Touring - What Things MUST a Touring Bike Shop stock?

If any of y'all wander around in the general discussions, you'll have seen that I'm opening a bike shop in about a week.

My shop is going to cater to commuters, tourists, and randonneurs (while including everything else...).

What are some items that a shop MUST stock for tourists, aside from the obvious like tubes, TG/GatorSkin tires, racks. However, feel free to give me recommendations on racks. Which ones are the most durable, etc. What brand(s) of panniers? What small parts?

Oh, and I'll already be offering up the shower at my house and my yard for camping.

Where is it located?

Here are some things:
maps (state maps, cycling route maps, adventure cycling touring maps)
a really big map on the wall elevations and with your location circled or pinned
a town map with groceries, camping, etc pointed out
cliff bars
lights
all sorts of batteries
saddle bags, handlebar bags.
gps units
bike computers
spare bolts of assorted sizes
zip ties
maybe some specialty items like those portable lock ring removers that don't need a chain whip or wrench
also the fiber fix spokes
Topeak Road Morph

Free showers.

Are you catering to cyclists-on-tour or cyclists preparing to tour, or everyone?

I'm guessing you're on one of the main routes, so if you have the room, try to keep made-up spares of the things that fail most. Solidly-built wheels, proper fat tires, all manner of brake pads/blocks/shoes. Keep a list of local businesses like motels and B&B"s and restaurants that are friendly to tourers.

Maybe form a partnership with a local welder-brazer who'd be willing to quickly and competently repair broken frames and racks. Likewise, someone who can repair tents, sleeping bags or damaged clothing.

Probably too late, but being located near a laundromat would be cool.

Other than that, yes - maps. Particularly maps with the roads that are appropriate for cycling marked. There's a market there.

If you can't carry some touring-appropriate consumable camp gear like Insta-Pur tabs, stove fuel, snack food, be able to direct the tourers to a place that does.

Also, consider a graffiti wall where tourers can make their mark, or leave a note for people following behind. This will make you a 'destination', which has to be good for business.

Um, tour bikes? In a range of sizes and at least 2 brands?

With stuff like racks and bags and whatnot, a range of prices is probably the most important. I really like Topeak, but it doesn't seem to be big in the US. But you'd probably also want something high-end like Tubus or Old Man Mountain.

Panniers...well, you'll be laughed at if you don't stock Ortlieb. But again, you need cheaper stuff like Topeak, Deuter, Axiom...

Also, an extensive mail-order catalogue - people get particular, and it helps if you can order the exact bit they need.

Have you considered being one of the first shops to stock EpicDesigns/CarouselDesignWorks gear? Get in touch with them and see what you can work out. Framebags wouldn't work too well, but saddlepacks, handlebar bags and gas tanks don't need to be too customised.

I think what would making a touring shop stand out would also be putting spares on display as a "you need this". I'm not sure I've ever seen a bike shop with spokes on display - although they probably all sell them. Get people thinking about all kinds of spares and there are probably many sales to be made.

Books, maps, etc are good. I have a fantastic compact street directory of my (rather large) city, which I've never seen for sale in a bike shop - why not?

Consider freeze-dried food, jerky, museli bars...

And everything dan the man said.

Oh one other comment...while shopping for a bike once, I saw three customers' bikes made up. They were varying levels of Specialized Tricross (including the top one...Expert? S-works? I forget), totally customised. It was awesome. Seeing really top-notch gear like that makes a couple of hundred here or there seem quite trivial really...

You might also consider serving as a mail drop for people to forward or mail home to/from.

You might also consider serving as a mail drop for people to forward or mail home to/from.

You can see the post office from my shop....it's on the next block.

Thanks for all of the good ideas so far...keep them coming!

mmm... make the entrance "loaded touring bike friendly" so a tourer can roll their bike in, lean it against the wall, be offered a hot coffee... and start shopping :)

If you have determined that the touring segment warrants special attention in your market then to compete against the internet you'll need to provide what it doesn't: a hands-on experience. Of course it would be great to stock a wide variety of gear, but the carrying costs will eat you alive.

However, I'd keep stock of specialized consumables like Schwalbe touring tires and then a couple of demo touring bikes in a few sizes all ready loaded up as if for touring. You can showcase different rack and pannier combinations in different price ranges so people can see what they're getting for their money. I wouldn't hold stock of anything, instead I'd order what people needed and then build the kit for them. What I wouldn't have paid for my racks problems to have been solved by a bike shop! As you learn what's popular you might want to bring in a few things, however.

