Kona Bicycle Company’s Post

10 years ago I got the opportunity to join Stromer Bikes company from Switzerland. Back then a small company which focused on 45 km /h category and just launched the first digital e-bike in the world in 2014. Thomas Binggeli and Christian Müller asked me if I want to join the company and help to build the brand up globally. We were in 2014 (picture) at the Interbike in Las Vegas and show cased the ST2 bike with touchscreen and app which was a world sensation in the bike world. Together with Sven Ziörjen from Marketing and the US BMC team we made an impact. Back then the ST2 was 6500 USD today we raised the bar to much higher prices up to 14'000 USD with even more new technology features and more to come but we have as well reduced price for an entry connected bike below 5000 USD. The range started with ST1 and now we have added 4 more models. I started basically with one sales person in Germany which was dedicated only for Stromer. 10 years later we are present in 25 countries, Sales team grew up to 15 people and the whole company went from around 30 people to up to 170 people and turnover to a high double digit mio. CHF. We had in that time many challenges to go for, start up challenges, processes, move production from Asia to Switzerland, legislation changes in 2018, Covid but as well many new product innovations which make us the Nr. 1 Speed Pedelec brand in the world and adding in 2021 Desiknio to our family. I am proud what we all achieved together so far, yes this year is a rough and difficult year for the whole industry, nevertheless I believe strongly that the bikes and e bikes will come back strong as the change in behaviour of mobility choice is happening more to bikes. We see it as well the yearly strong growth of km driven by our customers which is already over 110 mio km last year. The company and team evolved. We got new locations and team members In Hertogenbosch NL with our own EU center, or USA office in Vista, Frankfurt office for Markting Desiknio and Sales DE, Granada Desiknio Design Center and Cljus our new software development hub. Two years ago Dr. Karl Ludwig Kley and myself got the opportunity to run together the company as co-CEO and together with our executive Management team Christoph Lindlein Rolf Frankowski and Franz Reindl I am looking forward to many more years to come at Stromer and work with the team together to create more innovations and exciting products to our customers. Only together we can be strong and turn challenges into strength and success. #heretochange

Remember JAWA bikes? The one true competitor to Royal Enfield has a crazy story of success, failure, and revival. In the late 1900s, Jawa and Royal Enfield were familiar household names. In fact, every cool hero was riding a Jawa. Jawa motorcycles earned a reputation for being rugged, simple, and unbreakable. This was a welcome change from the British bikes dominating the Indian market at the time. In 1973, Ideal Jawa Ltd began selling licensed Jawa motorcycles under the brand name Yezdi, which was an Indianization of the Jawa brand, built to be more rugged. The Jawa Yezdi was known for its cool factor, while the Royal Enfield Bullet was considered macho. Both brands were supported by their biking communities. But when the Indian economy opened up in the 1990s, Japanese bike manufacturers entered Indian markets to replace big, bulky, shiny, and iconic motorcycles by compact, frugal, and easy-to-use scooters and bikes. Only Royal Enfield could survive the paradigm shift in the industry due to the loyalty of the armed forces and police. The Jawa on the other hand, pulled off a vanishing act in 1996 when the parent company, Ideal Jawa Pvt Ltd had to shut down its operations because of stricter emission norms. But even though Jawa vanished from the markets, it always stayed in people's hearts. Sensing the premium experience and nostalgia that Jawa offered, Mahindra & Mahindra revived the company in 2018. While this conglomerate is the biggest SUV manufacturer in India, their 2-wheelers were not working so well in the Indian market. So, to reboot their loss-making business, they tweaked their strategy — instead of trying to build their own brand, they thought of bringing back iconic brands under their ownership. Hence, Jawa was re-born. Jawa initially took off — they had the story, the history, and the brand. But now 6 years later, Jawa hasn't been able to capture more than 1% of the market while Royal Enfield is basking in 96% market share of the mid-size motorcycle market. So where did they go wrong? They failed at logistics, supply chain, and demand forecasting. And now, in 2024, Jawa is on a revival plan. They are expanding its dealership network by nearly doubling its dealership count in India and introducing more models. Also, they are focusing on exports to ASEAN countries like Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. And recently, they introduced the Jawa 350 motorcycle to take on Royal Enfield. It is yet to see if Jawa gets itself unstuck and succeeds in capturing the dominant market of Royal Enfield. —————— Liked this read? Do share with others and follow FinFloww for more ❤️

Kmart bikes may appear to be a cheaper alternative retailer to independent bicycle dealers, but the environmental impacts and more frequent repairs are shown to ultimately cost more. Read the full article from the The Latz Report here --> https://lnkd.in/gDhErTWv #circulareconomy #refurbish #recycle #shoplocal

