Souplesse Biking’s enterprise mannequin might be acquainted to clients of manufacturers corresponding to HelloFresh and Riverford Organics. Fork out for a subscription to both of those companies and also you’ll repeatedly obtain a field filled with foodie components delivered direct to your door. In essence, they’re buying the necessities, so that you don’t should.
Souplesse Biking works on an identical premise, however in addition to offering vitamin, within the form of bars, gels, chews and hydration powers, it additionally consists of all kinds of small however helpful biking equipment, together with lights, tyre levers, chamois cream, sunscreen, degreaser and the like. I hesitate to name them perishables, which is HelloFresh’s USP, however it’s the sort of stuff that we, as cyclists, break, misplace or run out of on a regular basis.
It’s the seemingly insignificant merchandise that we may simply purchase ourselves however, for a wide range of causes, don’t. Effectively, hardly ever in time for the weekend journey anyway.
“The thought behind the subscription service was impressed by my using buddies,” says James Harrison, director, Souplesse Biking. “We’re all busy professionals, working 40 plus hours every week, however love using our bikes, which we’d additionally love to do for an additional 8, 10, 12 hours every week. Think about sleep, plus different life commitments, and that doesn’t go away a number of time to get organised.
“Did I bear in mind to order sufficient bars? I’m certain I’m operating out of chain lube? Have I nonetheless obtained some bike wash? I believe I’ve misplaced that software to vary my pedals? All these little issues, these questions incessantly circling the thoughts, add stress to what needs to be a pleasurable pastime. We needed to win again a few of that enjoyment, the liberty to only exit on a journey with out having to fret about that stuff.
“Our field subscription makes it actually easy,” he provides. “Every part you want for the month turns up in single month-to-month supply. There’s sufficient hydration, vitamin and upkeep tech. We take into consideration seasonality too, so our summer time bins, for instance, will function sunscreen.”
James might be boxing intelligent right here. HelloFresh boasted a internet income of greater than €2 billion in Q1 2024, with a world workforce numbering 20,000. Then once more, maybe not. Sub field pioneer Graze ceased its subscription mannequin in early 2024, so we’ll be watching with curiosity to see how Souplesse Biking fares.
Curated selection
(Picture credit score: Simon Fellows/Future)
James likes to repeat the phrase ‘curated’, which, by the way, can be a lot utilized by HelloFresh to reassure its clients that important effort, thought and experience has gone into boxing up their weekly veg. How genuine that is I’m undecided, however I do know that in James’ case, he’s choosing merchandise from some first rate manufacturers, together with Fizik, Silca, Le Col and Pirelli.
There’s a selection of bins accessible too, ascending in value because the variety of included objects will increase and/or particular person merchandise rise in value.
For instance, the top-tier ‘Professional Field’, priced at £125.99 per thirty days for a six-month sub, consists of clothes, upkeep instruments, hydration dietary supplements, bars, gels, Komoot routes, devices and extra. In distinction, the decrease tier ‘Novice Field’, priced at £35.09 for a similar interval, options solely gels, bars and hydration dietary supplements.
In response to James, each subscriptions will prevent cash over shopping for the identical merchandise at RRP – £45 within the case of the Professional Field. Subscriptions might be paused or modified on the fly too.
Though the content material of every field is rigorously curated – there’s that phrase once more – there’s loads of alternative to personalise every month’s drop. Actual choices will fluctuate from month to month, however in mid-summer I may select to obtain both Styrkr or Maurten hydration merchandise, a Castelli base layer over a Lezyne rear mild, Ceramic Velocity UFO Wash as an alternative of Muc-Off Hydrodynamic Lube – you get the image.
“We’ve calculated that there are 2.4 million completely different potential configurations,” says James, “however to maintain issues easy for our clients their order is sub-divided into simply six to eight elements. We don’t need to waste their time by making them navigate a posh ordering system.
“We’ve additionally made up a particular field for a sportives, so when you’ve obtained an enormous journey arising in your calendar that choice can have you coated. We hope to do extra, maybe a TT field might be subsequent.”
