BikeBiz August 2019

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AUGUST 2019

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‘While my concluding impression is that diversity within cycling is improving, considerable steps need to be taken in order to accelerate that movement’

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CONTENT Editor James Groves james.groves@biz-media.co.uk

Graphic Designer Tom Carpenter tom.carpenter@biz-media.co.uk Production Manager Sarah Lamb sarah.lamb@biz-media.co.uk

ADVERTISING SALES Sales Manager Richard Setters richard.setters@biz-media.co.uk +44 (0)779 480 5307

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INTERNATIONAL BikeBiz and its content are available for licensing and syndication re-use. Contact Colin Wilkinson for opportunities and permissions. colin.wilkinson@biz-media.co.uk

MANAGEMENT Media Director Colin Wilkinson colin.wilkinson@biz-media.co.uk

Printed by Buxton Press Ltd ISSN: 1476-1505 Copyright 2019

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THE EDITOR

The calm before the storm As Eurobike returns to a more traditional date in our calendar, followed up six days later with a trip to the NEC for the Cycle Show in collaboration with the BikeBiz Awards – not to mention a fully-fledged Yorkshire Cycle Expo added to the equation as the UCI Championships begin – it’s fair to say that September represents an incredibly hectic time for the cycle industry.

As a result, August serves as a final opportunity for many of us to take stock, breathe, and, in BikeBiz’s case, examine the state of play in 2019.

Following the release of Cycling UK’s 100 Women in Cycling list at the end of June – which included BikeBiz’s own Rebecca Morley – we spoke to various women to gauge their thoughts and experiences on an undeniably male-dominated industry.

Five – 2pure’s Robyn Bowie, Raleigh’s Pippa Wibberley, London Bike Kitchen’s Jenni Gwiazdowski, Ribble’s Sasha Castling and Bay Cycles’ Lucy Elsdon – were kind enough to participate in our August edition, and while my concluding impression is that diversity within cycling is improving, it’s clear that considerable steps need to be taken in order to accelerate that movement, not as we head into the new year, and not next week, but today.

That said, some promising signs are there, and the BikeBiz team is keen to showcase that positivity on a regular basis. If you’d like to be involved – be it print or online – and share your thoughts and experiences with the industry, please feel free to get in touch via my email address below.

In the meantime, don’t forget to visit bikebizawards.com to pick your winners for 2019 – voting closes on 16th August.

James Groves

Editor james.groves@biz-media.co.uk

Editorial: +44 (0)203 143 8779 Advertising: +44 (0)779 480 5307

THE TEAM

Staff Writer Rebecca Morley rebecca.morley@biz-media.co.uk

Rebecca Morley

Richard Setters

Tom Carpenter

staff writer rebecca.morley@biz-media.co.uk

sales manager richard.setters@biz-media.co.uk

graphic designer tom.carpenter@biz-media.co.uk

+44 (0)203 143 8777

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AUGUST 2019

11

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The Cycle Show This year’s event sees the launch of a brand new business conference aimed specifically at IBDs

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100 Women in Cycling Rebecca Morley reflects on how Cycling UK’s annual event can make steps to improve the gender imbalance

24

Eurobike 2019 James Groves catches up with show head Stefan Reisinger ahead of the 28th annual trade show in Friedrichshafen

15

31 Bike-sharing: The silver bullet for environmental and public health?

Beryl recently introduced its hybrid bike-share scheme to Enfield. Rebecca Morley chats to Philip Ellis about this evolving trend

37 Walmart’s pop-up bike brand Viathon turns heads Carlton Reid sits down with brand manager Zack Spinhirne-Martin

24 www.bikebiz.com

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@bikebizonline

bikebiz

25/07/2019 14:36

OPINION

What can we do to keep cyclists in the saddle for longer?

By Pulseroll’s Paul McCabe and Stuart Percival

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yclists of all levels – from the seasoned professional to the occasional dabbler – can push themselves too hard at times.

Muscle soreness, range of motion and strength loss all negatively impact performance in training or competition and detract from the joy of cycling.

All exercise relies on effective muscle contraction, so anything that compromises this will reduce performance. Apart from acute day-to-day poor performance, bouts of exercise-induced muscle damage require longer recovery before returning to higher-intensity training, at the risk of breakdown and injury. Weak calves, for example, are a common cause of Achilles tendonitis, shin splints, calf strains and plantar fasciitis. Over time, these issues lead to the suffering of overall fitness. With reduced capacity for power, cyclists are slowed down and tire out considerably more quickly than they would have otherwise. So, what can we do to keep cyclists in the saddle for longer? This is a priority issue for many professionals in the sports industry and a variety of measures can be taken to minimise the impact of exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD).

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One such example is vibration therapy (VT) as a tool in physiotherapy treatment, which is known to help improve circulation and increase mobility. It can be administered via whole body (WBV) or by local vibration therapy (LVT), which refers to direct application to specific points on the body. You might be familiar with VT in the context of vibration machines in the gym, which generally consist of a vibrating plate with variable settings (Hz) on which you stand, delivering WBV via the hands and feet.

Research has shown both methods (WBV and LVT) to be effective in enhancing strength and power, increasing blood flow and range of motion (ROM) in joints and limbs and reducing muscle soreness with exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD/DOMS). However, a large body of research suggests LVT is the more effective of the two. Local vibration therapy, specifically on the legs, can improve form, power and even speed. Ergogenic aids like LVT can facilitate a quicker return to training, reduce risk of injury and illness and improve long-term performance gains.

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OPINION

The Vibrating Peanut Ball is designed to help improve circulation and increase mobility

Local vibration therapy was previously studied in laboratories using cumbersome equipment which administered the VT locally – usually by a hand-held device or foam roller type equipment – but LVT is now accessible by means of portable devices that allow direct application. These portable devices have also become available to the consumer via Pulseroll, whose range of LVT-administering products utilise a combination of pressure and vibration to help loosen muscles, improve mobility, increase blood flow and flush away lactic acid.

The accessibility of Pulseroll’s foam rollers allowed us to collaborate on a comprehensive study involving a number of technologies to measure strength, blood flow and oxygen levels within the muscles before, during and after DOMS. A huge amount of research into the effects of EIMD/DOMS has already been undertaken over the years, with a prominent focus on the increase in blood flow and oxygenation that the VT reports to enhance, and the attenuating effects this has on EIMD.

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There is good evidence that VT enhances blood flow (and thus oxygenation) to the muscle. Although no consensus exists into the actual aetiology, the results of our own research indicated that post-EIMD/DOMS, the small blood vessels that service the muscle become damaged in some way, which compromises blood flow (and muscle oxygenation). We wanted to find out whether, if VT can potentially increase blood flow and oxygenation to muscles, it could relieve the effects of EIMD/DOMS. Understanding and measuring how DOMS affects strength, blood flow and oxygen in the muscle was just one part of the study. We also wanted to know whether anything could be done to reduce the negative side effects of DOMS in the muscle.

Two groups underwent strength testing and baseline measures of muscle oxygenation. Both groups then did some novel exercise to induce EIMD/DOMS, with group one self-administering LVT with Pulseroll products, and group two receiving no LVT at all.

Strength and muscle oxygenation were retested a total of three times, every eight hours.

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OPINION

The Foam Roller and Single Ball are now in stock

‘Cyclists of all levels can push themselves too hard at times’

Muscle oxygenation in the LVT group was significantly higher than in the non-VT group. Performance in the strength-based task was also better in the LVT group. The study indicated that the use of Pulseroll vibrating foam rollers was strongly correlated with increased blood flow and oxygen in the muscle, likely facilitated by dilation of blood vessels in the muscles.

The results of this study shows, with academic backing, that Pulseroll products work exactly as we intended them to. Empowering the consumer with the kind of information that we generated in the study would open their eyes to the various areas in which they can invest to aid their recovery and avoid injuries. Better yet, making this information available to our dealer network empowers our partners to advise what particular products can help pinpoint the issue the customer is having, and provide personalised solutions.

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The vibrating foam roller is a super-versatile piece of exercise equipment that offers many benefits similar to a sports massage. It not only improves blood flow but also can increase flexibility, balance and core muscle strength, and we’re delighted to be able to offer conclusive evidence for those claims. With built-in rechargeable batteries, we have two sizes of foam roller, the Peanut Ball and the Single Ball (pictured) available to stock. In August, we’re excited to launch our new massage percussion gun. We offer discounts for bulk-buying products and free POS for retail stores with a built-in video screen playing brand videos and subtitled testimonials. We also make products available free of charge to offer as prizes and provide in-house training. The Pulseroll range is designed to help the cyclist enjoy their passion unencumbered, recover faster and ultimately help them improve their performance and find the marginal gains they’re looking for. n

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THE CYCLE SHOW 2019

Establish, maintain, expand This year’s Cycle Show sees the launch of a brand new business conference aimed specifically at IBDs on the trade day at the NEC, Birmingham on 12th September

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ith the UK retail sector caught in economic and political headwinds, the 2019 Cycle Show will turn its attention to addressing these issues, with the emphasis on aspiration and practical information for retailers and brands.

The sessions will address the key issues in establishing, maintaining and expanding successful retail businesses.

The aim of these business sessions is to provide examples of best-in-class retailing from beyond the cycling industry, looking for lessons from across the retail spectrum and particularly at sports and athleisure innovation.

