Posts by Phil Latz
First Data of Covid Bike Boom in June and July Import Figures
Bicycle import figures are now in for June and July and the expected surge is starting to appear in the data. June was strong with 99,554 bicycles imported. That’s 46% up from 67,937 in June 2019 and the second highest June total over the past decade. July saw a record number of bicycles imported into…
Further Data Confirms Scale of Bike Sales Surge
As every bicycle industry member knows, demand for bicycles has surged since March. But with the vast majority of bike businesses being privately owned, they are not required to reveal any sales data, so it’s hard to get an accurate read on what is happening. Halfords Group PLC is a large, publicly listed retailer of…
BIA to Lobby for Faster Ebikes in Australia
In April this year, Bicycle Industries Australia (BIA) requested feedback from importers on the preferred maximum speed for power-assisted pedal bicycles in Australia. With 75% of the 52 responses indicating 32kph as the preferred speed, the BIA has commenced lobbying the Federal Government to modify the Australian Design Rules to increase the limit from the…
Giving Back
Chances are that somewhere in your list of reasons for starting your own business there was something about helping others, whether they be members of your local community or a certain cause that you’re interested in. But have you ever noticed that if you’re a business owner, you’re automatically assumed to be wealthy? You’re bombarded…
Three Retailers Share Why They Offer Consumer Finance
– Sponsored Content – Should you be offering consumer credit in your store, and if so, through which provider? We recently spoke to three Australian bicycle retailers who could hardly have been more diverse in terms of their geographical spread and business formats. One business has been built around bike hire and hosting rides on…
World Class Wheels With Superior Service and Margins
– Sponsored Content – For more than eight years, Brisbane based Craftworx has been steadily building its reputation not only as a top quality wheel builder but as an Australian wheel manufacturer. But many dealers across Australia may not be aware that Craftworx also design their own wheels from the ground up, all of which…
Taking Collective Action
As business owners we’re often very ‘self reliant’ and ‘self made people’. But in any industry, individual businesses do best when they understand that they’re part of a wider ecosystem and need to stay connected, just like a branch and its leaves will die unless they’re connected to the tree. Yes, this does mean speaking…
MicroSHIFT – Offers High Quality and Value for Money
– Sponsored Content – Queensland-based KWT Imports has recently been appointed as the Australian distributor for MicroSHIFT and will be offering this great quality drive-train product through its extensive dealer network. MicroSHIFT, a Taiwanese drivetrain brand, has been flying under the radar for some time, building OEM spec components since 1999. Recently, MicroSHIFT came out…
How’s Business? – September 2020
Welcome to our monthly conversation with six bike shops selected from across Australia and New Zealand. This month our follow up question was, ‘Which products are in shortest supply for you right now and how long do you think it will be until you get adequate supplies?’ As you would expect, dealers were all still…
Mobile Bicycle Mechanics Australia is Launched
In an effort to better support riders in these challenging times Mobile Bicycle Mechanics from across Australia have come together via a national service directory. Over 20 Mechanics from 15 major cities have already joined the fledgling network that enables customers to find the mechanic nearest to them and mechanics to share experience & knowledge…