For the love of Ain Bicycles
In an era prime for start-ups and innovation, energized entrepreneurs with smart and great ideas are always worth watching. We recently met with the duo behind Ain Bicycles, Karim Abdullah and Dirk Wanrooij, who identified a need in the market and worked to fulfill it. It is the simplest idea combined with the ultimate coolness: a custom-made bicycle. Customers can select the color and type of frame; add a Dutch wicker basket, beautiful locally-made leather grips for the handlebars, and many more accessories and personalizing details. Once you have the right bicycle, you wouldn’t want anything else.
The duo conceived of the idea for the startup in 2012 when they met through friends in Cairo. Karim, who enjoys long rides in Wadi Degla, had always had a love for bicycles; his love of cycling took him to Canada where he enrolled in a course on bicycle maintenance. Dirk had been studying Arabic in Cairo, and moved around on a bicycle which eventually broke, and he couldn’t get it fixed. He brought one back to Cairo with him on a trip home to The Netherlands, and wanted to develop making bicycles further.
The goal behind Ain Bicycles is to help accustom Egyptians to using bicycles daily to beat traffic with the use of the famous slogan #beattheza7ma.
The shop is located in the cultural hub Darb 1718, where their workshop is also located. To date they have sold over 200 bicycles, and it’s now becoming the ‘must have’ item. You could probably spot Ain Bicycles in most compounds and in Zamalek, where they have taken over the roads.
Age range: 15 year olds to adults
Delivery:: Approximately a month
How to order: Put a query through to their Facebook page, and set up an appointment to select the different options and components you would like to add.