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The morning sessions will focus on site selection and the practical issues of negotiating rents and leases, plus expanding a store network, while also ensuring that an IBD’s online and social media complement the store base to help promote awareness and sales.

For exhibitors, there will be a special, early morning address on how to stand out in a crowded marketplace, while the morning concludes with a special session from Halfords and international design agency Dalziel + Pow on how to create great store environments.

The afternoon will focus on people. Former Missguided and Bench retail expert Andy Marsh will consider how to create a great leadership

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THE CYCLE SHOW 2019

Show Me The Money How to prosper in challenging times BREAKFAST SESSION FOR EXHIBITORS 08.45-9.15: Branding: Stand out in a crowded marketplace Great brands know how to connect with their customers emotionally and how to talk their language. Mike Roberts, chief creative officer of international design and brand agency Green Room, considers what lessons you can learn from those who do it best.

BUSINESS CONFERENCE, MAIN TRADE DAY Morning session: Optimising store effectiveness 10.15-11.00: Store location – choosing the right store, rents, lease conditions Adam Lazenbury, partner at global retail agency Cushman & Wakefield, provides detailed analysis of how to select a store location, powerful retail adjacencies, catchment data; plus what to look out for in terms of rent, lease conditions and providing a strong covenant and how to expand beyond your first store.

11.00-11.30: Firing on all channels: Leveraging opportunities across your business In an omni-channel world, what can the cycle industry learn from how other independent businesses are using all the channels available to them to maximise impact and sales? Fresh from collaboration with Amazon on the roll-out of Clicks and Mortar pop-up shops across the UK, Emma Jones, founder of Enterprise Nation, looks at strategies for success.

11.30-12.00: Lifestyle: Understanding cycling and leisure Halfords European retail director Simon Bentley looks at the role of stores, how to capitalise on the growth in the popularity of cycling and how complementary services can help to match and support the retail offer.

12.00-12.45: Store design – How to maximise impact and sales International design agency Dalziel + Pow explains how to design the interior of a store for maximum impact and what to do to optimise the merchandising for sales.

LUNCH BREAK: 12.45-14.15 Afternoon session: Staff and customers – How to get them and keep them 14.15-14.45: Marketing: Reaching out to an army of women customers The interest in women in competitive sport peaked yet again this summer with the Women’s World Cup and yet the sense remains that the female consumer is still under-represented. Nielsen Sports global lead & head of brands (UK), Lynsey Douglas looks at how you can ensure your business and retail approach is aligned to appeal to women.

14.45-15.15: Leadership: Creating the right management team for growth One of the toughest moves is taking an owner-run single store business and expanding, ensuring you have the right team and skills in place for growth and for modern retailing. Virtue People director Andy Marsh, formerly with Missguided and Bench, talks building the right leadership team.

15.15-15.45: Customers as advocates: How disruption delivers results Many sports and fitness markets seem impossibly crowded and competitive and yet a number of disruptors have been able to capture market share by turning customers into communities and their strongest sales advocates. Michael Dean, head of franchise sales for the UK & Ireland, F45 Training, explains how the Australian fitness training phenomenon has taken the UK by storm.

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Adam Lazenbury, partner at global retail agency Cushman & Wakefield

team as your business expands and as the demands of retail change.

How to attract, train and retain brilliant staff and how marketing can work to bring in new customers and keep them spending will also be a focus.

The day has been put together and will be chaired by Mark Faithfull, editor of Retail Property Analyst and a very experienced international retail specialist, who has devised the structure of the day to address the key issues facing retailers during tough times.

For trade visitors, the business conference should form a complementary part of your day at the show, offering you the chance to hear and learn from a wide range of international experts at no additional cost.

“It has probably never been a more challenging time for cycle retailers, with economic and political upheaval impacting consumer confidence and spending patterns, while online competition and new international players continue to make the industry ever more competitive,” said Faithfull. “For this year’s event we are assembling a stellar cast of speakers, who have been involved in stand-out projects, to help visiting businesses to enhance

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THE CYCLE SHOW 2019

Emma Jones, founder of Enterprise Nation

Virtue People director Andy Marsh

profits and leverage opportunities across channels and sectors.”

Registration for The Cycle Show Trade Day incorporating The Cycle Show Business Conference is free for bike trade visitors who register before 11th September 2019. To register, visit www.cycleshow.co.uk/ tradeBC. On the day trade passes cost £15. n Conference programme subject to change. Correct at time of press.

Green Room’s Mike Roberts

Opening hours Bike Trade & Press only: Thursday 12th September : 09:00 – 17:30 Public: Friday 13th September: 09:30 – 17:00 , Saturday 14th September: 09:30-17:00, Sunday 15th September: 09:30 – 17:00

VOTE ONLINE NOW It’s time to make your voice heard in the BikeBiz Awards by casting a vote for the innovative brands, incredible retailers and outstanding individuals that keep the wheels of the UK cycle industry turning.

DEADLINE: FRIDAY 16 AUGUST, 12.00PM www.bikebizawards.com WANT TO BE A PART OF IT? Secure your bespoke BikeBiz Awards sponsorship package today and enjoy maximum exposure while aligning your brand with the industry’s very best. For more information, contact Richard Setters on +44 (0)779 480 5307 or at richard.setters@biz-media.co.uk.

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FEATURE

Closing the gap Cycling UK named its 100 Women in Cycling last month. Rebecca Morley reflects on how this can make steps to improve the gender imbalance within cycling, before hearing from five women about their experiences within the trade

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t’s no secret that women are underrepresented in the cycling industry. When I joined BikeBiz in August last year, the male dominance was immediately apparent.

That’s not to say it was unwelcoming – I’ve had mainly positive experiences throughout the past year, with only the occasional moments where I’ve felt patronised. The first – within my first week, incidentally – was the ‘fancy womens’ bike ride’ – an “easy ride” – for which people are invited to dress up and decorate their bikes in pink tassels to raise interest in cycling for women. Irrespective of their noble intentions, events like this are hardly helping the cause!

Thankfully, the trade events I’ve been to since have made concerted efforts to address the gender imbalance more appropriately. The 2018 Cycle Show at the NEC targeted the ‘three Fs’ – families, females and first-timers, so it was encouraging to see efforts being made to encourage more women to attend. This year’s London Bike Show also aimed to encourage more women to visit and be inspired to take up or continue riding, and female attendance soared to 29%, up from 16% in 2018. While 29% is still a little way off gender equality, it demonstrates a marked improvement.

The London Bike Show also saw Cycling UK launch the 2019 Women’s Festival of Cycling, opening up nominations for its annual 100 Women in Cycling. The list was announced on 1st July at a Parliamentary reception and I was lucky enough to be included. I was nominated

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for being one of the leading female cycle trade journalists, doing what I can to set the industry news agenda with my output. I hope I can use this nomination to not only inspire more women to take up cycling but also to encourage newcomers into the industry, too.

According to Cycling UK, it is estimated that only one million women in the UK cycle regularly – just 3% of the population, with many more bike journeys made by men than women. The festival aims to address this imbalance, encouraging more women to get in the saddle. The awards were presented in Westminster, following a ride to the House of Commons by more than 150 women. The ride was led by TV presenter Angellica Bell, who said: “Wouldn’t it be amazing if every female cyclist in this country persuaded just one more woman to take up cycling. Imagine the difference that could make. Cycling is not only one of the most enjoyable ways of getting around, it’s great for your health, fitness and the environment.”

She’s right. Imagine the difference that could be made to the sport and the industry by encouraging more women to cycle – after all, we are potential customers and employees for your business. But how is the industry itself catering to the women who work in it? Is the gap really closing or is there still a long way to go? I got in touch with five women from different areas of the trade to find out how they got into the industry, what their experiences have been and what more could be done. n

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FEATURE

“A lot has changed – I truly do see a lot more female representation within the industry”

Robyn Bowie, marketing manager, 2pure

How did you become involved in the cycling industry?

I’ve been involved in the cycling industry from a young age. Growing up, I spent a lot of time in bike shops and my parent’s distribution business. Having sworn I would never work for them, an opportunity arose when Barry – marketing manager for 2pure at the time – heard I was looking for a year-long placement during my degree and asked if I wanted to apply for one of the vacancies in the marketing department. And that was five years ago! My role has changed a lot in that time as I have been encouraged to explore various avenues within the company.

What is your proudest moment to date?

Apart from being featured in the BikeBiz 30 under 30, it’ll have to be the first year that I planned and executed 2pure’s room at COREbike. When I took over the role of marketing manager my first big project was COREbike. It was left to me to make sure the room design and our overall attendance was a success. It was a great experience and I learned a lot after that first year. But I will never be prouder than I was when our sales team came in to see the room for the first time.

What are your experiences of being a woman in the cycling industry?

My experiences vary – my first year at COREbike in 2015 was certainly an eye-opener. I was six months into my

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time at 2pure and supported Barry and the team in organising our room/stand at COREbike. I was thrown into a male-dominated environment, not unfamiliar to me at the time. However, what stood out to me the most was the feeling of arrogance and brash behaviour that created an unwelcoming environment.

