General Cycling Discussion - Top 100 Bike Shops

The results are in! International Cycle Works has announced its Top 100 Specialty Bicycle Retailers for 2006.

Before we open the envelope, let's make one thing clear. These specialty bike shops were chosen by sales representatives for six top bicycle and six top bike part manufacturers. Each sales rep voted for the top three retailers in his or her territory in market share, store appearance and community outreach.


http://www.bikingbis.com/blog/_archives/2006/3/4/1796310.html

Direct Link to full list: http://www.bicycleresearch.com/top100/index.html

Sorry about title...guess I had wrong info in clipboard.

Can a mod please fix my title to "top 100 bike shops" or something like that.

Aw my bike shop isnt on there:(

Aw my bike shop isnt on there:(
The only Tampabay bike shop that is on there is one of the ones that I don't like (closest one to my house in fact). "MY" bike shop isn't on there either.

Moved to General cycling...and title fixed

hi565
Mod

Liberty bikes in asheville SUCKS!!!!!!! its just a big snobbish shop.

" Each sales rep voted for the top three retailers in his or her territory in market share, store appearance and community outreach."

So it is mostly the shops that spent the most $$, as far as I know, none of our reps has ever asked us about our community involvement.

Not on target for Chicago.

KingTermite: As DIY homeowner, is Timbor in spray or foam effective in treating and destroying drywood termites in SoCal region? I hang my bikes from my garage rafters and I've detected wood decay and evidence of drywood termites.

" Each sales rep voted for the top three retailers in his or her territory in market share, store appearance and community outreach."

So it is mostly the shops that spent the most $$, as far as I know, none of our reps has ever asked us about our community involvement.

With all due respect, maybe they shouldnt have to. Things on website, advertisements of rides helping charaties, local cycling club, involvment in having the city build more bike paths. Maybe there asking the customers of how involed the paticular shop is in the community.

Gotta say congrats to my LBS,Cycles DeOro, for making the list again! ;)

HIGH GEAR CYCLERY, STIRLING, NJ.

I've been there, HUGE, beautiful shop with inventory to match. Lots of high-end expensive stuff. This shop is located near some very exclusive towns so they seem to cater to affluent people mostly.

Richardson Bike Mart - yeeeehaawwwww.

(knew it would be there).

if y'all ever get to dallas, gotta check it out.

marty

Liberty bikes in asheville SUCKS!!!!!!! its just a big snobbish shop.

My feelings about Bike Barn. Seems like everytime I have ever been in there, I got ingored once they found out I didn't want a Medone.

THere are a few shops I can think of that should replace it on the list. The kind of shops that do care about any sober person that walks in the door.

I'm just amazed that I've been in 4 of them. Bicycle Garage in INDY is where 90% of my after Christmas gift money went while visiting the parents. They have a location in Bloomington that was one of the first real bike shops I had ever been in as a kid.

For Chicago I have heard a lot about Kozy's, but I have yet to go. As for the others...well...what did my mother teach me....not to say anything at all.

With all due respect, maybe they shouldnt have to. Things on website, advertisements of rides helping charaties, local cycling club, involvment in having the city build more bike paths. Maybe there asking the customers of how involed the paticular shop is in the community.

Gotta say congrats to my LBS,Cycles DeOro, for making the list again! ;)


We have all that stuff: support the charity rides, have a had a team for more than twenty years, ran a BMX team until the market bottomed in the nineties, the owner was key in getting greenway and bike paths in the city(The only street/bikelane path in the city starts at our shop).

Like a bestselling novel or record, does not matter what the customer buys or thinks, it is what manufacturer sells to the dealer that decides.
Not that the shops on the list are bad or that I expected ours to be on the list.:)

Guess I have been to three, and would personally recommend them:

Brands in Wantagh, NY (grew up near them, and was a customer as a kid)
Earl's in Burlington, VT (stop in there for parts when on business trips)
The Off Ramp in Sunnyvale, CA (also stop in there for parts when on business trips)

Unfortunately, no winners near my home in NY.

Congrats!

Neither one of the two I frequent are on that list. I live in a very small market, and much of the inventory doesn't come from the six accessory vendors listed.

I have been to Richardson's Bike Mart, which should not be considered because of it's size!

That list means nothing, other than the opinions of a few wholesale reps. I've been into almost a dozen shops on that list (even worked in one of them); none of them compare to the local shops I actually patronize.

It's all very suspect.

I think my new goal is to start a bike shop after im done my trip around the world. Anyone know anywhere that needs a bike shop in 5 years?

Steve

Why don't you guys in the United States run your own vote on the forum somehow, for the "Bike Shop with the Best Customer Sevice" as there has been much negative discussion about LBSs on here.
Simple rule is no new members for the current month can vote. (to avoid some fixing ;) )
Steve.

I work at #3!!! Woot!

I can verify that Jax in Long Beach, CA is a very good bike shop. The Jax in Fullerton, Huntington Beach, and Irvine are pretty good, too.

3 are within a half hour of me.

The one that i have been to "century cycles" kinda sucked. They are big, have 3 locations, but the guys that work there, atleast the ones i talked couldnt answer my questions. Then again, although they have alot of mtn bikes, they have even more road bikes.