If you think you're going to get a lot of tourers who are in the actual middle of their tour, it would be great for you to stock parts for the most common racks and panniers. Within a brand, parts are shared so your investment wouldn't be too high. Besides, your labor charges will be a better source of revenue than the parts.

mmm... make the entrance "loaded touring bike friendly" so a tourer can roll their bike in, lean it against the wall, be offered a hot coffee... and start shopping :)

Once you enter the main door, there's a long hallway. Lots of bike-leaning space. That was one of the things the DePAuw cycling team commented on....lots of bike space available.

Hot coffee is always on.
Guinness is always cold.
There are usually bagels sitting by the toaster oven, too.

Sir/Madam! You seem most decidedly on the right track to starting the best touring bike shop in the world! :)

If feasible, a drinking fountain with a long spout for filling water bottles, and compressed air for tires, outside the shop would be neat...

I believe 44 degrees fahrenheit is the serving temperature recommended for Guiness... personally I prefer ICE COLD Corona! :D

Give people who are on tour priority for repairs and service. My town is on the Pacific Coast Route and my LBS does this. As a local, I heartily agree.

Give people who are on tour priority for repairs and service....

Yes, on tour I'd definitely pay an "acute service charge" rather than "can you come in next tuesday?"...

things that 80% of your customers need. Most tourers don't need much and if they're going to be enticed out of enough money to make the transaction worthwhile for both of you I'd look at selling your labor and selling some touristy memorabilia items with pre-paid shipping boxes and ship it for them.
"I'll send it out with UPS/Post office today". Cultivate a welcoming atmosphere and state of mind. I had a shop on the north coast of Ca. on Hwy 1 where bike tourers streamed through regularly but 95% of my business was local and rentals. People riding through really didn't buy much. They made their big purchases before they left.
Tourists will be folks who have the day budgeted down to the dollar as well as a few folks who can pull out the credit card for a $1500 frame to be shipped home. Make it EASY for them to ship stuff home. If it's a value they'll know it and would like to have something to look forward to. To sell values you gotta buy values.
I did that when I was 24 and rode to Boulder to see the Coors race, there was a Poghliagi for a decent price so I had it shipped home. Same with the LHT I got from a small shop in San Juan Island. It was a good price, $1000, and his shipping costs were very low.
So don't think of your shop as a place that sells stuff to people traveling through but a place that people can send stuff home after seeing it.

Anything Carradice - especially their rain cape.

If any of y'all wander around in the general discussions, you'll have seen that I'm opening a bike shop in about a week.

My shop is going to cater to commuters, tourists, and randonneurs (while including everything else...).

What are some items that a shop MUST stock for tourists, aside from the obvious like tubes, TG/GatorSkin tires, racks. However, feel free to give me recommendations on racks. Which ones are the most durable, etc. What brand(s) of panniers? What small parts?

Oh, and I'll already be offering up the shower at my house and my yard for camping.

You might want to add a few tour related items, for example a small collection of camping parts, like tent pegs, stove repair kits, bug dope, etc.

The problem becomes there are roughly 4,294,967,296 items you can stock, however keeping stock is very expensive. These days though, it's easy to get stuff delivered by overnight air, so having an Internet connection so you can troll the supplier websites, can really cut down on your stock requirements, for items you might sell once in a while. For example you may keep a few racks in stock (one inexpensive model, one medium level, one high end) that are good sellers, but you can order a bunch of others in.

Speaking of Internet, for those on tour, a hotspot would be good, and maybe an extra old computer that is connected that can be rented by the half-hour. A hotspot could be through one of the hotspot providers where you get a small commission for hosting it. Maps, lots of maps, not only local, but national and international maps as well.

For those that already have a bike (which is not rack friendly) and don't want a new bike but yet want to try touring, I would keep one or two trailers for sale and rent. I know they would take up some floor space but you could keep stock costs down and just continually turn over the floor models if you can get them fast enough from the distributor. Knowing where you're located and the area, I don't see a lot tourers just passing thru until they complete the B & O trail to Indy and/or hook the Filmore trail to something more substantial, of course I could be wrong here.

