How to start your own small-town bicycle shop

On Thu, 10 Apr 2008 19:18:57 -0600, may have
said:

On Thu, 10 Apr 2008 17:08:47 -0800,
(Dennis P. Harris) wrote:

On Thu, 10 Apr 2008 10:11:21 -0400 in rec.bicycles.tech, Eric Vey
wrote:

Here-for all the folks who want to get out of a big city and start a
little business in a friendly, peaceful spot-is yet another small-town
self-employment suggestion: Become a bicycle dealer in the small town of
your choice.

and he didn't have the liability problems that bike shops now
have, either. one of our local dealers went out of business
because his liability insurance became so damn high and the
insurance company required so much paperwork, including having
customers sign waivers wben they bought new bikes or got warranty
replacements.

Dear Dennis,

Can you tell us more about these new-bike insurance waivers?

Are they just for certain bikes? Are they a common practice?

I believe the OP's in Alaska, which is a commercial environment unlike
any other.

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On Apr 10, 9:11*am, Eric Vey wrote:
http://www.motherearthnews.com/Moder...-03-01/How-To-...

Here-for all the folks who want to get out of a big city and start a
little business in a friendly, peaceful spot-is yet another small-town
self-employment suggestion: Become a bicycle dealer in the small town of
your choice. My wife, Sharon, and I have run a bike shop for a year now
and feel sufficiently expert to pass on a few basics (enough, we hope,
to help you decide whether or not this trade will suit you as well as it
suits us).

[more]

I read some of the article and it was great humor.

"With the remaining $3,300 of your original investment you'll buy
everything else you need, including $1,500-$2,000 worth of bicycles.
This should get you 17 to 21 medium priced 10-speed machines which
will retail for about $125 each."

"Obviously, you'll need tools to put bicycles together and keep them
that way but there's no need, in the beginning, to spend more than
$100 on this equipment."

There is one bike shop listed in the Independence, KS chamber of
commerce. Different owner than the person who wrote the article.
Quite a few years between this 1974 article and 2008 of course.
Wonder if its even the same lineage.

wrote:

"With the remaining $3,300 of your original investment you'll buy
everything else you need, including $1,500-$2,000 worth of bicycles.
This should get you 17 to 21 medium priced 10-speed machines which
will retail for about $125 each."

"Obviously, you'll need tools to put bicycles together and keep them
that way but there's no need, in the beginning, to spend more than
$100 on this equipment."

The $40 profit won't even cover the $100 in tools!

--
Work and recreation are not often effected at the same time.
One using a bicycle in business makes an exception to the rule.
- Dr. Edgar H. Earl, Rochester. (~1892)

Dennis P. Harris Wrote:
On Thu, 10 Apr 2008 10:11:21 -0400 in rec.bicycles.tech, Eric Vey
wrote:

Here-for all the folks who want to get out of a big city and start a
little business in a friendly, peaceful spot-is yet another
small-town
self-employment suggestion: Become a bicycle dealer in the small town
of
your choice.

and he didn't have the liability problems that bike shops now
have, either. one of our local dealers went out of business
because his liability insurance became so damn high and the
insurance company required so much paperwork, including having
customers sign waivers wben they bought new bikes or got warranty
replacements.

Hmm. Well perhaps it's just that we here in Canuckistan are a slightly
less litigeous society than our southern neighbours, but the liability
element of my shop's insurance is not very high, and they certainly
don't ask for any waivers. They have suggested that I ask for signed
waivers when I rent bicycles, but they have made no such demand.
I can't immagine doing business in the environment you describe.
Dan Burkhart
www.boomerbicycle.ca


--
Dan Burkhart

| and he didn't have the liability problems that bike shops now
| have, either. one of our local dealers went out of business
| because his liability insurance became so damn high and the
| insurance company required so much paperwork, including having
| customers sign waivers wben they bought new bikes or got warranty
| replacements.
|
| Dear Dennis,
|
| Can you tell us more about these new-bike insurance waivers?
|
| Are they just for certain bikes? Are they a common practice?
|
| I believe the OP's in Alaska, which is a commercial environment unlike
| any other.

Must be. That's certainly not the case elsewhere. Insurance *is* quite
expensive, but the paperwork isn't that onerous, and there are no
requirements that we have customers sign waivers when they buy a bike. Some
shops will say that insurance requires that customers wear helmets on test
rides, but even that's likely not the case. We require them because it's
*our* policy. Just as we explain that we don't allow customers in our repair
area because it's *our* policy. Many find it easier to claim that their
insurance doesn't allow it. And there could be some cases in which that's
true.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

Mike Jacoubowsky wrote:
[...] Some
shops will say that insurance requires that customers wear helmets on test
rides, but even that's likely not the case. We require them because it's
*our* policy.

