Trade
New Sales Appointments: Groupe Sportif & TEBCO
Melbourne, Victoria Distributor Groupe Sportif has appointed a new territory sales manager for NSW, Peter Raillon. It marks a return for Peter, who has served in a similar role with the Melbourne-based distributor, as part of his more than 20 years’ experience in the Australian bicycle and motocycle retail and wholesale industries. Group Sportif spokesperson…
Industry Briefs: Giant, Merida, Trek Travel & Scott Sports SA
Giant has been crowned as Australia’s best-rated bicycle brand in an annual award conducted by a prominent consumer guide website. The Finder Retail Awards pitched Giant against 10 other bike brands that received enough customer reviews between November 2022 and February 2023 to be eligible for the category. The awards assessed each eligible brand on…
Vivente Brings Made In Australia Ambitions to Life
Sheffield, Tasmania The small Tasmanian dairy town of Sheffield has a new cottage industry, with bike sector stalwart Noel McFarlane launching a touring bike factory in his recently adopted hometown. The small-scale, two-person operation is the latest chapter for Noel’s long-standing touring brand, Vivente – bringing its production onto Australian shores, focusing on just two…
Australian Bicycle Imports Remain at Record Lows
Canberra, ACT Every Australian bicycle retailer and wholesaler knows from first-hand experience that since the end of Covid lockdowns, our market has been overstocked, resulting in widespread discounting which causes unwanted erosion of margins and profits. While this situation is not universal across all bicycle categories, particularly in the high end, in the volume market…
Aussies at Eurobike 2023
Frankfurt, Germany Eurobike 2023 featured a record number of exhibiting companies, 1,900, for its second annual instalment since relocating from Friedrichshafen to Frankfurt. It also lured an increased total of 66,590 visitors – 34,750 during the three trade days and 31,840 on the two ‘festival’ days open to the public – a rise of just…
Our First Look at Six Years of E-Bike Import Data
Canberra ACT As I confessed in another article here, I’ve only recently become aware that e-bikes imports are recorded separately under Australian Border Force tariff code number 8711.60.00, that has the following definition: “Motorcycles (including mopeds), bicycles and other cycles fitted with electric motor for propulsion, with or without sidecars.” The problem that’s immediately apparent…
Three Versions of Sustainable Tyre Technology
Frankfurt, Germany Emerging technologies for greater tyre sustainability are approaching the dilemma from very different directions, with at least three manufacturers displaying their solutions at Eurobike 2023. reTyre, from Norway displayed what it claims are the world’s first 100% rubber-free pneumatic tyres, while Maxxis exhibited its Metropass and Metroload series, which now feature tyre carcasses…
microFleet Seeks Capital Injection to Launch Docking Station
Melbourne, Victoria Two e-cargo bike brands, California’s Loden and Belgium’s Bike43, have been introduced to the Australian market as part of a Melbourne company’s preparations to launch a complete solution for bicycle fleet operators. microFleet’s introduction of Loden and Bike43, to complement its own house brand, Cargo Craft, and round out its fleet offering as…
Keego Poised For Australian Arrival This Year
Frankfurt, Germany A Taiwanese-based company exclusively focused on supplying e-cargo bikes for commercial delivery services expects to expand into Australia by the end of the year. Keego, a young company which made its debut at Eurobike in 2022, says it is talking to three Australian distributors and is expecting to have its first order for…
Bikecorp Partnership Illuminates Knog Path Towards Ambitious Growth
Melbourne, Victoria Knog has signed Bikecorp as its new Australian distribution partner, as the brand aims for “ambitious” growth targets with its award-winning bicycle lights, security devices and growing portfolio of other cycling and outdoor products. “As a proud Australian-based business, it was imperative to us that Knog’s Australian distributor shared Knog’s ambitious targets for…