An island e-bike experience, from nothing
14-bike fleetBuilt HI Mountain Biking from the ground up: the product, the fleet, the operation and the team.
Independent consultant · E-bikes and light EVs
Factory floor to trailhead.
I help e-bike brands, factories, retailers and tourism operators get bikes from the factory to the rider in Australia and New Zealand.
Joe LindsayRotorua, New Zealand · 中文 · Send a message
- Head of Brand and Retail, national e-bike distributor, 2025–26
- Built Hamilton Island's e-bike hire
- Owner, Electric Bike Rotorua
- Mandarin speaker, raised in Taiwan and China
Find your route. I'm a…
Pick one and the stages that matter to you light up.
Why now
The rules and the market are moving
Australia is tightening e-bike safety rules fast, and factories are looking for markets outside Europe and the US. That's work for brands, importers and retailers, and an opening for anyone who gets it right first.
NSW · in force1 Feb 2026
Certification is enforced in NSW. Every e-bike, battery and charger sold needs accredited testing, a Certificate of Approval and a safety mark. Fines go up to $825,000.
NSW GovernmentAustralia · import testEN 15194
Since 24 December 2025, an e-bike for import has to meet EN 15194: 250 W continuous, with assistance cutting out at 25 km/h. Queensland requires it for bikes made from 1 July 2026.
Federal Register of LegislationQueensland GovernmentNational · on the wayACCC standard
In August 2026 the federal government directed the ACCC to write a national e-bike safety standard. E-bikes and e-scooters are an ACCC priority for 2026–27. No start date yet.
Treasury ministersACCCDuty · China to ANZ0%
Chinese e-bikes enter Australia and New Zealand duty-free under the free trade agreements, with the right origin papers. The EU's anti-dumping duties on them, up to 70.1%, run to 2030. Factories want this market.
Bicycle Industries AustraliaMFATEuropean Commission
Services
Six stages from factory to trail
Take one stage or the whole run. I've worked every one of them myself, and I bring in specialists where a job needs them.
Sourcing
The right factory at the right price. Visits, audits and negotiation in Mandarin, and inspection before the balance is paid.
Product development
A catalogue frame turned into your own bike: spec, finish, branding and samples tested on real trails.
Compliance and certification
NSW certification, EN 15194, battery and charger standards, marking and the point-of-sale rules. Includes a quick readiness check.
Brand launch and market entry
Entry model, price ladder, launch and the first dealers signed in Australia and New Zealand.
Dealer network and retail
Dealers won over in person, terms that work for both sides, and stores set up to sell and service.
Rental and tourism programmes
E-bike hire for resorts, hotels, bike parks and tourism operators, set up to earn from the first season.
Selected work
What I've built
Guided tours to a rental business
12 → 40 bikesMoved Mohawk eBike Tours from guided rides to self-guided hire because the numbers were better, then grew the fleet from 12 bikes to 40.
An AI sales app for 70 dealers
~70 dealersTrip planning around dealer opening hours, visits written back to the CRM, and a Monday briefing on who needs attention.
The route on a map
From the factories to the trails
Most e-bikes sold in Australia and New Zealand are built in China. Taiwan makes much of the premium end, and more of it is now built in Southeast Asia. I source across all of it, deal with brands in the US, and work at both ends: on the factory floor, and where the bikes get ridden.
- FactoriesAnywhere in China, plus Taiwan and Southeast Asia. Visits, audits and negotiation in Mandarin or English.
- Ports and marketsSydney, Melbourne and Auckland. Certification, launch and dealer networks.
- Trails and ridersHamilton Island, Mogo, Derby, Rotorua and Queenstown. Hire programmes and demo days. Rotorua is my home base.
- Sea freight14 to 21 days port to port from Shanghai.
- United StatesBrands and suppliers I deal with directly, including contacts from Sea Otter Classic in California in 2026.
Runs under all six
AI and business systems
I use AI every day to run bike businesses, and I build the tools that save the hours. I'll set the same up in yours: faster business development up front, less admin behind it.
Business development
- Market maps and target lists
- Outreach and pitch packs
- Financial models in days
Sales
- Dealer CRM and trip planning
- Follow-ups that don't slip
- Weekly briefings
Operations
- Stock synced to the website
- Listings and warranty triage
- Reporting without the spreadsheet
Also on request
Other ways I can help
Your person at the factory
Trade shows and factory visits in China, Taiwan and Southeast Asia, reported back in plain English. I've been going to China Cycle in Shanghai since 2018, and Taipei Cycle is 24–27 March 2027.
Fleet supply
Certified e-bikes and utility carts sourced and delivered for hire, resort and corporate fleets.
Shop floor check
Your models, tags, labels and listings checked against the NSW rules, store by store.
Warranty and after-sales
Claims process, parts supply and recovering costs from suppliers, set up before the first claim lands.
Supplier negotiations
Supply terms and distribution agreements, including renegotiating or exiting ones that aren't working.
Demo tours and roadshows
Demo fleets, trailers, routes and condition reports, so the bikes reach riders and come back clean.
Working together
Four ways to work with me
Fixed-price project
Scoped and priced up front.
Day rate
Advice, audits, factory visits and trade shows.
Monthly retainer
Your ANZ country manager or part-time GM.
Commission or partnership
For brands entering Australia and New Zealand.
Services01 · Factory
Sourcing
Find the factory that can build what you need, at the price and quality you need, and get the bikes to your door without surprises. Anywhere in China, in Taiwan or across Southeast Asia, I visit, audit and negotiate in Mandarin or English.
