Kwik Fit offering bike servicing & repairs with Fettle

Fuel prices are prompting many a motorist to think twice before getting behind the wheel, and to accommodate the growing numbers who are swapping internal combustion for pedal power, Kwik Fit is introducing servicing and repair options for bicycle owners, including an MoT of sorts, in partnership with Fettle.

Demand for the Fettle at Kwik Fit service should be healthy if a survey conducted on behalf of Kwik Fit is anything to go by. Opinium spoke with 2,000 adults in the UK earlier this month and the results suggest that some 6.9 million (34%) of the 20 million drivers who regularly use their car for journeys of between one to two miles want to switch to other methods of travel. When asked about their travel over journeys of less than 1.5 miles, 13 per cent said they’d like to cycle on more of these trips, while six per cent want to make more use of an electric bike.

The partnership with Fettle is designed to support those customers switching to active travel modes for short journeys. Over the past three years, Fettle has built a fast-growing bike repair network, providing ‘faff-free’ repairs and servicing across London that aims to serve the growing demand from urban cyclists, bicycle manufacturers and cargo bike fleets.

Under the new collaboration, the first Fettle at Kwik Fit operation has opened in the Kwik Fit centre in Cheltenham Road, Bristol, with centres in London to follow in the coming weeks and a plan to roll out the partnership to centres across the UK.

The estimated 6.9 million drivers planning to cut down on car use for short journeys will add to some 5.2 million drivers who have already done so over the last two years. While the cost of fuel has been the biggest factor behind the shift, cited by 39 per cent, a further 30 per cent of drivers switching from a car for short trips say they are doing so to improve their fitness, 26 per cent say the environmental impact of a short car journey is the stimulus, while 17 per cent say it’s because other travel modes are just as fast as taking the car.

Jeyda Heselton & Mark Slade at the opening of the new partnership in Bristol (Photo: Kwik Fit)

Peace of mind for cyclists

Some 44 per cent of car owners also own a bike or have access to one. When asked what factors put them off using a bike more often for short journeys, the most common deterrents were the weather (32%), safety fears (26%) and the ability to carry loads (25%). In addition to these factors, eight per cent worry about not being able to fix their bike should it go wrong when out and about. The same proportion express concern about the condition of their bike, while seven per cent indicate they don’t use their bike more often because they don’t think it is roadworthy.

Fettle at Kwik Fit aims to remove these latter barriers by providing bike owners with a “variety of clear and transparent servicing and repair options,” including a Bicycle MOT. Kwik Fit believes these will give people reassurance that their bike is in good condition and can be relied on as an alternative for short trips.

In addition to supporting owners of traditional pedal bicycles, Fettle at Kwik Fit will serve the growing number of e-bikes and e-cargo bikes. According to figures from the Bicycle Association, e-bike sales have risen from three per cent of all bikes sold in 2018 to eight per cent in 2022 and now represent 30 per cent of overall bike sales value, while sales of cargo bikes at some leading retailers rose by 40 per cent year-on-year in 2022.

Fettle is in talks with several manufacturers and fleets to support their nationwide expansion and growing investment in the UK’s micro mobility market, as companies increasingly look to replace cars and vans with e-bikes and cargo bikes for last-mile deliveries.

Support for individuals & fleets

“This research shows that there are many reasons why drivers are looking for different modes of travel for short journeys, and we can support them through removing some of the barriers when it comes to increased cycle use,” says Mark Slade, managing director of Kwik Fit. “In addition, a growing number of our customers who operate vehicle fleets have been asking if we can support their expanding cargo bike operations, which are increasingly being used for short urban journeys.

“The fragmented nature of the industry’s current network of largely independent bike shops makes it hard for manufacturers and fleet operators to secure reliable and consistent high-quality servicing across their operations. By partnering with Fettle, we can offer its services and the expertise of its dedicated teams at Kwik Fit locations to address this need.”

The companies are also exploring the potential for offering the Fettle collection and delivery service from Kwik Fit centres beyond those initial locations with on-site bike servicing, thus rapidly expanding the availability of the Fettle service. In the immediate term, Fettle operations will remain separate from Kwik Fit, with Fettle providing all staff, products, and services for bicycle customers.

“Over the past three years we have experimented and invested in skills, processes, systems and locations,” comments Jeyda Heselton, chief executive officer and founder of Fettle. “This has enabled us to understand how to best meet the growing demand for bike servicing and maintenance by consumers, manufacturers, and fleets to help see green travel succeed in the UK. Combining our know-how with Kwik Fit’s network and experience in the automotive sector was therefore a natural next step to accelerate our ability to service customers at scale.”

Fettle at Kwik Fit will provide a full roster of its services including free bike assessments and quotes, as well as the company’s proprietary Bicycle MOT. Those looking for more information on manufacturer and fleet services can find details at the fettle website.