Advice wanted! Let the beating begin.....

[user 3630]

Making decent money in cycle retail is hard work. If I had the kind of money required to open a cycle shop I probably wouldn't open a cycle shop with it!
Everyone I ever met who started a bike shop because they loved cycling became very disillusioned after a few years of dealing with the general cycling public.
The success of your new venture absolutely depends on either 1) Your ability to 'create' new customers. or 2) Poaching customers from existing businesses.

Thanks for the reply. Would you mind expanding on why the people you knew became disillusioned? Also, if you had the money to open a bike shop, but didnt want to, what type of business would you start?

From my experience retail can be rough, but Ive learned to work in it (I have much more to learn though). I managed with a company here in Bakersfield, where life is mostly slow paced relatively light hearted, and also with the same company in the San Fernando Valley, where everything is super fast paced and more serious than a heart attack. I wouldn't do the SFV thing again, but I did learn a whole lot about how rough business can be, and how to watch my rear. :wink:

One problem I've seen with lots of start-ups is that they're started with lots of good intent, and a passion for something. Unfortunately they generally get stopped up because they figured the "business" aspect would just take care of itself, and it generally doesnt.

Truth be told, I have been wanting to open a "business" for a while, and been stumped on which route I should go. For months Ive been trying to think of something my town has lacked and it finally dawned on my that theres a pretty large segment of cyclists whose needs arent being met, although many dont realize it. Of course, they only way they'll find out is by finding a way for them to discover me.

 

[Daddyar]

I don't know if now is the best time to start a new business venture, but I say go for it! Even if you start out flipping used bikes and repair bikes for people, it's a good start to an honest living. There are a few bikes shops close by to me, and I prefer one over the other because I've gone there since I was a kid, they are friendly, and they are reasonable on parts and repairs that I don't have the tools or knowledge to do myself. More than anything, it's the people who work there that keep me coming back. It's fourth generation family owned. Once, I had some repairs done to one of my bikes, and bought new tires at the same time. The guy rang up my bill wrong, he didn't charge me for the tires. I told him, hey, that seems too low. He checked, and said thanks, most people would have not said anything. I could have could have gotten away with free tires, but I can't do that to them. If it was a box store, would I have said anything? Maybe, maybe not. But I need that bike shop, and they need the business. On the downside, me being me, I may never buy a new bike form them, but any parts, advice, etc., they are my first stop.

 

[12bcruzin]

Making decent money in cycle retail is hard work. If I had the kind of money required to open a cycle shop I probably wouldn't open a cycle shop with it!
Everyone I ever met who started a bike shop because they loved cycling became very disillusioned after a few years of dealing with the general cycling public.

Dealing with people in a sales environment is tough-probably even tougher when it is your passion you are trying to sell. It can really take the fun out of something that should or was a great deal of fun for you. On the positive side, you will meet some great people. On the neg, you will meet cheats, liars and thieves. Some people have trouble separating the two and take it all too personal.
I have been in retail a long time and have often thought about opening my own store but it is a tough road to hoe in Calif with the high prices of a retail space. Maybe your plan is the way to get started.
Good luck...

 

[Gold Street Customs]

My buddy owns the only bike shop in a town of 6500 and right now he is struggling to stay alive selling Felt,Giant and other medium to high end bikes it just sucks trying to sell anything around here I haven't had no responses on Craigs list after posting 4 to 5 times for different bikes. If I started a business it would be a pawn shop right across the hwy from the Casino. :lol:

 

[GodHatesCleveland]

My buddy owns the only bike shop in a town of 6500 and right now he is struggling to stay alive selling Felt,Giant and other medium to high end bikes it just sucks trying to sell anything around here I haven't had no responses on Craigs list after posting 4 to 5 times for different bikes. If I started a business it would be a pawn shop right across the hwy from the Casino.

There are some businesses which flip bikes like the recyclery, which is also horribly overpriced.

But allow me to state the obvious. What about a rat rod bike shop. A shop where you not only get personal service like a proper fitting, but a place where you get a bike where the entire theme is:

1) Built around you as a customer, your likes, your favorite colors, etc
2) Totally bad@ss
3) A one-off custom creation

It seems that a major force behind the fixie movement is that every rider could customize their bike according to their own style. That doesn't seem that much different than rat rods, other than the rat rod has a much wider palate of parts to choose from. I've got a headlight from a '34 tractor I might put on a bike, try and show me a fixie with one of those on it.