What you get
- A factory shortlist matched to your product, volume and price, with the reasons for each
- Factory visits and audits: real capacity, the QC system, certificates, and who they subcontract to
- Samples ridden and assessed against your spec
- Terms negotiated: price, minimum order, payment, warranty and spare parts
- An independent inspection before the balance is paid
- A landed-cost model: freight, duty, GST, compliance testing and QC on top of the factory price
Where I source
China
Anywhere in the country
The big e-bike clusters are around Tianjin, Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shenzhen. I've been going to China Cycle in Shanghai since 2018.
Taiwan
The premium end
Much of the world's premium bike engineering is based around Taichung. I grew up in Taiwan and speak the language.
Southeast Asia
Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Indonesia and beyond
More mid-range and premium production now runs here, much of it by Taiwanese makers. Worth a look if you want to spread your supply beyond China.
United States
Brands and suppliers
Contacts I deal with directly, including from Sea Otter Classic in California in 2026. Useful if you're bringing a US brand into Australia or New Zealand.
Some of the factories I work with also build in Southeast Asia and Europe, which can open up options on duty and country of origin.
What I can source
I already hold ranges from a wide spread of factories, so a shortlist can start the day you call.
Complete bikes
- City and commuter
- Step-through
- Folding
- Cargo and utility
- Fat-tyre
- eMTB hardtail
- eMTB full suspension
- Utility and hunting
- Golf
- Kids' bikes
Light EVs
- E-scooters
- E-trikes
- E-motorcycles
- Kids' e-motos
Parts and accessories
- Motors and drive systems
- Frames, including carbon
- Forks
- Saddles
- Components and accessories
Want this for your business? Text me, or send a message and I'll come back to you.
How it runs
- BriefWhat you're building, for which rider, and the landed cost it has to hit.
- Shortlist and first contactThree to five factories, in whichever country suits the product, approached directly.
- Visits, samples and auditsOn the factory floor, not just online.
- Terms and first orderDeposit, balance, warranty, parts and the inspection standard written in.
- Inspection and shippingPre-shipment check, origin papers for duty-free entry, and the container booked.
When will my bikes land?
Pick a start date, the kind of order and where it's landing. You'll see a realistic window, including Chinese New Year if it gets in the way.
Shortest timeCould run this longChinese New Year
Bikes in your warehouseCalculating
Total timeCalculating
A planning estimate, not a quote. Samples, production times and payment terms: Alibaba seller guide 2026. Chinese New Year: Cycling Weekly. Sea freight: Maersk and Toll, port to port. Sample sign-off, inspection and customs are my own allowances.
What I negotiate for you
Minimums that fit a first order
Factory minimums are a starting point. I get them down to a size you can sell through.
More bikes per container
How the bikes are packed changes how many fit, and that changes your landed cost on every bike.
Warranty in writing
Frame, motor, battery and parts, with spares agreed before you order, not after something breaks.
Payment that protects you
A deposit up front and the balance held until the bikes pass inspection.
What you should know
China output 2025110.8m bicycles
China made 110.8 million bicycles in 2025 and exported 48.9 million. Choice isn't the problem. Finding the right factory is.
China Bicycle Association via XinhuaElectric two-wheeler exports, 202526.7 million
From China, worth US$6.83 billion, from budget models to world-class e-bikes. The range is huge, so matching the right factory to your product is the job.
China DailyTaiwan vs China, EU imports€1,000 vs €314
The average e-bike imported into the EU from Taiwan is worth about three times one from China. Taiwan builds much of the premium end, with more of it now made in Vietnam.
Bike Europe, Dec 2025Bike Europe, May 2026Duty into ANZ0% from China
Duty-free into Australia and New Zealand under the free trade agreements, with correct origin papers. Australia's general rate is 5%, which Taiwan pays. GST still applies: 10% in Australia, 15% in New Zealand.
Bicycle Industries AustraliaMFATMade by Taiwan, in Vietnam16%
Of the high-end bike market is built by Taiwanese makers in Vietnam, against 21% in China, according to the Taiwan Bicycle Association.
Bike Europe, May 2026Cambodia's bicycle exports, 2025US$609m
Up 43% on 2024, with several factories backed by Taiwanese investors. Cambodia was the EU's top bicycle supplier from 2017 to 2022.
Seasia, Jul 2026More facts and sources (7)
Why factories want ANZEU duties to 2030
EU anti-dumping duties of 10.3–70.1% and anti-subsidy duties of 3.9–17.2% on Chinese e-bikes run to January 2030, and US tariffs keep shifting. That makes Australia and New Zealand a priority market for many factories.
European CommissionMinimum order100+ units
A typical minimum for a custom or branded order, and 500+ for full OEM. Samples are usually 1–10 units. Treat these as starting points; good factories negotiate.
Alibaba seller guide, 2026Production time60–120 days
After sample sign-off: about 60–90 days for a custom order and 90–120 for full OEM. Typical terms are a 30% deposit and 70% before shipping. Chinese New Year adds two to three weeks.
Alibaba seller guideCycling WeeklySea freight14–21 days
Port to port: Shanghai to Sydney about 14 days, Melbourne 17, Auckland 21. Allow time for customs and the truck on top.
MaerskTollPer container~100 / ~220
Roughly 100 boxed e-bikes fit a 20-foot container and 220 a 40-foot high cube. Fat-tyre and cargo bikes fit fewer.
