Small Bike shop owners… would you do it again??

[ChrisF]

9 hours ago, ouzo said:

R200k is really not a lot of stock at todays prices. 

My LBS placed an order with Shimano, simply to restock his shelves .... he waited more than a month and got a fraction of the items he ordered .... it still came to R250k !!

 

R1M wont begin to have range of stock .... which means your client must wait while you try to source parts .....

 

 

Pre covid it was not that much of an issue .... he could get most parts delivered the next morning.... helps that he is 15km from the main distributors.

 

 

This is merely a logistical issue, and hopefully the system will reset sooner rather than later.

 

For a startup this may be a real hurdle ....

 

 

 

On a more positive note .... at least two workshop only shops in our area.  Both doing excellent work, and both busy. (They do help each other with stock....)

[M L]

12 hours ago, Jewbacca said:

Or buy 5x 2nd hand 2017 tall boys with damaged forks and try to resell them!!! 🤣

Some heroes don’t wear capes. 

[Chadvdw67]

10 hours ago, M L said:

Some heroes don’t wear capes. 

And some villains look like nice respectable people with 5 star ratings

[love2fly]

17 hours ago, i24 said:

I don't think I would ever try open a "hobby" related business, let alone a bicycle shop.

But if I did open a bicycle shop I would look at e-bikes. Importing components and batteries. Testing and refurbishing battery packs. Rebuilding motor units. Controller and software upgrades. Charging station sales and installation. E-bike conversions. Sales of alternate brand bikes and maybe even e-motor-bikes.

I don't own an e-bike and I know very little about that industry but I think the market for high value brand name bike components has peaked, while the e-bike market is growing rapidly.

Trek, Specialized etc won't supply you with batteries and parts......so you'll be Ltd to the likes of Bafang.

Ebikes are s significant source of business for the bike brands. Expect them to be VERY possessive.

[love2fly]

13 hours ago, ChrisF said:

My LBS placed an order with Shimano, simply to restock his shelves .... he waited more than a month and got a fraction of the items he ordered .... it still came to R250k !!

 

R1M wont begin to have range of stock .... which means your client must wait while you try to source parts .....

 

 

Pre covid it was not that much of an issue .... he could get most parts delivered the next morning.... helps that he is 15km from the main distributors.

 

 

This is merely a logistical issue, and hopefully the system will reset sooner rather than later.

 

For a startup this may be a real hurdle ....

 

 

 

On a more positive note .... at least two workshop only shops in our area.  Both doing excellent work, and both busy. (They do help each other with stock....)

And the interest on 1M will be about 15k per month depending on where you've borrowed that money. If you have the cash it still costs you the 10% Opportunity Cost ie the interest you would have earned.

[i24]

1 hour ago, love2fly said:

Trek, Specialized etc won't supply you with batteries and parts......so you'll be Ltd to the likes of Bafang.

Ebikes are s significant source of business for the bike brands. Expect them to be VERY possessive.

Exactly, so the markets for a new entry shop might be:

• Sell "Bafang" bikes.
• Open dead OEM battery packs and replace the cells, re-seal them. (May require a software "unlock"?)
• Service out of warrantee OEM motors.
• Import "grey" spares for OEM products.
• Supply "alternate" software for OEM products.
• Supply alternate brand e-bike specific chains, cassettes etc. Wear life is likely to be a bigger concern to customers than weight and competitive performance.

You would need to source technology and parts. Maybe from overseas or maybe enlist some bright Safer's. You would need to have a very good understanding of what works and what does not and know what to sell and what to avoid. An on line presence would probably be very important to.

Anybody here doing any of the above already? Care to comment?

 

[JJDT]

I also think that "fixing" e-bikes is the way to go. Cyclelab sells e-bikes but when they need more technical assistance for e-bikes they get some of the guys from E-Bike Tec to assist. I follow them on Instagram and they regularly post about motor service kits, batteries etc.

Maybe there is a market for e-bike related stuff.

[Eddy Gordo]

Offer maintenance plan options for ebikes.

[Blackheart]

I've been there and done it. I wouldn't do it again and doubly so if it meant having to take on a partner of any kind.

[ChrisF]

2 hours ago, JJDT said:

I also think that "fixing" e-bikes is the way to go. Cyclelab sells e-bikes but when they need more technical assistance for e-bikes they get some of the guys from E-Bike Tec to assist. I follow them on Instagram and they regularly post about motor service kits, batteries etc.

Maybe there is a market for e-bike related stuff.

