A new LBS opens.

[bruce1530]

I saw that in the local paper (I live about 12 miles away)

The nearest "mainland" bike shops will be at least 12-15 miles away (north, south and east). There's bike shops a couple of miles west, but that's a ferry trip away ... so I guess he's done his homework and identified a potential gap in the market. And he's been offering a mobile service, so I assume he'll understand the local demand,

Good luck to him - I will probably have a look in next time I'm in Largs. I don't know that street very well - @Brandane are there any decent cafes nearby

 

[bruce1530]

Perhaps it's coincidence, but the only 2 "major mechanicals" I've had, which in once case necessitated a train trip home (the other - same fault, but this time better equipped with tools) both happened within a couple of miles of that new shop! If he'd been open then, I'd have been visiting!

 

[PaulSB]

Clearly I don't know the town or the LBS location etc. but I do feel people underestimate, and probably don't understand, the demand.

I'm a "keen" cyclist, whatever that is, and ride solo, with a couple of friends during the week and club runs at the weekend. I keep my bikes clean, tidy, decent chain maintenance and can fix a puncture. Beyond that I have no interest in or ability to carry out cycle maintenance. I do understand how folk love to fettle bikes but the idea bores me and on the odd occasion I've had a go I usually end up at the LBS!

After 20+ years we have a great relationship. The LBS understands me and I know I can wholly rely on them.

For many, I'd suggest the majority, cycle maintenance is either something which is ignored or done by a bike shop. I'm often there when customers collect their repaired puncture!

As for the online thing there is another view. I've seen people arrive at my LBS with single parts all the way to full bikes which they need help with. I've never discussed this with the LBS but why go to the expense of stocking a huge range of spares when customers are happy to buy online and pay for fitting?

I think my favourite was watching a guy walk in with his partly assembled full bike, purchased online, asking for assembly help. The bike was purchased from an online retailer less than 10 miles from my LBS.

 

[biggs682]

Good luck to anyone starting a new business no matter what business.
I used to be a very regular customer to my lbs before COVID but only been in once in last 3 years due to various reasons.

 

[Paulus]

I had a 'new' Lbs open up around this time of year 4 years ago. John , of John's Cycles has gone from strength to strength. He has 2 people plus an apprentice working in the shop. Whenever I pass there always seems to be plenty of activity going on.

 

[Brandane]

Good luck to him - I will probably have a look in next time I'm in Largs. I don't know that street very well - @Brandane are there any decent cafes nearby

It's in Nelson Street. If your heading north along the A78 coast road, turn right at the main Nardini's, into Nelson Street. The LBS is at the next cross road junction on your left. It's the dodgiest street in Largs, so don't leave your bike unlocked!

Cafés in Largs, are you kidding? It's full of them! 😄

 

[bruce1530]

Yeah, plenty cafes in Largs at the front - quite often stop at what used to be the Green Shutters - just wondered if there was anything civilised near the bike shop. Sounds like there isn't...

 

[Brandane]

Yeah, plenty cafes in Largs at the front - quite often stop at what used to be the Green Shutters - just wondered if there was anything civilised near the bike shop. Sounds like there isn't...

There's a reasonable pub on the opposite side of the street from the LBS, called J.G. Sharps. Or the big Nardini's is only 200 yards away.

 

[Wooger]

Absolutely.. default is always the internet for most people now; especially if you're confident that you know what you want. I've only used my LBS a couple of times recently to get stuff I could have bought a lot cheaper online but needed quickly.

I've also not used a bike shop for repairs for probably 20yrs through a combination of consistantly bad experiences and an innate desire to do the work myself on cost / OCD grounds.

Good LBS' are always welcome though and of course it would be to our detriment if they all disappeared; even if it was just because we could no longer nip in to get that bit we need in a hurry.. although of course they're never going to make a wage out of just people like us!

In my recent experience, the sales side of all the bike shops I’ve been in the last 3 years is almost pointless.

The only way they can add value vs online is giving the customer a good experience, good advice and having stock which you can try.

- Zero stock of anything, bikes or clothes or shoes or components. Certainly not a full range of sizes.
- Incompetent, literally no stock of bar tape except for white, or some £45 quid stuff. They said they’d get some in in blue for me. Went back 2 weeks later after hearing nothing, no tape, no update.

