Wheelies Direct Cycle Solutions Ltd

In the past six years, Wheelies Direct Cycle Solutions (Cycle Solutions) has become established as one of the UK’s largest cycle to work scheme providers. The cycle to work scheme is a UK Government backed initiative aimed at encouraging employees to be more environmentally and health conscious by cycling to work. Employers are able to loan bicycles and cycling safety equipment to their employees over a period of 12 or 18 months and employees cover the cost of this by agreeing to sacrifice part of their gross salary in exchange for the benefit. Cycle Solutions provide a full support service for employers wishing to offer this benefit to their staff and works with organisations across all sectors to promote the scheme through co-branded brochures, websites and email campaigns. The company has built relationships with over 700 employers across the UK, including many in Wales such as Gwent Police, South Wales Fire & Rescue, Vale of Glamorgan Council and the WRU. Further afield, Wheelies Direct Cycle Solutions provides the scheme for all types of public and private sector employers including oil companies and Formula One racing teams.

Origins

Wheelies Direct Cycle Solutions was created from Wheelies Direct Ltd, the leader in a niche market providing claims validation and bicycle replacement services for most of the UK’s general insurance companies. The founders identified the potential to take the experience built in this industry in to the wider business community and recognised a potential demand from employers who were concerned with the health and wellbeing of their workforce and who wanted to take steps to improve the environmental impact of their organisations. The Cycle to Work scheme provided an ideal opportunity for employers to offer a benefit which would cost them nothing to implement, but which would provide significant savings to their employees. As a result, in 2006 Wheelies Direct Cycle Solutions was formed.

Success factors

The biggest single contributing factor to the success of Cycle Solutions has been the great team that has been built. The company employs some of the most enthusiastic and committed people in the bicycle industry - the service and advice they provide to customers are exemplary. The company has also been quick to identify and develop new opportunities and to exploit its unique selling points, recognising that as a business with just one outlet in Swansea, it would always struggle to compete on level terms with the likes of Halfords and other UK-wide dealer networks. As a result, a high quality, bespoke and closely managed alternative was developed for those employers who were looking for more than a general retail experience for their staff, resulting in clients such Bentley Motors, the FA and the English National Ballet. Finally, the founders have also been quick to embrace technology to facilitate the expansion of the business and ensure it could deal with the rapid increase in business volumes. For example, corporate clients benefit from highly customised webpages which reflect their own needs and those of their employees.

The future?

Whilst the cycle to work market continues to grow, the business is not prepared to rest on its laurels and is continually looking for new ways to attract people to the health and lifestyle benefits of cycling. One initiative is the ‘Bikes4School’ initiative, which aims to increase the number of children who cycle to school. Further expansion is expected as the company develops more affiliate relationships with employers across the UK. For example, the firm is working with the enforcement team at Rhondda Cynon Taf Council to provide bicycles and equipment which will enable them to take to the streets on bikes rather than the low-profile white vans which are currently used. By diversifying in these areas, Wheelies Direct Cycle Solutions fully expects to see the successes it has achieved in recent years continue long in to the future. With this success, it hopes to bring further jobs to South Wales and to improve the level of cycling across the UK.

Sector: Online cycle shop

Established: 2006

Growth: 289.5%