Hmm. I’ve used the Evans in Cheltenham since it opened (it’s just down the road from where I’m working) and they’ve been great. Even told me to order stuff from their web site and get it delivered to the store as it was cheaper. This after I’d tried something on!

I find it bizarre that you’re happy with this? Sure the staff did you a favour, but the company isn’t exactly making it easy for you.

You went into a shop to buy something, you tried it on, and were then told to go away, order on the interwebs (extra work/time), then come back later, and then you could get the same goods cheaper but still have to pick them up from the same shop.

Why can’t they just let you buy them at the online price right there in the shop!*

*I know, I know, online store versus brick and mortar overheads etc, that’s all very well and good until the above happens which completely negates the point as the extra overheads are not being covered!

FWIW both my LBS are pretty great, one is tiny and basically just a workshop, but he’s great and I send people there all the time for mechanical work, the other one is much bigger has decent stock, and what they don’t have they will order in if I want it, normally within 5 days and will be within 10% of the online price, and their service is pretty good too 🙂

I do still buy stuff online every now and again but I’m not really target LBS market anymore and it’s normally only super bargain stuff that I wouldn’t have bough from LBS anyway.

At the moment, I’m (relatively) cash poor, and time rich, so I can do all the work myself (and repair, instead of replace).

Therefore I have no current need for a LBS – I buy all spares online (usually, next day in the post).

In the future, I’m sure things will change.

tbh surely it’s just a case of adapt or die, LBS’s main function now, is selling cheap bikes*(sub 1,000) to the masses?

But to be honest I don’t see why that should stop them having a specialised bike fixing service, online next day delivery is available to them aswell so no need for a big stock.

Good Business Should be supported not Local business.

The three biggest retailers in the uk Wiggle, CRC and Evans all started as local bike shops. They looked at how the market was changing and adapted.

Round near me plenty of shops open and close with 6-12months. But the ones that stay are ones that offer a good range of products, order parts in when people need them, have a website and above all are realistic and honest with their customers.

My LBS opens 9.30 and shuts at 5.30, not even a late Thursday. Another (quite big store) is closed Sundays. Thats the biggest change i think shops could make, open longer. A few hours with minimal staff wouldnt cost the earth and would possibly bring in more customers (judging by how busy the first shop is at 5.15!

To the LBS workers, how many customers do you get at various times of the day/week?

To the LBS workers, how many customers do you get at various times of the day/week?

One of the shops I worked in we used to be really busy Thursday late nights and sat. Odd old boys during the week, maybe a lunch time rush and a few people with days off.

I used to also work at Evans in York which was open 9:30-8pm We where really busy on an evening, I did make sense for us especially to be open that late.

Stato – “Another (quite big store) is closed Sundays.”

Well would you give up the whole weekend for the kind of wages you get in a shop??

😉

Surely a model for a modern bricks and mortar bike shop could be – nice ‘destination’ location popular with cyclists; coffee shop; a workshop offering both repair/service and tuition; a small range of consumables on sale; bike fit and riding skills services; good relations with demo fleet managers and space to exhibit their wares (work like an art gallery and change a small percentage on orders through the shop after a demo); a wifi connection and a couple of free to use desktops to search and buy online (with a fee paying fitting service). The staff could then have an honest relationship with the customer – “you need new chainset – have seen your bike I recon you want an XXXX, have you seen it is available for YYYY and ZZZZ? You order it, get delivered to here and I’ll fit it for ££££”. Not everyone is an internet bike geek and some folk need a bit of help working out what they need and where best to buy it from. I recon there is a market in providing that service.

No idea if you would make enough money setup like that though, but the stocking costs would be negligible.

My Local bike shop is probably the worst in the country. It should not be measured against just bike shops, it could easily be the worst shop in the country full stop.

I really do not know how it has stayed open for so long, my guess is that is in fact the gateway to hell and the owner makes sure no one goes in.

Convert it was all good up to

“couple of free to use desktops to search and buy online (with a fee paying fitting service). The staff could then have an honest relationship with the customer – “you need new chainset – have seen your bike I recon you want an XXXX, have you seen it is available for YYYY and ZZZZ? You order it, get delivered to here and I’ll fit it for ££££”

Tesco only let people sell through their platform for stuff they don’t want to stock, why would you promote the equivalent of Tesco?? It would also be exploited, you only have to look at some of the attitudes displayed here, go to store get advice, buy online and get “mate with spanners” to fit. I saved £3.95 by screwing someone that helped me….

You would get people who came in and ordered online but didn’t use you as a fee paying fitting service sure, but some business would come your way. The point would be that you created a ‘hub’ where it was cool to talk shit about bikes whilst drinking mochacappabollox coffee before, after or in the middle of a ride. Hopefully some of the shit would stick in the form of cash. It is more about making yourself the centre of choice for the services an online retailer can never do well and just not bothering with the things they can. You would never get rich like that but to me it feels a more sustainable model in the current climate than fooling yourself into thinking a bricks and mortar shop is where cycle enthusiasts will spend the bulk of their toy money.

Thinking about it further, I wonder if there is a way that you could make commission from online stores for orders from your ip address – a bit like topcashback/quidco.

The response you get may depend on whether you are a “regular” or not, or whether you are mates with the shop guys.

I use both the shops klumpy is referring to and get very responsive service, sometimes while I wait!

Given my current predicament of finding a mech hanger for a friend, why do (most) shops not stock hangers for the models they sell?

I can understand on some fancy sus designs where its practically half the swingarm but surely, if you sell a bike your going to sell a few of that type, so keep a few hangers in stock. You could even tell the customer, hey! we stock spares for this bike you know, so if you have a problem come back and we can get you going quickly. Its not hard is it.

Internet has killed high st sales to enthusiasts.

I disagree. I often search online and will then shop locally as much as possible. My local shops all give 10% discount, and that ranges from inner tubes to new bikes.

A good shop that tries not to be everything can still do well. Depends on the shop doesn’t it?