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VIDEO Interview: I speak with Mike Pryde about Chapter2 bikes – the model he created along with his well-known dad Neil, about how their direct to shopper gross sales mannequin is sensible for a rising variety of riders all over the world who need top-shelf high quality, honest pricing, and quick supply instances.
– Click on PLAY to see our video interview, and see extra on the PEZ Youtube channel right here.
– The total interview transcript follows under….
Pez: I’m again, and I’m speaking with Mike Pryde of CHAPTER2 Bikes. Now, I’m sitting right here in Vancouver at PEZ HQ and I’m truly speaking to Mike someday sooner or later as a result of he’s midway all over the world in New Zealand. Mike, precisely the place are you proper now?
Mike Pryde: So, truly sitting in my lounge. Since COVID, I’ve truly began working from residence. That is my residence workplace, and I’m right here in Auckland, New Zealand.
Pez: Mike, the primary query I’ve bought for you, is that bike truly a everlasting fixture in your lounge?
Mike Pryde: Solely after I’m not using it. That’s the Toa. The unique shade was simply Tongariro. And we truly solely made a number of of these they usually bought like hotcakes.
Pez: So, the model known as CHAPTER2. We’ve seen it right here on PEZ a few instances earlier than as a result of we’ve reviewed a few of your bikes. And also you’ve been within the biking enterprise for a variety of years now, however earlier than that you simply had been within the crusing enterprise working together with your dad, Neil Pryde, the founding father of a extremely well-known crusing model that a whole lot of my readers will know . How did CHAPTER2 come to exist?
Mike Pryde: We designed every part round being boutique and making a enterprise mannequin that we are able to truly scale in an applicable method. So, one of many first selections that we took was that we’d be a body set solely enterprise. And the beauty of that’s that with a body set solely enterprise, we are able to additionally ship these merchandise all all over the world by DHL actually affordably. And I suppose the opposite method that we type of have structured CHAPTER2 is that we’ve designed every part to be far more approachable and far more private. And that implies that any seller or shopper that’s enthusiastic about CHAPTER2, they really speak to me personally.
Pez: As a boutique model, what are the advantages you could provide shoppers that the bigger manufacturers can’t or simply received’t?
Mike Pryde: Being an fanatic myself, through the years, I’ve by no means been the type of man that goes to a motorcycle store and buys a complete bike and that ready-to-ride sort of expertise. So, I type of needed to imitate my private expertise as a bike owner and let the patron select. So, we’ve truly tried to make accessibility of CHAPTER2 to each sellers and shoppers as straightforward as potential. And I believe with fashionable expertise now and logistics, it’s actually modified the best way we do enterprise.
Pez: So, we’re residing in a time proper now the place costs for every part are rising and the choice for some readers to purchase a brand-new bike isn’t as near them because it was. So, upgrading the bike historically meant one thing like a brand new set of wheels or upgrading your cockpit, however the different factor you possibly can completely do is improve the body and hold and work with the present group set and wheels that you simply’ve bought.
Mike Pryde: And that’s a extremely attention-grabbing level that you simply made as a result of we truly noticed via COVID once we had been capable of proceed delivering product all through COVID, that a whole lot of the shoppers who couldn’t discover group units, who couldn’t discover wheel units, they had been joyful to undergo that improve course of by simply altering the body units. So, our enterprise truly flourished via COVID and we did very nicely. And I believe this concept you could even have a brand new bike with out the complete expenditure of all of the teams set and the wheels turns into a extremely type of interesting prospect for a shopper.
Pez: So, then Mike, how does CHAPTER2 as a boutique model actually profit shoppers?
Mike Pryde: After we designed and developed the CHAPTER2 enterprise, we needed every part to have that very private boutique, nearly customized made really feel to it, however but it’s at a good value. If you go in your native group journey, everyone is using one of many bikes from the Tour de France, from the large 4 that everyone knows of, and people clients are leaping off these massive manufacturers and shopping for our bikes as a result of they find it irresistible. They get the concept that they’ll have one thing very distinctive and really private and in our opinion, at the very least at a particularly reasonable value. The beauty of CHAPTER2 is that you simply actually can have every part, proper?
