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An absolute clusterf**k: Bowman Cycles speak out on supply chain issues after unhappy customers complain

Bowman’s founder says supply chain issues have had a devastating effect on the company’s ability to fulfil orders, and is trying to “work out how to refinance” the business

Last month it became clear on our forum that some of you were experiencing problems with the popular British bike manufacturer Bowman Cycles. @Yavuz asked the question ‘What is your experience with them?’ and the deluge of replies was striking.

Claims of incorrect builds, poorly packed bikes and a total lack of response to emails or calls was alarming, so we went on our own quest to contact them and managed to sit down with their founder and managing director Neil Webb this week to get his response to some of the allegations that had been made against the brand.

As the title of this article suggests, Webb revealed the company has been beset by a raft of supply chain issues during the COVID pandemic which have had a devastating effect on their ability to fulfil orders.

He told road.cc: “All that has made life very difficult this year and there isn’t an end in sight to the manufacturing issues coming out of Asia [where many of their components are produced].

“For instance, we placed an order with Shimano in December last year that will only start arriving in August 2022. Usually, we’d have bought some stock from Madison [Shimano’s UK distributor] to see us through, but there’s absolutely nothing around.”

The situation was exacerbated for Bowman by the fact they’d launched a new frame right before the pandemic hit.

Webb added: “We’d put in orders for 12-1400 frames over the course of 2020 but didn’t see the first of those arrive until May this year. There are still 600 frames from that order which haven’t been shipped.

“Then you throw in all the extra shipping costs, extra costs of materials. Everything is more expensive, delayed, or simply doesn’t turn up. It’s just an absolute clusterf**k for want of a better word, to run a manufacturing business at the moment, the delays go all the way up the supply chain.”

> When will Britain’s bike shortage end?

Webb also revealed that suppliers and distributors seemed to be favouring larger clients over more modest enterprises such as his own.

“The big players are taking all the space," he added. 
"All the smaller businesses like us that I know are experiencing this same problem in some way, shape or form and these constant delays have taken huge amounts of man power to manage.”

When pressed on the company’s lack of responses to concerned customers, Webb admitted Bowman had fallen short of expectations and was apologetic to anyone that may have been affected.

He said: “I’m aware we haven’t been able to get in touch with people for five or six weeks, which I understand is really sh*t. In hindsight we should maybe have told people ‘yes, we’ve got your email but we can’t tell you an answer’, but we thought the problems we’re experiencing would have been sorted out quicker than they have been.

"We’ve been waiting to give people the correct information and I can only apologise for people’s frustrations about that. It’s a s**t situation but any outstanding queries will have some form of reply from us within the next 14 days.”

> Bike shortages to last until at least end-2022, say trade experts

Perhaps most pressing for Webb is the fact that Bowman Cycles appears to be hanging by a thread, and it’s a situation he is determined to rectify sooner rather than later.

“We’ve basically got a deadline of another 10 to 14 days,” he said. “It’s a self-inflicted deadline because we just can’t keep going on as we are. We need to work out [how to] restructure or get some more assistance, work out how to change things and refinance.

"We’re not out of business currently… everyone in the company is working out what the next best step is, how to do it and how that happens. If that doesn’t work then we don’t know what happens next.”

One thing Webb was keen to point out though, was that any existing orders customers have with the company should be fulfilled. “That’s another of our top priorities. There’s around 50 people with outstanding orders and the most important thing we can do is get those out. As far as I’m aware, that’s either happening or they’ve been refunded in full.

“We've had to stop accepting new orders since the end of September though, because we wouldn’t be able to guarantee we could fulfil them in a timely fashion.

“Hopefully people can bear with us. Those that are angry will continue to be angry, there’s nothing we can do to placate them now unfortunately.”

What has your experience with Bowman Cycles been over the last few years? Let us know in the comments below.

Update, 22/11/2021: Some accusations were made about the partnership between Bowman Cycles and Noble Wheels on the road.cc forum and in the comments under this article. A response from Bowman Cycles can be found below. 