I requested James if any merchandise have been clearly extra standard than others.
“Prospects have gone mad for Effetto Mariposa Flowerpower liquid wax this summer time,” he responded. “That choice was ticked time and again.”
My Souplesse pattern field
(Picture credit score: Simon Fellows/Future)
James despatched me a single ‘Semi-Professional Field’ (a £99.99 worth) for analysis functions, however earlier than it arrived, he requested me to determine which of the selectable objects I needed to decide on.
My choices have been (with my preferences in daring):
Bars / gels / a combination of each
Selection 1 (select 1): Morgan Blue Degreaser, Effetto Mariposa Flower Energy Wax, Muc-Off Bike Cleaner, Muc-Off Chamois Cream, or a Wheel and Part Brush
Selection 2: Pelotan Sunscreen, Muc-Off Bike Defend, Muc-Off Matte Detailer, Jagwire Hose Cutter
Selection 3: Muc-Off Tubeless Valves, Hutchinson Tubeless Plug Equipment, Pirelli P-Zero SmarTube, or Lezyne Stick Drive Mild
Socks – smaller or bigger dimension
As soon as I’d submitted my most popular choices, it’s no exaggeration to confess that I eagerly awaited the field’s arrival. In contrast to a daily order from Amazon, it felt extra of a responsible pleasure, just a little like treating myself to an undeserved current.
The field arrived a couple of days later, packaged up securely in a strong outer carton. For those who can think about a shoe field match for dimension 12 footwear – simple for me, I’ve dimension 12 toes – then that’s in regards to the dimension of it. Extra particularly, it measured 32cm x 18cm x 9cm.
The packaging is superbly executed, with daring Souplesse Biking branding picked out in British Racing Inexperienced on the outer lid, with the internal printed in the identical hue and bearing the slogan: ‘Easy Biking, Curated For You Are you prepared?’ A stirring message, regardless of the odd grammar and capitalization.
The merchandise are wrapped in tissue paper, and sealed with a branded sticker.
I obtained 1x Hutchinson tyre lever set, 1x 100ml SPF30 Pelotan solar lotion, 1x pair of Souplesse branded biking socks, 1x 100ml Effetto Mariposa Flowerpower liquid wax, 1x Precision Hydration tube of electrolyte tabs, 1x Lezyne Stick Drive Mild, 6x Maurten Stable 225 60g bars and 6x Maurten Gel 160 65g gels.
Verdict and worth
As soon as the fun of rummaging by way of all of the merchandise, and clicking the Lezyne mild on and off a couple of instances had subsided, I contemplated whether or not I might be fairly so excited subsequent time a supply was due. Justifiably, James supplied solely the one field (which was gratefully obtained) so we’ll by no means know.
Nonetheless, part of me can be grateful that it was only one field. You see, for me, that is an terrible lot of stuff to get by way of in a month. Equally, the corresponding annual value on a rolling sub is the thick finish of £1,200, which is a big sum. Even calling man math into play, I don’t consider I spend that a lot on cycle equipment in a yr. Sincere.
One other a part of me accepts that this may occasionally show a implausible resolution for newbies who haven’t but constructed up an enormous assortment of instruments and equipment. It’s additionally an incredible repair for riders with extra of a style for gels, bars and hydration tabs than I’ve. I’m actually not an enormous consumer.
You may, after all, order one of many lesser bins, however the time-saving profit related to Souplesse Biking turns into progressively much less obvious.
I additionally respect that, for cyclists who’re actually brief on time, or who favour pedalling over buying the mundane, James has developed the final word comfort service. It’s an support parcel for time-poor cyclists.
At the moment, Souplesse Biking solely operates within the UK however, if there’s curiosity, James is hopeful of exploring alternatives in Europe and the USA.
Oh, for these with poor language expertise like moi, Souplesse is a curiously French phrase that roughly interprets as easy, versatile and versatile. Very apt.
