SANTAFIXIE, the leading online store for Urban Cycling
We love discovering the stories behind well-established projects, as they help us appreciate and understand their essence. That’s why today, we’re going to talk about Santafixie.
In their case, everything began in 2010, in London. One of its founders was living there and realised that, despite the city’s high-quality public transport, it was also expensive. For this reason, many Londoners opted to get around by bike to save both time and money.
At the start of the decade, a particular type of bicycle was beginning to gain popularity in the English capital: fixies, or single-speed bikes. These lightweight, minimalist bicycles had no gears or brakes, were affordable, and, most importantly, were perfect for urban commuting.
After this discovery, the founder decided to return to Barcelona and meet with Txampa, co-founder and current CEO. Following that meeting, they made the decision to replicate in Barcelona what had already become a trend in London. So, they initially set out to create a project focused on selling fixie bikes online, as no one else was doing it at the time, and it was clear there was a niche market.
In this first phase, they decided to purchase 30 bikes and put them up for sale through a very basic website. What happened next came as a double surprise—not only did they sell all of them, but they did so in a relatively short period of time.
Following this revelation, they realised their idea had a future. That was when they decided to create a more professional and visually refined website to grow and expand their range of bicycles.
This is how, in 2011—one year after their London epiphany—Santafixie was born, becoming the first online store specialising in urban cycling bikes, components, and accessories.
Today, after 13 years on the road, they are not only a benchmark in the sector but also boast a team of 18 people, have their own workshop in Barcelona—where their mechanics hand-assemble all bicycles and wheels—sell in over 50 countries (with France, England, and Germany being their strongest markets), serve more than 100,000 customers, and generate around 3 million euros in annual revenue.
“We are 100% urban cycling, and we set ourselves apart by exclusively selling top-tier brands like Dosnoventa.”
Multiproduct e-commerce, Santafixie brand and exclusive brands
As you’ll see, Santafixie offers a wide range of high-quality urban cycling accessories, components, and bicycles—including fixies and single-speed bikes—at highly competitive prices. Many of them have a single cog, but they also offer various options with gears, mudguards, and bicycles in classic, retro, modern, and sporty styles.
In addition to designing, manufacturing, and selling bicycles, accessories, and cycling gear, they also offer a broad selection of Santafixie cycling apparel alongside other brands.
Although Santafixie initially started as a multiproduct e-commerce platform, in 2017, they decided to launch their own bicycle brand. Their first model was named Raval, which remains available today, followed by Born, which has since evolved and been rebranded as Wild.
“Urban bicycles are eco-friendly, affordable, lightweight, help keep you fit, and are easy to repair.”
And while, as Txampa and Ángel (Marketing & Traffic Manager) assure us, the journey hasn’t been easy—having changed the manufacturing process, paintwork, and frames multiple times—they are now pleased with the production chain they have built: the bicycle frames are sourced from Asia, then sent to Portugal, where they are painted in a small town in the south of Aveiro, and finally, the wheels are hand-assembled in their own workshop/warehouse in Barcelona.
One of their key differentiators is that their online catalogue features over 10,000 products and more than 300 brands, some of which they sell exclusively, including Dosnoventa, Affinity, Bivo, Unknown, Courage, YNOT, Halo, and Chrome Industries.
Advantages of fixie bikes
1. Low maintenance – No gears mean minimal upkeep.
2. Better transmission efficiency – Thanks to a shorter, perfectly straight chain.
3. Simplicity – Ideal for flat terrain and short commutes.
4. Ease of use – Pedal forward to go forward, pedal backwards to go backwards, pedal faster to speed up, and slow down by reducing pedalling speed.
5. Control – Your legs act as both accelerator and brake.
6. Improves cadence – The fixed cog forces a high cadence as speed increases. Given their lightweight and agile design, they pick up speed quickly.
7. Engages more muscles – Uses a greater number of muscle groups compared to riding a conventional bicycle.
8. Enhances strength – Not just in the lower body but also in the upper body, as the absence of gears requires bursts of power, involving the core and arms in grip and dynamic traction.
9. Efficient workout – Thirty minutes on a fixie is almost as effective as an hour on a standard bike.
10. Enhances bike handling skills – Improves balance, reaction time, reflexes, instincts, and other essential cycling abilities, as riding a fixie requires full concentration.
11. Perfect for city riding – The lack of gears makes them less attractive to bike thieves.
12. Affordable for all – Prices range from just over €200 for entry-level models to around €1,000 for high-end options.
A multi-content strategy: high-quality and educational
Santafixie is the leading online store in the sector, but what’s interesting is that it’s also a go-to website for information on urban cycling. In other words, whether you need to learn how to fix something on your bike or how to spray-paint a frame, among many other things, Santafixie has you covered. Through their five blogs in Spanish, English, French, German, and Dutch, they share highly practical and educational content—definitely worth checking out.
They also boast a large and loyal community of followers. In most of their key markets, their main acquisition channel is SEO, which accounts for 40% to 55% of their traffic. Additionally, they engage in various initiatives, such as sponsoring FavelaFrama, a cycling team from Barcelona, as well as fixed-gear racing events like Skid To Hell (Czech Republic) and Bulla (Seville).
“One of our key differentiators is that our online catalogue features over 10,000 products and more than 300 brands.”
As if that weren’t enough, they also have a Santafixie ambassador network—a group of passionate brand advocates who regularly ride their bikes and have become natural promoters. Some of their ambassadors include Pauline Perrine, Juliett, Fixed Gear Cult, Injuring Eternity, Christine Geiger, and Tarmac Slapper.
Ultimately, Santafixie is one of those brands that truly captivates us because they seamlessly combine practical benefits that make life easier with great service and exceptional design, which is evident in the aesthetic appeal of their products. Plus, they bring together everything you need in one online space to enhance your cycling experience. What else?
You can also follow them on Instagram and YouTube.
(*) Photos: CC/magazine.
