This piece first appeared in the June edition of BikeBiz magazine – not subscribed? Get a free subscription.

By Jonathan Harrison, Director of the Association of Cycle Traders (ACT)

There’s something deeply satisfying about a bicycle that’s been properly assembled by a skilled mechanic. The precision of indexed gears shifting perfectly.

The balanced feel of wheels that have been expertly tensioned. The confidence that comes from knowing every safety-critical bolt has been torqued to exactly the right specification. These aren’t mere technicalities—they’re the difference between a joyful cycling experience and, potentially, a dangerous one.

Yet across Britain, a concerning trend has taken hold that threatens not just the livelihood of independent cycle retailers, but the very foundations of quality and trust upon which our industry was built. The race to the bottom on pricing, particularly in the online space, has created a parallel universe where bicycles appear to be simply commodities, rather than the precision machines they truly are.

As an industry, we face a moment of reckoning. The health of our supply chain—from manufacturers to distributors to retailers—requires urgent attention. At the Association of Cycle Traders, we’re increasingly concerned that the moral compass of our industry is being compromised by practices that prioritise short-term gains over long-term sustainability, customer welfare and most importantly, the growth of a cycling community.

Let me paint a familiar scenario that plays out daily across the country: A customer visits their local independent cycle shop. They receive personalised advice from knowledgeable staff who take time to understand their needs, discuss appropriate models, fit them correctly to a bike, and explain the ongoing servicing requirements. The customer leaves with valuable information and a clear understanding of what bicycle would best suit them.

Then comes the modern twist—they go home, search online, and find what appears to be the identical bicycle at a significant discount, often advertised at 20-30% below the recommended retail price. The decision seems obvious: same product, lower price. But is it really the same product? Our recent investigations suggest otherwise.

Through undercover enquiries, we’ve discovered a troubling pattern of misleading practices. Online retailers claim to have bicycles “in stock” that aren’t actually available for immediate dispatch. They advertise substantial discounts from RRP while obscuring additional delivery charges that can add £35 or more to the final price. Perhaps most concerning, bicycles advertised as “pre-assembled” often arrive requiring significant assembly work, with no safety checks or professional pre-delivery inspection (PDI) completed.

What the customer gains in apparent savings, they lose in peace of mind. The skilled labour of the bicycle mechanic—a profession requiring years of training and experience—is effectively devalued to nothing. The carefully established recommended retail prices, designed to ensure fair compensation throughout the supply chain, become meaningless figures to be slashed for short-term competitive advantage.

Some suppliers might argue they’re unaware of these practices, but the consequences are painfully real for both consumers and independent retailers. A bicycle is not merely a collection of components in a cardboard box. It’s a precision vehicle that, when properly assembled and maintained, can provide decades of reliable service. When improperly assembled, it can be dangerous.

The Association of Cycle Traders believes the time has come for greater accountability throughout our supply chain. Manufacturers and distributors must take greater responsibility in partnership with IBDs as to how their products are represented and sold. This isn’t about protecting outdated business models or resisting the inevitable march of e-commerce—it’s about ensuring that, however a customer chooses to purchase a bicycle, they receive an honest, transparent, and safe experience.

What might this greater accountability look like in practice? For starters, suppliers could ensure that their dealer agreements contain stronger provisions about how their products may be advertised, e.g. regarding stock availability claims. They could implement mystery shopping programmes to identify retailers who misrepresent their products. And they could provide greater support and incentives to retailers who invest in proper staff training, workshop facilities, and after-sales service.

For retailers themselves, the ACT has always advocated for transparency and integrity, encouraging our members to provide accurate information, fair pricing, and expert advice. We believe these standards should apply regardless of whether a bicycle is sold in a physical shop or through a website.

Consumers also have a role to play. While the attraction of a bargain is undeniable, we encourage cyclists to consider the full value proposition when purchasing a bicycle. The expertise provided by a knowledgeable retailer, the peace of mind that comes from professional assembly, and the relationship established with a local business that will support your cycling journey over many years—these benefits have real value that should factor into any purchasing decision. An industry with recognisable quality practices can engage and educate consumers.

The pandemic years saw unprecedented demand for bicycles, with many new cyclists entering our community. This should have been an opportunity to establish strong foundations for future growth based on quality, service, and integrity. Instead, in the aftermath, some parts of our industry have fallen into patterns that threaten to undermine consumer confidence and devalue the skilled work of bicycle mechanics (and the sector as a whole).

At the ACT, we’re committed to working with all stakeholders to improve the health of our supply chain, and we’ve developed high-quality training and accreditation schemes (within the Cytech programme) that help consumers identify retailers who adhere to the highest standards of professional practice and invest in their workforce. 

The issues facing our supply chain won’t be resolved overnight, but addressing them is essential for the long-term health (and growth) of our industry. When a customer purchases a bicycle, they aren’t just buying a product—they’re entering a relationship with our industry that we hope will last for many years. That relationship should be built on trust, honesty, and mutual respect.

As we navigate these challenges, I remain optimistic about the future of independent cycle retail in Britain. The retailers who focus on adding genuine value through their expertise, their service quality, and their community engagement continue to trade even in difficult market conditions. The suppliers who recognise the importance of a healthy, diverse retail ecosystem are finding ways to support these businesses while adapting to changing consumer expectations.

The bicycle remains one of humanity’s most brilliant inventions—a marvel of efficient engineering that enhances health, reduces environmental impact, and provides unparalleled freedom of movement. Our industry’s responsibility is to ensure that every bicycle sold delivers on this potential, regardless of where or how it was purchased. By working together to restore integrity to our supply chain, we can ensure that cycling continues to flourish in Britain for generations to come.

info@theact.org.uk | cycleassociation.uk

Steve Garidis, Executive Director of industry body the Bicycle Association, shares his perspective on the UK bike trade in 2025…

“Is the bike market rollercoaster we’ve all been on since Covid over?”  This question, or variations of it – and possibly one still requiring some group therapy for many of us in the cycle industry – is the one I get asked most often.  It’s not been far from mind at the UK’s Bicycle Association over the last five years, and it’s the question most asked at the networking sessions of our members’ events and gatherings. 

And no wonder many in the industry are hoping for some ‘normality’ given the tumultuous nature of the 2020s so far:  Heady market boom, the reality check of the ensuing global supply chain crunch, an ongoing cost-of-living crisis squeezing demand.  Longstanding industry business models have been sorely tested, major market consolidations are still to show their full effect, and there’s the (very human) impact of business closures, small and large.  Compounding all this have been macro trends well beyond the direct influence of the industry, the shifting politics and changing governments.  Navigating the rapidly shifting policy landscape and complex trade rules through Brexit or US tariff wars has not been for the faint-hearted.  And as if all this weren’t enough, we’re now tackling a major (potentially existential) anti-e-bike campaign driven by sensationalist mainstream media coverage of illegal electric motorcycle use.   

So, will 2025 be the year we’ll look back on as a turning point? And how does the UK cycle industry best position itself for the challenges and opportunities coming down the (cycle) path?

That’s the question we work very hard to answer at the BA.  As the UK cycle industry’s national trade body, our purpose is to support, champion and safeguard our sector.  Each of these requires us to understand the real pressures and opportunities of the present and take a medium to long-term view for the future.  Not easy in such a tumultuous period.  To do it requires access to industry-relevant data, careful analysis of the impact of policy and regulations, a clear view of where, as a membership association, we can uniquely and impactfully bring industry together to collaborate or unite around single clear messages, and often most tricky of all, the dark art of bringing to bear a unique and credible narrative and influencing government action.

Bicycle Association’s Market Data Service

On the data front, I’m very pleased to say the Association leads the way within the cycle industry globally, with an industry-owned, non-profit Market Data Service capturing retail sales data directly from tills of more than 70% of the UK market by value, from shops online and in the high street.  The Bicycle Association’s Market Data Service (fondly abbreviated to ‘MDS’) is truly an amazing and powerful tool for understanding what’s happening, in real time, across the UK market.  So much so that other markets beyond the UK are now working with us to extend the service there too, starting with Germany and Australia this year.  In the UK, our members have been able to use MDS for five years now to interrogate, on a monthly basis, how they are performing vs. the market in any segment or category they operate in, providing actionable insights from which they can make money.  For the Association itself, MDS underpins our conversations with officials and the cases we make to government to secure policies and greater investment for our sector.  It’s vital credible data in an era which requires robust evidence to effect change, and which I don’t think we can do without if we wish to thrive and compete with other modern industries. 

To sound an encouraging note, for the first time in four years, I’m looking at the monthly MDS data and feeling quietly, cautiously optimistic.  At the time of writing, MDS shows sales for each of the last three months are substantially up on the same period last year, suggesting the post-pandemic decline, ongoing since May 2021, may have finally turned a corner.  There are still worrying longer-term trends that sit in the background – a decline in children cycling and children’s cycle sales, a lack of real progress in bikes as transport, but slowly, surely, the leisure, sport and enthusiast side is returning.  And as an Association, we’re cautiously forecasting growth for 2025, albeit in single digits.  I guess we’re maybe still a year off really feeling like a recovery has kicked in, and a longer way off realising the nascent potential of ‘ordinary’ cycling – the ‘electric revolution’ seen on the Continent, or the even bigger potential still of cycling for transport. 

