An Open Letter To Chain Reaction Cycles

Dicko888

Likes Dirt
I'm all for supporting the local bloke but if I can save money by going with CRC I will. Having said that, all my major purchases like suspension and brakes have been cheaper to buy off the LBS.
 

frensham

Likes Dirt
Lot's of emotion and little substance in this rant. One thing that irks me is the total lack of research and checking of facts. CRC are nor responsible for collecting import duties - that is the role of the Australian government. To say that CRC are actively avoiding paying import duty is utter BS. Ditto for GST. Check your facts Mr Holmes and next time leave the emotion on the desktop.

As for me I LOVE CRC! Without them I would not be riding the high quality roadie and MTB I have - I could never afford it if I paid Australian retail prices. By the way, I duly paid import duty and GST on this bike and still saved 40%.
 

Gripo

Eats Squid
This spiel has been around the internets for several weeks and is a very cringe worthy.....rather embarassing.
 

Sethius

Crashed out somewhere
Lot's of emotion and little substance in this rant. One thing that irks me is the total lack of research and checking of facts. CRC are nor responsible for collecting import duties - that is the role of the Australian government. To say that CRC are actively avoiding paying import duty is utter BS. Ditto for GST. Check your facts Mr Holmes and next time leave the emotion on the desktop.

As for me I LOVE CRC! Without them I would not be riding the high quality roadie and MTB I have - I could never afford it if I paid Australian retail prices. By the way, I duly paid import duty and GST on this bike and still saved 40%.
cant see the AUS model ever changing enough to ever compete with CRC, even selling direct its hard to compete for alot of guys etc the ease of ordering/shipment etc from there is just too easy. The hassle begins at the size of our market vs say USA's. The whole system is stuffed really, I can't see a spot for high end stuff surviving in the next few years.
 
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johnny

I'll tells ya!
Staff member
This discussion has been had about 100 times on this website and it is really quite ridiculous.

What Holmes is talking about is protectionism, pure and simple. He needs to do some research in to things like competition, globalisation and tax law. Because what he is basically saying is that we in Australia should pay a higher price for our stuff so he and other local players can keep their jobs. Pretty selfish stuff, really. I'd also be happy to bet that when Mr. Holmes does his tax each year he does as much as he can to minimise his liability. Only if he voluntarily pays a premium can he criticise others for not minimising their own liability.

I also second some of the comments below the letter, I've had some pretty horrid bike shop experiences and prefer to work on my own bike as much as I possibly can.
 

Capone

Likes Dirt
When will our shops set up the crc model once the Australian dollar reverts back to normal. they can sell to the US which would be positive to our economy as it will create jobs whilst also ensuring the stores survival
 

Delmar

Likes Dirt
What Holmes is talking about is protectionism, pure and simple. He needs to do some research in to things like competition, globalisation and tax law. Because what he is basically saying is that we in Australia should pay a higher price for our stuff so he and other local players can keep their jobs. Pretty selfish stuff, really.
Quoted for truth. I support my local sometimes, as i appreciate his support for the club (and that he has a family to feed). I knowingly pay a premium to do so. HOWEVER, most of my buying goes to CRC/wiggle, as the savings are simply too great. I'm an example of someone who rides vastly superior gear than would otherwise be possible if CRC didn't exist. I suspect I ride more as well, meaning the 'scene' has benefited from my access of CRC.
 

Hugor

Likes Dirt
Having just spent the last 2 years in the UK its quite clear how online stores like CRC, Evans, Wiggle and alike have basically killed the LBS.
Numbers are very diminished for such a bike fanatic population. Its very hard to get your bike repaired in less than 3 weeks. Most have a booking system.
Customer-LBS relationships are non existent - you're the same as the next bloke.
If you prefer to do all your bike maintenance yourself then sure save yourself a bit and buy this stuff online, but don't expect any shop to grant you any favours when your bike shits itself just before a long weekend, event or holiday that evolves around riding.
For me I look after my shop and they look after me.
Its very rare for them to take any more than a day to get me going again - they will usually fix things on the spot for me whilst I browse the shop.

Long live the LBS and I certainly hope the CRC model does not take off here.
I also wish the government would open their eyes and charge duty on all these online purchases.
Whilst I was in the UK my folks sent me a pair of ugg boots for Xmas and I got charged the equivalent of $80 in duty to pick them up.
 

mik_git

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Dunno what this guy is going to do soon...wiggle are opening up a store here and its a fair bet that crc will soon after that...
 

0psi

Eats Squid
I also second some of the comments below the letter, I've had some pretty horrid bike shop experiences and prefer to work on my own bike as much as I possibly can.
This. I've had some horrible experiences with LBS's and CRC/Wiggle is just easier and as a bonus, cheaper. I've even given supplier part numbers to an LBS, hell I've even checked SOH with the suppliers, all they had to do was order the damn thing and they can't even get that right. Having said that, after much searching I've got a decent LBS these days and prices aren't that far off CRC and even if they aren't I don't mind paying the extra as I know they look after me.

