing Ltd07580 495881www.customsportsclothing.com MANUFACTURER/DISTRIBUTOR

Cybertill Ltd0800 0304432www.cybertill.co.uk EPOS

Cycle Division Ltd0845 0508500www.thecycledivision.com WHOLESALER/DISTRIBUTOR

The Cycle Show0207 2886733www.cycleshow.co.ukEVENT/EXHIBITION ORGANISER

Digital RetailSolutions Inc001 8003229471www.digitalretailer.comEPOS

Eurobike Ltd01332 774796www.eurobike.uk.comDISTRIBUTOR

Fat Spanner07966401165www.fatspannerworld.com DISTRIBUTOR/MANUFACTURER

Fisher OutdoorLeisure01727 798345www.fisheroutdoor.co.ukDISTRIBUTOR

Hotlines Europe Ltd0131 3191444www.hotlines-uk.comDISTRIBUTOR

Hykeham WholesaleLimited01522 801550www.hykehamwholesale.co.uk DISTRIBUTOR/WHOLESALER

Jungle Products Ltd01423 780088www.jungleproducts.co.uk www.santacruzbikes.co.ukDISTRIBUTOR

Lyon Equipment01539 625493www.lyon.co.ukDISTRIBUTOR

Monterey Industries Ltd0117 9509499www.masibikes.comwww.brevm.com DISTRIBUTOR/MANUFACTURER

Mojo suspensionHoodoo ltd01633 615815www.mojo.co.uk DISTRIBUTOR

Moore Large and Co Ltd01332 274252www.moorelarge.co.uk DISTRIBUTOR

Otagocyclesport07939 543016www.otagocyclesport.co.uk DISTRIBUTOR

Pacific Cycles Inc+886 34861231www.pacific-cycles.comMANUFACTURER/DISTRIBUTOR

Paligap Ltd01454 313116www.paligapltd.co.ukDISTRIBUTOR

Parklife (Havant) Ltd02392 475895IMPORTER/DISTRIBUTOR

Pashley Cycles01789 292263www.pashley.co.ukMANUFACTURER/DISTRIBUTOR

Peter DobbsDesignand Print Services01482 224007MANUFACTURER/DESIGN & PRINTSERVICES

Qoroz01453 889204www.qoroz.co.uk MANUFACTURER

Raleigh UK Ltd01773 532600www.raleigh.co.uk www.cyclelife.comDISTRIBUTOR

Red Cloud MC01767 692831www.redcloudmc.comMARKETING, PR & EVENTS

Reece Cycles PLC0121 6220180www.reececycles.co.ukDISTRIBUTOR

Saddleback Ltd01454 299965www.saddleback.co.ukDISTRIBUTOR

Seventies0845 3103670www.seventies.co.ukDISTRIBUTOR

Silverfish UK Ltd01752 843882www.silverfish-uk.comDISTRIBUTOR

SKS+49 2333831246www.sks-germany.comMANUFACTURER

Sonic Cycles0207 2432848www.soniccycles.co.uk/b2b IMPORTER/DISTRIBUTOR

Sport Direct Ltd0845 2693060www.sport-direct.co.uk DISTRIBUTOR/MANUFACTURER

StormfrontTechnology Ltd0800 6121044www.stormfront.co.uk EPOS

Trek Bicycle Corporation01908 282626MANUFACTURER

USE Ltd01798 344477www.exposurelights.com www.use1.com MANUFACTURER/DISTRIBUTOR

Vigour Corporation0092 524269920www.vigourcorporation.comMANUFACTURER/EXPORTER

Walkers CycleComponents Ltd0116 2833885www.walkerscycles.co.ukWHOLESALER/DISTRIBUTOR

Zyro Ltd01845 521700www.zyro.co.uk DISTRIBUTOR

October 2010

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]