 

[user 3630]

But allow me to state the obvious. What about a rat rod bike shop. A shop where you not only get personal service like a proper fitting, but a place where you get a bike where the entire theme is:

1) Built around you as a customer, your likes, your favorite colors, etc
2) Totally bad@ss
3) A one-off custom creation

It seems that a major force behind the fixie movement is that every rider could customize their bike according to their own style. That doesn't seem that much different than rat rods, other than the rat rod has a much wider palate of parts to choose from. I've got a headlight from a '34 tractor I might put on a bike, try and show me a fixie with one of those on it.

Yeah, I think the personalization of the bicycles is a necessary part of their hopeful full, new integration into modern American society. It takes them from being for pastime exclusively to more of a functional tool. I don’t know how many other people here will agree with this, but my feeling is that there is a possibility that the downturn in the economy will help boost popularity of bicycles as more than hobby. Here in CA, state policy and police agencies have made owning cars miserable. Tack on to that the cost of insurance and liability exceeding even what the insurance companies will pay out if you are at fault in a collision, and driving just doesn’t seem to be fun anymore. Twelve months ago I purchased an ’08 Subaru Legacy Spec B, turbo car, 6-speed, sport suspension…. a lot of fun. Until the reality set in that I’d never really get to enjoy it anywhere but a race track legally. Bleh. I still love the car, but bicycles have been seeming to be whole bunch more fun. Maybe I’m alone in this, but I don’t think so, and neither will the parents of high school age kids who are experiencing economically hardships who are faced with the challenge of getting their kids a safe and thrifty way to get them around.

 

[Gold Street Customs]

But allow me to state the obvious. What about a rat rod bike shop. A shop where you not only get personal service like a proper fitting, but a place where you get a bike where the entire theme is:

1) Built around you as a customer, your likes, your favorite colors, etc
2) Totally bad@ss
3) A one-off custom creation

It seems that a major force behind the fixie movement is that every rider could customize their bike according to their own style. That doesn't seem that much different than rat rods, other than the rat rod has a much wider palate of parts to choose from. I've got a headlight from a '34 tractor I might put on a bike, try and show me a fixie with one of those on it.

Yeah, I think the personalization of the bicycles is a necessary part of their hopeful full, new integration into modern American society. It takes them from being for pastime exclusively to more of a functional tool. I don’t know how many other people here will agree with this, but my feeling is that there is a possibility that the downturn in the economy will help boost popularity of bicycles as more than hobby. Here in CA, state policy and police agencies have made owning cars miserable. Tack on to that the cost of insurance and liability exceeding even what the insurance companies will pay out if you are at fault in a collision, and driving just doesn’t seem to be fun anymore. Twelve months ago I purchased an ’08 Subaru Legacy Spec B, turbo car, 6-speed, sport suspension…. a lot of fun. Until the reality set in that I’d never really get to enjoy it anywhere but a race track legally. Bleh. I still love the car, but bicycles have been seeming to be whole bunch more fun. Maybe I’m alone in this, but I don’t think so, and neither will the parents of high school age kids who are experiencing economically hardships who are faced with the challenge of getting their kids a safe and thrifty way to get them around.

I guess thats why I keep stockpiling bikes ,eventually the value will go back up for just transportation especially when the gas prices rise again.

 

[user 3630]

I guess thats why I keep stockpiling bikes ,eventually the value will go back up for just transportation especially when the gas prices rise again.

Exactly.

 

[xddorox]

As soon as the big three clear their inventory of gas guzzlers you will see the price go up again and bike business will pick up real fast.

 

[user 3630]

As soon as the big three clear their inventory of gas guzzlers you will see the price go up again and bike business will pick up real fast.

How about when the oil princes of saudia arabia want mansions; or when the russians cut off their oil supplies and the countries they sell to are forced to prchase from the people we do; or how about 2 oil refineries in my town closing cause the gas prices are so low, so even if we have oil, we'll have less refineries to produce gas.