Pedal Power

There’s healthy rivalry, but there are a lot of connections in terms of brand distribution. So, for instance, if we refuse to sell anything that’s tied to another bike shop then we will really struggle. There are key brands, particularly when it comes to building bikes, buying components, manufacture and so on, that have dealers here. SRAM (US bike component manufacturer) at Wolfi’s is a prime example. And if I want to build a bike I need those components. So there’s more of a structured relationship between shops, and we get different parts at a fixed discount. There’s definitely a structure behind the scenes that might not be apparent to those who don’t know about it.

We currently look after five custom brands. Two of them do what we call ‘semi-custom’. By this I mean you would buy a standard sized frame from them and they would do a custom paint job for you, then we would put it together with the components of your choice. The process is slightly quicker than a full-custom bike, but the price is roughly the same. The lead time with a semi-custom bike from when you step in the store to when it’s delivered to you is two months. Generally, it won’t be the first bike for those looking to go for a full custom version. It’s often the culmination of decades worth of riding at which point they decide to invest [in a high spec bike]. Most people don’t realise that building a fully custom bike isn’t that expensive. Most of the ones we build are the same price as a high-end bike that you can buy off the peg. We take you through the brands and explain the different styles and materials they use and the ride feel you will get. The paint finishing and the like is very similar. You might like the look of a certain frame but then we check what type of bike you currently ride? What’s your favourite bike you’ve ever ridden? And what type of riding do you usually do? Every component that is chosen afterwards will fit the exact ride feel you want. Then it’s on to the ride specific measurements with one of our trusted experts. They’ll spend a few hours with you that creates a detailed report that will allow us to see what will be the best setup for you. We then send it to the manufacturer and they build it to spec.

Yeah, and it can be a challenge to persuade people to go down this route: “Pay us money now, and you’ll get it later”. There are some customers that think because they’re paying so much money that they can click their fingers and the bike will appear, but it doesn’t work like that. When I say it’ll be nine months until it’s finished, it will be nine months when it’s finished and nothing can change this. But like I said, this won’t be your first bike - you’ll already have some nice rides in your garage, presumably, if you want us to build a new one. But it’s a bike for life.

I think that’s something that’s come out of Europe. If you look at the historical cycling heartlands in Europe, you’ve got Italy and France - the homes of cycling. And so consequently, that’s really the heart of cycling worldwide in terms of the history of the sport, and the greatest riders of all time generally come out of that area, plus Belgium to some extent. And both of those cultures have a strong connection to coffee, particularly the Italians. I think it’s always been viewed as a riding fuel. So, you know, if you’re going to cycle early in the morning, what’s the first thing you want to wake you up? Something we don’t have here at the moment, which I think is going to grow is the cafe culture around cycling. In the UK or Europe, it’s normal to stop at a cafe halfway through a ride and have a piece of cake and a coffee, because if you’re a cyclist, you could afford to eat more calories. You get to enjoy the sweet things. So that’s part of the culture around that. I think that’s what we’re trying to develop here. It’s not something that Dubai has had before. I mean, we’ve got a cafe culture for sure, but connecting that to cycling, I think it’s something that we’re going to be able to grow over the years and then bringing in fashion to this as well.

The brands that we deal with, they’re not just technical cycling brands. They are fashion brands in their own right. Creating technical garments is really just the first step in their process each year. What they mainly focus on is the fashion element of their collections for that year. So, yeah, a lot of the suppliers I deal with talk about ‘collections’ rather than just clothing. It’s all about style. There’s a definite connection between fashion and cafe culture and we’re trying to tie all of that together. Of course, all of our clothing needs to have a technical approach to it as it needs to be comfortable - you’re riding a bike. But we’re far more interested in the style of the brand, rather than the technical aspects.

Well, ever since I got into cycling I’ve been into the more high-end and expensive brands. There’s a feel about when you put [that type] of clothing on that you only get from a higher-end brand. But there’s also the feeling about having a really nice bike and great clothing too, it makes you feel special. It’s not just about how people see you but about how the clothing and accessories make you feel - it’s a lifestyle. We’re even seeing ‘off-the-bike’ collections from some of the brands we deal with. They’re spending more time working on the look and feel of these pieces of clothing than ever before. It’s not just a logo on a cheap t-shirt anymore. It’s actually a tailored t-shirt or jeans that look really good and have a connection to the sport. I think this will certainly grow.

One of our new brands is Café du Cycliste. It’s like what Rapha was five or six years ago before they got huge. Don’t get me wrong, I still love Rapha, but Café du Cycliste is still a boutique store. It’s designed in Nice, France and has an actual cafe there too. All of the gear has a Côte d’Azur style about it, and is very technical, but very fashion conscious. They have some excellent ‘off-the-bike’ stuff like t-shirts, jumpers and trousers, so I’ve started to curate these collections. I tend to do a men’s, women’s and a fashion collection for the store.