Team of Industry Experts

On the technical and policy front, we are lucky to have a team of subject experts trusted by our members, government officials and industry experts within the UK and internationally.  We’ve built strong credibility through longstanding connections with those developing industry standards whether in our members’ businesses or at European or global level, and we’ve built longstanding relationships with many relevant parts of government, whether DfT, DEFRA, DBT on the policy front or in adjacent business friendly departments like Innovate UK where relationships and reputation can help attract public innovation funding to our sector (a first for the UK cycle industry).  Our members have full access to this expertise and we provide support on all matters of standards and regulations whether compliance or international trade, but perhaps more importantly still this hard-won capability is one of the main ways we can influence government policy, by providing trusted, unbiassed expert advice, based on sound data and careful analysis, and backed (where needed publicly) by the relevant sectors of our membership. 

Impact on Government Policy

This long-term approach to influence is what, in my view, truly impacts government decision-making and the policy environment which determines how we all do business.  As an industry, campaigns come and go and play an important role in single issues or raising awareness, but long-term influence requires long-term investment, and should, in my view, be considered by all cycle businesses as a vital and necessary cost of doing business. Building influence doesn’t happen by accident – it’s not gifted to sectors just because they deserve it. It’s built deliberately, through unity, clear messaging, reliable evidence, and long, consistent engagement.  Other industries have been doing this to great effect for decades.  We have to do it too for ours, and to keep going! That’s where strong trade associations come into their own. 

By way of example, and undoubtedly the biggest threat to our sector right now is the risk of knee-jerk policy reaction to the illegal and substandard electric motorcycle products (I refuse to call them ‘e-bikes’) being confused by the media and politicians with the very safe and legal e-bikes sold by the reputable cycle industry.   The Association has been working on this behind the scenes for several years, building the evidence case for where the problems truly lie, working with the Office for Product Safety & Standards, DfT, DEFRA and others.  As an Association, our work has helped establish without question that the reputable industry’s products are safe and showed Government where regulation is required to tackle the real problem (primarily online marketplaces and delivery platforms, which need to take responsibility for the legality and safety of the products and services they offer).  Alongside pushing government to close down access to substandard and illegal products, we’re working with members and other industry partners on an industry-wide Assurance scheme which will help consumers identify safe e-bike products and reputable places to buy them. 

Market Predictions

So, to come back to the original question – ‘is the rollercoaster over’?  The answer is inevitably, ‘…probably not’.  There are always new challenges coming our way, but of course, this means there are also opportunities.  Things are looking up for our sector.  The market has turned a corner.  We’re still a fantastic, innovative, passionate bunch, and our industry has a great story – an economic punch well above our weight, and a social value from our impact on health and environment that makes us a ‘strategic industry’ for any government.  The trick is to position ourselves accordingly, and that requires us to invest in having the influence we need and deserve.    At the Bicycle Association, our mission is to give the UK cycle industry that influence. Not just for today’s market conditions, but to help shape the policies, regulations and public perceptions that will define our place for the long term. 

If you’re a business in the cycle industry and not already working with us, you should be! You’re missing out, and we could be stronger still with you onboard. Check out membership options on the Bicycle Association website.

In this edition of our ‘People who make the Industry’ series, we hear from a Former GMBN Presenter turned YouTuber and content creator.

With much of the industry media focused on showcasing pro rider extreme feats, presenting riding as an accessible activity which anyone can do might not sound radical, yet that’s exactly what it is.

As Anna Cipullo points out: “Whether I’m riding bikes or just talking about them, my aim is to remind you that at the end of the day… It’s just bikes, so get inspired and get involved.”

How did you get started with cycling?

I moved to Bath after university and landed my first job… in Bristol. Not ideal. I couldn’t afford a car, and even the train or bus was a stretch. So, I borrowed a mate’s old Specialized Rockhopper and braved the 13-mile commute along the off-road cycle path. He promised it would be easy, but it took me an hour and forty minutes!

Eventually, I bought myself an alloy road bike, shaved the commute down to an hour, and became known as “the cyclist” in the office. I was working at KPMG at the time, and they offered time off for charity events, plus they’d double any money you raised. So, when I saw a Marie Curie London-to-Paris ride, I jumped at it for the free holiday!

What I didn’t expect was for it to completely change how I saw cycling. It wasn’t just a sweaty slog to work anymore; it was social, fun, scenic, even relaxing. Later that year, my local bike shop suggested I join a women’s MTB ride. One ride into the hills above Bath, looking across the Avon towards Wales, and I was totally hooked. I bought a second-hand Kona NuNu with v-brakes and started racing cross-country straight away. At age 24ish, I was late to the party!

Working in the industry – how did that come about?

After a year of racing and working in pensions admin (spoiler: not my dream job), I figured I’d try getting a job with a bike brand. I thought that even data entry sounded appealing if it meant talking bikes all day, but I stumbled on my ideal job: Cycling Development Officer for CTC (now Cycling UK) in Swindon. I couldn’t believe it when I got it.

The goal was to get more people on bikes in the city. I ran skills sessions in schools, taught over-50s how to ride for the first time, and organised “cycle buses” from neighbourhoods to major workplaces. I even started writing for their in-house touring magazine.

When the lottery funding ended, I pivoted to sales for a while (selling SIS gels to bike shops), but that’s when my freelance journalism really took off. I’ve basically been creating cycling content for over fifteen years now, in slightly different guises for different companies each time.

Tell us about your journey in the industry.

While at CTC, I started writing the odd product review — mostly bikepacking gear — and thought it was very cool to get freebies. Then a new mag called Women’s Cycling asked me to write some event features, and I leapt at the chance.

Before I knew it, I was racing all over the world and writing about it. I then started contributing to Cyclist, BikeRadar, Singletrack, Cranked — you name it. I even helped launch Bikesoup Magazine for Dragon’s Den entrepreneur Touker Suleyman (though, sadly, finances on the “bike marketplace” side of the business didn’t go to plan).

A few years ago, I was running Saddleback’s social media and launched a YouTube channel for them. That caught the eye of Doddy, and after we met at Malverns Classic, he asked me to join him on GMBN Tech. I was honestly star struck and said yes! We had a great two-year run, but after he moved on, the vibe changed for me, so I decided it was time for something new.

What’s the next big thing for you?

That would be my own channel: AnnaontheBike. I’d already built the name on social media, and people seemed to enjoy my blend of self-deprecating humour and no-nonsense bike chat, so I wanted to carry that into long-form content.

I started uploading weekly videos right after leaving GMBN. I figured it would be a slow build, maybe a year to get momentum, but somehow, even with modest subscriber numbers, the videos started hitting around 10k views each. I’m still a bit stunned!

The biggest boost was having Trek, and recently Shimano, came on board with sponsorships, which means I can keep going full throttle.

Right now, I’m still holding down a full-time job outside of the bike industry to keep the lights on and the cats fed! However, my YouTube channel is my passion project, and I’m immensely proud of it. It’s not about flashy reviews or constant gear plugs. I’m trying to create something a little different, more storytelling, more thought-provocation, and hopefully a bit of comic relief. At the very least, I hope it adds a dash of personality and diversity to the MTB space.

This piece first appeared in the May edition of BikeBiz magazine – not subscribed? Get a free subscription.

Mark Almond from Red Cloud Marketing explores marketing and why understanding your customer is key.

Marketing. It’s a word that is often both misunderstood and misrepresented.

Having worked in various marketing roles for over 25 years and, since 2007, with bike industry companies from around the world, it has never ceased to amaze me how little some people understand about marketing. To some, it is promotion or telling people about products or services. To others, it is advertising, events and email lists, and whilst these are indeed all elements of the work carried out by marketers, it is not what marketing is at its core.

Now, please forgive me. This is as ‘classroom-like’ as I intend to be, but marketing is defined (by the Chartered Institute of Marketing, no less) as ‘the management process responsible for anticipating, identifying and satisfying customer requirements profitably’. No mention of advertising, BOGOF deals or pushing slow-moving stock there! Instead, the key words are perhaps ‘management process,’ ‘satisfying customer needs,’ and ‘profitably.’ These are all very pertinent for bike retailers in our current torrid and competitive marketplace. Let me explain.

It starts with the company leadership and your customers. The company needs customers, but customers might not need your company – they have options. Businesses that adopt this marketing approach and put their customer needs first will find loyalty and thrive, whereas those who simply try to persuade customers to buy whatever they want to sell may not. This is where ‘management process’ comes into that definition. It has to be apparent throughout the company to truly succeed, and it is management’s responsibility to ensure this happens. It’s how your company looks, how it talks, how it approaches and interacts with customers and how it meets their needs. It’s a working culture in many respects, with customer service at its heart.

Now let’s talk about ‘satisfying customer needs’ and look at it from your perspective. You might work in a bike shop or for a distributor, but you are also a customer. Do you like being told what to buy? Chances are, no, you don’t – neither do I. We all have personal needs and perspectives. If a company wants to interact and have a relationship with the end goal of me spending money with them, then they need to be showing me the products and the customer service I want to buy and receive. Sounds obvious? It is, but it is all too easily missed. That special deal from a supplier is tempting, right? Not if your customer doesn’t really want it, and you then have to persuade them to buy it. Truly understanding your customer, listening to them, engaging with them and finding out what motivates them will create loyalty. This is true whether your customer is a member of the public or another company; discovering and satisfying your customer’s needs makes your path to sales so much easier. 

To me, marketing exemplifies that old saying, ‘we have two ears and one mouth, so use them wisely’. If you listen to what the market tells you first, communicating the solution becomes very simple. If they want bar ends, stock bar ends, whether you like them using them or not. I have no idea why I picked on bar ends, but you get the idea!

