Dulwich Hill Bicycle Club

http://www.smh.com.au/small-business/tr ... 1l884.html


Check out these different creative people that are in the business of bikes etc. I like the lad down the road from our cafe towards Sydenham station, he does all kinds of bike things as well as coffee. I reckon right next to Marrickville road cafe would have been a great spot for a bike shop! but physios have moved in instead. There are quite a few different solo people around Marrickville making and selling second hand bikes out of parts they have.

Not as easy as you think and a lot of bike shops are doing it very tough due to the amount of internet sales.
A bike shop who's owner comes to our shop for a beer sometimes has only just started breaking even after 12months and we know of a few that will be closing

Sorry to hear of the true current state of bike retailing. It puts the apparent recent growth in the number of retail stores in perspective. Selling bikes sure is not the same as selling iOS devices.

Not as easy as you think and a lot of bike shops are doing it very tough due to the amount of internet sales.
A bike shop who's owner comes to our shop for a beer sometimes has only just started breaking even after 12months and we know of a few that will be closing

Anyone been to the bike shop in Goulburn called the Green Grocer? It's a bike shop, cafe, Deli. We had breakfast there for the Goulburn Road race this year. Anyway that is one of the shops that is really doing well. I've been told they can easily sell 5 - 8 "Performance bikes $5 - $10K+" in one weekend day due by passing trade only. He also pays up front for his bikes, buys a large quantity at a time and gets a pretty good deal for them, which is why he can sell them for a good price. Anyway - it's a cool shop if you are ever down there go and have a look.

Yeah none of the shops in this article are trying to compete with the usual race carbon bikes, they are selling some thing different...

I heard from a LBS Owner a while ago that Sydney was oversupplied with Road Bike Shops. If you want to survive in today's market with the internet, you either need to do something different. Just selling a repairing bikes won't get you very far today, or offer a level of service that people are happy to travel for. There are easy ways to ensure that you can get the sale over the internet retailer.

e.g. Buy a pair of shoes and pedals, and we'll put the pedals on the bike, and the cleats on the shoes, and ensure that they are positioned correctly.

James

Anyone been to the bike shop in Goulburn called the Green Grocer? It's a bike shop, cafe, Deli. We had breakfast there for the Goulburn Road race this year. Anyway that is one of the shops that is really doing well. I've been told they can easily sell 5 - 8 "Performance bikes $5 - $10K+" in one weekend day due by passing trade only. He also pays up front for his bikes, buys a large quantity at a time and gets a pretty good deal for them, which is why he can sell them for a good price. Anyway - it's a cool shop if you are ever down there go and have a look.

That'll require extra capital, one that's most likely out of reach of most small start up proprietors. Then risk multiplies with increasing capitalisation. Better double check that business plan.

My understanding is that bike shops used to make a modest margin on bikes and then cream it on accessories. Many services weren't needed - but were a way to get you back into a store.
The accessory market has been blown away by online competition.
An example: Cranks in North Sydney charges $11 for a 700x18/23 tube. Yes! $11.
I can get 10 for $29 from Torpedo 7.
Guess where I shop? And guess how often I visit Cranks?

I recomend buying your bikes from a shop, similar to the thread just created on the bike shop in Ashburry, I have always had great service from shops with that sort of thing. I actually dont buy any thing directly over the net either though, perhaps because I am too lazy to work out how to!