Sometimes I forget what a lovely bubble 2pure has created for me as a female in this industry. I forget when I step outside of this that there are still a lot of people within the industry who don’t encourage or support women in their roles. A lot has changed since then and I truly do see a lot more female representation within the industry. I know from experience how much 2pure has changed in the last few years, we have a much more representative male:female ratio within the company. I am not seen as a ‘woman’ but a colleague who has equal input and value contribution to the discussion the same as anyone else.

If you could give one piece of advice to women entering the industry, what would it be?

I would say find a company which is supportive and encouraging – you should feel like your contribution is valued. There are plenty of people within the industry who are supportive and forward-thinking. I would caveat that by saying most women in the industry are strong women who are pushing the industry forward. n

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FEATURE

“I have attended events where men assume I am the wife of our financial director”

Pippa Wibberley, managing director, Raleigh UK How did you become involved in the cycling industry?

Like many of my colleagues, it is Raleigh that made me want to work for Raleigh! After I joined, I got to know the global brand choice that we offer as a business with Haibike, Lapierre and Diamondback and the expertise and scale we have in growth markets such as e-bikes and global P&A brands – I could then see just how big the opportunity was.

What is your proudest moment to date?

To be honest, I work with a fabulous team of talented individuals and one or all of them make me proud every day. If I must name one, then it has to be a few weeks ago when we got to the end of our second Pedalfest event – a fantastic festival of cycling that we hold at Sherwood Pines.

Colleagues across the business had worked so hard all weekend to give more than 12,000 consumers a truly amazing cycling experience with test rides. We were all exhausted, but we had achieved something special together.

What are your experiences of being a woman in the cycling industry?

I was a little disappointed when I started working in the industry – women are dramatically underrepresented. I have always worked in male-dominated industries – automotive, motorcycles, domestic heating and air conditioning and the sad thing is, fewer women hold senior positions in this industry than any of the others I have worked in. I attended a BA Leadership Meeting about 18 months ago and Isla Rowntree did a little cheer – finally she was not the only woman! I have also attended events where men assume I am the wife of our financial director. That can get a bit boring – but it’s their problem, not mine.

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Beyond that, I don’t notice it really. I don’t view my gender as relevant. I just get on with the job.

What more could we be doing to encourage women to be part of the industry?

I think flexible working is really important – for men and women. If we have women working full-time, they are invariably juggling career development, childcare, after school activities, a million mundane life chores, often additional study etc. Making it possible to work hours around this crazy life means that we now have women mechanics in our workshop, our head of marketing is a woman and we have some fantastically talented women in technical, digital and creative roles.

The sport side of the industry is a mixed bag. We still watch the Giro winner have his kids pushed out of the way on the podium, so the girls paid to kiss him on the cheek can fulfil their contractual obligations – how are we not moving on from that? On the flip side, we have some super fabulous role models like Laura Kenny – what a legend!

If you could give one piece of advice to women entering the industry, what would it be?

The same advice I would give anyone on their career.

If you’re not enjoying it, stop and do something else.

You work too long to do something you hate, and you won’t be the best you can be either. There are always options. Seek them out for yourself and make them happen. Never take a job based on the pay or the job title – take it because the challenge excites you and you truly think you can make a difference.

The rest will follow. n

www.bikebiz.com

25/07/2019 16:23

FEATURE

“Sometimes it can feel like you’re entering a club that’s not yours”

Jenni Gwiazdowski, director, London Bike Kitchen How did you become involved in the cycling industry?

Ha! For some reason, as someone who worked in charity marketing, I thought I’d set up a DIY bike workshop. And then I became a mechanic. I like to think I snuck in sideways.

What is your proudest moment to date?

Getting my book, How to Build a Bike written and published.

What are your experiences of being a woman in the cycling industry?

Good and bad. It’s funny dealing with people who ignore you because you’re a woman, and try to talk to your male colleague who’s obviously busy working on something else.

But they are few and far between. Cycling as a thing is very niche, and women, gender-variant, and POC in the industry are like a minority within a minority, so it feels like you know everyone. But sometimes it can feel like you’re entering a club that’s not yours. I feel like I have to prove myself in order to have a mere conversation. It’s up to all of us to welcome different people to join in. Some shops really get this, and others feel like you’re walking into a time machine, and not in a good way.

their game. Scholarships targeting minorities are great for getting rid of barriers to entry and encouraging people who may have never thought of getting into the industry. I really wish someone like Cytech would create a programme, we would see such a step change in a short amount of time.

Also, psychologically speaking, people need to stop thinking of equality (or in this case, the industry) as a pie.

It’s not a fixed amount of work that’s available. Technology and trends are changing all the time. People retire or find jobs elsewhere. There are so many opportunities for businesses to grow, we should be doing our best to attract talent from previously untapped areas, not fighting over what’s perceived as the last bone.

Do you feel that the gender gap is closing?

No. In eight years I still rarely see female mechanics, wheel builders and frame builders.

To what extent do you think this differs from other industries and also perhaps from other sports?

I’m not a sporty person, and don’t know much about other industries, but I recently have been thinking about how similar guitar shops are to cycling shops. The cycling industry could learn a lot from Richer Sounds. An employee owned model that values both the staff and the customer is the way forward.

We can’t compete with the internet, but we can be better than the internet. Imagine a chain of shops that were worker owned and operated, and that treated customers with the utmost service. It’s definitely possible.

What more could we be doing to encourage women to be part of the industry?

I think targeted programmes like the ones that QBP and Trek offer in the US are sorely needed in the UK. They’re not just for beginners, but for mechanics at any level looking to up

If you could give one piece of advice to women entering the industry, what would it be?

Use the web to find like minded people if you’re feeling alone.

Working in cycling is extremely rewarding and your presence will encourage others to get in as well. Be a pioneer. n

www.bikebiz.com

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FEATURE

“It’s been one of the nicest industries I’ve worked in”

Sasha Castling, PR and marketing, Ribble Cycles How did you become involved in the cycling industry?

I first became involved through a design consultancy, working on the branding for the original Boardman Bikes concept and founders. As time progressed, I moved across into the business, taking on the PR and marketing responsibilities.

It was an exhilarating time to enter a completely new marketplace and bring my branding and design experience to a new arena. It was also inspiring to be involved with the creation and development of a completely new British bicycle brand and to work with one of our British cycling legends. Fast-forward a few years and I go from one of the youngest brands to one of the oldest, working with Ribble, which has been in existence for more than a century and is innovatively looking to the future. Exciting times ahead!

What is your proudest moment to date?

Working with a team of people to create a powerful new brand is certainly up there – but the stand out two would have to be unveiling a new bike at the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii and launching a complete range of bikes on the 31st floor of an iconic building in central London. That in itself was quite an achievement as the venue only had one lift and a two hour window for us to transport everything up – but the bespoke cocktail created for the evening more than made up for it. To launch an extensive range of bikes with our World and Olympic Champions alongside the great and the good from the media whilst overlooking the capital’s night skyline was certainly one of my career highlights. A true testament to all the hard work, dedication, belief, determination and all that our team had achieved.

www.bikebiz.com

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What are your experiences of being a woman in the cycling industry?

My experiences have been extremely positive – historically it has been a male-dominated sector, but I’ve had the absolute pleasure of working with some extremely talented and inspiring women from across the industry.

I love the drive and enthusiasm that all of my colleagues have – they are all super motivated, extremely supportive and exceptionally professional. Personally, it’s been one of the nicest industries I’ve worked in and made me feel most welcome.

Do you feel that the gender gap is closing?

Yes, but there is still plenty of progress to be made.

It’s great that we are seeing much more coverage of women’s cycling combined with more female focused initiatives, which in turn raises the profile of cycling across the board. I am positive we will continue to see more and more women enter the industry and flourish as it continues to grow. This will not be achieved overnight, but it’s definitely moving in the right direction - and I am really looking forward to the day when gender gap is not an issue and this will no longer be a question!

If you could give one piece of advice to women entering the industry, what would it be?

The cycling industry is an exciting place to be with lots of opportunities for talented individuals to become part of a genuinely rewarding profession – make the most of all opportunities available to you – who knows where they may lead! n

August 2019 | 21

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FEATURE

“Most of our customers love that I am where I am”

Lucy Elsdon, Cytech master technician, Bay Cycles

How did you become involved in the cycling industry?

I started at the age of 17. I was applying for any hands-on jobs, really, and Bay Cycles was offering a cycle technician apprenticeship. It wasn’t really something I had ever considered before but the moment I started the job, I loved it.

What is your proudest moment to date?

It has got to be during the time I was still an apprentice. I did a write-up about a brake bleed job and it was shared with people from Cytech and from the Shimano team. A few years on and I still have people mention that they had seen it.

What are your experiences of being a woman in the cycling industry? Do you feel the gender gap is closing?

Being a woman in the cycle industry is definitely interesting.

When going to trade shows, I notice that I am one of very few women. Working in a shop as the mechanic gets mixed views from customers. Most people are very supportive of it and think it’s great seeing a female in the workshop.

We have had women customers say how much they like that our shop is very female-friendly as it makes them feel much more comfortable coming in, even if they aren’t sure quite sure what they need. Sadly, we also get the occasional sexist comment or shock at there being ‘a female with a spanner’. However, most of our customers love that I am where I am and are more than happy to have me working on their bike as they know I am fully qualified and competent.

I do believe the gender gap is closing. It may be slow and there is still a lot that could be done but it is getting better.

22 | August 2019

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We are seeing more women enter into sports, more women in science and more in engineering too.

