German cycling giant purchases mail order specialist Merlin Cycles

Records made with Companies House reveal that long-standing mail order cycle retailer Merlin Cycles has come under the wing of Germany’s CycleFusion Gmbh, a business registered at the same premises as distributor Absolut Bikes.

The latest in a string of overseas interests declared in established UK bike businesses, the registration of new majority control was filed on April 8th, bringing to a conclusion ownership by John Moss and partner Deborah. An Andrew Oldham has now been appointed as director to oversee the UK business.

John Moss created the Merlin Cycles business in 1993 at the start of a mail order boom that would see the business become a leading name and regular multi-page advertiser in the UK’s consumer magazines.

Moss began the ambitious project to tap into rising mail order demand, starting in a spare bedroom in his house near Chorley. Not too long after the business opened formerly in Osmirk, Lancashire, latterly moving to a larger premises in Leyland to help meet surging demand. It was with the capacity of this premises that the firm began designing its own mountain bikes, most notably the Rock Lobster and Malt aluminium hardtails.

It wasn’t until 2008 that the company again upgraded to a larger still premises again in Chorley. At this point the business began to import a handful of brands.

For the uninitiated, Absolut Bikes are a German distributor based out of Ostfildern and one that was itself bought late last year in a deal with Dutch investment company the Fields Group. At this time it was revealed that the business supplied as many as 2,500 on and offline bike shops throughout Europe with goods. The Fields Group has offices in Amsterdam and Munich.

UK bike shops have been known to source goods from Absolut Bikes in the absence of available stock locally and the business has been noted for its low prices.