� CLOTHING AND ACCESSORIES

� CYCLE SHOW SPECIAL ISSUE

NOVEMBER 2010� Stocking Fillers: Gifts under £20 � Trailers and Trailer Bikes

� Cycle Show Review � BikeBiz Awards Review

Editorial Deadline: Oct 8th Advertising Deadline: Oct 13th

DECEMBER 2010� Review of the Year � Retail Survey � Core Bike Preview

� P&A: Wheels, Tyres, Inner Tubes and Pumps

Editorial Deadline: Nov 5th Advertising Deadline: Nov 10th

JANUARY 2011� Workshop: Cleaning, Tools and Training

� Core Bike Special

Editorial Deadline: TBC Advertising Deadline: TBC

FEBRUARY 2011� Cycle Safety � Frames and Forks


MARCH 2011� Cycle Media Analysis: Mags and Websites � Electric Bikes


APRIL 2011� Bike Security � Cycle Fashion: Clothing, Sunglasses,

Watches and Accessories � UK’s Top 20 IBDs


Editorial Deadline: September 3rd

Advertising Deadline: September 8th

Editorial Planner SPOTLIGHTUPCOMING EVENTS

EVENTS AND EDITORIAL PLANNER


For more cycle trade dates: www.bikebiz.com/events

For additional copies please contact:[email protected]

THE BIBLEIS BACK!

EUROBIKE 2010September 1st-4thFriedrichshafen, Germanywww.eurobike-show.de

AWARDS 2010

EUROBIKE 2010Wednesday Sept 1st – 4thFriedrichshafen, Germanywww.eurobike-show.de

PALIGAP HOUSE SHOWSunday Sept 12th – 16thPaligap HQ, Yatewww.paligapltd.co.uk

MOORE LARGE: ON TOURWITH TODAY’S CYCLISTMonday Sept 13th – Oct 21stMultiple locations www.moorelarge.co.uk

EXPO B’ICISaturday Sept 18th – 20thPadua Exhibition Centre, Italywww.expobici.it

INTERBIKE 2010Wednesday Sept 22nd – 24thlas Vegas, USAwww.interbike.com

BROMPTON WORLDCHAMPIONSHIP 2010Sunday October 3rdBlenheim Palace, Oxfordshirewww.brompton.co.uk

INTERMOT 2010,MOTORCYCLE AND BIKE FAIRWednesday Oct 6th – 10thCologne, Germanywww.intermot-cologne.com

BIKEBIZ AWARDS 2010Wednesday October 6thSway Bar, Great Queen Street,[email protected]

HOTLINES DEALER SHOWWednesday October 6th – 9thBrick Lane, Londonwww.hotlines-uk.com

CYCLE SHOW 2010Thursday October 7th – 10thEarls Court, Londonwww.cycleshow.co.uk

BIKE BRNO, INTERNATIONALBICYCLE TRADE SHOW Thursday October 7th – 10thBrno, Czech Republicwww.bvv.cz/bikebrno-gb

