Apart from luxury cars and powerful motorcycles, it is the world-class bicycles from leisure and adventure biking company Firefox that are drawing attention of visitors at the ongoing Auto Expo at Pragati Maidan here. The two major attractions at the Firefox stall are the Rs.2.4-lakh racing bike Trek Equinox and a foldable bike Kompac, priced at Rs.8,840, that can be fitted into the boot of a car.
“We have showcased Trek Equinox to make people understand how advanced the bike technology is. It is a professional racing bike which is light but strong and fit for aspiring cyclists,” says Firefox Bikes Managing Director Shiv Inder Singh. Interestingly, the bike has already got its first customer in India.
Firefox is the exclusive distributor of the US-based Trek bikes in India.
Similarly Kompac is targeted at customers, particularly youngsters, who love to go off-road and explore the adventure of biking in mountains and rough terrains, Mr. Singh says, adding that till now they were bringing hi-end bikes but now Firefox has made an entry into the mid-segment of city bikers.
Pointing out that the market for hi-end bikes is increasing fast in India, Mr. Singh says they will be introducing over ten new models this year that would help their sales touch 30,000 units per year from the current level of over 20,000.
At present, Firefox has over 50 models in its portfolio, including over ten models from Trek.
Underlining the importance of promoting bike culture in cities that would help in reducing pollution and congestion on roads, Mr. Singh says: “The increase in fuel prices has helped sales of bicycles which are an environment-friendly initiative. We need our governments to understand the importance of creating bicycle tracks, which is not only good for health but also helps in reducing our carbon footprints.”
