Wiggle c r c Sold to Austrian consortium

[AUbicycles]

https://the5krunner.com/2021/06/15/wigg ... plex-deal/

A bit complicated, Austrian Signa Sports United, who also own other brands (valuation USD$ 1billion received funding for the purchase and plan to float on the NYSE with a USD $3.2 billion valuation.

Brexit uncertainty slowed down Wiggle activity in Australia and has probably otherwise impacted global sales… though can’t say the impact from this on the sale - until more details are released.

[AndrewCowley]

Wiggle activity will have been slowed down in Australia due to the geoblocking of Shimano equipment.

[mikgit]

is that wiggle was sold, or the whole wiggle/c r c/Bike24/Hotlines thing?

[mikgit]

Or I could read the link haha

[P!N20]

I wonder if they qualified for free shipping?

[lone rider]

Wiggle activity will have been slowed down in Australia due to the geoblocking of Shimano equipment.

That and the $200 for free shipping killed it for me.

[Jean]

I wonder if they qualified for free shipping?

No one qualifies for that anymore, well next to no one.

[warthog1]

200 clams isn't alot to spend on bike gear.
Tyres, chains, cassettes, bibs etc all wear out.
I just bought a jacket on special for 169- and chucked a tyre on to reach the 200-

[Jean]

200 clams isn't alot to spend on bike gear.
Tyres, chains, cassettes, bibs etc all wear out.
I just bought a jacket on special for 169- and chucked a tyre on to reach the 200-

No, but it does disqualify lots of purchases at a lower threshold. Say I need just one tyre or some socks, or a less than top of the range saddle? Or if my bike budget doesn't stretch to $200 that week?

The other factor is that the price advantage that overseas retailers once had is not once was (for good or nefarious price control/geo-blocking reasons). Doing two bike builds at the moment, and not having done one since about 2012-14 (somewhere in there), I've been struck by the equalisation of prices between overseas and Australia, and how some big overseas online retailers have become shadows of their former selves (c r c/Wiggle both falling into that category). COVID-age international shipping prices don't help.

Apart from using PBK a little, almost all my parts and bits have been coming from local online sellers. Their prices are about the same, often cheaper, the shipping is faster, and usually with lower free thresholds. YMMV

[warthog1]

200 clams isn't alot to spend on bike gear.
Tyres, chains, cassettes, bibs etc all wear out.
I just bought a jacket on special for 169- and chucked a tyre on to reach the 200-

No, but it does disqualify lots of purchases at a lower threshold. Say I need just one tyre or some socks, or a less than top of the range saddle? Or if my bike budget doesn't stretch to $200 that week?

The other factor is that the price advantage that overseas retailers once had is not once was (for good or nefarious price control/geo-blocking reasons). Doing two bike builds at the moment, and not having done one since about 2012-14 (somewhere in there), I've been struck by the equalisation of prices between overseas and Australia, and how some big overseas online retailers have become shadows of their former selves (c r c/Wiggle both falling into that category). COVID-age international shipping prices don't help.

Apart from using PBK a little, almost all my parts and bits have been coming from local online sellers. Their prices are about the same, often cheaper, the shipping is faster, and usually with lower free thresholds. YMMV

Fair enough, if you only want a couple of items.
Yes they don't have the price advantage they once had.
If I just need a single cheap item I even go to the LBS.
However I have 3 bikes on the go all running the same drivetrain.
It is easy to throw a chain, cassette, chainlube, a tyre or 2 in to reach the threshold.
I don't buy often and have a stock of consumables now due to that process.
Yes I am buying less off them now, but it is just as often due to the lack of price advantage they once had.
I do keep an eye out for specials however and will buy then.
The tubeless tyres I am running aint cheap and the UK stores generally have them cheaper.
Merlin is another I use a bit.

[trailgumby]

The other factor is that the price advantage that overseas retailers once had is not once was (for good or nefarious price control/geo-blocking reasons). Doing two bike builds at the moment, and not having done one since about 2012-14 (somewhere in there), I've been struck by the equalisation of prices between overseas and Australia, and how some big overseas online retailers have become shadows of their former selves (c r c/Wiggle both falling into that category). COVID-age international shipping prices don't help.

Apart from using PBK a little, almost all my parts and bits have been coming from local online sellers. Their prices are about the same, often cheaper, the shipping is faster, and usually with lower free thresholds. YMMV

I've noticed that as well. On the upside, local prices have become more competitive and availability for Shimano parts has improved markedly. The local distributor used to be a byword for "backorder" - I'm guessing Shimano made them commit to carrying more stock in return for acting on their complaints and geoblocking imports from the UK. Bikebug has become my retailer of choice.

Clothing I still tend to buy offshore, though. Wiggle/c r c for jerseys and tights, redwhite.cc for their ultra-endurance bibs. I'm quite liking Cycology (local) for extremities (socks, gloves, caps etc).

