Open a New Bike Shop

[scotty]

Something i would like to see here is a new concept i came across in London when living there.

 

Buying a new bike from a shop (think it was over a certain value) and you get free servicing for life on the bike. This was the labour only obviously and onky for the original owner. I've bought a few bikes in London before and with most of the LBS, you get free service for the first 12 months, but this shop took it one step further. The chainstores like Evans didn't do that though.

Cyclelab used to have the concept of service for life if original owner years ago, not sure if it was limited to Trek only but I had this when i bought a MTB from them  

[RockCoach]

 

 

this ! 

 

an idea for you. open at 7am and close at 9pm. Most folk have jobs. Being able to pop into a bike shop after 5pm  would be nothing short of fantastic. Oh yes. Saturdays till late (depening on where you are) and Sundays for when most families can come in. 

 

My pet hate with bike shops. "no sir, you cant take it for a ride up the road and back to test" have flippen test bikes demo bikes. 

 

make sure your mechanic, salesperson, skivvie, whateva you call them is also a barista, just like cwc, great to sit and have a coffee while doing some "work" in a bike shop.

You seem to have (mostly) nailed down my business model for our shop. Our clients appreciate that we are open from 8am till 6pm and it seems to be working for us.

 

Have demo bikes available and are located right on joburgs busiest trail.

 

Sorry, cant agree with your last point - the guys in the bike shop are way too busy to go play barrista. If they not busy, then you are overstaffed. Our coffee shop has one permanent barrista during the week. On weekends all hell breaks loose and there are about 8 staff in the coffee shop including partners/wives just to keep things going.

[Slowbee]

Sounds great!!!  But try being the one who has to work 7-9 7 days a week with no time to do anything for yourself let alone ride your bike.

its called hard work. Its called breaking the rules. Its called differentiating yourself. And not all the staff have to be there from 7 - 9.

 

Heck come to think of it. Every bike shop in my area closes at 5.30pm. If I was an owner I would know my customers and know that most of them work till late. Heck if the times are a worry, open at 10 and close at 10.

 

and then onto that how about an after hour service?

 

and yes there are people who have worked like that for a year or 10.

[ByronH]

You seem to have (mostly) nailed down my business model for our shop. Our clients appreciate that we are open from 8am till 6pm and it seems to be working for us.

 

Have demo bikes available and are located right on joburgs busiest trail.

 

Sorry, cant agree with your last point - the guys in the bike shop are way too busy to go play barrista. If they not busy, then you are overstaffed. Our coffee shop has one permanent barrista during the week. On weekends all hell breaks loose and there are about 8 staff in the coffee shop including partners/wives just to keep things going.

 

And these guys are a great example of service, and bang for buck

[Kranswurm]

its called hard work. Its called breaking the rules. Its called differentiating yourself. And not all the staff have to be there from 7 - 9.

 

Heck come to think of it. Every bike shop in my area closes at 5.30pm. If I was an owner I would know my customers and know that most of them work till late. Heck if the times are a worry, open at 10 and close at 10.

 

and then onto that how about an after hour service?

 

and yes there are people who have worked like that for a year or 10.

Really??

[Skinnyone]

Requires two teams of staff to do. And you would have to balance the weekend's so that everyone gets some time to themselves and to spend with family.

Yes it does...But now put yourself in the position where a guy walks in and spends an hour dealing with X and gains confidence in that sales person, comes back tomorrow to show his mate/missus and now deals with Y who has no clue what is going on. Don't get me started on commissions in this situation. I know there are solutions but I have seen it happen more than once!

[dirtypot]

My cycle buddy and I started a cycle repair shop (just mechanical work, no new bikes) in the Southern Peninsula at the end of last year.  It had been 'unofficially' running from his garage for years, it's now just more formal and structured.  We spent time getting the shop setup (I was here already, and we've just restructured the space to keep what I had here in the back - we're both still working our previous jobs) and have only really started marketing recently.  We've found a niche in that nobody is offering what we are here.

It's hard work, an endless money pit, nightmare supplier lists and supplier stock availability, and constant juggling.  All money that we're making is being pumped back into the business (the benefit of still having our old jobs), but we are seeing growth.

It's great doing something that you really enjoy, and we're really having fun with it!  

If you've got the funds, passion and drive for it then go for it!  Just not if you're in the Southern Peninsula... 

 

www.cranx.co.za

[Patchelicious]

Further to the lack of knowledge of salesman in bike shops.

 

Was in a Concept store yesterday (against my better judgement) and saw a nice limited edition S-Works frame hanging on the wall.

 

I asked the guy which one it was, he responded "not sure, its some African name....". I was a bit surprised, and said to him, it looks like a world champion edition based on the colours... I was told "NO, its a African sounding name"... Ok sorry for asking.

 

It turned out to be the Kwiatkowskis World Champ Edition.... He thought it was kwaito.... as in the music, go figure.

 

Now if you as a cyclist, a Spez concept store sales dude (which only sells Spez stuff) do not know which Special Editions you have, or even WORSE not even know that the WORLD FRIGGEN CHAMPION is riding your brand, or who he even is, then seriously... all hope is lost!

 

If I know more than than you (and I know bugger-all), then what is the point of your existence in the value chain? I might as well buy my stuff online. Imagine a guy who knows less than me actually servicing my bikes, I better stop, this is getting scary!!

 

So again, get people who KNOW CYCLING.

[Skinnyone]

its called hard work. Its called breaking the rules. Its called differentiating yourself. And not all the staff have to be there from 7 - 9.