ONLINE Fat Tyre Electric Bicycles and Parts – Melbourne, VIC NATIONAL OPPORTUNITY – HUGE GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES Take the leap into an electric future with Squiggy, a micro transport company offering multiple income streams and above all, freedom. Self-propelled motion with the advantage of class leading electric technology. BUSINESS HIGHLIGHTS: •Currently based in Melbourne but can be easily relocated anywhere •Squiggy bikes are designed with the highest international standards •E-commerce platform maximizes sales opportunities, with huge potential for distribution with external retail partnerships •The business offers multiple revenue streams and can operate from a home garage •Established in 2021 during COVID-19, all the hard work has been done •Sale includes Backend Systems, Trademark, Brand Assets, Domains, Instructional Videos and Manuals, Designs and Suppliers, Catalogues, Facebook, Instagram and Website squiggy.com •Squiggy serves to increase our individual roaming range without the need for a car or public transport •The global bike rental market is projected to reach $11.3 billion by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 18.5% from 2022 to 2031 This is an ideal opportunity for a new or established Bike Store seeking to develop a great brand in-house and take on brands like Super 73. It would also suit an E-bike rental business looking to expand online sales and distribution – and could be a side hustle or full-time job. PRICE: $49,000 + SAV Inquire Here: https://lnkd.in/gDVR2S_P #CoastToCoastBusinessSales #FatTyreBikes #ElectricBicycles #OnlineBusiness #EbikeParts #BikeLovers #StartupSuccess #MelbourneBusiness

Are two-wheeled EV brands missing a major new-customer-acquisition opportunity as four-wheeled EV go mainstream? Would people enthusiastic about switching from ICE to EV be open to two wheels as well as four wheels? Why is this not more openly explored? A behaviour change window that's truly unique - last time was 100 years ago, as horse and cart changed to automobile - presents a massive new customer acquisition opportunity. Complex behaviour change doesn’t get easier, but piggybacking on a much larger societal trend certainly presents one hell of a helping hand. #cycling #cyclingindustry #ebikes #electricbikes #electricvehicles #ev #cyclingastransport #emobility #futuremobility #changemakers #newmobility #marketdisruption #innovators #behaviourchange #opportunitiesforgrowth #newcustomers #newbusinessopportunities #behaviourchange #environmentalimpact #economicimpact #societalimpact #nationalpsyche #mindset #innovationwindow

Something has gone very wrong at Brompton Bicycle I placed two orders; one for a bike and one for accessories. The bike order was dispatched the next day. I'm still waiting for the accessories... Brompton renewed bicycles are supposed to have a 27point check and be 'ready to ride'. The bike arrived with two flat tyres, the mudguard stays were bent and the mudguard was jammed on the tyre. The gears weren't indexed and the chainring is bent so the chain fouls the catcher. The battery came with a broken catch that turns out to be rather important. Once I'd fixed everything I could I thought I should have a very short test ride (1.6miles) before filling in the warranty claim, to make sure I'd got everything. Every time I bump up the dropped curbs of the cycle path the motor disengages. The chat service is useless so I filled in the Warranty claim online submission form. I included a video of the jumping gears and another of the chain fouling the chain catcher. I send a still image of the broken battery catch. The next day I get an email, with apologies, and asking for a video of the issues and, if possible, a photo of the broken battery catch... I send them, again, but then I hear nothing. Unfortunately you can't just phone them. Customer services is an answer phone and when you phone reception you get told hey can't put you through to anyone. 🤷♂️ I phoned the trade line where I got a very helpful woman who can see my case and puts me through to Consumer Services and my case handler. He's also very helpful, it's just shame it is so hard to get this far. They're going to send me a new battery and a chainring. I also explained that extended posts (as supplied) don't work for people with an inside leg under 33". It used to be an option. I'm getting one free, by way of an apology for the state of the bike. At the moment the bike is an expensive office ornament. I'm still waiting for them to dispatch the parts. As a repeat customer as it's very worrying. Have they lost that special something? Did they over expand? We have come to expect premium service from premium brands. Expectation management is a key skill to success in all fields and we all know the saying 'Under promise - over deliver'. We definitely don't want it the other way round. The bike industry had a massive expansion during Covid, but since then there have been problems for many companies and we've seem a few go to the wall. I really hope Brompton's rapid expansion didn't leave them biting off more than they could chew.