Profitably. The final word in that definition but the one that we all need to achieve to stay in business! By adopting the first two principles, this final one becomes a little more achievable. Sure, good purchasing and tight cost control are still key of course (remember, your suppliers should be satisfying your needs as a customer too!) but an engaged, interactive and involved customer base will make loyalty and repeat purchases so much easier to attain and it makes your life a bit more fun as well! Customer retention is much cheaper and healthier than finding new ones. You may find that understanding your customers, stocking what they truly want and speaking the language they want to hear will result in higher value orders whenever they pop by, too.

With regards to profit, I should perhaps address the elephant in the room. The cost of marketing is not as high as you may think. In fact, done correctly, it makes you money. I know I’m biased, but until you start spending on events, advertising, and other paid-for activities, the actual cost of marketing can be very little. Remember, marketing is a process, not an activity, and as such, you control that process the same as with any other business function.

So, as a marketer, I hope that I understand my customer and right now that’s you. You’re reading this in your own time and by choice (I hope), and I need to cut to the chase. 

Tips and ideas for understanding your customer in 100 words or less:

• Two-way communication. Listen first, speak last. Get to know them and what they’re looking for. What bikes do they ride? How do they ride? Why do they ride? How much do they spend? Who are they?
• Introduce customer care initiatives such as loyalty programmes and make it known what your duty of care is at all times.  Make it a way of life in your work environment.
• Introduce customer feedback and social evenings/rides. Welcome all feedback and extra chances to chat with your customers – no hard sell, just listen and pave the way to a sale.

That was 97 words, so there you go, a marketer that comes in under budget. We do exist.

Once you have a marketing management process in place, then it’s time to look at how else marketing can help your business grow, but as with everything in life, you need a foundation on which to build. The greatest bike in the world will not go anywhere if you forget to fit the wheels.

Mark Almond is the owner of Red Cloud Marketing and a freelance Marketing Consultant to the international bike industry.

In the current economic climate, how do retailers win new customers and generate regular business?

In the second of a series of features with BikeBiz, Phillip M Lucas shares insights into the potential value of refurbished bike sales for bike shops of all shapes and sizes.

For wider context, second-hand is no new trend – used-approved (auto industry), pre-loved (apparel sector), refurbished (consumer technology), reclaimed (building industry) all generate serious revenue.

Here Lucas explores what the cycling industry is learning (and earning) from this wider societal shift, and why refurbished bikes might save your profit margin – or business – this year

Trendwatching: Refurbished bikes are the time-tested first step into cycling for many. Taking them seriously again as a retailer could secure the short-term to mid-term future of your business.

Digital platforms like Tuvalum in Spain, Upway (50k unit sales a year), and Les Rénovateurs du Cycle (both in France) have proven that second-hand bike sales work today when they’re done right. In the UK, Cycle Exchange and WeBuyCycle are trending up. Similarly, The Pro’s Closet in their USA has recently rebooted and returned to its core business: certified high-quality second-hand bikes, with real QC and resale credibility. 

These platforms operate entirely online – but does it all need to be online? How much potential business is floating past your shop in a DHL van right now, headed to someone else’s warehouse? During economic downturns, second-hand bikes are not a fringe category. They may now be a viable growth engine for sales, loyalty, and workshop utilisation in a slow new bike sales market.

TL;DR:

Refurbished bikes are maturing into a proper retail segment. The data shows it. The shop model can handle it when done right. And with smart trade-ins, service bundling, and warranty strategy, you can turn risk into repeat revenue.

Don’t make a market shift a missed opportunity.

Once upon a time, second-hand shop sales were more common. Perhaps, in sight of market softening, it’s time for independent shops to catch back up, and cash in. As both electrification and lease sales grow, so does the funnel of modern feeling second-hand bikes returning to the market. And as bikes gain in complexity (digital shifting, e-bike systems), consumer confidence is dropping on peer-to-peer platforms like Gumtree and eBay. Here are some eye-opening second-hand statistics:

• In France, new bike sales dropped 9% in 2024, yet second-hand bikes grew notably. They made up as much as 23% of total unit sales – about 1.3 million bikes, worth €740 million today, with a 10-year CAGR projection of 6.4%. 
• In the Netherlands, shop second-hand bikes average €950 – over 50% of new-bike ASP (€1,815) and nearly 40% of e-bike ASP (€2,574). Despite tight selection, second-hand sales still generated around 15% of retail market value and 30% of unit sales.
• In Germany, second-hand bike sales are growing at up to 5.1% CAGR: a clear sign that workshop-backed resale is becoming the norm, not the exception.
• In Belgium, new speed pedelec sales fell 12.6%, but second-hand sales jumped 20%, a surge tied to the country’s strong leasing ecosystem.
• In the UK, while new-bike sales slowed to their lowest point in 50 years, Cycle Exchange achieved a 40% CAGR from 18 – 23 and projected 20% growth in 24. 

These scattered datasets send a clear signal: the data is starting to align. In a period of shaky confidence and practical consumer behaviour, second-hand is going mainstream and the second-life market is maturing.

In certain categories, refurbished is now seriously competing with new.

Additionally, these figures show that second-hand doesn’t have to mean low-end: many retailers are focusing on high-quality, well-maintained bikes as an affordable peer to new purchasing, with the “high” second hand retail price made worthwhile by service, financing and warranty.

In Britain, where total new bike sales dropped by over 20% in 2023, the second-hand sector proved more resilient. Platforms like Cycle Exchange and WeBuyCycle have expanded operations, while Halfords and Decathlon increased investment in certified pre-owned bikes. Some estimates suggest refurbished bikes already account for 10-12% of UK retail unit sales, and growing. As quality and trust become the new currency, workshop-backed resale is emerging as a credible, scalable alternative –not just a fallback. Other English-language countries are likely to be seeing similar trends. It is a global economy, after all. 

Europe-wide, Decathlon has been focusing on second-hand sales activity for a few seasons now. If they were sharp enough to outperform the market when others contracted, their push into pre-owned bikes should make everyone else sit up and take notice. This isn’t just a fallback move—it’s a forward-looking one that brings a community that usually walks past your store, into it.

A missed opportunity?

As this shift accelerates, and more e-bikes enter the second-life cycle via leasing returns and maturing ownership cycles, resale and trade-in programs will only become more central to the business model – especially for shops looking to serve both new riders and long-term customers.

Meanwhile, we know that price-sensitive first-time buyers often massively underbudget. They end up on sub-£1,000 bikes not built for daily use (cheap, under-spec’d, poorly assembled). Or they chose uncertified online e-bike kits – the fires from which have become the darling of The Sun et al.

This customer group of first-time or budget-conscious buyers could become reliable, ongoing business for your shop if you offer solid, service-backed second-hand options. And if you apply a structured and cost-defined sales-and-service bundle idea explained below, even high-mileage riders like food couriers can become worthwhile, loyal customers when supported with the right service-and-warranty bundle.

When that terrible quality new bike fails – spectacularly or otherwise – so does the whole idea of cycling as mobility: They drop out. Back to cars. Back to transit. Back to frustration.

That’s where you come in. With the right trade-in and reconditioned bike offer, you can:

• Offer better bikes at realistic price points
• Build trust with advice, guarantees, and real QC
• Turn first-timers into repeat customers, not just one-time headaches

How retailers can not just participate – but compete

Add a smart trade-in system to your shop, and suddenly you’re creating full product life cycles in-house. Your current customers, weary of spending money in today’s climate, have an extra impulse to get the new dream bike through a trade-up. You then offer their old bike (serviced, warrantied and reconditioned) to new, more price-sensitive buyers. You’ve gained two transactions, cleared stock, and added workshop revenue in the middle. 

We know the risks. We’ve all burnt fingers on second-hand bikes before. But that’s no reason to walk away: Instead, investigate what past mistakes really cost you and price in the risk. When you know your margins, you can price and offer 6-, 12-, or 24-month warranties with confidence.

A way to mitigate that is to add a trade-in value-add to your new bike sales strategy: yes, integrate second-hand into every new sale. Explain to buyers that if they bring their bike in for a yearly checkup, they will qualify for your value-boost trade-in plan, where an additional 10% is added to trade-in value and you guarantee trade-in for any next purchase. 

This is smart because urban riders are masters at thrashing bikes. They treat maintenance like a myth, their bikes live out in the rain, and they ride with brakes half-working and chains rusted stiff and somehow don’t “notice” until the wheel is buckled to the point it jams on the fork, or the chain snaps. A reason to visit you yearly that generates workshop income, is welcome for both your bottom line and their safety.

Recreational bikes are part of a trade-in policy, too, and they can be a goldmine. Plenty of good-quality first-generation 29” MTBs, road bikes, and hybrids are sitting unloved in garages, collecting dust. Trade-in programs can bring these back to life and open up value-packed options for new mobility riders, enthusiasts, fitness riders, and weekend adventurers. “Trade in your old unused MTB for a gravel bike / urban ebike”. In doing so, you use old product to unlock a dream for the new trend. Advertising on a window may well stir interest in people who previously walked past your window, certain you had little to offer them. 

Of course, not every bike should be accepted in trade. Set clear standards. Quote realistic values based on actual repair costs. Don’t be afraid to say no: Some bikes are better off as parts donors or recycling material, so be comfortable knowing where to draw the line. Low and mid-level 26” MTBs, recumbents, DIY e-bike retrofits, and 2005 e-bikes with their original battery are not your future sales funnel. They’re dead ends. Focus your energy on bikes with resale, reliability, and relevance. And if you don’t know your average cost to recondition, find out now: A trade-in offer needs to be an immediate offer to compel sales conversion; a 24h response time will mean cooling of consumer purchase desire. The customer will walk, literally. When they could have ridden if done same day. 

