PENDLR-nieuwsSamenwerking
For the 70th anniversary of Kruitbosch, we visited Jan van Dalfsen from Rijwielhuis van Dalfsen. Jan is a well-known name in the region and has been running his family business with heart and soul for many years. As a child, he already went along with his father to Kruitbosch to pick up parts, so the collaboration literally goes back to his earliest memories.
Much has changed since then. At the end of 2023, Kruitbosch’s wholesale branch continued under a new name: PENDLR. The trusted people, service, and products remained, but with a fresh identity and a forward-looking direction. In an open conversation, he talks about his early years in the business, developments in the industry, and the close relationship he has built over the years with Kruitbosch, and now with PENDLR.
From school desks to the workshop
Jan joined his father’s business at a young age.
"I was seventeen, had just finished high school, and immediately started working in the shop. We took over a store in Hasselt, and my brother went there. I stayed in Genemuiden."
At first, father and son worked together as a duo, until things got busier and the staff started to grow.
The store was still in a building that was later renovated.
"In 2022, we completely rebuilt it. Everything was torn down – it literally became one big hole. After that, we created a modern, spacious store, including an upstairs floor with bicycles – clearly visible from the entrance, exactly how I wanted it."
A childhood among bicycle parts
The collaboration with Kruitbosch goes back to Jan van Dalfsen’s childhood.
"I’ve never known it any other way than being a customer at Kruitbosch," he says. "In the past, my father drove to Zwolle himself to collect parts. Sometimes my brother and I were allowed to come along, even before school."
There was also the sales representative who visited every two weeks.
"An older man, always with a box of sweets in his car. When he came on a Wednesday afternoon, just when we were free from school, we knew: today we’ll get a sweet. You never forget that."
From an early age, Jan became familiar with the people, the warehouse, and Kruitbosch’s way of working.
"That involvement and recognition made it personal. It laid the foundation for the strong collaboration that still exists today with PENDLR."
A true family business
The love for the craft runs deep, as does the appreciation for the family business.
"My father started in the 1960s with bicycles and sewing machines. He came from a bulb grower’s family but was more drawn to technology. Entrepreneurship runs in our family."
Today, Jan’s son Robert also works in the business.
"I love that. You are involved in everything. It makes the work varied and engaging."
Growing together with Kruitbosch and PENDLR
The relationship between Rijwielhuis van Dalfsen and Kruitbosch, now PENDLR, is not only long-standing but also strong in substance. For Jan, the collaboration has always felt natural and self-evident.
"PENDLR’s range fits perfectly with our store and our customers. We mainly focus on the everyday cyclist, not racing bikes or mountain bikes, but solid city bikes and electric models. And at Kruitbosch, I always find exactly what I need."
But it’s not just about products.
"The personal contact really makes the difference for me," Jan explains. "You knew the people on the phone, you knew who was walking around the warehouse, and if something came up, it was solved right away. Those short lines gave confidence. Over the years that has changed somewhat, the organization has become larger, but the good relationship thankfully remained."
From sewing machines to e-bikes
The industry has changed enormously over the years.
"In my early years, mountain bikes emerged, and now electric is dominant. Currently, about 65% of our sales are electric. It happened gradually, but now it’s indispensable. Even young people ride them to school."
Still, Jan remains down-to-earth about the growth.
"I never had the ambition to grow bigger at all costs. But when my colleague in the area quit, it got busier here. I took the opportunity. Now we work with a team of five, and the building is already almost too small."
The strength of family businesses
When asked about the secret of long-term entrepreneurship and collaboration, Jan answers without hesitation:
"Family businesses have an extra drive. You feel a responsibility towards previous and next generations. You see that at Kruitbosch and PENDLR as well. There are people with true passion for their work. That creates trust, for seventy years already."
