“We are optimistic, this is going to be a year of growth”

“Consumption fell, but we did not follow that fall, although it is true that we were affected by the deterioration of credit since interest rates rose, which impacts the drop in consumption that will be reactivated if rates continue to fall,” defined Sergio Berman. "However, we managed to grow in volume and we are going to close the year with an increase of 25 to 30%, mainly due to our children's line, which is very recognized, and to the new features that we introduced in MTB (Wish, Safari) and those to come, for example the completely renewed Flash line, with full Shimano, internal wiring and locking fork." Berman added that the 29 wheeled bicycle, with 21 speeds and disc brakes, is already installed on the market, it is not a fashionable product and, in the case of Olmo, they are all made of aluminum, since with a steel frame they only offer one model with the Fisher brand, ideal for the first-price consumer segment. “We are optimistic and, despite the complex context, this is going to be a year of growth,” he concluded.

“If there is a product that is growing today, it is the bicycle”

“If in this market and with this level of consumption there is a product that grew this year, it is the bicycle, even in the context and with reduced margins,” said Maximiliano Maddalena, adding that this has to do with what is happening in Argentina and globally. "We can see on social networks that all elite athletes have cycling as a second sport, an activity that can be shared and is also low impact in terms of the possibility of causing injuries." Maddalena recognized that the bicycle is also growing as a means of daily transportation, especially in the interior, where many people work with reduced hours and by traveling by bicycle they save the cost of up to 4 public transportation tickets. Regarding the mix and the preponderance of the 29" wheel, he said that the 26" is sold little and there is no longer a noticeable difference in prices between the two, as is the case between aluminum and steel, which, although it declines, maintains its prominence among first-price buyers, especially when the supply of credit declines. "We expect a good summer season," he concluded.

“The 29er mountain bike will continue to grow”

Bruno Chinellato recognized that there is great competition from brands around the 29-wheeled mountain bike, a very versatile bicycle for commuting in the city or walking, which caused its market to expand, especially with the opening of imports. “We see that the trend is that the market for this bicycle will continue to grow, along with the expansion of the electric bicycle,” he stated. “That is why we position ourselves to compete with our Kawill model not only based on the fact that we have a national industry brand, we are also differentiating ourselves with the characteristics of its equipment, for example the gear and brake cables, which run inside the frame, which isolates them from the elements and thus ensures their durability and proper functioning. For a year and a half we have had the first aerial assembly and assembly tape in the country and the third in Latin America and the factory is certified by Bureau Veritas with IRAM standards, which gives an important added security to the user and is a good sales argument for the trade."

Chinellató closed by acknowledging that, although the aluminum frame prevails, the obstacle is its cost, which is why the steel bicycle also maintains its niche.

“We are preparing a very innovative set of products”

“We are excited and very anxious at this time of the year, close to beginning operations in the new plant at the Pitec Industrial Park, in Florencio Varela, on a property of almost 12,000 square meters whose construction is coming to an end,” said Testa. "Although we know that it is a great challenge, we trust that the 'future of Futura' will be prosperous. We know about bikes, we are specialists and we will continue to bring our retailers the best price, product and service alternatives." Testa recognized that in retail the bicycle occupies a small space pertion of the share, but he stated that for Futura it is the only category and that is what he based the experience on.

“At the end of the Christmas and Epiphany season we will begin the move,” he concluded. "We are not going to neglect the supply chain in this very important quarter, this being also such a particular year. As for the season, we believe that it is going to be atypical, and we are preparing ourselves with a super innovative battery of products, different models, with many attractions to meet the needs of the entire channel."

“We streamline the offer so that it is what the client needs”

“At GCA we believe in what we do and, above all, we believe in the people we work with,” said Darío Gustavo Ortíz, Sales Manager. "For this reason, we continue to grow and redouble our commitment. We are not satisfied with a static offer; we have streamlined it so that it adapts perfectly to what the client needs. Our strategy is based on dynamic and flexible marketing. Not only do we provide you with a wide range of new products that we know will capture the interest of your clients, but We also offer them the tools and support so that they can diversify the business.” Ortiz confirmed that the company's objective is that and, to achieve it, they intend to enhance the capacity of retail by offering more flexible and profitable forms of marketing, adapted to today's challenges.

“We are convinced that, working together, there are no limits to what we can achieve,” he concluded. “Thank you for being part of our story and for allowing us to be part of yours.”

“We are working better than during the last two years”

“We are working well,” said Juan Manuel Zelarrayán. "We do not have first-price products, but our customers continue buying and we add new ones. Until August we were better than last year, which had been better than 2023, then consumption went down, but September was never a good month for these products, whose sales are reactivated in October with purchases for the end of the year." Zelarrayán maintained that the 29 wheel bicycle became the workhorse of the business, although he acknowledged that the margins are very small. “We prefer not to fully enter this competition, with so many importers that entered although not all of them will remain,” he said. Regarding materials, he maintained that aluminum left behind steel, which is still used mainly in children's bicycles. “In sizes 26 to 29, the consumer prefers aluminum, although there is a price difference that is absorbed with the quotas,” he concluded. “Competing in Argentina with a steel model against a Chinese aluminum one is impossible.”

“The bicycle business shows strong dynamism”

According to Álvaro Mainero, the bicycle business shows strong dynamism, the volume grew and he estimated that this year the market, in units, will grow. “The segment that is expanding the most is the first price, where numerous entry-level brands were launched,” he acknowledged. "This explains why the basis of growth is concentrated in accessible MTB and cheaper urban bicycles. Mountain bikes (MTB): continue to be the heart of the market and concentrate most of the demand; folding bikes remain stable and electric bikes remain stable.cas, still with low participation, are the segment with the greatest future projection.

Mainero added that the 29 wheel is already the standard in MTB, linked to performance for sports and recreational use, and concentrates more than 60% of the share in MTB. “Aluminum continues to be predominant, but we see growth in the steel frame in the first-price segment, because it offers a more accessible alternative, which explains its dynamism in the last year,” he concluded. “Carbon remains reserved for very specific, high-end niches.”