Cyclists are quite good at giving the impression that one of our favourite hobbies is not actually riding bikes but spending hour after hour trawling the internet in search of bikes, clothing, and equipment.
However, delving down this digital rabbit hole of price comparison and stock availability is nowhere near as fun as we make it out to be.
That’s where bikeZaar comes in. BikeZaar is an online selling community that makes it easy for cyclists to find exactly what they’re looking for from a seller of their choice, online or in store, and at the most competitive price.
Less time spent faffing around with dozens of tabs open on your internet browser; more time for riding bikes.
Say you know exactly what you want. All you have to do is tell bikeZaar what you’re looking for and it will show you exactly where you can find it, in stock and at the most competitive price.
Alternatively, if you don’t know what you want but you have some set criteria – brand size or price, for example, just key in the information and bikeZaar will compile a range of options.
A key feature for bikeZaar director and investor Alistair Brownlee MBE is the opportunity for small, local bike shops to sit side by side with the bigger online retailers.
Alistair Brownlee
(Image credit: Huw Fairclough/Getty Images)
“BikeZaar helps us to combine two things that we believe strongly about and want to support: ensuring the ongoing sustainability of high street bike shops, which in turn helps to promote active lifestyles by making equipment and servicing accessible locally, encouraging more people to exercise, socialise or commute on reliable, comfortable, working bikes,” the triathlete says.
BikeZaar is also there to support the local cycling community with clubZone, a free service which allows cycling clubs to set up their own microsite to manage club kit orders and membership payments.
“There’s also a simple semi-custom kit range for clubs, teams or corporate groups looking for matching, branded outfits,” Brownlee adds.
BikeZaar is all about ‘connecting, enabling and facilitating’ for company founder Kevin Griffiths. You no longer need to trawl around all the different websites or ring up hundreds of small shops to hunt down your dream bike; bikeZaar will show you exactly where to find it.
Know you want a Specialized Diverge gravel bike, size small, for example?
Type it into the search bar and the Marketplace will show you your options from a range of trusted retailers. Click through to go straight to the listing on the retailer’s website.
Founded in 1891, Cycling Weekly and its team of expert journalists brings cyclists in-depth reviews, extensive coverage of both professional and domestic racing, as well as fitness advice and 'brew a cuppa and put your feet up' features. Cycling Weekly serves its audience across a range of platforms, from good old-fashioned print to online journalism, and video.
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