Starting a bike Cafe... maybe...

[PaulSB]

@Andy in Germany........it just occurred to me a couple of examples of social enterprise cafes which may be useful for you to look at given your comments re clients.

Me Cycle is a local cafe that helps provide "employment" to those with autism. The place has had some sticky moments over the years but is running well these days. Great BLT! You see these things make an impression

Roccoco we don't stop here as it's too close to home. My son who has Downs works here three days a week. It's a good place, it doesn't match many of my personal criteria listed above but is well thought of in the local town.

 

[annedonnelly]

The Usual Place in Dumfries provides training and mentoring for young people with learning difficulties. They post frequently on social media showing the young people mastering skills as they go through their training. Very much a celebration of their achievements.

 

[Andy in Germany]

The Usual Place in Dumfries provides training and mentoring for young people with learning difficulties. They post frequently on social media showing the young people mastering skills as they go through their training. Very much a celebration of their achievements.

That looks cool: we have a system for training people with psychological and mental disabilities from 16-18 which I worked n for an internship. After that they have the right to choose a workshop and specific area they want to work in, or to apply for an integration workplace where they work in a company like mine with extra support.

I couldn't use social media like that though, because German Privacy laws are very strict about publishing photographs.

 

[DRM]

You could also have different events there, such as a dementia cafe, or mums & babies classes, or an OAP's lunch, or even a jam night for musicians, not just cycling cafe

 

[Andy in Germany]

You could also have different events there, such as a dementia cafe, or mums & babies classes, or an OAP's lunch, or even a jam night for musicians, not just cycling cafe

Funnily enough I was about to add that to the proposal as it has lots of advantages for the clients, as well as generating income.

Oddly, my dream as a teenager was to open a cafe/arts centre so it feels like things are coming full circle...

 

[Andy in Germany]

Currently working on the numbers for the bike shop side of the business. I'm basing these on experience in the workshops I've worked in, please let me know if you think these numbers are plausible. I'm particularly interested in hearing from people like @biggs682 who have some experience in this area.

Sale price of a bike: ca.150,00 € - 300,00 €

Breakdown:

Consumer price for all new parts fitted to bike, plus:
Flat rate for repair work: 80€
Flat rate for used parts: 15€
Flat rate for cleaning supplies, lube, grease et c: 5€ (we use a lot of that with used bikes, also disposable gloves)

Currently, we sell as many bikes as we can repair in a week, usually within a day of repair. Capacity at my current location is 3-5 bikes completed in a week.

Therefore, my projections are:

Low end:
3 Bikes per week, at 200 € per bike = 600 € /week, 2400€ per month x 11 months = 26 200 € per year.

Realistic:
5 Bikes per week, at 200€ per bike = 1000€ / week. x 4 = 4000 € per month x 11 months = 44 000 € per year.

Notes:

• I'm working on the "Low end" Assumption that we have 5 clients, each repairing 1 bike per week, and dismantling one for parts.
• I'm aiming for a maximum of 8 clients in the workshop, so their capacity will possibly increase, but mine probably won't.
• Also assumed is that I can check one bike per day.
• Clients are paid a small amount by the Job Centre. The work is a form of therapy so we sell the bikes to help cover our costs, not to make a profit.

Any thoughts?

 

[Jameshow]

Currently working on the numbers for the bike shop side of the business. I'm basing these on experience in the workshops I've worked in, please let me know if you think these numbers are plausible. I'm particularly interested in hearing from people like @biggs682 who have some experience in this area.

Sale price of a bike: ca.150,00 € - 300,00 €

Breakdown:

Consumer price for all new parts fitted to bike, plus:
Flat rate for repair work: 80€
Flat rate for used parts: 15€
Flat rate for cleaning supplies, lube, grease et c: 5€ (we use a lot of that with used bikes, also disposable gloves)

Currently, we sell as many bikes as we can repair in a week, usually within a day of repair. Capacity at my current location is 3-5 bikes completed in a week.

Therefore, my projections are:

Low end:
3 Bikes per week, at 200 € per bike = 600 € /week, 2400€ per month x 11 months = 26 200 € per year.

Realistic:
5 Bikes per week, at 200€ per bike = 1000€ / week. x 4 = 4000 € per month x 11 months = 44 000 € per year.

Notes:

• I'm working on the "Low end" Assumption that we have 5 clients, each repairing 1 bike per week, and dismantling one for parts.
• I'm aiming for a maximum of 8 clients in the workshop, so their capacity will possibly increase, but mine probably won't.
• Also assumed is that I can check one bike per day.
• Clients are paid a small amount by the Job Centre. The work is a form of therapy so we sell the bikes to help cover our costs, not to make a profit.

Any thoughts?

