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Ground-Effect in Sports Directory

 

Ground Effect was conceived in the early nineties – the precise moment somewhat lost in a fug of Guinness, the preferred creative catalyst at that time. It was founded amidst varying degrees of frustration with our salaried lives. Like many, we aspired to create a work environment that better matched our own values. Mountain biking and cycle touring had long been our collective passions, so of all the business ideas we brainstormed it was perhaps inevitable that cycling would sneak into the mix. We saw an opportunity to make cycling and cycle clothing less serious – more fun, like surfing with big baggy shorts n all. Think back to last century. Mountain biking was well-established with a huge following, but no identity. Clothing options were limited to roady-strip or ‘polypro’ outdoor clobber. Our premise was to create cycle clothes from technical fabrics, that werent necessarily shiny or body hugging, nor made you look like a mobile billboard… and didnt cost an arm and both legs. A novel concept back in 1994. Direct selling appealed to us. At a personal level we liked the idea of quenching our needs without the drama of going shopping. We rationalised that as a customer nothing could beat dealing with the people who actually design and make the gear youre buying: the good oil comes straight from the horse; your feedback goes back directly to the designer; and prices are sharper with no additional links in the chain. Youd get a lot of bang for your buck with top shelf quality at real world prices. Mail order suffered a bad rap for its tradition of slack service. By our calculations it could and should be more convenient than visiting a shop. Our best anecdote is from an Auckland customer who phoned just prior to 5pm and received their gear, along with the Herald, the next morning before work. Sweet. Its often suggested that our left-of-centre product names are generated by mind-altering substances. If only. The initial tone was set on a grim winter trip to Central Otago. We had just purchased Big Blue, the 1964 EH Holden Special. Within an hour of leaving Christchurch it became apparent that the heater was kaput. The quarter-lights had to be reversed to demist the windscreen. We all froze. At Naseby, the campground caretakers declared us crazy for choosing to tent. The curling season had opened. The riding was frosty and fast. We moved on to Middlemarch. Ice coated the inside of the windows as Big Blue descended into the permafrost. All were clad in down jackets, sleeping bags, and expedition-style mitts. ‘I Spy’ and ‘Number Plates’ weren’t grunty enough diversions, and were soon supplanted by product name-storming. Helter Skelters, Daddy Long Legs and Black Mambas all emerged from that road trip. Saving the world has a nice ring to it. However our expectations in that area have always far exceeded our efforts, skills and achievements. Yet it feels right to be involved in the business of cycling - encouraging and enabling people to ride bikes. Bicycles deliver so much good for our society: as a recreation they get us outside and keep us fit; as transport they counter the trends of increased congestion and energy consumption. Advocacy has been integral to Ground Effect since the start. Our ‘Slush Fund delivers cold cash to worthy projects. Steve is involved with ‘cycling as transport’ issues and Guy with mountain bike access. The lengthy fight to regain mountain bike access to the Heaphy has always been close to Ground Effect’s heart. Quite possibly the best 10th birthday reward for us has been the NZ Conservation Authoritys preliminary decision to allow mountain bike access on selected tracks in National Parks. Finding the balance between work and play is a personal thing. Our objective was to create a business that was inherently stimulating, but would also let us recreate, a lot! There have been oodles of great cycle trips over the decade: the three of us scored two weeks mountain biking in Idaho; Steve has cycled Europe and Australia several times; ditto for Frase (with kids bundled up in their little trailer), plus a month in Colorado; Guy cycle toured in France, took his mountain bike to South America and Colorado, and completed the first off-road mountain bike traverse of the South Island along with Joe Arts and Dave Mitchell. Dave of course is a mountain bike original, acclaimed photographer and child labour broker. Ground Effect catalogues and his images are synonymous. Given Dave’s pagan predilections, it seemed amusing to land him with the Rev moniker. No one ever complained about our irreverent Reverend but we did have some confusing correspondence with those who thought Dave’s day job did actually involve confession and chalice. Ground Effect has been fortunate to receive the odd accolade for its achievements over the years. It always feels good when someone says or writes something nice about the brand. It is our belief that it takes as much good luck as good skills to create an enduring business. Statistics are certainly stacked against you when embarking on a new venture. What really gives us a buzz though is that the three of us started out as good mates, and a decade later were still as tight as ever.

 

Telephone: 64 3 379 9174
Website: http://www.groundeffect.co.nz/