Uprise Bikes has opened a state-of-the-art bike shop in a move to expand its presence in the growing e-bike market, showcasing cycling for everyone.
Following a significant uptick in demand for e-bikes, as a result of wellbeing becoming more of a priority since the pandemic, the Swansea-based business has, as it enters a new phase of growth, opened its first brick-and-mortar showroom.
In addition to its new site in Fforestfach, Swansea, the business – which is owned by one of the UK’s Cycle to Work scheme providers, Cycle Solutions – also decided to invest in a brand new 8,313 sq ft Service Centre facility offering support to cyclists looking to keep their bikes and e-bikes in prime condition.
Along with the new e-bike showroom, the business will be collaborating with the the bike brand Trek, to reopen a fully refurbished Uprise Bikes x Trek brand store in the Uplands area of Swansea in late May 2024. These investments are set to increase its turnover this year by 14% to £32million.
Uprise Bike’s rapid growth has already created six jobs at the business’s new showroom, with the aim of helping consumers choose the perfect bike. The business also has plans in place to create more roles across its stores, head office and e-commerce sites, to manage the logistics of its stock and order sheets.
The family-owned bike retail brand was founded in 2023 by Mike Jones, Keith Jones, and Steve Edgell and has built a reputation for road, mountain and e-bike sales, as well as offering parts, clothing and protection.
The business counts over 250 years of cycling experience among its 74 team members, and currently stocks over 400 brands.
Steve Edgell, founder of Uprise Bikes, said: “From the moment we launched the Uprise Bikes brand last year, we wanted to make a splash with our showroom to help cyclists keep up with the rapidly evolving bike market.
“We launched Uprisebikes.com in July 2023, to create a curated online experience for customers which reflects the passion and enjoyment everyone here at Uprise takes from getting out on our bikes across the Welsh mountains, and around our great coastal trails, and cycling routes.”
Edgell further comments: “Our team know first-hand the joy of cycling and we aim to pass this feeling on in an environment that’s inspiring and inclusive – empowering everyone to embrace two wheels. Our new shops and service centre create the perfect environment for our customers to take full advantage of the e-bike bug, or just to call in and talk with us about their own riding experiences over a cup of good coffee.”
Over the next few months, Uprise Bikes will be launching a series of ride events, bike maintenance demonstrations, and open evenings aimed at encouraging people who live or visit South Wales to take to two wheels.
