June 24, 2020 - (Regensburg, GER) Over the past eight years, in an un-assuming light industrial park in Regensburg, Germany, Ruff Cycles as etched out their own uniquely fun and cool e-bike brand.
The company started with the owner, Pero Desnica’s, passion for cruiser bikes. He started bringing them in from the USA for personal use and then began initiating his own designs at his family-owned manufacturing business in Bosnia. He sold his first order of 10 frames immediately, so he kept ordering more frames and parts and the rest, as they say, is history
As you enter Ruff Cycles headquarters, you feel like you’re walking into your local “hip” craft beer or coffee bar. An eclectic mix of leather furniture, raw wood, cowhide rugs, a palm tree, and walls adorned with skeleton frames of past ruffians… reflect the personality of Ruff Cycles. Desks are lined up with some of the 14 employees passionately going about their work.
“In 2012 we started in this one room with two employees. Over the years we have expanded into the vacant spaces next to us. Although we have maxed out our current location, we will let our next move evolve organically,” commented Mark Ngauv, Chief Revenue Officer at Ruff Cycles full interview below.
With the frame manufacturing dialed, the road to e-bike success was in the hands of securing a high-end quality motor, which is a challenge for most small companies entering the market. “We wanted Bosch and had to dig deep into our bike industry network to access help to secure them,” explained Ngauv. “Once our relationship with Bosch began, it was a game changer. Even more than securing their great products, it was their guidance and mentorship in navigating the e-bike industry that has helped our company grow.”
In 2016 Ruff entered the e-bike marketplace with the Ruffian. The bike was designed for a Harley Davidson-type “big guy” rider, looking to buy an e-bike. What they found was that the bike’s “cool” factor also attracted lawyers, engineers and even customers looking to buy a bike for their wives.
For 2020, Ruff Cycles added the Lil’Buddy, a bike inspired by Desnica’s daughter, and the new model is quickly gaining traction with women and families. More of a fun, but powerful city e-bike, the Lil’Buddy is designed to attract a completely new spectrum of the marketplace, than the Ruffian, and thereby expand the company’s appeal in the marketplace.
As you enter the factory from the offices, the room is split into two. On the left you have Lil’Buddy’s being assembled, and on the right the Ruffian. Both frames are being fitted with Bosch motors and their respective parts. In the centre of the room lie some of Ruff Cycles’ custom products which will adorn the bikes.
“When we first started out we had about 25 products. That quickly ballooned to about 600. We have now slimmed that down to about 200 products that we source out or have made in our Bosnia factory,” Ngauv continued.
In the final warehouse there’s more product, storage and shipping and receiving. Ruff has all their bike boxes custom-made to ensure safe shipping for their bikes. For customers ordering direct, the bike will be shipped in a large custom box, strapped to Ruff’s own pallet completely assembled and ready to ride.
“We do not want to risk having anything happen in shipping, so we take that extra step to ensure when the customer gets their bike it’s in pristine condition and ready to ride. The packaging has become almost as exciting as actually receiving the bike itself,” added Ngauv.
Customers have the option of either buying a stock Ruffian or Lil’Buddy, or they can customize the frame colours and accessories to match their own personalities. “Customizing one of our bikes is a big thing. We can do custom colours, logos and then add racks, bags, lights…essentially, the sky’s the limit,” notes Ngauv. Ruff Cycles also sells their frame sets, gas tanks and other parts separately for people doing their own custom creations.
To help grow their brand in North America, Ruff Cycles opened an office in San Francisco in January 2019 with Daniel Gelinas at the helm. From the city that brought the world hippies and hipsters, this seems the ideal location, including sand beaches and palm trees, for Ruff Cycles to launch their uniquely high-spirited brand.
Ruff Cycles has solidified their place as a niche brand in the world of e-bikes and we can’t wait to see what’s coming next from this enterprising company.
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