Will the bike recycling be compatible with the cafe?
I think it would be too industrial?
Just bke repairs might work maybe?

 

[Andy in Germany]

Will the bike recycling be compatible with the cafe?
I think it would be too industrial?
Just bke repairs might work maybe?

I can't do just repairs in this context because that creates competition with normal shops who have to pay their staff: selling used bikes is a way around this. I want to combine the two because it give clients a much broader set of options.

That said, I have wondered the same: it would take some creative interior design to avoid the workshop looking a mess for people in the café.

 

[All uphill]

Currently working on the numbers for the bike shop side of the business. I'm basing these on experience in the workshops I've worked in, please let me know if you think these numbers are plausible. I'm particularly interested in hearing from people like @biggs682 who have some experience in this area.

Sale price of a bike: ca.150,00 € - 300,00 €

Breakdown:

Consumer price for all new parts fitted to bike, plus:
Flat rate for repair work: 80€
Flat rate for used parts: 15€
Flat rate for cleaning supplies, lube, grease et c: 5€ (we use a lot of that with used bikes, also disposable gloves)

Currently, we sell as many bikes as we can repair in a week, usually within a day of repair. Capacity at my current location is 3-5 bikes completed in a week.

Therefore, my projections are:

Low end:
3 Bikes per week, at 200 € per bike = 600 € /week, 2400€ per month x 11 months = 26 200 € per year.

Realistic:
5 Bikes per week, at 200€ per bike = 1000€ / week. x 4 = 4000 € per month x 11 months = 44 000 € per year.

Notes:

• I'm working on the "Low end" Assumption that we have 5 clients, each repairing 1 bike per week, and dismantling one for parts.
• I'm aiming for a maximum of 8 clients in the workshop, so their capacity will possibly increase, but mine probably won't.
• Also assumed is that I can check one bike per day.
• Clients are paid a small amount by the Job Centre. The work is a form of therapy so we sell the bikes to help cover our costs, not to make a profit.

Any thoughts?

Being able to sell repaired bikes very quickly suggests to me that you may be underpricing.

My local bike recycling project charges far more for a serviced and guaranteed used Raleigh, for example, than the same bike would fetch on gumtree, because everyone locally knows that the bikes can be relied on to get you to work.



A bi

 

[Andy in Germany]

Being able to sell repaired bikes very quickly suggests to me that you may be underpricing.

My local bike recycling project charges far more for a serviced and guaranteed used Raleigh, for example, than the same bike would fetch on gumtree, because everyone locally knows that the bikes can be relied on to get you to work.



A bi

Ironically, I keep getting told I charge too much at my current workplace. I have pointed out that just the used components can sell for nearly 100€

I increased the base price from 50€ to 80€ for the calculation, but I had a quick look at Ebay prices and the bikes going for 100€ are certainly well below what we're selling, some aren't even. I'll have a look at the next price bands and do some comparisons.

If it turns out that we are underselling then the constant "Can you reduce the price?" queries is even more annoying...

 

[All uphill]

Ironically, I keep getting told I charge too much at my current workplace. I have pointed out that just the used components can sell for nearly 100€

I increased the base price from 50€ to 80€ for the calculation, but I had a quick look at Ebay prices and the bikes going for 100€ are certainly well below what we're selling, some aren't even. I'll have a look at the next price bands and do some comparisons.

If it turns out that we are underselling then the constant "Can you reduce the price?" queries is even more annoying...

Ime that's people for you , and to an extent I'd say it's fair enough to ask for a discount.

Might it help your clients to get used to the idea it's OK to say "No" And how to do it with confidence and without giving offence?

 

[T4tomo]

To be authentically local will you be serving Black Forest gateau?

 

[biking_fox]

To serve food you'll need certification from local trading standards, and qualifications for the staff or at least chef. Food hygiene inspections etc. All of these cost annually. There's a lot of hidden costs on food - not just ingredients, but wastage, power for ovens kettles etc. Decor cleaning, Alcohol license?

2nd hand bike intake - how do you ensure your customers have legitimately acquired them?

Ideally - cafe would be open late, until at least dusk, and early to catch morning commuters before normal work hours. That a lot of or long employee shifts.

Publicize it! People need to know it's there, and when it's open, what it does serve and what it doesn't, and then you have to stick to it, because uncertainty is even worse.

 

[Andy in Germany]

Ime that's people for you , and to an extent I'd say it's fair enough to ask for a discount.

Might it help your clients to get used to the idea it's OK to say "No" And how to do it with confidence and without giving offence?

I can do the first two with ease; as to the last one...

 

[Andy in Germany]

To be authentically local will you be serving Black Forest gateau?

I've never seen that locally. I tell you what: if this works, and a Cycle Chat member is coming through Rottenburg, let me know and I'll see what I can do.