HKTDC supplier listingInspection standardAQL 0 / 2.5 / 4.0
Pre-shipment inspections usually sample to ISO 2859-1, General Inspection Level II: zero critical defects, 2.5 major and 4.0 minor.
HQTSWhere e-bikes failBattery and wiring
The common faults are swelling batteries, mismatched cells, water getting in, sensor and display faults, loose spokes, cracked welds and peeling paint. Test the battery hardest.
V-TrustWhat I'd tell you over a coffee
- Never pay 100% up front. Hold the balance until an independent inspection passes.
- The factory price isn't your price. Work to landed cost from day one.
- Ask who makes the battery and its management system, and get their test reports too.
- Pick the drive system before the frame. It decides your parts and warranty support for years.
What you get
- A spec sheet a factory can quote against: frame, drive system, battery, brakes, wheels and sizes
- Open-mould or custom frame, with the cost and time of each laid out
- Finish and branding: paint codes, decals, packaging, manuals and parts lists
- Parts drawn in CAD and 3D printed for fit checks before tooling
- Samples ridden and assessed, with a punch list back to the factory
- A test plan to EN 15194 and the battery standard, so compliance is built in from day one
Want this for your business? Text me, or send a message and I'll come back to you.
How it runs
- BriefThe rider, the terrain, the price point and the gap in your range.
- Spec and quotesOne spec sheet sent to two or three factories.
- Samples and test ridesRidden where the bike will actually be used.
- Fixes and sign-offA written punch list, then a golden sample you both sign.
- Pre-production checkThe first bikes off the line checked against the golden sample.
- ProductionInspection before shipping, as in sourcing.
What can change on a factory bike
Most of a bike can be changed without new moulds. The things I regularly change on a factory platform:
- Geometry, including sizes for smaller riders
- Wheel and tyre set-ups
- Drive system and battery
- Add-on range-extender batteries
- Cockpit, saddle and contact points
- Paint, decals and branding
- Packing, to fit more bikes in a container
Frame kits are another route. Buy the frame and parts from the factory and fit the drive system here, so parts and warranty support stay local.
Open mould or custom frame?
Months from first brief to bikes
06121824 mo
Open mould means no tooling cost, but anyone can buy the same frame. Source: We Love Cycling
What you should know
Open-mould frame~6 months
To your own brand on an existing frame. No tooling cost, but anyone can buy the same frame, so your spec, finish and service are the difference.
We Love CyclingCustom frame~18 months
From first design to bikes in a box, including design, tooling, sampling and testing.
We Love CyclingCarbon tooling~US$100k
Roughly what moulds cost for a full size run of a carbon frame, before engineering and testing. Aluminium tooling costs less, but get it quoted.
Cycling WeeklyDesign to the testEN 15194
Design to EN 15194:2017+A1:2023 and a recognised battery standard from the start. NSW accepts reports from NATA- or CNAS-accredited labs, so testing can happen in China before the bikes ship.
NSW GovernmentMore facts and sources (2)
Drive systems60 brands on Avinox
DJI's Avinox (105 Nm, 850 W peak) had about 60 brands on its second-generation motor by April 2026. Bosch is a closed system. Yamaha agreed to buy Brose's e-bike drive business in 2025, and Shimano added a 3% surcharge from August to November 2026.
DJIBike Europe: DJIBike Europe: BroseBike Europe: ShimanoFactory capacityMore open to custom runs
After the post-COVID crash, Taiwanese factories were running at a fraction of capacity in 2025 and stock was still clearing into 2026. Good factories have more time for smaller custom runs than they used to.
Show Daily, Mar 2025Show Daily, Aug 2025When something goes wrong
The work doesn't stop when the bikes land. When a problem turns up, I take it back to the factory and get it fixed at the source.
A fit problem after launch
Fixed with the factory: replacement parts out to stores quickly, and the frame changed for the next run.
Faulty motors
Taken back to the factory for testing, so the cause gets fixed, not just the bike.
Software and settings
Controller problems sorted with the factory before the bikes ship.
Spares and warranty terms
Agreed up front, so stores aren't left waiting on parts.
How I approach a bike
- Understand it at an engineering level first, then make it look right, then connect the brand to what the bike can really do.
- I'm not an engineer. I learned by doing: CAD, 3D printing and a year of night-school welding. I can tell you where a frame's strength sits and which rider it suits.
- Ride the sample on the trail it's meant for. Most problems show up in the first hour.
- Approve paint against a physical sample, not a screen.
Services03 · Lab
Compliance and certification
Since 1 February 2026, every e-bike sold in NSW needs accredited testing, a Certificate of Approval and a safety mark. Queensland and the Commonwealth are moving the same way, and a national standard is next. I'll help you get your range ready, work it through with accredited labs and certifiers, and keep an eye on the rules as they change.
NSW readiness check
Eight questions, two minutes. Answer for your whole range. You'll see where you stand and what to fix first.
Your result
Answer the questions
0 of 8 answered. Your result and the gaps to fix appear here as you go.
General information from NSW, Queensland and Australian Government sources, checked October 2026. It isn't legal advice. Nothing you enter here is stored or sent anywhere.
What you get
Labs do the testing and approved certifiers issue the certificates. My part is getting your range ready for them, chasing the factory for what's missing, and keeping the process moving.
