FEATURE
that ‘the industry is full of discounts and so many cycle brands are struggling to make money’. The small-batch model of emerging apparel companies, sometimes coupled with pre- orders, means that there is lower inventory waste at the end of the season, and little left to discount.
Retailers as partners For independent retailers and distributors, these emerging models present both challenges and opportunities. The most immediate issue is access. If brands are direct- to-consumer, how can physical retail participate? Small, value-based brands often come with community-building initiatives, and shops can become meeting points and partners in that way. For example, LUCA has built awareness via rides, workshops and pop-up events, which it considers essential to get people to see and feel the product in real life. This suggests a role for retailers not just as points of sale under a modern partnership model with no discounts, but also as experiential partners hosting events, facilitating product trials, and acting as community hubs. While Kostüme is not ready to enter retail points just yet, it acknowledges growing retailer dissatisfaction with the existing system: ‘a lot of retailers are not really happy with the current model’. A way forward combining sustainability,
small-batch production and physical retail has to come with a change in consumer mindset.
Product longevity and the ‘investment’ mindset A key pillar underpinning these new models is the idea of apparel as a long-term investment rather than a seasonal purchase. Kostüme showed off bib shorts that performed almost
like new in tests after 15,000km in the saddle. GRVL similarly emphasises durability as integral to sustainability: ‘What we don’t want to do is create product that only lasts six months, and you throw it away.’ This has direct implications for sales cycles. As GRVL
acknowledges: ‘Consumers who buy quality, generally buy less, which affects repeat orders.’ Growth, therefore, must come from market share rather than high purchase frequency. If more consumers adopt this longevity mindset, shops that cannot afford to keep large amounts of stock while knowing that year-old designs are expected to be discounted could benefit, serving as a point of contact for brands, without having to cut down their margins at the end of each year, and suffering less from stock risk.
What does sustainable growth look like in apparel? If products last longer, customers buy less frequently. The primary avenue for growth, then, becomes gaining market share within the segment, not only from new entrants but also by winning over cyclists who previously sought regular discounts from large brands. Since growth is no longer driven by repeat seasonal
purchases but by gradual market share gains and customer acquisition, it can be slower. These brands also generally aim to expand by applying the same principles across other cycling and outdoor segments.
The road ahead The shift towards small-batch, sustainability-led apparel is unlikely to replace the traditional wholesale model entirely in the near future. Scale, price sensitivity and consumer expectations will continue to support volume-driven brands. However, the emergence of alternative models is already
reshaping expectations around pricing, discounting, product lifespan and retailer relationships. For retailers, the opportunity lies in adaptation rather than
resistance. This may mean rethinking inventory models and embracing lower-volume partnerships, positioning stores as experiential hubs rather than pure sales channels, or aligning with brands whose values resonate with a growing segment of conscious consumers.
What is clear is that the traditional cycle of bulk buying and
end-of-season discounts is no longer the only viable path, and for some brands, it is no longer viable at all.
www.bikebiz.com July 2026 | 13
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