We can help with speeding up that process by encouraging females to pursue their choices even if the industry they want to go in may be considered ‘a man’s world’. I also think that the more we show that there are women who are doing these things, such as going into sports, mechanics etc, then it will encourage females that they can do that too.

From personal experience, I think the cycle industry may be ahead of the curve from other industries and sport in closing that gender gap. We have had many females becoming customers recently and there are womenfocused bikes and products. There are also many womenfocused cycle groups and projects within the cycle industry which is brilliant.

If you could give one piece of advice to women entering the industry, what would it be?

Enjoy it and jump in with both feet. It’s a great industry with so many wonderful people within it who will be willing to help you and encourage you in any way needed.

Ignore those few sexist or doubting comments you may receive. It can be hard to just brush them away sometimes but there are so many other people who will be looking up to you and admiring what you do that will completely outweigh those few comments, they’re just not worth it.

The cycling industry is a fun industry to work in and you can build up a true family of those who are a part of it. n

www.bikebiz.com

25/07/2019 16:23

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Russ Masters joins the team at

Russ brings a wealth of experience to the company as it expands its Promovec powered range for 2019.

Batribike of Lincoln boasts nine models designed in Denmark specifically for the UK market, with a retail entry price of £999 Steve Coulson, Managing Director of Batribike, says “We are delighted to welcome Russ to the team, as we look forward to increasing our dealer network across the UK and Ireland”

To find out more about how you can join the Batribike dealer network please contact

russ.masters@batribike.com or sue.coulson@batribike.com General enquiries : 01427 787774

www.batribike.com

FEATURE

28 and counting The cycle industry will once again turn its attention to Friedrichshafen as Eurobike commences on 4th September. James Groves caught up with show head Stefan Reisinger ahead of the 28th annual event

W

ith every passing year, it seems an increasing number of industry folk believe trade shows are coming to an end. Why fly abroad when you can communicate with most of your clients from the comfort of your own office? Why not host or attend in-house events to demonstrate your latest products?

And yet every year, tens of thousands of people head to Friedrichshafen to visit one of the biggest weeks in our industry calendar.

Now in its 28th year, Eurobike needs no introduction.

1,400 exhibitors – including around 150 debutants – will showcase their latest innovations for the coming season, both to the trade public and the returning consumers.

24 | August 2019

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Stefan Reisinger, Eurobike head, anticipates another fullybooked show. “We are still receiving enquires, but we’re heading into the final stages of nailing everything down,” he says.

“We are seeing a lot of new companies entering the bike market, and of course, these are the new companies showing up here at Eurobike. Lots of automotive or digital companies are now entering the bike business, and that’s interesting to see. [Digitalisation] is changing the industry quite rapidly.

“We’ve reflected this change in the planning of our preshow conference, the Bike Biz Revolution (see p26) where people want to focus on what’s happening in the

www.bikebiz.com

25/07/2019 15:44

FEATURE

next years to come for the bike business, especially regarding all the changes that our digital world brings.”

A global conundrum The evolving nature of the cycle market is something that is naturally reflected in Friedrichshafen each year, and in 2019, Reisinger anticipates sustainable mobility to headline the show.

“Some trends, such as e-bikes or MTB, differ from country to country,” he says. “But one thing that is similar across the UK and Europe is the whole movement towards sustainable mobility. It has very similar challenges wherever you are. We are all more and more aware of the environment and how cities could be used in the future. The e-bike, without a doubt, has a major role to play there. On the other hand, we have micro-mobility scooters popping up just recently, which are becoming bigger and bigger. We adapt our show for these trends, so there will be plenty of discussion around this, I am sure.”

www.bikebiz.com

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Differing opinions 2018 attendance figures were down approximately 12% on 2017, but with a return to the traditional September dates – as well as the reintroduction of a consumer day – Reisinger expects 2018 to be an anomaly.

“I think [those changes] were the biggest impact and the biggest reason last year. We pull roughly 20,000 visitors on the consumer day, so that was missing in 2018 for sure,” says Reisinger. “There is no doubt that, for the dealers, an early trade show date was not favourable. They would very likely tell you they prefer September. So we are very positive that we will return to that amount [2017].”

Despite the fall in visitors last year, however, Reisinger insists it may not be the last time Eurobike tries an alternative date.

“It’s really unpredictable,” he says. “There is no consensus among the industry. There are very strong voices for an early date, and very strong voices for a later date, so it may change again in the future.

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FEATURE

“It’s very difficult to please everyone, but we always try to announce it one year in advance so that people can plan for it – we already announced that 2020 will be in September, for instance.”

Reisinger believes it vital to stay in touch with the industry on an ongoing basis to ensure the show is constantly meeting their needs.

“It’s one key for us, to be in touch with the people of the industry,” he says. “To listen and to hear, both the producers and the dealers. And we have to remain aware that [opinions] can change in the space of a year, so it’s about keeping up to date with them.

“There are various brands that wanted July last year, and now want September, and vice-versa. Or perhaps a company changes staff and the new person has a new opinion. It’s something we have to watch very closely to make a decision that is hopefully best for everyone.”

Regardless of the return to a September date, there are a small handful of companies – such as Endura and CamelBak – which have elected not to exhibit in 2019.

Reisinger, however, takes this in his stride.

He says: “What we’ve seen over the past couple of years is that some of the big players just don’t attend trade shows anymore. They run their own events, and if you’re just working with an existing dealer base, then doing that makes perfect sense. We have to accept that and so do other show organisers.”

Adapting accordingly Eurobike has instead focused on opening up its show to as many people as possible – whether they head to Friedrichshafen or not.

Reisinger explains: “Previously, you have either taken part or not taken part in Eurobike. What we have done, and what will be significant in the coming years, is open up our event. We are devising a digital strategy for it, and that’s something we really want to push on with. We also want people to come, even if it’s just taking advantage of our Media Days, or the public day.

We are positive that this will bring more brands into the Eurobike fold, even if they do not attend the main event in Friedrichshafen.”

Looking toward the future, Reisinger adds: “We have been in Friedrichshafen for more than 25 years and it has always worked well, so there is no plan to change that - certainly not in the short-term. It’s important for the industry to have some stability. But in the longterm, we need to continue to be close to the market and learn what is going to happen in the next 1-2 years and adapt accordingly.” n

26 | August 2019

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Bike Biz Revolution - Conference for Visionaries Tuesday, 3rd September 2019, 13:00-17:00 Messe Friedrichshafen Rooms Berlin/Paris This inaugural event will be discussing digitalisation and the bicycle industry in a diverse range of formats. Messe Friedrichshafen is calling for participation in the contentrelated development of the conference.

Project manager Dirk Heidrich says: “The day before the show is always a very intensive and productive time.

In addition to final setup arrangements and organisational tasks, it’s a day for the media and company meetings. And this year, we’re launching a new high-calibre opportunity to collect and exchange ideas: The ‘Bike Biz Revolution Conference for Visionaries’.

“Digitally networked bikes are becoming more and more important for the mobility of the future. The digital era requires maximum agility and this is why we are introducing a new conference format. It consists of seven 30-minute slots with presentations and open discussions.

This will include digitalisation topics such as big data, connectivity, future mobility, sharing instead of owning and more.”

The agenda will not just be drawn up by the Eurobike organisers. The “Call for Participation” invites industry decision-makers, and also lateral thinkers and mavericks to get involved in developing content for the event. As the bike industry is such an extensive source of creative input, it makes sense for it to be actively involved in shaping the conference. Rose Bikes and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich are leading the way.

With the presentation ‘Rose Bikes: This is what digital innovation leadership looks like’ the Bocholt-based bike manufacturer is using the new conference platform to present its strategy. Innovative mobility is the focus of Dr Thomas Sauter-Servaes’ talk ‘Less artificial, more intelligent - how the spotifyication of transport still make us happy.’ Sauter-Servaes has lead the school of engineering’s transport systems programme at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) since 2013 and is a recognised expert on future mobility research.

www.bikebiz.com

25/07/2019 15:44

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FEATURE

Bike-sharing: The silver bullet for environmental and public health?

At the end of June, Beryl introduced its hybrid bike-share scheme to Enfield. Rebecca Morley attended the launch event and caught up with Philip Ellis on this evolving trend

C

ycling is growing in the UK. Recent TfL figures show that across the whole of London, 2018 saw the highest and fastest growth in kilometres cycled since monitoring began, increasing almost 5% from the previous year. For the first time, the average daily volume of cycling in London is more than four million kilometres.

Beryl is hoping to capitalise on this cycling potential with its bike-share system across London and the rest of the UK. On 28th June, it held a media launch event for the scheme in Enfield.

www.bikebiz.com

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This was the first time the scheme has been introduced to London, before being rolled out in other parts of the city, including the City of London. It currently has bikes in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.

“The cycling potential is massive in Enfield,” says Beryl CEO Philip Ellis. “It’s one of the boroughs with the highest car ownership at the moment. On top of that, the local authority here has got a really serious strategy that’s funded, with political support, to start encouraging more people to cycle.

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FEATURE

“The combination of those things makes us think there’s a really good, pent-up demand for a good bike-share system here.”

Beryl bikes can now be hired throughout Enfield via its app on iOS and Android. Bikes can be picked up and dropped off in marked ‘Beryl Bays’ selected and approved in conjunction with Enfield Council. Initial locations include transport hubs such as Enfield Chase train station and Arnos Grove tube station, as well as the entrance to parks such as Broomfield Park.

