Bikeshop is cleaned out!

[Akiwi]

I was looking at the latest EMTB magazine, and saw a picture of my LBS in an article about how the bike industry is not keeping up with demand. Actually the last 2 times I was there I said we could play a round of tennis in there. Normally it is so packed with bicycles that you can't get through.
How about your shops?

 

[ggx]

unusually free space. Lot´s off maintnance work .

 

[p3eps]

I was in mine about 6 weeks ago, and they were much the same. A couple of bikes left over, but would usually have a whole shop full.
Part of lockdown here (Scotland) was that you were allowed out to exercise and go food shopping - and that was pretty much it.

Lots of people who never usually left the house took up walking, running and cycling.

My LBS said that they’d sold out of most bikes, and couldn’t get hardly any new ones as it was the awkward time between the 2020 and 2021 model... so the manufacturers didn’t have hardly anything to send them to restock.

Glad I got my new bike in February before Covid kicked off over here!

 

[Rusty]

A world-wide trend I am hearing.

 

[steve_sordy]

When I was in my LBS last week, I didn't notice the number of new bikes, probably because of the 60+ old bikes awaiting repair plus the number awaiting collection.

 

[alan_sh]

I saw the same thing in Decathlon - biking has suddenly become very very popular.

 

[7869hodgy]

Sorry, the World’s Biggest Bike Maker Can’t Help You Buy a Bike Right Now (Published 2020)

The pandemic has created a bicycle boom — and a shortage. Giant, the Taiwanese juggernaut, is trying to meet demand while navigating the politics of trade.

www.nytimes.com

 

[Fingerpuk]

Mine is empty. Has one bike left it they can’t sell because they took parts off it, which they can’t replace.

 

[BBear]

I‘m guessing the shops can’t replace the bikes for the show room but they can order bikes on demand which then of course get picked up by the customer as soon as they’re delivered. So they’re still doing good business.

 

[04fuxake]

One LBS (T7) looks like it was ram-raided and the other (Pack&Pedal) is chocka.
Given that they have brand overlap, I wonder if the difference is the empty one has better financing options.

 

[OldGoatMTB]

The racks on the floor of my LBS are full! Full of bikes awaiting service.

 

[Akiwi]

I think another problem now is the service department is completely booked out. I had to wait a month to get my bearings fixed and the motor software update.

 

[Gordonrides]

The racks on the floor of my LBS are full! Full of bikes awaiting service.

LOL

 

[alan_sh]

Interestingly, Decathlon have just increased the price of their e-bikes by £100 across the range. I thought they must be selling well. So, I checked. My new bike's serial number is 31 numbers higher than my old one. So that's one model and one size (Norma's bike which is identical, but a small not a medium has a completely different serial number). So, that's 31 of my bike sold in 2 weeks. They have 20 different models and 4 sizes in each. Mine is a mid priced one, so assume it's selling the average number. Assuming they sell around 15 bikes per week of each type (on average) that's 1200 bikes per week sold. Assume an average margin of 50% - say around £400 (weighted towards the cheaper bikes) - they are profiting by £480,000 a week. Not a bad business to be in !!!

Of course, this could be rubbish - but why else would they put the prices up?

 

[Zimmerframe]

The prices of the same bikes in the UK is considerably lower than the prices in France/mainland Europe. I think for quite a long time they've tried to support the old 1.4 exchange rate, but it's been averaging nearer 1.1 for a long time now. So a Stilus for instance should be over £3000.

Even smaller items, like the Rockrider bum bag with hydration, is €40 in France but you guys only pay £30 in the UK.

I guess at some point they needed to start aligning things more. Also taking into account the extra shipping costs (which have also increased hugely over the last couple of years), their UK operations must run at a far lower profit level then the mainland European operations.

 

[GrahamPaul]

Loads of bikes in all the shops I've been to here in Cádiz province in the past couple of weeks. I think pocket money is a bit short here...

Maybe you should plan a weekend getaway, buy your new bike and then have two weeks in the garage putting it together... ?

 

[steve_sordy]

I think the bike trade would like a margin of 50%, but that the market is too competitive to allow it. Every now and then though the stars align and they do well. Like now, when everybody wants a bike and will even buy a bike they don't like because it is the least worst option. Pre-pandemic, I got 15% off a new bike, a TEC pack at cost, and a free tubeless conversion. I doubt any of the retailers will be giving that away currently.

