Seriously considering a job at a lovely bike shop.

On the face of it seems to be my dream job

Anyone do it?

Anything i need to know other than the standard retail management stuff?

Seriously considering a job at a lovely bike shop.

They always start out lovely!

On the face of it seems to be my dream job

There is a flipside…

Anyone do it?

Yes… But I own the shop too.

Anything i need to know other than the standard retail management stuff?

Typical stuff like long hours, little pay, limited perks etc. but you know that already… On top of that, you MUST have very thick skin, an encyclopedic knowledge of the subject matter, and be 100% confident that turning your passion into a day job won’t dilute your enthusiasm for it at all!

If it still interests you, then knock yourself out!

Yeah be ready for long hours and people complaining because you don’t fit a mech they got online for free. It’s great when it’s great but it sucks when it sucks.

Which one?

Xt shadow mech.

be 100% confident that turning your passion into a day job won’t dilute your enthusiasm for it at all!

This, some of the people I know that have tried to make a living of their hobby and found it killed their joy

Anyway good luck, always worth giving it a try you never know ehere it might lead.

I’m due to be leaving a £30k a year job next march. And I keep looking at bikeshop work, no where near the money I want nor need, but can’t help looking still. Passion/stupidity fine line

Very nice bike shop in scenic surroundings which will allow me to ride to work

Currently commute by car for two hours a day

Well paid sales job curently and 40 years old without debt, and dont need big money tbh

What will an average bike shop manager job pay?

The plus side;
Low(ish) stress
Get to meet some great people
Something you’re passionate about (hopefully!)
Access to the toybox! Demo stuff, prototypes, etc.
Set hours, mostly.

The negatives;
Showrooming asshats
People assuming they deserve something for nothing
People assuming they deserve a discount
Triathletes

good luck 😉

Flashy

I work in IT sales

It will be worth it to not have to ever see anyone in tight trousers with pointy shoes and shiny watches.

Money has been great.

Fancy a change of pace and cant think of better.

There’s no way I’d make my hobby my job – it just wouldn’t work for me and I’d start to resent it. Saying that my office (IT support co) is full of PC building, gaming geeks and they seem to think it’s the perfect job.

Me and my mates have a thing that we call raiders of the lost ark syndrome . In the first film the Germans open the arc and as the creature flies around they are in awe and saying isn’t she beautiful then she turns and kills them all . Watch out for this.

Don’t be too quick to knock ’em. Triathletes love toys more than any other sportsmen I’ve ever heard of!

Matt

Speaking as a crap triathlete, I do love shiny toys.

You forgot to mention

Negatives – engineers

Negatives – engineers

This

Enjoy it and treat customers well with meet and greet.

Fit for free for things online? You wouldn’t buy car brakes online and ask a garage to fit for free?

You wouldn’t buy car brakes online and ask a garage to fit for free?

Many bike shop customers don’t just ask, they expect.

I can’t think of many other industries where there’s such a ridiculous expectation of paying under the asking price. Bike shops aren’t charities.

You wouldn’t buy car brakes online and ask a garage to fit for free?

You would be surprised, whilst it’s in for a service you can’t just pop these on for me. No matter what trade, there is always a silly request.

I saw a red bike on your website, do you have it? What do you mean you can’t check which one I was looking at, it’s your website!
Customers are the best and the worst, I’ve had some great days and met some great people but also a fair number of rsoles.

Negatives – engineers

+1

I’d not do it. Fun for a stopgap, or Saturday job, I couldn’t do it full time. Ymmv.

What will an average bike shop manager job pay?

Depends what you can bring to the table… A complete lack of industry experience, but previous management and a bit of a knowledge of bikes, you might be lucky to get someone to take a punt on you for £18k if they’re desperate.

A proven track record of smashing sales targets, a respected name within the trade, a knowledge of bikes that will smash anyone else’s to pieces if tested, and the charisma to engage customers from all backgrounds and social status and get them to take your word as gospel… Well I know someone that fits this bill and he’s earning at least twice the above figure… But then he’s worth his salary several times over to the business he works in.

You forgot to mention

Negatives – engineers

Fortunately I seem to hear the “but I’m an engineer don’t you know” a lot less these days, but it does still happen… The fact that the word “engineer” can encompass all sorts of professions these days, most of which aren’t hands on in the slightest, seems to be lost on the individuals calling themselves by the title these days!

I can’t think of many other industries where there’s such a ridiculous expectation of paying under the asking price. Bike shops aren’t charities.

It is a bit mad to be fair… It’s like the word “profit” is a dirty word in the bike industry! You wouldn’t expect your plumber, builder, car mechanic or the like to sell you stuff at cost (or below) then fit it for free, but the bike trade does seem to be a rare world indeed!

Prepare yourself to treat owners of Planet X, On One, Ribble, Wiggle & CRC own brands with a new kind of contempt you never thought possible, especially when they turn up 15 minutes before close on a Saturday expecting you to fix their bike ready for a “race” (Sportive or 10 mile TT more like) the next morning…

The good customers more than make the job worthwhile though… Those that walk in the shop, say hi, put the kettle on and then say “I’ve got £500 and I want to upgrade my wheels, tell me what to buy” do exist (though they’re few and far between), and you look after these customers like your life depends on them (it kinda does!)…

In many a conversation with a mate who runs his own a common mis pronunciation of customers in a way the swear filter would dislike keeps popping up…

We did all laugh at the one who bought something from crc utah paid for it to be fitted. He’d left the delivery note/receipt I the box and over payed on heaps of other stuff 🙂

If you really want to know start a thread on here called what makes a good bike shop then read the mad replies… Thankfully stw members don’t appear to be the majority who shop in bike shops.

Being a manager sounds great – most of the perks, but much less of the stress and financial uncertainty that actually owning the business brings! Plus normal hours – you won’t be editing the website at 7.30 on a Sunday morning the way I have been 😉

Don’t be the type of bike shop owner who, when asked “what do you change for headset fitting including facing?” Don’t turn around and say. “We never face our headsets – just drop them in yourself”.

That’s a quick £25 missed. 🙄

Earnings?

Totally depends on type of business (lbs/boutique/chain), location and your experience.

I know a good number of people managing lbs and chain retail bike stores in London.

Most earn basic of mid £20’s, the chain retailers often have well organised bonus schemes which rewards prudent management in terms of staff budget, shrinkage, data capture, customer satisfaction rather than just turnover based targets.

One buddy of mine cleared £35k last year running a flagship chain store but worked very hard with long hours and his store was doing £150k weeks during summer.

Another buddy runs a reasonably successful lbs and makes no real bonus but gets a basic of £25k and is not working long hours

I had a friend who was a sailmaker (ie build and sell racing sails, go racing with customers etc) he was asked by a young kid how to get into sail making as sailing was his passion. He told him to learn html/Java programming and do that 6-9 months a year and sail for fun 3-6 months a year.

I do fear for LBS, I support mine all I can as aside from them actually building many of the local trails its essential they exist to fix my bikes and offer advice. I would never ask the shop to fit something for free, thats just ridiculous.

For now there is no real money in bike shop work. It’s been a hard start to the year for many and sales do seem to be hard
But despite the “I’m an engineer retards” and why do you over charge for things even though that’s the RRP
It can be great fun and I won’t give it for as long as I can, 20 years and counting.

Oh and be honest with people