Ekoi

Ekoï is a cycling equipment manufacturer, founded in the famous cycling town of Roubaix in 2001. The company specialises in eyewear and helmets but also offers other product ranges, including clothing and footwear, across four disciplines.

History

Founded by Jean-Christophe Rattel, the French company launched in 2001 to stand out and reach an international market of cyclists. For the first few years, Ekoï sold its products through wholesalers and major sports retailers. The company quickly gained popularity thanks to its value-for-money equipment.

In 2008, Ekoï launched its website to sell products directly to French and Belgian consumers. The success of this decision was clear to see within the space of two years as Ekoï made the plunge to go fully digital in 2010. The company’s move to sell only via the internet, aided also by an ever-growing range of products used by the world’s top pro riders, helped to rapidly accelerate its development - going from €500,000 to €1 million in turnover during those two years.

With its increased popularity and demand for Ekoï products, the company upped sticks from Roubaix and moved south to Fréjus on the Côte d'Azur. Around the same time, Rattel sold a minority stake in the business’s capital to a group of investors.

During the 2010s, pro riders such as Philippe Gilbert, Jean-Christophe Peraud, Fabio Aru, Romain Bardet, Julian Alaphilippe and Elia Viviani all used Ekoï products at some of the world’s top races.

By 2019, bought back the 17% he had sold to once again own 100% of the Ekoï brand. Less than a year later and Ekoï moved into larger premises in Fréjus, with 1,200m sq. of storage space and a large showroom that attracts 6,000 customers each year.

Trocadero Capital Partners acquired 25% of Ekoï’s capital in April 2021 with the company then beginning work to construct a new 2,800m sq. storage warehouse to offer even more workspace in 2023.

Key Moments

2008 - Ekoï goes viral

Ekoï’s launch of its website in the late 2000s paved the way for the company to take off as the digital retail age arrived. In the space of two years, the company’s turnover doubled.

2010 - Ekoï becomes web-only

Buoyed by the success in the first two years since its website launched, Ekoï moved away from selling through wholesalers and major sports chains to become a web-only company in 2010.

2023 - Expanding the Ekoï empire

The Coronavirus pandemic didn’t dent the brand’s aspirations too much, as it began construction of its second warehouse facility in Fréjus - three years after it expanded its original base in the town.

Ekoi's products

© Ekoi

Helmets: The Ekoï Gara is the company’s flagship road helmet, designed to provide protection, comfort, ventilation and all whilst remaining lightweight. It is the first helmet designed to protect against side impacts. The company also produce an AR aero helmet range and a highly-ventilated Legende model. Ekoï also produces helmets for off-road and time trialling.

Eyewear: Ekoï offers a broad range of cycling glasses, its Perso Evo and Ottimo ranges come in a range of colours, whilst it also offers photochromic and Bluetooth audio eyewear.

Footwear: Ekoï footwear range comprises mainly of its R4- Evo model which best suits long days on the bike and the R4-Light which balances lightweight design with a stiff structure.  Both models are available in a wide range of colours.

Clothing: The company’s clothing range comprises a wide range of products for men and women, from short sleeve jerseys and skinsuits to bibshorts and base layers.

Did you know?

Pro cycling

© Velo Collection / Getty Images

Current sponsorships: Arkéa-Samsic, Cofidis, Israel-Premier Tech, Lotto-Dstny, Team Burgos-BH, St Michel-Mavic-Auber93, Euskaltel Euskadi.

Highlights

• Philippe Gilbert, an Ekoï sponsored rider, won the 2012 World Championships road race in 2012. The Belgian, who wore Ekoï glasses for the majority of his career, also won editions of Paris-Roubaix (2019), Ronde van Vlaanderen (2017), Liège-Bastogne-Liège (2011), Amstel Gold Race (2010, 2011, 2014, 2017), La Flèche Wallonne (2011) and Strade Bianche (2011) among countless other major races whilst using Ekoï products.
• Brice Feillu won stage seven of the 2009 Tour de France, marking the first victory at Le Tour for a rider wearing an Ekoï helmet.
• Jean-Christophe Peraud finished as runner-up in the general classification at the 2014 Tour de France.
• Romain Bardet repeated the feat of his compatriot by finishing second in the 2016 edition of the Tour de France, picking up a stage win in the process too.
• Julian Alaphilippe had a remarkable year in 2018, taking four Vuelta a España stage wins and two Tour de France stages as well as the polka dot jersey. The Frenchman followed this up by winning Milan-Sanremo at the start of the following season.
• 2021 saw Ekoï riders pick up 68 victories across all disciplines. Most notable was Elia Viviani claiming the Elimination Race rainbow jersey at the World Track Championships.
• Ekoï sponsored teams picked up three stage victories at the 2023 Tour de France, with Victor Lafay delivering Cofidis their first Tour stage win since 2008. That was followed up by Israel-Premier Tech’s Michael Woods winning at the summit of the mythical Puy de Dôme. Ion Izagirre then delivered Cofidis another victory on stage 12.