- A range check: which models, batteries and chargers need what, and where the gaps are
- The factory document pack collected and checked: test reports, certificates, UN38.3 and parts lists, chased in Mandarin where needed
- Testing booked with an accredited lab and any failures worked through with the factory
- Applications for Certificates of Approval, through NSW Fair Trading or a recognised certifier
- Marking on the bike and battery, plus website listings and point-of-sale information that meet the rules
- Change control: a check before any battery or charger swap reaches the container
Want this for your business? Text me, or send a message and I'll come back to you.
How it runs
- Range checkEvery model, battery and charger you sell or plan to sell.
- Document packWhat the factory has, what matches the bikes actually shipping, and what's missing.
- TestingAt a NATA- or CNAS-accredited lab, in Australia or in China.
- CertificationA Certificate of Approval for each bike, battery and charger.
- Marking and retail packApproval marks, EN 15194 tags, listing text and the safety information sheet.
- OngoingNew models and supplier changes checked before they ship.
Key dates
- 1 Feb 2025NSW safety standards apply
Only e-bikes, batteries and chargers that meet the prescribed standards may be sold.
- 19 Feb 2025NSW Information Standard
Product and safety information at the point of sale, enforced from 1 August 2025.
- 24 Dec 2025EN 15194 becomes the import test
The Commonwealth definition of an e-bike for import now points to EN 15194.
- 1 Feb 2026NSW testing, certification and marking enforced
Including second-hand sales and ex-hire bikes.
- 1 Jul 2026Queensland: EN 15194 for new bikes
E-bikes made from this date must meet EN 15194 and carry a permanent label. Sales to under-16s are banned.
- 6 Aug 2026ACCC directed to write a national standard
E-bikes first, then other e-micromobility devices. No start date yet.
- 2 Nov 2026Queensland assurance scheme expected
A labelling scheme for older 250 W bikes. A label will be needed to ride in public from 1 March 2027.
- 1 Feb 2027NSW drops UL 2271:2018
Batteries tested to the 2018 edition stop being accepted. UL 2271:2023 remains.
- 1 Mar 2029NSW roads: EN 15194 bikes only
The end of a three-year transition announced in February 2026.
Standards NSW accepts
| Product | Accepted standards |
|---|---|
| E-bike, up to 500 W continuous | AS 15194:2016 · EN 15194:2017+A1:2023 · UL 2849:2022 |
| E-bike, over 500 W | UL 2849:2022 only |
| E-bike battery | EN 50604-1:2016+A1:2021 · IEC 62133-2:2017 · UL 2271:2023 · UL 2271:2018 until 1 Feb 2027 |
| Charger | AS/NZS 61558 or AS/NZS 60335.2.29 |
The rules that catch people out
What a model isBike + battery + charger
NSW certifies the combination. Each of the three needs its own certificate and mark, and the bike must be sold with the battery and charger on its certificate. Swap either one and it's a new model to certify.
NSW GovernmentThe markOn the product
The approval mark is the code from the certificate. It has to be legible and permanent on the product itself, not just the box, and shown on every website listing.
NSW GovernmentWho certifiesFair Trading or a REAS
Certificates come from NSW Fair Trading or a recognised external approval scheme such as SGS. Test reports must come from a NATA-accredited lab or an internationally recognised one such as CNAS. There's a public register of certified products.
SGSNSW certified product listPoint of saleEN 15194 tag
Buyers must get product and safety information at the sale. Every e-bike on display and every online listing needs a tag saying whether it meets EN 15194. Up to $5,500 per breach.
NSW information requirementsHire fleetsBought since 1 Feb 2026
Hire bikes bought before 1 February 2026 don't need certifying or marking, but must still meet the standards. Anything bought for hire since then must be certified, and ex-hire bikes must be certified before they're sold.
NSW GovernmentPenaltiesUp to $825,000
For supplying non-compliant products in NSW. Police in NSW and Queensland can now also seize and crush illegal bikes.
NSW GovernmentNSW ministerial releaseNew Zealand, shipping and beyond
New ZealandConsumer law first
New Zealand has no certification scheme like NSW's yet. Consumer law still applies: when the overseas maker has no place of business here, the importer is treated as the manufacturer and carries the guarantees.
Consumer Guarantees Act 1993, s2Importing into AustraliaClassify every bike
Importers must classify each e-bike as a bicycle or a road vehicle. A bike that doesn't meet EN 15194 can be held at the border.
Department of InfrastructureBicycle NetworkShipping batteriesUN38.3
Every lithium battery design needs a UN38.3 test summary before it ships, and batteries travel as dangerous goods. Sort it before the container is booked.
For factories selling to EuropeBattery passport
The EU Batteries Regulation covers light-EV batteries, with new labelling and a digital battery passport from February 2027. One well-kept document file can serve Australia and Europe.
EUR-Lex: Regulation (EU) 2023/1542What you get
- A market entry plan: distributor, agent, subsidiary or direct, with the numbers for each
- A price ladder from landed cost to retail price, with dealer and distributor margin built in
- Compliance and warranty set up before the first container lands
- A launch plan: media rides, demo tours and events like Sea Otter
- A dealer target list and the first meetings
- A first-year forecast and stock plan
Want this for your business? Text me, or send a message and I'll come back to you.
How it runs
- Market readWhere your bikes fit against what's already on the floor.
- Entry model and pricingWho holds the stock, who carries the warranty, and what everyone earns.
- Compliance and warrantyCertified, marked and backed before launch day.
- LaunchBikes under riders: media, demo days and events.
- First dealers and first reorderA launch only counts once the dealers reorder.
