get rich quick, repair bikes

Hello

Had a nice conversation with a bike machanic recently. When he gets his
own store, he's not going to sell bikes, only repair them and sell parts,
because that's where the money is.

Today it dawned on me, how right he is.

You might be surprised to learn, but people who catch the bike bug spend
silly money on their bicycles. And the best way to spend money on a bike
is surreptitiously replacing and upgrading this or that part. Even the
people who say "oh I can only spend a tenner" will eventually step up to
parts costing ten times as much. And they don't do it all in one fell
swoop, they stop at each step along the way, meaning that by the time they
buy the really cool stuff, they've bought all the middling equipment along
the way.

I believe urban cycling will be the next BMX/mountain bike craze. Think of
all the people around the world with two cars, wishing to reduce to one.
And think of all the people considering two, but desperately wanting to
keep at just one. Think of what kind of bike that money will buy! Of
course many bike newbies are silly frugal (just like diagnosed bike people
are comparatively extravagant), but again, they will simply pass all the
posts one by one, progressively spending more and more on their bikes.

Does anyone know anyone, who *downgrades* whenever a part gets worn out,
broken, stolen, etc? I can't think of anybody. Bikes for transportation
have an air of being sensible, and that's the perfect functional alibi.

Erik Sandblom

--
Oil is for sissies

On Mar 24, 11:44 am, "Erik Sandblom" wrote:
Hello

Had a nice conversation with a bike machanic recently. When he gets his
own store, he's not going to sell bikes, only repair them and sell parts,
because that's where the money is.

Today it dawned on me, how right he is.

You might be surprised to learn, but people who catch the bike bug spend
silly money on their bicycles. And the best way to spend money on a bike
is surreptitiously replacing and upgrading this or that part. Even the
people who say "oh I can only spend a tenner" will eventually step up to
parts costing ten times as much. And they don't do it all in one fell
swoop, they stop at each step along the way, meaning that by the time they
buy the really cool stuff, they've bought all the middling equipment along
the way.

I believe urban cycling will be the next BMX/mountain bike craze. Think of
all the people around the world with two cars, wishing to reduce to one.
And think of all the people considering two, but desperately wanting to
keep at just one. Think of what kind of bike that money will buy! Of
course many bike newbies are silly frugal (just like diagnosed bike people
are comparatively extravagant), but again, they will simply pass all the
posts one by one, progressively spending more and more on their bikes.

Does anyone know anyone, who *downgrades* whenever a part gets worn out,
broken, stolen, etc? I can't think of anybody. Bikes for transportation
have an air of being sensible, and that's the perfect functional alibi.

Erik Sandblom

--
Oil is for sissies

This clearly explains why I am so popular at my LBS. I don't often
'upgrade' but I replace things and I am an incompetent mechanic so
guess who does the repairs? Before I moved away the LBS owner was
known to buy me a beer in the local pub!

John Kane, Kingston ON Canada

On Sat, 24 Mar 2007 16:44:57 +0100, "Erik Sandblom"
wrote:

diagnosed bike people

LOL

A lot of truth in what you wrote.

Looking at all the goodies in a well stocked bike shop can be a serious threat
to your plastic.

Erik Sandblom wrote:

Had a nice conversation with a bike machanic recently. When he gets his
own store, he's not going to sell bikes, only repair them and sell parts,
because that's where the money is.
Today it dawned on me, how right he is.

It must have been 20 years ago when a bike shop owner told me that -
repairs pay the rent and wages, sale of spares make the profit, and
bikes sold are the bonus.
A motorbike dealer told me the same thing, he reckoned on only making
£100 on a new motorbike on average - spares and repairs kept him open.
Alan.

--
To reply by e-mail, change the ' + ' to 'plus'.

"Erik Sandblom" wrote in message
news
Does anyone know anyone, who *downgrades* whenever a part gets worn out,
broken, stolen, etc? I can't think of anybody.

I tend to buy the cheapest suitable replacement I can if something breaks
which usually means chain reaction cycles, wiggle, halfords, ebay, LBS in
that order.