Replying to everything posted so far (too many to quote)

1. I have cold water in the fridge.
2. Tourists always get preferential treatment. They likely won't be repeat customers, but a) they know other tourists and b) no one wants a tour ruined because of a mechanical or poor service.
3. I'll only be keeping a few things in stock, as far as larger items (racks, panniers, etc). Nuts and bolts/small parts is what I really need suggestions for. What parts tend to be needed the most? M5 bolts/nuts? derailleur pulleys/bolts?
4. There will be an air hose outside the shop.
5. The shop has free WiFi. Tourists are welcome to use my laptop to catch up/get others caught up.

For jackets, I was thinking about carrying Showers Pass, as well as Mt.Borah.

The post office is a block away, so sending items back home for people wouldn't be a problem. I already have a stock of USPS Priority Mail boxes at the shop.

As for touring bikes....
I think touring bikes are going to be the next "IT". I'll have the Raleigh Sojourn in stock. As for others....I haven't finalized with any other bike company yet. QBP doesn't seem to like new shops, so I won't have Salsa/Surly for a year. The Rawland 650B bikes seem to be touring-worthy, and I WILL be carrying those. (I love mine!)

Jamis is a possibility, as is Kona.

I wish you success, but this is not going to be easy to make a living at. There is a reason there are so few touring oriented bike shops.

To get much business from passing tourists you would need to be on a very busy touring route and even then most don't spend all that much money in bike shops when on tour. Even on the Pacific Coast Highway or the Trans America you would probably starve to death if catering mostly to tourists. They do tend to buy consumable stuff like tubes, patch kits, bar tape, brake pads, and so on, but that amounts to a few small purchases.

Selling stuff to local touring oriented customers is usually equally bleak. There just are not typically that many touring riders in most towns and most of their gear lasts them a long time and is replaced very infrequently.

So what to do? Well one thing would be to cater to the whole cycling public which it sounds like you plan to do. Another would be to include an on line store to cater to a more geographically dispersed customer base.

Perhaps if you offered some services that would promote touring in your area, that would help increase the local customer base. I am thinking of either guided, semi-guided, or just routes for nearby tours and maybe have seminars or demonstrations that teach the fundamentals of touring.

Knowledgeable staff, good quality gear and a friendly atttitude. Did I mention knowledgeable staff.

I wish you success, but this is not going to be easy to make a living at. There is a reason there are so few touring oriented bike shops.

To get much business from passing tourists you would need to be on a very busy touring route and even then most don't spend all that much money in bike shops when on tour. Even on the Pacific Coast Highway or the Trans America you would probably starve to death if catering mostly to tourists. They do tend to buy consumable stuff like tubes, patch kits, bar tape, brake pads, and so on, but that amounts to a few small purchases.

Selling stuff to local touring oriented customers is usually equally bleak. There just are not typically that many touring riders in most towns and most of their gear lasts them a long time and is replaced very infrequently.

So what to do? Well one thing would be to cater to the whole cycling public which it sounds like you plan to do. Another would be to include an on line store to cater to a more geographically dispersed customer base.

Perhaps if you offered some services that would promote touring in your area, that would help increase the local customer base. I am thinking of either guided, semi-guided, or just routes for nearby tours and maybe have seminars or demonstrations that teach the fundamentals of touring.

+1. I think most comments above are predicated on the assumption that there is an adequate market. In 21k miles of touring I have bought one pair of gloves and a length of derailleur cable housing from bike shops. I think I bought a compass/bell at REI in Missoula in 2006.

I buy everything at home before I leave, mostly via the internet because the help at the LBS's around where I live are opinionated - yet clueless - about touring. Yet, I am intrigued about the idea of a serious touring shop. It might fly. But if I were you I figure out how to do it without risking too much money on touring-specific inventory. Give them a taste by setting up some demo rigs.

Also, don't forget the higher end too. A person who already owns a high end road or mountain bike would be easier to interest in touring than a couch potato and the latter already understand the value of a primo rig. Plus, if they've already dropped a couple of grand on their bikes, they have demonstrated that they have the disposable income that you want more of.

I'd study the inventory and pricing at REI. They have the low end covered with their bikes and they even carry Ortleib panniers. Of course, they also carry a wide assortment of cheap and middling camping gear. But I never go into REI unless I'm picking up something that I ordered from their website. If your have informed staff, higher end bikes, and reasonable prices you can beat REI.

Good luck, my friend.

