BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news
How many bikes do you own?
Well, the last count was 19. I can’t really sell any of my bikes, as they all have a story to tell and I’ve had amazing experiences on all of them. My favourite bike is my Santa Cruz Bronson, but I’ve just built a Look 795 Aero, which is just an unreal bit of kit.
Where are your favourite places to ride?

I’ve ridden in some interesting places all over the world, but you just can’t beat the trails you find at home. The Purbeck Hills are really near me, which I hit most weeks, but I also do a local MTB loop with some of my oldest friends, and that covers a lot of Bournemouth and the surrounding area, finishing at the beach. If I had to choose one place, I’d love to go back to, it’s the Fullerton Loop in California.
What’s your role at Muc-Off?
As the CEO, it’s my job to make sure everyone in the business is supported to perform their duties to the best of their abilities. I run a very intense product development program throughout the year. Every product we create has been invented in-house, before it’s tested and re-tested by world-class riders – only then does it end up in the hands of the customer. So, I spend a lot of time talking to our athletes and teams!
I also work very closely with our creative teams to drive the strategic thinking and direction of the brand. I’m lucky to be supported by a world- class team of passionate bike enthusiasts who are always willing to go that extra mile to get the job done.
How long have you been in the trade?
I started working for my father at X-Lite when I was 18 years old, assembling bar ends and seat posts, although my love for all things two- wheeled started much earlier than that! It was in 1989 when I got my first mountain bike, and I’ve been hooked ever since. I love the bicycle trade. It’s amazing when you have a common bond with other passionate industry people all over the world.
What’s the latest news from Muc- Off HQ?

We’ve just announced the launch of over 15 new product lines at Eurobike and Interbike, including additions to our Athlete Performance range. We feel incredibly privileged to have contributed to the success of some of the biggest names in biking, from Team Sky, to Trek Factory
Racing, to British Cycling.
From a commercial perspective, this has been the strongest sales year to date, with turnover increasing by over 31 per cent. We recently hired a new international account manager to head up activity in the USA, which is a massive opportunity for us. 2017 will be a busy year, with some very exciting innovations coming to the market.
Do you have any parting words for the trade?
Failure is success in progress! We have made so many mistakes along the way, but our team is so deeply passionate about what we do that we learn quickly and move on. And it’s just awesome to still be a 100 per cent family-owned business.
How can the trade get in touch with Muc-Off?
You can contact us at info@muc-off. com. Or pop down to our HQ in Poole and we’ll take you for a ride around the Purbecks!
