I've been driving past a branch in North London whilst working there and one day when I had a few minutes to spare popped in. I didn't stay long. The whole vibe of the shop was wrong. There was no bling on display, no really nice bikes - and notably, hardly any decent ebikes. It just seemed like a business model half a decade behind the times. I never thought I'd say this, but JE James, blows them away
This is disappointing indeed. Being able to go to their central London stores and pay CRC prices seemed too good to last. Agreed with comments about their staff too- for a corporate outfit they are excellent.
@jonnyboi - yes seen the Wiggle (/trisport resort) eBay store but just assumed they do a massive volume online so even if 1% get returned that's still a big quantity to shift.
Had cashed Tesco vouchers in for a camelback that went out of stock while waiting on the voucher being processed. Stocked up on spare chains just in case.
<div class="bbp-reply-author">thisisnotaspoon
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The one in Reading is in the town center, right by the big shopping center multi storey. But the wrong side of a big ring road roundabout. Even cycling into town its on the wrong side of the road.
Considering its my 2nd closest bike shop (Rotec Cycles are closer) I’ve been in twice in the 5 years its been there
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My office is behind Rotec, still seems odd not seeing Simon about.
Only been in that Evans a couple of times and they were pretty disinterested when a mate was buying a bike.
I’d have gone elsewhere but his companies Cycle to work scheme is tied to Evans apparently. I have no idea if that’s true as we don’t have such a thing.
sillysilly + echo'd by TheArtistFormerlyKnownAsSTR: yes some of their stores stock cheap tat but you can order stuff via the website for next day inspection/collection. Also they do fine for the basic needs of the city commuter (in London I guess this is by far the biggest market). Works for me.
Also I find even the "bad" staff at least want to help and aren't arrogant on top of their ignorance. That makes a big difference.
Yeah I'm probably the biggest Evans fan.
The one in Edinburgh seems to have worked pretty hard to have nothing I want. You can order pretty much anything online and have it delivered to the store, but then, why? Maybe I'm just not the target market but this is Edinburgh, if you can't sell a load of mountain bikes here where can you?
That's a shame if true. The one in Sheffield has friendly staff and a good range of bikes. Really handy to pop in there on the way home to pick things up, especially with click and collect.
Anyone else got any ideas to help save them? If only Wiggle survive in a few years I imagine their prices will rise pretty fast.
Yep, use your LBS and not wiggle. It's not rocket science. If you don't support high street shops (and I don't mean to try things for size before buying online) you'll close and lose them.
Partner with Canyon and YT for initial setup and 1st services, maybe even rent them some floorspace for display / demo models and handle warranty shipping (if it doesn’t erode margin). No need to actually sell them
Zero margin will always be zero margin. Seems like a lot of work & staff wages to increase Canyon's and YT's profit and market share.
You're not on Evan's board or ideas person are you? 😉😂
Tbf though, if Evans do cease to trade, it couldn’t happen to a worse bike retailer.
I feel the pain of their store staff who I nearly joined.
They are well just a bit w&nk tbh and yes I was bitter at the time.
Anyone else got any ideas to help save them? If only Wiggle survive in a few years I imagine their prices will rise pretty fast.
It's the need/race to sell cheap that's killing retail. It's been going on slowly for years but post 2008 there was a huge rush to sell sell sell at any price because you had to have the turnover.
A lot of businesses said "it'll be fine, we'll be able to increase prices when things settle down" but it went on so long it's become the norm and there's no going back from it. As a result everyone knows everything will be 25%+ cheaper in a few weeks time so the only people who pay full price are those who must have it. Just take a look at the front page for "where's the cheapest/when does x go on sale" threads and the like.
I'm afraid you can't have that cake and eat it, either stuff will carry enough margin to support multiple businesses or it'll be cheap as possible sold in huge volumes by only one or two outlets. On the other hand though prices won't go up noticeably because as soon as they do another company will open, undercut them by 2p an item and they'll go out off business because near as it matters no one is brand loyal these days.
I'm afraid traditional retail is doomed for a great many things unless it really starts to offer something you can't get online.
The UK is in an interesting financial position at the moment in the middle of huge uncertainty that at it’s very definition would impact discretionary spending.
The commercial world is starting to face up to it, but to the man in the street, it's still confusing, irritating and boringly dragging on. Consumers will wake up to it when prices really rise and goods are delayed. All that's to come.
How much have they been burdened by the debt from the takeover and expansion - probably borrowed at low interest rates and now having to furnish that debt at higher rates against a static / shrinking retail market plus considerable cost growth as they have to buy in US$.
Less sure about the "new golf" as golf-clubs are literally dying out because its becoming a social club for geriatrics and finding it hard to attract new members.
Less sure about the “new golf” as golf-clubs are literally dying out because its becoming a social club for geriatrics and finding it hard to attract new members.
I wish, then Aston could extend its runs into the golf course !
just waiting for a new bike to land from evans. it was pretty heavily discounted.
fingers crossed it will land before they submerge, if they actually do.
