What do you think will happen to the UK bike retail industry?

[Punkawallah]

That's a good way of doing it

Seems to work in a Northern market town of 100k+, in any event. But so saying, we also have both an independent MTB and a chain (mainly) road bike stores. And Halfords, and two ‘pawn shops’ selling the odd bike. Perhaps Darlington is the undiscovered cycling paradise?

 

[Mazz]

Being in the UK recently I was able to visit a few retailers to buy a few things and get an idea of how they were doing.
It wasn't a very hopeful scene.
I visited Evans, J E James and Halfords, all in Sheffield.
While James had a few customers while I was there the other sites were very quiet. I was in Evans in a Saturday which should be their busiest day and just one other person was there besides me. The shop was stocked to the ceiling and offers abounded but it seems no one was buying. Halfords was very quiet too and nobody looking at bikes besides me.
So can the industry ride out this hiatus and survive or will more retailers and distributors go to the wall or will the way bikes are sold radically change.
What do you think?

I know all these shops well, as I'm from Sheffield.

JE James has been long-established, even when I was a kid growing up there. They seems to have a loyal customer base. The relatively new kid on the block is Decathlon a short distance away. Whenever I've popped into Evans on Queens Rd, the place has been deserted. Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, they're having a closing down sale (20% off everything apparently, time to swoop and grab a bargain?).

 

[fossyant]

Well, we've lost Wills Wheels on the A6 just North of Stockport. Only noticed a couple of weeks ago when there was no sign on the shop above the window. A sign on the shutters say they are going mobile. He always had something in an emergency to keep you going.

Not a regular customer, but he has built a set of wheels for me, bought a bike from him and had one re-sprayed, but that's over 30 years.

Real shame.

 

[PaulSB]

Wallis Cycles, about 7 miles from me, seems on the verge of closure. For some months the shop has been open on Wednesdays from 12.00 - 17.00. That's all.

It's never been my LBS but I frequently cycle by and did once stop for an inner tube. I can't claim to be a customer.

A few months ago a cyclist was berating the shop on FB. He also wanted an inner tube. I pointed out the difficulties an LBS faces, the response was simply "how can they expect my business if they're not open when I want them to be?"

I gave up.

Any LBS is a prime example of use it or lose it.

 

[Andy in Germany]

I was in local Go Outdoors yesterday and the cycling section is run by Leisure Lakes .

I couldn't believe the cheapest bike I saw for sale was over £1200 , it's hardly surprising bikes are not selling

Our cheapest bikes are about 850€, but that's really basic, and technically not road legal in Germany unless customers then buy clip-on lights.

 

[Punkawallah]

Our cheapest bikes are about 850€, but that's really basic, and technically not road legal in Germany unless customers then buy clip-on lights.

Obviously Germany is different from the UK, but my FLBS will put a road-ready adult bike on the shop floor for around the £100 mark. Obviously that varies with age and condition, but they are all serviced and safe with a 30 day guarantee.

 

[Andy in Germany]

Obviously Germany is different from the UK, but my FLBS will put a road-ready adult bike on the shop floor for around the £100 mark. Obviously that varies with age and condition, but they are all serviced and safe with a 30 day guarantee.

By "really basic" I mean it has no bell, stand, mudguards, luggage rack, or lights, which is generally what customers expect.

Technically it will need a bell and lights to be street legal.

Usually even a "basic" bike has reflectors on the pedals, spokes and front and rear in Germany.

 

[katiewlx]

Our cheapest bikes are about 850€, but that's really basic, and technically not road legal in Germany unless customers then buy clip-on lights.

thats similar price to our cheapest road bikes too, as always with cycling its not that there arent cheap options, its about how much you choose to spend.

 

[Vapin' Joe]

We perceive cycling to be getting expensive because we keep seeing bikes that cost anything up to 15k, but look around and you can easily find a brand new good quality road bike for a grand. And don't be put off by some worthy in a cycling magazine describing such bikes as "Entry level", they are not, they are serious bits of kit that will fulfil the needs of most cyclists. Go more expensive if you want to, but don't feel you have to.

 

[Punkawallah]

By "really basic" I mean it has no bell, stand, mudguards, luggage rack, or lights, which is generally what customers expect.

Technically it will need a bell and lights to be street legal.

Usually even a "basic" bike has reflectors on the pedals, spokes and front and rear in Germany.

Yup. Really basic is what they sell here, but the customers generally don’t expect ‘extras’ at the prices they charge :-) Apparently someone did ask for a ridiculous discount on a bike, but it was explained their offer was ‘unicycle prices’, and did they want the front or rear wheel taken off?

 

[Punkawallah]

We perceive cycling to be getting expensive because we keep seeing bikes that cost anything up to 15k, but look around and you can easily find a brand new good quality road bike for a grand. And don't be put off by some worthy in a cycling magazine describing such bikes as "Entry level", they are not, they are serious bits of kit that will fulfil the needs of most cyclists. Go more expensive if you want to, but don't feel you have to.

Famously, the nice boys at GCN did a piece on the cheapest road bike on the market - the Eurobike at about £70 from Amazon iirc. Would not win the TdF, but it performed the function.

 

[Drago]

Would not win the TdF, but it performed the function.

Which is more than one can say about the GCN!

 

[Punkawallah]

Which is more than one can say about the GCN!

Does it not offer news of cycling from around the globe?
Are you not entertained?

 

[Windle]

Seems to work in a Northern market town of 100k+, in any event. But so saying, we also have both an independent MTB and a chain (mainly) road bike stores. And Halfords, and two ‘pawn shops’ selling the odd bike. Perhaps Darlington is the undiscovered cycling paradise?

Darlington is pretty good for bike shops and has been for as long as I can remember (Chris Thompson & Skinnergate Cycles when I started out). Don't forget Northern Bikeshed, they have a lot of older stuff in, including a selection of what could be described as 'modern classic' road bikes, although the skinny tyres give me the heebee geebees these days. The place that surprises me is Byker (appropriately) ~ three bike shops in the town centre and Recyke Y' bike, which is an Aladdin's cave of a place.

 

[simongt]

Those that remain on the high street will largely die out.

As is happening already.
Folk go into a bike shop, study the bike / equipment / clothing they're after and then buy it off t'net as it's almost invariably cheaper.
Sadly, they invariably are the type of folk who don't give a monkeys about the survival of local retailers.