X IN THE CITYFriday October 22nd – 24thExCeL Centre, Londonwww.xinthecity.co.uk

September 2010

October 2010


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 AND ACCESSORIES

Madison 01908 326 000 www.madisonb2b.co.uk

Paligap 01454 313 116 www.paligapltd.co.uk

BIKE MAINTENANCE

Weldtite 01652 660 000 www.weldtite.co.uk

BMX PARTS & ACCESSORIES

Seventies 0845 310 3670 www.seventies.co.uk

COMPONENTS

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

Otagocyclesport 07939 543 016 www.otagocyclesport.co.uk

Pace cycles Ltd 01723 867 919 www.pacecycles.com

USE Ltd 01798 344 477 www.use1.com

EPOS

Abacus 0151 342 9799 www.abacusonline.net

Citrus Lime 0845 603 9254 www.citrus-retail.com

Evopos 0845 644 9424 www.evopos.com

LIGHTING

Exposure Lights 01798 344 477 www.exposurelights.com

Lumicycle 0870 757 2229 www.lumicycle.com

RACKS

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

RESPRAYS & REPAIRS

Argos 0117 972 4730 www.argoscycles.com

REPAIRS & STORAGE

2pure 0844 811 2001 www.2pure.co.uk

TRAINING SERVICES

ATG 01296 737 815 www.atg-training.co.uk

Cycle Systems Academy 0207 6082577 www.cycle-systems-academy.co.uk

WATER BOTTLES

Bottle Sport 0845 602 9267 www.bottlesport.com

Wildoo Ltd 08709 771 550 www.wildoo.co.uk

WEBSITE SERVICES

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

SimpleEshop 0116 267 5145 www.simpleeshop.com


BIKEBIZ MARKETPLACE

BIKES AND ACCESSORIES BIKES AND ACCESSORIES

Exposure's 2011 line has now beenrevealed. What are the majorimprovements over last year's range?Having grown our firm's name withmany sources of LEDs we’ve remained atthe forefront of the technology advancesand as a result have been able to be oneof the first, if not the first in the bikeindustry, able to utilise new ‘Cree XPG’LEDs. These are big news because theyadd 30 per cent extra brightness per LED,but at no extra cost.

This means that on its mid-powerten-hour burn time our new line-toppingSix Pack packs the same punch as the2010 Maxx D on full power. That's tenhours of 900-lumen power.

With the introduction of the 2011line, Exposure widens its audience.Explain how:Yes, we'll likely have a lot more interestfrom dealers in the urban-focusedmarkets this year thanks to two specialnew lights in the line. The Flash and theFlare are key products for us goingforwards as they’re both tailored to theroad cyclist, someone we've notpreviously catered for to a great extent.

These lights are both to retail for £40 andso target the commuter seeking one highvisibility solution for on-road use. The rear-facing Flare will emit 75 lumens and runon both solid and flash functions. It’s moreimportant than ever to be seen on theroads and I think commuters arerecognising a bit of investment to be seenis a worthwhile one. The forward-facingFlash will beam 100 lumens. Both will beattachable via an easy-on, easy-off siliconstrap, which seems to be a popular systemamong commuters.

How do you plan to grow the businessas a whole going forwards?USE is, of course, our root business,though it’s the Exposure brand that’sbeen doing huge volumes in the pastyears. Many dealers are coming back toUSE having noted the tie with Exposure.We’re working on pushing the Tula Aerobar further this year, lightening theweight again and streamlining thealready sworn-by design. Exposure hasmuch more exciting news to shoutabout, however. We’re diversifying ourmarkets and following progress in oursurgical headlamp development, we’re

now looking into other markets such asdiving. It’s long been of interest to us,though we’re now making the necessarybreakthroughs to make sure we havetop-end product for diving use. We’re hoping for 30 per cent growth,though some of this comes frominternational business from territoriesthat ‘get’ night riding, namely the USA,Australia and Germany.

Why should dealers choose USE overthe competition? From a mainstream dealer’s point-of-view I think our brand just became awhole lot more attractive thanks to theFlare and flash.

Those lights aside, I believe Exposureto be the highest-turnover mid-to-highend lighting specialist at present. TheJoystick remains our best-seller and hasbecome a whole lot more attractiveagain this year with the new Cree XPGLED advance, yet with no extra cost.

I don’t know in depth aboutcompetitor margins, though I believeours are competitive and the dealersupport outweighs what most firms canoffer, thanks to our UK base.

RORY HITCHENS,

MD, USE AND EXPOSURE LIGHTS

TEL: 01798 344477

WEB: www.exposurelights.com

COMPANY PROFILE

Pic © Chris Keller Jackson

“I believe our marginsare competitive andthat our dealersupport outweighswhat most firms canoffer, thanks to ourUK base.”