At the same time, retailers are gaining relevance in second-hand sales thanks to e-bikes. Battery health and support is becoming a defining threshold and cornerstone of sales. Most major resale platforms now treat 80% battery capacity as the QC pass/fail point for e-bike refurbishment. That’s surprisingly generous; leaving room for many resale opportunities that may have been prematurely written off, or for you to set 90% (maybe 400 charging cycles in?) as your limit to explain why your shop purchase really is a premium refurbished option (you’ll need to instruct trade-in customers to come with a fully loaded battery, and use a micrometer for current/voltage/resistance and basic training to estimate battery health). If a battery’s healthy enough and the motor checks out, you’re likely holding a valuable mid-tier or commuter e-bike that just needs a fresh owner (and an upsold extended warranty, perhaps).

This process of recalibration of second-hand bikes as a market is already happening in the UK. Shops like Cycle Exchange, WeBuyCycle, and others are building real businesses by focusing on economically viable trade-ins. On the flip side, some chains and LBSs are testing programs that filter out non-viable stock early (e.g. battered £150 supermarket bikes, worn-out 26” models) or redirect them to charity, parts, or scrap. The trade-in model is evolving fast – but it’s grounded in selectivity, not generosity. Yes you read that right: Smart retailers are using “trade in” working to entice even buyers with wrecks of bikes into the door and treat the “trade in” object cost as a simple marketing cost deducted from the transaction. Last of all, stripped down to a minimum – there are B2B programs that mean you too can simply send unfixed bikes to the online platforms like those listed in the opening of this article to outsource the risk and work while still capturing a trade-in new sale value. 

You already have quite a funnel for these sales. If your workshop is overbooked with tired old bikes, that’s not a backlog; its a sales funnel. Many of those bikes shouldn’t be fixed – they should be replaced. With a properly rebuilt ride and the right payment and warranty conditions, that starts a new customer relationship. If 10% of your second-hand buyers return to buy new second-hand bike again, that’s future revenue you own. Your second-hand customer base sees 90% one timers, but a 10% quiet growth with each round.

Financing and Warranty: Turn sold features into trust builders

And yes—financing is increasingly available and important for second-hand bikes. In many regions, banks and credit providers are starting to treat certified refurbished bikes just like new ones. That means better access, higher basket sizes, and easier conversion at the point of sale.

We can take a page from the second-hand car industry without becoming Mr. Wormwood (yes, Matilda’s dad). Offer buyers real peace of mind with a 6-month standard warranty, and the option to upgrade to 12- or 24-month service-backed packages. Want that 24-month warranty? Make it conditional on half-yearly or annual servicing in your workshop, which is invoiced and booked. Just like with the new bike sales trade-in value concept, that’s not just protection for the rider. That’s predictable pre-loaded workshop turnover and repeat footfall for you.

The mathematics is not difficult: A refurbished bike sold at £950 with a 30% margin (£285), Plus 2 service visits at £60 with £100 in parts, could offer a lifetime gross profit potential of £450+. Close that off with a junkyard marketing “trade-in” discount for the next bike, and you have a new lifecycle that justifies even a trade-in on a trade-in.

A playbook for trade-in success

A second-hand bike is a part of an entire value chain and should be integrated into your business process holistically. Bring customer lifetime value concerns into your processes ASAP: Ensure a new sale (usually completely detached from anything second-hand) includes it as an end-of-lifecycle value add that boosts your workshop in the meantime. 

Meanwhile Integrate second hand sales with calendar-planned maintenance to offer otherwise inviably long warranty, while boosting your workshop’s turnover again (perhaps only 20% of the buyers will do this – but that is new business you have secured, and protection from unjust second hand warranty claims from customers who don’t uphold the deal).  Don’t treat the sale as a one-and-done. Treat it as the start of an upsell and service journey. Done right, this turns every refurbished bike into a loyalty loop, not just a price-point play. This isn’t charity. It’s smart business. It’s how you turn your mechanical know-how into a real competitive advantage over online-only sellers.

Second-Life Retail Strategy: the 4 Levers

1. Trade-In Design: Set criteria, track refurb costs, evaluate bike condition, offer same-day quotes
2. Sales Packaging: Price refurbished bikes to reflect condition + warranty
3. Service Lock-In: Link warranty extensions to 6–12 month checkups
4. Funnel Activation: Use overbooked workshop and CRM tracking of trade-ins as lead sources

With a critically slowing market, trade-ins should no longer be considered fringe. When well executed, they’re a growth lever hiding in plain sight – an engine for new sales, deeper relationships, and lifetime value. Retailers who act now can capture both market share and margin before online players eat the rest. The model exists. Now it’s up to you to adapt it to your floor.

Yes, reconditioning and warranty carry costs, but they’re manageable with planning. By tracking average refurbishment costs and setting clear resale tiers, shops can manage margin risk while building a second reliable revenue stream and offering quality at compellingly accessible price points, which is a sales argument sorely needed in today’s economy. 

Bikes with your support don’t die, they circulate. Make sure they circulate through your shop.

In the first of a series of features with BikeBiz, Phillip M Lucas shares insights into the ongoing, and potentially long-lasting, impact of trade tariffs.

This feature sees Lucas explore medium and long-term consequences – those which remain, long after any recalibration of, and reconciliation of, international trade relationships.

Editor’s note: Originally published early on Monday, 12 May 2025, after 14 days of research and writing, the content of the feature became almost immediately outdated, with China-USA tariff conversations delivering new news. 

Here Lucas adds a Tuesday, 13 May update, which clearly demonstrates the point in the headline of the original feature: “The consequences of uncertainty“!

Taking the new news into consideration, Lucas adds:

The Sino-American agreement now sets a new 30% for bikes. This, yet again, changes things.

This weekend’s 90-day truce from a Sino-American meeting in Geneva offered another delay, while imposing a temporary 30% U.S. import tax. In short, this just prolongs the suspense and uncertainty.

This situation is beginning to resemble a Schrödinger’s cat economy. We’re all trapped in the box with the cat—and we won’t know if it’s alive or dead until the 90-day truce between the U.S. and China expires. But either way, the cat (our bike industry) is likely to emerge wounded, even if long term prospects is “only” a 30% (margin-swallowing) tax on all business going into the USA. A tariff of 135% will be a unsurmountable barrier, as will the recently offered 80% – but even if tariffs are cancelled or reduced to levels that make ongoing business viable, our memory of the volatile jumping around is still strong.

Confidence has been shaken.

Contingency plans are essential.

If tariffs shift again, it may be sudden. This suspended state is damaging in itself. And even if the storm passes, trust in stability won’t recover quickly. That erosion of trust is its own lasting impact.

How will the U.S. trade war impact us in Europe? Don’t panic. Do prepare.

Since the start of the US tariff escalation, the global bicycle industry finds itself navigating not just its already known challenges, but an amplification with new layers of prolonged uncertainty.

Whereas most headlines have focused on how the recent U.S. tariff policy affects American consumers and Asian supply chains, the wise will realise impacts will start rippling across Europe as well. The central issue isn’t simply the tariffs themselves, but the financial, operational and consumer confidence consequences. The United States, as the world’s largest consumer economy (accounting for over 26% of global GDP), exerts a uniquely outsized influence on global financial liquidity, supply chain structures, investment timelines, and demand forecasts.

Just this weekend, a new 90-day update came from a Sino-American meeting in Geneva, extending uncertainty. The situation is beginning to resemble a Schrödinger’s cat economy. We’re all trapped in the box with the cat—and we won’t know if it’s alive or dead until the 90-day truce between the U.S. and China expires. But either way, the cat (our bike industry) is likely to emerge wounded. Even if tariffs are eventually avoided or reduced to levels that make ongoing business viable, confidence has been shaken. 

Veteran observers will note the tactics in play follow a familiar script from Donald Trump’s own book, The Art of the Deal—leverage uncertainty, play extreme, and make media-friendly announcements that position negotiation retreats as victories. The 145% threat could be bluster; the 90-day pause could signal backpedalling. But while the situation may yet blow over, it remains impossible to plan responsibly without preparing for impact. 

So, contingency plans must be created. If duties resume, they could again change with little time to adapt. This suspended state is damaging on its own. Meanwhile, there’s a real chance this entire crisis could deflate, and we will all sail on, frazzled and much less trusting of the future. That reduction of trust will impact us, too. 

US volatility breeds EU Uncertainty.

When the trans-Pacific finance world is upset, the global economy feels the consequences. First of all, uncertainty is worse than bad news, and it has rapidly become the new normal. With bad news, we adapt, reprice, and find a way forward. But with uncertainty, entire economies stall. Investment freezes, decisions are deferred, and systems seize up. As economist Adam Posen notes, “the damage from uncertainty is longer-lasting than the damage from the tariffs themselves.” This means that ongoing uncertainty will lead to a long-term market depression, fewer launches, lower margins, and a weaker recovery. This is already happening, with large investments being deferred indefinitely and appetites for resumption significantly reduced. 

April’s sudden announcement of, and strange pause on, margin-crushing US duties on goods from core cycling supply regions like China, the EU, Vietnam, Taiwan and more, sent shockwaves through the industry. That rapid swing would have been destabilising enough, but it was followed by retaliatory escalation from China. This tit-for-tat intensification, seemingly rooted in preserving political credibility more than economic pragmatism, has locked the two largest trade actors into a costly and absurdly escalating stand-off which will have global consequences if not resolved immediately.

European brands and retailers focused on domestic markets may feel insulated at first glance. After all, how will a trans-Pacific trade issue affect European bike riders? But in a globalised economy, nobody is immune: As the saying goes, when the US sneezes, the World catches a cold. The cycling industry depends on shared supply chains and production economics that rely heavily on predictable global demand. 

