Forum menu
CRC article on Bike...
 

[Closed] CRC article on BikeMagic

Posts: 2
Free Member
Topic starter
 
[#1152632]

Its pretty good...

[url] http://www.bikemagic.com/ride-features/25-years-of-chain-reaction-cycles/7467.html [/url]

I didnt realise it was such a large business.


 
Posted : 23/12/2009 11:12 am
Posts: 3228
Full Member
 

As much as I hate them for out competing all of us in the trade you've got to take your hat off to such a successful enterprise. Golly, I wish our stores looked even a little bit as organised as theirs!


 
Posted : 23/12/2009 11:19 am
Posts: 40432
Free Member
 

Interesting article, but I wanted to know what they were "pouring over the magazines" late at night.


 
Posted : 23/12/2009 11:22 am
Posts: 2
Free Member
Topic starter
 

🙂 I thought that too 🙂


 
Posted : 23/12/2009 11:23 am
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

was a wiggle fan, but slowly find myself buying more from CRC

Ordered stuff at 4:45 last night, parcel force at my door this morning at 7:30

Cant complain


 
Posted : 23/12/2009 11:25 am
Posts: 40432
Free Member
 

<sub-editor>
Is it me or does the writer not say how many employees and what the turnover is?

A few more stats would have made it much more revealing - and turnover and profit should be available from Companies House.
</sub-editor>


 
Posted : 23/12/2009 11:29 am
Posts: 8904
Free Member
 

The workshop is impressive. I wouldn't mind spinning a spanner in there.


 
Posted : 23/12/2009 11:33 am
Posts: 71
Free Member
 

Does look like a very slick operation.


 
Posted : 23/12/2009 11:46 am
Posts: 1014
Free Member
 

was a wiggle fan, but slowly find myself buying more from CRC

comparable service but for me parcel force (CRC) wins over citylink (wiggle)


 
Posted : 23/12/2009 11:48 am
Posts: 10654
Full Member
 

Going to buck the trend but IMO CRC have gone off the boil slightly, Wiggle have impressed me most recently.
Ordered helmets from Wiggle, two separate orders 1hr apart, about 9pm. Noticed the order nos were 500 digits apart. Do they really get that many orders in an hour ? Impressive.


 
Posted : 23/12/2009 11:52 am
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

Going to buck the trend but IMO CRC have gone off the boil slightly,

I agree, stuff used to pretty much always come next day from them, recently it's taken at least 2-3 days usually - while Wiggle generally still seem to manage next day.


 
Posted : 23/12/2009 11:54 am
 mjb
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

The original article from the CRC website is here...

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/News.aspx?NewsID=758

Not sure if it has any more info in it.


 
Posted : 23/12/2009 12:03 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

Cha****ng £40m turnover in 2008 according to Comapnies House


 
Posted : 23/12/2009 12:33 pm
Posts: 40432
Free Member
 

That's a fair bit of money, did it say the profit too?


 
Posted : 23/12/2009 12:36 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

Cost of Sales £26m Gross Profit £14m

Pretax Profit £4m £3m after tax, £800,000 in dividends with £2m retained


 
Posted : 23/12/2009 12:39 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

As a comparison Wiggle had turnover of £33m but made pretty much same profit as CRC


 
Posted : 23/12/2009 12:42 pm
Posts: 31
Free Member
 

Knowing what impact CRC was having on LBS's I never really held them in high regard.

I never knew CRC started out as a small shop and what they have done over the 25 years I have found a new respect for them.


 
Posted : 23/12/2009 12:45 pm
 Daz
Posts: 144
Free Member
 

I dont normally comment on the usual CRC bashing that goes on on this website but cant avoid this opportunity to praise them.

They happen to be my LBS, and i have been buying off them since the days of the old rented warehouse. I run a local mountain Bike charity and they have quietly supported us in a way that i can never repay and have never asked for anything in return.

Those that complain about CRC undercutting the local bike shops need to remember that your LBS had the same opportunities before them that CRC had 25 years ago, they just didnt take them. Its a family run buisness and i know the managers really do take a pride in providing a good service, its more than a job to most of the staff. CRC have been providing good products at good prices for years and have put a lot back into the sport, nout wrong with that.


 
Posted : 23/12/2009 1:51 pm
Posts: 9967
Full Member
 

CRC may be the name that under cuts your LBS

But its the internet that gave then the oppertunnity and us that bought from them


 
Posted : 23/12/2009 1:56 pm
Posts: 2
Free Member
Topic starter
 

I remember pouring[sic] over the 4 page CRC ads in MBUK 15 years ago planning what upgrade I needed next.

roll on the next 25 years 🙂


 
Posted : 23/12/2009 1:56 pm
Posts: 40432
Free Member
 

Good work mossimus. Very interesting.


 
Posted : 23/12/2009 2:02 pm