To give up a successful business in medical industry, and start up a store that sells premium bicycles instead would have been considered madness, especially 4 years ago. Yet, that’s exactly what Vidur S Thakar did, much to the initial concern of his family and friends. Cycling was not yet the popular pastime it is today, and there were times when good friends and well wishers asked Vidur and his partner Prasad Shaligram if they’d done the right thing. However, the fact that they were building a business revolving around their passion kept them going, and today Pro Sports and Bikes is going from strength to strength in its stronghold of Pune. From modest beginnings, operating out of their residential garage at Prabhat Road, Vidur and Prasad expanded horizons and inducted long time friend Amar Barwe into partnership who helped set up the brand’s second store at Aundh, also in Pune.
As Pro Sports and Bikes grew, the partners faced many challenges, and it was only their commitment to the sport that drew the partners together and helped them to commit over and over to the business. One such instance was right at the beginning of the journey, when in order to become dealers to top brands, Vidur and Prasad had to show the brands Pro Sports and Bikes’ retail facilities and showroom. Vidur says “I remember, when we went to Scott offering to become dealers, they wanted photographs of the “showroom”, we just had a small space carved out of our residential garage to show.
Our only USPs were our business acumen and more importantly our earnestness which must have appealed to the guys at Scott. They gambled with our potential and we got the dealership. Standing today, I can proudly and confidently say that the brand and us, both are glad that Pro Sports and Bikes got the deal!”
Prasad heads the technical side of the business, manning the garage at the Prabhat Road Store. He’s faced his own challenges when it comes to product delivery and servicing. One of the biggest challenges for him was educating the market on the product and what to expect from a premium brand and range. However, he believes they entered the market at the right time and have grown along with the evolution of the market. Prasad says, “Today’s customers are far more aware of the product and how to integrate it with their lifestyles than those 4-5 years ago, and we’re proud to be a part of that journey”.
One of the other learning curves that the business had to experience was of product and delivery learning and to get the right set of people, who would feel as passionate about the business as the partners do.This was always a challenge. However, what was more important was that everyone associated with Pro Sports and Bikes became an expert in their field.So, the team has drawn upon its extensive network within the cycling community. For example, the Pro Sports and Bikes team has been trained by some of the biggest manufacturing brands like Scott and Merida, and today Pro Sports and Bikes can offer servicing and tune-ups to not just our own clients but also to cyclists who own other bicycle brands.
As the market has evolved, Pro Sports and Bikes has moved along with it. Right from introducing new brands, to introducing best practices in sales – Pro Sports and Bikes is one of the few retailers in the Pune market who evaluate your lifestyle and needs before recommending a cycle.
Amar quips, “For us business is not just about how many cycles we sell or what is our relative position amongst the dealers at our brands. We will never be in that race. However, not surprisingly, our approach towards business has ensured we have ticked all the right boxes – both for our customers as well as for the brands. For us, it’s important to strike the right conversation with anybody keen on purchasing a cycle. We try to understand the need and the experience of the person and then suggest the right kind of cycle.”
The cycling community in Pune has blossomed and Pro Sports and Bikes is at the heart of it. Prasad adds, “Apart from being bikers ourselves, we also try to ensure that we organize meets, rides and events that will help grow the biking network. We’re also connected in some way or the other with the cycling events that happen across Maharashtra, and in many cases, across the country. It helps us stay connected with the community, who are the nerve center of Pro Sports and Bikes”.
This is evident from the long list of satisfied customers, who have been visiting Pro Sports and Bikes’ stores sever since we’ve been in the market. Pro Sports and Bikes has relied on this goodwill and word of mouth publicity, which have been the brand’s strongest marketing proponents.
Today, Pro Sports and Bikes is looking to the future. Vidur says confidently, “We don’t think of ourselves restricted to being only retailers of bicycles, we believe that we are a service organization. This means that we’re keen to continually connect with consumers for what they want and need, we’re always enhancing our service and support structure, and we’re extending ourselves to truly make bicycling a part of the active Puneri life.”
For us at Pro Sports and Bikes, the beginning has been fruitful. Horizons are always large, and there may be a Pro Sports and Bikes store in other cities in Maharashtra and beyond some day. Now that’s something to look forward to!
prosportsandbikes 
Very well written. Proud to be associated with PSB for last 3 years.
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It was good to read about your journey 😊. I am a happy customer, and those whom I recommended PSB are happy customers as well 😊 Hope to see PSB explore the horizons in the coming years . Would have loved to read something about mahendra and his pic in the blog 😊
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Dear Prasad Vidur and Amar
Congratulations on your new setup in aundh. I wish you all the best and wish you a great sucess
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