Bringing a brand in
The parts of a market entry I handle, beyond the plan itself:
Pre-orders before the stock lands
Dealers commit early, so the first container is already partly sold.
Costs known up front
Warehousing, delivery and margins worked out per bike before anything ships.
Terms that work for both sides
Distribution terms the brand and the dealers can both live with.
Your team on the ground
I host the brand's people in New Zealand: dealers, stores, workshops and trails.
Choosing an entry model
| Model | Who holds stock | Control | Fits when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Distributor | The distributor, who also carries the importer's consumer-law duties | Low to medium | You want volume fast without a local team |
| Exclusive agent | You or a local importer. The agent earns commission on sales | Medium to high | You want to test the market at low fixed cost |
| Own subsidiary | You, locally | Full | The brand is proven and you're committing for years |
| Direct to consumer | You, with every obligation | Full | You have a plan for servicing bikes you sell online |
From factory price to shop price
Put in your numbers and see where the money goes. The defaults are an example.
Example rate. Check today's before you rely on it.
0% from China with the right origin papers
E-bikes usually run 25–30%
Cost or margin addedRunning total
Landed costCalculating
Shop priceCalculating
Factory price as share of shop priceCalculating
Margins are worked out on the selling price. Example figures only. Dealer margin range: The Latz Report. Duty: Bicycle Industries Australia, MFAT.
What you should know
Australian e-bike sales, 2026250–300k
Bicycle Industries Australia's estimate at about A$4,500 average, or roughly A$1.25–1.35 billion. It's an industry estimate: formal sales reporting stopped in 2021.
NRMA Open Road, Jan 2026Who carries the warrantyThe importer
In both countries the importer is treated as the manufacturer when the overseas maker has no local place of business. Budget for warranty before you sign a distribution deal.
HWL Ebsworth on ACL s7NZ CGA s2Dealer reimbursementCan't contract out
In Australia, manufacturers must reimburse retailers for remedies caused by their faults, and retailers have three years to claim. Civil penalties were agreed in November 2025 and are being drafted.
ACCCTreasurySea Otter Australia10,000+ riders
Expected at Mogo and Batemans Bay in 2026, with 120+ exhibitors and 250+ brands. In 2025, demo bikes were booked solid. Riders buy what they've ridden.
AusleisureRide OnMore facts and sources (4)
Boom, bust, recovery405k → 261k
E-bike imports peaked at 404,841 in 2021–22 and fell to 261,141 in 2023–24. In 2024–25, e-bike import value passed conventional bikes for the first time.
Flow Mountain Bike / The Latz ReportFuel shock, March 2026+136%
99 Bikes' year-on-year e-bike sales in late March 2026 as fuel prices spiked. Commuter demand is real, though some of it may fade.
Bicycle NetworkChannels are shiftingBrands going direct
Norco left its distributor and has sold direct to independent dealers since October 2025. Pedal Group runs 70+ 99 Bikes stores across Australia, NZ and the UK. In NZ, Torpedo7 was sold for $1 in 2024.
Bicycle RetailerBicycling AustraliaScoopRecall clock2 days
Notify the ACCC within two days of a safety recall in Australia. New Zealand's clock for voluntary recalls is two working days.
ACCCFair Trading Act s31AFrom launching brands into a 70-dealer network
- Dealers earn less on e-bikes than on ordinary bikes. Price so they make money on the sale and the service, or they'll push something else.
- Get bikes under riders. A demo bike on tour sells more than any ad.
- Sort the warranty and parts before launch day. Dealers remember the first claim.
What you get
- Dealer and licensee agreements: territory, terms, consignment, brand standards and exit
- Dealer recruitment: a target list, visits and onboarding
- Store set-up: range, display, demo fleet and workshop
- A warranty and after-sales process, with parts supply and cost recovery from suppliers
- Stock and reorder rules a busy store can actually follow
- An accessories range ordered against real demand, where much of a store's margin sits
- A store P&L review and sales tracking
Want this for your business? Text me, or send a message and I'll come back to you.
How it runs
- Network reviewWho's selling, who isn't, and where the gaps are on the map.
- Terms and agreementOne clear agreement the whole network signs.
- Recruit and onboardThe right stores, trained on the range and the warranty process.
- Systems and stock rulesOrdering, consignment and reorder points that run without you.
- Visit, review, repeatRoadshows and regular reviews, not just emails.
Winning dealers over
Some of the dealers I've visited had written a supplier off: old warranty problems, a range they didn't rate, or simply never being visited. I went to them anyway, and won several of them over.
Turn up in person
With bikes on a trailer to ride, not a price list in an email.
Relationship before orders
The first visit isn't a sales call. Listen, ride the bikes, and leave the order for later.
Own the past
If a dealer's been burned on warranty or parts, sort that out before pitching anything new.
Make yes easy
Demo bikes, consignment and a smaller first range take the risk out of trying you again.
Where the margin is
Typical gross margin in Australian bike shops
0%1020304050%
E-bikes earn the dealer less per dollar but sell for about double the price, and the service work follows them. Sources: The Latz Report, Feb 2024 · Flow Mountain Bike, May 2024
What you should know
Dealer margin on e-bikes25–30%
Against 30–40% on conventional bikes, though e-bikes sell for about double the price. Dealers make it back in service, if your parts supply lets them.
The Latz Report, Feb 2024A healthy bike shop40 / 30 / 10
About 40% gross margin, 30% costs and 10% net. A 10% discount can halve the profit on a sale, so protect your dealers from price wars.