You’ll be able to have one of the best wheel set you could afford, one of the best group set, and there isn’t someone within the background making an attempt to select and select each element. I imply, I do know from years and years of biking, once you purchase a brand new bike, the very first thing that folks do is that they throw the saddle away. I imply, why would you desire a saddle that someone else has picked for you when it’s such a private factor?
Pez: Carbon bikes now have been round for getting near round 20 years or so, and the manufacturing methods have developed to a spot the place nearly anybody has entry to the identical manufacturing capabilities and even design concepts that everybody else does. So, the bikes have type of levelled out a bit of bit by way of aggressive benefit, however that doesn’t cease new manufacturers from getting concerned and providing one thing totally different. So, what does CHAPTER2 provide for shoppers that’s totally different from the opposite manufacturers?
Mike Pryde: What we’ve been capable of create is a product that not solely fits these guys which are searching for efficiency and pace, but additionally someone that appears for one thing that has a certain quantity of status and differentiation for these espresso store rides. So, I believe we’ve succeeded in each ranges.
Pez: One factor I actually like in regards to the bikes is the best way you guys have completed them, there’s some actually lovely shade decisions, some actually lovely inventive designs impressed among the indigenous artists over in New Zealand. You’ve entry to all of those bikes and also you’ve ridden all of them. What’s your favourite? Which one do you want one of the best?
Mike Pryde: We’re making an attempt to design actual bikes for actual folks. And what that basically means is that in case you take a look at {the marketplace}, there’s a whole lot of massive manufacturers, they’re closely invested in tour groups, racing on the world tour and stuff like that. If you’re designing a motorcycle for an elite athlete, racing on the highest stage, and designing one thing that truly is extra relevant and sensible for regular folks, it’s a really totally different proposition. And likewise with that in thoughts, we’ve designed the Koko, which is our aero highway bike. And that is one thing that I believe I’m significantly personally very pleased with.
Pez: So, Mike, you’ve traveled all around the world with crusing and using, you’ve spent a whole lot of time in america. What have you ever discovered significantly in regards to the U.S. market that’s totally different and that you simply assume you guys can actually adapt to or provide one thing recent to?
Mike Pryde: Really partaking with not solely the shoppers, however with our sellers, is definitely in all probability probably the greatest components of my job. Whether or not it’s on-line via our dwell chat or whether or not it’s a face-to-face assembly, assembly folks and serving to them resolve issues is one thing that I actually take pleasure in doing. And truly on account of that course of, our dealership has been rising steadily within the North American market.
Pez: So, Mike, for viewers who’re watching at residence and residing someplace right here in North America, what are among the greatest outlets right here that viewers can go into and truly discover CHAPTER2 bikes?
Mike Pryde: In North America, we’re in Wrench Science in Berkeley, California. We’ve bought a extremely nice seller referred to as Swiftfoot Cycles in Prosper, Texas. In Canada, we now have Blacksmith Cycles in Toronto, and in Vancouver the place you might be, we’ve bought Veloholic, and in addition Salita Cyclery. And they’re nice sellers they usually actually construct among the most lovely CHAPTER2s that you simply’ll see wherever. However truly, the opposite factor that’s actually attention-grabbing to find out about our enterprise is that any shopper can truly stroll into any store in America or in Canada and ask for a CHAPTER2. And the bike store simply must contact us, we’ll ship all of them the small print and details about how you can turn out to be a seller, and we’re right here to assist.
Pez: Effectively, thanks very a lot for speaking to us. All the time a pleasure. Trying ahead to see extra of CHAPTER2 over right here in North America, and hopefully I’ll get to journey one other a type of bikes myself fairly quickly.
Mike Pryde: Thanks, Pez!
• See extra on the Chapter2 web site.
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