Frog labels its bikes by inside leg length so it’s a doddle to match kids to a bike
Vulpine jacket detailing
Rolla rigs: “The winner buys lunch”
FROG BIKES Of particular interest to those early rising bike shops was show debutant Frog Bikes, bringing to market their take on how children’s bikes should feel, complete with expert input from the kids themselves. Built entirely around lightweight aluminium
frames, Frog’s nine bike range are all labelled up by the inside leg measurement, as opposed to an age group, making the bike easy to match to the rider, even if your dialogue with the parent does go a little something like this: "How tall is your child"… "oh, you know, average seven year old size." With a 43 per cent margin and a dedication to selling via independent bike shops, Frog’s line should be popular. BikeBiz is told that in future we may see further road and mountain bikes available via Frog, all sized for smaller builds with downsized levers and cranks. Frog are contactable on 08443 351322.
Bike Tyrestore’s new POS stand
BIKE TYRESTORE Appearing at the show to raise the profile of Rubena, Bike Tyrestore told BikeBiz that for stores currently with stock, the European tyre label is selling well. To boost its retail offering, the distributor has begun producing a custom-designed point of sale unit for Rubena dealers, capable of holding 20 tyres and over 50 inner tubes. Measuring just a metre wide, it’ll fit on most shop floors and is provided free of charge to dealers making a commitment to the label. On the product front, new BMX race tyres and a wire bead 29er tyre will join stock shortly.
Custom Starley paintwork
STARLEY Altrincham bike brand Starley popped along to exhibit its line of made to measure bikes and while not actively looking for retail partners, did tell BikeBiz that it would be open to hearing from those looking to add an exotic brand to their stable. With a £10,000 buy in, it’s not for everyone, but with that Starley will design customised in store point of sale for a partnering store. As you’d expect, professional bike fitting experience is required of the retailer, given the nature of the customer. For those unfamiliar with the label, it’s big
on research and development, which is largely carried out at its Warrington testing facility. Custom painting is another unique selling point of Starley, with even those buying the entry level £1,100 bike able to customise their colour palate. For more on Starley and any retail opportunities, call 01619291929.
VULPINE Though not ready in time for the show, Vulpine told BikeBiz it is getting firmly behind women’s cycling, not only adding eight new garments to its catalogue for 2013, but also sponsoring the Matrix Fitness women’s squad, as well as backing a Bedford three day race for women. What’s more, you’ll soon find Vulpine stock with Velovixen, one of the many retailers also taking advantage of exhibiting at the debut show. With a noticeable presence at the show, the
Vulpine Fete drew the shows curious crowds over with Facepainting, Rollapaluza racing and a cluster of artisan framebuilders. Vulpine itself had further news in the form
of a new hire, former head of design at Chanel London James Greig. More on the new recruit can be found on page 56. Product wise, the crowds were introduced to
Starley’s tailor-made range made an appearance
22 BIKEBIZ MARCH
New Vulpine recruit James Greig models the product too
the new Warrington rain jacket, retailing for £180. With a highly tailored cut, the jacket chooses magnetic closures over Velcro which often wears over time. With Scotchlite highlights, the jacket is both highly visible and strikes a strong balance between breathability and waterproofing.