When we started expanding the relationship with Jonny at Noble, we worked with him to develop a good benchmark alloy wheel using available parts - with the focus being build quality. We purchased numerous wheels from Noble Wheels, some of which were built by Jonny himself - some by his staff.

When he reduced his capacity, he suggested we work directly with his ex-staffer to do the wheel builds to the standard and specification Jonny required, and deal with the decal vendor directly to maintain the same branding. The specification and build quality was maintained throughout. As supply chains shifted, we occasionally used a different rim manufacturer - such as DT Swiss (as per the "specification may change" small print) - but maintained build quality and continuity through the identical build process as previously.

Noble provided us with the decal artwork and the individual contact at the decal manufacturer. At no point did Jonny at Noble inform us that he did not view the wheels built to his specification, and using his decals as anything other than the Noble Wheels originally specced.

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44 comments

Avatar
strype | 2 years ago
1 like

Now in liquidation

https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/08933432

Very sad to hear this, they made cracking frames - i bought two over the years. This bloody pandemic. 

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mdavidford replied to strype | 2 years ago
2 likes

strype wrote:

they made cracking frames

Doesn't sound like a good thing...

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bloke | 2 years ago
1 like

I purchased two Bowman frames and had to return both due to manufacturing issues. First one was the original Palace R. I returned it for a warranty replacement but no stock meant I was offered the new 3C due for release. I went for that but due to pandemic-related delays it ended up being over 12 months before I actually got my replacement :(. 

I got it, rode it, loved it, and then noticed a huge crack in the chainstay. I returned that frameset and then plumped for a refund rather than wait again and roll the dice again on a 3rd replacement frame. 

A shame considering how nicely both frames rode and how well the looked but... a sub-optimal customer experience to say the least. 

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Daipink | 2 years ago
0 likes

Wish I'd read this before Christmas. I ordered a chainstay bridge mid-December and now I know why it's not arrived. Trying to get my money back via PayPal. I feel for them as my wife runs her own business too but why have your website shop still open and taking money if you have supply chain issues. Website down now, phone cut off and no response to emails. Lucky I only ordered an inexpensive part.

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jonniepound | 3 years ago
1 like

Well, its been 2 weeks since this article and I haven't heard a thing from Bowman reagrding my order. If they can't be bothered to pop into the warehouse and stick a couple of (paid for) gear hangers in a jiffy bag then I don't hold much hope for anyone else's order. 

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wycombewheeler | 3 years ago
0 likes

I keep reading the headline as "Bowman Cycles speak out on chain supply issues" and imagining a huge warehouse full of bikes all ready to go except they are waiting for chains to be fitted.

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PpPete | 3 years ago
0 likes

Having seen glowing reviews I decided N+1 could be built around a Palace3 disc frame.  I test rode a Weald at the factory, which confirmed my decision, and helped me finalise size required.  Unfortunately the lead time for Palace frame & forks in the appropriate size was over 6 months and I wanted the bike sooner, so ended up buying a carbon frame which would have been roughly same price but I got a mahoosive dicount due to a slight paintwork defect.  If I ever have to replace my steel-framed commuter, the Weald would be on the list of options, but only if the lead-time is reasonable, and I would be building it up myself (including the wheelbuild) , for me that's half the fun.

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Recoveryride | 3 years ago
5 likes

Where I work, we have a hard and fast rule: any email is dealt with within  3 working days. Even if the reply is a holding email, you must reply, because if people feel ignored, that's worse. Be clear, polite, professional and honest. It's not hard: 'We're currently experiencing unprecedented supply chain issues and cannot give firm dates on fulfilling existing orders. We hope to be able to give more information in the near future. If you'd like to discuss your options in more detail, please give us a call.'

And on that front, not answering the phone is also a no-no.

The potential silver lining here is that there is a market for good quality alloy frames, finished to a high standard, at a reasonable price. In fact, I'd argue it's the bit of the market that a lot of the big boys have left vacant.  Look at Mason: they are selling Definitions and Bokehs as fast as they can make them. 

I hope Bowman pull themselves out of this hole, as businesses going pop and people losing their livelihoods benefits no-one, but there are lessons to be learned, about supply chain management, customer service, and (after describing the situation as a 'clusterf**k'), apparently PR.

