Beej1
Senior Member
Nailed it with that last one. In fact, so close to my own list I'm starting to wonder if there's a Tyler Durden situation happening.
Dream Bike Shop - HELP
- Thread starter ando120
- Start date
pink poodle
気が狂っている男
There is a bunch of awesome cross over opportunities for a bike shop. depending if you are targeting lycra assisted riders or baggy hoodlums, you might like to try:
- Dildos (way easier to pick one up from the bike shop than face the shame of an adult only establishment...)
- Fresh power juice (Squeeze all the bad tasting super healthy fruit and vegies into small cups and serve them as throw downs)
- Big greasy breakfast rolls
- Tandem bikes. there is not enough of these on the trails.
- kites. I have always wanted to fly a kite while riding my bike.
- pet store (specialise in breed of trail dog)
- custom built trailers.
- organic compressed air (what self respecting hipster would put regular everyday air in their retro tyres? too corrosive brah!)
- big screen tvs. these should help you sell plenty of the roller devices for exercising on.
Good luck!
- Dildos (way easier to pick one up from the bike shop than face the shame of an adult only establishment...)
- Fresh power juice (Squeeze all the bad tasting super healthy fruit and vegies into small cups and serve them as throw downs)
- Big greasy breakfast rolls
- Tandem bikes. there is not enough of these on the trails.
- kites. I have always wanted to fly a kite while riding my bike.
- pet store (specialise in breed of trail dog)
- custom built trailers.
- organic compressed air (what self respecting hipster would put regular everyday air in their retro tyres? too corrosive brah!)
- big screen tvs. these should help you sell plenty of the roller devices for exercising on.
Good luck!
I would like the following:
- I prefer to shop online for lots of reasons but would like to be able to take parts to a shop and have them install it for me and teach me about it as they do so that I can learn more
- even a simple DIY fork service and basic bike maintenance training day
- commit to selling/focusing on either road bikes or mountain bikes. I hate going into a shop and they have 60 road bikes and 5 mountain bikes
- I am happy to pay a little more than online (10%) but it would take a fair bit to convince me that I didnt have to always go away and check that I am not being screwed over.
- Simple things like setting a bikes seat height and attaching their pedals before someone leaves on their new bike would be nice
- I prefer to shop online for lots of reasons but would like to be able to take parts to a shop and have them install it for me and teach me about it as they do so that I can learn more
- even a simple DIY fork service and basic bike maintenance training day
- commit to selling/focusing on either road bikes or mountain bikes. I hate going into a shop and they have 60 road bikes and 5 mountain bikes
- I am happy to pay a little more than online (10%) but it would take a fair bit to convince me that I didnt have to always go away and check that I am not being screwed over.
- Simple things like setting a bikes seat height and attaching their pedals before someone leaves on their new bike would be nice
clockworked
Like an orange
keeping a huge range of gear from different suppliers at good prices may be a pipe dream.
But maybe you might be able to get better prices from a handful of companies only. I like shimano personally, but if i was able to walk into a sram shop and get stuff cheaper, and on hand, i'd switch.
want components? We have shimano. but it's 30% cheaper than anywhere else
want clothes? we have fox (or DHarco for a local feel). as above on price
want bikes? we stock complete norco/kona/giant (pick one) and transition frames, but jeez we do a good price
gear? check out this full and affordable 661 range.
i wouldnt care so much if you didn't have the latest troy lee helmet or anodized purple german part if i could get an equivalent that fitted from your house brand on the day i walked in.
But maybe you might be able to get better prices from a handful of companies only. I like shimano personally, but if i was able to walk into a sram shop and get stuff cheaper, and on hand, i'd switch.
want components? We have shimano. but it's 30% cheaper than anywhere else
want clothes? we have fox (or DHarco for a local feel). as above on price
want bikes? we stock complete norco/kona/giant (pick one) and transition frames, but jeez we do a good price
gear? check out this full and affordable 661 range.
i wouldnt care so much if you didn't have the latest troy lee helmet or anodized purple german part if i could get an equivalent that fitted from your house brand on the day i walked in.