Flow Mountain Bike / The Latz ReportOnline buyersWant local service
Customers buy e-bikes online and expect the local shop to fix them. A brand without a service network pushes that problem onto dealers, and they notice.
The Latz Report, Mar 2024Supply modelsConsignment is growing
More brands keep ownership of the stock while the dealer earns a share of each sale. It lowers the dealer's risk and keeps your pricing intact.
Bicycle Retailer, Mar 2025More facts and sources (2)
Australia3 years to claim
Dealers can claim remedy costs back from the manufacturer or importer for three years, and that can't be contracted out. Your warranty process needs to handle it.
ACCCNew ZealandWrite it in
Consumers can claim against the manufacturer directly, and spare parts and repairs must stay available for a reasonable time. How a dealer recovers warranty costs comes down to the dealer agreement, so put it in writing.
Consumer Protection NZFrom the road
- Fourteen days in a ute with a trailer covers the South Island dealers. You learn more in a store than on a call.
- Give stores fixed reorder rules. Judgement calls on stock are where cash disappears.
- Run the licensee network on one agreement. Side deals don't scale.
What you get
- A business case: demand, pricing, fleet size and payback
- The operating model: self-guided hire, guided, hotel-run or a concession on your site
- Fleet spec and supply: the right mix of eMTBs, step-throughs, cargo bikes and small sizes
- Booking and payments, with direct and agent channels priced properly
- A servicing plan, battery care and a fleet replacement cycle
- Risk built into the booking: warnings, waivers, safety briefings and staff training
- The launch, and partnerships with hotels and trail operators
Want this for your business? Text me, or send a message and I'll come back to you.
How it runs
- Site visit and demand checkWho's coming, when, and what they'd ride.
- Model and business caseHire, guided, hotel-run or concession, with the numbers for your site.
- Fleet and systemsBikes, booking, payments and a workshop plan.
- Staff and safetyBriefings, checks and the paperwork that stands up.
- Launch and first-season reviewWhat earned, what sat, and what to change for year two.
What could a hire fleet earn?
Change the assumptions to match your site. The defaults are an example; switch the market for New Zealand dollars.
A$80–160 a day is typical
Agents take 20–30%
Hires a yearCalculating
Revenue after agent feesCalculating
Per bikeCalculating
Season lengths follow the Great Rides peak (December to March) and shoulders (November and April). The busy rates are your assumptions, not industry figures, and agent fees are taken at 25%. Revenue is before staff, servicing, insurance and fleet costs. Sources: NZ Cycle Trail evaluation 2025 · Arival
How visitors ride
International riders on NZ's Great Rides
0%50100%
Great Rides cyclists on e-bikes
0%50100%
Source: Ngā Haerenga NZ Cycle Trail evaluation 2025. E-bike shares are approximate survey figures.
What you should know
NZ Great Rides, year to June 20252.58m trips
Visitor spend of NZ$1.28 billion, up 35% on 2021, across 4.5 million visitor nights.
Ngā Haerenga NZ Cycle TrailWhat riders payNZ$75–120 / A$80–160
Typical e-bike hire per day from operators in Cromwell, Queenstown, Napier, Rottnest and Derby. Peak season runs December to March, with November and April as shoulders.
Trail JourneysVertigo MTBNZCT reportRight here at Sea OtterMogo: 70 of 130 km
The first 70 km of Mogo's planned 130 km network opened in 2024. The South Coast network is forecast to bring 65,000 new visitors a year.
NSW GovernmentAgent commissions20–30%
What online travel agents take. GetYourGuide moved some operators from 20% to 30% in 2025. Direct bookings have to carry the business.
ArivalMore facts and sources (8)
Riders on e-bikes~40%
Of surveyed Great Rides cyclists in 2025, up from about 28% in 2021.
NZ Cycle Trail evaluation 2025Hire vs guided55% vs 6%
Of international Great Rides users, 55% hired bikes and 6% used a guide. I found the same in Rotorua, which is why I moved my business from guiding to hire.
NZ Cycle Trail evaluation 2025Trail towns, NZNZ$280m
Biking-motivated visitor spend in Queenstown Lakes in the June 2025 year. Mountain biking brought NZ$139.8 million to Rotorua in 2021.
Benje PattersonRotoruaNZAustralia, 2024A$6.0b
Spent on 4.6 million trips that involved cycling. Blue Derby in Tasmania drew A$50.9 million of spend in the year to March 2025, and operators there say 90–95% of tour guests pick e-bikes.
Tourism Research AustraliaDorset Council studyWaivers in AustraliaIn the booking
Put risk warnings and waivers into the booking itself. In Alameddine v Glenworth Valley [2015] NSWCA 219, a waiver signed on the day wasn't part of the online contract and the operator was held liable.
Hall & WilcoxAustralian Lawyers AllianceNew ZealandACC and WorkSafe
ACC covers visitors injured in New Zealand. Plain hire likely sits outside the Adventure Activities Regulations, but guided riding on serious terrain may not. Health and safety duties apply either way.
ACCWorkSafe NZNSW hire fleetsCertified since Feb 2026
Hire bikes bought since 1 February 2026 must be certified and marked, and ex-hire bikes must be certified before they're sold. Buy compliant bikes or your resale value disappears.
NSW GovernmentBatteries~1,000 cycles
Shimano rates a common e-bike battery at 1,000 charge cycles with more than 60% of capacity left. Treat batteries and wear parts as consumables in the plan.
