Alien bikes - ceased trading

[rustic]

I just went to the Alien Ocean website and saw that they have ceased trading. I was sorry to see that, I never really ever found a bike any more suitable for me than my old alien gents special 2. I think it only cost me £579 brand new, so was a bargain too. I always found them helpful & friendly people to deal with. I wish them well whatever has happened.

 

[lessped]

I just went to the Alien Ocean website and saw that they have ceased trading. I was sorry to see that, I never really ever found a bike any more suitable for me than my old alien gents special 2. I think it only cost me £579 brand new, so was a bargain too. I always found them helpful & friendly people to deal with. I wish them well whatever has happened.

What a shocker didn't see that coming a sad day indeed my first bike was a Gents 2 and ye i to wish them all the best

 

[flecc]

That is very sad news indeed, First we had Synergie up there in Scotland with the popular Mistral model, but they ended up seeming to struggle and merged into the newer Alien. So now we've lost both, together with their economical kit option.

It's a reminder of what I've posted in here a few times in the last two years, that there are too many suppliers for our limited market, and it's the smaller company low-margin cost-effective buys that will disappear.

With limited sales only high profit margins are viable for the survival of smaller companies.

 

[jerrysimon]

Sad indeed if that's the case. Their kit was what got me into ebikes back in 2009.

Jerry

 

[trex]

That is very sad news indeed, First we had Synergie up there in Scotland with the popular Mistral model, but they ended up seeming to struggle and merged into the newer Alien. So now we've lost both, together with their economical kit option.

It's a reminder of what I've posted in here a few times in the last two years, that there are too many suppliers for our limited market, and it's the smaller company low-margin cost-effective buys that will disappear.

With limited sales only high profit margins are viable for survival.

The kit market is about 10% of the main e-bike market, around 3000 kits a year.
Alien kits weren't particularly expensive but neither cheap, it's a very difficult situation to trade from. They could not compete with low cost e-bayers or aliexpress traders on run of the mill kits and I guess their move to high power Golden motors was simply draining resources.
There is a very small gap between low cost Chinese bikes and high quality German bikes that Chinese kits can fit in, put cheap Chinese kits into good European made bikes. To fill this gap, you'll need a lot of expertise in both ends of the market.

 

[mountainsport]

It is really upsetting when well known good people call it a day or night. But only they are to know.

MS.

 

[mountainsport]

That is very sad news indeed, First we had Synergie up there in Scotland with the popular Mistral model, but they ended up seeming to struggle and merged into the newer Alien. So now we've lost both, together with their economical kit option.

It's a reminder of what I've posted in here a few times in the last two years, that there are too many suppliers for our limited market, and it's the smaller company low-margin cost-effective buys that will disappear.

With limited sales only high profit margins are viable for the survival of smaller companies.

And that is why the well expensive and unreliable company has cleared off already. Please don't try go twisting my arm now.

MS.

 

[Tubamanandy]

My current bike has an Alien kit fitted - always found them a really decent company with the owner extremely helpful.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

I think that they were innovative in 2009, but simply didn't keep up to date with current trends and fashions. Their basic 250w kit hardly changed in 5 years. The same with their rack batteries. if you want to be successful, you have to follow the market.

Juicy Bikes is another that hasn't changed. I pray that their bikes don't fall out of fashion too. Look how Kudos and Woosh bikes have constantly evolved.

 

[trex]

...
Look how Kudos and Woosh bikes have constantly evolved.

You need to sell out the old model to start a new one.
it's chicken and eggs. Can't do much without a consideable volume.

 

[shortcircuit]

That is disappointing as I was going to visit them when I returned home as they are local.
One question I was going to ask Is that in their web site they said they would only sell batteries to their own customer's which I found strange as a pound is a pound however you get it so why restrict your market?
Will try and find another local dealer

 

[mountainsport]

That is disappointing as I was going to visit them when I returned home as they are local.
One question I was going to ask Is that in their web site they said they would only sell batteries to their own customer's which I found strange as a pound is a pound however you get it so why restrict your market?
Will try and find another local dealer

Hi shortcircuit I hear you clearly my friend, but at least they had remained loyal to their customers to the bitter end. We could look at it in that way
Nice one!

MS.

 

[shortcircuit]

Hi shortcircuit I hear you clearly my friend, but at least they had remained loyal to their customers to the bitter end. We could look at it in that way
Nice one!