Ideate
Senior Member
That's the culture you keep hiding behind. Clearly there's some serious feedback going on here which could be used as reflection for existing bike stores and people thinking about start-ups. :frusty:
Flow-Rider
Burner
I think to be successful in any business you need to be really passionate about the field you want to go in and listen to peoples wants ( and just be carefull about this people want and want for free). If you think any business is going to be easy in Australia think again there is a lot of red tape here that costs money. Most bike shop owners love bikes they are in it for the love there isn't that much money in bikes compared to other things. If your only motivation is money don't do it you will most likely fail.
bikesarefun
Likes Bikes and Dirt
Why not just open a shop that receives customers' orders from CRC and Wiggle, and charges to put them on bikes?
ForkinGreat
Knows his Brassica oleracea
A combination of Dozer's and clockworked's post suggestions would be my dream bike shop and has a chance of being made into reality.
Pump track/Pipe/Ramp : Badger the local council into building one nearby. Then it's not your liability. and the Liability insurance won't be pretty.
Food/coffee/beer: doable, but keep it streamlined. It's a bike shop, not a cafe. Sublet a space for someone to do that for you, so you can concentrate on running the bike shop.
Open workshop: Will take Biz away from your skilled shop service. It will be a giant pain in the arse to manage and tools will disappear. Good idea for a bike user group at a community centre, IE- somewhere else.
*******Have commonly needed small parts at a price only slightly above Wiggle/crc. eg: SPD & time ATAC cleats, Powerlinks, & maybe one good chain in 9,10 & 11spd.
A shout out here to Cycleworks in Box Hill, VIC for doing 10 spd SRAM powerlinks at a non-rapey price. I also got my 80s vintage Silca track pump reconditioned there :yo:
Pump track/Pipe/Ramp : Badger the local council into building one nearby. Then it's not your liability. and the Liability insurance won't be pretty.
Food/coffee/beer: doable, but keep it streamlined. It's a bike shop, not a cafe. Sublet a space for someone to do that for you, so you can concentrate on running the bike shop.
Open workshop: Will take Biz away from your skilled shop service. It will be a giant pain in the arse to manage and tools will disappear. Good idea for a bike user group at a community centre, IE- somewhere else.
*******Have commonly needed small parts at a price only slightly above Wiggle/crc. eg: SPD & time ATAC cleats, Powerlinks, & maybe one good chain in 9,10 & 11spd.
A shout out here to Cycleworks in Box Hill, VIC for doing 10 spd SRAM powerlinks at a non-rapey price. I also got my 80s vintage Silca track pump reconditioned there :yo:
silentbutdeadly
has some good things to say
If I were to open a bike shop it would have nothing to do with online selling or even the internet - just the local/regional market, face to face.
It would focus on service and repair of bikes along with limited over the counter sale of common wear parts backed by a weekly parts order as required. It would not be focused on the sale of complete bikes...perhaps just a small number of shop specced and assembled bikes throughout the year or as customers required.
It would probably as have a pinball machine and an espresso machine plus a rollercoaster if I could fit it in.
It would focus on service and repair of bikes along with limited over the counter sale of common wear parts backed by a weekly parts order as required. It would not be focused on the sale of complete bikes...perhaps just a small number of shop specced and assembled bikes throughout the year or as customers required.
It would probably as have a pinball machine and an espresso machine plus a rollercoaster if I could fit it in.
Flow-Rider
Burner
I think that's a wild dream unrealistic, Tools that last are expensive and easily broken, lost or stolen by someone that dosent use tools every day, I have worked in a couple of different workshops over 20 years, have loaned tools to other tradies and clients bad mistake on my part. They also make a mess, you have to look for tools all the time and you just cant give tools to anyone.
Woahh. Hold your horse mister. Whether you're from Tassie or not you should be aware of all the trails that are open or opening up. There is loads. I am in contact with the government at the moment thinking of trails. If the ideas are good enough and i can provide proof, money isn't an object. I'm not saying any of this will go ahead but i'm persistent, especially bringing bigger and better opportunities to the sport.
to other people: If you are a know all and don't have the patience 'because it all won't work' i don't ever want to speak to you again. I've worked in a bike shop and have been in the sport for a little while now, longer than most and as much as i want to give up on it all because of the importers of Australia charging as much as CRC making sales pointless, i'm not backing down. I'm improving my ideas and putting them into action and don't give me the 'i will pay for the product if the service is there' crap as i know that people will want to save as much as they can, especially in this economy.
You are in the sport for the passion and the enjoyment, negativity won't ever solve anything nor will it bring opportunities. Little do you all know that all of your ideas are going into consideration to what i'm planning on doing, :bounce: :Banane17:
pink poodle
気が狂っている男
Is it too late to suggest that opening night feature women wearing only body paint?