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grOg replied to Recoveryride | 3 years ago
2 likes

Good communication with customers is absolutely imperative for businesses; poor communication is the sign of a business you don't want to deal with.

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bikeman01 replied to grOg | 3 years ago
0 likes

I like Neil Webb just because he swears a lot.

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Brian Fantana | 3 years ago
1 like

I bought a Palace R frameset a few years ago and the customer service was crap then. 

 

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Jack Sexty | 3 years ago
1 like

Just a note to say we're aware of comments posted here and on our forum about the relationship between Bowman Cycles and Noble Wheels, and are waiting for a response. Another note, just be careful with making accusations when you don't know the full facts. 

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quiff replied to Jack Sexty | 3 years ago
1 like

Is it something to do with the fact that Noble are not building wheels any more?! "Noble Wheels is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year and a lot has changed since 2011 when Jonny first set the company up as a specialist wheel builder. We no longer build wheels but instead have focused efforts on producing exceptional bicycle and wheel building tools."

EDIT: update now added to main story

Avatar
peted76 | 3 years ago
1 like

This is a shame to read this after reading the comments from the forum last week, but in some way heartening that at least they are still active and haven't gone bump. 

Clearly Bowman have made some bad judgements reagrding customer service and lack of customer service through these issues. It sounds like they've been using any part they can get their hands on to actually get complete bikes out of the door, which I can understand, however the customer should have been informed or given the option where appropriate. 

I'm a fan of the Bowman frames and have very nearly brought one a couple of times over the years. I hope they can find a way to build themselves out of this hole.

However as others have mentioned, are the days of outsourced manufacturing to the far east numbered? Every business should be doing the caluculations to account for higher costs to manufacture, longer lead times and higher freight costs. Cashflow decisions however can be explained easier, no-one could have foreseen where this pandemic would take us two years ago.. and if the decision was to keep some cash in the bank or spend it on a supplyline which was delayed.. then I can see how some companies might have come unstuck.

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bobrayner | 3 years ago
1 like

The whole of the UK bike industry has struggled with covid-19 and Brexit. If you're doing much worse than other peers, then maybe you can't just blame the same problems your peers faced.

Maybe there's some weight in the argument that "We're only small, the big businesses have proper supply-chain teams and snapped up all the shipments, it's so unfair". But Decathlon and Canyon and Sigma &c didn't monopolise all the customer-service skills, so why was Bowman's customer service so awful, too?

I can't get back the time I wasted waiting, but I can take care not to trust any bike business in future if Neil Webb is associated with them.

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Prosper0 | 3 years ago
2 likes

Coming off the back of the biggest bike boom in a generation, where any business with a bike has made money hand over fist. But Bowman are in trouble? Sounds like they messed up.

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EddyBerckx replied to Prosper0 | 3 years ago
1 like

Prosper0 wrote:

Coming off the back of the biggest bike boom in a generation, where any business with a bike has made money hand over fist. But Bowman are in trouble? Sounds like they messed up.

it really grates when people comment without reading the article they're commenting on. A few others on this page have some the same. Weird.

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Secret_squirrel replied to EddyBerckx | 3 years ago
2 likes

EddyBerckx wrote:

Prosper0 wrote:

Coming off the back of the biggest bike boom in a generation, where any business with a bike has made money hand over fist. But Bowman are in trouble? Sounds like they messed up.

it really grates when people comment without reading the article they're commenting on. A few others on this page have some the same. Weird.

It also really grates when someone doesnt take the time to read the allegations in the original thread and realise very few of them were addressed in the interview.  Potentially iffy wheelsets for one.

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rwoofer | 3 years ago
2 likes

What I can't figure out is the supply chain issues would impact complete bikes, but framesets should have been unaffected. I think there might be something more to this.

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Johnnystorm replied to rwoofer | 3 years ago
0 likes
rwoofer wrote:

What I can't figure out is the supply chain issues would impact complete bikes, but framesets should have been unaffected. I think there might be something more to this.