Although dockless, a £1 fee to leave the bike outside of one of the borough’s designated parking bays aims to keep the bikes in the bay. Those that do end up in other places will be collected and returned by Beryl’s staff.

“It gives people that predictability,” Ellis continues. “If you’re getting a train, you need to know the train’s going to come.

If you want to use a bike, you need to know the bike’s going to be there. What we’ve found with the local authority is a really good platform to launch our bike-share system in London.”

The big city Beryl is already in Bournemouth and Poole, but operating in London will present a host of further opportunities due to the cycling potential. Ellis points to high numbers of people cycling in the capital and says there’s a bigger opportunity to get people cycling due to the cost of other modes of transport in the city and the time it can take to drive.

32 | August 2019

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“The opportunity in London to have a successful bike-share scheme is massive, but it’s extremely complex and extremely challenging, for a whole host of reasons, that are there in Bournemouth and Poole, but I’d say are slightly more extreme here,” he explains.

“The sheer size of it, the political boundaries of the local boroughs, the complexity of the transport system that’s managed already, and, of course the competition that we face as a bike-share system.”

‘We’ve got a really good idea of the quality and safety that we need to deliver to get people cycling” Philip Ellis Bike-share schemes already operating in London, outside of Santander Cycles, include Mobike, Lime, Jump and Freebike, all providing an element of competition to Beryl. “They’re competition because they’re bikes, but if they’re helping people to make journeys by bike, rather than by car, more power to them,” Ellis says.

www.bikebiz.com

25/07/2019 15:00

FEATURE

“I think one thing that we’ve seen is people’s expectations hopefully of what a bike-share system should be, in terms of quality and safety, we want to raise that bar. We started life as a cycle safety company and we’ve worked with good bike-share systems like TfL. We’ve got a really good idea of the quality and safety that we need to deliver to get people cycling.”

Keeping track As promising a concept as bike-sharing is, one significant hurdle throughout the past few years has been vandalism.

Derby’s electric bicycle scheme is set to close – the recent surge of unprecedented vandalism and increasing costs have made it commercially unviable for the operator.

While the general level of vandalism had been much lower than other schemes have experienced, due to the recent systematic vandalism carried out in April and May by a group of offenders, more than 67% of the e-bike fleet became inactive, and the estimated cost of repairs was significant. As a direct result, and coupled with changes in the industry, Hourbike struggled to cover the maintenance and operational costs, and the scheme is no longer financially sustainable.

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www.bikebiz.com

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Earlier this year, Mobike suspended its service throughout Newcastle and Gatehead, a move that was believed to be in relation to vandalism issues in the area with a significant number of rides dumped in the River Tyne. This came after it suspended its service in Manchester last year, again suffering increased bike losses due to theft and vandalism. So how can other bike-share schemes prevent this from happening to their bikes?

Ellis says: “Our bikes are tracked constantly – they’re constantly connected to the internet with a SIM card and a GPS. We never track a user’s mobile phone, which is important from a data security point of view and the trust of our customers. We’re not tracking people – we’re tracking the bike because we want to know where it is!

“For the scheme to work efficiently, we need to be able to intervene quickly if there is a bike where it shouldn’t be – whether it’s been pinched or whether it’s made its way there by virtue of someone cycling it to an unexpected place.”

He continues: “The last thing anybody wants – ourselves, our customers and the local authorities – is a bike vandalised, not rideable and not giving anybody any benefit. We’ve seen vandalism happen to bike-share systems that have not been maintained and operated.

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FEATURE

“You need to go and intervene where you think there’s a bike that requires some attention. We have a team of mechanics based in London, we’ve got a team of mechanics based in Bournemouth, we’ve got a team of mechanics based wherever we launch that bikeshare system, trained by our experienced operations team. We’re a London company, we know what’s going to be going on and the mechanics are based nearby.”

Future potential Alongside Enfield, Beryl has also launched in the City of London and Hereford this summer, demonstrating the potential bikeshare schemes can have not only in big cities, but also in smaller towns. Anything that can encourage people to cycle will be beneficial to the wider industry, and schemes like this are great at introducing people to cycling and building up their confidence in the saddle.

“My observation of bike-share systems in big cities like London is that the Santander bike-share system has helped a lot of people to cycle – there are a lot of journeys happening on those bikes that would have happened by a less sustainable means,” Ellis says.

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“Cycling is the silver bullet for environmental and public health, and there’s a certain number of people who have been using the Santander bike-share system that have contributed to that benefit.

“I’ve observed a bit of a cultural shift by virtue of the bike-share system. You see it in statistics all over the world. If people are using a bike-share system, often they’ll convert to being a bike owner themselves, and that’s great. That means more people cycling and more people making sustainable and healthy choices. It’s not necessarily about people using a system and not buying their own bike, it’s about using it because it can be more convenient in certain circumstances, and it can be a nice stepping stone into involving a bike in your lifestyle a bit more. If that means you buy a bike, great.

“Overall in the UK there are massive opportunities – there are really big cities that are looking at bike-share systems, and could benefit from them. We’ve got a system that we think is designed for the UK market, we’ve got a really good understanding of what UK cyclists expect, and what pricing level, what level of quality and service, and we’re pretty focused on delivering that to UK cities and also smaller towns. There’s a huge number of towns that could benefit from bike-sharing if we can make it work in that size.” n

www.bikebiz.com

25/07/2019 15:00

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FEATURE

Walmart’s pop-up bike brand Viathon turns heads Carlton Reid sits down with brand manager Zack Spinhirne-Martin

V

iathon is a start-up carbon bike brand with a difference.

It’s not the products: a three-frame range of MTBs, and gravel and road bikes. It’s not the frames: they aren’t open-mold no-names, all three shapes were CAD-designed by the legendary Kevin Quan Studios of Toronto, Canada.

The difference is being wholly-owned by US hypermarket chain Walmart.

Cue the cheap-crap jokes. But the bikes are neither crap nor cheap. Don’t squint at the pictures, the forks face the right way. Dollar-for-dollar there are other carbon-framed high-end bikes out there that undercut the Viathon offerings.

There are no whiz-bang spangles – for instance, the MTB is a vanilla hardtail.

www.bikebiz.com

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You cannot buy a Viathon bike from one of Walmart’s 4000+ US stores (or from Asda supermarkets in the UK). Sales are via the brand’s website, and this does not feature the Walmart name in the ‘about us’ section. (The Walmart connection can be found only on the site’s copyright line.) The website has no we-canoffer-keenest-prices-because-we’re-Walmart spiel.

Viathon is a standalone direct-to-consumer brand that, by rights, shouldn’t exist. Why would pile-em-high-sell-em-cheap Walmart be interested in such a high-end part of the bicycle market when the market-dominating retailer is already America’s biggest seller of keenly priced bicycles?

The simple answer is: because it can. And it’s not as though it was even that expensive to create, at least not in Walmart terms.

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FEATURE

Unlike, say, the car industry, it’s relatively cheap to launch into the world of making bicycles, even bespoke framed ones.

In effect, Viathon is a pop-up bike brand, and just as quickly as it has appeared it could just as easily disappear again, no skin off Walmart’s very large nose.

Brand manager Zack Spinhirne-Martin doesn’t see it that way.

He wants to grow the brand slowly but steadily. I spoke with him at the recent Outerbike expo in Idaho, the second public outing for the brand. (The first was at the Sea Otter expo earlier in the year.)

“I was recruited two and a half years ago to raise the game and show what Walmart can deliver in terms of bikes,” SpinhirneMartin tells me.

Viathon was his idea, springing from his background as a former pro rider, a one-time USA Cycling team mechanic and latterly a web commerce geek with Backcountry.com and before that Competitivecyclist.com. Brought onboard to run Walmart’s online bike sales, he pitched the idea of a standalone brand.

“Walmart is the largest retailer for bikes in America by a good margin. 99% of Americans walk into a Walmart store every week.

So we have the greatest potential to reach a larger subset of the American population than any bike shop, or any other brand,” he claims.

Not that Viathon is going mass-market anytime soon. It’s a one-man Canyon, with Spinhirne-Martin sitting at his computer in San Bruno, California, bolting on expertise when he needs it. He doesn’t have a marketing team, he outsources that to Idaho-based Cranktank, the PR and marketing outfit led by Adrian Montgomery, ex of Scott, and Scott Montgomery, ex of both Cannondale and Scott and who is also the current president of Reynolds Cycling. Spinhirne-Martin doesn’t need to fret about shipping, he outsources that to industry veteran Richard Wittenberg of Lucidity-Podium Marketing, who has been involved with in-house logistics for brands such as Ridley,

38 | August 2019

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Cannondale and Factor. Blog postings are outsourced to cycling journalist Aaron Gulley.

Building via consultants and going straight to the consumer without any immediate plans to be available in Walmart stores enabled Spinhirne-Martin to get the brand up and running quickly.

“It’s easier and faster for me to expand our bike offering online than it is to go into stores. I can build proof of concept and then push over time into stores.”

Walmart already has impeccable high-end bicycle connections.