P.S. Pete's suggestion of an online store is golden. That will give you the chance of inventory turns that will make your venture viable.

Replying to everything posted so far (too many to quote)

1. I have cold water in the fridge.
2. Tourists always get preferential treatment. They likely won't be repeat customers, but a) they know other tourists and b) no one wants a tour ruined because of a mechanical or poor service.
3. I'll only be keeping a few things in stock, as far as larger items (racks, panniers, etc). Nuts and bolts/small parts is what I really need suggestions for. What parts tend to be needed the most? M5 bolts/nuts? derailleur pulleys/bolts?
4. There will be an air hose outside the shop.
5. The shop has free WiFi. Tourists are welcome to use my laptop to catch up/get others caught up.



There is one thing you really need and it's probably more important then anything else. Enough cash that you can operate the shop and still survive comfortably, yourself, for 3 years without the shop making so much as a nickel in profit. :eek:

If you count on not making any money in the first 3 years, you will be ahead of the game when you do start making money, probably during the second year. Most businesses start without enough money, and the average one closes within 2 years, leaving the business owner with a truck load of debt.:twitchy: PM me if you want to know how I know this :rolleyes:

Remember you need to be able to draw from the reserves a salary for yourself, and it needs to be an amount you can live on. It helps if your spouse makes 90K or more per year.....:D

You also need a formal business plan, with sane numbers in it, this is for if you need investors or borrowing capacity. Always count on expenses being higher then you think they should be and revenue being lower then you think it should be.

Maps have been mentioned but if you can get international maps on the cheap and be able to sell them cheaper than Amazon, you can offer them at an online store or via word of mouth.
Sell some candies and powdered electolyte drink mixes that many cyclists like to drink. During the warm days of the year, offer ice for those passing through.

What Wogster said should be framed.

My $.02 is that touring bikes won't ever be "it". Very few people in the general population really want to sit on a bike for hours on end. I'd suggest gearing up for the utility market when gas prices jump in a couple years. You'll have a lot more locals looking for a solid WALD basket or homemade plastic bucket panniers put on a $35 Tubus copy/Axiom type rack than $2000 touring bikes. Having a good collection of ss hardware , straps for any kind of construction would be my suggestion.

Finding a service oriented young bike nut for part time work will go a long way to bringing creative energy into the biz. Building up a core customer base amongst young parents and moms is vital for service income. Anything, and I mean anything you can do to tone down a possible bike snob attitude is worthwhile since your service income will inevitably come from people who don't know how to do the work.

your customers will primarily be the people who live there. If you are the only bike shop in town, that's your income, not folks traveling through.

I just googled your town. If you're the only bike shop in town the college is going to be an automatic source of customers if you cultivate them.

Whatever ideal you have for your biz it's the customers who will ultimately define it. If 75% of your time is repairing local bikes and not selling bikes make that experience as rewarding/enjoyable for the customer as possible. If you fix a little kids bike and leave a good impression with the mom you'll be fixing her bike later, etc.

Looked over the pics on roadbikereview forum. Good space. Managing piles of bikes neatly will be a priority. I didn't see racks. Since you are substantially undercapitalized for inventory you're going to be trying to make money off of service , which means lots of repairs coming in and occupying space. Make it neat and easy for walking bikes in and out.

I was looking at the website of some bike shop located on the Oregon Coast (a very popular touring route) and they had a note on their website saying that "touring cyclists" could call an after-hours number if they needed emergency repairs / parts to stay on the road. I'm guessing the phone number was the owner's home or cell phone.

I think that's a fantastic touch.

Also, answer your emails promptly. It's amazing to me how many local businesses, including bike shops, don't answer their emails.

I second several suggestions already made such as; internet, water(a faucet, rather than bottled), campsite suggestions, and the like. I really like the idea of the graffiti wall! All the tourists in the area would be talking about that one.

The most important thing a local bike shop(or really anyone for that matter) can supply a tourist with is information! Make sure you, and all your staff know the answers to questions like route suggestions, getting out of town, campsites within 50 miles of your city, the local weather, cheap local grocery stores, sources of white gas, how many bees have been going down people's shirts recently, anything! I love having a conversation with someone that I actually learn something useful from. We're like explorers, and any information from the locals really helps.

