BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news
The January edition of BikeBiz is now live. Read the digital edition online here.
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Where did the time go?
I’m convinced it was summer yesterday, and yet somehow we’re now into a new year. Hopefully you’ve all had a chance to reset over the Christmas break and enjoy some needed time with friends and family, as we’re now straight back into the mix – and it’s going to be a busy start to the year.
Trade show season will be on us early this year, with COREbike now taking place in mid-February, followed shortly after by the return of Madison’s IceBike, taking place in two locations in March (see p30-31 for a diary of cycling trade shows).
Following the madness of the past few years, it really is impossible to tell exactly how 2023 will pan out for the cycle industry, but with the help of a few industry experts we’ve attempted to stare into the crystal ball to identify trends in the bike trade (p7-8) and micromobility (p33-34) with the help of freelance writer Rebecca Bland.
Elsewhere in the mag, I ventured out to Cambridgeshire to catch up with Lloyd Townsend and the team at Ison Distribution, to hear more about the developments with their brands, while our senior staff writer Rebecca travelled north to Clitheroe to visit the 2022 BikeBiz Bike Brand of the Year, Ribble, to see how the brand is hoping to change the face of bicycle retail.
It has certainly been a tough few years for the bike trade, and the signs suggest 2023 could be another year of struggle for businesses, but the bike biz is one of the most resilient industries in the outdoor market, so let’s make the most of it.
Alex Ballinger, Editor
Included in this month’s magazine:
Trendspotting 2023: Stock and sustainability (7)
New year, new industry? BikeBiz editor Alex Ballinger looks at the expected developments in the coming 12 months
RETAILERS
Retail finance: The fundamentals (13)
In this month’s advice for cycling retailers, Jonathan Harrison from the Association of Cycle Traders explains how sector expertise and user experience counts when it comes to retail finance
Time is money (16)
Citrus-Lime’s James Steel tells Rebecca Morley about the company’s Book My Bike In initiative and the value of bike shops offering online services
‘I’m super proud of our team and everything we’ve achieved’ (20)
BikeBiz catches up with Gary Ewing of Inspiral Cycles, winner of IBD of the Year at the BikeBiz Awards 2022 in association with ArmaUrto
BIG INTERVIEW
The future is data (22)
See.Sense is an innovative product and data company based in Northern Ireland. Founders Irene and Philip McAleese sat down with BikeBiz to explain how data is changing the cycling landscape
DISTRIBUTORS
Distributor focus: Ison Distribution (27)
In this month’s distributor insight, Alex Ballinger travels to Cambridgeshire to meet the team at Ison
MICROMOBILITY
Micromobility in 2023 (33)
A year is a long time in mobility – what can the cycle industry expect from the blossoming e-bike and e-scooter industry in the next 12 months? Rebecca Bland looks ahead
BRANDS
Locked in (45)
British security brand Litelok recently released a state-of-the-art anti-angle grinder lock for the cycle market. BikeBiz sat down with founder and CEO professor Neil Barron to discuss the challenges faced by companies that design and manufacture at home
125 years (49)
Rebecca Morley visits BikeBiz Bike Brand of the Year 2022 Ribble Cycles in Clitheroe to find out more about the brand’s recent anniversary and what sets it apart from the rest
PRODUCTS
New products and sector guides (53)
All the latest developments in the market, plus a spotlight on bike security (59) and bike storage (64)
