is a brand of Bohle World Edition 2/2005 ■ November ■ 2nd year Exciting new products at the autumn shows Marathon:The Editorial newest generation Dear Schwalbe partner, The turbulent market conditions of 2005 seem to indicate that bicycle dealers in most European markets will at best suffer sales stagnation this year. However, the dramatic rise in energy prices over the past few months quite clearly signifies one thing: The bicycle has a future and not only as a leisure product, but also as a straight- forward, everyday means of transport. Experts predict continuous growth in the medium term for the European bicycle market and, as already experienced over the past few years, this will be a great op- portunity for specialist dealers to further enhance their market position. High-qua- lity bicycles with innovative components are likely to dominate the market and will require expert and comprehensive servic- 20 years of Marathon: To celebrate its that is specifically asked for by name. Marathons ing, which only competent, specialist dea- anniversary, Bohle has treated its le- "Such a firmly established, market top offer dealers lers can provide. gendary, long distance runner to a full seller as the Marathon, needs to be up- attractive We have prepared the Schwalbe brand makeover. Inside and out the fourth dated and modernized from time to margins. well to cater for a strong 2006 season and generation of the Marathon incorpo- time in order to incorporate the latest we would urge you to join us by taking rates the very latest in tire technology. trends in tire technology”, said Holger advantage of our innovative products This and other new products – like the Jahn, joint managing director of Bohle. and marketing tools. Because there is one Marathon Racer, several MTB tire in- "20 years ago it was the first high-tech thing we can say for certain: The demand novations and the economical Com- tire developed for everyday cyclists – for Schwalbe products will continue to pact Shop – were presented on Bohle’s and hence a revolution. After many grow further in 2006. stands at the Friedrichshafen and Co- years of continual technical advance- Sincerely, logne shows in Germany. ment this year’s bead-to-bead remake now reflects the highest achievable Frank Bohle The Marathon is Europe’s biggest sell- technical standards possible." Managing director of Ralf Bohle GmbH, ing tire. And in the bicycle business it Refreshed and technically revised, Germany is one of only very few everyday tires Bohle’s classic tire is aimed at the Schwalbe's Nobby Evermore wheel- Stagewin on Nic is the world's chair users are Schwalbe tires: first tire available buying tires Georg Totschnig with Triple Com- from specialist at the Tour de pound. bicycle dealers. France. Page 4 Page 6 Page 8 2Sales Continuation Marathon:The newest generation whole European market. But in rela- Frank Bohle, managing director of The textile fabric is lighter than a rub- tion to German market conditions Ralf Bohle GmbH, Germany: "The ber coated side wall and together with the tire should be arriving at a diffi- Marathon solves the problems of the new tread design the Snake Skin cult time, as the specialized trade is everyday cyclists and at the same has a malleable look as if made from a experiencing a general decline in the time is a profitable product for bicycle casting. The new tread was designed ready market for high-quality parts dealers. This is particularly important to appeal to trekking riders: Dynamic, and tires. Yet despite the difficult eco- in difficult times when customers de- lighter rolling yet at the same time nomic climate many bicycle dealers mand value for money quality". durable. are experiencing at least stable and more often rising sales of Marathon, Marathon Racer and Marathon Plus and Marathon XR. Compact Shop Since the launch of the third genera- tion Marathon in 1999, Bohle is now Walter van den Hoven, managing In addition to the fourth generation ready to offer the specialized trade a director of Anglo Dutch, the Nether- of its classic Marathon, Bohle is also new version of its proven top product lands: "The Marathon offers a good launching a purpose-made Marathon: incorporating the very latest techno- margin and so for many years it has The Marathon Racer. It is a lighter, logy. been a cornerstone product. Additio- sportier, folding tire (370 gram in size Tread design and rubber compound, nally consumers cannot buy it from 700 x 30C) created for those who need puncture protection and side wall: discounters so the entire specialized to travel quickly around the city – for Bohle engineers have completely re- trade profits". example riders of light weight trek- vamped the old tire. The rubber com- king bikes, or bike couriers. It features: pound, which like all compounds re- A dynamic, light tread, a sporty side