RZC Investments, founded by Tom and Steuart Walton, grandsons of Walmart founder Sam Walton, owns Rapha and part-owns Allied Cycle Works, a high-end bike manufacturer based in Little Rock, Arkansas. And the mountain-biking-mad Waltons have also upgraded the MTB trails close to Walmart’s corporate HQ in Bentonville, Arkansas. Despite this pedigree, Tom and Steuart Walton had no hand in launching Viathon.

“I built the brand without them knowing about it at all,” reveals Spinhirne-Martin.

“They knew about it prior to launch only because I happened to meet Steuart in our office in January so I was able to show him a couple of pictures. Their investments are totally separate from Walmart even though Steuart is on the main Walmart board.”

The impetus for the brand was therefore personal, and not corporate.

“I wanted to make bikes that I would want to ride,” said Spinhirne-Martin.

“And I want to get more people on bikes. The gravel scene is important for that. It’s exploding right now because people are afraid of riding in traffic. Not everybody has great trail access, but almost everybody has access to dirt roads.”

Viathon’s carbon bikes retail online for between $2,300 and $6,000. The brand is starting with three models: the R1 road bike, the G1 gravel bike, and the M1 29er MTB.

www.bikebiz.com

25/07/2019 12:56

FEATURE

Marketing has been slow-burn so far, rolling out a website and social media, getting journalists on the bikes at Sea Otter, and paying for GCN’s Simon Richardson to ride the G1 from Outerbike in an advertorial video posted on 12th July and which already has 34,000 views.

If successful, Viathon can be rolled out widely, claims Spinhirne-Martin.

“With the backing of Walmart, we can scale very quickly.”

Internationally, too?

“I’m focusing on the US right now. I’ve already gotten questions for people internationally. We could ship anywhere but I’m concerned about customer service, because I don’t have distributor partners globally. I want high-level quality customer service to begin with, and I can control that in the US.” Savvy consumers may baulk at the Walmart connections – not just because of the value connotations but also the corporate’s reputation for poor labour relations – but nor is Viathon a bike brand for the decal-focused. Which raises the question: Who is the brand aiming to reach? The bikes are clean and simple, classy but without any fanfare. Spinhirne-Martin wouldn’t reveal sales targets but, reading between the lines, he likely doesn’t have to sell many for the brand to be considered a success.

BB-APR19-CYCLE DIVISION 2 :Layout 1 15/03/2019 09:35 Page 1

www.bikebiz.com

37-39 BBAug19 Viathon_Final.indd 3

In effect, the brand is a sortie into a high-end scene, allowing Walmart to test the waters of a rarefied market.

Viathon is run as a digitally native vertical brand, a phrase coined by Andy Dunn, founder of US menswear brand Bonobos.

Writing in 2016, Dunn said: “Digitally native vertical brands (DNVBs) are maniacally focused on the customer experience and they interact, transact and story-tell to consumers primarily on the web.”

Dunn added: “The DNVB is born on the internet. It is aimed squarely at millennials and digital natives. It doesn’t have to adapt to the future, it is the future. It doesn’t need to get younger customers. It starts with younger customers.”

In 2017, Bonobos was sold to, you guessed it, Walmart.

Walmart wanted Bonobos because it was a favourite of highincome urban millennials. It’s almost impossible for Walmart to develop premium offerings with the Walmart name, which is synonymous with keen pricing and out-of-favour out-of-town malls.

Viathon, like Bonobos, goes against the fundamental tenets on which Walmart was built. And that is the point. Viathon will benefit from the supplyside muscle of Walmart, it may even one day be sold in Walmart stores, but it won’t ever market itself as offering ‘Walmart bikes.’ n

August 2019 | 39

25/07/2019 12:56

BB-MAR19-LYON:Layout 1 12/02/2019 09:18 Page 1

info@lyon.co.uk | 015396 24040 | lyon.co.u lyon.co.uk/cycle uk/cycle

SECTOR GUIDE

Chains, gears and cranks 1 2

3 4

1

2

3

4

Sunrace

SR Suntour

SRAM

Taya

CSMZ91X 12 Speed XDDriver Cassette

Zeron Single Chainset

Force AXS

Onze-111 (UL)

Distributor: Greyville Enterprises

Distributor: ZyroFisher

Distributor: Oxford Products

SR Suntour has responded to recent market trends for 1X drive trains by introducing the new Zeron Single 10/11 Speed Chainset. Available in black powder coated 170mm or 175mm Cranks with 30 or 32 teeth black steel ZigZag technology rings and including BBKA800 Bottom Bracket.

Upgrading to 1X drive train just got a whole lot more affordable and further strengthens the market position of SR Suntour as a leading supplier of quality chainsets.

Go onto our easy to use B2B ordering system for next day delivery. Retail price ÂŁ64.95.

Force AXS is the group that filters down integrated technology from Red AXS. They are both group-sets that can be controlled and monitored to allow the user to personalise each component. The Force AXS group offers a wider range of gearing. This X-Range gearing offers a wider range of gears compared to conventional group-sets, with between 260 and 330% range at the rear which is supported by the new crank ratios of 48/35 and 46/33.

The cranks also come in a 1x version for gravel or cross.

Taking chain durability, reliability and strength into a new era isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t enough for Taya, as with the Taya Onze Ultralight a 100 length chain weighs just 205 grams. The strength of the chains come from the DHT treatment on the main parts with the performance guaranteed by the deep inner waist chamfer and the four edged chamfered outer plates. There are a wide choice of colours available such as silver, gold or alloy grey.

Distributor: The Cycle Division, Raleigh UK Sunrace has been successfully developing its range of single speed solutions for a few years now. Complete group sets are available in 10sp, 11sp and 12sp.

Conversions are easy to perform with multiple choices of specification. Whilst most product is Shimano compatible, Sunrace now offers wide ratio cassettes for XD Driver bodies.

Originally offered in two 11sp options, there is now a 12sp cassette available with a 10t to 50t sprocket range in black.

www.bikebiz.com

41-44 BBAug19 SG1 - Chains, gears and cranks_Final.indd 1

August 2019 | 41

25/07/2019 11:29

SECTOR GUIDE

5

6

7

5

8

6

7

8

Blackspire

Praxis

Race Face

KMC

Snaggletooth Chainring

Zayante Carbon 4iiii Power

Narrow/Wide Single Chainring

X12 Black

Distributor: Hotlines

Distributor: Upgrade Bikes

Distributor: Silverfish UK

Distributor: Chicken CycleKit

Blackspire was one of the first to bring narrow-wide chainrings to market. The Canadian made rings are available in direct mount, different BCD sizes, offset for Boost, oval options and enough colours and tooth counts to keep everyone happy.

Praxis has introduced its top line Zayante carbon road crank now with the highly accurate and dependable 4iiii power meter.

Lightness (620g) is married to stiffness from the carbon arms with M30 alloy axle. Supplied with 52/36 rings as standard, the Direct Mount X-Spider is ultimately versatile and will fit all Praxis X-Ring combinations from 32T to 53T. Legendary shifting quality is standard from the cold forged rings with “levertime” detailing and there is a full range of Praxis BBs to fit. SRP £700 arms with double rings/ BB from £40.

Race Face Single Rings - now with performance enhancing chain retention technology. Burly enough for DH Racers and Dirt Jumpers, yet light enough for XC/ singlespeed. Single Rings are machined from 7075-T6 aluminium and tested in some of the most punishing riding terrain – built to last. Compatible for 9, 10 and 11 speed. Available in a selection of colours.

At 243g, it’s amongst the lightest chains in its class and coated in DLC (Diamond Like coating) to reduce abrasive wear. Its surface hardness is higher than most coatings, this ensures its long-term functionality, and higher wear resistance. Triple X Durability also helps gives you unmatched chain life, KMC guarantees your satisfaction!

At 126 links long with great mud shedding properties, this chain is as well suited for 29” MTBs as well as for road. This chain is compatible with all 12x Campagnolo, Shimano and Sram MTB. SRP £114.99.

42 | August 2019

41-44 BBAug19 SG1 - Chains, gears and cranks_Final.indd 2

www.bikebiz.com

25/07/2019 11:29

SECTOR GUIDE

9

10

11

12

9

10

11

12

Geardrive

Fibrax

Box Components

Shimano

11 Speed x 11/50 Cassette

Ultralight Cable Kits

Box One 11 Speed Drivechain

GRX

Distributor: Greyville Enterprises

Distributor: Ison, Mackadam Factors, M&J, Raleigh UK, Reece, The Cycle Division

Distributor: Moore Large

Distributor: Madison

“Be Different” with the Box One 11 Speed Drivetrain. Get the durability, reliability, and range you need from the groupset.

Focus on the ride, not the clicks.

• Easy to use Twin Lever Shifter actuation • High durability cassette and chain Key features for the Box One 11 Speed Drivetrain include adjustable tri-pack limited slip clutch, durable 3D forged linkages and pivot-tech.

The world’s first dedicated gravel groupset, Shimano’s GRX brings all the qualities of Shimano’s road and MTB groupsets and applies them to the burgeoning gravel genre.

With 1X and 2X options, GRX has every gravel rider covered no matter what your off-road adventure plans are.

Introduced into the UK market in 2018, Geardive cassettes offer an exciting alternative with increased dealer margins over established brands. Rigorous quality control ensures first class performance function and durability. Available in an extensive range of ratios through from 8 speed to 11 speed including 11/23 for dedicated roadies up to 11/50 for 1X setups.

