BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news
Electric bike specialist Wisper has signed a distribution deal to bring Germany’s Grace to UK cycle retailers.
Grace company founder Michael Hecken designed the first e-motorbike authorised for street use in Europe and he has worked with Nicolai of Germany to produce the Grace Easy and Grace MX pedelecs. Nicolai specialises in lightweight MTB frames and components.
More than forty custom-built items and proprietary developments for the Grace range are manufactured by Nicolai. In 2011, Grace began serial production in cooperation with a large German bicycle factory and has completed the development of the Smart e-bike launched this year.
Wisper will offer the three-bike Grace range, but will specialise in the pedelec versions of the lightweight Grace Easy and the Grace MX mountain bike. Both will appear at the NEC Cycle Show, where they will be available to test ride.
From late 2012, three Wisper bikes will be produced in e-bike hotbed Germany.
A combination of factors, including wage increases in China and the weakness of the Euro against the Yuan, have made European production more affordable. Most importantly, Wisper added, the switch means delivery times will be cut, quality will improve and will facilitate Wisper’s sales drive into continental Europe. With that in mind, Wisper has brought a new director on board in the shape of Dieter Scholz, formerly an MD of a leading scooter and e-bike distributor.
Wisper’s David Miall said: “Although our relationship with our Chinese OEM manufacturers has helped Wisper gain a strong position in the pedelec market in the UK and overseas, the directors believe that as the business grows, a more stable manufacturing platform was needed.”
The new German OEM partner is an established player that recently secured the contract to design and manufacture the Smart e-bike range.
Miall added: “We are delighted to be working with one of the largest and most highly respected bicycle manufactures in Germany with an excellent reputation for both high volume or extremely high quality bikes and ‘on time’ deliveries.”
The three new German-built bikes are the 905Classic, 705Classic and 806Classic. Based on the Wisper SE and SEL models they will retain long-range batteries, Japanese Dapu drive systems and distinctive looks.
