How ebikes are changing your interation with bike retailers/ sellers ?

[ggx]

Hello,

from total aceptance and in store models and options available in the 1st line of display, until lots of resistence kind of no ebike territory, thats what I´ve been experiencing in recente times.

What´s your feedback?

 

[Janluke]

The two main bike shops I visit want to sell bikes, especially more expensive models. Ebikes have increased their range of products and customer base. Older, newer, less fit customers who would maybe not of spent several grand on a regular bike do spend on an ebike. Some customers are a little cautious about new tech and prefer to buy from a good LBS rather than online. In general I'd say ebikes work very well for the bike retail industry

 

[SquireRides]

As a competent, penny-pinching MTBer, ebikes have taken me back in to local shops because I want the support for the gear (motor, battery) I cant maintain myself. I'm also spending much much more on bikes locally as a result.

*However* ebike system suppliers need to better enable local bike shops, and local bike shops must up-skill. Warranty replacements are one thing, but long term I want to know I can take my 5 year old ebike in for it to be fixed without it being sent to germany for 3 weeks. And if, as is all too common, the shop I buy from goes out of business, other local shops need to be happy to take on my maintenance work, in exactly the same way a garage doesn't care where you bought the car in the first place.

 

[steve_sordy]

I went to Rutland Cycles at Whitwell (UK) to borrow a charger for 5 mins to prove whether I had a charger or a battery problem on my new emtb. I hadn't bought the bike from them, so it was very good of them to assist.

While I was there I got chatting to one of the sales guys. He told me that the shop would not even be there if it hadn't been for the eBike sales. They had sold £5m of eBikes in the last 4 months of 2018!!!!

To build on this, they have introduced special service and maintenance deals for eBikes, both ones they have sold and for others.

I also know of two local small retailers that have opened up and specialise in eBikes, one for emtbs and one for not-emtb. I would like to support both, but obviously I can't unless I buy a not-emtb (not going to happen).

 

[Lithium]

Warranty replacements are one thing, but long term I want to know I can take my 5 year old ebike in for it to be fixed without it being sent to germany for 3 weeks. And if, as is all too common, the shop I buy from goes out of business, other local shops need to be happy to take on my maintenance work, in exactly the same way a garage doesn't care where you bought the car in the first place.

Couldn’t agree more. Are there any ebike brands that actually operate like this? Or just - as ever - down to the open-mindedness and competency of your LBS?

 

[bissona]

We suffer from a lack of footfall around these parts, so demo models are non-existent, as are high-end models, as dealers can't risk holding stock they won't be able to shift.

There also seems to be lots of snobbery from some dealer staff about the analogue / electric divide, which always seems stunningly short-sighted from those that make their living selling them!

As mentioned above, I just want somewhere to take it when it goes wrong where the staff have a reasonable idea as to how to fix it. The electric side of the equation seems to be proving challenging on that front.

 

[R120]

I am finding my local shops are going full in on Ebikes in general, and trying to capitalise on the interest that is out there in them at the moment.

 

[Kangr]

My LBS Spokes Bikeshop. doenst have ebikes in stock but the mechanic has been on the bosch/shimano training courses so knows how to fix them. they will also repair any brand bike even those not bought there or a brand they sell. Warrenrty work is a different matter, though i think Shimano will let any store work with them to warrenty goods.

 

[dirt huffer]

The last shop I walked into was stocked floor to ceiling with plus-size-tire road bikes. They went all in on this new "trend." I was blown away by how many they had. I asked how sales of them were and the guy told me not very good. I felt bad. If he had stocked ebikes he would probably be rolling in money

 

[steve_sordy]

...............
There also seems to be lots of snobbery from some dealer staff about the analogue / electric divide, which always seems stunningly short-sighted from those that make their living selling them!
....................

Ref my post#4 ".....He told me that the shop would not even be there if it hadn't been for the eBike sales. They had sold £5m of eBikes in the last 4 months of 2018!!!!

Therefore I agree 100% with your view.

 

[Al Boneta]

As a retailer, it’s changed how we look at the industry as a whole. Online sales have decimated traditional brick and mortar retail in the USA. We see Ebikes as a way to stay in the business we know and love.
Our shop is in it’s 50th year of business. The same family owns and runs it. But despite Being a more old school shop, we have been selling electric bikes for 20 years. When the Levo arrived it changed everything and we knew this was something that was going to be something that would divide retailers and riders alike. We jumped in the deep end and ordered 20 Levos. We got such a diverse group of riders buying Levos, from old fat guys to super aggressive trail nazis that used to bag on our old school shop.
Land access is the only thing that has slowed down progression here in in Southern California, but it’s changing in our favor.
When someone is buying a mountain bike over $4000, it’s 50/50 wether or not that bike is pedal assist or not.
The biggest negative has been for us is the smaller margins we are working with on ebikes. The business was built on 40% margins where your operating overhead was 20% to 30%. Most Ebikes now have a 30% margin. It gets pretty hard when you want to offer the customer outstanding service and value and all they want is deep discounts.
Companies are finally stepping up and giving us credits for handling warranties and this is really helping out the retailers.
The more people we get riding these bikes the less scorn we get on the trails.

