If you had the opportunity to run a bike-related business…

…what would it be?

Just putting feelers out, as the opportunity may be coming my way. It’s what I’ve been thinking about for a long time, but I want to get it right. It’d probably be a one-man-band operation in the short term

Pearls of wisdom and inspiration please! 🙂

I’d fix rich old men’s punctures.

DrP

I’d supply Hora with forks

Guiding by day, frame building by night. I reckon there’s a niche for a holliday company where you turn up on day one with an idea, by day 3 there’s a ‘finished’ frame to test ride, then tweak it like a tailored suit over the last couple of days.

I’d be a trail centre guide for busy business core executives.

nipple tweaker to the rich and famous!!

Repairs has the highest profit of LBS’ work, that’d be where I’d go, or hires, dealing with folk on their jollies is nicer than grimy commuters moaning about the price of chains etc.

I’d design a nice modern hardtail frame and have it built in the Far East to keep costs reasonable. Then I might do a full susser too and make it a good bike for razzing about on.

However, it appears that Cotic (and a couple of others on the hardtail side) have beaten me to it. Probably not much space left in the market for a British designed steel (or even alu) hardtail frame.

I’d supply Binners with pies.

I would make/run the worlds/UK’s best trail centre everrrrr. Or take people around, I love giving people tips and seeing the improvement and the smile on their faces! 🙂

All good (except the nipple tweaking); keep ’em coming!

Audi / Orange 5 specific anything, you’d make a mint.

However, it appears that Cotic (and a couple of others on the hardtail side) have beaten me to it. Probably not much space left in the market for a British designed steel (or even alu) hardtail frame.

I thought this the other day, you could be first to mass market with a 650B soul/albert/456?

I reckon there must be a market for aluminium bikes in this area too, not much cheep-ish hardtail choice if you don’t want steel, Chumba and that’s about it).

A Woodward type place in Portugal or southern Spain.

Something where you selling a service over a product. Products don’t have a great margin especially if you are trying play with the big boys,

guiding from a hut, which has a coffee machine, hire bikes, repairs and spares.

Then employ a nice young lady to do cake and coffee full time whilst you are out guiding when you can afford it.

shep – that’s not far off the mark. The space is annexed onto a new bike-friendly caff so the nice young ladies (and bald bloke) there can perform cake duties on my behalf

IHN – when can you start?

Bike theft appears to be where its at at the moment 😈

I split my time between guiding and teaching, the guiding is a lot of fun but my main earner is teaching Bikeability.

I’m constantly amazed by the amount of adults who can’t/won’t fix a puncture and are willing to spend £10 to have someone else do it. My LBS does a good side line in fixing punctures on all terrain prams as well.

As someone else has said, I’d be involved in the design and prototyping of a range of bikes to suit UK tastes and conditions. But I know naff all about metallurgy, I can’t ride for toffee and I’ve zero business contacts in the trade.

Still, nice to dream eh?

Cotic, Ragley, On-One et al have those bases well covered. However if any of the proprietors of said businesses wish to employ me as a design consultant then my contact details are on my profile – salary negotiable.

It is absolutely amazing how few people know how to do the most basic maintenance tasks though.

Holiday company, biking summer, skiing in the winter, somewhere in Switzerland. Ideally with a dedicated skills and teaching area as part of the property.

Mobile bike store/repair shop?

Working from a well kitted out van, offering on the spot repairs and bike kit and parts, for popular local trial that dont have any on site facilities?

Minibus Pickup and drop off service for trips to trials?

Just making this all up as I type 😉

I’d agree to carry everyone’s smartphone/GPS and ‘win’ them Strava KOMs for £35 a pop.

DrP

DrP – Member

I’d agree to carry everyone’s smartphone/GPS and ‘win’ them Strava KOMs for £35 a pop.

DrP

lol, we have a winner!

set up a couple of small bike shops getting involved in the local scene and supporting trailbuilders etc.
focus on customer service and repairs.
sell bikes kit and the usual stuff.
coffee tea and biscuits
organise local rides and some foreign adventures.

Then look at your own branded kit like lights, bottom brackets, jockey wheels, bearings etc.
get an amazing wheel builder to work with you.

create a race team, and produce some national champions in various disciplines.

then design your own full sus all mountain bike, in carbon and build it in the shed, then get that bike in to production and take on Orange etc.

