Use it or lose it.. an interesting read.

https://www.bikebiz.com/features/bike-shop-week

why would you pay more for a bike from a lbs when you can order it direct from the company?

https://www.canyon.com/en-gb/

 

then refuse to service it makes no sense at all and then say the internet wont fix ur bike well every video i have watched has got my bike fixed and upgraded so ppl spending 2-6k on a bike will do it them self and buy the tools needed like i have to take it to bits and put it back together and buy upgrades online.

 

the only time i had a problem and needed a lbs was i could not remove my knackered xd hub and only 1 lbs would have a look as most i phoned never had a clue what i was going on about and even then they not had a clue what it was but i ended up helping them get the fkn thing off that took 1hr using there tools so gave them 20 quid for there help.

 

sent it off to crank brothers and got a new xd hub as the part had 2 year warranty

Getting stroppy with the customers isn't the answer.

 

Bike shops will always be present, but they will be different in at least two ways:

 

First will be banding together in supply groups like Spar groceries for example, giving them large company buying power.

 

The second will be community created and based ones like the very successful Brixton Cycle Co-operative, running in London for many years now.

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Getting stroppy with the customers isn't the answer.

 

Bike shops will always be present, but they will be different in at least two ways:

 

First will be banding together in supply groups like Spar groceries for example, giving them large company buying power.

 

The second will be community created and based ones like the very successful Brixton Cycle Co-operative, running in London for many years now.

.

 

Where are the radio and TV shops of yesteryear?. That should be the lesson. We buy these items in supermarkets, and giant furniture stores,and a very limited range of white goods and electronics palaces.

Even piece parts cannot be purchased, in these palaces.. you cannot get the trays for washing machines in Curry's

. Servicing is carried out in a limited number of regional manufacturer vetted centres... a single centre in Craigavon does all the consumer TV warranty repairs for LG, Sony, Panasonic, Samsung and probably more...

Edited February 9, 20188 yr by Danidl

I am an LBS supporter, or at lest I was as its becoming more and more difficult as they disappear. I have only bought one bike on line, and only because all of the bike shops within a reasonable range told my what I was asking for didn't exist and as we all know you can find anything on-line if you take the trouble to look!

. Servicing is carried out in a limited number of regional manufacturer vetted centres... a single centre in Craigavon does all the consumer TV warranty repairs for LG, Sony, Panasonic, Samsung and probably more...

 

I don't see this model being sufficient for bicycles though. As essential transport for many, a local provision for repairs and instantly needed components will always be necessary and that need will be met.

 

The most likely forms are as I posted, both successful models in the face of intense internet and large chain competition. There may also be others, where an essential need arises human ingenuity will always provide answers.

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Where are the radio and TV shops of yesteryear?. That should be the lesson. We buy these items in supermarkets, and giant furniture stores,and a very limited range of white goods and electronics palaces.

Even piece parts cannot be purchased, in these palaces.. you cannot get the trays for washing machines in Curry's

. Servicing is carried out in a limited number of regional manufacturer vetted centres... a single centre in Craigavon does all the consumer TV warranty repairs for LG, Sony, Panasonic, Samsung and probably more...

 

Decathlon carry all the spares for their bikes plus parts for others. They have a workshop - don't expect good service before christmas when they are too busy preparing new bikes for delivery. There are 3 Decathlons within a 40 km radius from me, the biggest one with the most choice and staff being a 13 km ride then a 2€ train ticket away.

I have some sympathy for my LBS but that doesn't extend to putting my hand in my pocket, if I can buy something online cheaper then I usually will.

 

What I won't do though is go and ask my LBS shop for advice and then take my business online, or expect them to pick up repairs for something I bought online.

I have some sympathy for my LBS but that doesn't extend to putting my hand in my pocket, if I can buy something online cheaper then I usually will.

 

What I won't do though is go and ask my LBS shop for advice and then take my business online, or expect them to pick up repairs for something I bought online.

This does happen tho and you can't blame them for not wanting to help someone who has been in, tried a couple and gone home to think about it.. 3 months later they turn up on a bike like what they tried but bought on line cheaper asking for assistance.

I suppose I am a bit old fashioned..

Maybe the business model is have no stock or minimalist stock and sell man hours only. There is a guy around the corner who does that. He has specialised in fixing up the 50's and 60's bikes people have in their holiday homes here. He sells Brooks saddles and accessories and the hard to find fixie stuff. He also buys stuff like horns and bells from alibaba and whacks a huge margin on them.

This does happen tho and you can't blame them for not wanting to help someone who has been in, tried a couple and gone home to think about it.. 3 months later they turn up on a bike like what they tried but bought on line cheaper asking for assistance.