COMPONENTS

BIKEBIZ MARKETPLACE

COMPONENTS

BIKE MAINTENANCE


BMX PARTS AND ACCESSORIES

COMPONENTS COMPONENTS

EPOS EPOS


BIKEBIZ MARKETPLACE

BIKEBIZ MARKETPLACE

LIGHTING RACKS

LIGHTING


EPOS

TRAINING SERVICES

RESPRAYS & REPAIRS REPAIRS & STORAGE

BIKEBIZ MARKETPLACE

TRAINING SERVICES


BIKEBIZ MARKETPLACE

WEBSITE SERVICES WEBSITE SERVICES

WATER BOTTLES


WATER BOTTLES

OFF THE RECORD

Let’s getstatistical…This month we reveal the figures that matter in the BarclaysCycle Hire scheme, the number of consumers who have takenadvantage of Cycle To Work, Halfords’ bike sales and a newworld record. At the same time, ACTSmart’s latest data showsmixed fortunes for independent bike dealers...

40,000: The eventual target figure of

journeys made daily as a directresult of London’s bicycle hirescheme. The first two days of

launch resulted in 14,250journeys by hire bike.

1 in 5: The ratio of journeys made

by bicycle in 1904,something London MayorBoris Johnson has gone onthe record to say he wants

to see again.

£25 million: The value of the sponsorship

deal, which sees Barclaysbranding on each cycle hirebike. It is also rumoured thatthe blue paint used to paint

the cycle lanes is in fact‘Barclays blue’, though many

believe this is a ‘happycoincidence’.

2%: The current percentage

of journeys made by bikein London.

Keith Jepson, MD, Max Bikes PR

What bikes do you own and where's your favourite placeto ride? In my position I always have access to some amazing bikesand I think it's essential to ride my clients' bikes, so I amfamiliar with them from a marketing and productperspective. The bikes I own at the moment are a TransitionCovert, five-inch trail bike, a 2004 Specialized Allez Elite onloan to a friend and a Dawes Galaxy for shopping,commuting and general work horse.

I have recently enjoyed riding the new 2011 Whytesuspension bikes, the Wilier Lavaredo and a Marin Black LinePro for 172-mile charity ride.

My favourite place to ride is anywhere with friends, like-minded people and my Dad. I lived in Geneva for a few yearsso the French Alps have always been a favourite of mine forroad and MTB, as well as the rolling hills of Shropshire.

What firms does Max Bikes PR currently serve?Our current portfolio includes Marin, Whyte, Wilier, Mezzoand FSA with ATB Sales, Transition Bikes with Surf Sales andthe US manufacturers and KCNC through Clee Cycles.

Tell us about your work with the UCI:I have been doing some promotional work with the UCI forcycling events in the UK, working with British Cycling, andalso some contract work for specific athletes. The work hasinvolved everything from sourcing product sponsorship, toon-site event management. I worked on the UCI World Cup,Dalby, alongside Farrelly Atkinson and British Cycling, a greatevent uniting bike brands and teams from all over.

What can you offer companies interested in appointing aPR co-ordinator?Max Bikes PR offers a wide range of services from thegenerating and coordinating of viral strategies for maximumexposure and brand discussion, organising conventionalproduct testing or product placement, working alongside theleading cycling magazines and websites, as well as event andathlete management. We specialise in building bespokesolutions, which work in synergy with the sales strategies ofindividual companies.

Puncture repair or new tube?New tube out on the trail or road and repair when get home.

IN THE SADDLE


15%:The figure by which Halfords'

first quarter bicycle division salesrose this year. Total online

revenue rose by 70 per centyear-on-year.

400,000: The number of people who havetaken advantage of the Cycle toWork scheme, according to the

Cycle to Work Alliance.

Barclays Cycle Hire: The Facts and Figures

ActSmart July retail shop sales analysis

BikeBiz has teamed up with leading cycle trade body ACTand ActSmart to provide exclusive monthly cycle shopsales analysis. Specialist cycle shop sales grew by 3.6 percent in July vs ’09, but were nearly 12 per cent down onJune’s peak season volumes. The six-monthly growth ratenow matches 2009, without the benefit of price inflation...

-20

-15

-10

-5

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

2009 2010 Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun July

‘% tu

rnov

er g

row

th v

s. pr

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us y

ear'

Six monthly growthrate over 5 per cent

Specialist cycle retailer core sales growth vs. previous year

July 2009 – Jun 2010


OFF THE RECORD

SPECIALIST cycle shops sales grew for thesixth month in a row in July vs 2009. The 3.6per cent increase in July took year-to-datecore sales growth (stripping out the snow-hitJanuary) to 5.1 per cent, directly in line withFebruary – July 2009 growth. However,currency-driven price inflation was thebiggest driver of sales value increases in 2009and we haven’t (yet) experienced comparableinflation in 2010.