As for nuts and bolts, I find that the thing I have the hardest time finding are any 700c tire over 32 width. I like to run 35s on my bike(which is a really inconvenient size to find, actually) and usually I have to hit 5 or more bike shops before I find a suitable replacement. I'd love to walk into a bike shop and hear that they have several different tires in 35 and 37 widths.
I think another thing we go through are spokes. It sounds trivial, but I'm constantly surprised to find that a bike shop doesn't carry a full range of spoke sizes. I understand the financial reason for this, but at least have the most popular sizes available. A Phil spoke cutter and proper spoke stock for that would be fantastic.
This is a bit further out, but again, I'd love to see it somewhere. Teach yourself the lost art of patching gear. Patching tents, sleeping bags, panniers, clothes, etc. Sewing, patch fabric, seam sealer, all that stuff is great for repairing a piece of gear that has become an old friend.

Consider having a sign in the window that specifically lets a passing tourist know that you have such touring items. If they don't know, they won't have much reason to stop. I know this could be touchy, but maybe give all the other bike shops in the area a call when you open. Introduce yourself, and let them know what you're all about and how your shop is focused. A lot of times when a shop doesn't have something in stock, the first thing that happens is the clerk turns around to his coworkers: "Hey, Mikey, do you know anyone in town that sells [really peculiar item]?"

Good luck! I certainly hope your shop does well. Kind of an odd time of year to open though, eh?

+1000 for 3 years capital and business plan. The business plan is your road map to success, it gives you business a clear path to follow, but can be change along the way if needed. Your much more likely to accomplish something if it's in writing. Oh and when someone tells you what kind of bike you have NEVER tell them your sorry that they own that bike, that comment has kept me out of my closest LBS. Good luck with business, I wish you all the success in the world!

Chris

OH! +1 for spokes and maps.

well first of all your going to have to let the passing touring cyclist or even roadie know your open for buisness.this is were you need the skills of a good sign writer.the very best of luck in your new venture ,don't make promises you can't keep ,my local bike shop owner would promise you the moon and stars but never get them,i dont shop there any more.you just need to be well stocked on the usual stuff like cables/break blocks/spokes/tyres/tubes. but im sure you already know all this.

Let's see.... lots of new stuff to address.

1) I have a business partner - a CPA. Free accounting! He's put in enough money that I can buy some stock for the store.

2) Can't contact the other bike shops....I'm the only shop in a 30 mile radius. Greencastle is half-way between US40 and US36 on US231. So, if someone is touring on US40, I'm the nearest shop if they're on the western side of the state. Ditto for US36.

3) No, I don't intend to make lots of money off of touring. I just want to be there if they need me. Specializing in touring doesn't necessarily mean that touring is my main thing. It's a speciality.

4) Business plan has been in existence for a while. My projections on it were very low. With the cost of the rent and cable/internet/phone here, I can sell one bike per month and be in good shape.

5) Timing of opening.... A few reasons. a) I have free rent until the spring, so why not open? b) it takes a while to get the word out that the town has a bike shop for the first time since 1996. If I start in the spring, word gets out mid-summer. If I start now, word gets out by Spring. c) I got cut down to 1 day per week at the shop where I'm manager.

Have some comfortable chairs or a couch for tourers to relax in while awaiting repairs - or while using your wifi.

+++!for BigBlueToe.he beat me to the suggestion by 2.5 hours. LMAO. I've been to many shops whether touring or just riding around, and need something like a broken spoke repaired. Around home, we all know the shops so if we are "in range" we may stop to have it fixed, just to support them, and there be no where to rest your weary bones.

3) No, I don't intend to make lots of money off of touring. I just want to be there if they need me. Specializing in touring doesn't necessarily mean that touring is my main thing. It's a speciality.


I had my bike shop on Hw1 in Mendocino Ca. from '80-'86. I was SURE everyone would want mtn bikes. Guess what, they didn't. Most folks wanted to pay off their 4x4 Toyota. I was SURE I'd make money from the huge numbers of cyclists coming down the coast. I didn't. Basically I made money 1/3 rentals, 1/3 labor and 1/3 bike sales from tourists and locals. Your mix will be whatever works. I'm just trying to say that specializing in anything takes resources and if your resources are small don't sacrifice the businesses health for your special interest. If the choice is between $1000 in racks so you can neatly store bikes or $1000 in Schwalbe touring tires get the racks. If the choice is between $1000 of ss. hardware, spokes and a $1000 bike, get the hardware.

