Sam Makes Bikes
2024
Business / Marketing / Strategy
I founded Sam Makes Bikes in 2024, to test if I could make viable bicycle business in Glasgow. It centered around refurbishing older bike frames with higher quality and colour coordinated components.
The Project:
After earning CyTech 1 & 2 certifications in 2023, I was eager to apply my skills.
I wanted to explore a gap I saw in the market: affordable bikes often lacked aesthetic appeal, while stylish models were far too expensive. Similarly, many people lacked practical bike building experience.
The challenge was to create bicycles that were both functional and visually striking, using refurbished materials that still turned enough of a profit to be sustainable. This involved not just sourcing and refurbishing bikes, but also building a brand that could market them to the public.
Challenge:
I adopted a ‘test and learn’ approach, starting small to minimise financial risks while honing my skills.
Design Experimentation: Crafted each bike uniquely to gauge market preferences - bold colour schemes vs. minimalist styles, vintage racers vs. modern single-speeds, and drop handlebars vs. flat bars.
Brand Development: Designed a logo, launched social media accounts, and built a website to create a distinct brand identity.
Content Creation: Captured high-quality images and wrote engaging copy to establish an online presence.
Featured Bikes:
Purple Rain: A fully purple Dawes road racer.
Cinnabar: A red-and-cream single-speed.
Mélenchon: A refurbished 1980s Peugeot with ultra-thin tyres.
I tracked materials, costs, and labour using Toggl, refining pricing strategies to ensure sustainability.
Marketing efforts included digital posts (static, GIFs, videos), physical posters, and branded stickers along high-traffic cycling routes.
Approach:
Through iterative testing, I developed a line of bikes that resonated with customers and cultivated a loyal following. Time and cost tracking enabled accurate pricing and revealed the balance between creative expression and business management.
However, despite these successes, the business model proved difficult to sustain full-time. Challenges around market penetration, rising costs of materials and labour, and the complexities of scaling highlighted that Sam Makes Bikes was better suited as a passion-driven side project rather than a full-time venture.
Impact
Key Takeaways
Hands-on Learning: Crafting bikes was deeply rewarding, but running a business underscored the importance of planning, marketing, and financial oversight.
Agile Approach: The "try, test, and adapt" method was invaluable for understanding what worked in both design and the market.
Business Insights: Diversifying revenue streams, like adding bike servicing, could have strengthened financial stability.
Sustainability Challenges: Sourcing second-hand parts was cost-effective and eco-friendly but highlighted the need for better inventory management.
Long-Term Viability: While creatively fulfilling, the business's financial model wasn't scalable. As a result, Sam Makes Bikes will continue as a hobby project, allowing for creative expression without the pressures of full-time operation.
