For anyone who can't ride a bike or doesn't have the confidence to ride one, the road to freedom could be an electric three-wheeled dream, produced by British manufacturer Jorvik TricyclesWith customers aged 18 to 102, Jorvik has been pioneering the e-bike industry for a decade and now offers a 16-model range for everyday urban and rural riding as well as more powerful off-road pursuits.
Frames can be folding or rigid, and popular adaptable options include baskets and pet beds. An average battery charge costs 10p to 15p for 30 miles. Everything is designed and assembled by a team of 15 at the company’s headquarters in Wheldrake, York. This year, Jorvik opened a 6,000 sq ft showroom with an indoor test track that replicates a real road with traffic lights.
For those unable to travel, Jorvik is offering a personalised home demo service and plans to expand its Try-Cycle immersive pop-up events. And corporate customers are also buying into the benefits of the tricycles, which are now being used to ferry litter pickers in Blackpool and clean up Loughborough University’s campus.
Rapid societal changes in the wake of the pandemic, as more people explore the great outdoors and focus on health, along with advances in technology, have all had an impact on Jorvik’s sales, which are growing 20 per cent annually, with turnover now reaching £5m. It’s a bittersweet achievement for owner and CEO James Walker, who started Jorvik after failing to find a tricycle for his father, a keen cyclist whose balance was affected by Parkinson’s disease.
Faced with limited choice, outdated designs and no budget-friendly alternatives, “it seemed like a product sitting on the shelf with no hope of a good second-hand market, so I decided to build my own,” says Walker. “What started as a passion project inspired by my father has grown into a larger company focused on inclusivity, quality and safety. “There is competition, but we differentiate ourselves through our combination of higher specs and affordable prices, backed by best-in-class customer service.”
In addition to the benefits for the elderly, people with coordination issues or those who want to cycle safely with extra bags, “they're also a great option for commuters who don't want the maintenance and expense of a car,” Walker adds.
“Our lightweight and rustproof aluminum alloy is three times lighter than steel, our brakes are precisely tuned to be activated with just one finger to achieve the best riding experience. All products are developed with user feedback.”
He takes the company name from the Old Norse word for York. The city, he explains, “is part of our team. We benefit from it attracting visitors from all over the UK and from abroad, such as Canada.”
Jorvik’s latest, most transportable JET-E16 (£2,999), a model with 16in wheels, is seeing huge demand. With easy turning and a lower step-through frame so riders can get on and off with ease, “it’s our most compact model yet. You can fold it up, go anywhere and it fits in most vehicles,” says Walker. A drawdown trade finance deal with HSBC has also made “a huge difference” in enabling Jorvik, which sources components internationally, to seize growth opportunities and avoid supply chain problems.
“We have the money to buy in bulk up front, can keep up with stock flows and offer the best customer service with live updates and answers to any warranty or repair queries,” explains Walker, who would like to see every aluminium frame maker in the UK get in touch. Jorvik has just secured its first overseas partner in Germany, opening the door to smoother expansion into the EU.
The showroom became a popular destination for customers from home and abroad. “People do tests, make friends, bring their dogs, it's a real destination,” says Walker. “I'll never forget a woman with multiple sclerosis who told me that buying a Jorvik tricycle was her last hope for independence. It's results like these that keep us going.” Jorvik's ambition to become the iconic Brompton tricycle equivalent seems closer than ever. Jorvikdriewielers.com