BEWARE THE IDES OF MARCH…
March should bring optimism for bike retailers—longer days, better weather, and rising sales. But Perceptor PHI (product health indicator), a lead indicator, tells a different story. The bicycle market isn’t stabilizing—it’s retreating. PHI typically bottoms out in January sales, when retailers clear old stock. Yet, PHI has now fallen below those levels. Since February’s high, […]
HOW MUCH MORE TURBULANCE CAN BIKE RETAILERS ENDURE?
HOW MUCH MORE TURBULANCE CAN BIKE RETAILERS ENDURE? The bicycle market isn’t navigating bumpy terrain—it’s battling white-water rapids. With price volatility around 20% (matching yesterday’s tariff-related US market selloff), bike shops face uncertainty that would unnerve Wall Street veterans. At MangoMoon, our 10,000+ Perceptor data points reveal a stark divide: a few retailers finding more […]
IRONY: AI MIGHT LIE…
We’re bombarded with disclaimers about AI’s potential to hallucinate or churn out incorrect facts. Studies suggest some AI models can produce errors or “hallucinations” about 5–20% of the time, depending on the complexity of the question. Meanwhile, in the real world, fact-checkers count up to 20 incorrect, false or misleading statements per day by some […]
DEEPSEEK – AND YOU SHALL FIND
Deepseek-R1’s release has rocked the AI world, challenging assumptions about what’s required to deliver cutting-edge performance. Achieving results on par with OpenAI’s o1 at just 3–5% of the cost, this open-source model has skyrocketed to the top of HuggingFace downloads and the iPhone App Store, sending ripples across Wall Street with a $600 billion Nvidia […]
CAN WE STILL RELY ON CLICKS FOR GROWTH?
The UK e-commerce market is set to soar, with revenues projected to rise from $280.55 billion in 2024 to $750.80 billion by 2029. SMEs, making up 99.9% of UK businesses, are ideally placed to capitalize, using platforms like Shopify and WooCommerce to tap into a booming digital marketplace expected to reach 97.2% user penetration. But […]
RIDE TO SUCESS PODCAST
This week its the interview with Pedro Couto Lopes – done in situ at the 2024 Rouleur Live. The theme is based on the Ride to Success Podcast series. Pedro says: “In this conversation, Sven Thiele discusses the current state of the cycling industry with Pedro Couto Lopes, focusing on where companies should prioritize their […]
BLACK FRIDAY – BLACK PLAGUE?
The cycling industry has leaned heavily on discounts, and Black Friday epitomizes this trend. This year, some discounts are exceeding 60%—an increasingly unsustainable approach. Consumers are fatigued by constant sales, creating a cycle of waiting, not buying. A bike is a long-term purchase—riders once upgraded every 2.7 years, now it’s over four years. With such […]
POLLING – FLOGGING A DEAD HORSE…
POLLING – FLOGGING A DEAD HORSE… As the U.S. faces another major election milestone, scepticism around polling accuracy is at an all-time high. Over the past 20 years, traditional methods have failed to keep up with our fragmented society. Our communities have splintered into countless micro-groups, each with its own beliefs and echo chambers, making […]
PIONEERING A NEW LANE…
PIONEERING A NEW LANE… Newlane’s foldable helmet is a perfect fit for the fast-growing active travel and micro mobility market, offering a space-saving solution that reduces volume by 50% when folded. This makes it ideal for urban commuters as e-bike and e-scooter usage soars. While sports cycling appears to have plateaued, micro mobility is surging, […]
NEW BIKE SALES – TOO MUCH KOOL-AID?
The bicycle industry, much like the car market before it, may be overhyping the return of new bike sales. Are we “drinking our own Kool-Aid” by expecting significant growth in new sales to continue? Currently, 60-70% of global bike sales are new, but with rising costs, sustainability concerns, and better-quality pre-owned options, the used bike […]