 

[alan_sh]

I tried for the sympathy vote when I bought my replacement bike - didn't work

 

[Akiwi]

I tried for the sympathy vote when I bought my replacement bike - didn't work

Yeah, like my LBS where I have spent about €10000 over the last few years. I asked for a good price as I wanted to buy 2 bikes, they replied, "Why should we give you a good price today when tomorrow someone will come in and pay the full price!". And that was in December last year! Before the world went KRAZZZEEE!

 

[OldBean]

Must be loads of "hardly used" 2nd hand ones on the market in the winter......some of the new riders have not sampled good English winter riding ....Mud ,Mud , Glorious mud.....and wet and cold and having to clean down bike after every ride.......how we love it.. cant wait ....not!

 

[Levo-Lon]

You got to feel sorry for local and larger outlet bike sellers.

Covid-19 lockdown then stock supply shortages.

Local shop near me had a sign in the window saying please don't come in if you want a mountain bike.
"We don't have any and can't get any"!!
Sad state of affairs

 

[ggx]

Yeah, like my LBS where I have spent about €10000 over the last few years. I asked for a good price as I wanted to buy 2 bikes, they replied, "Why should we give you a good price today when tomorrow someone will come in and pay the full price!". And that was in December last year! Before the world went KRAZZZEEE!

Timo to move fwd /Elsewhere!? (who laughs last, laughs longest) ?‍ .

 

[GMLS]

I think the bike trade would like a margin of 50%, but that the market is too competitive to allow it. Every now and then though the stars align and they do well. Like now, when everybody wants a bike and will even buy a bike they don't like because it is the least worst option. Pre-pandemic, I got 15% off a new bike, a TEC pack at cost, and a free tubeless conversion. I doubt any of the retailers will be giving that away currently.

I managed to get 10% off a Cube pre order due for delivery in November plus a free conversion to tubeless. A lot of bikes are sold on 0% finance. The finance company take a good cut so if you are paying outright, I'd suggest there is always something to come off even with demand so strong.

I'd also suggest which so much uncertainty ahead around jobs, once the hard core emtb'ers have ordered their new bikes, things might not be quite so buoyant next year so they were happy to do a deal.

A lot may also be down to competition within a brand. I could have got my Cube from 1 of 3 places within 10 miles

 

[GrahamPaul]

Timo to move fwd /Elsewhere!? (who laughs last, laughs longest) ?‍ .

Maybe. But the thing about shop assistants in Germany is that you will always get unvarnished, blunt truth. Even if it means losing a sale.

Wife to shop assistant: "And what do you think of this?"

Shop assistant: "It does absolutely nothing for you."

Well, she did ask...

 

[Zimmerframe]

Wife to shop assistant: "And what do you think of this?"

Shop assistant: "It does absolutely nothing for you."

You're right, it does seem a bit of a blunt way to talk about someone's husband right in front of him.

 

[Jimex]

I got 15% off my Haibike allmtn 3.5 at my LBS start of July. I was flabbergasted tbh as UK stock of any emtb was/is next to nothing.

 

[steve_sordy]

You got to feel sorry for local and larger outlet bike sellers.

Covid-19 lockdown then stock supply shortages.

Local shop near me had a sign in the window saying please don't come in if you want a mountain bike.
"We don't have any and can't get any"!!
Sad state of affairs

I wouldn't feel too sorry; after all, they sold all their stock! Probably at full price too. How many years have they done that?

 

[steve_sordy]

Yeah, like my LBS where I have spent about €10000 over the last few years. I asked for a good price as I wanted to buy 2 bikes, they replied, "Why should we give you a good price today when tomorrow someone will come in and pay the full price!". And that was in December last year! Before the world went KRAZZZEEE!

That is a very short term attitude to take by the shop. They really ought to be looking after the regular customers. You probably take your bike in there from time to time for maintenance and or for parts. You have a track record of using the place for several years. Now you are pissed off and may not go back, ever!

 

[GMLS]

Yup.1st rule of marketing. Cheaper and easier to keep a customer than find a new one

 

[thewrx]

A bunch of bike shops around my little par if TX were robbed by organized group of scumbags and have made quite a lick of the local LBS in the area. You can bet any s-works was snatched up.

sad part of the desperate times....