I've weaned myself off using Wiggle/CRC over the last few years now, easy to see how the rush to bottom price was destroying the market in general. Most purchases come through the LBS and surprisingly I'm spending less as I think about what I want to buy and then get it. If I can't get something specific though the LBS then Evans or Halfords are my next port of call, sometimes I'll use Amazon but i I do it'll be from that manufacturer's sales channel.
IF Evans do go through a restructure/shrinking period does this mean Halfords are in trouble on the bike side too? I know they have the automotive side which drove their decision a while ago to close the high street stores and focus on the retail parks with fitting bays for lightbulbs etc but the bike side is a similar setup. Own-brand bikes, basic workshop etc. Is it time for the LBS to have a resurgence?
Evans is by far my closest bike shop, I quite regularly use them for click and collect with price match. In fact I last picked something up from them on Thursday. Click and collect, if you live close to a store, is great as it’s effectively free next day delivery.
I used to work for Evans, word from my ex colleagues is that they're not in danger of going under any time soon, the article makes it sound far worse than it is. it's been a reasonable summer for the trade due to the weather.
Evans always seem to do a spectacular job of not stocking anything I want! No proper tyres, bars tools or anything. It’s actually impressive how they have literally nothing of any use in stock! I even popped in the other day to buy a bottle cage, usually a big selection...not this time no side load cages in sight.
Im not surprised. They always seem to have lots of stuff in the shop but never the item I want,
Prices are reasonable and they price match, but despite big stores they rarely have what you want in stock. Most has to be ordered online from the warehouse and turns up some time days or weeks later, maybe. Meanwhile you could order from another online retailer and get it next day.
In the last few years I've gone in an Evans I've generally walked out again not having found what I want. Nothing exotic, just stuff like brake fluid, bottom bracket, chain link, standard tools. They just stock stuff for shopper and commuter bikes.
I've also even ordered online, gone to collect and told it hasn't arrived. Online indication of stock levels in store isn't accurate either. Trying to get a helmet I liked in the right size and could try on, and it was in stock in two of my local stores... no it wasn't. They could order it though, in week or two. In one case they said I'd have to pay for it up front just to try it on!
In the main their business is selling bikes, though I rarely see people walk out with a new bike. Okay that's anecdotal.
Will say though, back in the day, bought a torque wrench, not only did they sell them back then, but the guy there went out of his way to explain its operation and how to take care of it.
word from my ex colleagues is that they’re not in danger of going under any time soon
A lot of bosses will say this to staff and maybe believe it themselves. Seen it in many companies. Lots of assurances everything is great, look at these figures. Then the place goes tits up.
Most worrying is what will happen to Pinnacle.
A lot of bosses will say this to staff and maybe believe it themselves. Seen it in many companies. Lots of assurances everything is great, look at these figures. Then the place goes tits up.
Yep, I was told along with everyone else in RBS in early 2008 that it was only a temporary blip and we should all buy shares at a special discounted rate for staff, some real true believers did. The discounted rate was about 95% or market value, 6 months later they’d lost 90% or their value and have never recovered.
I cant imagine they had a really great summer and then needed £10m to keep afloat in Sept, if that was true they’d have gone under back in Feb when the Xmas sales cash ran dry.
Been in many times over the years but can't recall ever buying anything from them apart from a saddle and that was mail order. They just never seemed to have anything on display that took my fancy. My local shop is JE James in Chesterfield - I've spent loads with them. They appear to be doing well and have recently massively expanded their E bike section which is where they see the next cycling boom coming from it seems.
How many people buy a new bike every year? How long does it take for market saturation?
From what I can see people just wait for the sales. I mean last seasons cycling shorts are as good as this seasons. There is always somewhere doing a discount and they will drop the item at your door.
Cycling does take some commitment. You need some space for the bike plus if you get tired/bored when cycling you can’t just jump in a taxi. Also around me they banned bikes from trains which did not help...
<div class="bbp-reply-author">mikewsmith
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<div class="bbp-reply-content">The UK is in an interesting financial position at the moment in the middle of huge uncertainty that at it’s very definition would impact discretionary spending.
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Are you able to look at anything and not see your very own Brexit doomsday?
As for Evans; Terrible for the employees - and I have been into the Cardiff branch a couple times, and always found the staff helpful enough. Hopefully a solution can be found if they are in trouble.
You have to question the reasoning for so many cities to have multiple Evans stores pretty close together. Surely they would be better having one store thats well stocked than multiple stores that are close together and poorly stocked?.
Leeds had one (now closed) right outside the station then their main store about 150m away.
You have to question the reasoning for so many cities to have multiple Evans stores pretty close together
Saturation of stores increases overall sales in an area. People will go to the closest to have a look at stock. If you can engage them they will most likely be too lazy to go to a different store but maybe not to shop online.
I've not shopped at Evans for a few since the staff at the notts store blatantly lied about a click and collect being ready.
Shame another big retailer going, though I've been trying to use local shop for some small stuff.
Saturation of stores increases overall sales in an area. People will go to the closest to have a look at stock. If you can engage them they will most likely be too lazy to go to a different store but maybe not to shop online.
