Giant bicycles to roll down more streets

During the last five years ‘peddling’ cycles has come a long way. For the buyer, it is no longer about going to the local bicycle store and getting the frame assembled on the roadside or a dinghy shop. We are talking about sleek bikes, high-tech machines with carbon-fibre frames, titanium parts, aluminium alloys and gears – these are bicycles that cost as much as a sports motorcycle or a premium sedan. The costliest cycle in the market today costs in the region of ₹10-11 lakh – expensive even for buyers in other markets.

“We routinely sell cycles priced at ₹5-6 lakh from our stores in Mumbai and Pune. It’s no big deal to sell half a dozen of those a month,” says Pravin V Patil, Managing Director & CEO of Starkenn Sports, which sells the Giant brand of bicycles, one of the largest brands globally. Of course people can get by on a ₹5,000 standard roadster. But then, buyers with deep pockets always want that little bit more. Just like what sets apart a super sportscar compared to a car from the entry level segment, it is the ownership experience that counts. It is not just about the product, but the entire package that delivers it and the service after.

Giant Starkenn showrooms and service centres are more than just about selling and overhauling bicycles. They offer shower rooms for riders to freshen up after a long morning ride, so they can head to office directly; a library to bone up on the latest in the cycling world; coffee shop to laze around and interact with peers; Starkenn organises group rides regularly. A typical group ride can have a few thousand cyclists.

For instance, Giant Starkenn, which is rolling out its signature showrooms in a number of cities, is replicating its Pune service centre in Mumbai with a 2,000 sq ft, eight-bay facility equipped with top notch tools. The company opted to do this after it observed cycles from Mumbai, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh being carted to the Pune service centre for repairs.

“Look at my business card,” says Patil, “you will see 18 brands of cycle components listed.” These are components used by 85 per cent of the global cycle brands and Starkenn is the exclusive distributor.

Whatever international brand of cycles people buy they will have to use one of these components.

Sure, with the Indian bicycle market estimated at about 15.5 million a year and 90 per cent of it dominated by bicycles costing less that ₹7,500, high end cycles are a niche.

But that is where the action is. The industry describes bicycles priced at ₹25,000 and more as mid premium and higher range. These sell about 25,000 to 30,000 units, and Giant is the market leader in most major areas, says Patil.

Giant Starkenn’s signature format stores are open in Pune and Bangalore and by the month end will be ready in Mumbai and Kolkata followed by outlets in Delhi, Chandigarh, Hyderabad and Ahmedabad.

In Chennai it is partnering with Just Buy Cycles, a multi-brand chain.