I suppose I am a bit old fashioned..

 

This underlines a big difference between bike dealers and car dealers. Car dealers make most of their money from servicing and repairs, so (apart from their salesmen) couldn't care less where your car came from, so long as they get to keep it on the road.

 

Bike dealers often also make most of their income from repairs, but for some strange reason care about where the bike came from.

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This underlines a big difference between bike dealers and car dealers. Car dealers make most of their money from servicing and repairs, so (apart from their salesmen) couldn't care less where your car came from, so long as they get to keep it on the road.

 

Bike dealers often also make most of their income from repairs, but for some strange reason care about where the bike came from.

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Flecc, you are more linked into the motor trade than i but it appears to me that the franchised dealer will be the only place in future to get tier one service.. the computer linkages to their central computer detailing all the services and repairs the reluctance to stand over work or supply parts to non franchised garages. They can cite any number of health and safety regulations and envinomental rules .

I can see the following scenario. The backstreet operations sourcing their parts from junk yards and chop shops and franchised dealers and then probably a few specialty coach builder operations making bespoke editions with the blessing of the manufacturers...

Flecc, you are more linked into the motor trade than i but it appears to me that the franchised dealer will be the only place in future to get tier one service.. the computer linkages to their central computer detailing all the services and repairs the reluctance to stand over work or supply parts to non franchised garages. They can cite any number of health and safety regulations and envinomental rules .

I can see the following scenario. The backstreet operations sourcing their parts from junk yards and chop shops and franchised dealers and then probably a few specialty coach builder operations making bespoke editions with the blessing of the manufacturers...

 

Our law doesn't permit the restrictions you are envisaging, we long ago specifically outlawed servicing restrictions in favour of franchised dealers.

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Bike dealers often also make most of their income from repairs, but for some strange reason care about where the bike came from.

.

 

I always assumed they made their money from mudguards, lights and racks.

If I owned a bike shop now I would prepare to abandon new bike sales and concentrate on good quality servicing and repairs.

I would aggressively advertise that internet bought bikes would be very welcome in my workshop and I would treat customers kindly and with respect, wherever the bike originally came from.

I should add that I do support local business of all kinds, even paying a little over the odds for good service but we have to be realistic, internet sales can't be un-invented so have to be embraced.

Dave.

What does the panel think??

In areas where e-bikes are aplenty is there scope for the buying and selling of used e-bikes bikes and/or professional conversions of good quality bicycles that could be bought new and converted with the aim of being a cheaper alternative to an expensive e-bike or a better alternative to a cheap e-bike.

Two of my local bike shops seem like a hang-back from the 1970's... in both appearance and attitude - and very limited bike stock that best suits that era too. And neither has a clue about electric bikes.

 

I think this kind of LBS is the future: It's in a van.

 

A man (or maybe a woman?) who comes to you at home or work, at a time to suit you, who really doesn't care where you bought the bike from... and this one even knows about e-bikes too:

 

http://www.cycle-tech.co.uk/2016/11/mobile-service-center-for-bosch-e-bikes.html

 

Some even offer recovery (a kind of AA/RAC/Green Flag service), taking you and your bike home if it can't be fixed then and there. It seems the kind of service I would happily use in preference to any of my outdated LBSs.

How much are people prepared to pay for LBS labour? £20/hr? £40? More? How about a tenner, I mean, it’s only a bloody push bike, it’s not rocket science... [emoji12]

I can see why some LBS will only help if you bought the bike from them; times are hard, money’s tight so why help someone who didn’t support you from the start? Save your workshop hours for loyal customers (if you have enough of them). I don’t agree with it, but having owned a niche retail shop I can see where they are coming from, especially when the customer assumes that bike brands are like cars and warranties are valid countrywide.

How much are people prepared to pay for LBS labour? £20/hr? £40? More? How about a tenner, I mean, it’s only a bloody push bike, it’s not rocket science...

This is the crux of the matter. I'd certainly be interested to hear other's point of view.

 

I've previously looked into the viability of offering a mobile ebike repair service, but found that potential customers consistently underestimated the basic cost of doing business in the UK and therefore the cost of providing such a service.

 

One example is a quote of £95 I gave to travel to the customer to replace a faulty PAS sensor. I thought it was a reasonable price for a job that would take a total of 3hrs for the round trip and included the cost of the part. They claimed that it was "far too expensive for a fifteen minute bicycle repair job" and I never heard from them again.

This is the crux of the matter. I'd certainly be interested to hear other's point of view.

 

I've previously looked into the viability of offering a mobile ebike repair service, but found that potential customers consistently underestimated the basic cost of doing business in the UK and therefore the cost of providing such a service.