🚀 Royal Enfield 𝗔 𝗦𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗖𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗥𝗲𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗘𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆 🚀 Let me tell you something we will all like today – 𝗥𝗼𝘆𝗮𝗹 𝗘𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗱! Most of us recognize it to be a legendary bike brand with its trademark ‘𝘁𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗽-𝘁𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗽’ thumping sound. But did you ever know that it was once almost on the brink of being bust? 😯 By the 90s, Royal Enfield was on a downward spiral. This was the time when the market was slowly being filled with a lot more new made bikes that were much cheaper to sell in and more fuel-efficient that was apparent from the likes of Honda and Yamaha and Bullet was regarded as an outdated, overweight machine. Its sales had plummeted to staggeringly low levels with deals to sell or liquidate the company in discussions. But guess what? One man changed everything – Siddharta lal, the Managing Director of Eicher Motors (the parent company of Royal Enfield). 🔧 What did he do? Lal refused to make small, new bikes like everyone else. He however recognized that a transformation was necessary to suit the needs of present-day bikers. 🚀 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹 𝗝𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆: 1. 𝗤𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗵𝗮𝘂𝗹: Lal was quite particular about remedying age-old concerns like oil leakage, engine firings, and misplaced gearboxes. The new Bullet was composed of better quality materials and more parts with the better engine yet lesser moving parts, which made it possible to care for and retain the original look and feel of the dreaded bike. 2. 𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗰𝘆 𝗔𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲: Fans who appreciated Defined the American Scout and Bullet motorcycles always appreciated the specific sound they made forms the merger feature. The company ensured that the deeper ‘thump-thump’ wouldn’t be lost even with the newer, better engines. That way, the fans of the brand were retained and new riders induced. 3. 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗥𝗶𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲: Lal, however, had other intentions. He sought an experience and not solely the sale of motorbikes. The company helped foster the Enfield community further by allowing for rides, tours and celebrations that included the Rider Mania. It was no longer about bikes; it was about bikes and also lifestyle and adventure. 🏍️🌍 ✨𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘀: Focused on its heritage, improving quality, and making emotional connections with the rider, Royal Enfield made an incredible comeback. From nearly ready to shut down in the early 2000s, sales skyrocketed from there: by 2014 crossing 300,000 units! It's now one of the leading motorcycle brands globally and certainly in India. This is the Royal Enfield story, telling us that sometimes sticking to your roots but with a deliberate aim of evolving leads to extra-success. How do you perceive the journey of Royal Enfield? Do let me know in the comments section below! #RoyalEnfield #BusinessTransformation #BrandBuilding #Marketing #CustomerExperience #BusinessGrowth

Why Your Bike Shop Needs Its Own Brand of Bike Lock! 🔐🚲 As a bike shop owner, you already offer high-quality bikes and accessories to your customers – but have you considered adding your own branded bike lock to your product lineup? Here’s why it’s a smart move for your business: 😊 Build Your Brand Identity Having your own branded bike lock reinforces your shop’s unique identity and sets you apart from competitors. It’s a great way to increase brand visibility and loyalty. 👏 Boost Customer Trust and Confidence Offering a high-quality, branded lock provides your customers with added peace of mind, knowing they are investing in a trusted product. Security is key when it comes to bike protection, and with your own brand, you can ensure top-notch quality. 😁 Create New Revenue Streams A custom bike lock is an additional product for your store, helping to diversify your sales. It’s also an opportunity to offer bundles, like bike and lock packages, to attract more customers. 😃 Enhance Customer Experience Providing your customers with exclusive, reliable products shows that you care about their needs beyond just the bike. A well-designed, branded lock adds to their overall biking experience. 😇 Tailor Features to Your Market With your own bike lock, you have the flexibility to customize features and pricing to meet the specific needs of your local market – whether it’s higher security features, easy accessibility, or durability. Investing in your own bike lock brand is not just about selling a product; it’s about creating a lasting impression and offering value-added solutions to your customers. Let’s take your shop’s security offerings to the next level! #BikeShop #CustomBranding #BikeSecurity #CyclingBusiness #Branding #CustomerLoyalty #BusinessGrowth #SecurityInnovation

Connected to Bike Matrix, existing software becomes a powerful tool for finding the right part for any bike. We've built the ability to "select a bike and see what fits." Built by industry professionals, our proprietary, mechanic-led compatibility algorithms assess the suitability of potential components at a granular level taking all of the surrounding components into consideration. Bike Matrix isn't just "like for like" replacement, but a complete solution for the building, upgrading, repair, service and maintenance functions of the entire bicycle industry. Seamless B2B integrations with online stores, in-store POS systems, workshop portals, ERPs or any other service platform in the bike industry, all possible through our simple APIs. Our extensive database of bicycle components is growing constantly, not only because it's free for brands to list their products, but because the component brands see the benefit to the global dealer network and to riders around the world. Through constant exposure to the complexities of finding the right replacement parts for a given bike, component manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers and riders across the globe are acutely aware that something needs to change. As an industry we need to collaborate more, for many reasons, but the simple act of securely sharing your brand's bike build information with us can make owning and maintaining a bike, your brand's bike, a better experience for everyone. I'm calling on bike brands to come and see us at EUROBIKE Show and talk about how Bike Matrix Ltd can improve the ownership experience of your bikes. I'm calling on connections to spread the word and introduce someone to the concept of Bike Matrix. See us in Hall 8 Stand D44 and witness our working compatibility solution, built for the bicycle industry. Trek Bicycle, Specialized Bicycle Components, Giant Group 巨大集團, Liv Cycling, MERIDA BIKES INTERNATIONAL, Cannondale, Scott Sports SA, BMC, CUBE Bikes, FOCUS Bikes, GT Bicycles, Kona Bicycle Company, Norco Bikes, ORBEA, Pivot Cycles, GHOST Bikes GmbH, Koninklijke Gazelle, Felt Bicycles, KTM Bike Industries, Rocky Mountain, Salsa Cycles, Surly Bikes, Bianchi Bicycles, Cervélo, Colnago, Cycles Devinci, Kalkhoff Bikes, Haibike, Marin Bikes, Mondraker, Moustache Bikes, Pinarello, PROPAIN Bicycles GmbH, Riese & Müller GmbH, Tern Bicycles, Santa Cruz Bicycles, Whyte Bikes Limited, Wilier Triestina