What Raleigh Should Do

[Caph]

Give Suzhou Bafang a ring. Give one of the big lithium battery companies in Shenzhen a ring. Knock out a range of one or two standard MTB and/or sit up and beg front hub motor bikes at £500-£700 a pop. Nothing special, but then it doesn't have to be, you can buy a Decathlon bike for £200, a motor for £100 off ebay and a reliable battery for £200 right now which will pretty much match any £2k "complete" ebike currently on the market. If you want decent suspension, decent hydraulic disc brakes and a decent chainset you could plump for a £300 Decathlon MTB and you are then matching the £3K "complete" ebikes.

They have the economies of scale, buying power, dealerships and distribution network to dominate the UK ebike industry in volume sales, and change ebikes in to a mass market UK product, but instead they are meowing like kittens in a corner.

Am I wrong?

 

[Danidl]

Give Suzhou Bafang a ring. Give one of the big lithium battery companies in Shenzhen a ring. Knock out a range of one or two standard MTB and/or sit up and beg front hub motor bikes at £500-£700 a pop. Nothing special, but then it doesn't have to be, you can buy a Decathlon bike for £200, a motor for £100 off ebay and a reliable battery for £200 right now which will pretty much match any £2k "complete" ebike currently on the market. If you want decent suspension, decent hydraulic disc brakes and a decent chainset you could plump for a £300 Decathlon MTB and you are then matching the £3K "complete" ebikes.

They have the economies of scale, buying power, dealerships and distribution network to dominate the UK ebike industry in volume sales, and change ebikes in to a mass market UK product, but instead they are meowing like kittens in a corner.

Am I wrong?

... Not far off they have a range of ebikes starting at 950 mark. Incidentally the decathlons have a emtb at 1200euro with Samsung branded battery. , and their lowest price bike, is 130 euro., You would probably need to get to 400euro to match the bike construction on the lowest cost Raliegh array.

 

[anotherkiwi]

You are right but where is their market? Decathlon's market is the EU!

My very first bike in NZ was a Raleigh BTW, do they sell anything other than Chinese kids bikes there now?...

 

[Woosh]

Give Suzhou Bafang a ring. Give one of the big lithium battery companies in Shenzhen a ring. Knock out a range of one or two standard MTB and/or sit up and beg front hub motor bikes at £500-£700 a pop. Nothing special, but then it doesn't have to be, you can buy a Decathlon bike for £200, a motor for £100 off ebay and a reliable battery for £200 right now which will pretty much match any £2k "complete" ebike currently on the market. If you want decent suspension, decent hydraulic disc brakes and a decent chainset you could plump for a £300 Decathlon MTB and you are then matching the £3K "complete" ebikes.

They have the economies of scale, buying power, dealerships and distribution network to dominate the UK ebike industry in volume sales, and change ebikes in to a mass market UK product, but instead they are meowing like kittens in a corner.

Am I wrong?

Would you take your Decathlon e-bike to your LBS to have it looked at if it stops working?
It's not just Decathlon. Even among the leaders like Bosch bikes, if a particular model sell 500 a year, it does pretty OK but what is 500 when compared to 18,000 bike shops? The probability is that your customers can't just take their bikes to another shop to get it looked at when something troubles them.

Also, would you expect bike shops to work at Decathlon volume?

 

[anotherkiwi]

My LBS loves Decathlon bikes! He has dozens in for repair and better components fitted.

 

[chris_n]

Raleigh don't necessarily make the decisions, they are owned by a Dutch group called Accell, they are the biggest ebike manufacturers in Europe. Quote from their website

Accell Group is also Europe’s market leader in electric bikes. The company’s portfolio includes strong national brands and leading international (sports) brands that together provide an extremely complete and complementary range of products for all cycling-related needs. Accell Group’s best known brands are Batavus (NL), Sparta (NL), Koga (NL), Loekie (NL), Ghost (Ger), Haibike (Ger), Winora (Ger), Raleigh and Diamondback (UK, US, Canada), Lapierre (Fr), Tunturi (Fi), Atala (IT), Redline (US) and XLC (international)

 

[Caph]

Would you take your Decathlon e-bike to your LBS to have it looked at if it stops working?
It's not just Decathlon. Even among the leaders like Bosch bikes, if a particular model sell 500 a year, it does pretty OK but what is 500 when compared to 18,000 bike shops? The probability is that your customers can't just take their bikes to another shop to get it looked at when something troubles them.

Also, would you expect bike shops to work at Decathlon volume?

Not sure what you are saying here? Raleigh don't have the support capability of Woosh bikes? I really don't think you want to have said that!

We all know that hub motors are more or less indestructible. Other than that, a hub motor drive bike is a normal bike. But then you already know that.

 

[Caph]

Raleigh don't necessarily make the decisions, they are owned by a Dutch group called Accell, they are the biggest ebike manufacturers in Europe. Quote from their website

Accell Group is also Europe’s market leader in electric bikes. The company’s portfolio includes strong national brands and leading international (sports) brands that together provide an extremely complete and complementary range of products for all cycling-related needs. Accell Group’s best known brands are Batavus (NL), Sparta (NL), Koga (NL), Loekie (NL), Ghost (Ger), Haibike (Ger), Winora (Ger), Raleigh and Diamondback (UK, US, Canada), Lapierre (Fr), Tunturi (Fi), Atala (IT), Redline (US) and XLC (international)

I honestly did not know that but it would very much explain why most of those brands were in the Raleigh showroom which I struggled to understand at the time.

 

[Woosh]

Not sure what you are saying here? Raleigh don't have the support capability of Woosh bikes? I really don't think you want to have said that!

We all know that hub motors are more or less indestructible. Other than that, a hub motor drive bike is a normal bike. But then you already know that.

If you run a shop, people will call and ask for advice.
It's not alsways because something has gone wrong.
I want to fit a baby seat or a trailer, or puncture proof tyres or a throttle - the list can be extensive.
There is also out of guarantee support. The product many no longer be made. eg I need a new battery.

I reckon the minimum margin on a bike to provide adequate support is about £200 which is practically impossible for bikes costing under £850.

 

[flecc]

We all know that hub motors are more or less indestructible.

Really!!!

On one occasion when a new Bafang failed from 100 miles and couldn't reach 200 miles, I took the bike back to the importer to swap the motor wheel. Their warehouse was adorned with a large number of two types of rather new hub motor wheels opened up for attention. Most appeared to have chewed up their cogs and racks.

And plenty have done that after up to five thousand miles or so. The fact is they are variable in how long they last, some not very long but others lasting very many miles and years.

Today's ones are much better, but I'd hesitate to say they are indestructible.
.

 

[Woosh]

that's the problem with small probabilities, they are much more unpredictable than punctures or losing your LCD or saddle to thieves.
Hub motors are now incredibly reliable. 6 - 10 years before service is common for leisure cyclists.