ShimanoFrom running a hire fleet
- Plan the fleet for your busiest days, not your average day. That's where the money is.
- Match the fleet to the terrain. In a trail town, full-suspension eMTBs earn the most per bike.
- Small sizes are hard to find. Almost nobody makes an XS e-MTB, and families notice.
- Hotels sell hire best when the bikes are on their doorstep and the staff have ridden them.
ServicesRuns under all six
AI and business systems
I use AI every day to run bike businesses, and I build tools that save hours each week. I'll do the same in yours: faster business development up front, less admin behind it.
What I've built and run
A dealer sales app with an AI trip planner
For a national network of about 70 dealers. It plans road trips around each dealer's opening hours and writes visits, notes and follow-ups back to the CRM. A Monday briefing flags the dealers who need attention.
A page for every store, from one website
Each store in a network gets its own page on one Shopify site. An hourly sync shows what's physically in each store, licensee stores list their own bikes, and customers pay a deposit online.
A dealer ordering portal
Built on the warehouse system's API, so dealers can order, check consignment stock and do stocktakes in one place.
Years of factory chats, searchable
Supplier chats, catalogues and spec sheets read and broken down into one library: every supplier summarised, every product searchable by spec, and the Chinese translated. It also flags risks along the way, like bank details that change between invoices.
The paperwork that used to take weeks
Launch plans, financial models, business cases, dealer agreements and full handover documents, drafted and checked in days.
What I'll set up for you
Business development
- Market maps and competitor lists
- Supplier libraries from your WeChat and catalogues
- Target lists with the right contacts
- Outreach drafts and pitch packs
- Financial models and business cases
Sales
- CRM set-up and clean-up
- Route and visit planning
- Follow-up reminders
- Quotes and fleet proposals
Operations
- Stock synced to your website
- Product listings with NSW compliance tags
- Warranty triage and customer replies
- Weekly reporting
Want this for your business? Text me, or send a message and I'll come back to you.
How it runs
- Two-hour auditWhere your team's time actually goes each week.
- Pick one or two toolsThe ones that pay back fastest, not the flashiest.
- Build and test with your teamOn your real data, in the systems you already pay for.
- Hand overA short guide, and your team trained to keep it running.
Where to start
- Start with the job that annoys you every week. It's usually the best first tool.
- Keep your systems as the source of truth. AI should read and write to them, not replace them.
- Automate it or it won't last. Anything that needs a person to remember will drift.
Work
What I've built
Ten years of building bike and adventure businesses in New Zealand and Australia. Here's some of it.
An island e-bike experience, from nothing
14-bike fleetEngaged by the island's leadership to build its e-bike experience from the ground up: the product, a 14-bike fleet, the operation and the team. It runs today as HI Mountain Biking from HI Trails HQ. A decade earlier I ran the island's land-based activities: ATV tours, go-karts, the climbing wall and laser tag.
Guided tours to a rental business
12 → 40 bikesI started Mohawk eBike Tours as guided rides. The numbers said self-guided hire would earn more, so I changed the model. Electric Bike Rotorua grew from 12 mountain bikes to a fleet of 40 eMTBs, step-throughs and cargo bikes, added retail and a workshop, and partners with hotels and resorts, including an e-bike offering for Treetops, a luxury lodge in the region.
A national dealer network
8-store demo tourAs Head of Brand and Retail at a national e-bike distributor: company stores plus about 70 independent dealers. Launched a US brand's new eMTB with a demo bike that toured eight stores from Christchurch to Hamilton, ran a 14-day South Island dealer roadshow by ute and trailer, won over dealers who had long been unconvinced, and rewrote the licensee agreement for the store network.
An own-brand range with two factories
2 factoriesDeveloped step-through and utility models for the distributor's own brand: spec, custom satin paint with gloss lettering, and samples assessed on the trail, with fixes agreed with the factory before each production run.
When something goes wrong after launch
Fixed at the sourceWhen a fit problem showed up after a range went on sale, I worked it through with the factory: replacement parts out to stores quickly, and the frame changed for the next production run. Faulty motors and controller software get the same treatment: back to the factory, find the cause, and fix it before the next shipment.
Every supplier catalogue, in one library
Thousands of productsYears of supplier chats on WeChat, plus catalogues, spec sheets and order files, turned into one library: every supplier summarised, every product searchable by spec, and the Chinese chats translated. It also flags risks along the way, like bank details that change between invoices.
An AI sales app for 70 dealers
~70 dealersA field sales app for a network of about 70 dealers. An AI trip planner builds road trips around dealer opening hours, visits and follow-ups go straight back to the CRM, and a Monday briefing flags the dealers who need attention.
Store pages and live stock
8 store pagesGave each store in the network its own page on one Shopify site, with an hourly sync showing what's physically in each store. Licensee stores list their own bikes, and customers pay a deposit online. Also built a dealer ordering portal on the warehouse system's API.
Building something similar? Text me, or send a message and I'll come back to you.
Working together
How I work
One person accountable, a network of specialists behind me, and a clear price before anything starts.
Ways to work with me
Fixed-price project
Scoped and priced up front. Best for a clear job: getting a range ready for certification, a factory shortlist, a rental set-up or a launch plan.
Day rate
For advice, audits, factory visits and trade shows.
Monthly retainer
Your country manager for Australia and New Zealand, or a part-time GM. A set number of days each month.