In a Geneva meeting this week, the U.S. and China agreed to a fresh 90-day truce, pausing further escalation. While that offers a brief window of stability, it doesn’t erase the uncertainty. If the U.S. does impose a 145% duty on Chinese-manufactured bikes, frames, and components, the world’s largest supply channel will be cut off from its largest consumer market. Even this week’s media-friendly suggestion that the U.S. might settle at “just” 80% as a goodwill gesture remains margin-crushing by any realistic measure. And while components from other origins may be rerouted for U.S. import via final assembly hubs, Chinese-origin goods still face an eventual and potentially steep barrier.

But even if tariffs never return, the bigger threat may be financial contagion. When a region representing a quarter of global GDP begins to wobble, capital tightens, interest rates rise, and economic momentum stalls. That retreat from risk quickly spills into employment. Confidence doesn’t require mass layoffs to crack; rather, just enough cancelled contracts, hiring freezes, or cost-cutting is enough to rattle consumers.

The EU need not panic—but it should prepare for a softer outlook. Even without a full-scale crisis, European consumers will likely grow more cautious. Once doubt sets in, buying habits shift. “That would be nice to have” becomes “I can do without it”—especially for discretionary purchases like bikes. First-time buyers hesitate early. But even committed cyclists may pull the brakes once uncertainty becomes undeniable. And so, both sides of the market take a hit: supply tightens, while demand retreats.

Could we see a new clearance wave?

We mentioned rerouting of goods, and it is now possible that a wave of Chinese-origin parts, frames, and gear will at some point be redirected into other markets. In fact, some will already be en route to redirected marketplaces. At 17.6% of Global GDP (#2 region after the USA), Europe’s size and purchasing power, plus well-established cycling markets and logistics, make it an attractive destination for any excess goods that need to be sold to anywhere, quickly. While we can’t predict the scale and volume of possible redirected products from China yet, if they come, they will arrive to a saturated entry to mid-level market, and a cautious high-end market. Because much of this inventory was financed, the pressure to convert it into cash will often outweigh margin concerns. When large volumes of overstock meet hesitant or less motivated consumers, the playbook is predictable: discounting. And so, we may soon relive a wave of discounted excess parts from grey market traders and webshops like we saw in 2022 and 2023, all over again. 

This may be great for consumers and could help draw in new riders who otherwise might not have considered taking up the sport (even in the current market saturation), but it will make planning and profitability a challenge for European retailers and distributors. The perceived value of new bikes may fall further, undermining full-margin high-end model launches and threatening recovery momentum across the generally weak mid- and lower-tier market segments. 

But consumers may face longer-term downsides, particularly in product choice, pricing and innovation. While a flood of discounted bikes and components may feel like a win in the short term, it comes at a cost. Brands bracing for volatility pause or cancel risky projects, leading to less innovation. Sea Otter, Taipei Cycle and Riva gave us a burst of new launches this year, and Eurobike may still bring us products that have been in the pipeline since COVID. But if trade volatility doesn’t resolve itself by this summer, the wave of innovations may start to run dry. If consumer confidence declines over the next few years, model years might be defined in greater part by safe bets and cosmetic refreshes, and in lesser part by bold new designs and category breakthroughs. Just when the market needed fresh motivation to bring riders into shops, creativity may be sidelined. The short-term deals might feel exciting, but the longer-term effect and loss of production volumes from a cooled-down US market may bring a more constrained and conservative industry that offers less, while asking for more.

European brands will see global and local knock-on effects.

Assembly and manufacturing challenges stemming from the U.S. trade war won’t be limited to China. European brands that produce in the EU and export to the U.S. now face a strategic fork in the road. Whether the U.S. enforces the full tariff suite or sticks with a 10% baseline, export volumes are expected to fall. A 10% duty alone reduces competitiveness and will cut unit shipments. Even if tariffs are later lifted, the damage is already done: the broader U.S. economy has been destabilised, and enough uncertainty has been injected to suppress confidence and spending through at least one presidential term.

That matters here in Europe. Brands relying on the U.S. to absorb production volume may soon find themselves holding excess inventory. If those bikes don’t ship out, they’ll stay in—meaning EU-made bikes destined for export will pile up in European warehouses or enter the domestic market, intensifying price pressure just as retailers and distributors are trying to recover. What begins as an export problem quickly becomes a local one.

If tariffs are applied unevenly—e.g., Mexico or Taiwan get exemptions while the EU doesn’t—EU bikes will become less competitive in the U.S., forcing brands to retain in-progress or completed stock. We may soon face the same liquidation risk now looming over Chinese inventory.

Equally concerning is the position of European brands assembling in China for U.S. delivery. That inventory is now hit by a 135% duty, effectively blocking its route into the U.S. Unless it can be reworked to meet EU country-of-origin rules for sell-through to the USA, much of it may be redirected into Europe like the rest of the Chinese overproduction from the last chapter. If other destination markets (e.g. Japan, Korea, Australia, etc) are already overbooked, the backup lands on our doorstep and might end up being cleared at steep discounts.

There is a narrow upside: if U.S. tariffs on China stay high while the EU remains exempt, demand may shift toward European-made bikes. EU assembly facilities and brands with strong local production credentials could become attractive to U.S. retailers seeking stable alternatives. But even that scenario carries risk, facing higher costs, less lead time, and exposure to policy reversals.

In short, European brands, retailers, and distributors must prepare for all three outcomes. Best case, some benefit from redirected U.S. demand. Worst case, excess stock floods the European market, pushing prices down and extending the post-COVID slump. The opportunity and the risk are two sides of the same coin, and the fallout won’t respect borders.

Time to plan and consider what is coming.

Beyond the likelihood of redirected stocks from China already inbound from the first Sino-American flare-up, none of the above will be sure until this summer.

Yet, Retailers, distributors, and OEMs alike will be preparing for volatility. Distributors and Shops should be wary of short-term margin compression from a wave of clearance products and prepare for turbulent B2B cycles by watching seasonal purchase behaviour closely and managing stock levels accordingly. 

As discussed, when uncertainty dominates the landscape, brands refocus on core products, streamline SKU complexity, and shift development toward proven platforms. So even if the tariff escalation blows over and consolidates at around 10%, we will continue with an ongoing raised level of caution due to the displayed unpredictability of US policy. While this year’s trade shows bring a refreshing number of new products, ongoing uncertainty will slow down the innovation cycle. If market demand softens, layoffs can occur, also amongst R&D and engineering staff, further reducing innovation capacity. Companies will safeguard cash flow, de-risk forecasts, and align their offerings to what is easiest to sell and finance. This is how industries survive prolonged turbulence, but it means that interesting or category-defining products that could have reinvigorated consumer excitement may be pushed years down the road. 

For the foreseeable future, many brand model years could be defined by safe bets and colour changes. The real cost of uncertainty may be not just economic, but creative. As mentioned earlier, whereas the near future possibility of a new wave of discounts will excite some riders, tomorrow’s constrained collections and delayed innovations may quietly disappoint, which risks ultimately amplifying today’s scenario of market saturation and general consumer disinterest in current product portfolios. This may happen just when the market really needed fresh motivation to bring new riders into shops and climb out of the post-COVID slump. 

Even in mainland Europe, where the cycling market functions as a self-contained microclimate of demand unaffected by US consumer choices, a global economic slowdown and tighter financial conditions across the board will have an impact. Employment uncertainty will reduce discretionary spending while credit may become harder for brands, shops and consumers alike to access. As a consequence, reduced financing to secure production runs (even for EU-bound bikes) may lead to a triage of product ranges. What might have been a phase of reinvestment in product, tooling, or dealer expansion could now give way to a more conservative mode, where even risk-adjusted spending becomes difficult to justify. 

As Harvard’s Willy Shih has noted, supply chains don’t simply bounce back when policies shift—they reroute slowly, often permanently, and only when stability returns. In between now and then, they will cope as best they can and reduce economic risk. Governments may start doing the same and start trimming any budgetary expenses deemed non-essential. Policy uncertainty may creep into mobility incentives. An early indicator of this just came to light, as Finland is considering rolling back bike-to-work tax subsidies. Brands that relied on such schemes to balance pricing or drive commuter category volumes may need to diversify and provide more financial services as part and parcel of the consumer purchase journey, much like automotive sales.

How do we move forward?

This is not a drill. Global uncertainty is the new normal, and we will see ripple effects in domestic European markets. The bike industry may not like the game, and after years of post-pandemic strain, it’s tired. But it doesn’t get to sit this one out. Those who keep moving—smartly, slowly if needed, but moving—will still be standing when the rules change again (and they will change again).

Europe isn’t just a bystander to global trade realignments. While our political climate may feel less volatile than overseas, the economic undercurrents are deeply shared. The most successful players will be those who treat this moment not with fear, but with sober clarity and proactive planning. Those who stay adaptable, track demand closely, align inventory to real consumer needs, and maintain open inbound and outbound supply chain communication may find steady ground even amid volatility.

In a market like this, profitability becomes hostage to unpredictability. As volatility rises, maintaining margin depends less on planning and more on agility—something many businesses can’t afford to lack. In this cycle, agility isn’t a luxury. It’s a survival strategy.

For shops, the main risk is margin compression. For distributors, it’s both margin and cash flow risk, with amplified exposure if stock devalues too fast. For brands reliant on U.S. export volumes, the risk is operational and existential. But even EU-focused brands shouldn’t assume immunity. If overstock from blocked U.S. exports or diverted Asian inventory starts flowing into Europe at steep discounts, they’ll face downward price pressure, slower sell-through, and reduced perceived value, without ever shipping a single unit overseas.

