Paul’s Cycles: Powering into the future with electric bikes

SME catches up with Tom Thornley, Managing Director, Paul’s Cycles and hears about his plans for the corporate

First Tom, are you able to inform us about Paul’s Cycles. When did you provide you with the concept of the enterprise and the way did it develop?

With a legacy spanning 40 years, Paul’s Cycles has developed from a clearance vendor to a contemporary, distinguished model in each the net and in-store biking and e-bike retail area. Regardless of adjustments in possession through the years, the final 4-5 years have seen Paul’s Cycles efficiently navigate unprecedented market challenges by way of the Covid-19 Pandemic and the years that adopted. Our major goal is to be the popular vacation spot for biking lovers, providing compelling offers with a steadfast “low worth assure” throughout numerous worth ranges.

Originating as a humble native enterprise, we’ve witnessed quite a few clients embark on their biking journey with their very first bike, fostering relationships that may span for a few years to come back with our rising buyer base. Despite the fact that we’re a small group, we’re close-knit and dedicated. Whether or not partaking with us on-line or in individual, our dedication is to offer a seamless and pleasant expertise.

What had been the challenges within the early days?

Like most, we grappled with challenges similar to money constraints limiting development in addition to attempting to construct sturdy relationships with the bike manufacturers, to believe within the Paul’s Cycles group and model to ship development.

You’ve skilled a rise in demand for electrical bikes. Why do you suppose that’s?

The surge in demand for electrical bikes has been notable. This may be attributed to the rising emphasis on inexperienced journey, psychological well being, combating weight problems, enhancing accessibility, and managing the rising value of residing, with latest gross sales primarily coming our low cost technique. We pleasure ourselves on our capability to curate the perfect worth offers for our clients. As an example, our latest focus has been on the R Raymon electrical bike vary, whereas not as extensively recognized, has been communicated to our clients for its distinctive worth, aligning with our understanding of what issues within the e-bike market.”

We observe a shift available in the market, with an inflow of non-cyclists in comparison with the early adopters of electrical bikes. There’s a broader understanding that e-bikes aren’t about “dishonest,” and technological developments within the e-bike sector proceed to drive curiosity.

The preferred electrical bike class was e-MTB’s, the place we noticed a 74% enhance in curiosity in comparison with the earlier quarter. E-MTB’s give riders the arrogance to go additional and discover new locations, figuring out that they’ve that added help to get again dwelling. It may very well be stated that this has made MTBing extra accessible and inclusive for broader ages, well being and health ranges. With the rising sight of electrical MTB’s at your native trails, extra riders are naturally changing into all of the extra curious!

What recommendation would you give somebody fascinated by organising their very own enterprise?

For aspiring entrepreneurs, our recommendation is to have interaction in thorough modelling earlier than venturing into enterprise. Make sure that your money projections are sturdy and attempt to have a number of sources of funding to fortify your basis and assist your small business, particularly when attempting to scale.

The place do you hope the corporate will probably be in 5 or ten years’ time? What do you hope to attain.

Trying on the latest information, electrical bikes are undoubtedly on our radar this 12 months, we’re wanting ahead to increasing our core vary of cherry-picked offers. Within the coming years, we envision Paul’s Cycles as one of many main bike and e-bike retailers within the UK, with potential worldwide retail presence inside the subsequent 5 to 10 years. Our aspirations align with creating a long-lasting affect within the biking group and past.

Paul’s Cycles is a specialist bicycle and e-bike retailer serving on-line clients, nationwide in addition to in-store at our showroom based mostly in East Anglia. Buying and selling since 1983, Paul’s Cycles provides a complete vary of bikes to take you thru each step of your biking journey. Curating a product vary from the trade’s high manufacturers recognized for his or her trusted high quality, Paul’s Cycles is dedicated to bringing the perfect worth for cash to its increasing buyer group.

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