BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news
Manchester-based Insync Bikes is aiming to give bike dealers a Christmas boost by absorbing cost increases of its children’s range of bikes numbering 50 models.
Insync Bikes, part of Indian-owned Hero Cycles, is urging independent bike dealers to get in touch to secure models from its kids ranges after it received delivery of bulk quantities of children’s bikes from factories in India and Sri Lanka.
Wayne Clarke of Insync said because of Hero Cycle’s supply chain it is able to withstand some of the rising production costs in 12-24-inch children’s bikes in the Concept and DeNovo ranges.
“Insync wants to reward our loyal dealers who have increased by nearly a third in the last 12 months,” said Clarke. “Dealers are having to contend with rising bike prices from other brands which they are having to pass on to the consumer at a time when household budgets are feeling the pinch.
“Kids bikes are spiking up in price with increased shipping costs and component shortages which means some brands that were selling bikes for £120 are now selling the same model for around £180.
“But Insync is fortunate that Hero as our parent company, has such a strong supply chain that we can keep some of our overheads under control particularly for production. That means our range is not increasing in price and starts at an affordable level of £124 up to £250 and that also offers dealers an attractive margin. Dealers should get in touch with us as soon as possible to secure stock to ensure they are ready for Christmas.”
Clarke said Insync is also able to supply dealers with a new consignment of adult steel MTBs in the Coyote and Viking brands in the £189-£200 range.
Insync has experienced a sharp increase in trading over the past 18 months, spurred on by the soaring popularity of riding while the UK has been in and out of lockdown, though the company says demand is now stabilising after lockdowns ended. A high point for the brand came when Prime Minister Boris Johnson launched the UK’s £2 billion cycling and walking strategy while riding a Viking bike in Nottingham supplied by one of Insync’s dealers.
In January, Insync reported a trebling of sales during 2020. The brand sold more than 50,000 bikes in retail in the year to November 2020, a 200% increase on the previous year, driven by the surge in the demand for bikes as a healthier form of commuting and exercise during the pandemic. Women’s hybrid and mountain bikes and children’s bikes in the affordable range of £350-£500 experienced unprecedented levels of demand and the business announced plans to expand its offering.
