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The Electric Cycle Company (ECC), Edinburgh, has just opened its new 4,000 square foot electric bike store and workshop on Crewe Road North, making it the ‘largest specialist e-bike shop in the UK’.
Over four times the size of its previous shop, ECC said it has created a safe and welcoming retail environment with enough space to display a much larger selection of both new and established electric bike brands, cycle clothing and e-bike accessories, alongside an e-bike maintenance workshop.
Following an extensive renovation project during the COVID-19 pandemic, the new shop is a ‘far cry’ from the more traditional ‘stack’em high’ model of bike retail. Customers can walk around the store while remaining physically distanced and the knowledgeable and experienced sales team are able to safely deliver interactive and informative e-bike demonstrations and ‘talk throughs’.
With bookable sales appointments, there is a welcome reception and sales meeting desks, together with a dedicated customer waiting area with a TV, coffee machine and customer toilets.
“I am so proud of what our small build team and the staff have achieved during the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Neill Hope, managing director of ECC. “The new shop is even more impressive than my original vision.
“The e-bike knowledge and the expertise in e-bike sales that we have accumulated over more than ten years has enabled us to create the most progressive bike shop in Scotland; a much more welcoming, comfortable, spacious and safe environment for our customers and staff. It just so happened that our long-term future-proofing project dovetailed perfectly with the requirement for ‘pandemic proofing’.
“Having started the business in 2006, we quickly established ourselves as Scotland’s leading e-bike specialists, often being frowned upon by the purists within the bike industry who couldn’t see past 100% pedal power. We were just too leftfield. With our new shop, we are again disrupting the industry by going against the grain of bike retail.
“Sadly, we can’t have a launch party right now. However, the shop is open, and we look forward to welcoming all of our customers, new and old, who travel from all over Scotland and further afield to buy and service their e-bikes when they can safely travel again.”
A new 3D virtual walkthrough of the showroom has been produced. It has been designed to give customers a first impression of the new store and it is also hoped that when they see the shop’s open and COVID safe environment, they will be keen to visit in person when restrictions allow.
The ECC is now offering free extended warranties (+ one year) on all new Bosch and Shimano driven bikes. In order to help combat bike theft all new e-bikes will be fitted with complimentary security tags or trackers and Bikmo Insurance is giving ECC customers 14 days of free ride away insurance.
Hope added: “With the UK Government’s Cycle To Work Scheme and the Scottish Government-backed Energy Saving Trust eBike Loan scheme to help with e-bike purchases, it is the perfect time to invest in an e-bike.”
Ben Macpherson, MSP for Edinburgh Northern and Leith, said: “I warmly welcome the opening of the Electric Cycle Company showroom and workshop on Crewe Road North. It’s great that there’s so much local demand for sustainable transport and I commend the Electric Cycle Company for involving the community in the e-bike revolution, by offering free repairs during the pandemic, bike loans for Key Workers and support for local community groups. I look forward to visiting when restrictions allow and it is safe to do so.”There are plans for the ECC’s old shop on Granton Road. It is soon to become the base for a new Community Interest Company, Urban Initiatives, focusing on e-bike and e-cargo bike hire, bike maintenance and training, together with local guided rides on e-bikes.
