why are the local bike shops closing down?

[GrumpyGregry]

Yes though.

If the state of the soul of cycling is significantly dependent on the proprietors and staff of my local bike shops, God help cycling.

 

[mickle]

If the state of the soul of cycling is significantly dependent on the proprietors and staff of my local bike shops, God help cycling.

Well, yes. Exacly.

 

[Peteaud]

Went into a bike shop on saturday i had never been in, and within "shopping distance" the service i got was fantastic. I did mention "internet" and the guy said as long as he could make a profit if he could match he would.

Then spent £140.00 in there and 20% sale so came out with 2 new jackets.

I will go back in there.

 

[dellzeqq]

And in the next 3 years, 6 will close.

what makes you think that?

 

[400bhp]

Competition

Market forces.

Very low margins in bike shops.

 

[tyred]

I'm not sure if it's an issue within the cycle trade but I do know from my own work within telecoms that our customers can often source things like telephone headsets cheaper from Amazon than we can buy them from the wholesalers.

 

[Smokin Joe]

The rise of the MAMIL, which should be further fuelled by the Tour de France success and the Olympics should ensure the LBS thrives in the short to medium term at least. You have a load of fairly well off people coming into cycling who want to walk into a shop and walk out again fully kitted up without faffing about. Like many here I have the knowledge to build my own bikes and know exactly what I want and what will fit what, but that's only after a lifetime as a cyclist. Were I starting afresh now I wouldn't know where to begin and a decent LBS would be Manna from Heaven.

 

[Ian H]

In many ways I regret the passing of the old-style bike shop - drawers and cupboards and boxes full of bits, the proprietor behind the counter with greasy hands. I remember buying a couple of second-hand track hubs off SJS Cycles when it was a small shop with piles of bike bits against the counter waiting to be sorted and Robin himself behind the counter. Wandering into a high street cycle-boutique is for me a depressing experience.

 

[Andrew_Culture]

I'm not sure if it's an issue within the cycle trade but I do know from my own work within telecoms that our customers can often source things like telephone headsets cheaper from Amazon than we can buy them from the wholesalers.

I had a record shop but decided to shut down when Amazon started selling albums for 25p that were costing us £8.50 from a distributer!


__________________________________________________________________________________
Sent from.... somewhere between my lugoles.

 

[PpPete]

The rise of the MAMIL, which should be further fuelled by the Tour de France success and the Olympics should ensure the LBS thrives in the short to medium term at least. You have a load of fairly well off people coming into cycling who want to walk into a shop and walk out again fully kitted up without faffing about. Like many here I have the knowledge to build my own bikes and know exactly what I want and what will fit what, but that's only after a lifetime as a cyclist. Were I starting afresh now I wouldn't know where to begin and a decent LBS would be Manna from Heaven.

The key word there is the "decent" in the last sentence.
If my experience (related above) is anything to go by, a potential MAMIL is just as likely to walk away with entirely inappropriate kit, or be utterly put off by the condescension. I learned far more from the "Know-How" pages of CC in a few days, than I ever would had I relied on my LBS.

 

[mickle]

I learned far more from the "Know-How" pages of CC in a few days, than I ever would had I relied on my LBS.

Bugger. So it's all CycleChat's fault!?

 

[dellzeqq]

Competition

Market forces.

Very low margins in bike shops.

as opposed to

a huge increase in cycling along that route
high margins on clothing, sundries and spares

If Bobbin Bicycles can open a second store right behind the first store, something has got to be seriously good.

Oh - and a new outsize Evans has just opened off Great Portland Street, at a location with zero footfall on Saturday and less on Sunday.

 

[400bhp]

Not from experience, no. I was going to buy a cycle shop before I saw the margins. Wouldn't touch one with a bargepole.

 

[dellzeqq]

Oddly the interweb retailers I've dealt with have offered better warranty service and service/repair service e.g. take it to an LBS, get them to fix it pay for it send us a copy of the bill and we will reimburse you, than a lot of friends seem to get first hand in LBS/IBS.
.

I'm amazed that bike shops do this. My brother whips out the big meter (he reckons that a store in Plymouth is one of his biggest profit sources), but even he has started to turn bikes away at busy periods. Why take responsibility for something that isn't put together properly, and, more to the point, if your workshop time is crowded out, why not concentrate on your own customers.

 

[dellzeqq]

Not from experience, no. I was going to buy a cycle shop before I saw the margins. Wouldn't touch one with a bargepole.

margins on bikes are very low, and making a living selling low and medium priced bikes is a miserable business. Impulse buys like lights and tubes are very profitable, clothing even more so, and stuff like rack, panniers is good.

Repairs can pay the rent, although all bike shops undercharge for repairs. Brixton Cycles usually has four mechanics at work at any one time but the waiting list for repairs suggests (nay, demands) they should charge more. As for my bro..........words fail me. He should double his hourly rate.

My big problem with bike shops is that they don't sell stuff. They wait for the customer to choose something and come up to the counter with it.