Discussion
Intrigued to see that Crowdcube (+ other retail platforms?) are seeking funding for REAP bikes. I know I don't get out much, but it's not a name I'd ever come across. Seems they're trying to carve a niche in track/time trial/aero-road frames https://reapbikes.com/diaries/
with direct-to-customer sales driven presumably by word of mouth/specialist reviews. They claim to be about the only UK manufacturer of carbon frames.
Whilst I'm keen to encourage UK start-ups I do wonder about the limited size of their market opportunity and whether they offer any demonstrable competitive advantage. £3,500 for an aero road frame is well beyond my pay/ability grade but perhaps not outrageous compared to the big names, now approaching 5 figures for a top-of-the-range complete bike. REAP are not a fly-by-night outfit (established 2014), so presumably understand their market niche and opportunity.
People like WyndyMilla show that a UK bespoke carbon maker can survive, but perhaps not grow (though they offer the option of bespoke frame sizing/design, with manufacturing in Italy) and obviously there's several specialist Ti makers such as Enigma (who I was told sell c. 400 bikes a year, though that may have been constrained by component supply chains). Anyway, I'll follow their story with interest!
with direct-to-customer sales driven presumably by word of mouth/specialist reviews. They claim to be about the only UK manufacturer of carbon frames.
Whilst I'm keen to encourage UK start-ups I do wonder about the limited size of their market opportunity and whether they offer any demonstrable competitive advantage. £3,500 for an aero road frame is well beyond my pay/ability grade but perhaps not outrageous compared to the big names, now approaching 5 figures for a top-of-the-range complete bike. REAP are not a fly-by-night outfit (established 2014), so presumably understand their market niche and opportunity.
People like WyndyMilla show that a UK bespoke carbon maker can survive, but perhaps not grow (though they offer the option of bespoke frame sizing/design, with manufacturing in Italy) and obviously there's several specialist Ti makers such as Enigma (who I was told sell c. 400 bikes a year, though that may have been constrained by component supply chains). Anyway, I'll follow their story with interest!
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