IBD FOCUS
Tip of the iceberg Blazing Bikes’ Will Chambers says 2021 was a ‘great year’ in terms of sales and growth for the Shropshire store, but with that comes the added pressure of maintaining the level of customer service and aftersales. “There were a lot of early starts and late finishes, but it was great to get lots of new people into cycling and see lots of happy faces in a time that wasn’t that great for the world. “In terms of sales at the moment we’ve seen challenges
with stock availability, but the level of sales enquiries has been brilliant and we look forward to the availability becoming more abundant. “Moving forward, I can only see cycling as a whole becoming more popular and the age of the e-bike is definitely in full swing and in my humble opinion we’re only at the tip of the iceberg!” Pennine Cycles director Sandra Corcoran, based in West
Yorkshire, says 2021 is “still a challenging time for us with the supply chain of bikes and parts still being uncertain, so it is not always easy to plan and satisfy customers’ needs. “We’ve seen less footfall of new customers and
have been kept busy with our regular customers,” says Corcoran. “We look forward to 2022 and the opportunities it will bring as a family-owned independent bike shop.”
Clear communication “2021 has been a good year, shop floor sales have been great, workshops have been extremely busy, and we have managed to keep our two stores well stocked,” says South Downs Bikes’ Aaron Creamer. “We have seen a large number of new and returning customers with e-bikes being the main driving force.” On challenges the shop has faced, Creamer says the workshops have faced big problems with parts; they have had to be imaginative on where they find products and their communication has had to be very clear with customers. “We have had some challenges in finding the correct product for people in some places due to supplier stock levels being unpredictable. “We have had to be very mindful of ensuring our bike
stock holding is correct with a large number of bikes becoming available in certain price points, we have had to make sure we aren’t oversubscribed.” And what about the current state of retail? “We
have seen a rise in local footfall since the relaxing of restrictions which has allowed us to reconnect with our local communities in store and on a social basis with shop rides and events. “I think cycle retail will remain consistent providing
there is product available, and the bike and manufacturers and distributors alike remain as transparent as they have
44 | December 2021 ‘Bikeseven has always felt to be more than a box mover’
been, which has made the last year infinitely better and we are extremely grateful for that!”
Increased participation 2021 has been a good year for retail with the strong demand for bikes continuing through the end of the winter and into the spring and summer, says Rutland Cycling CEO Karen Archer and commercial director Andrea Mulqueen. “E-bike sales have continued to accelerate with sales up
across all disciplines, [it’s] very encouraging to see this with new customers coming into the market and the still huge potential in this market.” Demand across parts, clothing and accessories has also
been strong, pointing towards the increased participation in cycling seen across the last 18 months, Archer and Mulqueen continue. “Availability within the supply chain continues to be a
challenge and from all the signs we see will continue to be so in specific areas for a while yet. Our teams have adapted to this quickly to enable us to continue to offer a great experience both online and in-store with huge help from our key supplier partners. “We expect the demand for e-bikes, in particular, to continue into next year. We still have a long way to go in terms of ownership compared to some of our European counterparts. With the continued focus on more sustainable travel and investment in infrastructure to support this, the signs are looking positive for growth.” n
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