After being forced to adjust its prices, Wattbike, the British smart bike company, is calling on UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson to do more for UK businesses who are being hit with surging costs for shipping and materials due to the pandemic.
The Nottingham-based company, which designs, manufactures and supplies bikes for a number of leading athletes and teams – as well as thousands of everyday athletes at home – has seen demand soar during the pandemic.
The company argues that it, and other manufacturing businesses, have been largely forgotten amidst spiralling costs for international shipping and parts.
Wattbike CEO, Rich Baker, said “We’re calling on the Prime Minister to intervene on the ongoing international shipping chaos on behalf of manufacturers, consumers and businesses up and down the country who are bearing the brunt.
“During the pandemic, the message to everyone was keep exercising, stay fit and invest in your health. We’re now calling on the Government to make sure that Wattbike can continue to offer our products at competitive prices and help keep the nation fit.”
Wattbike saw demand for its indoor bikes rocket when the pandemic triggered a cycling and home-fitness boom, with lead times stretching to 14 weeks at one point. The company says it has now managed to scale up production and brought lead times back to a couple of weeks, but it has had to absorb unprecedented shipping and parts hikes.
“We’re seeing shipping container charges 850% higher than normal and, whilst we’re not the only industry affected, this simply can’t go on,” said Baker.
The price of Wattbike’s flagship home smart bike, the Wattbike Atom, will move from £1899 to £1999 from Monday, August 2nd, and Baker says prices will have to rise across its product range.
“At this rate, it’s inevitable that prices will rise across all imported goods; and we’ve tried everything to avoid putting our prices up, with little help coming from Westminster.
“So, we really want to see Boris get on his bike on this issue, for the good of all British consumers. We’ll even reserve him a Wattbike to build his fitness for the challenges ahead.”
Wattbike is used professional teams and athletes, and its bikes are currently in the British camp in Japan for their preparations for the Olympic games.
Conceived as a training tool with and endorsed by British Cycling over 10 years ago, Wattbike has since been adopted by varying athlete groups across multiple sports and is ‘spearheading the growth in indoor cycling at home.’