 

One example is a quote of £95 I gave to travel to the customer to replace a faulty PAS sensor. I thought it was a reasonable price for a job that would take a total of 3hrs for the round trip and included the cost of the part. They claimed that it was "far too expensive for a fifteen minute bicycle repair job" and I never heard from them again.

Did the customer know you where 3 hours away ?How much would you have charged if they where local ?

 

Sent from my T1005 using Tapatalk

Did the customer know you where 3 hours away ?How much would you have charged if they where local ?

 

Sent from my T1005 using Tapatalk

Yes, they knew I was just over an hour away. I told them that I'd charge £45 if they were to bring the bike to me, but they were "too busy".

 

If anything, I thought I undervalued my time.

How much are people prepared to pay for LBS labour? £20/hr? £40? More? How about a tenner, I mean, it’s only a bloody push bike, it’s not rocket science...

 

That's hopelessly unrealistic, danielrlee's figure nearer the mark but I think too low. It's irrelevant that it's "only a pushbike", premises, living wages, taxes and other costs are all the same regardless of what a business is doing.

 

Ther's some guidance from the known labour charges for motor mechanics, albeit a little out of date now. National average is a little over £84 an hour, cities where costs are higher rising accordingly. The London average is a just over £100 an hour, the highest recorded charge being a BMW dealer at £215. Franchised dealers are unsurprisingly more expensive than independants. Non franchised dealers average circa £65 nationally.

 

Of course only a small part goes to the mechanic, most is in all the associated costs of running the business.

 

Given all the running costs are similar regardless of whether it's a bike shop or garage and the person's living cost are also the same, comparable charges need to apply.

.

My full suspension emtb is in for a service next week and am quoted £90. Someone said it's not rocket science but for me it might as well be .. I envision undoing the pivot bolts and it all flying apart like an unlocked spring. You need to know which bolts go in which holes, which bits to grease and which bits not and then tighted up to the correct torque... When air valley cycles closed down the mechanic set up on his own just doing service and repair but he has gone as well now.

That's hopelessly unrealistic, danielrlee's figure nearer the mark but I think too low. It's irrelevant that it's "only a pushbike", premises, living wages, taxes and other costs are all the same regardless of what a business is doing.

 

Ther's some guidance from the known labour charges for motor mechanics, albeit a little out of date now. National average is a little over £84 an hour, cities where costs are higher rising accordingly. The London average is a just over £100 an hour, the highest recorded charge being a BMW dealer at £215. Franchised dealers are unsurprisingly more expensive than independants. Non franchised dealers average circa £65 nationally.

 

Of course only a small part goes to the mechanic, most is in all the associated costs of running the business.

 

Given all the running costs are similar regardless of whether it's a bike shop or garage and the person's living cost are also the same, comparable charges need to apply.

.

Totally agree flecc. I underquoted and knew it at the time, but it was given for the purpose of 'testing the water' to find a cost that the market would bare. They were a typical customer though. In most of the instances that I've given a quote (around 20), the customer turned me down.

 

One small point however, is that micro businesses are much more streamlined than your typical multi-bay garage or dealership, operate on lower overheads, so can certainly charge less than the extortionate rates you mention.

Edited February 10, 20188 yr by danielrlee

That's hopelessly unrealistic, danielrlee's figure nearer the mark but I think too low. It's irrelevant that it's "only a pushbike", premises, living wages, taxes and other costs are all the same regardless of what a business is doing.

 

Ther's some guidance from the known labour charges for motor mechanics, albeit a little out of date now. National average is a little over £84 an hour, cities where costs are higher rising accordingly. The London average is a just over £100 an hour, the highest recorded charge being a BMW dealer at £215. Franchised dealers are unsurprisingly more expensive than independants. Non franchised dealers average circa £65 nationally.

 

Of course only a small part goes to the mechanic, most is in all the associated costs of running the business.

 

Given all the running costs are similar regardless of whether it's a bike shop or garage and the person's living cost are also the same, comparable charges need to apply.

.

I think his comment was intended tongue in cheek as the emoji might imply. But the fundemental problem remains. If you can buy a new working bike for 150 quid, and it contains all the parts new, why would one as a consumer expect to pay more than 10 quid for any replacement part?. On the other hand if you pay 1500 for a brompton , you might be induced to pay 50 . And if you buy a super duper road racer at 6k , then you may pay hundreds, in the same way as a people pay fortunes for fly fishing rods and getting tennis racquets restrung or golf clubs repaired. But the kind of person who either rides a bike for sport or treking is probably resilient enough to do the minor maintenance or frugal.