Jowetts Cycles, based in Pietermaritzburg, is celebrating its 84th year in the cycling trade this year. It is South Africa’s oldest and arguably the most well-known cycling shop in KwaZulu-Natal.
How does the oldest cycle brand celebrate this auspicious occasion? By adding one of the oldest bicycle brands to its stable – LAPIERRE bikes.
Wally Flint and Ingrid Flint with the new Lapierre bikes. Photo credit: Quick Pix.
Founded in 1946 by Gaston Lapierre, and passed down over three generations, Lapierre combines innovation, aesthetics, attention to detail, and its experience with pro riders, to offer the most efficient and beautiful bikes to cycling enthusiasts everywhere. Based out of Dijon, France, the headquarters remain the centre for development and testing. A team of engineers are dedicated to the research and innovation for every frame that is developed and actively engage in bike tests with Lapierre’s pro riders.
Jowetts Cycles is proud to add a small range of LAPIERRE BIKES to its existing stable of world class brands, SCOTT, MERIDA, SILVERBACK and TITAN bikes.
Photo credit: Quick Pix.
Owners, Wally and Ingrid Flint, and their dedicated staff, have a reputation in the industry for always going the extra mile, which has seen them do some amazing extra-mile feats for customers in desperate times. These include, but are not limited to, opening the shop at 2am (and countless other different hours) for customers to get parts, bikes, bits and pieces; for the past 10 years travelling 4000km to Cape Town and back with about 100 bikes in tow for customers riding the Argus; and putting up a large, well-stocked mobile shop at many races around the country in good and bad weather over the past umpteen years, to ensure cyclists can ride their races safely, plus much more.
The well-stocked cycle shop has seen many famous, and not so famous cyclists, from around the world, but Jowetts Cycles is most loyal to its large customer base in Pietermaritzburg and KZN, priding itself on its ability to provide world-class customer care and products for all.
Photo credit: Quick Pix.
Jowetts Cycles recently launched its online shop, www.jowettscycles.co.za, which is proving to be very popular already with clients from all over South Africa, and from as far afield as Finland and other European countries.
Ingrid Flint
Wally and Ingrid have always been super involved. When I was racing competitively at schoolboy lever in the mid to late '80s they were there to support the Natal team and always sponsored young up and coming riders. Congrats on the shops birthday.