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Colruyts Bike Republic is stepping up its attempts in consolidating bicycle shops

August 17, 2022

18:52

Increasing from 25 to 50 to 60 retailers “in the in the vicinity of potential,” Bicycle Republic is anticipated to continue to be by significantly the biggest in the promptly consolidating planet of bicycle suppliers. The Colruyt department opened its initial department in Brussels on Wednesday.

Is this a coincidence? Bike Republic’s very first department in Brussels is located in a part of a former BMW seller. Competitor Lucien’s initially headquarters opened earlier this calendar year in a making that previously served as a Volkswagen garage. Though little motor vehicle dealerships have been observing and giving up black snow for decades, massive bicycle stores are advancing.

Bike Republic is the phoenix emerging from the ashes of the dying Flemish bicycle chain Fiets! risen after acquisition by the supermarket huge Colruyt in 2019. The to start with Brussels branch is composed of the acquisition of quality bicycle expert Everse IMP Bikes, which sells manufacturers these kinds of as Riese & Müller, Urban Arrow, Brompton, Trek and Dolly. Many of these massive names are also identified from Lucien to Ixelles.

The essence

  • The Colruyt Bicycle Republic subsidiary provides an extra strengthen to consolidation in the entire world of bicycle shops: the range of its shops must double up to a most of 60.
  • Bicycle Republic is so considerably ahead of D’Ieteren’s daughter Lucien. It aims to have at least 25 retailers by 2025.
  • Bicycle income are turning into more and more money-intense thanks to additional high priced bicycles and elevated needs from makers. This makes it ever more challenging for modest bike retailers.


The twelve Fiets retailers! that Colruyt obtained 3 yrs ago are: renamed the Republic of the Bike. Lately, the selection of branches doubled to 25, creating Bicycle Republic the greatest bicycle retailer in the state. Now there is a new offensive for a lot more. “In the in the vicinity of future we want to go from 50 to 60 locations,” claims Wim Teerlynck, normal supervisor of Bicycle Republic.

Leasing

That selection is needed to provide cyclists across the region: “Individuals are willing to travel for up to 20 minutes to invest in a new bicycle,” says Teerlynck. “The bicycle shop ought to be reachable in 11 minutes for repairs.” Immediately after the rebranding of IMP Bikes, the opening of two new Bike Republics will observe on 1 September, in Aalst and Ninove.

With that nationwide coverage, Bike Republic aims to develop into a big player in the rapidly growing bicycle leasing marketplace. ‘When we purchased Bike Republic, 17% of our turnover came from rental bikes. Now it is really 25% and it can absolutely improve 30 to 40%, “suggests Teerlynck. Not like D’Ieteren’s subsidiary Lucien, which also presents its very own rental formulas, Bicycle Republic will never. It functions, just like Lucien, with current rental corporations. You can make an appointment for routine maintenance in the Xtra application, which is also used in all other Colruyt outlets. If you wish, bike repairers will occur to pay a visit to you at household or at perform.

10,000

bicycles

Bike Republic has 10,000 bikes in inventory.

Teerlynck may possibly not be licensed to figure out recent or potential turnover, profit or variety of bicycles offered say nearly anything. The facts are consolidated in the shown Colruyt. He claims the chain now has 170 workers and a inventory of around 10,000 bikes, of which 7,000 are e-bikes. ‘No income without the need of inventory.’ This inventory is a great asset in moments when supply times for new bicycles and cars and trucks have elevated enormously.

Hunt for acquisition

In addition to opening solely new outlets, Bicycle Republic is on the hunt for acquisitions and is wanting to acquire advantage of consolidation in the bicycle retail sector. The outbreak of the crown disaster and the resulting scarcity of areas have sparked a revolution in the sector. Given that then, bicycle makers have been inquiring retailers to order their bikes up to two years in advance with no figuring out if they will truly promote them all.




Owing to the increasing popularity of e-bikes, bicycles are also becoming much more and much more expensive. Sellers have to spend for costly bicycles requested quickly when the manufacturer provides them, even if they never have an finish consumer for them yet. This puts a lot of compact bike shops with dollars difficulties that can barely be triumph over.

Huge abundant chains like Bicycle Republic and Lucien are inundated with offers to acquire above smaller bike retailers. However, Bicycle Republic is only interested in the more substantial bike stores, with at the very least 5 workers associates.

We want to be the reference in the planet of biking, but we you should not automatically have to be the finest.

Wim Teerlynck

Bicycle Republic Typical Manager



With the new advancement momentum, Bicycle Republic desires to distinguish itself from new rivals these as Lucien or Raida. “We want to be the reference in the globe of biking, but we you should not automatically have to be the greatest,” suggests Teerlynck.

opposition

D’Ieteren Lucien’s subsidiary now has 9 branches: two in Brussels and seven in and close to Antwerp. By 2025, the chain will have 25 branches e guide a turnover of at the very least 100 million euros. Lucien’s supervisor, Karl Lechat, resolved earlier this calendar year to have “five to ten retailers in Brussels by the summer time” and now states 4 new acquisitions are in the approach of finalizing.

Of dome of the Raida regional bicycle shops it now has 22 branches and is continue to operating on enlargement, primarily in the Funds Region. The chains really don’t want to know about the rigid level of competition to consider over the greatest independent bike stores. “Collectively we make the current market larger,” states Teerlynck. Lechat: ‘The battle is on these days for ample and ideal staff and bikes.’

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