Issue 71 | December 201
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EDITORIAL
IT WAS A YEAR of ups and downs for the bicycle retail sector. Tesco brought its ‘bike shop in a
shop’ concept to another 16 stores, proving that bike retail remained worthwhile for the giant grocer. On the other hand, it wasn’t for
NEWS 4-6 MYSTERY SHOPPER
SPONSORED BY FOCUS ON…
Taipei, e-bike wireless charging tech, Best Buy, Ultra Motor and more insight from – and about – the trade
everyone. US retail heavyweight Best Buy – retailer of e-bikes and consumer electronics – announced it would be
closing its 11 UK stores, putting around 1,000 jobs at risk. It’s fair to say Best Buy entered UK retail during an
Our undercover reporter quizzes retailers in the big smoke, about ladies bikes
RETAIL SURVEY 201 REVIEW OF 201 1 40
Riots, 29ers and more shows than ever. Never a dull moment in the bicycle trade...
OUTDOORS A new recycling initiative gets the backing of the OIA, plus new products and much more
CORE BIKE PREVIEW 44 WHEELS, TYRES AND MORE 1 ELECTRA FOCUS
10 14
In association with CSG UK, BikeBiz asks independent retailers how 2011 was for them – with some surprising results...
23
BikeBiz speaks to the design team behind Electra for insight on 2012 and beyond
incredibly tough period, especially for consumer electronics (did you hear that Comet was sold for £2?). So, wrong place, wrong time for Best Buy? But how did other cycle retailers fare? For Halfords, bicycles remained buoyant once again. Leisure sales, including cycling, were up 3.9 per cent up in its half year financials, but less impressive performances elsewhere from the retailer meant it saw a decline in group revenue – of 0.1 per cent. Our Retail Survey (page 14) found that independents, in the main, saw an increase in annual profits, or at least saw them draw level with last year.
The biggest story of 2011? It could yet prove to be Decathlon. If it makes good on its promise, it will mean a huge change for UK bike retail.
Despite Best Buy’s failure and Halfords’ (and some independent bike dealers’) struggles, 2011 also saw a key piece of news that might just mark a huge shift in UK bike retail. In fact, I’d go so far as to say it might have been the biggest story of the year. Potentially. In October we heard that Decathlon – you know, the one with over 350 stores worldwide – was planning to significantly increase its retail presence in the UK, introducing a whopping 100 stores on these shores within the decade, the North West being a particular target. Such a move would, make no mistake, completely change
27 DEALER PROFILE PEOPLE NEW PRODUCTS 50 LETTERS
Liverpool-based BMX specialist The Loot is put under the dealer profile spotlight this month
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New faces at Madison, NeilPryde Group and Wiggle can be found in our People section
52
Eight of the latest products – including the Go Pro Hero 2 and Quickfix Mudguards
SPOKESMAN 78
Cyclists and bike retailers are snobs? Try living in their shoes for a while, says Carlton Reid
EVENTS 64 OFF THE RECORD 76 NUMBER CRUNCHING 74 SPONSORED BY 55 60
One retailer complains about paying to play music, while the PRS responds...
the face of the UK bike retail scene. Who would suffer from such a move by the experienced sports retailer? Arguably, but most likely, it would be Halfords. Will Decathlon make good on its words? It has recently snapped up an outlet from struggling retailer JJB in Scotland, but is it madness to plot expansion on the High Street at a time like this? The retailer has been noticeably reticent in the UK so far, with a mere nine or so stores. Bicycle sales here are second only to Germany (in Europe)
so why wouldn’t Decathlon be preparing to jump into the UK with both feet? While we wait and see, and if you’re still in reflective
mood, there’s more reminiscence on 2011 in our Review of the Year feature, on page 40.
Jonathon Harker, Editor
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