BikeBiz news: Raleigh formalises Powabyke distribution

[Patrick]

I haven't seen this on the forum:

Raleigh formalises Powabyke distribution | Bicycle business | News by BikeBiz

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Mark Sutton Apr 7 2009, 12:32pm
Electric brand available to main and Cyclelife dealers from today

Raleigh has announced that it has formalised its link up with Powabyke, turning it into a distribution arrangement active as of this month.

While Powabyke will continue to service a range of its customers on a direct basis and perform service support for all Powabyke customers, the brand seeks to benefit from Raleigh’s extensive IBD sales and service resource to build upon the agency relationship in place for the last two years.

Retailers can arrange a product demonstration by contacting their Raleigh account manager or calling Raleigh customer service on 0800 0969060
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[Rad]

So any Raliegh dealer is now a powabyke dealer?

 

[Alex728]

if they take up the offer, and most of them are "proper" LBS's (I got my Raleigh Hybrid from such a place)

I don't think its a bad thing as it raises awareness of ebikes to normal dealers and if they made a X-series with longer battery range I might have been interested, although I do think Powabyke (which clearly values functionality over style) has now got the reputation of being the "older persons e-bike"

 

[Rad]

I take exception to being described as an 'older person'

 

[Patrick]

I don't think its a bad thing as it raises awareness of ebikes to normal dealers and if they made a X-series with longer battery range I might have been interested, although I do think Powabyke (which clearly values functionality over style) has now got the reputation of being the "older persons e-bike"

I think the X-bikes would benefit from being sold alongside Raleigh bikes. Compared to the Eurobike and City Byke the X-bike's range is a problem because of it's small capacity battery. But if you compare it with the Raleigh Pioneer then range becomes a selling point because you can go further with the battery to help you up the hills.

 

[Alex728]

My other "normal" bike is a Raleigh Pioneer hybrid - I agree they could do well with being sold together but the battery range is still the sticking point here. If the X series had the same range as something like the Powacycle Salisbury (which will do 26 miles on a charge and still have two bars lit on the battery) it would be a winner; although I expect battery size would be the issue.

To be fair Raleigh also had a reputation as the "older/sensible person's" bike until very recently, having lost their youth appeal in the 1980/90s due to bad management and not responding to foreign competition (in particular missing out on the MTB boom until it was too late).