I am from Tassie, and I lived close enough to Mt Wellington to ride there most days.
I wasn't having a dig, but the first rule of business is know your market.
The population within 20km of FTR in Annerley is more than Tassie...
If you are looking to tap into the MTB tourism market for your shop, then it needs to be close to the trails, and needs to become a hub. Bike parking, a washdown bay (it's muddy), a couple of workstands for people to assemble their bikes (ala Roto airport). You also need to have stock on hand. It doesn't need to be the bestest stuff, keeping a range of affordable alloy handlebars instead of carbon ones for instance, but it needs to be there. consumables especially...
WarbyD
Likes Dirt
From this post alone, I am fairly certain you're going to fail on the customer service and attitude related "dream bike shop" qualities mentioned in this thread...
You've basically completely dismissed all of the good suggestions in here (and there were quite a few which are certainly realistic and achievable), and come back with a post that stinks of arrogance. I hope that it is just the typical failure of text to accurately convey emotion and/or attitude that has led to a misunderstanding of my part, and that you are in fact sitting there with a big smile going "this is great! If only I could convey how much I appreciate these ideas instead of sounding like a cock!"
With regard to
I think you will find you are VERY mistaken. People will and do pay for service, every day. As an example, there is a small LBS across the road from my office here in the Perth CBD... They aren't big. They aren't flashy. They don't have the biggest range. They don't have the best prices. What they do have is a small crew of staff who have remained consistent, offer good friendly service, don't mind having a bit of a chat while you're there (while still carrying on with whatever else they're doing and politely excusing themselves if they aren't available for a chinwag), are happy to order parts in for you, give good honest advice, are happy to have a quick look at something if you drop in with a problem, don't try to charge an arm and a leg for everything (ie if you drop in needing a small item such as a hose barb, length of gear cable or outer, nut, bolt, etc theres a good chance they will go "here you go, just take this one.. no charge mate" ) ..
What they do is provide quality customer service, which customers like me respect enough to be willing to pay a premium where appropriate. Their service means that almost all of the cyclists in the building I work in (of which there are quite a few) also loyally duck across the road when they need something in a hurry, and the vast majority use them for servicing etc. This store cannot compete with CRC or wiggle etc. They don't, and won't, try. They simply can not offer prices or range that is able to compete across the board - but they recognise that, accept it and work with it - They will quite happily say "we can get it in for you, but it will cost <$X> or take <This long> - just order it online and when you get it, bring it in and we'll fit it up for you"
For what it's worth: Take the staff from my little LBS mentioned above, put them in a store with enough financial backing to hold a big range of parts and accessories, and you pretty much have my dream bike shop.
marc.r
Likes Dirt
i think your missing the idea here. most people say they dont want bike people running bike shops. they want retailers/service driven individuals running bike shops.
Coaster
Likes Bikes and Dirt
For me the consistent thing missing from bikes shops is decent service. Chose your staff well and they will get your customers coming back regardless of what you sell. It amazes me that basically all bike stores sell the same thing so the key difference is customer service, and yet some stores are just terrible.
I know the pay ain't great but just make sure that your staff are passionate and friendly. That's half the battle taken care of.
I know the pay ain't great but just make sure that your staff are passionate and friendly. That's half the battle taken care of.
indica
Serial flasher
Flow-Rider
Burner
The best advice I have ever received when buying parts is from staff that have used the product themselves, used many different products (Passionate cyclists)and been in the game for years .They have my money any day of the week not some dumb ass 19 year kid that has just came out of his diapers that knows everything NOT.
beardi
Likes Dirt
As someone who used to be in the retail management game I can tell you only one thing......employ staff that have PEOPLE SKILLS and who PUT THE CUSTOMER FIRST. I couldn't care less how knowledgable you are about a certain product - anyone can learn that, it takes bugger all effort to know what the spec list is or what is compatible etc.....The average LBS fucks this up constantly. They fill their shops with people who love riding and hate people. The end result is that your customers feel intimidated or stupid and if they don't feel stupid they think the shop is full of douchebags and never go back in. Online shopping for most people is easy and cheap - your LBS must have exceptional customer service to counter this. Nothing else can. You can't offer the range, the prices, the opening hours etc. so you must offer the service, to every customer, every time. You're only as good as your weakest employee so make sure you train them! Good luck - you'll most likely need it.