One of the main values that I run the business by is providing cargo bikes to the masses rather than just “Yummy Mummys” living in Chelsea who want to be seen cycling their children to private school when its sunny.
My bikes such as the “School Run” and “Little People Carrier” can be easily purchased by families who wish to use their cargo bike instead of a second car.
I started the business more for the love of engineering, bikes and work/life balance rather than just for profit. I’m not here to make vast profits by having high prices. The bike are priced to cover the raw materials, components, overheads, reinvestment and my time.
The approach might go ‘against the grain’ compared with some business models but it works well for me. Organic growth from day 1 has meant I do not have any business loans, repayments or similar costs which have to be added to a bikes retail price. Equally these bikes sell themselves so I don’t need expensive marketing campaigns
Making the bikes in Derby means I don’t incur shipping charges, import duty, fluctuating exchange rates and taxes that are applied to bikes imported to the UK from other countries.
All of the above add to the great value that I can offer these bikes at.
If you look carefully at my bikes you will see that I use standard bicycle components. Many cargo bikes use drum brakes, internal geared hubs and stub axles (ie wheels attached on one side only like a car wheel is) these components have a much higher cost and some can only be maintained by a specialist bicycle shop. I prefer to use components that customers are familiar with and are easy to maintain by the owner or any bicycle shop, with additional benefit that it makes the bikes cheaper to buy.