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#1
11-23-2015, 07:52 PM
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(was) A great shop at an old RR Depot:  …probably will now be a Starbucks 
Last edited by Tony T; 11-23-2015 at 07:58 PM. 
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#3
11-23-2015, 08:20 PM
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Wow that's a cool space.
Too bad for the shop. The internet has been one massively disrupting vehicle in the world. Who could have imagined it being what it has become, and the industries surrounding it (or entirely supported by it). Quote:
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#4
11-23-2015, 08:31 PM
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This weekend I went to my LBS for a 10S chain. They offered a Tiagra for $40. It took 3-4 minutes for the guy to find it but I bought it with the thought that I was paying the guys salary. I could have driven a couple miles further, paid $5 more at REI, and gotten Ultegra. Or paid $17 for Tiagra on the internet, plus shipping. The LBS is convenient, but if time isn't critical I tend to look elsewhere.
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#5
11-23-2015, 08:34 PM
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#6
11-23-2015, 08:38 PM
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If you need something for tomorrow's ride, then the LBS is super-convenient.
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#8
11-23-2015, 09:05 PM
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tough situation.
in all honesty, i have no idea how even the best bike shops stay in business. by the time they pay a mechanic and some front help, pay rent and utilities, how to make a living out of what's left? that's a whole lot of tubes and tune-ups you gotta sell. i dont know what the answer is, but i definitely see how it can be a problem.
__________________
http://less-than-epic.blogspot.com/
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#9
11-24-2015, 02:06 AM
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It's unexplanatory
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#10
11-24-2015, 10:25 AM
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Absolutely right. Greg should've looked into the whole coffee / bike shop combo from the get go!
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#11
11-24-2015, 04:06 PM
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Last edited by binxnyrwarrsoul; 11-24-2015 at 04:10 PM.
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#12
11-24-2015, 04:51 PM
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I live 5 minutes from the place, and while it's a shame it's closing, I'm not surprised. They were a very race oriented shop, and did TONS to promote the local racing scene/culture, but at the same time, the staff was very dismissive and standoffish if you weren't part of the local crowd. As much as the local racers loved the place, they had a reputation for pretty crappy service for your average schmo. Unfortunately, the internet is a candy store of savings for the exact customer they were trying to cultivate. Racer dude has a hard time passing up half price parts, while average schmo is heading to Ridgefield to buy a $1,000 Felt for his 8yr old (Ridgefield Bike Co. can't keep enough fancy kids bikes in stock). And average schmo will be bringing that Felt back every time the tire pressure is low. I think a race oriented shop with knowledgeable customers is a tough go in the internet age.
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#13
11-24-2015, 05:22 PM
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shops that act like they're doing the customer a favor by working on their bike create their own destiny.
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#14
11-24-2015, 07:04 PM
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The closest shop to me is more than an hour away. Factor in that all my stuff is campy, that shop can't do anything for me anyway. There is a place for shops, especially in service, but they have to service all kinds of bikes and drivetrains. The locals all ride SRAM or Shimano and are willing to hop in their cars and drive 90 minutes to have a broken cable replaced. I fix a lot of local bikes and keep stuff like cables, housings, tires, and chains in my garage. When I order parts, I usually add in some stuff the locals will need. I just charge them a few bucks over what I paid.
I wish there were good shops everywhere, but the direction that cycling has gone in the past decade has promoted just a couple of brands that don't speak to each other. Along with that is service aligned to a brand and dinosaurs like me that ride steel bikes end up doing our own work. I need a shop for headsets and occasional wheel issues. I need to learn wheels.
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#15
11-24-2015, 07:07 PM
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I don't know anything about this shop other than what I've read in this thread. I have no opinion about either the skills or deficiencies, if any that the store brought to the market place they served.
I do however, have some perspective on the retail bike business. I owned a bike shop for over twenty years. My store was successful in its market. I earned a good living from the store and it supported 11 employees at its peak. The store was a broad spectrum store. We served the serious enthusiast, offering "pro" level frames and bikes. We also served the entry level buyer, offering beginning price points. . . We organized rides for our customers, promoted sales and events, treated everyone who walked in the door as a potential revenue generator. We made money in the middle part of the market - People who wanted safe, fun, reliable bicycles, but who weren't necessarily "bikies." We did not sponsor racers or athletes who wanted discounts. We did not promote races. We promoted "rides" that encouraged a broad cross section of people to ride their bikes. We had an excellent service department. We charged a lot for our work, but stood behind it with a satisfaction guarantee. Bottom line to me is that I think there is still a place for the LBS in our culture, but I believe that the economics are such that the money is made in the middle of the spectrum that is not represented by your typical forumite. They are not shoppers on Ribble. They are not pro bike buyers. The high end, fun hardware niche is not consistently profitable. While a shop might want to represent that niche of the industry because it's fun and it keeps employees interested and happy, the money is made elsewhere. . .specifically the non tech-savvy, service dependent buyer. All of the above, just my opinion . . .
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