BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news
Pro-Lite and Clarks have announced a joint venture to provide the cycle trade with a “high quality, high margin range of products that is backed by unrivalled sales support and after-sales service”.
“Pro-Lite has its roots firmly in hand-building wheels,” said a statement. “From humble beginnings in the northern Pennines, it now operates out of Taichung, manufacturing wheels from its purpose-built factory – the largest hand-built wheel factory in
the world.
“Clarks Cycles, supporting the cycle industry since 1942, has seen a programme of expansion in recent years that has bolstered an already established reputation as a manufacturer and supplier of high-value braking systems and components.”
Through a new sales initiative, the two companies will be offering the cycle trade a range of hand-built wheels, the Pro-Logue wheelset range, that will provide dealers with a product that has “all the high-end features of its competitors but at a fraction of the price”.
In 2018, Pro-Lite’s 100% hand-built wheels had an “incredibly low rate of return”, it said, with fewer than one warranty claim for every 5,000 wheels sold.
The statement continued: “Not content with offering a high-quality product to the trade that gives all dealers the advantage of very high margins, Tony Wright’s (Clarks Cycles) and Steve Fenton’s (Pro-Lite International) combined experience in the cycle trade has provided the recognition that every product will ‘live or die’ on the reliability it’s after-sales support. And so to re-enforce their commitment to the cycle trade, they have put in place an infrastructure that can provide a 100% reliable after sale service.
“Half a million-pound investment in a UK warehouse with high levels of product stock provides all customers with a 24-hour fulfilment service.
“Combined with a willingness to work with all dealers, offering incentives and designing new products to meet their market requirements, Clarks and Pro-Lite have built a partnership that is sure to succeed in the trade and cycle dealers.”
For more information, contact 01455 246 599.
