Some thoughts on Black Friday

We’re an outdoor company, ultimately.

We believe that spending time outdoors, on your bike, is one of life’s great pleasures.

It’s also a privilege, and one that is at risk for future generations as a climate crisis envelops us.

What sort of company would we be if, presented with the overwhelming evidence that mass consumption and a throwaway approach to retail is contributing massively to the deterioration of our planet, we decided to ignore it?

Statistics estimate that in the UK alone, £5.6 billion will be spent on Black Friday, with 42% of adults contributing to this.

The environmental impact of this activity is alarming.

Huge spikes in delivery vehicles on the road, increased waste levels from items that have been purchased for the price saving and not because the customer really needed or wanted the item, not to mention the vast carbon footprint caused by this increased production each year.

Black Friday is only a small part of a much bigger problem. But it’s endemic of that problem, and things have got to change.

We’re only a tiny brand. But we do want to try and do the right thing. (We’ve updated our About page with some of the steps we’re taking, here.)

Things aren’t going to change overnight, but they won’t change at all if no one takes a stand and does the right thing, not the easy thing.

A sale on Black Friday is the easy thing, not the right thing.

So instead, we’re using Friday as an opportunity to announce that we’ll be introducing free repairs on Albion gear, for life.

When you purchase a product from us, it will now come with a commitment that if it gets damaged, we’ll do what we can, within reason, to fix it for you.

You can find out more about our repairs service here, or by emailing repairs@albioncycling.com.

We want to make the best products we can, and for those products to last, and to be loved by their owners.

Offering free repairs is our commitment to that ideal.

Thanks for the continued support for what we are trying to do at Albion.