Below, you’ll find a few tactical ideas for shops, distributors, and manufacturers on navigating this new European market landscape. 

Distributors: Stay Liquid, Agile, and Strategically Diverse

Distributors might be well served to prioritise liquidity and agility. Forecast conservatively and remain flexible in inventory staging, as sudden discount waves can compress margins. Maintain strong cash buffers wherever possible and maintain close contact with retailers to stay ahead of volatile demand cycles.

On import goods, manage foreign exchange risk proactively if you don’t already. Building currency buffers through well-timed exchange conversions can give a few percentage points that will make the difference if margins tighten. Track policy shifts actively; volatility is the norm. 

If you can secure redirected stock from Asia at low cost, act quickly. Adjust pricing early and meld margins with lower-cost replenishment. Otherwise, you risk being undercut by alternative channels that bypass you entirely. And as market demand stagnates, invest in premium brands that serve committed cyclists, as this segment continues to drive up ASPs even though unit sales are in decline. 

Manufacturers: Stay Flexible, Stay Focused

Flexibility must guide manufacturing strategy. Limit financial exposure, pressure partners to allow shortened forecasting cycles, and prioritise modular or near-market assembly to stay responsive. Product renewal should continue—brands that maintain differentiation stand out, even in downturns. Reuse COVID-era tactics like component substitution when you find an option to boost margins, but avoid triggering shrinkflation fatigue by skimping on quality as you do so. Some suppliers created excess stock B2B marketplaces post-COVID; be sure to join them. 

Commercially, reduce dealer risks. If you offer generous margin at lower risk to shops, you offer yourself a greater chance of getting a share of a shrinking pie. Brands that help shops manage exposure while preserving margins will earn long-term loyalty.

Bike Shops: Diversify Revenue, Build Loyalty

For shops, survival means smart diversification: There will always be new potential customers, but most will not be first-time recreational buyers you served last year or the year before, whose appetites are saturated. This may mean updating your window stock and communication style, too.

Financing and low-friction payment tools will be key to ongoing new bike sales if personal and governmental budgets tighten further. Develop second-hand sales and trade-ins to offer this season’s price-sensitive buyers affordable options with good quality. This will also offer the last 3 seasons’ first-time buyers, now less purchase-driven – an enticing upgrade path.

Service and shop-sold used bikes are fast becoming key pillars of the European market. Double down on service and broaden workshop intake across quality and category. Use experienced mechanics to train junior mechanics over the summer; skilled Labour is tightening, and it takes a few months to get new hires proficient. Focus on workshop sales skills to upsell based on real needs and use cases, earning loyalty through consistent, value-driven care. 

Prepare for pricing competition on OE spec parts and a volatile pricing cycle through tight stock planning – then happily install genuine internet-purchased parts… if your local laws and insurance allow for a waiver form. Maintain at least one innovative high-end brand each category of your product mix to keep enthusiasts engaged if mainstream launches slow.

This piece first appeared in the April edition of BikeBiz magazine – not subscribed? Get a free subscription to BikeBiz.

Why the cycling industry needs to address how mountain biking is represented to expand its market.

Mountain biking is…

When you think about that, what springs to mind? What is mountain biking for you? What words or imagery does mountain biking conjure? It’s very personal, and for each of you, it’s likely different. 

However, when we look at the typical portrayal of mountain biking, to an outsider looking in, they likely see a very limited perspective. Even those who exist in the space, within the bubble of the industry, may see a limited view of unlimited possibilities.

Mountain biking has an image problem. And that’s a concern. It might not seem like it, but it’s potentially damaging the growth of our sport. 

Your lived experience might be very different from others. This might be a non-issue to you. It may not even be something you’ve considered before. It’s just riding bikes after all, right? Commercial aspects aside, we know what’s helped to sell bikes in the past and that has its space. But what about space for everything else?

For many, mountain biking doesn’t look accessible. Some people feel like they don’t deserve a space in the sport. That they aren’t fast enough, like they don’t have the right equipment or kit. Some people can’t afford it. We’ve perpetuated an idea that to ride mountain bikes, you need to ride at a certain level or speed to be taken seriously or be considered good enough. 

When’s the last time you saw an ad, a video or another piece of media that didn’t depict going bigger, harder, faster? And if you did, what did the comments say? 

I’ll admit that even choosing images for this article made me rethink my own bias. I looked beyond what I’m used to seeing, and instead looked for people just riding bikes. I had to correct myself that, despite what they might be riding or wearing, it doesn’t matter. They are still mountain biking. I’ve chosen a balance of what I’m used to vs what we should choose to use more of. 

There’s been an increase in research in representation and inclusivity, with topics like gender inequality in mountain biking being explored. There are also an increasing number of groups, events and people creating space for things beyond the ‘norm’, and thanks to events like Reframing MTB and projects like Project FIAS (Fostering Inclusive Action Sport), conversations around inclusivity, participation and wider responsibilities are happening more often. 

We need to make sure that people who don’t ride but are considering it, don’t find themselves looking on social media or in magazines and getting discouraged. It’s also about ensuring that those who do ride feel like they belong, even if they don’t ride a certain discipline, bike or any number of factors that might limit them from feeling like they deserve to ride. You might think back to when you started, what you might have seen and the fact that it didn’t put you off. But what about those people who fall through the cracks? The ones that don’t come back to give riding another go. As the saying goes, ‘you can’t be what you can’t see’.

What’s wrong with finding a balance and giving space to encourage wider participation? In a recent study, conducted by Shift Active Media in preparation for the Reframing MTB event, out of all participants surveyed (159, 58 of which were women), 55% of women feel that MTB is inclusive to riders of different genders, in comparison to 78% of men.  Women are clear that the industry, media and policymakers need to do more to encourage participation, with 50% of women disagreeing that the MTB industry does enough to encourage more women to get into MTB, and 53% felt the same about encouraging more participation from diverse ethnic backgrounds. On both aspects, men are split, with roughly ⅓ agreeing, disagreeing and feeling neutral on whether enough is being done. 

You might find yourself thinking, why does this matter? Gender and inclusivity aside, encouraging responsible riding is vital. Showing people respecting nature and ambling through the places we ride rarely looks particularly exciting, but the way in which we portray, market and talk about things is a shared responsibility.

We, as an industry, have the power to shape the culture of the sport. There are so many benefits to mountain biking, and by limiting the view of those, we limit ourselves. We limit our ability to apply for funding for new trails, better infrastructure, and outside investment. We are the gatekeepers to our sport and its culture. People spend money on things they care about. If you don’t see yourself represented in anything, why would you invest?

So, how do we change? It’s a challenge, and something that takes time, but by doing small, tangible things, we can all make a difference. You can’t do everything, but you can do something. Think about the language you use, the media you engage with and share, and the way you talk about riding on your social media channels. 

Think about the reason you ride. Is it for fitness, pleasure, to escape? Maybe it’s a mix of those things. Many of us appreciate the release, the chance to connect with nature, feel free and know that getting out on the bike is beneficial for our physical and mental health. 

Mountain biking is something that should be shared. I’d encourage you to look into the growing research, get involved in the building momentum, have conversations and engage in the community. Together, we can all benefit from making change.

Part three of our ‘People who make the Industry’ series marks a step change for the feature – the first to appear online, as part of a steadily expanding digital-first content approach.

In this edition, we hear from someone with more than two decades of experience working in the Taiwan and China-based OEM manufacturing side of the industry.

Exiting the industry means Jayu Yang – who ran a global OEM business – is now able to share genuinely unique insight into how the industry behind the industry actually works: Something which naturally isn’t possible when you are in the thick of it and your clients are household names.

How did you get started in the cycling industry?

Well, okay, it’s very easy. You could say I was born into the business, into manufacturing and factories and exporting.

My grandad founded Kenda, and my dad worked with him. So that’s how my dad entered the bicycle industry. In the early 50s and 60s, there weren’t so many Taiwanese people who spoke English fluently.

Now, my father could speak English and Japanese fluently, so of course, he was key to Kenda since the beginning.

Since the start, Kenda has made a lot of bicycle tyres and inner tubes. My dad’s thinking was, ‘Okay, I would like to have my own trading company, and this can bring business to Kenda.’ From the trading company, he decided to jump into the bike assembly business – Kenstone – which he founded.

We are entrepreneurial by nature. My dad liked to open a lot of companies.

So, I actually have no choice (said jokingly, in a warm, positive way). After I graduated and completed my master’s, he asked me to go back to Kenstone.

That’s it. Nothing dramatic. It’s just like a family business. My dad and my mom asked me into the family business. I say okay, and that’s it.

At the time you join the business, what does the landscape look like?

When I entered the business in 2001, that was a time when a lot of Taiwanese companies were moving to China, and that was a time when China was rising to become “The Factory of the World”.

What is really interesting in these years’ experience – as my father is managing the China factory, I was managing the Taiwan factory. My task at the time was not to manage the company. My task was to close down the Taiwan factory.

What’s the most pronounced change you’ve seen in that time?

Let me open by saying that, historically, we, the OEM manufacturers, don’t talk openly – it’s the nature of the business – as we are our customers’ partners in manufacturing. Theirs is the name you know. We are trusted partners. Add to this the character of Taiwanese – that we always keep our mouths shut – and it’s clear this has been the way.

Today, what we are seeing is a shift in the cycling industry, and with it comes a different approach – Asian expertise speaking in public to a Western audience. Asian brands are also now making headlines in Western media.

