Five minutes with: Gtechniq Bike

A well-established name in the car market, Gtechniq has now jumped head first into the cycling industry. Business development manager Rob Foster catches BikeBiz up on the latest developments

This piece first appeared in the October edition of BikeBiz magazine – get your free subscription here

Can you give us a little background on Gtechniq?

Gtechinq was formed in 2001, as a car enthusiast, unhappy with the products on the market, Rob Earle and his partner at the time developed a ceramic coating that outperformed waxes that were currently being used. With the ceramic coating and the introduction of cleaning products, Gtechniq soon became very popular.

Moving on to 2023, Gtechniq is now a worldwide market leader for car detailing, offering a range of ceramic coatings for paint protection, dirt prevention and outstanding cleaning products.

With our in-house laboratory and partnering with three material surface science universities, we have a true understanding of surface technology that allows us to continue our research and development to offer the best products on the market.

As a premium product, Gtechniq is used by F1 teams and offered direct from dealerships such as Aston Martin, Ferrari, McLaren, Porsche, Zenvo etc.

With the bike industry rapidly changing in the past decade, we have seen bike manufacturers offering exceptional finishes on their frames, be it bare carbon, satin, matt, gloss and on occasions, a mixture of all. These new high-end finishes require high performing products, and so Gtechniq Bike was born.

In 2021, Gtechniq Bike was launched. Using our surface technology, we now offer a new, full range of dedicated cleaners and ceramic coatings that offer the same high quality as our automotive range.

What area of the market do you target?

We do not have a selected area as such, however, being a premium product, it is aimed at the person who likes to care for their bike/bikes and as well as those looking to simplify the cleaning process.

With bikes becoming far more advanced and expensive, it is important to maintain and look after your purchase, so no matter what discipline of cycling you do, be it road, gravel, MTB or commuter, Gtechniq Bike offers the next generation of bike care.

With our high performance cleaners and Bike ceramic coating, cleaning couldn’t be easier.

Whether you are the bike in the shower cleaner, the quick once over ready for the next ride cleaner or like to get in for a full detail clean, Gtechniq Bike is for you.

What makes your products unique – How can Gtechniq benefit dealers?

Our main USP is our Bike Ceramic coating. The main purpose of the coating is to stop dirt from sticking to the surface. This not only keeps the bike cleaner for longer but in turn, makes cleaning so much easier.

Unlike wax or silicone sprays, the ceramic chemically bonds to the surface, and on one application, has a lifespan of up to two years. In short, it lowers the surface energy and acts like a non-stick frying pan, so after a dirty ride, you can simply rinse off the excess dirt. Stubborn dirty areas can be softened with our Bike Clean allowing for an easy non contact wash.

Using a brush and scrubbing away at the dirt is just like taking sandpaper to the frame. Adding scratches and swirl marks which in time will dull a gloss finish and highly mark a matt frame.

Our products are designed to do the dirty work, to simplify the cleaning process and prevent any unnecessary marks. Bike Wash is one of my favorite products, it offers outstanding performance and brings back that new bike day look.

Although the coating is simple to apply, we see consumers who would still rather pay to have it applied by a professional. As a result, dealers are upselling an application service, be it on a new or used bike.

Offering Gtechniq Bike products could set your dealership apart from competitors.

Customers might appreciate the option to invest in premium products for their valuable bikes.

What sort of feedback have you received from the industry?

The feedback so far has been amazing, and I am confident that will only continue.

When we launched, I wasn’t sure what to expect.

Our first public appearance was at the Cycle Show in London and straight away we had people who knew of Gtechniq from the auto world that were very excited to hear that we now have a bike line. From this we have developed a nice partnership with Propain Bikes UK.

Since then, the brand has grown strength to strength. The products speak for themselves and when people get to try out the range, they have nothing but positive feedback.

I think at first, some thought it was just another cleaning product. This judgment is quickly disappearing as people are now experiencing the Gtechniq magic.

We are now getting lots of interest from bike manufacturers, bike shops and pro riders. This leads me on to a new partnership which will be announced soon that I am very excited about and can’t wait to share with you.

What are your plans for 2023 and beyond?

With upcoming partnerships and brand awareness, our aim is to make the advantages of Gtechniq Bike Ceramic and our maintenance line more widely known. Gtechniq Bike really is a game changer, and what is exciting is that as we continue to grow the bike line, opportunities are coming to us.

For now though, we continue with direct sales to dealers in the UK and aim to help stores grow by offering support and training where needed.

We have gained a lot of interest from both consumers and stores from around the world, so we will soon be looking for distribution partners to assist with the growth worldwide of Gtechniq Bike.

Watch this space.

If you are yet to try Gtechniq Bike, have any questions on the products or are interested in becoming a stockist, please get in touch.