Arvīds Borherts-Smiļģis has been in the field for more than a decade -- as a mechanic, as a trader, and as a cyclist. Five years ago, in Dobele, he opened his own workshop, but two years ago decided to offer bikes made to customer's choice of assembly and design - BS Bicycles.
“The bicycle market is quite vast. There is choice, but a lot repeats. People wanted something of their own, also athletes. I started alone. In the past, I was in a very small workshop where I was just making bikes. My wife boosted me more. She said I needed to go up, make something different, build something on the spot, in Latvia. So we chose diversity, and we started producing bicycles in a different way than we used to,” Arvīds said.
Some might say a new bike can't be invented. Arvīds has shown that there is a way around it. And people really like it - come and choose with their name, with flowers, with Latvian patterns.
Arvīds started alone, but now the team has grown to five people. “This year with COVID-19, we feared how it would be. However, it has proved that many no longer want public transport and choose cycling. The whole thing has been even better,” he said.
He added that Latvians abroad have particularly come to appreciate the bicycles with Latvian designs.