Bicycles in top-level condition with maintenance

Bike & Sport Service from Imatra is a shared dream of two friends

On Jutinkatu in Imatra, you will find a bike service shop that combines a passion for cycling, industrial expertise and a genuine desire to serve customers. Behind Bike & Sport Service are Juha Korpinen and Sauli Hanski from Imatra . Imatra Region Development Company KEHY has been involved in their business story from the beginning.

Juha and Sauli have known each other since childhood and share the same interest in mountain biking. Their common background is also evident in how the duo works in their everyday lives today: decisions are made together and responsibilities are divided naturally.

Through decades of shared hobbies, shared race trips, and suitable work experience, something was created that had never existed in South Karelia before: a professional specialized service shop for cyclists.

– We have both been mountain biking for a long time and have even competed in enduro. When you have spent years taking your own bikes apart and repairing your friends' equipment, you gain practical knowledge in a completely different way than by reading a book, Juha describes.

It all started in the corona spring of 2020, when Juha started doing bike maintenance on a side job in his own garage. Friends came to him with bikes to be serviced, his reputation began to grow, and soon the opportunity to work as a subcontractor for a local sports shop opened up. That job needed some extra help, which is when Sauli stepped into the picture.

– The idea then slowly matured. In the summer of 2022, we were cycling in Italy, and the matter came up there, and then we decided to start a joint company, Sauli recalls.

From industrialists to bicycle maintenance professionals

Neither had a background as a bicycle salesman or any training. Instead, they had something else: decades of accumulated mechanical expertise in the metal industry, CNC machining, and maintenance work.

– Knowledge of mechanics is a really important part of this job. For example, servicing shock absorbers is very similar to hydraulics in industry. This is just maybe a little more sophisticated mechanics, Korpinen laughs.

– Everything is self-taught. But when you've been practicing the sport and holding tools in your hands for twenty years, the foundation is completely different than when you start from scratch, Hanski adds.

This year, Bike & Sport Service reached an important milestone: official Shimano Service Center status. Shimano is the world's largest manufacturer of bicycle components, and its service license requires extensive training and passing strict requirements.

There are currently around 30 official Shimano Service Center bicycle service and dealers in Finland.

Transparency and genuine customer service set us apart from the rest

At the Jutinkatu location, customers have a direct view of the maintenance facilities. This is no coincidence.
– We don't go into some hidden basement to repair a bike. The customer can see for themselves what is being done and under what conditions. I think that's a guarantee of quality, says Sauli.

During the service, they always go over what was done and why – and give tips on how to maintain the bike at home. The duo says they tell the customer directly if they notice something wrong with their bike.

– Many people don't even know what maintaining a bike really requires. We want the customer to leave here wiser and more knowledgeable, and not just with a big bill paid, Juha emphasizes.
Every customer is equally important to entrepreneurs, whether it's a twenty-year-old city bike or a newly purchased, super cool mountain bike.

During the season, bikes are brought in for maintenance every week, problems with which could have been prevented at home. The men have seen all the classic mistakes.

– By far the most common problem is the wrong chemicals. People think that you maintain a bike by spraying something here and there, and the end result is usually a disaster, Korpinen says.

Chain greasing is a particular stumbling block. Heavy industrial greases are not suitable for bicycles, and on the other hand, hinge oils, for example, are not good either. The mistake is often one of two extremes: either too much oil or not at all.

– There are a lot of moving parts on a bike that need to be lubricated and oiled correctly. However, it's not complicated once you learn how to do it, Hanski says.

Sharing knowledge is part of Bike & Sport Service's service philosophy. That's why the company has organized and will continue to organize open maintenance courses.

Last fall, an evening event was held for women, where they learned basic practical skills: how to oil chains and, for example, how to get home if a tire goes flat during a run.

– About a dozen people participated in the event, and we received good feedback, Juha recalls.

More courses are planned, and they will be announced on the company's social media channels.

KEHY provided space, information and support for growth

The Imatra Region Development Company and its business expert Jani Saajanlehto have been an important support behind Bike & Sport Service's growth story.

– We visited KEHY even before the company was officially founded. We exchanged emails and received instructions. That was really important, as neither of us knew anything about running a limited company, Juha admits.

When the company grew from a garage into proper business premises, KEHY was again involved. The current premises on Jutinkatu were found with the help of KEHY. The support has been particularly concrete in applying for LEADER funding. It has been used to purchase equipment that makes maintenance faster and of higher quality – including a 3D printer that can be used to manufacture the necessary parts and special tools yourself.