Even though all the properly performed population studies indicate that
foam hats are ineffective for anything more than bump and scrape
protection? Do you require gloves on test rides.

Just as we explain that we don't allow customers in our repair
area because it's *our* policy.[...]

The last time I was talking to an LBS proprietor while he was fixing a
bicycle, it led to the eventual sale of a $1K+ bicycle.

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
The weather is here, wish you were beautiful

On Fri, 11 Apr 2008 09:56:46 -0700 (PDT), "
may have said:

I read some of the article and it was great humor.

"With the remaining $3,300 of your original investment you'll buy
everything else you need, including $1,500-$2,000 worth of bicycles.
This should get you 17 to 21 medium priced 10-speed machines which
will retail for about $125 each."

Then: mid-price roadie (probably closer to low-end, though) $125.
Now: mid-price roadie *saddle and post*, $125.

"Obviously, you'll need tools to put bicycles together and keep them
that way but there's no need, in the beginning, to spend more than
$100 on this equipment."

Now, I remember what the price of good tools was like in 1972, and
$100 would get you a decent set of very basic stuff, but not much in
the way of what you'd have needed in order to be credible as a repair
facility. As usual, Mother Earth News had somebody writing the
article whose proclivities matched their own; anything that could be
improvised was pretty much good enough.

There is one bike shop listed in the Independence, KS chamber of
commerce. Different owner than the person who wrote the article.
Quite a few years between this 1974 article and 2008 of course.
Wonder if its even the same lineage.

Probably not. Given that the info I found seemed to indicate that the
current shop had changed name fairly recently, and there was no hit
that linked the article author's name with the city and subject other
than the article itself, I'd say that the attitude and approach had
the end result that I'd have expected.

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Mike Jacoubowsky wrote:
[...] Some shops will say that insurance requires that customers wear
helmets on test rides, but even that's likely not the case. We require
them because it's *our* policy.

Tom Sherman wrote:
Even though all the properly performed population studies indicate that
foam hats are ineffective for anything more than bump and scrape
protection? Do you require gloves on test rides.

No need to go down that road, Tom. I don't want to speak for Mike, but
it's probably just a CYA policy. Regardless of how and if they work,
requiring helmets on test rides probably would help an LBS out in the
most unfortunate case of a lawsuit related to a test ride injury.

Just as we explain that we don't allow customers in our repair area
because it's *our* policy.[...]

The last time I was talking to an LBS proprietor while he was fixing a
bicycle, it led to the eventual sale of a $1K+ bicycle.

All of the shops around here have a repair area behind the counter. It
is completely possible to speak to anyone at a repair stand.

--
Paul M. Hobson
..:change the f to ph to reply:.

On Apr 12, 10:30 am, "Paul M. Hobson" wrote:
Mike Jacoubowsky wrote:
[...] Some shops will say that insurance requires that customers wear
helmets on test rides, but even that's likely not the case. We require
them because it's *our* policy.
Tom Sherman wrote:
Even though all the properly performed population studies indicate that
foam hats are ineffective for anything more than bump and scrape
protection? Do you require gloves on test rides.

No need to go down that road, Tom. I don't want to speak for Mike, but
it's probably just a CYA policy. Regardless of how and if they work,
requiring helmets on test rides probably would help an LBS out in the
most unfortunate case of a lawsuit related to a test ride injury.

That's exactly why I require them of all our house guests, before I
allow them to climb the porch steps. ;-)

- Frank Krygowski

On Sat, 12 Apr 2008 08:18:39 -0700 (PDT), may have
said:

On Apr 12, 10:30 am, "Paul M. Hobson" wrote:
Mike Jacoubowsky wrote:
[...] Some shops will say that insurance requires that customers wear
helmets on test rides, but even that's likely not the case. We require
them because it's *our* policy.
Tom Sherman wrote:
Even though all the properly performed population studies indicate that
foam hats are ineffective for anything more than bump and scrape
protection? Do you require gloves on test rides.

No need to go down that road, Tom. I don't want to speak for Mike, but
it's probably just a CYA policy. Regardless of how and if they work,
requiring helmets on test rides probably would help an LBS out in the
most unfortunate case of a lawsuit related to a test ride injury.

That's exactly why I require them of all our house guests, before I
allow them to climb the porch steps. ;-)

I didn't know that you had moved to Miami, Frank. (It would be a wise
precaution to make them sign a waiver at the property line there.)

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My email address is antispammed; pull WEEDS if replying via e-mail.
Typoes are not a bug, they're a feature.
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