Specialist retail sales increased by 4.7 percent May - July and by 2.7 per cent year-to-date, including January. The volume fall-off inJuly vs June was -11.7 per cent, higher thanthe -9.5 per cent witnessed in 2009,reflecting the weather-assisted June peakrather than a July downturn. With theforecasters now predicting unsettled weather,sales growth is likely to slow as it did inAugust and September 2009.

57 per cent of retailers reported sales

increases in July vs only 54 per cent in June,but of those reporting a sales shortfall, 19 percent reported sales down by over -20 per cent,a significant increase vs June. It remains a verymixed story on the High Street as consumerdemand fluctuates across the country.

For more info visit: http://cycles.actsmart.biz/news/ ActSmart: 0845 6187256

13%: The figure by which reported business

insolvencies declined through June, according toExperian. The North East had the highestinsolvency rate at 0.14% of businesses.

176 days:The new record for circumnavigating the world

by bicycle, set by British Cycling member Vin Cox,34, a cycling proficiency officer and cyclocrosschampion. The journey is 18,000 miles long.

NIGEL MANSELL’S wellpublicised cyclechallenge saw theFormer F1 andIndyCar championride 1,200 milesaround the UK in 13days – without adays rest – alongsideTour de France stagewinner and ParisRoubaix championMagnus Backstedtand Mansell’s twosons Leo andGregg.

The tenth dayof the ‘Positiveabout Youth’challenge saw themotoring legendappear at theCarlton Lodge

Fun Day for North Yorkshire Youth. The daywas also supported by cycle industrystalwart Zyro, with the distributordonating a wealth of goodies for the day’s‘Cycling Zone’ initiative.

Zyro marketing manager Jane Watsonsaid: “The most fantastic thing about theday was that Nigel, Greg, Leo, Maggie and

the whole Nigel Mansell Cycle ChallengeTeam, were at the centre of it all.

“It’s events like these that make cyclinga much more inclusive activity. We wereso proud to be involved, particularly as thefun day was on our doorstep and this sortof grassroots activity will hopefully be oneof many to come for Zyro.”

OFF THE RECORD

Strike a poseDEDICATED followers of fashion andlovers of two wheels had a spot of goodnews at the end of last monthwhen reports emerged of aclothing house teamingup with a cycle firm.

British fashiondesigner Paul Smithfurthered his bike-loving credentialswith a freshpartnership withgarmentmanfacturer Rapha.This time Smith

produced an entire collection with thefirm, to be stocked in key Paul Smith

retailers from October. Sporting high-visibility pink, polka dot patterns

and striking colours, thegarments will feature thephrase ‘Freedom of the openroad’ in Paul Smith’shandwriting.

The two have previouslyworked together a numberof times, including for aGrand Depart jersey tocelebrate the London Tourde France prologue in ’07.

• mansell rides out for youth

OFFTrack


EVEN BIKEBIZ’S residentdirt-muncher Mark Suttonhas yet to brave thephenomenon of lakejumping, but that mightjust be about to changewith the arrival of thesecond-ever Eurobike LakeJump on ThursdaySeptember 2nd. For theuninitiated the phenomenonis pretty much what you’dexpect – theparticipant pedals upa ramp and promptlyfalls into thepicturesque, butprobably still quitechilly, Bodensee lake,Friedrichshafen side.

To prove we’re notmaking this up we’vegrabbed a few picsfrom last year’s event.Tempted? Lessadventurous types maybe interested to hearof the Karaoke Show,taking place shortlyafter the lake jump.