Commission or partnership
For brands entering Australia and New Zealand, I can work as an agent on commission, or take a longer-term role with shareholding where it fits.
How a job runs
- TalkTen minutes at Sea Otter, a call, or a coffee. You tell me the problem.
- Scope and priceA written scope with a fixed price or a day estimate, before any work starts.
- DeliverI run the job, with the right specialist on each part and regular updates.
- Hand overYou own the work: designs, test reports, files and contacts.
The network
I run each job myself and bring in specialists where it needs them. You deal with one person.
Design and CAD
Industrial design, frame drawings and prototype parts.
Accredited test labs
NATA and CNAS accredited, in Australia and China.
Inspectors in Asia
Factory audits and pre-shipment checks on the ground in China, Taiwan and Southeast Asia.
Photo and video
Launch content, product shots and rider footage.
Legal and accounting
Agreements, structures and the numbers checked.
Mechanics and fleet crews
Set-up, servicing and demo days.
Behind that are the relationships I've built over ten years: factory owners across Asia, dealers and store owners around New Zealand, resort and tourism operators on both sides of the Tasman, and brands from Europe to the US.
What you can expect
- Plain answers, including when the answer is "don't do it"
- One person accountable from start to finish
- You own the work. Nothing is held back to keep you coming back
- One side per deal. If I represent a factory, I won't source against it for a client, and the other way round
- If I'm not the right fit, I'll tell you and point you to someone who is
About
Joe Lindsay
I've spent ten years building bike and adventure businesses in New Zealand and Australia. Factory to Rider is how I work now: independent, with a network of specialists, across New Zealand, Australia, China, Taiwan and Southeast Asia, with contacts in the US.
I grew up in Taiwan and China, so I learned early to adapt fast and get comfortable being uncomfortable. I speak Mandarin, which matters when you're on a factory floor trying to work out who really builds the battery.
Most of my working life has been adventure tourism and bikes. I ran the land-based activities on Hamilton Island for three years, guided rafts on the Kaituna, and started Mohawk eBike Tours in Rotorua, which became Electric Bike Rotorua: rental, retail and workshop. A decade after leaving Hamilton Island, I went back to build its e-bike experience from scratch. Most recently I was Head of Brand and Retail at a national e-bike distributor in New Zealand, running brand launches, a 70-dealer network and an own-brand range made in China.
I work through people. Most of what I've built started with turning up in person and doing what I said I would, whether that's with a factory owner in China or a dealer who'd written a supplier off.
I'm not an engineer. I learned by doing: CAD, 3D printing and a year of night-school welding. I can spec most bikes on a shop floor, tell you where a frame's strength sits, how it was formed and which rider it suits.
I see a product as one loop. Understand the engineering, make it look right, connect the brand to what the bike can really do, then finish with the experience that keeps the rider for years.
Timeline
- 2014–17Land-Based Activities Manager, Hamilton Island
ATV tours, go-karts, a climbing wall and laser tag. Led about 50 people on the clean-up after Cyclone Debbie.
- 2017–nowOwner, Electric Bike Rotorua
Guided tours to a rental, retail and workshop business.
- 2024–25HI Mountain Biking, Hamilton Island
Built the island's e-bike experience from the ground up.
- 2025–26Head of Brand and Retail, national e-bike distributor
Brands, dealer network, own-brand range and systems.
- 2026–Factory to Rider
Independent, across Australia, New Zealand and Asia.
Contact
Let's talk
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致工厂与品牌 · For factories and brands
把电动自行车从工厂送到骑手手中
我叫 Joe Lindsay，在台湾和中国大陆长大，可以用普通话沟通。我帮助电动自行车和轻型电动车的工厂与品牌进入澳大利亚和新西兰市场：认证、上市、经销网络和租赁车队。我可以对接中国各地、台湾和东南亚的工厂，也与美国的品牌和供应商有往来。
澳大利亚认证要求
- 自2026年2月1日起，在新南威尔士州（NSW）销售的电动自行车，其整车、电池和充电器都必须经过认可实验室（NATA 或 CNAS 认可）检测，取得认证证书（Certificate of Approval），并在产品上加贴安全认证标识。
- 整车、电池和充电器作为一个"车型"一起认证。更换电池或充电器，就需要重新认证。
- 违规最高罚款82.5万澳元。
- 自2025年12月24日起，澳大利亚进口电动自行车须符合 EN 15194:2017 标准（持续功率250瓦，时速25公里断电）。
- 昆士兰州：2026年7月1日起生产的电动自行车须符合 EN 15194 并贴有永久标签。
- 全国统一的产品安全标准正在制定中（ACCC，2026年8月启动）。
我能为工厂和品牌做什么
- 整理并检查技术文件和检测报告（中英文），找出缺口
- 安排认可实验室检测，跟进认证直到取得证书
- 产品标识、网店信息和销售点安全信息
- 寻找澳新经销商或代理，制定价格体系
- 上市推广：试骑活动、巡回展示和 Sea Otter Australia 等展会
- 接待您的团队来新西兰：拜访经销商和门店，参观维修车间，体验骑行路线
- 每个项目我只代表一方，不会同时为买卖双方服务
- 为度假村、酒店和山地车公园供应租赁车队
市场机会
见面
2026年11月中旬我在香港和深圳，可以安排工厂拜访。
电话：+64 27 502 4864 · 邮箱：joe@factorytorider.com
以上为一般信息，不构成法律意见。资料核对于2026年10月。