August 4, 2021 - Back in 2017, prior to the pandemic, e-bikes were already beginning to take hold in Europe as interest continued to gain traction with new customers. Amidst this environment, two university friends in Quebec, who were avid bike mechanics, tried some e-bikes and fell in love with them. Post-graduation they decided to get into the e-bike business.
After researching both local, national and the European markets, they started out selling e-bikes at events. This quickly led to establishing a brick-and-mortar retail store and E2-Sport was born. “We not only saw the great opportunity for a business, but also saw how e-bikes can open windows for more people to get on bikes,” commented Francis Marier, founding partner.
E2-Sport is located in Montreal, in the historic Griffintown neighbourhood that is southwest of downtown. With a busy pedestrian and bike path and a vibrant art scene, it’s also home to a growing number of young families.
The 5,500 square foot shop employs a staff of six, who have been there since the beginning, and have a lot of knowledge and expertise in e-bikes. Along with sales and service, E2-Sport offers a wide range of accessories including on-site bike rentals and bike storage.
The shop is targeted to the e-mobilty market, carrying e-bike models for road, mountain, hybrid and commuter, lifestyle and recreational riders – electric skate boards are also on the menu. The major e-bike brands on their showroom floor include Moustache, Cube, Bulls, Scott, Norco, Cannondale, Devinci and Orbea.
“Moustache and Cube are our biggest sellers. Cube has an aggressive price point which makes them attractive to customers while Moustache makes awesome bikes with a large selection of models. Their Samedi and Samedi FS line are big sellers in our market as they’re e-bikes that can do most things well,” explains Marier.
E2-Sport’s clientele is a combination of baby boomers and business people, with a recent surge in young teenagers making the list. “Once people discover how e-bikes combine regular pedaling with extra power support, that really changed the game. It engages customers who want some exercise and fitness along with commuting,” says Marier.
The pandemic has created a huge consumer demand around the globe for bicycles and e-bikes, but this success comes with its own unique challenges. “The huge increase in e-bike popularity spurred by the pandemic has definitely helped our business, but it also has presented challenges to access inventory and parts. It also brought in new customers through our door which will have a positive, long-term impact,” explains Marier.
Included in the global bike boom are cargo bikes and e-cargo bikes, with both surging rapidly for both personal and commercial use on the streets of Montreal as well. As such E2-Sport is also seeing an increase in demand, with continued growth inevitable. They currently carry the new Cube Hybrid Sport e-cargo bike which is geared for carrying kids or doing commercial deliveries as well. The success of the recently launched Colibri e-cargo bike delivery initiative in Montreal is also helping to fuel demand for this segment of the market, and E2-Sport is well positioned to capitalize on its growth.
Marier notes that Montreal is rapidly trying to improve its cycling infrastructure to handle the current rise in cycling that includes cargo bikes, yet the city still needs more bike paths and other amenities – but things are happening. “There are more bike lanes, bike paths with more e-bikes sharing the road. There are even more special parking areas for bikes and the City of Laval is offering a $400 incentive to residents who purchase e-bikes. All and all, things are moving,” adds Marier.
The future looks bright for E2-Sport and the shop wants to continue as a leader in the e-bike retail market. For now there are no plans to expand, as the focus remains on improving their current location to keep making it better.
“We want to continue to carry top brands that have good momentum and have served us well,” concluded Marier. “But most important we need to continue to provide great customer service which is key to our success.”
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