[foo on patrol]

I can't remember the last time that I bought from Wobble. Most of my buys have been done with Merlin in the last 2yrs but in saying that, Pushy's have gotten a fare bit of money off me here. I do also buy what I can, from my favorite local shop when I can.

Foo

[Jean]

Bikebug has become my retailer of choice.

Clothing I still tend to buy offshore, though. Wiggle/c r c for jerseys and tights, redwhite.cc for their ultra-endurance bibs. I'm quite liking Cycology (local) for extremities (socks, gloves, caps etc).

I find Bikebug often good too. Free shipping and often overnight delivery, Sydney-Canberra. I get annoyed by Pushys. There's a large store less than 10 minutes drive away, but their in-store stock is not what they have online and they don't do seem to do click and collect - annoys the XXXX out of me. Acium Sports in Melbourne have been good for my Campag buying (and Bikebug useful here too).

I used to use Ribble, c r c and Wiggle a lot, but it's been ages for any of them now. Total Cycling and Merlin have had some orders.

[Lukeyboy]

I get annoyed by Pushys. There's a large store less than 10 minutes drive away, but their in-store stock is not what they have online and they don't do seem to do click and collect - annoys the XXXX out of me.

Remember Pushys Online and Pushys Fyshwick are two different businesses using the same name. There are a few online stores/bike shops in Australia using this same model to access the bicycle industry network. For example in the past Shimano Aus would not supply to mobile mechanics and a lot of workshop only businesses due to a lack of store frontage/retail space. This was repeated across a lot of distributors.

[Jean]

Thanks for the explanation.

[g-boaf]

The other factor is that the price advantage that overseas retailers once had is not once was (for good or nefarious price control/geo-blocking reasons). Doing two bike builds at the moment, and not having done one since about 2012-14 (somewhere in there), I've been struck by the equalisation of prices between overseas and Australia, and how some big overseas online retailers have become shadows of their former selves (c r c/Wiggle both falling into that category). COVID-age international shipping prices don't help.

Apart from using PBK a little, almost all my parts and bits have been coming from local online sellers. Their prices are about the same, often cheaper, the shipping is faster, and usually with lower free thresholds. YMMV

I've noticed that as well. On the upside, local prices have become more competitive and availability for Shimano parts has improved markedly. The local distributor used to be a byword for "backorder" - I'm guessing Shimano made them commit to carrying more stock in return for acting on their complaints and geoblocking imports from the UK. Bikebug has become my retailer of choice.

Clothing I still tend to buy offshore, though. Wiggle/c r c for jerseys and tights, redwhite.cc for their ultra-endurance bibs. I'm quite liking Cycology (local) for extremities (socks, gloves, caps etc).

Local Shimano used to be shocking, I had chainrings on order for ages and after an extremely long time they arrived, surprise surprise.

Now I avoid Shimano if possible. I don't mind using Bikebug for most things, they are good. The warehouse is quite close to me so I can usually quickly pick up what I want and no worrying about deliveries. Good people there too, I've known a few of them for a long time, either from previous employment or Rocky F when he was still in North Sydney.

But anything cycling clothing related I don't bother buying locally because they usually always only have Large, XL, XXL and bigger. So I stick with overseas brands who I trust and get discounts with.

[trailgumby]

Local Shimano used to be shocking, I had chainrings on order for ages and after an extremely long time they arrived, surprise surprise.

Now I avoid Shimano if possible. I don't mind using Bikebug for most things, they are good....

The problem with alternative drivetrains is they still seem to be made of cheese. I thought SRAM had lifted their game and had caught up to Shimano based on reporting from the likes of Flow MTB, but recent reports from Garigal Gorillas seems to show their 1x12 MTB drivetrains are back to their form of 2008.

I have no idea how Campag goes for service life.

[g-boaf]

Local Shimano used to be shocking, I had chainrings on order for ages and after an extremely long time they arrived, surprise surprise.

Now I avoid Shimano if possible. I don't mind using Bikebug for most things, they are good....

The problem with alternative drivetrains is they still seem to be made of cheese. I thought SRAM had lifted their game and had caught up to Shimano based on reporting from the likes of Flow MTB, but recent reports from Garigal Gorillas seems to show their 1x12 MTB drivetrains are back to their form of 2008.

I have no idea how Campag goes for service life.

I've never used MTB sram stuff, but the road bike SRAM e-tap groupsets I have (and components) have proven to be reliable and got a long distance out of them. More than 12,000km on a chain, cassette and AXS chainrings -still going.

[Jean]

I have no idea how Campag goes for service life.

Brilliantly in my experience, though I don't track that sort of stuff, so it's nothing more than IMHO.

There are myths about it around in general, and I hear from people how finnicky it is or some such. I wouldn't say it was perfect - the crank/BB designs have been a bit quirky, though the work well IME. I find all of my Campag stuff is very set and forget, with good durability.

My Campag drive trains are much less hassle (virtually none in fact, clean, change cables when I need to, admire its polished aluminium form) than my Shimano MTB ones have been. But that that could also be a road/MTB difference.