INTERVIEW
Angie, Marco, thanks for taking time out from running the shop to speak with us. Let’s start with looking back on 2025 - how did your year start? The start of 2025 was surprisingly busy for bike sales, contrasting with the expected post-winter slowdown. A busy period was for the first two or three months. Oddly, sales decreased when the weather improved - a period of calmness, which, at the time, we did not initially understand.
Looking back, and taking a big picture view, “The UK economy experienced a significant slowdown in momentum during spring 2025, with monthly GDP falling by 0.3% in April 2025 after a strong start to the year.”
If we look at that strong start to the year, what was selling for you? What kind of bikes, to what kind of customer, and at what price point? The majority of strong early 2025 sales were hybrid bikes, with a price point ranging from £600 to £900, including accessories. Aztecs Bikes has been mainly focused on commuter cycling in London (although this is changing). Alongside this, we also saw a significant increase in demand for electric bikes, from brands like Tenways and folding models from Hygge bikes, both appealing to people commuting. Entry-level folding electric bikes from Hygge and our
Tenways range start at around £1,500. We’d also highlight that these brands appeal to people who value features like lighter weight, better quality, and the belt drive system, which is reliable and non-messy compared to metal chains.
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Talking about the wider impact of eBike trends and customer behaviour, I’d say that six out of ten new customers come in after riding hire bikes like Lime, Bolt, or Forest, and are impressed by what Tenways and Hygge offer. Both brands comply with UK and EU legal and regulatory requirements. For us, working with brands like Tenways and Hygge is crucial because they offer durable products, reliable service, and easily accessible spare parts and support in the UK, unlike cheaper products that often fail quickly.
As 2025 progressed, you started exploring changes to the product you offer as a means to expand your customer base. Tell us a little bit about your thinking here. We know that in 2025 we sold a lot of products (compared with 2024), but our profit didn’t reflect the increase in unit sales (inflation at work). As a business, we can’t stand still if we want to continue to grow, keep supporting our loyal local customers and win new fans. This loops back into the brands we have chosen to work with. We prefer to work with brands that manage stock and protect retailers from heavy discounting. We want to partner with brands that value their retail partners, not compete against and undercut small businesses. Offering value, quality and availability is critical for us. We
offer service and customer experience to match this when people come into the shop. A friendly and welcoming space is a big part of building local relationships. We have worked hard to create a store which feels well laid out, is clean, tidy, well merchandised, and well-branded. Aztecs Bikes has a look and
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