Get your bike serviced by... Kwik Fit? Car servicing company steps into cycling

There is a new name in the bike repair game as car servicing provider Kwik Fit has announced that it will begin fixing pedal-powered transport too.

The news is not a great surprise considering last April the Dutch version of Kwik Fit started doing e-bike servicing, but today the company announced it would be bringing its bike repairs to three of its Bristol and London centres in a partnership with "faff-free bike repair" provider Fettle.

And while there will be many who will not be showing disloyalty to their local bike shop just yet, the step into the cycling world from one of the UK's largest car maintenance names remains significant.

Cyclingindustrynews reports the initial focus will be on supporting fleets using e-bikes and cargo bikes, with it also suggested that the partnership could eventually see Fettle collection and delivery service from more than just the initial three Kwik Fit centres, with currently 600 in total around the UK.

"A growing number of our customers who operate vehicle fleets have been asking if we can support their expanding cargo bike operations," Mark Slade, Kwik Fit's managing director said. "Bikes and cargo bikes, especially electric models, are increasingly being used for short urban journeys.

"However, 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. Bikes are becoming more complex, and as well as the demand from fleet operators, the fact that many cyclists now buy through online channels means there is a requirement for the type of servicing and repair aftermarket that we are well used to in the automotive sector.

"Fettle has learnt a great deal over the last three years on the processes and skills required to tackle these trends, and a partnership between the businesses is a unique way to address this demand."

Jeyda Heselton, CEO and founder of Fettle added: "Over the past three years we have experimented and invested in skills, processes, systems and locations. 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 knowhow 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."