Wot, no chain tensioners - ?

[simongt]

Sixteen years ago, I had my GT Outpost converted from a 21 speed derailleur to a 5 speed SA hub. I'll quickly add to forestall any SA detractors that apart from an issue a year later, I've had no problems with the system ever since - ! The chain tension was provided with a Surley Singelator. Last w/end, the internal spring broke; not bad after all that time & miles eh - ? However, none of the Surley agents have a replacement spring and the distributor only has the push down one available; mine's a push up type and I need to get the bike up & running, not wait another week or more for another spring when it comes available.
So I decided rather than messing about, just get another chain tensioner. Looked on t'net, yup, plenty avaiable. But being 'loyal' I decided to buy locally. No chance; not one bike shop; national and LBS, had a chain tensioner of any descripton in stock - ! Wot - ? 'Oh, we can order one for you' was the best anyone could do. So I had to go on t'net to get one - !
Am I missing something here - ?

 

[Jon George]

Pareto's Law.

Had to look this up. It's really interesting!

 

[Deleted member 26715]

Pareto's Law.

More likely to be JIT

 

[oldwheels]

Sixteen years ago, I had my GT Outpost converted from a 21 speed derailleur to a 5 speed SA hub. I'll quickly add to forestall any SA detractors that apart from an issue a year later, I've had no problems with the system ever since - ! The chain tension was provided with a Surley Singelator. Last w/end, the internal spring broke; not bad after all that time & miles eh - ? However, none of the Surley agents have a replacement spring and the distributor only has the push down one available; mine's a push up type and I need to get the bike up & running, not wait another week or more for another spring when it comes available.
So I decided rather than messing about, just get another chain tensioner. Looked on t'net, yup, plenty avaiable. But being 'loyal' I decided to buy locally. No chance; not one bike shop; national and LBS, had a chain tensioner of any descripton in stock - ! Wot - ? 'Oh, we can order one for you' was the best anyone could do. So I had to go on t'net to get one - !
Am I missing something here - ?

What is the likely turnover on chain tensioners? If is not a commonly requested item then it is not likely to be kept in stock by any LBS.

 

[simongt]

Had to look this up. It's really interesting!

Yup, so did I; fascinating - !

 

[raleighnut]

One of the first things I was taught when I did my apprenticeship in retailing many decades ago!

Kept me in good stead as I never ended up with a mountain of obsolescence and the inherent "stocking charges" that befell many of my contemporaries.

Stocking something on the off chance someone will come along for it once every sixteen years does not make good business sense.

I've got a set of track 'Wingnuts' on the front wheel of the Equipe that John reckoned had been in stock for 50+yrs at his shop, when I asked how much they were he said " I'm sick of 'stocktaking' them every year. you can have em"

 

[Supersuperleeds]

Pareto's Law.

I've always known that as the 80/20 rule

 

[kapelmuur]

I was a purchasing manager and took Pareto’s Law into a new job where my employers had got into terrible problems with overstocking.

Application of the Law sorted things out in 12 months and as I had kept the principle to myself I was regarded as a miracle worker.

 

[Pale Rider]

My local bike shop keeps a stock of popular transmission parts such as chains and cassettes, which they will try to fit same day if the customer just turns up.

Some of the prices may be a little higher than online, but they operate on a free fitting model.

A job where the bits are not in stock needs to be booked into the workshop a couple of days ahead - 'we are quite busy at the moment, sir'.

Entirely coincidentally, that is also the time it takes to order bits.

 

[si_c]

Perhaps a bit late but....

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Surly-Si...Replacement-Silver-New-Old-Stock/233173879924

 

[battered]

I've always known that as the 80/20 rule

Correct. In this case the shop makes 80% of its volume from 20% of its stock items. So you can stock spare springs for a 1983 Campagnolo Super Record derailleur, or you can use that space to keep one more 9 spend chain of set of V brake blocks. Aldi do this in an utterly ruthless fashion, if it's a slow seller it's gone. They only have small stores so you don't get 25 choices of nappies and soap powder. But you know they are never going to run out of bacon, tins of beans or bread.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

Correct. In this case the shop makes 80% of its volume from 20% of its stock items. So you can stock spare springs for a 1983 Campagnolo Super Record derailleur, or you can use that space to keep one more 9 spend chain of set of V brake blocks. Aldi do this in an utterly ruthless fashion, if it's a slow seller it's gone. They only have small stores so you don't get 25 choices of nappies and soap powder. But you know they are never going to run out of bacon, tins of beans or bread.

Which is great if you have good buyers not ones that reply on the computers to do it all for them, I was involved in computer components in it's hay day, but would sometimes get supply issues, something would run out of stock so we couldn't supply which meant it dropped off the buying report, so not get ordered again. We've found the same with most supermarkets over the years