BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news
Alpine Bikes has acquired Off Beat Bikes of Fort William, and the Nevis Range bike shop franchise.
Off Beat Bikes was established in 1992 and is located on the High Street.
"With Fort William’s reputation as world renowned mountain biking playground this acquisition is an exciting addition to the Alpine Bikes portfolio," said Bryan Shedden, director of Alpine Bikes.
The shop is currently benefiting from a refit involving the renovation of both floors, with new lighting and wall displays. It will reopen for business at the end of January 2011.
Brands including Cannondale, Orange, Genesis, Gore Bike Wear and Bontrager will be added to the store.
With Alpine Bikes stores in both Fort William and Inverness, customers will be able to hire one-way bikes for cycling the Great Glen Way. Alpine Bikes has also secured the summer season lease of the bike shop at Nevis Range, commencing in spring 2011. Nevis Range sits at the centre of a mountain biking trail complex, including two world-class downhill tracks accessed from the gondola.
Shedden said: “The acquisition of Off Beat Bikes gives us a fantastic opportunity to to build on the foundations of what is a very established and well respected business. The addition of the expanded bike shop at Nevis Range means that we can provide a fully stocked and extensive hire fleet for the World Cup downhill course and red routes as well as cross country and family bike hire.”
Marian Austin, CEO of Nevis Range, said:
“We had already made the decision to extend the area available within the gondola base station for mountain bike hire and shop this year. Alpine Bikes has a great reputation, with both the experience and resources to complement the existing facilities, work alongside the organisers of the events held here annually and develop links with the onsite Bike School.
"Alpine Bikes at Nevis Range will add to Lochaber’s reputation as the ‘Outdoor Capital of the UK.’"
Alpine Bikes was established in Aberdeen in 1989. It was acquired in 2006 by Tiso Group, parent company of Scotland’s largest independent outdoor retailers, Tiso the Outdoor Specialist. Alpine Bike now has seven Scottish stores, three of which are situated within Tiso Outdoor Experience stores.
