Market: It's snowing, Christmas is just around the corner. What does the specialist trade say, was the 2017 bike season a nice gift? We visited Valentin Biller, owner of Biller Bikes, and talked to him.
Velomotion: Hello Valentin, please introduce yourself and the business to our readers.
Valentin Biller: I'm Valentin Biller and I'm the fourth generation to run the business. It's a bike shop with history. We have always been in the same place here in Deggendorf. We are ZEG dealers and stock Bulls and Pegasus, as well as KTM for higher quality e-bikes. We are also a Specialized Elite Store, so we also serve really sporty customers who expect a lot from a bike.
Velomotion: What does Elite Store mean?
Valentin Biller: We have a very large retail space with a lot of Specialized products, almost everything is in stock so you can see everything. You can also test most things, we have a lot of test bikes there. Our customers can really try what suits them.
Velomotion: When I look around here you also have an extensive range of services and accessories.
Valentin Biller: Exactly, we are a Shimano Service Center with a huge selection of spare parts. As a Sram Service Point, we also have a lot in stock. We have clothing from Löffler, who come from nearby. But also from Vaude and Specialized.
Velomotion: Thank you, I think this gives our readers a good impression of Biller Bikes. I would like to dare a season review and a prognosis with you. Here in the Bavarian Forest there is snow, the season is over. What were the draft horses this year? Were there shopkeepers?
Valentin Biller: Overall we are very satisfied with the 2017 season, there was always something going on, I was happy to run a bike shop. However, the product range has changed in recent years. We have already sold many trekking bikes or cross bikes for around 1000 euros or more. That has gone down significantly. These cyclists are increasingly buying e-bikes. Eg for river cycle paths, we have the Danube Cycle Path and Isar Cycle Path on our doorstep. In the entry-level class up to approx. 500 euros, there are still good sales. But an e-bike is always being considered as well. Of course, we still have something in the non-motorized area, and we can also serve this demand well.
Velomotion: And what was the "hit"? Everyone is talking about e-mountain bikes. With you too? For occasional drivers or for those with sporting ambitions?
Valentin Biller: Yes, eMTBs have definitely become very important. We now also have a lot of young e-bike customers. Also customers who use e-bikes as training equipment. Also really people who race. With the e-bike you get the basic condition, because you are on the road with it when it is not possible with the normal bike, in training breaks or in everyday life.
Velomotion: And how does it look in your eyes in 2018? What's going on?
Valentin Biller: What we are already feeling is the demand for e-bikes with well-integrated systems. So that the bike looks even cleaner and tidier. Companies have implemented this again and again in recent years, but even better solutions are coming across the board. This makes e-bikes interesting for many who have previously rejected them, also because it looks more like a normal bike.
Velomotion: Are you generally satisfied with the manufacturers? Do they build good e-bikes?
Valentin Biller: Altogether yes, a lot of positive things have developed in recent years. You can always improve something. Sometimes just small things, sometimes substantial. I don't understand that disc brakes are still being installed in which you can only mount simple resin pads. The wear and tear and performance are sometimes simply not matched to the e-bike. There is also a high level of wear on chains and cassettes. There are products that are optimized for e-bikes, but they don't last as long as a bike without a motor. And they are rarely installed in series.
Velomotion: Your range is very complete and you don't just serve e-bikers?
Valentin Biller: We have something for everyone! With racing bikes, for example, disc brakes are a big issue. Carbon rims are trendy and good brake lines are only available with disc brakes. It's also good to take the heat away from the hose. I think it's a great thing.
Velomotion: Does the market accept it?
Valentin Biller: Yes, the bikes are now in high demand. Only the drivers who want high-end material and are geared towards professional teams are sometimes reluctant. The UCI has to do something about that. When professionals drive disc brakes, acceptance increases. Currently, the ambitious roadies are still wondering why they should ride something their idols don't use. I would also like to see a uniform standard for thru axles, disc sizes and so on. Especially in the racing regulations.
Velomotion: In mountain biking? One-by drives, dropper posts and more aggressive geometries?
Valentin Biller: Retractable seat posts and 1x drives make it much easier for the rider. He gets a lot more performance from his bike and is safer and more fun on the road. He has to think less and has fewer problems. The geometries are also changing, but slowly. Bikes are getting longer, shorter stems are being used. But the huge changes that existed in the past are no longer being made. What we have noticed is that the new wheel sizes have changed a lot. The B-Plus tires (Editor's note: 27,5 inch wheels with thick tires around 3.0 inches wide) are the topic of the e-bike. More traction, more driving stability, people feel much safer. There was a real hype, even for bikes without a motor. But it has weakened, the higher rolling resistance, the weight, etc. should be to blame.
Velomotion: And 27,5 inches with normal width?
Valentin Biller: Of course they still exist. But they are rarely requested from us. But I see it more in the gravity area, with large spring deflections. With normal fullys it's maybe 10 percent. We mainly sell 29ers. Our area might do the same. The Bavarian Forest is a top mountain bike area with trails for every requirement. But there are hardly any hairpin bends where you have to move or similar tight things like in the high mountains. Maybe it's because.
Velomotion: And which bike do you have to buy in 2018?
Valentin Biller: Service is very important to us, not only in the workshop. We have a wide variety of test bikes here, a huge fleet of test bikes from enduro to e-trekking bikes. For example from Bulls, KTM or Specialized. It is important that you do not buy a bike without knowing it and knowing whether it suits you. We like to borrow a bike over the weekend to test it out and have fun. Those who know what they are buying rarely make mistakes.
Velomotion: So if you don't know which bike you need in 2018, you can simply stop by at Biller Bikes.
Website: www.biller-bikes.com