Jumped up cyclists

Going, going, gone: Some Eurobikeattendees cross the lake the hard way

Cycling in style,the Rapha and

Paul Smith way

Mansell speeds into Yorkshire

F1 budget cutbacks

forced Mansell’s team

to innovate


Send your pictures [email protected]

OFF THE RECORD

WHILE DRINK driving is, rightly, far fromsocially acceptable, the same can’t yet besaid for cycling while under the influenceof alcohol. That might be about tochange if the Institute of AdvancedMotorists gets its way, which has warnedthat booze-related cycle crashes arevastly under-reported and that no onereally knows how big the problem is.

The IAM pointed out that riding a bikewhile intoxicated and without propercontrol of it on a road or public spacecould result in a fine up to £1,000.

IAM director ofPolicy and ResearchNeil Greig said:“Many people willhave a bit of awobble on the wayhome, but while youmay be of less riskto other road usersthan when in a car,you could easily fallinto a dangeroussituation or cause

someone else toswerve and crash toavoid you. If yourcycling does result in acollision you are likelyto come off worse.

“It is often the casethat people who havehad a couple of extradrinks will be cyclinghome in the dark,increasing the dangerinvolved.”

Sponsored by thebrands of Moore Large

01332 274252

“WHEN YOU hit a ramp fastand you hit its peak and you’recentered and you’re in controland looking down, you feel likeyou’re flying, like you’refloating on top of the world. Itmakes me glow until I’m themost alive I’ve ever been.”

Matt Hoffman,New York Times, July 29th

“Everyone is very relieved thatChris was not hurt in the caraccident in Manchester, and heis continuing with full-timetraining in preparation for thestart of the season.”

A British Cycling spokespersoncomments on Sir Chris Hoy’s

car accident, August 8th

“Sustrans supports Cycle Hire,and expanding it to theOlympic Park. But, if even asmall portion of the £81million that Boris hasearmarked for Cycle Hire wasassigned to the thirteen BikingBoroughs then it could increasenumbers of people cycling andgive Londoners in other parts ofLondon the chance to benefitfrom the Mayor’s CyclingRevolution.”

Carl Pittam, director ofSustrans in London, August 6th

“Though managing the [cyclisttunnel at Monsal Trail, PeakDistrict] project, they arereceiving substantial help fromCycling England, a body itselftemporarily funded by theDepartment of Transport,though I understand that futurestate funding is not assured.

“Couldn’t cyclists themselvesbe more involved in thefunding of Cycling England —some £160 million per annum?Cyclists have a strong sense of

community and are good atorganising (as I know to mycost, having once upset them).I’d hazard a guess that as agroup they do not represent aparticularly disadvantagedsection of society. They pay noroad tax. Cyclists do alreadysupport a range of cyclingorganisations, out of their ownpockets: why not this one, ifthey want it to continue?”

Spectator columnistMatthew Parris hints at cuts

for Cycling England and fails torealise road tax was abolished

decades ago, August 6th

quoteunquote

NAVIGATION and cyclecomputer specialistGarmin braved the roughwaters of the EnglishChannel for Cowes Weeklast month. Ferryingsome lucky folk fromthe industry to the Isle ofWight-based event, Garmin employedthe use of an RIB (that’s rigid inflatableboats to the rest of us) where seasickness-pill-packing journos had the

chanceto see the racing action up close andpersonal – and get their hands on someof the latest Garmin kit.

Sir Chris Hoy

Xx

• cyclists attempt to ride on water • garmin comes over nautical for cowes week

Pic Credit: Phil O

’Connor

Been mixing bikes with beers?

Pic Credit: Rick Tomlinson

Garmin gets intochoppy waters

I GET EMAILED a lot of press releases and, in the run upto Eurobike, the great majority of them were for electricbikes. And many of these were plugging the electric bikeas a machine for “young, sporty professionals, notknackered old folks.”

I might be paraphrasing a little, but you get the gist.E-bikes are said to be the ‘new dawn’, the next big thing.I don’t buy this. E-bikes will get bigger, that’s for sure.But as big as the mountain bike? Okay, sales of e-bikesare stellar in Germany and the Netherlands, but this isthe UK. We have a very different infrastructure for ridingbicycles and, despiteour best efforts, fewbank managers cycleto work.

