BIG INTERVIEW
London, there are different expectations due to the type of riding you are doing.” A consistent theme when engaging with local people was the demand for service and repair. “You can’t be a specialist in terms of bikes without a strong workshop offering,” adds Mazillier.
“The workshop will be at the centre of our model, and it’s a clear expectation from people. “
Van Rysel Van Rysel is one of Decathlon’s many in-house brands, but it has undergone a transformation with a host of premium models introduced.
This revamped line-up includes the RCR Pro Replica team
bike – currently being raced in this year’s WorldTour by Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale – retailing at £9,000. Although still a lot of money, it’s thousands of pounds cheaper than equivalent WorldTour steeds from Specialized and Trek. The bikes are complemented by a selection of high-end accessories and clothing options, again all at reasonable prices when you consider the features included.
But high-end performance at a competitive price isn’t new
territory for Decathlon. “We have achieved this already in other sports. Rockrider finished number two in the World Cup for the Rockrider team,” says Mazillier. “In terms of tennis racquets, we have products at £99 which have won ATP Tournaments. There’s also lots of running
Van Rysel has received significant investment in R&D
shoes that you will see at the Olympic Games, so it’s not new for us.” Decathlon has invested
heavily in Van Rysel with the ambition of making it one of the top five bike brands in the world.
This sees Van Rysel
developing its own carbon fibre layup and using its own moulds for the RCR’s frame. There have been partnerships
with Deda Elementi and Swiss Side for componentry, as well as ONERA, a French aerospace research laboratory. ONERA is based a stones throw from Van Rysel’s headquarters in Lille and has assisted with aerodynamic testing on more than 20 of the brand’s prototype frames. For Mazillier, the attention now turns to changing the mindset of the consumer. “It’s easy to think that a high-end product has to be expensive, and an affordable product can’t be technical or good quality,” he says. “We want to propose something that is a bit disruptive.
The workshop will be a cornerstone of Decathlon’s cycling business moving forward
We can compete in terms of tech and quality, but we want the product to be affordable. “For that we must have everything, conception, componentry, production and logistics.”
www.bikebiz.com
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