Interview: Kinley Bicycles

By MBT Staff

We’ve recently had an opportunity to sit down with Benno Mischke, founder of Kinley bicycles out of Laguna California. For those of you yet unfamiliar with the Kinley brand, do yourself a favor and check the consumer reviews over at MTBR.com. In only it’s second model year, Kinley has been busy earning the trust of it’s customers through quality builds at very reasonable prices by selling direct to the consumer.

Benno, tell us a little bit about yourself?

Well my full name is Benno Mischke and I am originally from Bonn, Germany. I have always been interested in mountain biking and sports in general, ever since I was a teen. As you know, European culture is very cycle friendly; I loved riding my bike around town and using it to take me places. To me it was actually a means of transportation as well a leisurely activity I enjoyed on the weekends.

Before I decided to get into the bike industry, I was involved in telecommunications. During this time, I worked with several international clients and had become very familiar with the import/export business. After ten years, I began to think about doing something different (and more exciting). This is when I had decided to move to California and hence the Kinley story began.

I founded the company in 2004 with the simple idea in mind that I could build quality bikes for far lower prices than other brands by selling online directly to the consumer. We are very happy with our achievements so far and hope to continuously improve by learning from our past mistakes and by always seeking and implementing the newest technology available.

Was it a tough decision to roll the dice and take your chances in the competitive field of mountain bike manufacturing?

Not really, we are a group of mountain bikers who love to try new things in both business and in life in general. A friend of mine has been in the business for many years and I have always been fascinated with the concept of being able to offer mountain bikers a chance to buy a great bike for 35 to 40% less than other makes and to have the bike delivered directly to their doorstep, hassle free.

After a year of planning and optimal component selection, we founded Kinley Bicycles in 2004. Our 2006 lineup represents our second and most adventurous phase of development. We learned a lot in our first year, from the best frame and suspension combinations to a sleek design intended to cater to a wide variety of riding styles.

What would you say were the biggest challenges you faced as a new entrant to the field?

Our biggest challenge has been to overcome the inherent mistrust that exists in doing business online. We strive to provide the best possible customer service and to respond to our customers’ needs in order to overcome this obstacle.

With your initial year behind you, what are Kinley's goals and expectations for 2006?

In 2006, we hope to extend our brand name through our reputation for quality. Basically we want to let everyone know that we are in this industry for the long term. Kinley bicycles will continue to evolve and to make use of new opportunities in technology and pricing to allow us to continue to provide quality for lower prices than the competition. We intend to grow, but never in a way that would jeopardize the quality of our product. Our consumers’ fun and safety are at the core of our business model.

Which of your models seems to be selling the best?

In 2005 the best sellers were the Kinley SX, our full suspension bike with disc brakes, and our Hardtail model, the Kinley RX.

Based on your specs, I must say that build quality and component selection appear top notch. How do you manage to price your bikes so competitively?

Well it’s really a combination of two factors. First, we keep our overhead costs low (such as less advertising) allowing us to afford lower profits. Secondly, we save around 40% by selling directly to consumers rather than through retailers.

What are some of the benefits to dealing factory direct to the customers?

I think the benefit as a company is that we get direct feedback from our customers in addition we have complete control over our product. We enjoy the interaction with our customers and in having the opportunity to share our vision with them. From the consumer standpoint, I believe that the biggest benefit is the savings from purchasing directly through us while still getting a top notch bike with the best brand parts the industry has to offer.

Are there any disadvantages?

I believe that the disadvantage is that the consumer is not able to walk into a shop and physically see our bikes. However, we are able to mitigate this issue by providing our consumers with flexible return policies.

What kind of warranty comes with a Kinley Bicycle?

We provide our customers with 5 years warranty on all our frames and the manufacturer’s warranty on parts.

Does Kinley plan to sell its models through distribution channels in the future?

I would not rule that possibility out in the future. However, at the moment, we are concentrating specifically on growing our internet sales. Eventually we hope our reputation for building quality bicycles will precede us.

Where should we send our readers who wish to learn more about Kinley bikes?

For more information on Kinley, go to Kinleybikes.com. If you have any questions just call our toll free number at (888) 4 - KINLEY. We are available for extended hours and weekends to help answer any questions that you may have.