BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news
For a full gallery from Core Bike Live, click here.
Chicken Cyclekit
Though the new Tifosi builds hadn’t quite made the Core show, 2016 bikes should now be in stock with Chicken CycleKit.
As such the distributor used Core to show both the autumn/winter clothing, which many stockists will already have ordered, as well as the spring/summer collection for 2016.
A key item for those who have yet to take winter stock is the Black X Warm, a £149.99 fully waterproof jacket that’ll cope with the worst of British weather. It’s perfect for before the real cold sets in, pitched as a lightweight ‘warm winter’ garment. There’s three large rear pockets, elastic cuffs and lots of comfort built in around the neck and waist. Reflective detailing further adds to what is a solid value rainy day jacket.
For ladies, the summer collection introduces the new £73.99 Agua bib that’s designed as a halterneck.
Also worth a mention and necessary for the rainy season is the incoming Flinger reflective full coverage mudguards, costing £35 for the pair.
Windwave
Heavily sampled by Core’s visitors was Windwave’s new over 35s dedicated nutrition label Elivar.
Founded by two competitive runners, Elivar’s USP is tailored nutrition for the slightly older athlete, in particular the company has eyes on the typical sportive rider. The product itself has less sugars than you’ll find in most nutrition product, instead concentrating on the slow release of proteins and carbohydrates, as well as electrolyte delivery with the Hydrate Plus product. What’s more, the product is all gluten and caffeine free.
Point of sale material is supplied with a full stock up and Windwave is currently running an early stock up promotion.
On to Transition and Windwave continues to do well with the UK favourite. From 2016 all will include a dropper post, adding value at the budget end, while cheaper complete builds will be offered across the board.
Colnago’s CLX returns to the portfolio for MY16 and is now considered a top-choice, building in tech from the top-end V1-R. With an oblique, oversized down tube, pairing a large bottom bracket area, power transfer is said to be incredible. Internal cable routing keeps the aesthetics very clean, while frame weight is kept down to a very respectable 950 grams.
Extra
Extra’s big news is that it has lured Maxxis back to UK shores with a new distribution link up. Stock is largely available now, with a few stragglers, including the Chronicle and Griffin 27.5+ tyres, on the way now. Hard packed mud season might be disappearing right now, but the Griffin 27.5, 2.4” wide has been a top seller on the downhill circuit in recent times.
Sticking with downhill, Intense debuted the new M16 to UK dealers at Core Live, which isn’t too
dissimilar to the M9 in terms of geometry, aside from a slacker 63.5 head angle. With travel adjustable between 8.5 and 9.5-inches and two levels of adjustable shock progression, the M16 is a versatile beast. Based around a Virtual Pivot Point platform, the US-made aluminium frame weighs in at 11.5 pounds for a large.
Vaaru
Describing business as ‘flat out’ since we last laid eyes on a prototype in January, Vaaru was using Core Bike Live solely to recruit fresh stockists.
Designed by James Beresford, formerly of USE/Exposure, the titanium specialist has each made in one of Taiwan’s experts in the precious metal, before custom finishing here in the UK, offering anything from bead blasting to custom paintwork.
Though Vaaru is currently selling around five mountain bikes to one road, the bikes added for the 2016 model year are tarmac goers, while a cyclocross build and a touring bike are on the drawing board at present. A 130/140 mm full suspension bike is also planned for the future.
Vaaru’s Octane 6-4 frame, retailing at £2,199, is now the range topper for road goers. Made for the racing traditionalist, the 3AL/2.5V tubes have high stiffness and excellent resistance to fatigue, while the paired 6AL/4V tubing reduces the weight.
A cheaper alternative is available in the V:8 at £1,699, which is designed to accommodate Di2 and perhaps better suited to the sportive rider than the racer.
Beresford tells BikeBiz: “Though it’d be nice, I’m not asking dealers to carry stock, the margins are competitive and I’ll soon be able to offer a lighting brand too, so please get in touch if you’re interested in more information.”
EBCO
“We’re finally seeing signs that the market is going to be all that we predicted it would be, year-on-year we’re up 70 per cent in turnover,” says EBCO co-found Paul Stanforth.
And with that in mind, house brand EBC is set to dramatically grow, with a whole new range set for launch in October. A taste of what’s to come was on show in the form of a Shimano Steps clad build at £1,999, just shy of the £2,300 ceiling the brand will hit when the new builds come to the market.
“Off road has been really driving interest in e-bikes,” added Stanforth. “They’re bringing an much younger and tech savvy demographic and in turn have got a whole range of people discussing e-bikes. It’s good for the market as a whole.”
AVE highlights include the XH5 at £2,299. This 27.5 off road rig will easily clock a 40 to 50 mile off road range on average.
Having just been bought out by Scott, Bergamont’s future distribution isn’t set in concrete, though Stanforth remains hopeful that the brand will remain within the electric specialist’s stable for the long-term future.