But I also love bike lights and keep buying 'bargains' to contribute to
urban light pollution. A few years ago I would happily ride off road in
winter with just a £10 halfords kitemarked front light, now I inisit on
headtorch and Cateye halogens as well. I'm starting to go the same way with
clothing as well.
--
peter

Cheap train tickets database
http://www.petereverett.co.uk/tickets/

Email sent to this address is generally deleted upon arrival
Visit website if you want to contact me

Den 2007-03-24 17:12:04 skrev A.Lee :

Erik Sandblom wrote:

Had a nice conversation with a bike machanic recently. When he gets his
own store, he's not going to sell bikes, only repair them and sell
parts,
because that's where the money is.
Today it dawned on me, how right he is.

It must have been 20 years ago when a bike shop owner told me that -
repairs pay the rent and wages, sale of spares make the profit, and
bikes sold are the bonus.
A motorbike dealer told me the same thing, he reckoned on only making
£100 on a new motorbike on average - spares and repairs kept him open.


The same is often said of the automobile industry. It's generally
applicable, you're right about that.

But I imagine as society greens, bicycles and especially bicycle spares
and repairs will be a growth industry as people start cycling more. I
think everyday wear and tear is much more profitable for the bike shops
than weekend mountain biking. Add in things like dynohubs, folders,
trailers and cargo bikes, and I think utility cycling can be very
lucrative for the bike shops. There's a real need.

Erik Sandblom

--
Oil is for sissies

Roger Burton West wrote on 24/03/2007 23:20 +0100:
A.Lee wrote:

It must have been 20 years ago when a bike shop owner told me that -
repairs pay the rent and wages, sale of spares make the profit, and
bikes sold are the bonus.

Particularly since the prices of new bikes are set by the
makers/importers, not the shops.

Which would be illegal resale price maintenance

--
Tony

"The most savage controversies are those about matters as to which there
is no good evidence either way."
- Bertrand Russell

On Sat, 24 Mar 2007 23:28:41 +0000, Tony Raven
wrote:

Roger Burton West wrote on 24/03/2007 23:20 +0100:
A.Lee wrote:

It must have been 20 years ago when a bike shop owner told me that -
repairs pay the rent and wages, sale of spares make the profit, and
bikes sold are the bonus.

Particularly since the prices of new bikes are set by the
makers/importers, not the shops.

Which would be illegal resale price maintenance

Which happens all the time and is virtually unpoliced.

(Ziggy) writes:

On Sat, 24 Mar 2007 23:28:41 +0000, Tony Raven
wrote:

Roger Burton West wrote on 24/03/2007 23:20 +0100:
A.Lee wrote:

It must have been 20 years ago when a bike shop owner told me that -
repairs pay the rent and wages, sale of spares make the profit, and
bikes sold are the bonus.

Particularly since the prices of new bikes are set by the
makers/importers, not the shops.

Which would be illegal resale price maintenance

Which happens all the time and is virtually unpoliced.

Yup that's what a number of people who work in bike shops have told
me. The big manufacturers don't mind how you price last year's models,
but if you start discount this years then you'll suddenly find supply
hard to come by. The main way round this is to offer other stuff
"free" with new bikes, which works to some extent, although a given
customer may not value the stuff you're offering "free".

Paul Rudin wrote on 25/03/2007 10:20 +0100:

Yup that's what a number of people who work in bike shops have told
me. The big manufacturers don't mind how you price last year's models,
but if you start discount this years then you'll suddenly find supply
hard to come by. The main way round this is to offer other stuff
"free" with new bikes, which works to some extent, although a given
customer may not value the stuff you're offering "free".


I've always seen the contents of the "free stuff" as part of the
negotiation on the purchase. Its funny though how in some places e.g.
supermarkets, we would almost never think of negotiating the price while
in others such as bike shops we expect it.

--
Tony

"The most savage controversies are those about matters as to which there
is no good evidence either way."
- Bertrand Russell