Breaking News: Cycle Lab Acquires Chris Willemse Cycles

[shaper]

All you naysayers .... I bet if you stick your head into CL this weekend you will see long queues and tills happily ringing.... especially as it is their annual sale!!

 

I find it funny that people think the bikehub has influence in what is said, when in fact is the minority with regard to the cycling masses.

 

The only thing CL misses is that it is not really an LBS so their parts and sundries department is rather lacking.  They have based their model on complete bike sales, financing and items to supplement this selling model.  Their model is not really spares and this is where CWC cornered the market for guys who like to tinker, build up and upgrade.

 

Maybe CL will keep the CWC model for this, but until the mud has cleared and I know how this will go forward I will reserve judgement.

 

As for shopping, I have bought at CL (will continue to do so), and at CWC but not for a long time as I can get better prices and in my hand quicker from Solomons..... and I reiterate what I said earlier... cash/price is king!!... so will shop wherever gives me the best deal !!

[cadenceblur]

Makes no difference to my future purchases - all will be from UK/EU online shops where possible.

With all the current shipping issues that CRC comes with - not so simple.

Will be watching this closely.

[stefmeister]

With all the current shipping issues that CRC comes with - not so simple.

Will be watching this closely.

You know just like CWC locally, there are other options other than CRC.

[cadenceblur]

I have bought from a wide variety of stores - Bike24, Bike Discount, Worldwide Cyclery etc. - so I am aware of the options, guess it all depends on what you want and when you want it.

[Patchelicious]

I don’t think anyone is bleak with a Oom Chris cashing out after working his butt off for years, think it’s more who it was sold to, a business with very different ethos.

 

Will be interesting to see how unfolds.

 

 

You know why CWC fans are bleak, it has to do with the way it was announced, instead of CWC fashion. "We are now part of CL lets have a ask what you want sale" The posted these positives instead of a sale:

 

snip

 

 

Dude, just say you dont like it. 

 

There is no need to construct "justifiable" reasons.

 

We don't like change, nothing wrong with that.

[gemmerbal]

the MoreCorp group also purchased the Golfers Club as far as I know (not cycling related I know) but the point has been made here earlier: anyone for a spot of Monopoly? I'll be the dog thanks.

[LeoKnight]

the MoreCorp group also purchased the Golfers Club as far as I know (not cycling related I know) but the point has been made here earlier: anyone for a spot of Monopoly? I'll be the dog thanks.

 

Was wondering about it, but I think if they get taken to the competition commission they will easily be able to demonstrate that of all sales combined for bike and bike accessories they might be a big player, but not have the market corner (as they could include the sales going through the Games / Makro / Spez shops / smaller retailers) to show they do not have a monopoly as yet.

[coppi]

NEVER !

 

 

If you want my business - offer me the right price the first time .... dont expect me to run around getting quote after quote, just for you to match the best price.

 

 

 

having done all the leg work, I will support the company\shop that actually offered me the service and price ....

You obviously do not own a business...................that is what it is at the end of the day, the cycling goods are just the means............

[Psyrax]

And all this before Black Friday?

[Shebeen]

Was wondering about it, but I think if they get taken to the competition commission they will easily be able to demonstrate that of all sales combined for bike and bike accessories they might be a big player, but not have the market corner (as they could include the sales going through the Games / Makro / Spez shops / smaller retailers) to show they do not have a monopoly as yet.

[conspiracy theory]might be why CL actually left CTown in the first place.

 

they had a shop in tokai, moved it and then it changed names before even opening[/CT]

 

just had a quic squizz through the CWC post. okes are not happy!

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=10156629098501060&id=222390311059&comment_tracking=%7B%22tn%22%3A%22O%22%7D

[LeoKnight]

On a side note... CWC now also sells Scott's 

 

Well they have a bunch of them on display on their storeroom floor

[LeoKnight]

 

just had a quic squizz through the CWC post. okes are not happy!

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=10156629098501060&id=222390311059&comment_tracking=%7B%22tn%22%3A%22O%22%7D

 

Not having fb I will take your word for it, but seriously is it worst than here?

[Simon123]

Interesting to see the level of hate for a store in this thread.   

 

Also, well done to CWC for selling out in this market, especially in the retail sector at the moment (admittedly a lot of their business was online).

 

Never really dealt with CL, but lets see.  If they can retain the CWC business model, perhaps step up own brand, keep grey import channels open, and work on rolling out the best of each business into the other, I think there is a good chance of growth.

 

But that said, EVO bikes, Buy Cycle, Easy Bike etc.... this is your time.  Literally today you need to jump onto that road and push your stores.  Perhaps consider working together on importing certain things to get scale, and all of you will flourish.

 

Deep down, I fear that already cycling, between the hype pricing premium, Rand / exchange rate, and what appears to be a few really greedy middlemen is only going to get more expensive is that one kid doesn't keep pushing to keep the others honest.

 

Either way, it's business, so as a capitalist pig (as I was referred to yesterday) I support it.  

 

But lastly, there are even pricing anomalies on the CL website.

 

ON SALE!   Wahoo Kickr 4.0   is R17,999.00    but then browse over to the Indoor Trainer section and the SAME product is R1,000.00 off at R16,999.00.    Most bizarre - same product, same shop, same website.

[coppi]

Interesting to see the level of hate for a store in this thread.   

 

Seems like jealousy .............lot of know it all's on here.........

[eddy]

If they can retain the CWC business model, perhaps step up own brand, keep grey import channels open, and work on rolling out the best of each business into the other, I think there is a good chance of growth.

 

 

 

Therein lies the rub.

 

The only strategic reason for buying CWC is to shut the grey channel down. Nothing else makes sense as the grey channel was the biggest threat to the CL margins and its model.

 

I am sure that CL had seen what their "price match" guarantee was costing every time someone came in with a screen-grab of the CWC website, and did the sums. 

 

CWC was a disrupter (there are others but he was the gorilla) and with him inside the tent, they can out compete the small fry trying to pi$$ in.

[Cookie88]

Therein lies the rub.

 

The only strategic reason for buying CWC is to shut the grey channel down. Nothing else makes sense as the grey channel was the biggest threat to the CL margins and its model.

 

I am sure that CL had seen what their "price match" guarantee was costing every time someone came in with a screen-grab of the CWC website, and did the sums. 

 

CWC was a disrupter (there are others but he was the gorilla) and with him inside the tent, they can out compete the small fry trying to pi$$ in.

Would this not be an opportunity for an EvoBikes or BuyCycle to start up their own grey channel themselves - or is it not that simple?