News
UCI Announces Gravel World Series and World Championships
Aigle, Switzerland A new UCI gravel world championship and world series being launched next year are unlikely to have much impact on gravel bike sales in Australia, at least in the short term, according to prominent members of the industry. The new additions to the UCI calendar were announced as part of a statement from…
Link Sports Adds Brands and Relocates to Larger Premises
Sydney, NSW Link Sports has shifted headquarters while adding three bike brands. The company, which has served as a long-term distributor of brands including Burgtec, Spank, KS and Slikoleum, has moved to a larger warehouse in Rydalmere, NSW, while shifting its servicing and warranty support to a satellite service centre in East Maitland, NSW. Director…
Army Trialling e-Bikes for Rapid Reconnaissance
Queensland High-speed e-bikes could soon become part of the Australian Army’s tactical arsenal, following an ongoing trial of Stealth reconnaissance bikes. Victorian e-bike manufacturer Stealth is working with the 2nd/14th Light Horse Regiment to test the bikes’ capacity to help soldiers quickly and quietly scout for information on a battlefield. An initial army report states…
How Many More IBDs will Bike Brands Acquire?
San Francisco, California, USA Are we beginning to see a wider pattern of major bicycle companies looking to ‘vertically integrate’ by buying out some of their dealers or starting new stores from scratch? Already for several years, Trek has been progressively buying dealers and in some cases starting new stores. This is USA head office…
Eurobike 2021 a Different Show to Mark End of Era
By Christopher Jones It was up in the air as to whether Eurobike 2021 would be cancelled, after last year’s event was abandoned because of COVID-19. However, most of Europe has adapted to the COVID situation and good vaccination numbers have made it possible to conduct large-scale events, with the necessary precautions. Under new German COVID provisions, known…
Vietnam Shut Down Impacts Australian High End Bike Supply
When you think about bicycle and component manufacturing countries in Asia, chances are that your list would start with China, Taiwan and perhaps Japan. But Vietnam has become an increasingly important production hub over recent years. This has been partly as a way for global brands to avoid the ‘anti-dumping’ measures imposed upon Chinese manufacturers…
Why Has Global Shipping Become So Chaotic and Expensive?
If you’re a wholesaler, you know first-hand that shipping prices have gone through the roof since covid hit. If anything, the situation is getting worse, not better. It’s not just the price that’s problematic. There are long delays, fewer ships sailing to Australia and New Zealand and our ports are chocked with empty containers while…
How’s Business? Stock Supply Special! October 2021
Welcome to our monthly chat with bicycle shop owners and managers across Australia and New Zealand where we simply ask ‘How’s Business?’ In keeping with our stock supply theme for this month, our follow up question was, ‘How much bike stock do you have now and how confident are you that you’ll have enough for…
Two Major New Agencies for Advance Traders
Brisbane-based distributor Advance Traders has been busy boosting its presence in the industry, signing up with two heavy-hitter brands during the past month. On 15th September, Advance Traders announced it was taking on the role of distributor for premier clothing manufacturer ASSOS of Switzerland. “The Addition of ASSOS to the Advance Traders Portfolio is an…
French Innovation Brings New Feel for Dutch Cargo Bike
Pioneering cargo bike importer Dutch Cargo Bike is broadening its horizons into more mainstream models, by bringing e-bikes from French manufacturer O2Feel into Australia for the first time. Dutch Cargo Bike founder and Managing Director Jürgen Heikamp said it would be importing much of the O2Feel range but with a particular focus on its Vern, iSwan and iVog ranges…