BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news
High-end French brand United Cruiser is setting up UK distribution – and a shop in London’s West End – this year.
Since its public launch in France in 2010, the brand has attracted attention from artists and the media, it’s bikes appearing in music videos, TV shows and film festivals.
United Cruiser was established in 2007 by husband-and-wife team Renaud Poutot and Helene Ramy, drawing inspiration from California’s cruiser bikes culture and the world of motor sports – Poutot is a former rally driver who still competes occasionally.
A stalwart of the French BMX scene 25 years ago when he used to compete at national level, Poutot merged his passions for bikes, car mechanics and California with the brand. His wife, a designer and artist, joined him in the project, which saw the duo spend three years developing the geometries.
The bikes sports over 95 per cent aluminium components. With the exception of the drivetrain, which is predominantly Shimano Nexus (3i and 7i), the componentry has been designed in-house including unique sequential shifters, a range of full grain leather saddles and grips, a complete range of high density anodised and treated 7075 aluminium fastenings.
There’s a choice of nine different tyre and rim colours and a wide variety of high end paint finishes, we’re told. The head badge uses five separate manufacturing processes, reviving manufacturing techniques dating back 60 years.
Andrew Brabazon recently started to advise the UK distributors of the brand. He said: "It is a real pleasure to be working with a company that demonstrate the passion required to deliver to market a new product of such style and quality."
The location of the United Cruiser shop in the West End will be revealed soon. In the meantime, retailers insterested in stocking the brand should contact www.unitedcruiser.co.uk. Limited custom runs of bikes are available for the likes of hotels and bike hire companies.
