Mumbai – Maharashtra – If you are passionate about cycling, you don’t have to fly overseas to fetch a premium international brand. With premium range picking-up in the India market, bike stores are also coming-up to cater to your taste. Chic bicycle stores are opening-up in major metros of India with basket of range to choose from as per specific requirement.

To add more iconic bike tags in 2016

The urban bicycle store ‘BikeShark’ has recently opened its second store in a location called Andheri in the West of Mumbai. The first store opened in North-West suburbs of Mumbai in Borivali in 2013. The store stocks brands like Scott, Focus & Time and soon to add few more iconic tags besides accessory range from Scott, Lezyne, Continental etc. “We are planning to bring-in brands like Bergamont and Kona in 2016,” said Arun Rajprohit of BikeShark.

Idea is to promote cycling

The promoter has passion for cycling and owns professional team of 8 bikers called ‘BikeShark’ representing in the domestic cycling circuit. Interestingly, the objective behind opening stores is not selling cycles and content with making moolah but something beyond that.

“Our idea is to promote cycling in the country as couple of years back merely 4-5 people came out to cycle in the weekends. But now the number has increased to 200-300 people coming for cycling together with the best-of- bikes in the weekends,” Arun said.

The idea is to develop & promote cycling as a sport in the country. “It is an expensive sport and there is a growing breed of people opting for it, which is quite interesting,” he thinks.

To add 3 more stores in next five years

BikeShark has plans to open more stores in Mumbai in the next five years. ‘Currently, we have two stores and our idea is to add 3 more in the next five years,’ he adds. It has plans to spread out of Mumbai to other bike-loving cities like Bangalore down South or in Ahmedabad in the West.

Price is ‘no more an issue’

Interestingly, the sales pattern at BikeShark indicates improvement in the sales of hi-end range. “When first store was opened, the demand was more for the basic range starting from INR 30,000 ($445) but now the price bracket hiked to INR 60,000 ($891) bike,” he said. Moreover, bikers are coming in with brand and bicycle in mind, there is absolutely no-push from the dealers-end to sell a particular bike or brand and price is no-more an issue as it used to be.

Sales up by 40%

Even the sales of INR 100,000 ($1,485) to 125,000 ($1,856) bike range registered positive trends which clearly indicates people are upgrading to hi-priced range of bikes. The urban bike shop has also seen surge in sales from last year. “Sales are up by 40% in 2016 compared to last year,” said Arun.