Go onto our easy to use B2B ordering system for next day delivery. Retail price; 11 Sp. 11/50: £74.95.

Fibrax’s Ultralight range brings best-in-class components to offer you the ultimate shifting and braking technology. By combining Fibrax’s highperformance die drawn wire with its ultralight casing and CNC ferrules, you can achieve the crispest shift on the market’s lightest casing. Go further with Fibrax.

www.bikebiz.com

41-44 BBAug19 SG1 - Chains, gears and cranks_Final.indd 3

August 2019 | 43

25/07/2019 11:29

SECTOR GUIDE

14

13

16 15

13

14

15

16

Rotor

Ison multiple brands

Wippermann

Rotor

Kapic Carbon

Freewheels, Cogs, Chains, Hub Gears and Cranks.

e-MTB Sprockets

Vegast Crank Arms

Distributor: Extra UK

Distributor: Velotech Services

The powerful motors combined with hub gears and derailleurs can transmit extremely high torques of 250 to 300 watts to the chain. Thanks to Wippermann’s expertise in the industrial sector, it can draw on special production technologies, materials and coating procedures to make sure that Connex e-bike sprockets permanently withstand these extreme loads.

In this product range, there are sprockets specially tailored to Panasonic and Bosch drive systems, ranging from nine to 20 teeth.

Rotor’s alloy road crank arms are compatible with Rotor’s modular chainrings and spider system, which offer a one-piece double chainring, single speed narrow wide for gravel/CX or a 5 bolt 110 spider for backward compatibility to customer existing rings.

Distributor: Velotech Services New from Rotor are the superlight Kapic Carbon cranks, 429 grams (with 32T Qring). At £429 this narrow wide Oval set up has adjustable Oval positioning (OCP position), and has chainring options from 26T up to 46T.

Distributor: Ison Distribution With 11,000 Skus from Demolition, Dia Compe, Gusset, Halo, MRP, Passport, Renthal, Rohloff, Sturmey Archer, Sunrace, Surly and Volume, Ison Distribution probably has the widest selection of chains, gears and cranks outside of the two big S component brands. From BMX, track, road, fixie, urban, touring, gravel, mountain or fat, Ison probably has the option you’ll need.

44 | August 2019

41-44 BBAug19 SG1 - Chains, gears and cranks_Final.indd 4

www.bikebiz.com

25/07/2019 11:29

Our lightest and stiffest crankset ever...

only 429g

KAPIC Carbon Crankset & Q-Ring KAPIC Carbon Crankset & NOQ Ring KAPIC Carbon Arms -

£429 £399 £329

ROTOR UK Distributors email: sales@velotechservices.co.uk OR call: 01789 295 470 45 BBAug19 Velotech.indd 1

25/07/2019 10:27

SECTOR GUIDE

Children’s 2 1

3

4

1

2

3

4

Mini Hornit

Black Mountain Bikes

Mondraker

Zefal

Children’s Helmets

PINTO and SKØG

Zéfal Crank Armor

Distributor: Raleigh UK

Distributor: Black Mountain Bikes

Mondraker Leader 20” Bike 2019

Easily recognisable by its colourful designs and added safety features, Mini Hornit helmets are fully adjustable, comfortable and lightweight.

Parents will love the integrated LED rear light, making children more visible to other road users.

The four new designs, released in July this year, include Chiller Spider, Super Sloths, Lazy Llamas and Unicorns, and increase the Mini Hornit range to a total of 12 designs. They come in sizes small (48-53cm) and medium (53-58cm) to fit all children and are EN1078 and CPSC tested.

46 | August 2019

46-48 BBAug19 SG2 - Childrens_Final.indd 1

Black Mountain makes lightweight bikes for growing kids. Central to our design philosophy is that as kids grow and learn to ride, they go through stages, not just getting bigger, but developing in confidence, pedalling strength and ability. With ‘traditional bikes’ kids often end up on bikes that are either too big or too small for them. Our bikes can be set up in either Balance, Small Pedal or Large Pedal mode, which means that you really do get three bikes in one.

Distributor: Silverfish UK Mondraker Leader 20” Bike is the perfect entry into the world of real mountain biking. It shares DNA, attention to detail and trickle-down technology from the world’s most innovative mountain bike company. Featuring a Custolite alloy frame complete with Shimano 6 speed drivetrain and a Mondraker kid’s component kit which includes a stem, handlebar and saddle.

Components are chosen to give young mountain bikers the best of current technology and an ideal entry into off-road riding.

Distributor: Bob Elliot & Co Ltd • Minimalistic and effective end-piece protection • Protects cranks against impacts and stones • Quick mounting • Weight: 20g/pair

www.bikebiz.com

25/07/2019 11:33

SECTOR GUIDE

6

5

8 7

5

6

7

8

Mini Hornit

Fuji

Little Rider Co

Cube

Nano

Dynamite Kids

Technical Jersey, Balance Series

Kid 200 Street

Distributor: Raleigh UK

Distributor: Hotlines

Following the success of the original lights and sounds effects toy, the Mini Hornit, meet Nano. A smaller, more cost effective version, the Nano has 15 sound effects and white lights, and with RRP under £10 it makes an ideal birthday gift or stocking filler. The smaller size makes it perfect for scooters as well as bikes. Not only does the Nano make riding more fun it also makes it safer.

Available in four colours.

Designed for young boys and girls looking to start exploring trails, parks and dirt lots and for parents introducing their children to the world of mountain biking, the Dynamite is the gateway bike. And family outings are most successful when everybody is on the same page equipment-wise. The Dynamite is a real bike that can grow with kids as they fall in love with riding. 20”, 24” and disc options are available.

Distributor: TBC – Contact Little Rider Co

Distributor: Oneway Bike Industry BV

The Little Rider Balance Series Jersey is MTB and MOTO inspired, and designed to make your little ride look and feel fast.

With a focus on style, sizing and safety, the Little Rider Jersey range aims to give your little rider the confidence to shred from an early age.

Fun, safe and versatile - that’s our Kid 200 Street in a nutshell.

With smooth-rolling tyres and lots of accessories, this is a bike that’s perfect for adventurous youngsters. The LED lighting system, driven from a hub dynamo, is permanently ‘on’.

The front brake power modulator makes sure that over-enthusiastic use doesn’t lead to over-the-bars dismount.

Shimano’s 7 speed gear system is easy to use and reliable. The Kid 200 Street has a built-in kickstand, cargo rack and full length mudguards.

www.bikebiz.com

46-48 BBAug19 SG2 - Childrens_Final.indd 2

August 2019 | 47

25/07/2019 11:33

SECTOR GUIDE

9

10

11

9

12

10

11

12

Ridgeback

Dawes

Cuda Bikes

Squish

Dimension

Bullet HT

Cuda Mayhem

MTB 26

Distributor: Sportline

Distributor: Tandem Group Cycles

Distributor: Moore Large

Distributor: Tandem Group Cycles

Coming in either 16, 20, 24 or 26 inch frame size, Ridgeback’s Dimension range has something for your child no matter how old. With a lightweight, durable triple-butted alloy frame, these bikes are built to last but also to be fun to ride, and they come with a lifetime frame warranty too so you know it’ll last as long as your child can ride it.

The Bullet HT20 has a dirt style alloy frame with 20” alloy wheels. With six Shimano gears, this is a great junior bike, and with suspension forks upfront it’s ideal for all terrains and maximum fun. We take care to design a frame that gives good standover clearance. This can safeguard kids during the formative years when gaining confidence on the bike is important.

Approximate age six to eight years. Also available in 24” and 26” wheel sizes, from £249.99.

The Cuda Mayhem is available in three wheel sizes, 20” to 26”, and follows the same detail as its performance range with scaled down components.

Other features include a rigid fork and low rolling resistance tyres to enhance the riding performance.

Cuda bikes are available from Moore Large, please contact the sales team or visit www.cudabikes. co.uk to view the full range.

Complimenting our range of lightweight Squish hybrid bikes, we’ve introduced two new MTBs. Following the same ethos as the rest of the range, these models are fitted with SR Suntour Air suspension forks, Tektro mechanical disc brakes, 8spd Altus gearing and tried and tested Squish triple butted tubing. All resulting in a total weight of just 11.4kg and 12.5kg for the 24” and 26” wheel sizes.

RRP for either size is just £429.99 – a significant saving against our closest competition.

