BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news
Rutland Cycling started with one shop in 1981, opened its fifth in Peterborough this year and now has expanded to nine shops with the acquisition of Station Cycles of Cambridge.
The Midlands-based independent bike retailer has now taken over the Cambridge chain, with stores in the Grand Arcade, Histon and Barnwell Road, as well as Giant Store Cambridge on Hills Road.
Station Cycles was established by local entrepreneur Charlie Warboys, whose original shop was located at the train station (hence the name). By the time his first shop closed in 2014 as part of the station’s redevelopment, Warboys had built his business into a successful chain of stores, supplying Cambridge with Giant, Specialized, Cannondale, Brompton and Frog. Station Cycles also runs a successful bike hire operation, a model Rutland are familiar with from their award-winning cycle hire destinations in the East Midlands.
David Middlemiss, Rutland Cycling MD and himself a Cambridge graduate, said: “We are delighted to be entering the Cambridge market at such an exciting time for cycling in the city. The team at Station have built a fantastic business and we are privileged to be taking on such a strong and dedicated team. Following a successful rebrand online and instore, and the launch of our new Peterborough superstore, this expansion comes at the right time for us as we grow our family business and build for the long-term.”
Managing director of Giant UK Ian Beasant added: “We are extremely grateful to Station Cycles for their hard work in building the Giant brand in Cambridge and now look forward to growing the business further with one of our key partners with whom we have seen strong growth in recent years”.
Pictured (l-r): Rutland Cycling MD David Middlemiss with Station Cycles Histon Store Manager Chris Ould
Rutland Cycling have made significant investments in store and web development over the last two years with backing from the Business Growth Fund. Paul Archer, CEO of Rutland and son of founder Dave Archer, said: “Our success now is built on a lot of hard work putting in place a sustainable platform for growth, both here in Cambridge and beyond. Our family values and business vision mean we are committed to delivering the highest standards of bike retail in Cambridge, creating new opportunities for development for the excellent store teams we are now proud to be working with.”
Rutland Cycling has a flagship bike shop at Whitwell, a Giant brand store at Normanton and three more cycle shops at Grafham Water, Fineshade Wood and Peterborough. In addition to its retail stores, Rutland has also built a significant online presence through its website, www.rutlandcycling.com
