DT SWISS Africa: Tech Q&A

[Quagga]

I fully agree.  You can not tell anyone that they should not work on their own bike!  Yes sure the majority out there don't know the difference between dinsdag and dingaansdag on a bike, but there are a lot of us that do.  As a qualified experienced mechanical engineer, there is very little any guy at a LBS can tell me that I don't already know.

 

To a large extend the prices being charged are plain ridiculous.  There is very little on a bike that I cant or wont do myself, so yes I fully agree with Quagga, a LBS will not see me unless I have no choice.

Agreed

 

Then why should you and I pay a markup for anything?

 

That is something that MarkHD does not address

 

I think this "sole distributor" and only supplying bikeships is nonsense.

I can drive to a car dealer and order a new radiator and fit it to my car, nothing about 

"we can only sell to a reapirshop and you must collect there"

 

Yes supply the bikeshop, but why must I pay a markup when I can get it from the distributor.

[DieselnDust]

I fully agree.  You can not tell anyone that they should not work on their own bike!  Yes sure the majority out there don't know the difference between dinsdag and dingaansdag on a bike, but there are a lot of us that do.  As a qualified experienced mechanical engineer, there is very little any guy at a LBS can tell me that I don't already know.

 

To a large extend the prices being charged are plain ridiculous.  There is very little on a bike that I cant or wont do myself, so yes I fully agree with Quagga, a LBS will not see me unless I have no choice.

 

 

Pretty much in the same boat. I do most of the stuff I have tools for. If I don't have the tools, Williams get the work.

I would prefer to do the work myself as I am pedantic about my bike stuff and take immense pride in my own work. 

Maybe the best way around this is to register as sole proprietor and open an account with the distributor, go through their training and get access to the tools that way and then have a small portfolio of clients to help offset the costs of the above

[PhilipV]

No one said you can't DIY. Get Stoked will even sell you the tools through a local shop. (Post 19)

The moan was because you have to pay the lbs their mark-up for the transaction. Well guess what? If you buy the tool through LBS, Agri or a tool distributor, you'll be paying mark-up.

 

That is like moaning because you can't buy a Ford from Ford SA at the dealership cost price.

Edited September 23, 2020 by PhilipV

[Quagga]

No one said you can't DIY. Get Stoked will even sell you the tools through a local shop. The moan was because you have to pay the lbs their mark-up for the transaction. Well guess what? If you buy the tool through LBS, Agri or a tool distributor, you'll be paying mark-up.

 

That is like moaning because you can't buy a Ford from Ford SA at the dealership cost price.

Not the same, you buy a Ford fromt the dealer as you can not buy it from the facotry.

 

However in the LBS worl, there is factory, worlwide distributor, local distributor then LAB then you.

 

Buying a car you have Factory => dealer. one markup

 

Bikes you have facotry = importer, distributor, lbs, you

markup on markup on markup

[DR ◣◢]

Agreed

 

Then why should you and I pay a markup for anything?

 

That is something that MarkHD does not address

I think this "sole distributor" and only supplying bikeships is nonsense.

I can drive to a car dealer and order a new radiator and fit it to my car, nothing about

"we can only sell to a reapirshop and you must collect there"

 

Yes supply the bikeshop, but why must I pay a markup when I can get it from the distributor.

Your car dealer still purchases stock from head office and adds a markup. Same as your bike shop buy from a supplier and adding markup. Both of these also has a workshop that you can choose to have fit the parts for you.

 

You can’t approach BMW headoffice to purchase a specialty tool to adjust brake calipers or parts for that matter. They won’t sell you.

 

I disagree that a supplier should sell direct. It doesn’t work this way. No supplier would be stupid enough to cannibalize their own dealer network. No shop would support them it they sold direct and undercutting their shops.

 

The only stupid part is saying that it’s stupid for suppliers to no sell direct.

[Wayne pudding Mol]

I fully agree.  You can not tell anyone that they should not work on their own bike!  Yes sure the majority out there don't know the difference between dinsdag and dingaansdag on a bike, but there are a lot of us that do.  As a qualified experienced mechanical engineer, there is very little any guy at a LBS can tell me that I don't already know.

 

To a large extend the prices being charged are plain ridiculous.  There is very little on a bike that I cant or wont do myself, so yes I fully agree with Quagga, a LBS will not see me unless I have no choice.

surely all the money you guys save servicing your own bikes negates the mark up you pay the LBS for the tool?

[PhilipV]

Agreed

 

Then why should you and I pay a markup for anything?

