ASPEN, Colo. (BRAIN) — Nirvana X Group's decision to become the U.S. distributor of e-bike manufacturer Nox Cycles was solidified last year when bike supply began shrinking.
"We saw our area, like most, scramble for bicycles, and had clients buying whatever they could find, often of dubious quality," said Yvette Trincado, CEO of Nirvana X Group, based in Colorado.
"We know we are tiny now and just a drop in the bucket of demand and supply, but we think this line of bikes is amazing, fun, and the kind of quality discerning customers want and need, so we hope to make a few waves and bring in something special to the U.S."
Nirvana X Group is the parent company of Aspen MTB rental shop and mountain bike school in Snowmass Village and Aspen Dirtbike School. Trincado said the company is seeking retailers throughout the U.S., focusing initially in Colorado, Texas, Arizona, and Utah.
Nox Cycles manufactures its bikes in Austria, with core markets also expanding to Germany and Switzerland. Two years ago, it moved into the Chilean market, where a friend of Trincado introduced her to the brand.
"They are a boutique, high-end brand, with a solid team behind them and that really appealed to us and fit with our brand," said Trincado, whose husband Francisco Trincado also is part of the leadership team.
A Nox Cycles spokesperson said while U.S. demand for bikes continues, the strategic decision to enter the U.S. market mainly was based on finding the right distributor. Nirvana X Group "has a boutique-style and influential business that fits very well to our brand and is located perfectly within the Rocky Mountains. This results in the ideal setting to reach the right target group for our high-end e-mountain bikes," the spokesperson said.
Nox Cycles models vary in price from $6,499-$13,000. Nirvana X Group initially will get 50 Class 1 e-bikes this summer of various models.
"This allows us to test the market and see which models will be in the most demand here," Trincado said. "We will be responsive to what our clients need, what their customers are looking for in an e-bike."
However, getting the first shipment has become problematic. The bikes have been ready to ship for a month, she said, but delayed because of the backlog created by the stuck container ship in the Suez Canal in March.
"We keep getting our space bumped on ships as they struggle to catch up in Northern Europe," she said. "They are getting platinum rates for space, so normal cargo rates get bumped back."
The Trincados actually flew to Austria to pick up two e-bikes to have as showroom models. "Those (Fazua Evation system) batteries and drives are removable, so it was easy to fly home with the bikes and the batteries will come later," she said. "It has been crazy to see the demand being unmet when I have a container of bikes ready to go for a month now, just waiting for space on a ship.
"We will be bringing in as many bikes as we need and production can handle. We are sure hoping to sell out of the initial bikes brought in this summer. Obviously, I will love it if I have pre-orders for many more than that. We intend to grow at a pace we can sustain, keeping quality standards high and supporting our retailers."
Trincado said other European brands are planning to enter the U.S. market, and the Nox Cycles spokesperson concurred, saying Pierer Mobility AG e-bike brands Husqvarna, R Raymon, and GasGas Bicycles have sights set on the U.S. market next year.
"We are sure there will be more brands following soon," the Nox spokesperson said. "The U.S. is a market that is still a bit complicated due to the different regulations but with immense potential."
Nirvana X Group will introduce Nox Cycles at this year’s Sea Otter Classic in October and Sedona Mountain Bike Festival in November.