– Without KEHY and LEADER support, these investments would not have been possible. Special thanks also go to the LEADER expert who helped with the application process. It was quite a task to fill out those papers, Sauli laughs.

Saajanlehto has followed the duo's efforts with satisfaction.
– Juha and Sauli are strong personalities and experts, and it shows in the results. They have built their business with genuine professionalism and an honest attitude. It is easy to support such entrepreneurs, says Jani.

KEHY's ​​business advice is free of charge, and you shouldn't be shy about asking for advice. You don't have to search and figure everything out yourself when free and expert support is available nearby. KEHY operates in Imatra, Ruokolahti, Rautjärvi and Parikkala.

What has entrepreneurship taught you?

The duo transitioned into entrepreneurship from industrial employment, and neither had specifically planned a career in customer service. The journey has taught them a lot.

– I thought I wouldn't be suitable for customer service work at all. I was wrong. That was probably the biggest surprise for me in this whole thing, Sauli admits.

Juha, on the other hand, has experienced that entrepreneurship brings a completely new sense of meaning.

– When you do it for your own company, it's a completely different story. The feedback comes immediately and directly: the customer is either satisfied or not. In industry, I did maintenance work, meaning I made sure that the equipment worked, and I rarely heard feedback about it personally. Here, the feedback is visible and felt every day.

The duo's partnership has also proven to be a strength that was not anticipated in advance.

– I'm surprised at how well our thoughts converge in the end. I've never really had to argue about anything. Although sometimes my nerves get tense, it's usually just because I'm in a hurry, and not because of anything else, Sauli says.

The employee bicycle benefit was eliminated – what did that mean for the market?

Last year's legal reform brought setbacks to the young company: the elimination of the tax exemption for employee bicycles provided by employers significantly weakened demand for electric bicycles. Bike & Sport Service noticed this directly in the customer flow.

– Last summer was clearly a time of waiting, and no one really made any purchasing decisions. When the decision on the legal change was finally made in the autumn, this summer has been a completely different atmosphere, Korpinen says.

Entrepreneurs also see the other side of the story. During the golden age of the benefit, many bikes ended up in use without buyers being fully familiarized with them.

– Four-ton electric mountain bikes were bought online, and no one told them what maintenance on such a mobility device required. With such devices, customers are often surprised by how much maintenance costs.

– You always get that information in advance when buying a bike from Kivijala, Hanski reminds.

The public health perspective also weighs heavily on the minds of athletic men.

– I know a lot of people in the industry who hadn't been on the move in thirty years. They bought an electric bike and have now been riding it for three and a half summers. The health benefits are hard to quantify in money, but they are real, the duo muses.

At the Saimaa Cycle Tour, the company lives up to its sport

The Saimaa Cycle Tour was held again in Imatra on the second weekend of July. This was the sixth time the event was held – Bike & Sport Service has been involved every year.

Saimaa Cycle Tour is Finland's largest cycling event, where cyclists cycle through the lake landscapes of Lake Saimaa on routes of varying lengths, with the start and finish located in Imatra. The event is not a competition, although each participant receives an official time for their performance. The international event attracts thousands of participants from dozens of different countries every year, which is why the Saimaa Cycle Tour is also a natural place for Korpinen and Hanski to be seen.

– This year we were participating in a 300-kilometer race, which had been a dream for a long time. The weather was excellent and we rode the route with our own, good group. The night on the road went really well, we had a three-stop tactic, i.e. stops in Savitaipale, Mikkeli and Pistohiekka, Juha explains.

– We set off at ten in the evening and were at the finish line before eight in the morning. Our group's average speed was 34,6 kilometers per hour, adds Sauli.

The duo has previously participated in the event by servicing other people's bikes and riding shorter routes. For the men, the Saimaa Cycle Tour is more than just a marketing platform – it's a testament to the fact that entrepreneurs really live for the sport they serve.

The number of brick-and-mortar bike shops in city centers in South Karelia has decreased in recent years. Bike & Sport Service wants to move in the opposite direction.

– We want to do our part to revitalize Imatra. Cycling is a growing trend, and hopefully it will remain that way. It means jobs for us and good services for the residents, Juha summarizes.

The duo promises to solve all customers' problems with the same enthusiasm, regardless of the size of the problem.

– It's a matter of honor to get things done. Challenges are interesting and problems are wanted to be solved. Sometimes it's nice to do basic maintenance, but sometimes it's nice when something more special comes up, Juha and Sauli say.

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