By far the best experience I’ve had is a Trek brand store oddly, which somehow had socks in my size on sale, some details of local routes and actually seemed a pleasant place to hang out for a bit. Obviously limited to trek /Bontrager parts and accessories, but they had stock, on shelves, that I could see and browse, in a spacious and pleasant shop.

The Evans Cycles in my city has been moved into the basement of a department store, so is now a windowless and ultra depressing place. Feels like it’s being deliberately run down into nothing. But that said, it’s the only physical bike shop that has a useful range of decent quality clothes that you can try on. And it actually has the floor space to do a good job at that sort of thing. If they tripled down on that with a wider range of brands and had slightly more reasonable prices that alone could make them successful again - almost all the online retailers have started charging for returns now so it’s a pain to find things that fit.

Not painful enough to make me pay double for a Castelli Gabba in Evans, but getting there.

A high end bike clothes shop could be a massive winner in the West Midlands, there’s just no alternative to online as far as I can see for buying most of the nice road cycling clothes my club rides in, and shoes is a particular pain point - you really need to try them on, they’re big enough to be expensive to post.

 

[wafter]

In my recent experience, the sales side of all the bike shops I’ve been in the last 3 years is almost pointless.

The only way they can add value vs online is giving the customer a good experience, good advice and having stock which you can try.

- Zero stock of anything, bikes or clothes or shoes or components. Certainly not a full range of sizes.
- Incompetent, literally no stock of bar tape except for white, or some £45 quid stuff. They said they’d get some in in blue for me. Went back 2 weeks later after hearing nothing, no tape, no update.

By far the best experience I’ve had is a Trek brand store oddly, which somehow had socks in my size on sale, some details of local routes and actually seemed a pleasant place to hang out for a bit. Obviously limited to trek /Bontrager parts and accessories, but they had stock, on shelves, that I could see and browse, in a spacious and pleasant shop.

The Evans Cycles in my city has been moved into the basement of a department store, so is now a windowless and ultra depressing place. Feels like it’s being deliberately run down into nothing. But that said, it’s the only physical bike shop that has a useful range of decent quality clothes that you can try on. And it actually has the floor space to do a good job at that sort of thing. If they tripled down on that with a wider range of brands and had slightly more reasonable prices that alone could make them successful again - almost all the online retailers have started charging for returns now so it’s a pain to find things that fit.

Not painful enough to make me pay double for a Castelli Gabba in Evans, but getting there.

A high end bike clothes shop could be a massive winner in the West Midlands, there’s just no alternative to online as far as I can see for buying most of the nice road cycling clothes my club rides in, and shoes is a particular pain point - you really need to try them on, they’re big enough to be expensive to post.

Indeed.. it's a shame as there's a legit need, although this may not be large enough to cover the ever-spiralling costs of business and as you suggest they often don't do themselves any favours. Of course this can be a self-perpetuating cycle as worsening business means less operating capital and less stock; further hurting trade..

I agree about a clothing shop; basically the only reason I have next-to-no decent cycle-specific clothing is due to the inability to try any on anywhere local.. I'd happily spend decent money on good gear if I could inspect / try it first, but can't be arsed with ordering a hundred items online only to have to return them when they're not suitable.

 

[chris667]

I took a sabbatical from my boring job and opened a shop for a year in 2013.

It was brilliant, although I met someone and my future plans changed which means I had to close - we needed more money to get a house together.

It is a very hard way to make money. But I really respect anyone that can do it.

 

[Ajax Bay]

while the country heads into what will arguably be the greatest recession for decades takes conviction and balls of steel.

Without reaching across into NACA territory, any UK recession next year is predicted to be extremely shallow and the chances of it being "the greatest recession for decades" is minimal. The dips in 1990 (2%py) and 2008 (5%py) were also both short lived (5 quarters only). I guess your "arguably" caveat covers your hyperbolic lack of optimism/accuracy.

 

[Fastpedaller]

Around here I wonder how any small shops survive - indeed one of our 'seaside villages' has probably 50% of the shops boarded up!
It's pure speculation on our part, but Mrs F and myself get the impression that many of the small shops are 'vanity projects' or otherwise started off with the dream of 'owning a shop' with no real idea of finance, and maybe using an 'early retirement pot' . The dream turns into a nightmare