If my LBS can't get it I'll just order it online to save me the pain of having to deal with a bike shop in Sydney. It's pretty easy to point fingers and blame others for your problems but really you should start with a look in the mirror.
 

Aerosmith

Likes Bikes
As a new comer to MTB I have been suprised at the poor service from Melbourne bike shops, maybe I'm not one of the in crowd? For me its not even about the price, its just they lack the parts and dont seem bothered in getting them in or I suspect some of the problem is the distributors are not backing the shops in supplying what customers are after. I have now started buying online and have had no problems so far, though I do prefer to go into a shop.
 

moorey

call me Mia
My mate who owns a lbs buys his personal gear of crc. Cheaper for him than paying wholesale. Until distributors in oz deal with that, the lbs will continue to struggle to compete.
 

Alo661

Likes Bikes and Dirt
My mate who owns a lbs buys his personal gear of crc. Cheaper for him than paying wholesale. Until distributors in oz deal with that, the lbs will continue to struggle to compete.
Would have to admit to that to. It's actually cheaper to buy from Shimano Singapore than Shimano Australia....
 

SideFX

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Dead right , good on him screw CRC . A big part of his mag would be advertising if CRC advertised im shore AU shops would stop simply because they cant match prices . The problem is the Australian distributors . CRC only exists as a WW exporter because there is a market . CRC are in essence a middle man . Why do we the consumer buy form them , because there cheep . There is a market here in Aust , our $1 is worth something , we consume for 12 months of the year not 6 like the rest of the word . So why the hell do we pay such high prices in Australia . Shore our market it smaller but our consumption is very high . All retail industry needs to wake up in Australia and get online .
 
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fatboyonabike

Captain oblivious
its a catch 22 situation for the humble LBS. as profit margins tighten, so do wages!..the LBS of old had good guys that actually knew what a bike was, and more importantly how to build/repair and tune..now with those extra dollars gone to pay good mechanics and sales staff, all that is left are 14yo kids covered from head to toe in pro active (its cool, sam willoughby uses it) and busted ass old guys that could'nt get a job at big W, but they used to have a bike as a kid!, with neither of them any wiser than the next!.....Its a sad state of affairs, but its also a classic case of Adapt And Overcome!
We are nearly 13 years in, WELCOME TO THE 21ST CENTURY!
 

MARKL

Eats Squid
My head hurts from trying to follow the 'logic' in the open letter...sides hurt as well...

CRC are bastards for not collecting Australian taxes :crazy:So many companies on the otherside of the world collect Australian taxes just as Australian companies collect UK taxes...and clearly CRC set the $1,000 gst threshold for imported items...it is all their fault!

CRC are bastards for not supporting the local scene Well lets tell them to fuck off when they try to put money back into the local scene by advertising in my magazine....

CRC are bastards for giving Australian consumers choice and lower prices...this will end the local industry ...well more importantly the local distro's might stop sending me free schwag and I might have to pay for all my gear

CRC are bastards and will end my magazine


Really?:tinfoil3:
 
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Shredden

Knows his goats
Now, I will start this by saying that I dont like the effect that CRC has on local industry. I have worked in bike shops and seen people come in with a set of hope brakes that they bought for a ridiculously low price, tell us about how much cheaper they got them off CRC, ask us to cut the hoses and bleed, then get shitty when we charged them for our labour - I think thats fucked. You cant do that shit.

I dont think we can judge CRC for doing what they do either, because all they are doing is running a business, just as any other business owner does. It is unrealistic to expect them to not try to grow as much as possible - no business is going to self regulate like that, its not how business works. Its unreasonable and anyone in business would tell you so.

I have little economic knowledge, and I didnt read the article too thoroughly, but as Johnny said, calls for more tariffs are a pretty bad idea. From my basic understanding, Tariffs generally build inefficiency into society. Im not sure on the exact time period but wasnt it around the 70s/80s that Australian industry got super lazy and started producing overpriced crap because the Tariffs were too high?

Anyway I gotta get up early and go ride Buller tomorrow so I cbf writing any more of my thoughts. Australian bike shops, and retail in general are looking pretty screwed at the moment, and noone really seems to have a reasonable solution. Maybe us kids will all end up working as posties and IT guys?

Oh yeah, I dont buy off CRC ever. LBS, secondhand or ebay for me, if you look around you will find CRC isnt the cheapest (except for hope stuff).
 

Mammy

Likes Dirt
I'm really embarrassed for this Holmes character.
He'll probably read it again in 10 years time and blush at his previous naivety.
 
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