I couldn't tell if there was animosity from townies to the college kids but I hope that doesn't spill over in your business. If they have money it would be silly to not funnel it your way with ads for tune-ups and QUICK turnaround. Much better to overestimate costs and come in low than surprise the customer with "yeah, your $20 tuneup cost $140 because I had to replace x,y,z". Your not a big city shop and can't compete with inventory with mail order so the main value you can offer is service.

You guys really DON'T read the posts in the general discussion area, do you? lol.
All of the store/business-related stuff has already been discussed.

I was going to call the store University Velo, but decided to stick with Covered Bridge Cyclery (I own both URLS) because I didn't want to alienate the locals. I sponsor the DePauw cycling team.

http://coveredbridgecyclery.com/store_images/111009/1.jpg

Currently, I am only going to stock a few new bikes and a few used bikes. It's almost winter. Instead, I'm spending my money on repair items, tools, accessories, and such. I'm promoting the store like crazy, and have started a local cycling club (there wasn't one). The cycling team, in exchange for their discount, will plaster the campus with flyers, spread the word to friends, and work in the store a few hours per week without pay.

To test the market, I am ordering 2 lower-end road bikes, 2 mountain bikes, 4 campus-type bikes, and a handful of kid bikes. For locals so far, it seems that road bikes are what they want. I've had 5 people so far come in (before I'm even open) looking for road bikes. But, I want to see what actually sells, not what someone says they want to buy.

As for resting weary bones....

http://coveredbridgecyclery.com/store_images/111509/lounge.jpg
(there'll be more chairs, a table or two, etc. once I have time to search for them)

If you want to stand out, offer exemplary service. As far as products go, you'll soon figure out what sells and what doesn't. You customer base will decide what you sell and to stay alive you will have to meet the needs of the style of riders in your area. Make sure that the bike you sell fits the customer without charging an additional $175 to do a fit. Be flexible and willing to swap out parts to make sure they are happy when they leave your shop. It's great to offer things like coffee and place to put your bike and all but if your mechanic is an ******* and won't answer questions that he feels are beneath him, that is what will kill your business in the long run. Example Wayne at The Touring Store is a wealth of info and everyone that deals with him becomes an advertisement.
Where people like Bruce Gordon, have a reputation of being grumpy and in my case, I don't care what he sells, I won't do business with people like that. So in the long and short, if you want to succeed, make sure people leave your store excited they did business with you and not regretful.

If you want to stand out, offer exemplary service. As far as products go, you'll soon figure out what sells and what doesn't. You customer base will decide what you sell and to stay alive you will have to meet the needs of the style of riders in your area. Make sure that the bike you sell fits the customer without charging an additional $175 to do a fit. Be flexible and willing to swap out parts to make sure they are happy when they leave your shop. It's great to offer things like coffee and place to put your bike and all but if your mechanic is an ******* and won't answer questions that he feels are beneath him, that is what will kill your business in the long run. Example Wayne at The Touring Store is a wealth of info and everyone that deals with him becomes an advertisement.
Where people like Bruce Gordon, have a reputation of being grumpy and in my case, I don't care what he sells, I won't do business with people like that. So in the long and short, if you want to succeed, make sure people leave your store excited they did business with you and not regretful.

I'm the mechanic. And the salesman. And the manager. And the janitor.

And I'm an arsehole.

lol

I buy everything at home before I leave, mostly via the internet because the help at the LBS's around where I live are opinionated - yet clueless - about touring. Yet, I am intrigued about the idea of a serious touring shop. It might fly. But if I were you I figure out how to do it without risking too much money on touring-specific inventory. Give them a taste by setting up some demo rigs.

I agree that locals will be your bread and butter. Even in a place like Portland and San Francisco where the touring / commuter market is relatively large you will need to build a sense of community. A great way to do this (and get free publicity) is to hold lectures and clinics in your shop with cycling related "personalities". It could be anyone from the guy who publishes the local cycling blog to a couple who rode around the world. By luring the curious into the shop in a non-customer role they will learn that you exist as an option and be more willing to come to you than a shop they have never been inside.

As a touring related shop you might consider becoming affiliated with some of the larger cycling touring related companies. While the internet competition may make it difficult to sell tours, handing out tour brochures for the 14 day wine tour of Bordeaux may lure that baby-boomer roadie to finally plunk down the cash on a new touring bike/racks/panniers and matching clothes for his once-in-a-lifetime dream journey.

