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The newly formed cycle business Kinetic Bike Bearings (KBB) has created a range of compartmentalised bearing boxes aimed at bike shop workshops.
The team behind KBB, which has been trading since February, said after spells in many different customer-facing roles within the cycle trade, found that dealers were increasingly frustrated in sourcing and stocking wheel, headset and full-suspension frame pivot bearings.
KBB said: "Apart from the select few workshops out there, it was apparent that workshops weren't pro-active in organising their bearing stocks in advance of service work, but instead sourcing bearings as and when the need arose.
"The issues for the Dealer to contend with were namely:
* Time taken in finding a suitable Supplier (not many, if any Suppliers stock in depth)
* Sourcing spares for bikes/hubs/headsets the IBD unable to stock (due to area restrictions)
* High cost of original after-market spares
* Dealing with industrial bearing factors, and therefore not getting cycling specific advice
* Delays in bikes sitting in workshop waiting parts
* High prices and minimum order values diminishing profits
* Making sense of all the different headset bearings available and finding a reliable, high quality and low cost source.
* Time and expense in replacing full headsets when often it is only a bearing change required.
"We discovered that dealers would quite happily stock workshop spares boxes, if they covered most or many requirements and the cost was reasonable. We put in the many hours of investigation and now offer workshop bearing box solutions with many part references, but a low quantity of each to keep the cost down. All the top brands of hub, headset and frame have been researched and KBB are quite confident that all but the most specialist requirements can be catered for."
The workshop boxes can be replenished easily – via the B2B website, email or phone. The minimum order is also very low, BikeBiz is told.
KKB – aiming to become a “one stop shop” for everything bearings for the bicycle trade – has further products in development, which include bearing installation and removal tools, as well a high specification waterproof marine bearing grease.
"The feedback from the Dealer network has been excellent and working closely with Dealers and listening to their requirements, we have been able to evolve the product range further to also stock many obscure/specialist bearings too."
The firm is inviting bike trade dealers to www.kineticbikebearings.com and then follow the log in link to apply for a trade-only account and to view all the Workshop Bearing Boxes, as well as the individual bearings stocked.
| Product Model | Inside Diameter | Outside Diameter | Thickness |
| 23168BK+AH3168 NTN | 320 | 225 | |
| 24068BK30+AH24068H NTN | 320 | 206 |