BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news
Numerous brands have turned to both the Outdoor Demo and the main Interbike exhibition in order to seek out distribution deals both in the UK and worldwide. Here are just a few BikeBiz came across during our time out West:
Sea Sucker
Sea Sucker was an eye catcher at the Outdoor Demo, with bikes mounted to the doors, roof and boot of demo cars at all angles.
As the name suggests, the product works via suction cups, which are apllied with a few simply pumps of a button. The suction will last around 48 hours and support a load of upto 210 pounds – so that should cover your electric fat bike, should you want to mount that sideways across the bonnet…
The pump action button used to apply the suction will begin to emerge after 48 hours, displaying a white band which informs the user that a few more pushes are required to maintain suction.
A four cup bike rack will cost $240 and one bike additions go up in $100 increments thereafter. There’s also a spare wheel bracket, ideal for team cars.
Contact: brad@seasucker.com
Redshift
You’ll read a lot about Kickstarter success stories on BikeBiz, it’s an interesting route to market and one that’s working for innovators that would otherwise find it hard to get a business going.
No such trouble for RedShift, though, they raised the $20,000 target to bring its products to production within the first 72 hours, adding another $30,000 in funding thereafter.
The product’s slogan, accroding to co-founder Erik de Brun, is "two bikes in one". Designed around on the fly adjustment that sees a road bike become a time trial rig, there’s a seatpost that changes the seatube angle from approximately 73 – 76 degrees, simply with a swivel of the hips. This results in the same leg extension throughout the switch, but a five degree downward tilt of the saddle, enabling the rider to lower their position on the bike. The sub 400-gram post is currently available as a 27.2, with shins to boost width if needed.
Then there’s quick release aerobars in aluminium or carbon that take a matter of seconds to add or remove. Uk backers of the kickstarter are now set to recieve their good within the next two to three months, though the label hopes to tie up a firm UK partner to see the product in the UK for 2014.
Contact: erik@redshiftsports.com
Fatback
You may have heard, Fat bikes are taking over. Or at least the interbike Demo Day could have fooled you into thinking that this emerging sector will see shop floor filled with 4" wide tyres in 2014.
With that aspiration in mind, FatBack of Alaska are curious to see what the rest of the world’s interest in Fatikes will come to, with the slushy winters of the UK of interest.
Contact: Speedway.ak@gmail.com
According to former Raleigh USA president, Tom Curran, now a member of the Stop a Flat team: "In all my years in business i’ve never seen a product generate so much interest. We’ve had enquiries from distributors in five countries during the first day of show alone."
Stop a Flat is a South African label, which domestically has taken the market by storm. In short, it’s a molded foam that fills the tyre, replacing the inner tube. While not a solution for the more expensive bikes out there, BikeBiz is told that for kids bikes, strollers and parents scared of fixing dreaded punctures, it’s ideal.
Currently Stop a Flats are made for 12, 16, 20 and 24" tyres, with each mold tailored to a tyre size’s ride characteristics through injection molding.
Contact: peter@algoa.co.uk
For more Interbike product goodness, see here.