 

Heck come to think of it. Every bike shop in my area closes at 5.30pm. If I was an owner I would know my customers and know that most of them work till late. Heck if the times are a worry, open at 10 and close at 10.

 

and then onto that how about an after hour service?

 

and yes there are people who have worked like that for a year or 10.

We did that at the one shop I worked at, Guess who/what comes out the woodwork after hours? - all the skelms...when you are on the "graveyard" shift between 6 and 8pm and you get a group of non cyclists come in and fondle every piece of clothing (and this is no lie) and when the next guy opens the shop in the morning and discovers 3 winter jackets (at a cost of R2k each) missing cuz the "non cyclists" did a bit of "affirmative shopping" on your watch...

 

And this is in one of the most "upmarket" centers in JHB...

[Skinnyone]

Further to the lack of knowledge of salesman in bike shops.

 

Was in a Concept store yesterday (against my better judgement) and saw a nice limited edition S-Works frame hanging on the wall.

 

I asked the guy which one it was, he responded "not sure, its some African name....". I was a bit surprised, and said to him, it looks like a world champion edition based on the colours... I was told "NO, its a African sounding name"... Ok sorry for asking.

 

It turned out to be the Kwiatkowskis World Champ Edition.... He thought it was kwaito.... as in the music, go figure.

 

Now if you as a cyclist, a Spez concept store sales dude (which only sells Spez stuff) do not know which Special Editions you have, or even WORSE not even know that the WORLD FRIGGEN CHAMPION is riding your brand, or who he even is, then seriously... all hope is lost!

 

If I know more than than you (and I know bugger-all), then what is the point of your existence in the value chain? I might as well buy my stuff online. Imagine a guy who knows less than me actually servicing my bikes, I better stop, this is getting scary!!

 

So again, get people who KNOW CYCLING.

Again my point with staff...being the knowledgeable one in a store is not easy either cuz you get called over to every single sale in progress to ask "stupid s!!t" questions...

[Skylark]

My brother bought 2 bikes in UK and got the free lifetime service deal. much better than the 70 pounds per bike per service that a different shop quoted him. 

 

Does that free lifetime service deal incl suspension servicing(excl parts obviously)?

How often can you get your bike serviced, must be some kind of limit?

[Pure Savage]

A great mechanic and a friendly environment make a great bike shop.

 

Contemplating leaving my favorite bike shop as the head mechanic left.

 

He was great and he made an effort to chat to me about my bike and riding. He always made sure everything was 100%, never had to take for a test and go back.

 

Bike shop is lucky I moved so close to them and I really dig the owners

[Brickleberry]

I think in South Africa opening a bike shop is easier said than done. People want the world and they want it for free. Stay open late and weekends, have 2 teams of fully trained knowledgable staff, a good mechanic, who gives free lifetime services. Keep a wide range of everything available and please don't charge a lot. on top of that, from what I have seen trying to source a part I need through 5 different LBS, the suppliers reps are about as useful as an ash tray on a motorcycle. 5 different shops call their reps to be told it's not a stock item and I will struggle to find it. And another phone call lands at someone who says yip, we have it in stock delivery 2 days from Cape Town. So you will need to navigate crap service , while offering only the best , minimal margins and ridiculous hours as well as high salaries for staff, all while shelling out top dollar for stock COD as well as bying one extra of each for demo models at your cost. Oh and don't forget the professionally trained barrister to top it off. Good luck sir , if you can do all this, I wish you well. But I doubt you will ever see the fun side of a bike cockpit again in your life.

[Slowbee]

Really??

well for some of us, the rest dont. no matter how you look at it, it is still hard work

[Slowbee]

I think in South Africa opening a bike shop is easier said than done. People want the world and they want it for free. Stay open late and weekends, have 2 teams of fully trained knowledgable staff, a good mechanic, who gives free lifetime services. Keep a wide range of everything available and please don't charge a lot. on top of that, from what I have seen trying to source a part I need through 5 different LBS, the suppliers reps are about as useful as an ash tray on a motorcycle. 5 different shops call their reps to be told it's not a stock item and I will struggle to find it. And another phone call lands at someone who says yip, we have it in stock delivery 2 days from Cape Town. So you will need to navigate crap service , while offering only the best , minimal margins and ridiculous hours as well as high salaries for staff, all while shelling out top dollar for stock COD as well as bying one extra of each for demo models at your cost. Oh and don't forget the professionally trained barrister to top it off. Good luck sir , if you can do all this, I wish you well. But I doubt you will ever see the fun side of a bike cockpit again in your life.

something about a cobbler has the worst shoes

[worriesnot]

I think in South Africa opening a bike shop is easier said than done. People want the world and they want it for free. Stay open late and weekends, have 2 teams of fully trained knowledgable staff, a good mechanic, who gives free lifetime services. Keep a wide range of everything available and please don't charge a lot. on top of that, from what I have seen trying to source a part I need through 5 different LBS, the suppliers reps are about as useful as an ash tray on a motorcycle. 5 different shops call their reps to be told it's not a stock item and I will struggle to find it. And another phone call lands at someone who says yip, we have it in stock delivery 2 days from Cape Town. So you will need to navigate crap service , while offering only the best , minimal margins and ridiculous hours as well as high salaries for staff, all while shelling out top dollar for stock COD as well as bying one extra of each for demo models at your cost. Oh and don't forget the professionally trained barrister to top it off. Good luck sir , if you can do all this, I wish you well. But I doubt you will ever see the fun side of a bike cockpit again in your life.