Young Homegrown Brand Is Riding the Momentum
Anyone who has spent time in an Indian city knows that getting around is equal parts strategy and survival instinct. Between stalled traffic, rising fuel costs and an explosion of short-distance travel needs, residents are rethinking the way they move. And in this churn, cycling is slipping back into relevance in ways that feel both unexpected and overdue.
At the centre of this shift is Avitree - a young mobility company that turned four this year, steadily building a presence across nineteen states and earning a mention in Forbes India presents DGEMS 2025 - The Select 200. But the real story isn't the award. It's how the brand has embedded itself into the everyday reality of India's urban sprawl.
The Five-Kilometre Problem
A big chunk of city travel is under five kilometres. Too far to walk comfortably, too short for cabs to be practical, too frustrating for bikes stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic. For years this distance was a dead zone. Now it's becoming cycling's sweet spot.
The company's early bet was that a comfortable, lightweight alloy cycle could turn these short hops into something people might actually look forward to. The design challenge wasn't performance. It was ease.
Why the Timing Works
Several forces are nudging cycling forward:
⢠Traffic in major metros has risen up to 22 per cent over pre-2020 levels
⢠Fuel prices remain volatile
⢠Fitness adoption in young adults has grown steadily since 2022
⢠Schools and offices are encouraging hybrid travel
⢠Short-distance delivery workers are exploring healthier and greener alternatives
Some cities have even experimented with pop-up cycling lanes, showing a rising interest in non-motorised mobility.
Against this backdrop, the brand expanded its network, developed community riding programmes and started preparing e-mobility options targeted at office-goers and students.
The brand's upcoming e-cycles tap into the demand by offering assisted riding without taking away the feeling of effort. It's designed for those who want to move quickly without motorising everything.
"Cities can overwhelm you if you let them. A lot of people pick up a cycle simply because it gives them ten quiet minutes to themselves. That small sense of control along with a greener option is what keeps them coming back", says Abheenandan Bhansali, Founder of Avitree and Managing Partner at Bhansali Bizgrow LLP
Where the Wheels Go Next
The mention in a prestigious global industry forum adds a layer of external validation, especially as the company begins to receive demand from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, the United States, South Africa and parts of Europe.
"We build in Bharat, but our expansion shows the products aren't limited by geography. As we enter new countries, the goal is simple. Deliver the same experience everywhere and let the product speak for itself." Bhansali adds.
From hereon, the next phase is tuned to the everyday rider rather than the elite cyclist. Priorities include:
⢠expanding e-cycles for short-distance commuters
⢠setting up denser service touchpoints in metros
⢠improving ride comfort for uneven city roads
⢠strengthening after-sales support
⢠scaling community rides for schools and workplaces
⢠growing carefully into global markets showing early interest
None of this is about making cycling fashionable. It's about making it workable.
A Culture Finding Its Pace
Cycling in India may never become the dominant form of transport. But it doesn't need to. It only needs to become normal again.
And as more urban riders rediscover the simplicity of two wheels, this four-year-old Indian brand is positioning itself right where the shift is happening: in the chaos, convenience and little everyday choices that define life in the city.