German bankmanagers keep theircars at home and rideto work. Bike riding ismainstream, perfectlynormal. In Freiburg –home town of PeterDenk, designer of theCannondale e-bike,and who I interviewon page 41 – there are twice as many bicycles as cars. Inthe Dutch town of Groningen, 57 per cent of the citizensbike almost everywhere. In Germany and theNetherlands, it’s not odd for older people to ride bikes.Electric bikes are perfect for this older demographic.

Yes, we’re seeing more of this demographic in Britain’sbike shops and yes, IBDs must remain vigilant if they’renot to see electric bike sales going to supermarkets. But Idon’t yet see how electric bikes will appeal to youngsters.At least not with the current specs.

Clean Mobile of Germany says its new e-bike unit“lets users experience higher speed, higher acceleration

and greater range, thus achieving broad user acceptance.”Pound to a penny that e-bike unit won't be street

legal in Europe. Restricted to 25kmh and 250wattmotors, today's street legal e-bikes aren't zippy enoughfor most younger consumers. This is why ETRA andothers are lobbying in Brussels: they want the EU toallow more powerful motors and faster speeds.

Faster, more powerful bicycles with motors aren'tnew. Just before the First World War, bicycles had motorsclagged on to them and motorbikes were born. A newbreed of faster, more powerful electric bicycles will be

motorbikes, and needto be classified assuch.

The Sunday Timesrang me a few weeksback to talk about the£50,000 Blacktrailelectric bicycle fromPG Bikes of Germany.It can reach speeds inexcess of 100kmh; ithas a motor 950watts over the EN15194 standard. Its

makers may want it classified as an electric bike, but it’san electric motorbike. To be street legal it will need to betaxed, insured, and riders will require helmets and won'tbe allowed on cycle paths. Those that want the EN15194 standard to include faster, more powerful e-bikesare right that such a move is required if e-bikes are to gomainstream. But when bicycle companies spend much oftheir R&D cash on faster, more powerful e-bikes therewill be less cash for motor-free bicycles. Bicycle andmotorbike companies split from each other in the earlydays of motorbiking. Is that what we'll see with bikesand e-bikes?

Executive Editor: Carlton Reid [email protected]

Editor: Jonathon [email protected]

Deputy Editor: Mark Sutton [email protected]

Advertising Manager: Carly Bailey [email protected]

Editorial Production Manager:Helen [email protected]

Sub-Editor: Gemma [email protected]

Production Executive: Abby [email protected]

Design: Kelly [email protected]

Business Development:Dave Roberts [email protected]

Managing Editor: Lisa [email protected]

Publisher/MD: Stuart [email protected]

Marketing & Circulation: Lindsay [email protected]

Finance Director: Hilary Cole

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E-bikes are no New DawnCarlton Reid doesn’t want to see EN 15194 - the EU standard forElectronically Power Assisted Cycles – watered down. It would splitthe bike trade in half, he warns…

LATEST NEWS STRAIGHT TO YOUR MOBILE | BOOKMARK US: MOBILE.BIKEBIZ.COM

short and

A lady just came in the shopwith her newborn and whileshe was holding it the little

thing shat all over her.Cottle01

Truth hurts. Maybe not asmuch as jumping on a bicyclewith a seat missing, but it

hurts. ~ Leslie Nielsen, NakedGun 2 ½ qbike

Got a bicycle. Have that shinynew bike feeling that I haven'thad since I was 11 years old…

It's better than that 'new car’feeling… DitaVonTeese

Due to a spectacular MOT failI'm about to ride 14 miles onthe only bike I have available –

a 14-inch Kona Cadabra withflat pedals. SingletrackMark

It's amazing what ridingthrough Essex with an 16stcopper called 'John' wearing a

MetCC skinsuit does for yourconfidence. LukeScheybeler

OFF THE RECORD

Wondering what the Twitterati have been upto this month? Look no further...

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bikebiz august 2010_issue 56

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