A few examples for quick context here:

• Depending on your YouTube viewing, you’ll have seen Joe Whittingham, AKA China Cycling, introducing Chinese brands to a Western audience over the past 5 or 6 years.
• Outside of the online world, we’ve seen a change of ownership at Scott Sports, with Korean manufacturing business Youngone Corporation taking the reins.
• WheelTop – a Chinese OEM – becomes the new owner of Rotor
• In the past 12 months, a Chinese manufacturer – XDS Carbon Tech – has become a bike supplier and title sponsor of a World Tour team.

On the supplier side, OEM manufacturers, in some instances, are becoming a place where hard-earned expertise now sees brands being launched from.

How does this reshaping come about? What drove the OEM businesses into the spotlight?

Ok, well, we all experienced COVID, and I was working from both the brand side and the supply chain side – I definitely have seen things go wrong in our supply chains.

With the whole supply chain issue, even before COVID, there was Trump 1.0, and you can see the traditional geopolitical landscape was changing. COVID just sped everything up, and of course, now Trump 2.0 and trade tariffs just speed everything up even faster.

Now I feel like the supply chain topic can seem very boring, but it’s so, so important.

I wrote in the past that the cheap money time is over, and I do see the lack of supply chain efficiency partly from deeply ingrained legacy thinking and behaviour, including the ‘superstition’ from traditional product managers (PM), possibly the biggest threshold in our industry.

We also can’t talk about this without mentioning that the bike is probably not the best investment target, because the cash flow in this is very slow, because the inventory turnover rate was/is so low.

This picks up on a little bit of what the founder of Rivian, RJ Scaringe, talked about – costs being high and that being symptomatic of a very inefficient supply chain.

Exactly, and as the industry is currently structured, there is no quick or easy fix here.

Can you give us some idea of the customers you worked with?

My experience is actually pretty broad. I have experience working with mass market companies like Walmart, Pacific Cycle, Brunswick, and over time we gradually worked with higher-end brands like Norco, Colnago and Cervelo, YT Industry, Santa Cruz, BH, Bianchi … you know, the list goes on.

I think I’ve been pretty fortunate. I can see what is happening in the mass market side and also what is happening in the high-end bike market. The supply chains are totally different, despite the product still being ‘a bike’.

What can you tell us about the differences in the supply chain? How are the trade relationships behind the brands different, whether that’s manufacturing locations, or that’s processes for manufacturing?

There are a few different aspects we can discuss.

So let me just compare quickly the IBD, specialist brands, and the mass market brands.

First thing – in the bike industry, the parts brand name is very important. It almost leads the whole bicycle marketing and sales conversation, but that is not how things work in the mass market.

Your mass market brands are aimed at people, not cyclists – consumers who don’t typically care about
tech specs and branded parts. In the mass market, of course, you still need to maintain some measure of quality, however, they care more about pricing.

Here, the bike assembly factory has more freedom in choosing the supplier partners to work with when choosing the parts maker. We, the OEM factory, add major value for our partners in this way. Our industry relationships have substantial value.

Now, when you turn to IBD brands, this freedom is lost.

With IBD brands, we OEM are extremely limited. Bike brands will tell us what components, what specs. When you work on the higher-end brands, then you’re actually being held captive by the parts makers – as an assembler, you don’t really have a choice.

Unlike the auto industry, where car brands tell their key suppliers what, when, and for how much, the cycling industry bike brands are told what, when and how much by parts supplying brands.

Yes, exactly. I think that is also the biggest bottleneck for the outsiders who come into our industry. I
think they don’t get it.

As you know, I sold my company to an electronics company in 2019, and very quickly, we saw the
difference, even though it’s still Taiwanese-owned.

The business sectors have a very big difference in approach and attitude to managing the company and its supplier relationships. For them, an electronics company, like you say, is a brand telling the supplier what to do. They don’t understand that in the bike industry, it works the other way around, and there’s currently no way around that.

They tried treating bike industry suppliers the way they treated electronics industry suppliers – and quickly
realised the joke was on them.

Strong-arm approaches saw payment terms changed, and suppliers simply chuckle at the idea they’d be replaced, which makes sense when you know our industry has a small pool of essentials: SRAM and Shimano, for example. They were so frustrated because in the electronics business, nobody dared to speak this way to, or treat an electronics brand that way, but hey, this is the bike industry.

Do we think motor gearbox unit and belt drive – potentially the next evolution – will be driven by outsiders? If you’re a DJI or a ZF or someone like that, from outside of our space, they have every incentive to innovate, to disrupt.

Taking DJI as an example, they represent something very interesting. Their unicorn element isn’t being a globally dominant drone maker, although that certainly helps. It’s something that’s baked into the business. It’s Brand.

Actually, this would be my advice: If you want to come to the bike industry, learn from DJI, Bosch and Garmin. Start from the parts, not the complete bike.

Now that’s an interesting talking point. Could you expand on it?

Sure. I’m going to show my age here, but I’ll explain this by referencing another market and product, and the transformational impact a brand had on the entire sector.

Earlier, we talked about the auto industry and its supply chain. Now, let’s look at the consumer electronics industry – home PC in the mid to late 90s – and consider how brand value impacts the supply chain.

If you remember when desktop PC were going mainstream, and the internet was dial-up, so the mid/late 90’s, that time saw a supply chain very much like the bike industry.

Knowledgeable users would usually do their research. They’d look at what CPU – Intel inside, naturally enough – and at what the hard disk was best for them, who made the best tin box and what fan to fit, then what software.

We looked at specs, looked into the parts. It’s exactly like the bike industry. The interesting thing, when you look at the past 20 years; Who changed that?

Apple.

So Apple came out with their Mac, and that changed the whole supply chain direction. Nobody asked Apple what CPU they use. Nobody asked Apple what hard disk. Customers just looked at the Apple Mac and bought the brand, the look, the idea.

That’s how the whole supply chain changes. I don’t believe something will change so dramatically in the
bicycle industry.

What stops a component brand from radically altering the cycling supply chain?

One word: Scale.

I remember when the e-bikes came out. A very, very, big company CEO told me she was very excited about it because it was now time for a complete bike brand to change direction, and it’s time for them to tell the supplier what to do.

The company tried to having its own e-bike system… and now they are top 10 Bosch customers.

They give up.

They decide to follow the market trend.

Take the examples of VanMoof and RadPower – neither has customers who are focused on brand-name parts.

Their challenge: Post-sales service support. Who services these bikes? Where do spare parts come from? Still sourcing from the established supply chain. Still limited by it, just as everyone else is.

Going back to my home PC Vs Apple example, we in the bicycle industry don’t have the scale or size of the market. So, what is the incentive for people to invest?

VanMoof, RadPower, Cowboy: All businesses that built brands. Not one of them could tell suppliers what to do.

No, they couldn’t.

Also, we know that after-sales service is a very, very big part of the business.

I remember I worked with many other different brands, and the Purchasing Manager (PM) eventually ended up sticking with just Shimano and SRAM. This way, they don’t have to worry about the after-service, they don’t have to worry about the marketing, and the consumer and the dealer will automatically buy into that because they know they get the support from Shimano and SRAM, and they don’t have to explain. So that’s what I say when I mentioned that the PM’s become lazy.

Picking up on this – lazy – point: Is it a Western cliche that Chinese and Taiwanese businesses don’t know how to do brand building? Is that fair? Is it what you see in home markets, or is it just an outdated Western viewpoint?

I’m Taiwanese, and I would say it’s the Taiwanese who don’t know how to do the brand. It’s not Chinese.

The Chinese definitely know how to do the brand.

I always look at the pattern of how businesses become successful. With Chinese brands, first of all, there is huge online marketing. Then you can see that Chinese businesses are very good at e-commerce.

And the size of the domestic Chinese market – population 1.4 billion people – makes scale an immediate opportunity, which shapes how businesses are funded, supply chains built, and manufacturing is done.

Automation, mechatronics engineering, robot-powered production lines – all possible when you have
scale.

It has a massive impact on price.

You can make products for a variety of complementary sectors – all electric motors use copper and a magnet. If you make motors for new eMobility businesses and other applications, spanning a variety of sectors, not just cycling, you have a massive advantage.

As an example, right now, the biggest controller manufacturer in China, not just for bikes, they also do for
scooters or motorcycles, is capable of, and has manufactured, more than 15 million units per year. Specialist e-bike system manufacturers can’t match that.

Scale means motor ‘A’ costs $30 at trade from a China-based business, whilst motor ‘B’ from a European
business costs $100. Both products meet EU and USA certification standards. If you are a business selling mobility solutions, that’s not a decision. No thought is given when you sell to people who want a mobility solution – with pedals or without – not a brand statement.

I mentioned that selling products at a lower price is also made possible when you can build scale through the diversity of B2B clients. Here, eMobility is massive. Scooters or mopeds (think Vespa but with an electric motor) are massive across Southeast Asia and China. Nobody, or rather very, very few, in comparison, are pedalling.

Now factor in that your supplier relationships are (relatively) local. Supply chain management is very strong. When we talk about complex products, the manufacturing is done using market-leading technology.

Government subsidies also have an impact here. Just as they do for business outside of China, where governments choose to invest in domestic businesses.

The China advantage, again, is simple: Scale.

Talking about capital, we always say that China is more willing to do acquisitions and investments than Taiwan is.

It’s not that easy in Taiwan to get investors or capital. Usually, people tend to use their own money so they’ll have full control, but at the same time, if you’re just using your own money, it’s very difficult to scale up on the branding.