mains a closely-guarded secret, is re- wall and easy rolling Qualifier Com- volutionary. Holger Jahn would only Philip Taylor, managing director pound. It also offers a high level of say: "This special combination of che- of Bohle UK, England: "Cycle com- puncture protection, provided by a micals would have been inconceiv- muters and touring cyclists alike know Raceguard belt made of india rubber able just two years ago". As always the Marathon's deserved reputation and nylon fabric, yet this adds neither with rubber mixtures the challenge is for quality and performance. Penny weight, nor negatively affects rolling to optimize characteristics, which are per mile it offers the best value for resistance. actually opposites: The new formula money for both users and dealers A further show highlight was the succeeds in achieving a never before too, as it has an infinitesimally low mini version of the Bohle Shop System, seen level of sophistication in a tour- return rate". the Basic Shop measuring just 1.25 x ing tire by not only improving durabi- 2.40 meters and which offers specialist lity, but by accomplishing the balanc- dealers a high-quality, professional ing act between low rolling resistance in improving the protection belt of tire display at a remarkably low price. and better wet grip. the Marathon by combining flexible "Shop System and Marathon form natural rubber with Kevlar threads. an economically attractive combina- New protection belt The new belt, though somewhat tion for bicycle dealers", stressed Holger thicker than its predecessor is never- Jahn. "The new Marathon is a genuine "There are important reasons for this theless more flexible and significantly, top product where the specialized trade new tire", explained Holger Jahn. rolling resistance has actually been can profit from large numbers of items "Over the past two years there have improved. sold. And the Compact Shop makes our been developments in technical in- The Marathon has also profited Shop System an interesting option even novations which were suitable for in- from Snake Skin technology as used for smaller businesses, or for dealers corporation into the new Marathon". last year for the first time in the Albert who, in the first instance, only want to Bohle’s experience with the Smart- series of MTB tires. "For many a tire the invest a little capital". Guard puncture protection belt as side wall is its Achilles' heel", said Hol- used in the Marathon Plus has helped ger Jahn. "Now it has been reinforced." Marathon-Milestones 1981 1983 1985 1992 1995 1998 2002 2005 Round-the- Wolfgang Rei- Journey over, The second The purpose- The third ge- The "flat-less" On its 20th world cyclist che picks up product generation made expedi- neration Ma- Marathon anniversary, Wolfgang Rei- the first ever, thoroughly Marathon tion tire - Ma- rathon in HS Plus becomes the fourth che rides out genuine Ma- tested: The with tread rathon XR - is 308 tread pat- an outright generation of on prototypes rathon tires in Marathon is pattern HS presented. tern is creat- best seller. the Marathon of what will Indonesia. launched onto 270 as well as ed. All Mara- is launched at become Mara- the market. the Marathon thon family ti- the autumn thon tires on Sport arrive res get a shows. his long trek on the scene. Kevlar punc- around the ture protec- globe. tion belt. profile · 2/2005 Sales3 Extraordinary co-operation strengthen bicycle dealers Success in numbers European-wide discounters are mak- ing life hard for the specialized bicy- cle trade. The German and Swiss prize winners of a Marketing competition, co-sponsored by Schwalbe, demon- strate how intelligent alliances can be used to successfully compete with discounters. Also an example from Britain shows how a clever idea made the Marathon Plus a 'best seller'. Following a negative newspaper article about local bicycle dealers and in order to counteract it, Holger Juhren of Ute's Radelshop in Bremerhaven, Germany, systematically began to visit his collea- gues in order to thrash out a common strategy. After many discussions it soon turned out that nearly everyone shared the same problems. "It was an astonis- hingly pleasant experience", said a sur- prised Juhren after he had gotten to know each of the other local dealers personally. Schwalbe dealer Chamberlaine Cycles of London has an orginal display for Marathon: A parking meter Nowadays these twelve dealers reminds shoppers that they have to pay to park their car. share common bonds. They place full- page adverts together in the local press all the dealers are united. Through their become so hotly sought after that they about various topics – touring, lighting, publicity actions they have sharpened are even stolen and appear on other winter, etc.. This has not only enhanced the profile of the specialized trade in businesses' bicycles.