Former Aussie paceman Lee takes ‘Giant’ strides in cycling

Former Australian fast bowler Brett Lee is in a jovial mood as he hops on a Fathom 3 Giant bicycle and cycles inside Giant’s flagship store in Mumbai.

The speedster who terrorised batsmen on the cricket field till not-so-long-ago is now playfully throwing in Hindi words from time to time adding to the buzz at the store. Apart from being a celebrated cricketer, Lee is also an avid cyclist ,which he says forms an important part of his fitness regime.

He chuckles when asked if he has tried cycling in India. “Yes, in Mumbai, going down the Queen’s necklace... It was good, there were people running around and chasing us, but it was good.”

All these nuggets are part of an interview with Lee at the meet-and-greet hosted by Element Retail, the distribution licensee for the Taiwan-based Giant bicycles in India. It is here that the former Aussie paceman has unveiled the franchise model for Giant India, along with its new limited edition range of cycles.

Founded in 2013, Element Retail follows a sports-oriented franchise model and focusses on bringing international brands to the Indian market. “I love India, I love the people, I love the culture. And I have made it no secret,” gushes Lee.

Passionate about India

He is clearly passionate about this country where he is still a known face thanks in part to his new role as commentator. “I have actually embraced India because the thing is, if I am a foreigner — if I am a firangi coming to your country — then I have got to be respectful of the people and the culture and the family value.”

Lee then elaborates on the theme. “I think the family values here are very similar to mine at home,” before adding with a laugh that he “probably wouldn’t go as far to live in the same houses as what we have over here.”

What is the association with Giant all about? Why did Lee choose to do so? “Why not? It’s the best,” he responds without hesitation. “You want to be associated with a good brand. There was an opportunity that came on board and I thought, why not jump at it.

Lee then reveals that he loves cycling and that it’s a good fit. “It’s me promoting healthy living and a healthy, active lifestyle. So yeah, it’s a wonderful awareness and an association with what is a quality brand,” he says.

Aditya Bafna, Managing Director, Element Retail, echoes similar views when he says that it is important to first promote a culture of cycling before actually selling bicycles. This is where the significance of roping in Lee comes in.

Infrastructure gaps

Infrastructural constraints are one of the main reasons why cycling hasn’t developed in India, insists Bafna. Neither has it been been promoted as a culture with everyone merely resorting to sales alone as the area of focus.

According to Bafna, none of the bicycle companies in India have done any endorsements or associations such as the one with Lee to inculcate a culture of riding and cycling. He then reminds you how running wasn’t so popular till a decade ago and how different things are today. “People have promoted it in a very big way over the years and now there is a marathon happening every second day.”

It’s also no secret that cricket has a strong connect with Indians as evident from the slew of brand endorsements. And in the case of Lee, he is “one of the best fast bowlers cricket has ever seen” who as an avid cyclist will help encourage more people to opt for this mobility option.

Bafna clearly believes in calling a spade a spade. “If I would have called some big cyclist (who no one would have possibly heard of), I don't think even you (journalists) would have been here,” he says.

It is again over to Lee who holds forth about the importance of cycling and fitness. “I have always loved running and cycling. It is a way to clear your mind... actually just totally clear my mind at home and get out… you don’t think about the media, you don’t think about the next interview, don’t think about the press.”

From his point of view, cycling “just clears your mind, maybe for half an hour or an hour, (where) you get some good fitness in and you feel good about yourself”. Lee devotes at least 45 minutes to an hour every day as part of his fitness regimen.

“...When you are under pressure, when you are on TV, (and) you are going out to hundreds of millions of people, you got to be mentally focussed. And the best way to do so is to have a really, really good core strength and fitness levels,” explains the affable Aussie.

What does Lee look for in a cycle? Is he more inclined towards the premium brands? “You want quality, you want craftsmanship, you want reliability. Reliability is the most important thing,” he replies almost immediately. And this, he insists, is what Giant does with a presence in 42 countries.

“They started back in 1972. So they haven’t just started today, they have been around a long time. And they have got the knowledge of how to build a great bicycle and it’s the next level. So if you are serious about cycling, come and check it out,” says Lee.

According to him, if one is “hopping on a premium brand” like Giant, he/she would be far more inclined to get back on track again.

He also has a message to all Indians about the benefits of cycling. “Indian food is very, very rich. I love, it but we all know that if you have too much butter chicken, you don’t feel like a 100 per cent,” he laughs.

“So you have got to like do things in moderation, you have got to get some form of fitness and what better way to get fitness than cycling?” The point has been made though there are other realties to reckon with. For instance, the premium retail cycle space is fraught with certain challenges.

Challenges

While India is the largest market for motorcycles and scooters with sales of over 20 million units annually, the bicycle market still trails behind with 17 million units.

This is an awkward pyramid structure for a country whose per capita income would suggest that people should actually be riding more bicycles.

In the case of brands like Giant, it is so much harder considering that its range, which begins at ₹35,000, goes all the way up to a staggering ₹10 lakh. It is really no surprise then there would be more customers for bikes and scooters that cost a lot lesser.

Bafna says the premium bicycle segment constitutes only 1-2 per cent of the overall market in India. He admits that there hasn’t been too much traction for Giant which, in turn is taking things “slow and steady”.

Cycling clubs are something that Bafna has in mind, which is part of the larger plan to literally soak riders with the experience of riding a Giant bicycle. “People are paying premium money for the brand and expect us to provide them some kind of experience (in return),” he says.

Once initiatives like these become part of the script, there is “huge scope” for brands like Giant. Bafna also points out that fitness would be a key driver and this is already evident from the growing number of cycling enthusiasts across the country.

Element Retail began selling Giant bicycles here last August and thus far, numbers have totalled around 800 units across India, with another 22-23 sold from its exclusive store in Mumbai, which was launched over two months ago.

This exclusive store in Mumbai is expected to contribute to the Giant growth story with plans underway to percolate the brand to Tier 2 cities where roads are better suited for cycling.

Element Retail is also looking at opening exclusive stores for Giant by the end of this fiscal in Pune, Delhi, Bangalore, Chandigarh, Nashik and Indore. In the process, the company is hoping to increase total sales to around 1,500-1,800 units. Brett Lee has done his bit in spreading the fitness message and Bafna will be hoping that customers will pick up the message and cycle more.

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