 

[Tim29]

I have found a mix, here in northern ca the local bike shop who didn’t have a single ebike on show room floor was 100% optimistic about servicing my ebike. They did warranty fork replacement through SRAM, then a shock few months later.
Now they have 5 spec ebikes on the floor 2yrs later including a s works 12k model.
In southern ca i went into bike shop in Poway ca and they where so anti ebike it was like i had a contagious disease and they wanted me out of there shop.
Told me i wouldn’t need a DD case tire if i didn’t have a heavy pig ebike.
So i responded why do you stalk them when u don’t sell ebikes if only fat over weight ebikes need them??
Needless to say i didn’t buy the tire from them to support there store.
But i was quite surprised when i broke a spider i drive 2.5hrs to specialized brand store in Orange County and they sold me a spider for a levo and installed it onto my Bulls bike and treated me as if it was purchased at there store and there own brand. Even though they thought up front it wouldn’t fit as my bike was a 2x system and there spider was a 1x. With my Fantic so far everyone has been really interested in looking at the bike as they hadn’t seen one so i feel as if i have an exotic.

 

[OldBean]

I went to Rutland Cycles at Whitwell (UK) to borrow a charger for 5 mins to prove whether I had a charger or a battery problem on my new emtb. I hadn't bought the bike from them, so it was very good of them to assist.

While I was there I got chatting to one of the sales guys. He told me that the shop would not even be there if it hadn't been for the eBike sales. They had sold £5m of eBikes in the last 4 months of 2018!!!!

To build on this, they have introduced special service and maintenance deals for eBikes, both ones they have sold and for others.

I also know of two local small retailers that have opened up and specialise in eBikes, one for emtbs and one for not-emtb. I would like to support both, but obviously I can't unless I buy a not-emtb (not going to happen).

Histon depot told me today they are no longer a Focus dealer!...does this go for all Rutland shops?
Looks as if I need an new LBS.

 

[Albez]

Histon depot told me today they are no longer a Focus dealer!...does this go for all Rutland shops?
Looks as if I need an new LBS.

Not sure about that as I spoke to someone from Rutland about purchasing a Focus and he said they have the new 2019 bikes coming in 5 days.

 

[AnthonyDouglas]

Histon depot told me today they are no longer a Focus dealer!...does this go for all Rutland shops?
Looks as if I need an new LBS.

Hi OldBean,

Anthony - head of the eBike category at Rutland here.

Whilst 2019 Focus Mountain eBikes won't be stocked at the Histon store (We're aiming for more of the commuter at that location), they will be stocked at our Whitwell, Milton Keynes, Leicester and Grafham Water stores.

The staff at Histon have been trained on the Focus systems, and will be able to undertake warranty and servicing work there. We can also hand-over special order bikes there, they just won't be shown on the shop floor.

They will have the Focus Paralane2 and Aventura2 in stock, just not the Jam2, Raven2 and Sam2.

 

[steve_sordy]

Histon depot told me today they are no longer a Focus dealer!...does this go for all Rutland shops?
Looks as if I need an new LBS.

I can't say for sure, but it doesn't make sense for each of the Rutland Cycles shops to specialise in the exact same models. I know that the Whitwell and Edith Weston shops stock different bike brands and they are only on opposite sides of Rutland Water.

 

[MarkH]

Leisurelakes at Bury have expanded the shop by 50% to create a specialist ebike area and have about 40 ebikes on display from 4-5 manufacturers (Trek/Spesh/Haibike/Cannondale).
I've been mtb'ing for over 30 years and have had loads of bikes from them over the years but the last couple have been direct sales (YT Capra and Tues). However, I went back to using the shop for an ebike (carbon Levo) for the warranty and motor support.

They've been great so far and have to say my 2018 has been pretty reliable. Went in after about 4 months after a particularly wet period submersing it on the stream crossings at Gisburn, but its been fine for probably the last year (I know I will curse it by saying that).

I expect to be replacing the Levo in the 2020 model year (haven't had a bike I've kept for more than 3 years) but don't expect the technology will have moved on sufficiently that I would consider direct to market by then.