Good luck!

Well best of luck to you then :)

You guys really DON'T read the posts in the general discussion area, do you? lol.
All of the store/business-related stuff has already been discussed.



hey, there's a lot of doors around here, I just go to the familiar ones. Take good care of yourself, trying to be all things to all people can be exhausting.

I thought that Highland Hardware (a really top end woodworking store in Atlanta) had an interesting source of revenue that a bicycle shop could emulate. Highland offers, year round, seminars on various aspects of woodworking (ex. how to cut dovetail joints, how to build a work bench, sharpening hand tools, etc.) I took a couple of them and I paid (1) to attend the seminar which was either a one or two day affair and (2) during the breaks we'd all run into the store to buy whatever tool the instructor was using.

So, is there an opportunity for a bike shop to emulate this?

I think there might be. For example, why not offer a seminar on how to service the(insert the bike part here)? You could charge a bit for the course (zero incremental cost for you), get to know your customers and build a relationship with them (invaluable benefit, zero cost), sell some bike tools/supplies (incremental revenue) and probably still do repairs for them after they hose up whatever you were trying to teach them to do.

Most business, none more so than a specialty retail business, are very dependent on relationships. This seminar strategy is a great way to jump start the relationship building process.

BTW, good luck- I hope you are successful.

The lbs in Texarkana(50K)stocks skateboards and parts to augment the cycling stuff. Seems to fit well, least for him. Probably be a lot better customer draw then touring specific gear. The BMXer crowd. BTW, it's a one man shop too, started on a shoe string years ago.

The lbs in Texarkana(50K)stocks skateboards and parts to augment the cycling stuff. Seems to fit well, least for him. Probably be a lot better customer draw then touring specific gear. The BMXer crowd. BTW, it's a one man shop too, started on a shoe string years ago.

I would sever and eat my own testicles before I would stock/sell skateboards.

a) I detest skateboard types in general.
b) all 4 times the shop on the Monon was broken into, the only things stolen were skateboards, wheels, and trucks.
c) We have new curbs and sidewalks in front of my shop....I'd like them to stay that way.

I would sever and eat my own testicles before I would stock/sell skateboards.

a) I detest skateboard types in general.


Maybe you should have a sign out front of your store describing the "types" you are willing to do business with?

What little I know from my 20 years in the retail industry suggest that you don't necessarily get to choose which "types" walk through the front door.

I would sever and eat my own testicles before I would stock/sell skateboards.

a) I detest skateboard types in general.
b) all 4 times the shop on the Monon was broken into, the only things stolen were skateboards, wheels, and trucks.
c) We have new curbs and sidewalks in front of my shop....I'd like them to stay that way.

If there is a winter in your area, then a lot of shops have a winter sport line. Skiing or Skating stuff seem to be most popular. Was in a shop today that sold bicycles and parts on one side, and hockey stuff on the other, the bike stuff is all on clearance sale, but they were doing a lot of hockey business, they had a lineup for skate sharpening.

If there is a winter in your area, then a lot of shops have a winter sport line. Skiing or Skating stuff seem to be most popular. Was in a shop today that sold bicycles and parts on one side, and hockey stuff on the other, the bike stuff is all on clearance sale, but they were doing a lot of hockey business, they had a lineup for skate sharpening.

Where we are is kind of a no-man's land. We don't stay warm enough for cycling usually, but we don't get cold enough, get enough snow, OR have enough hills for skiing/snowboarding. I'll come up with something for the winter...

Maybe you should have a sign out front of your store describing the "types" you are willing to do business with?

What little I know from my 20 years in the retail industry suggest that you don't necessarily get to choose which "types" walk through the front door.

No, but I get to decide which ones I'll cater to. And skateboarders ain't them.

On the other hand, I'll probably carry inline skates. I'm not a fan of them, but they seemed to sell well at the other store, and there aren't a lot of inline skates available around here for some reason.

Are you going to offer shop rides? Maybe a free long leisurely Sunday ride with support to get locals interested in touring?

I've been seeing a lot of "women teaching women" type seminars, things like basic adjustments, flat repairs, riding skills, etc. Might work great with college girls looking for a safe environment with like minded women.

My other thought is emergency replacement spokes. Easiest to to stock one long length, and then cut/thread to fit. Low investment, quick repair time.

Good luck, I've been following this and wish I was in your shoes!