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A brighter future
Following the madness of the past four years, it is hard to predict what the next 12 months will bring for the cycle industry.
2023 will be remembered by many for the wrong reasons. However, the bike trade remains resilient in turbulent times and a new year is an opportunity to reset, evaluate and explore new opportunities.
With the help of a few industry experts, we have dared to look at what 2024 holds and who better to ask than you, the trusted BikeBiz reader. Throughout December, we garnered your opinions and predictions and have collated them in our opening feature this month (p6-8).
I also spoke to Steve Garidis to review a busy 2023 for the Bicycle Association (p20), sat down with Lloyd Townsend of Ison Distribution to get his thoughts on the state of the industry after more than 40 years in the trade (p24), and looked at the opportunities for micromobility with TRL’s head of new mobility, Dr. George Beard (p35)
Elsewhere in the mag, freelance writer Rebecca Bland explores how Intra Drive’s 8-speed gearbox motor benefits workshops and consumers (p29), and Rebecca Morley spoke to XYZ Cargo’s MJ Somerville on building functional, modular, and repairable cargo cycles (p32).
In our brands section, Phil Zschiesche of ICE Trikes explains the opportunities for bike shops in the burgeoning adaptive cycling sector (p45) and I chat to Hiplok co-founders John Abrahams and Ben Smith to hear how a stolen bike was the catalyst for some of the leading bike security products on the market.
Nobody can deny that 2023 was one to forget for many in the trade, and the signs suggest there could be another challenging few months.
But as the content in this magazine highlights, there is still plenty to be optimistic about with retailers, distributors, brands and advocates all working on a brighter future for the bike trade.
Daniel Blackham.
Editor
7: Daniel Blackham looks at the expected developments in the coming 12 months and we hear the thoughts of BikeBiz readers.
10: The latest developments from across the bike trade
13: Additive Fusion Technology combines the benefits of printing, automated tape laying, and compression moulding, Daniel Blackham speaks to Yannick Willemin of 9T Labs to learn more
16: Rebecca Morley catches up with BikeBiz Omnichannel Retailer of the Year for 2023, Cycle Revolution
20: The Bicycle Association (BA) had a busy 2023 with a number of important initiatives and that momentum shows no signs of slowing this term. Daniel Blackham sits down with executive director Steve Garidis
24: With 40 years in the business, Ison Distribution managing director Lloyd Townsend has seen the bike trade change many times. BikeBiz gets his thoughts on the current state of the industry
29: Rebecca Bland hears from Intra Drive founders Mark Ravilious and Peter Slotwinski to learn more about their 8-speed gearbox motor, designed with a circular economy ethos.
32: Rebecca Morley speaks to XYZ Cargo’s MJ Somerville on building functional, modular, and repairable cargo cycles
35: Daniel Blackham sits down with the TRL’s head of new mobility, Dr. George Beard
39: This month’s movers and shakers throughout the cycle industry
41: Rebecca Bland speaks to Peter Eisenegger, co-founder of Swiss multi-tool company Daysaver, about the brand’s latest products and plans for UK expansion.
45: ICE Trikes has been manufacturing premium recumbent trikes for quarter of a century. Phil Zschiesche explains the opportunities for bike shops in the burgeoning adaptive cycling sector
48: Five mins with Chamois Butt’r
53: Hiplok has been a leader in bicycle security solutions for more than a decade. Daniel Blackham learns the brand’s origin story from co-founders, Ben Smith and John Abrahams
53: New products and sector guides, including bike security (59) and bike storage (65)