48 | August 2019

46-48 BBAug19 SG2 - Childrens_Final.indd 3

www.bikebiz.com

25/07/2019 11:33

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BIKES & ACCESSORIES

50 | August 2019

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BIKES & ACCESSORIES

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BIKES & ACCESSORIES

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BIKES & ACCESSORIES

BIKES & ACCESSORIES

August 2019 | 51

25/07/2019 09:53

INDIVIDUAL CUSTOMER DISCOUNT LOW SHIPPING COSTS

·· Established Established · Established ·1974 1974 Established 19741974

www.argoscycles.com www.argoscycles.com www.argoscycles.com www.argoscycles.com info@argoscycles.com info@argoscycles.com info@argoscycles.com info@argoscycles.com

New Dealers can register online.

magura-b2b.com

MARKETPLACE 01170117 972 4730 0117 972 972 4730 4730

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

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EPOS & COMMERCE

52 | August 2019

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12:00BIKE LABELS, BOTTLES, BAGS & GENERAL PRINT

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@BobElliotO

Distributors of of great great brands brands across across the the UK UK Distributors Distributors of great brands across the UK Distributors of great brands across the UK Distributors of great brands across the UK Distributors of great brands across the UK Distributors of great brands acros Distributors of great brands across the UK Distributors of great brands across the UK Distributors of great brands across the UK Distributors of great brands across the UK Distributors of great brands across the UK Distributors of great brands across the UK Distributors of great brands across the UK Distributors of great brands across the UK Distributors of great brands across the UK Distributorsofofgreat greatbrands brandsacross across the Distributors the UKUK

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18/06/2019 15:02

HEDKAYSE – PRODUCT PARTNER

Safety first Hedkayse draws on its protective expertise to encourage cyclists of all disciplines to prioritise their own wellbeing

T

he 2017 Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy (CWIS) has been channelling a large amount of Government investment into improving cycling and walking over the five-year period between 2016 and 2021. A key part of this has been to improve the country’s cycling infrastructure and road safety. To date, this has been far from easy, as evidenced by the current number of people killed or seriously injured whilst cycling. In a single week this July, eight cyclists were killed by motor traffic in London alone.

Current British culture necessitates the cyclist be safety-vigilant.

Support for vulnerable road users is still much more limited than required, yet a great deal of media coverage for cyclist-driver collisions takes a victim-blaming stance instead of framing the incident as a lesson in the fatal risks of dangerous driving. Until the situation improves, cyclists are shrewd to protect themselves while riding in traffic, and helmet-wearing remains the most sensible way to do so.

This is, unfortunately, in direct opposition with the freedom that cycling purports to offer the consumer, and certainly, legally-required helmet-wearing is seen as a contradiction by many in the cycling community. However, the reality of road use in the present-day UK is far from exemplary. Worse still, of the cyclists who do choose to forgo their freedom in lieu of safety, many don’t realise how careful they have to be to ensure they get the most from their protective equipment. The needs of the average cyclist – the commuter – are not in line with the average helmet. Their gear lives in a hostile environment – helmets are thrown onto desks, squashed into bags, and knocked on doors. But the longevity of the commuter helmet is paramount, not least due to the false sense of security a damaged helmet can offer.

We can expect a certain degree of familiarity with best practice in safety from prosumer cyclists, but convenience cyclists are much less likely to be aware of the danger that a dropped helmet can present.

Most consumers don’t realise that a helmet which looks like it’s just come out of the box could have gone through hell, with its ability to protect seriously compromised.

54 | August 2019

54 BBAug19 Hedkayse_Final.indd 1

These are the cyclists for whom our team is catering. Direct commuter experience, and an understanding of cyclists on UK roads’ anxiety gave rise to a helmet that offers a newfound confidence in cycling safety.

Our founders recognised the dangers of inner city cycling, most notably London, where the sharing of road space in some quarters is like warfare, and rose to meet that challenge with the Hedkayse ONE, the safest and strongest cycling helmet on the market.

Hedkasye ONE was designed for the commuter. With its multiimpact, multi-fit, and foldable design, it offers something that no other cycle helmet is currently able to do. It’s the only helmet on the market truly able to absorb multiple impacts – from day-to-day wear-and-tear to serious collisions – without its safety being compromised.

The unique Enkayse liner enables the commuter to interact with the environment, without fear of damage to its core protective. Visually, this helmet conveys a very different aesthetic from any conventional hard-top helmet, with a more utilitarian, gear-like look.

With a ballistic nylon outer skin, it conveys a message of durability and toughness purpose-built for the commuting environment.

Folding down to half its full size, it’s ideal for quick storage and transportation. The X-Strap retention system is designed to be fully customisable, and has the ability to fit multiple head sizes comfortably and securely, whilst the patented Quick-Release Adjustable Ratchet Chin-Strap (QARC) allows quick and easy removal like no other conventional helmet.

Having invested in a product that challenges the status quo, we are fully committed to the safety of our consumers. With Hedkayse ONE, your customers are buying into the trust that no matter how badly they treat their helmet, its functionality will remain. When it comes to safety products, you have a choice. If it were a car it would be a Volvo, if it were a children’s car seat, it would be a Britax. We have spent four years of research and testing to become the safety brand of choice.

If safety is the priority of your commuter consumer-base, then Hedkayse is the best safety choice they can make. n

www.bikebiz.com

25/07/2019 11:18

Bike_Biz_August_Ad.pdf

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15/07/2019

22:53

TOUGHEST AND SAFEST CYCLE HELMET

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for more information info@hedkayse.com 01509 228 095 hedkayse.com

In association with

Bob Elliot and Co Ltd Unit C4 Binary Court, Matrix Park, Western Avenue, Buckshaw Village, Chorley, PR7 7NB Tel: 01772 459 887 Web: www.bob-elliot.co.uk

Pitbitz Ltd Unit 6 Thorpe Drive, Thorpe Way Industrial Estate, Banbury, Oxon, OX16 4UZ Tel: 01295 269333 Web: www.gazeboshop.co.uk and www.thebikeboxcompany.co.uk

The Bikebiz DIRECTORY 2019 is out now, providing the industry with a must-have guide to the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s retailers, distributors, manufacturers and related businesses.

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

Jungle Products Ltd Unit 3, The Cedar, New York Mills, Summerbridge, HG3 4LA Tel: 01423 780088 Web: www.jungleproducts.co.uk and www.santacruzbikes.co.uk

Cooke Components Unit 7C Cufaude Business Park, Cufaude Lane, Bramley, Hants, RG28 5DL Tel: 01256 880739 Web: www.cookecomponents.co.uk

56-57 BB Directory 2019 DPS_Final.indd 1

24/07/2019 17:00

DISTRIBUTION AND WHOLESALE

E-COMMERCE AND EPOS

EVENT ORGANISERS, HOSTING, HOLIDAY AND HIRE

MANUFACTURERS

MARKETING, PR AND CONSULTANCY

MEDIA AND PUBLISHING

ORGANISATIONS, CHARITIES AND ASSOCIATIONS

RETAILERS, WORKSHOPS AND MAIL ORDER

SERVICES AND TRAINING

Oneway Distribution BV PO BOX 12, 3000 AA Rotterdam Tel: 0031 10345 3510 Web: shop.o-w-d.nl

Fibrax Ltd Queensway, Wrexham. LL13 8YR Tel: +44 (0)1978 356744 Web: http://www.fibrax.com

Schwalbe Tyres UK Ltd Schwalbe Centre, Hortonwood 30, Telford, Shropshire, TF1 7ET Tel: 01952602680 Web: www.schwalbe.co.uk

Bike Rental Manager c/o H W Fisher & Co Acre House, 11-15 William Road, London NW1 3ER Tel: +33 4 66 03 14 32 Web: www.bikerentalmanager.com

The Cycle Division Ltd Units 17 & 18, Park Valley Mills Meltham Road, Huddersfield, Yorkshire, HD4 7BH Tel: 0845 0508 500 Web: www.thecycledivision.com

Yellow Jersey Prospero, 73 London Road, Redhill, Surrey, RH1 1LQ Tel: 0333 003 0046 Web: www.yellowjersey.co.uk

Rozone Limited Queen Street, Darlaston, Wednesbury West Midlands. WS10 8JB Tel: 0121 526 8181 Web: www.rozone.co.uk

Walkers Cycle Components Ltd 22 Holywell Road, Leicester, LE2 8SG Tel: 01162 833885 Web: www.walkerscycles.co.uk

V12 Retail Finance 20 Neptune Court, Vanguard Way, Cardiff, CF24 5PJ Tel: 02920 468900 Web: www.v12retailfinance.com

Cycle Expo Yorkshire YorkshireEvent Centre, Harrogate, HG2 8NZ Tel: 0113 394 6130 Web: www.yorkshirecycleexpo.co.uk

Velotech Services Ltd 26 to 27 WesternRoad, Stratford Upon Avon, Warks CV370AH Tel: 0845 475 5339 Web: www.velotechservices.co.uk

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

Reece Cycles plc 100 Alcester Street, Birmingham, B12 0QB Tel: 0121 622 0180 Web: www.reececycles.co.uk

Dexshell Unit F1-F3 Longford Trading Estate, Thomas Street, Manchester, M32 1JT Tel: 01618644666 Web: www.dexshelltrade.com

Invisiframe Tel: 01743 232297 Web: www.invisiframe.co.uk

The Bikebiz DIRECTORY 2019 is available to view online at www.bikebiz.com

56-57 BB Directory 2019 DPS_Final.indd 2

24/07/2019 17:00

NUMBER CRUNCHING 58 BBAug19 Stats_Final.indd 1

TfL recently released its latest cycling data…

5% 2018 saw the highest growth observed in London cycling volume since monitoring began (in 2015), increasing almost 5% from the previous year

27%-34% On the assessed routes, the proportion of women is relatively low – around 27% on most routes – but tends to be slightly higher – up to 34% – on Quietway routes

6% There is a very low proportion of young, 16-24 years old, cyclists - less than 6% on all assessed routes. The proportion of older cyclists (45+) varies but tends to be higher on routes located further out

Over 85% The vast majority of cyclists are white – above 85% on all assessed routes, and this proportion does not seem to have changed following construction of the routes

24/07/2019 16:45

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