But how much is that floorspace costing them in say London?
Are you able to look at anything and not see your very own Brexit doomsday?
Brexit is a factor in the closure of many stores, falling £, inflation & consumer confidence adding pressure, to an already vulnerable sector
If you voted for it you really ought to have the courage to accept the consequences of your actions
I've bought less and less off them in the last year. Prices too high compared to others being the main reason. The only time I tried their price match, they said they couldn't match it!
Never seemed to have the tyres, brake pads or parts I wanted in their shops. Always the crap combinations of compound, casing, sizes and pad material you don't want. Much better than Halfords or Decathlon TBF, anyone for a Conti Diesel, 2.2 High Roller super tacky or their own brand plastic tyres!
The collect option came in handy a few times.
Interesting to see a mixture of 'will be a shame to see them gone' and 'they're shit I know how to run a shop better' type responses. From my decade working for them I would say that on the whole they treat their staff fairly, there's great room for progression if you're good at your job, and overall i enjoyed my time there.
They stock a bigger range of bikes, accesories and clothing than pretty much any other shop, but suffer from a 'love to hate' attitude by enthusiasts of the sport when they don't have a relatively obscure part in stock. Though something like brake fluid may seem like an essential item, and they should stock it, but even their biggest stores would probably sell 1 bottle a month, compared to 20 pairs of gloves occupying the same shelf space.
When I started in the mid 2000's they stocked a decent range of components, forks, interesting frames etc in some stores. With the rise of internet shopping, CRC and others continued with their quest to sell grey import components for less than the trade price through the official channels, it became uneconomical to compete on parts, and hence not worth stocking in stores apart from basic repair items for the average commuter. So Evans never really went for the heavily discounted component market in the way that PX, Ribble , Merlin , CRC and Wiggle did. Allthough this may have lost some of the more 'expert' customers, I feel they did not contribute to the death of the LBS in the way the others above have done, but their physical high street presence made them the scapegoat for shops closing etc.
The article in the OP is highly speculative, and I very much doubt things are that serious at the moment. The industry has suffered a slowdown since the boom of 2012, but cycling is still growing in popularity and people like to test ride / collect a bike from a physical store. It's not the same as Maplins, House of Fraser etc who are no longer relevant on the UK high street .
Good luck to my ex colleagues but I'm sure they will be ok.
No kidding. I couldn’t believe when they opened up in Cardiff. Their location is really awkward yet expensive, and they did so in a city with a number of well-used, well-established LBS
Also, like a lot of Evans stores, the merchandising is really poor. A basic bike shop system is to put bikes in order of price. Not Evans. Another basic of retail is to make sure everything is priced. Not Evans. They even put bikes up on a stand with a spec sheet and whatever, but then don’t put a price on it. The Cardiff store is gloomy, with spotlights that shine in your eyes, and it’s not laid out sensibly - not an easy store to find things in. That’s if you can be bothered to walk to the wrong side of the city centre and negotiate a busy main road to get there.
I’ve bought shed loads of cycle stuff from Evans over the years clothes tyres pedals energy bars oakleys etc including two new bikes but I always buy online. And always buy sale stuff. It surprised me how they managed to have so many stores everywhere!
Their most recent sale is ridiculous.
I ordered well over £1000 of clothing/ helmet and stuff, and paid just over £400 with the sale price and the EXTRA20 code they had.
It was also on a Ride2Work voucher so will actually pay just over £270 for it all 👍😳
I can't be alone in not spending a single penny more than I absolutely have to in light of the forthcoming economic chaos. If my job survives then I will start buying things again, but until then the purse stays shut.
I can’t be alone in not spending a single penny more than I absolutely have to in light of the forthcoming economic chaos.
I think there is a good group of people who feel completely isolated from that. They show no signs of panic or concern. It could be denial though and just going hard into the inevitable crash.
The majority of bike shops still depend on discretionary spending. No matter how many claim to be cycling to work they will give up the bike before the petrol pump.
No matter how many claim to be cycling to work they will give up the bike before the petrol pump.
Sold my car to buy an E-cargo bike. Do an average of 130 miles a week. No more petrol/diesel pumps for me
Use my local Evans for most things, they are great.
Stuff still arriving in shops. Picked up my light today to keep my commuter ticking over in the darker nights....
I bought my one-up dropper and lever from them, one of those suit carrier messenger bags which wasn't cheap, some XT groupset stuff for a bike build.
One thing I don't like is that their stores are now just full of that L Garnier own brand stuff, if you want much else in you have to click-and-collect it, try it on, and refund if no good.
Also bought some stuff from Cycle Surgery recently as well.
Garneau? Deff not own brand stuff big canadian lot with some good stuff, bibs are great
Garneau are actually a Canadian company, not an Evans own brand. They do high end stuff, but they seem to have an image problem over here presumably because of the misconception with Evans.
EDIT. Too slow
I’d always assumed the rent on the Cardiff store must be small because of the challenging location. It used to be a Hypervalue. I understood the business model to be to find lower rent premises just off town centres. Good for click and collect for office workers. Seems like a runner.