 

Even the Giant "dealers" does minimal work on the "e" side of the bikes .... It gets sent back to Dragon Sports to be fixed.

 

 

Knipe_Racing are active in e-bike maintenance, including servicing the motors.

 

[love2fly]

4 hours ago, i24 said:

Exactly, so the markets for a new entry shop might be:

• Sell "Bafang" bikes.
• Open dead OEM battery packs and replace the cells, re-seal them. (May require a software "unlock"?)
• Service out of warrantee OEM motors.
• Import "grey" spares for OEM products.
• Supply "alternate" software for OEM products.
• Supply alternate brand e-bike specific chains, cassettes etc. Wear life is likely to be a bigger concern to customers than weight and competitive performance.

You would need to source technology and parts. Maybe from overseas or maybe enlist some bright Safer's. You would need to have a very good understanding of what works and what does not and know what to sell and what to avoid. An on line presence would probably be very important to.

Anybody here doing any of the above already? Care to comment?

 

I think e-bikes might be like someone said of me about their Land Rover Discovery a few years ago "Be far away from it when the service plan and/or warranty expires".....

There will definitely be a need for grey ebike services but I think a lot of stuff will be proprietary to the brand and difficult to get.

I suspect "repacking" batteries might be difficult? Aren't they Li-on and spontaneously combust when come into contact with oxygen?

[Zebra]

9 hours ago, i24 said:

Exactly, so the markets for a new entry shop might be:

• Sell "Bafang" bikes.
• Open dead OEM battery packs and replace the cells, re-seal them. (May require a software "unlock"?)
• Service out of warrantee OEM motors.
• Import "grey" spares for OEM products.
• Supply "alternate" software for OEM products.
• Supply alternate brand e-bike specific chains, cassettes etc. Wear life is likely to be a bigger concern to customers than weight and competitive performance.

You would need to source technology and parts. Maybe from overseas or maybe enlist some bright Safer's. You would need to have a very good understanding of what works and what does not and know what to sell and what to avoid. An on line presence would probably be very important to.

Anybody here doing any of the above already? Care to comment?

 

I have a 5-year old Bafang-equipped eBike (S-Works 26’er, not worth crap but sentimental due to a few Epics before adding the ‘E’…)…

Have not yet needed any maintenance, but the little fan-equipped charger failed after 4 years (but only infrequent use) and the replacement was very expensive FOR WHAT IT WAS, esp. as it was non-proprietary stuff, figured it would have cost 40 -60% of what I paid on the ‘open’ market…

So yes, I do rate your suggestion for ‘generic’ eBike servicing/repairs.

cheers

Chris

 

[Furbz]

I’m just going to put this here

http://This new game is all about running a bicycle workshop and keeping customers happy https://www.news24.com/ride24/news/become-a-cycling-mechanic-hero-with-bike-mechanic-simulator-2023-20220513

[madmarc]

On 5/18/2022 at 8:16 AM, love2fly said:

And the interest on 1M will be about 15k per month depending on where you've borrowed that money. If you have the cash it still costs you the 10% Opportunity Cost ie the interest you would have earned.

Please point me in the direction to where i can get 15K or 10% int per month on 1.0m investment that is not a bitcoin ponzi scheme 🤑 - But i'm sure you meant per year 

[love2fly]

21 hours ago, madmarc said:

Please point me in the direction to where i can get 15K or 10% int per month on 1.0m investment that is not a bitcoin ponzi scheme 🤑 - But i'm sure you meant per year 

Read the post properly........... 15k is a charge. 10% is pa. Interest is typically quoted pa and not monthly unless you're referring to your gambling debt>

[Bl4d3]

On 5/18/2022 at 12:19 PM, ChrisF said:

 

Even the Giant "dealers" does minimal work on the "e" side of the bikes .... It gets sent back to Dragon Sports to be fixed.

 

 

Knipe_Racing are active in e-bike maintenance, including servicing the motors.

 

I can confirm that most Cyclelab workshops offer ebike servicing on Bosch systems.
Johan at Cyclelab Fourways is exceptionally good with this.
Bernard at CWC and Mac at Cyclelab Cape Town are also well versed in servicing Bosch motors.

They also know how to service the Bafang M400 systems and also carry spares.

Shimano is a different story as the system is 'sealed' and there are no OEM service kits and the motors are deemed non-serviceable and opening the motor will void the warranty. With that being said, I know that Johan at Fourways has had a crack at some out of warranty E8000 motors and has been successful.

Generally speaking though, if you dont swim with your ebike, the motor should last many many years.