Opening a bike shop- need info. on small goods/accessories distributors
05-06-10, 12:15 PM
#1
A Son of the Cape Fear
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Opening a bike shop- need info. on small goods/accessories distributors
Our town has just completed a greenway project that is beautiful and bike-friendly, but there is no bike shop in our vicinity. I own a building 2 blocks from the Greenway, and I sense an opportunity. I have been operating a musical instrument business out of my building for the past 15 years, and I want to make a slow and gradual transition, rather than spending a mint to begin with. Consequently, I want to focus on used bikes, repairs and small goods in the beginning, plus keep a stable of durable rental bikes for folks who want to enjoy the Greenway. The immediate issue is that I need to get set up with a supplier of parts and accessories. Can some of you guys who are in the business advise me as to whom I should call? I should say that we are also going to be stocking canoes, kayaks and doing river outfitting... my business plan with the outfitting business is the same as with the bikes- avoid a huge outlay of capital and build it slowly. Can you help with info. on wholesale bike accessories sources?
05-07-10, 05:46 AM
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Our town has just completed a greenway project that is beautiful and bike-friendly, but there is no bike shop in our vicinity. I own a building 2 blocks from the Greenway, and I sense an opportunity. I have been operating a musical instrument business out of my building for the past 15 years, and I want to make a slow and gradual transition, rather than spending a mint to begin with. Consequently, I want to focus on used bikes, repairs and small goods in the beginning, plus keep a stable of durable rental bikes for folks who want to enjoy the Greenway. The immediate issue is that I need to get set up with a supplier of parts and accessories. Can some of you guys who are in the business advise me as to whom I should call? I should say that we are also going to be stocking canoes, kayaks and doing river outfitting... my business plan with the outfitting business is the same as with the bikes- avoid a huge outlay of capital and build it slowly. Can you help with info. on wholesale bike accessories sources?
Let us know when you get up and running. I firmly believe in supporting my smaller local bike shops. My current go to for stuff has been Longleaf Cycles in Wilmington, NC. I also buy from Hawley's Bicycle World in Fayetteville, NC.
Aaron
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"Cycling should be a way of life, not a hobby.
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Aluminum: barely a hundred
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Webshots is bailing out, if you find any of my posts with corrupt picture files and want to see them corrected please let me know. :(
ISO: A late 1980's Giant Iguana MTB frameset (or complete bike) 23" Red with yellow graphics.
"Cycling should be a way of life, not a hobby.
RIDE, YOU FOOL, RIDE!"_Nicodemus
"Steel: nearly a thousand years of metallurgical development
Aluminum: barely a hundred
Which one would you rather have under your butt at 30mph?"_krazygluon
05-07-10, 06:36 AM
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Hawley is out of Lexington, SC, wahoonc.
05-09-10, 06:32 PM
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Brain Fart...only missed it by about 100 miles, I have actually visited their facility, nice.
Aaron
Aaron
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Webshots is bailing out, if you find any of my posts with corrupt picture files and want to see them corrected please let me know. :(
ISO: A late 1980's Giant Iguana MTB frameset (or complete bike) 23" Red with yellow graphics.
"Cycling should be a way of life, not a hobby.
RIDE, YOU FOOL, RIDE!"_Nicodemus
"Steel: nearly a thousand years of metallurgical development
Aluminum: barely a hundred
Which one would you rather have under your butt at 30mph?"_krazygluon
Webshots is bailing out, if you find any of my posts with corrupt picture files and want to see them corrected please let me know. :(
ISO: A late 1980's Giant Iguana MTB frameset (or complete bike) 23" Red with yellow graphics.
"Cycling should be a way of life, not a hobby.
RIDE, YOU FOOL, RIDE!"_Nicodemus
"Steel: nearly a thousand years of metallurgical development
Aluminum: barely a hundred
Which one would you rather have under your butt at 30mph?"_krazygluon
05-10-10, 12:50 AM
#7
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Quality Bicycle Parts (QBP) is the largest bicycle parts distributor in the USA per my understanding. They also own Surly, Salsa and Civia bicycle brands. Almost all bike dealers have an account with them.
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Gear Hubs Owned: Rohloff disc brake, SRAM iM9 disc brake, SRAM P5 freewheel, Sachs Torpedo 3 speed freewheel, NuVinci CVT, Shimano Alfine SG S-501, Sturmey Archer S5-2 Alloy. Other: 83 Colnago Super Record, Univega Via De Oro
Visit and join the Yahoo Geared Hub Bikes group for support and links.
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Gear Hubs Owned: Rohloff disc brake, SRAM iM9 disc brake, SRAM P5 freewheel, Sachs Torpedo 3 speed freewheel, NuVinci CVT, Shimano Alfine SG S-501, Sturmey Archer S5-2 Alloy. Other: 83 Colnago Super Record, Univega Via De Oro
Visit and join the Yahoo Geared Hub Bikes group for support and links.
https://groups.yahoo.com/group/Geared_hub_bikes/
05-10-10, 10:12 PM
#8
Insane Bicycle Mechanic
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Many years ago I worked for Bike'alog: https://www.bike-alog.com/ , which is basically a catalog aggregator for everything bicycle-related. It might be useful to you if you know something about what you want but don't know where to get it. That being said, I think every bike shop I've visited lately has had a Quality Bike Products account and their "consumer" catalog (no wholesale prices) on display. You could do worse than get set up with them.
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05-11-10, 04:45 AM
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Regardless, there are lots of places to get pieces and parts from, the hard part is deciding what to stock and what is going to sell in your locale and make you money.
Aaron
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Webshots is bailing out, if you find any of my posts with corrupt picture files and want to see them corrected please let me know. :(
ISO: A late 1980's Giant Iguana MTB frameset (or complete bike) 23" Red with yellow graphics.
"Cycling should be a way of life, not a hobby.
RIDE, YOU FOOL, RIDE!"_Nicodemus
"Steel: nearly a thousand years of metallurgical development
Aluminum: barely a hundred
Which one would you rather have under your butt at 30mph?"_krazygluon
Webshots is bailing out, if you find any of my posts with corrupt picture files and want to see them corrected please let me know. :(
ISO: A late 1980's Giant Iguana MTB frameset (or complete bike) 23" Red with yellow graphics.
"Cycling should be a way of life, not a hobby.
RIDE, YOU FOOL, RIDE!"_Nicodemus
"Steel: nearly a thousand years of metallurgical development
Aluminum: barely a hundred
Which one would you rather have under your butt at 30mph?"_krazygluon
05-11-10, 07:30 PM
#10
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QBP may be big, but Hawley and J&B can offer one day ground shipping to tarmusic.