Eh? Why would framesets be immune from a worldwide shortage of raw material, manufacturing capacity and shipping container space?

Even if that were the case if Bowman share a factory with a mega corporation wanting 100,000 framsets they're getting bumped to back of the queue.

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Sriracha replied to Johnnystorm | 3 years ago
0 likes

I think the main problem has been Shimano.
https://www.ft.com/content/ddd98460-5461-4014-9856-f2c62908ae57

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quiff replied to Johnnystorm | 3 years ago
0 likes

Besides which, the article specifically mentions issues with frame supply: "We’d put in orders for 12-1400 frames over the course of 2020 but didn’t see the first of those arrive until May this year. There are still 600 frames from that order which haven’t been shipped".

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Richbeck | 3 years ago
2 likes

You outsource, you have to accept the risk. Marketing yourself as "bespoke" when you really aren't is another risk which has now been "found out".

A real shame as the frames look good, global supply is difficult for everyone at present - I would suggest keeping the old bike going!

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sparrowlegs | 3 years ago
6 likes

I feel sorry for Neil here. He's seeing his business going down the toilet, losing his income and whatever else he has secured against it. Who knows where his heads been in a situation like that and how it's affected his mental health.

Yep, a quick email is easy to put together but sitting down and writing it could be the hardest thing to do in a time like that.

I have their 1st gen Pilgrims frame and have just managed to find a new Weald frame. Bowman bikes ride awesome and a lot of thought and design goes in to their frames.

I wish Neil and his team luck for the future and hope they can stick around. 

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Hirsute replied to sparrowlegs | 3 years ago
4 likes

But they don't have to write very much at all. I had a wait with scribe wheels. I did one chaser and they did 2 updates and they were working a lot of hours back in early march trying to cope with shortages and Brexit. Just get someone in for a day if needs be.

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Owd Big 'Ead | 3 years ago
13 likes

Oh the joys of being a manufacturing company that off-shores all it's manufacturing to the other side of the world.

Ultimately, Bowman Bikes are a design led business, not a manufacturer. That should allow them plenty of time to focus on their customer service responses.

Yes, supply chain issues really are hitting smaller brands. I'm experiencing similar issues while prototyping cargobike manufacturing here in the UK on a far smaller scale than Bowman and only relying on Shimano for internal hub gears. Everything else is UK made, yet huge issues still arise as bigger brands call the shots over the minnows like myself.

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Compositepro replied to Owd Big 'Ead | 3 years ago
3 likes

im sorry but this has been coming for a long time we offered years ago ourt services making frames right here in the UK and plenty of people payed it lip service , and trotted off back to taiwan where things were cheap and cheerful

of late we have been manufacturing plenty , costs have risen slightly through brexit but on the whole manufacturing in the UK is working well for batch production

the problem with the bike industry is no one wants to pay the going engineering rate 

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Owd Big 'Ead replied to Compositepro | 3 years ago
1 like

Exactly.
Yet people think nothing about jumping on a plane to fly half way round the world when Taiwan manufacturers start making mistakes, which they do regularly.
Design, prototype, test, redesign and manufacture is perfectly feasible in the UK
if thought through properly and costed accordingly.
There's definitely a market for genuine British made products.

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Sriracha replied to Owd Big 'Ead | 3 years ago
0 likes

Ah, but "designed", or even "engineered" in Britain 🇬🇧 is the label prominent on the seat tube on most of these frames - so the responsibility for design and "engineering" mistakes rests here. "Made in China" is hidden under the BB, and seldom mentioned.

For example, my frame cracked at the seat stay joint with the seat tube. Poor manufacture, possibly? Or was it brought on by the fashionable omission of a seat stay bridge, in the name of "compliance" (aka cyclical bending, which ain't great in aluminium).

(For the avoidance of doubt, it wasn't a Bowman frame)

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open_roads | 3 years ago
8 likes

Emailing customers costs nothing but time - there's no excuse for this.

It would also be good to see an explanation for the problems reported by some customers who received noble branded wheelsets that noble themselves have reportedly said are not their product / not items they supplied.

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