Scale means businesses are evolving – no longer just a factory, not just a wholesaler: The manufacturers will also become owners of brands. I can immediately think of another Western brand that’ll likely see similar in the near future.

This mirrors what we’ve seen in the auto space. The early stage approach to the Western market was the buying of Western brands: Rover. MG. Volvo, and with it, Polestar. Lotus.

Now we’re at the point where Chinese brands are carrying out highly visible marketing to a Western audience – think BYD and the Champions League, or Xiaomi and the Nürburgring lap record – creating a ground swell of interest around market-leading Chinese EV.

This kind of brand marketing opens doors for products from other industries.

Yeah. I do see that Chinese brands are coming very strong and also in a very smart, strategic, organised way.

In cycling, what are the barriers to OEM launching their own brands? Do we see tariffs and reduced orders to factories as a motivator for own brand launches?

I think a lot of people have a dream of becoming a brand. But, for example, let me take the third biggest assembly factory in Taiwan – I knew that they always want to have their own brand, but at the same time, the OEM business is so big, how can they give up the OEM business? They can’t. The fear of losing current business is strong.

What we have seen is OEM businesses investing in brands. I can think of a P&A example. Stella Yu is well-known, and her business is well-respected. Stella was still cautious. The concern was still there.

Even businesses that are big in OEM don’t want to unveil themselves, but right now, when the customer
is reducing orders, these businesses start diversifying. I know of a business moving into eMobility and scooters.

As we mentioned, Chinese businesses can do the branding. In addition to this, there is capital available. All things are possible when you have scale.

Fair to say the past month has been an interesting one in the world of e-bikes. 

An industry gathering brought together businesses in the e-bike system space to discuss peak power. DJI took a pause and then responded with a formal press release. And then, at Bike Festival Riva Del Garda, an Italian business – Askoll EVA – introduced a motor with 1200w peak power.

Speaking at the recent Bosch press event which introduced the upgrade for its existing Performance Line CX motor, and launched the new CX Race motor, Claus Fleischer brought attention to the external regulatory sources which shape how an e-bike is power limited.

The highlighted concern: Auto and motorcycle industries have influence here, as well as EU governmental bodies, or those connected to European government.

The wrong focal point, for the right reasons?

What if I said to you that focusing on peak power is a very misdirected point of discussion?

Let’s take this back to the fundamentals, starting with what we already know: 

An e-bike, also known as EPAC (Electrically Power Assisted Cycle) or EAPC (Electrically assisted pedal cycle), require riders to turn the pedals, just as a non-assisted bike would. 

Early on, it became very apparent that many e-bike riders used motor assist levels more than gears – the phenomenon of cassettes with only 3 or 4 of the sprockets being worn to the point of killing the entire cassette. 

Not exactly suggestive of people riding an e-bike like a bicycle. 

Now, the solution, I would suggest, to both how e-bikes are ridden and how e-bikes are regulated, is one and the same: Cadence.

Cadence lower-level limits

E-bikes all have a cadence sensor to enable the system to work. 

Bosch, and others in the e-bike sector, all have sophisticated software to make the system better than ever. Hell, Bosch even has electronic (software based) traction control.

Setting a cadence lower-level limit means the motor doesn’t cut in unless riders are at or above this limit. This means riders must use gears fully, just as needed when riding a non-assisted ‘analogue’ or ‘acoustic’ bike. 

Using arbitrary numbers here to demonstrate the point:

• Commuting and cargo bikes – Cadence of 30 and above sees the motor cut in
• Mountain bikes – Cadence of 40 and above, and the motor cuts in
• Gravel bikes – Cadence of 55 and above, and the motor cuts in
• Road bikes – Cadence of 65 and above, and the motor cuts in

The focal point is riders turning pedals, which means, in anyone’s language, this is a bicycle, first and last. 

No motorcycle or auto industry body, no lobby group, no governmental association or department can dispute it. The defining characteristic is that a bicycle is powered by pedals turning under human power, first, foremost, and last – it is an absolute requirement. 

For cycling as transport-focused products, the barrier of ‘learning to use gears effectively’ has already been overcome. Hub geared solutions exist which already have a fully automatic or semi-automatic gearing system. This is the start, not the end, of these developments.

It’s really not about peak power.

And this is why I say that the current peak power angst is a massive, misleading, headline-grabbing, polarising, and unhelpful conversation. 

1. It signposts to external actors that we don’t understand our own world. Pedalling is what makes an e-bike an e-bike. 
2. No amount of peak power is going to confuse an eMoped with an e-bike. 
3. Even speed pedelecs have pedals, needing the rider to pedal to engage the motor. 

So when a Chinese (DJI) and Italian (Askoll EVA) brand introduce motors with heady peak power figures, and Bosch takes a defensive stance, implying external limits govern the power of e-bikes, whilst also suggesting its own app can adjust speed limits, we are, as an industry, massively missing the point (IMHO).

Cadence. Cadence. Cadence.

Make cadence the core requirement of accessing assistance, and nobody can tell us, as an industry, that there is any, even remote, confusion or concern about what is and is not an e-bike. 

But what about the impact of high-power eMTB in shared-use spaces and on MTB trails?

Now, damage to trails, and access to land – that’s another very different, but related, conversation. Just ask anyone who used or uses a motorbike to go green laning in the UK about how that’s been going.

Irresponsible users who can’t/don’t/won’t consider the impact of their behaviour on others exist in all walks of life. 

You’ve met them in bike shops, as the customer who tells you they’ll only buy the e-bike from you if you chip it for them (or fit the chip kit they bought online)…. We’d like to believe these people represent a small, but highly vocal and, as a result, highly visible, minority – who risk ruining e-bikes for the vast majority.

Here, Chris  Maloney, Founder of new charity, The Trail Pot: National Mountain Biking Development Fund, talks to us in detail about what Trail Pot is and what he hopes to achieve. 

A veteran of pushing for improved mountain biking as former Chair of Peak District MTB and Founder of Keeper of the Peak, Chris knows the challenge better than many. 

I truly believe in the good mountain biking can deliver. Because I’ve seen what this inclusive, intelligent community is capable of – Chris  Maloney

As we (my fellow Trustees and I) are about to embark on our first year of fundraising and ultimately, reinvestment in mountain biking at the grassroots level. 

It’s not a crowdfunding campaign. It’s not a charity in the usual sense, with tin rattles and short-term appeals. It’s the UK’s first national charity solely focused on grassroots mountain biking development — and it’s built to work in partnership with our supporters in the industry; an almost unnoticeable, slow burn growth, but at scale.

I started this because after 20 years in the thick of advocacy — trying to get trail access, negotiating with landowners, unlocking funding for projects that make a real difference — it became clear: what we’re missing isn’t passion. It’s a system.

So what Is The Trail Pot?

It’s a charity, yes. But more than that, it’s a funding model — one that redistributes support to trail groups, community efforts, and local development based on where that support comes from. If 10% of the fund comes from support in the South West, 10% goes back there from the overall fund. Simple.

We’re building a model where retailers, riders, and brands can contribute small, regular amounts — a drip-feed of backing that doesn’t break the bank or demand constant attention — and see it pooled into a national fund that directly supports real, on-the-ground projects.

That supporter fund would be boosted with funding from partnerships and investment, support we are currently working hard to establish.

Not pie-in-the-sky dreams. And certainly achievable.

Why Should the Industry Care?

Without grassroots mountain biking, there is no sport. Without beginners getting a safe and welcoming start, there are no lifelong riders. Without people seeing trail improvements or new routes being built in their local areas, they don’t stay in the ecosystem. That ecosystem — your customers — is what keeps your business alive.

The Trail Pot is a way to say, “We believe in the future of this sport, and we’re not waiting around for someone else to fund it.”

And for those asking, “What’s in it for me?” — fair question. Here’s what:

• You’re investing in your own future market. More riders, more trails, more customers.
• You get to see where your support goes. It’s region-based, with transparent allocation.
• You gain goodwill. Supporting The Trail Pot isn’t just a tax-deductible gesture — it tells your community that you care, and they notice.
• You become part of something bigger. Imagine in a few years looking back and saying, “Yeah, we were one of the first to get behind that. Look at it now.”

But… why hasn’t it caught on (yet)?

I think part of the answer is this: when people hear “charity” or “donation,” they brace themselves for the ask. They expect a pitch, or a guilt trip. That’s not what this is. Trail Pot isn’t begging for scraps (though we’d never say no to donations). It’s inviting the people who care about this sport — and benefit from its growth — to be part of building its future. And it’s still very early days.

It also asks for imagination. Not just a quick hit of support, but a steady commitment to something that grows over time. And let’s be honest — in a time when everyone’s watching margins and tightening belts, it’s easy to file this under “maybe later.”

But here’s the thing: the early supporters are already showing it works. Shops like Big on Bikes in Derbyshire have jumped in. Investors and industry voices have backed it. The groundwork is laid — now it needs a few more people to believe in the idea, to see the vision, and help scale it up.

So… can we talk?

If you’re a retailer, coach, café – whatever – this is your moment to say: “Yes, I want to be part of something meaningful in this sport.”

Not just because it’s a line on your website or a badge for your window. But because you know what trails mean to people. You’ve seen the look on a new rider’s face when they come back from their first loop. You’ve watched a local dig crew rebuild a washed-out section because they care. You’ve probably done a bit of that work yourself.

The Trail Pot is for you, too.

And the ask? It’s not huge. It’s not flashy. It’s not “give us five grand and we’ll put your logo on a fence.” It’s a small, consistent contribution. It’s having a chat about how you make this fit your business. It’s shaping a future you get to be proud of.

Let’s make it work together. One conversation at a time.