Oh wait thats just me, oh how I love my freakin job. 😳
If you want any help or advice give ma a shout, Im in Leeds but mainly in cambridge at the moment.

It’s now £60 per KOM, given my recently received reviews and awards.

DrP

I’d run a bunkhouse in mid Wales. not just for mtb but road tourers, motorcycle tourers, twitchers, hikers etc.

I have often fantasized about a snug fire lit room with a bar. beer barrels on chocks, some nice wines, a couple of good rums and whiskies. dinner is bowls of stew and homemade bread.

clean simple rooms.

a lockable storage cage for bikes, a drying room, a workshop, spares, renewable heating natch 🙂

when I win the lottery all this for £5 a night …

can I book now stoner

Stoner, sounds just about perfect to me

http://uk.businessesforsale.com/uk/search/Bicycle-Shops-for-sale
http://www.thecyclingexperts.co.uk/the-cycling-industry/opening-a-bike-shop/
“The reality:
There is a popular saying in the industry which goes something like this: “If you want to make a small fortune in the cycle trade, start with a large one.”

Being passionate about bikes and cycling alone won’t make you a successful independent cycle retailer. In the 21st Century shop owners need a good business brain to match their enthusiasm for the product and lifestyle.

There’s also the hard-work and long hours associated with running your own retail business – which may well include everything from sweeping the floors and stocking the shelves, to maintaining your own website, managing the finances and training new staff.”

Minibus Pickup and drop off service for trips to trials?

+1, I reckon there must be a demand for a minibus or coach from say Manchester or Birmingham to Llandegla/Lee Quarry/Guisburn etc, plenty of people without cars or just wanting to save the petrol/hastle.

Could even have soem sort of custom trailer with some sort of showers on the outside and bike storage inside?

if you can play decent folk tunes on a 6 string acoustic then lodging, dinner and your first three pints are free 🙂

+1, I reckon there must be a demand for a minibus or coach from say Manchester or Birmingham to Llandegla/Lee Quarry/Guisburn etc, plenty of people without cars or just wanting to save the petrol/hastle.

Or want a beer or two after a ride 😉

Hey los, join the bleed kit community! Every man and his dog has a bleed kit outfit since we started ours! 😛

..on second thoughts, don’t. 🙂

I’d invest in Stoner’s bunkhouse if it had a good brand name, start to produce T-shirts and the like, do a few events based there without being over-run at the bunkhouse, maybe open a few up around the UK.. supporting a small team needn’t be expensive, workshop facilities are profitable..

There’s no equivalent of Fat Willy’s Surf Shack in the ‘on the road’ tourer / bike world and bothies are a bit exclusive / remote for many but the idea is appealing. Just appeal to the right market and profit from the stay-cation trend.

In fact, Stoner’s Bunkhouse TM is cool enough : )

like it. but my drug-free policy may be confusing 🙂

Anything you do has to involve being able to ride your bike more than you would working for someone else..in a non bike related job or regular 9-5.
Without increased time on the bike.. theres very little point in being in the industry.

I reckon there must be a market for aluminium bikes in this area too, not much cheep-ish hardtail choice if you don’t want steel, Chumba and that’s about it).

You’d have thought, but the mmmBop was discontinued due to the peculiar buying public not wanting that type of bike in alu.

Guiding by day, frame building by night. I reckon there’s a niche for a holliday company where you turn up on day one with an idea, by day 3 there’s a ‘finished’ frame to test ride, then tweak it like a tailored suit over the last couple of days.

I read about this in other of the bike mags abit ago, some guy in the states does it. No further information tho.

Have developed 2 bike-related businesses over the past 5 years…

Both reasonably successful (and profitable) in their own right.

My advice.

Have a good think about it – it’s a cliche’ but it’s a rough ride trying to exist/succeed and keep the passion alive!

It’s certainly possible to get the balance though. Forget retail, look to the sun and seasonality, get your segmentation strategy cock-on and plan to subsidise with some additional income.

Edit to say:

I’ve now sold up (both) – and gone back to the 9 – 5 !!

And guess what – I’m riding more and the passion is back!