What happened in the last few months, the lockdown and the impossibility of making reliable programs has served to unhinge a mechanism and a way of planning work which according to Cristiano De Rosa did not belong to Italian culture.
«The collection was presented in March – he says – orders were placed in June and in September we were in the shops. A very American or German cliché, which is affected by the fact that For carbon frames, longer planning is neededBut for us who also have metal ones and build them at home, it meant having our hands tied. So It was a satisfaction to be able to present some models outside these schemesI'm talking about the titanium Hera Gravel and the Anima. How long will it last? I don't think we can talk about a wave that is destined to subside.. Rather, given the number of people who have discovered cycling since the lockdown, I would talk about a growing market».
Second episode
The gallery of meetings that bici.PRO dedicates continues to the key players in the WorldTour bicycle market. In the post lockdown they found themselves facing a certainly unexpected situation, which presented them with an extremely stimulating challenge. That of immediately and almost violently expanding its user base, trying to please everyone without failing in its reference role. After having spoken yesterday with Ermanno Leonardi of Specialized, today it's Cristiano De Rosa's turnMilanese company of the same name, which equips the French Cofidis.
Strange and a little sad that it took such a dark period to launch the bike so strongly…
That's what I was about to say, let's at least try to take the good. In the last six months, we have delivered what was normally expected until mid-2021. What is not very nice is find yourself having to deliver after 6 months because, for example, the components are missing. It is not respectful towards the customer.
How does this new market affect De Rosa's life?
The soft mobility side is not our concern, but the beauty of cycling is our business. It will depend on how we organize ourselves, including in terms of communications. We'll have to be good at always delivering the right product without getting caught up in the excitement of riding the wave. Far from statements that seem a bit redundantYesterday, for the first time in a while, I went for a 20-kilometer climb. And the pleasure of coming out afterward the period in the red zone is something we must be able to convey.
The post-lockdown newbie first goes to Decathlon and then, if necessary, comes to your boutique…
Surely, yes it is composing a base of practitioners that must be observed. There will certainly be those who will want to take the next step, because maybe they will have appreciated the beautiful bike in the hands of a companion on the outing, or the taste of speed. Certainly, precisely in reference to the beautiful bikes and the speed, We don't deserve the bad roads we ride on..
How do you reach new audiences?
There are two ways, in my opinion. Social media, which must be used wisely. And then stores, which must increasingly become communities.Places where mechanical repairs are done, but where less experienced cyclists can meet with those who have been cycling for a long time and can tell you about routes, tools, training methods, how to dress, and which gears to choose. Cycling has gone from being a sport of pure hardship to being cool and contemporary.If we can bring this perception into stores, this is the second channel we were talking about.
Yet De Rosa is reducing the number of sales outlets in Italy. Why?
The sales network has become very thin, because We like to interact directly with consumersOn the new website, you can communicate with us daily and even set up virtual appointments. Talking directly to the user is the best way to go, and then everything passes to the sales network. Our Newsletter has 45 thousand subscribers and this allows us to evaluate the impact of the actions we take, what they want to know, what we can say and with whom to do it. Yesterday I was with the manager of a large store and he told me that Confused people arrive, asking questions that leave you confusedThe shopkeeper must be good at managing them.
Soft mobility is not your business, but you too have arrived on the e-bike.
At first I wasn't too keen, but we all realised that pedal assist has brought a large number of new people, especially after the lockdown, are just as worthy of attention as any other. The same can be said for gravel, for example. We need to be on the ball, the duration of this phenomenon depends on us.
What about the supply of groups from the East?
It's still heavy, with an additional aggravating factorShimano is about to release new models and People will soon want the new Dura Ace and won't know what to do with the old one. They are expensive components, so you can't fool the customer by proposing old groupsOur bikes also cost a lot and it is easy to imagine that if someone can face the sacrifice to buy one, he has the right to have all the best.