MS.

Gosh, I certainly am missing something. By turning away business you eventually go burst, so how does that help your customers?

 

[mountainsport]

Gosh, I certainly am missing something. By turning away business you eventually go burst, so how does that help your customers?

I am definitely not disagreeing with you, but going burst is their own business. During that crisis they still found time for their existing customers which I find very good of them. Do you not think ? Sorry if I'm not understanding you here.

MS.

 

[shortcircuit]

I am definitely not disagreeing with you, but going burst is their own business. During that crisis they still found time for their existing customers which I find very good of them. Do you not think ? Sorry if I'm not understanding you here.

MS.

The priority of any business is to look after existing customers in the hope of future trade. The responsibility of any business is to make a profit in order to continue trading. What I could not understand is why they would only sell batteries to existing customers so whoever wanted to buy a battery went elsewhere and they lost that business. Would you turn business away?

 

[mountainsport]

No, I would not like the fact of turning away business, but like I had said there must be a valid or non valid reason for this, in which we would never know. Maybe they will enlighten you when you decide to pop in and see them.

MS.

 

[fishingpaul]

The priority of any business is to look after existing customers in the hope of future trade. The responsibility of any business is to make a profit in order to continue trading. What I could not understand is why they would only sell batteries to existing customers so whoever wanted to buy a battery went elsewhere and they lost that business. Would you turn business away?

I would guess they were selling batteries to existing customers,at close to cost price to keep their bikes attractive to new buyers,and were unable to sell to others at the same price,maybe they chose not to upset them.by offering to sell them the same battery with a large increase in price in order to make a profit.just my idea of a theory.

 

[JuicyBike]

I think that they were innovative in 2009, but simply didn't keep up to date with current trends and fashions. Their basic 250w kit hardly changed in 5 years. The same with their rack batteries. if you want to be successful, you have to follow the market.

Juicy Bikes is another that hasn't changed. I pray that their bikes don't fall out of fashion too. Look how Kudos and Woosh bikes have constantly evolved.

Oh but there is a difference between experimenting and refining a product Dave.

 

[Kudoscycles]

Shame about Alien ceasing trading...what the e-bike business needs in the UK is more traders attracting more business,competition is always ultimately good for overal business,as long as you are selling the product that the market desires.
I understand why Alien only sells batteries to satisfy their own customers,I must say that Kudos is also only selling batteries now to replace Kudos customer bikes...to date that has,I am pleased to say been very few sales,the reasons are...
1. There are so many different battery styles that invariably a customer wants a style that is not the Kudos type
2. We keep a limited number of spare batteries and must give priority to Kudos customers.
3. Spare batteries are just that,they don't include the cradles or mating plugs,which is usually not much use in a DIY application.
4. Some DIY builders want to link up the batteries to their own controllers or high powered motors-we have no control over whether such an arrangement is a balanced overal system that may otherwise result in excessive power draw down on the battery,yet we would still have to offer a warranty on such a battery.
5. Customer's don't always have the knowledge to safely use a battery in their own setup, this can have implications within the constraints of our product liability insurance.
So I don't think Alien not selling batteries had any affect on their trading profits,they probably reached the same conclusions as us. I suspect that they were caught between 2 price levels. You do need deep pockets to keep trading through the bad times (don't forget it rained almost every day this winter) and to keep developing new models and trade out of the old ones,
With regard to batteries we are trying to rationalise the types,to make storage and servicing easier and competitive pricing.
The 10,4 Ah water bottle shape....this is the most widely sold battery in China...I would use it on every bike if I could...price £198.00....is used on the Cobra,Arriba,Tornado,Typhoon,Escape bikes.
The slide in behind the seat tube shape...we used this on our small Tempo step through and will use the same on all future step throughs...price £198.00
We have a new development battery shape for 2015 that will be our third shape.
We hope to rationalise the range to use only these 3 battery styles,that keeps the volumes up and replacement battery prices down.
KudosDave

 

[trex]

...
So I don't think Alien not selling batteries had any affect on their trading profits,they probably reached the same conclusions as us. I suspect that they were caught between 2 price levels.
KudosDave

I can understand that alien bikes did not have deep enough pockets to keep trading through the bad times. But what do you mean by 'caught between 2 price levels'? their Alien Aurora (£1,100) had a big fan base and was quite competitively priced.