Taking over the bike shop...

[Andy in Germany]

Hi, firstly, many, many thanks for the ideas and thoughts. Please don't think they're unwelcome; It's better that ideas are thrown around here so I go to my boss with a more solid plan.

I probably should have added some more context; I've been here so long that I accept certain things as 'normal' when of course they will be very different in different countries.

One is the very pertinent point about not taking business from local bike shops. We work in a fairly tight legal framework and a bike shop normally has to have a guild accredited "Master" mechanic on the staff, and guild accredited mechanics. We can fix and sell used bikes basically because it isn't worth a normal bike shops time.

My clients are officially a mix of long term unemployed people and migrants/refugees. In practice this means they frequently have some kind of psychological issues, or social problems, or language issues, or a combination of the above. The system here allows for a two year programme where we are supposed to help them learn skills to become employable and help them get work. Staff are paid, clients get pocket money and work a shorter day.

The bike section is part of a bigger shop; the policy of the organisation is to make the shop attractive to everyone, and not feel like a place where people go who are too poor too have an alternative. As a result, the shops don't look like charity shops; due to some very creative managers the shops tend to look like a cross between Ikea and Waterstones, but the bike section is hidden away so my plan would be to simply bring it back into the same public area as the other sections, hence the focus on appearance...

Oh, and the shop has a cafe, I doubt I can persuade them to let me make the bike section next to it though...

 

[Andy in Germany]

Oh, and we have three maintenance stands, so I'd have one or two in a seperate workshop so clients who find dealing with the public too stressful have another option.

 

[CharlesF]

There are a lot of useful information posted here, take time to distill it all!

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

Marketing is a mystery to me so I can only say your outfit deserves to succeed in it's aims to both assist the public to source and get bikes fixed and to train up those folks. I couldn't do it (not patient enough) so great that others can

 

[Once a Wheeler]

An unashamed gimmick, but you could set up a bike-powered battery charger in a corner of the shop:

and used the charged batteries to power a bespoke neon sign in the shop window proclaiming:
Fair Rad treibt Fairkauf — fügen Sie ihre Kraft hinzu! (Fair-bike powers fair trade — add your power to the project!)
Charge members of the public a nominal €1 for a half-hour session. They will be queuing up to participate (whoever got half an hour in a gym for €1?). You will be all over the local paper, on the local TV news, a darling of the Green movement and business should boom. Werbungskraft!

 

[Andy in Germany]

There are a lot of useful information posted here, take time to distill it all!

I'm printing several posts out so I have them to refer to...

 

[Reynard]

One is the very pertinent point about not taking business from local bike shops. We work in a fairly tight legal framework and a bike shop normally has to have a guild accredited "Master" mechanic on the staff, and guild accredited mechanics. We can fix and sell used bikes basically because it isn't worth a normal bike shops time.

Maybe have a gander around the local bike shops and look for what they *don't* offer.

Be it things like obsolete (refurbished) parts, a saddle library, those little widgets where you only want one but have to buy a pack of ten, patched-but-servicable tubes for a minimal fee, that sort of thing.

And some pictoral "how to" leaflets for basic cycling stuff might be useful.

 

[Rusty Nails]

I am probably telling you stuff you may already have thought of but here are some issues that we have had to consider in the 11 years we have been going and grown from a three bench to a seven bench operation.

Source of bikes: Public donations

Police – stolen bikes

Council – Recycling centres - Contact your local council re this Green social
initiative


Publicity: Newspaper, local radio, internet, Facebook etc.

Current number of bikes refurbished and sold/ Planned future target….Workspace plus storage space for bikes and components. Potential room for expansion

Necessary basic items that add cost to an old bike very quickly...chains, cables, tyres, tubes, brake pads, cassettes/freewheels

Policy on when to swap out old components eg chains, cassettes, chainrings, tyres

Policy on warranties/returns

Is there a qualified technician to sign bikes off as fit for purpose after refurb.


I hope the above helps and would repeat the advice of others about going to see any established businesses like yours to see what has worked, or not worked, for them.

 

[Andy in Germany]

Some developments; I'll be working alongside a colleague more experienced in maintenance in a couple of weeks, helping a group of refugees in need of some bikes and training, then I'll be in the bike workshop three days a week to "settle in and get experience" and incidentally make sure we have a good stock of bikes for a town wide "cycling Sunday" when the shops will be open (Sunday opening is very unusual in Germany). I'm also working on that Sunday in a sort of pop up bike shop...

Right now I'm listing the things I can and can't repair so my colleague knows what he needs to focus on...

 

[Oldhippy]

A great and worthwhile job indeed.

 

[Andy in Germany]

A great and worthwhile job indeed.

Yes, I just wish they'd hurry up and give me a renewed contract...

 

[All uphill]

Hi Andy

Lots of good suggestions above.

I think beyond those suggestions it's your enthusiasm and love of cycling that will make this fly; my suggestion is that you make sure that the way it is set up will maximise your enjoyment- that will keep the whole thing going.

I wish you the very best with this project.

 

[Andy in Germany]

I emailed the Boss a few days ago to ask him to kindly make a decision as my contract ends at the end of May so I need to register as unemployed if they don't extend it. He's coming today to "Discuss the matter".

 

[classic33]

I emailed the Boss a few days ago to ask him to kindly make a decision as my contract ends at the end of May so I need to register as unemployed if they don't extend it. He's coming today to "Discuss the matter".

Break a leg!

 

[Andy in Germany]

I emailed the Boss a few days ago to ask him to kindly make a decision as my contract ends at the end of May so I need to register as unemployed if they don't extend it. He's coming today to "Discuss the matter".

Boss came. They're extending the contract on the basis that I take over the bike department.