 

That is something that MarkHD does not address

I think this "sole distributor" and only supplying bikeships is nonsense.

I can drive to a car dealer and order a new radiator and fit it to my car, nothing about

"we can only sell to a reapirshop and you must collect there"

 

Yes supply the bikeshop, but why must I pay a markup when I can get it from the distributor.

In your example the car dealer is the bike shop.

Car dealerships are a business on their own. You are not buying it from the distributor, the dealership is buying it from the distributor and you can then fit it yourself. Do you really believe that you are not paying your local Fors/BMW/VW branch a mark-up when you pick up a filter?

 

This is literally the same as you buying a hub through the lbs, who bought it from MarcHD and then building a wheel at home.

[Kuys]

Ive got the popcorn out... 

[DieselnDust]

The supply chains are actually very much the same despite appearances.

 

Dt Swiss -> Distritubtion centre -> distributor ->LBS -> you

 

VW -> Distribution centre -> distributor/localfactory -> Barlowworld or other dealership owner - > you

 

its just that the VW route to customer is branded VW through the supply chain whereas the bike parts is not

Edited September 23, 2020 by DieselnDust

[Jewbacca]

I actually thought GetStoked had an online store direct to the public?

 

Look, I get what you are saying, but you don't buy tools from Bosch or VW cars from VW. You buy them from a dealer, which is just a shop.

 

It sucks, but it is the nature of consumerism. Everyone needs their pound of flesh

[Quagga]

The supply chains are actually very much the same despite appearances.

 

Dt Swiss -> Distritubtion centre -> distributor ->LBS -> you

 

VW -> Distribution centre -> distributor/localfactory -> Barlowworld or other dealership owner - > you

 

its just that the VW route to customer is branded VW through the supply chain whereas the bike parts is not

I am not talking about Midas etc

But ford, is factory => dealer/shop floor not middle man

[Quagga]

I actually thought GetStoked had an online store direct to the public?

 

Look, I get what you are saying, but you don't buy tools from Bosch or VW cars from VW. You buy them from a dealer, which is just a shop.

 

It sucks, but it is the nature of consumerism. Everyone needs their pound of flesh

Ok everyone needs their cut.

However, when I go to VW and ask what radiator my cars takes, they look it and tell me and I pay

 

When I go the bike shop and ask what bearings my rear hub takes or even my rear suspension, I get 

"hmm we normally take them out and check"

 

So I dont mind paying VW for a mark up as I did not know what I need.

 

LBS I normally tell them the part number to order, and then they put on their markup and THAT is what is not cool

[TheoG]

All I'm saying is charge a reasonable amount and I might support the LBS.  In most cases I can import parts for the same or cheaper (including shipping & duty) than buying locally.

 

Same goes for "labor", just be reasonable with what you charge and you will be supported, simple as that.

[TheoG]

I actually thought GetStoked had an online store direct to the public?

 

Look, I get what you are saying, but you don't buy tools from Bosch or VW cars from VW. You buy them from a dealer, which is just a shop.

 

It sucks, but it is the nature of consumerism. Everyone needs their pound of flesh

 

Yes they do, but the offerings are limited compared to the "dealer site" and very expensive.

Edited September 23, 2020 by Theog

[PhilipV]

But ford, is factory => dealer/shop floor not middle man

Nope. Dealer/shop floor IS the middleman.

 

And if your LBS does not know what bearings your hub or frame needs, then you're going to the wrong shop.

I've phoned Daryn (Williams Bike Shop) asking for Bearings for my frame. He told me straight up whether he had stock, and gave me options for cheaper ones, and told me where he wouldn't fit the cheaper bearings.

 

And that is without the luxury of a computer based stock system, that is off his own experience.

But hey, all shops are crap....

 

 

Edit: PS: Midas will probably have some parts cheaper than your local Ford. Might be Grey though....)

Edited September 23, 2020 by PhilipV

[MarcHD]

Yes they do, but the offerings are limited compared to the "dealer site" and very expensive.

 

As mentioned in my opening post we have a direct to consumer site for aftermarket parts and a b2b for our dealers where they have access to our entire range including the extensive spares offering we do

 

Our prices are what they are as we feel we offer more than enough added value to our customers and our model works by supporting a local bike shop of your choice at checkout when a portion of that sale goes to said bike shop.

 

The prices are relative and while they might be not be the cheapest in a global market you are free to purchase whatever you want from where ever you want.

 

If you like and appreciate the value we and our dealers provide, you are welcome to support us. If you don't, that's completely fine too.

Edited September 23, 2020 by MarcHD