noodle soup

40 Performance stores wil close in January.

https://www.bicycleretailer.com/indu...1#.W-8tkBZlDYW

Sojodave

This is so sad. We had an awesome store in Salt Lake and I've bought many items from them.

rms13

I read about that on another forum. Also effects Nashbar, Fuji, Breezer, SE and Kestrel although there shouldn't be any immediate impact other then the Performance closings.

If Performance can't survive selling mostly house brands then it's hard to see how all of the smaller LBS continue to survive

sdmc530

Bummer, I get some good deals now and then from Nashbar. I don't have a per. anyplace near me but Nashbar would stink if they ceased operation. Will be eager to see how this plays out.

noodle soup

Yep.

The industry as a whole, isn't in good shape.

2cam16

That's just great. The one shop I go to in person that has decent prices. I hope the one close to me isn't on the closure list!

colnago62

noodle soup

They stopped that policy in 2016.

rms13

REI has a one year return policy and up until a couple of years ago it was a lifetime return policy.

colnago62

Zaskar

I think it simply comes down to... Kids don't ride bikes anymore. In 1970, 1980, 1990.. EVERY kid, whose family was above the poverty line, had bike. Today, EVERY kid has at least one game console. That industry - video games - is doing quite well, coincidentally.

Note to hostile nations seeing our future physical weaknesses: Yes. As a people, Americans will absolutely be a lot fatter and weaker in the coming years. But, and this is important, we will be amazingly adept at flying drones and other unmanned machines from the comfort of climate controlled recliners. ;-)

noodle soup

I suspect this is only the beginning of the bankruptcies we will see in the Industry.

One of the big 3 American brands has been rumored to be in financial trouble for years.

mstateglfr 

Nashbar has, for the last year, been a less and less impressive place to get...most anything.
they often don't have the basics thry used to like brakes(levers, calipers, etc), wheelsets, cranks, or tape.
their house branded frames....gone.
their branded jerseys, socks, arm warmers, etc- often not listed.

maybe its been due to lack of $.

rms13

I buy a lot there but service is very underwhelming. Last order they sent me wrong size stem. The only way to get a replacement was to call on the phone and talk to a very sweet older lady like it's a mom and pop. I'm spoiled by Amazon where I go online set up my return in two seconds and print a shipping label . Evolve or die

seau grateau

Yeah, it sucks that so many stores are going to get shuttered. Feel like part of their problem might be that they never really catered particularly well to any brand of cyclist. Some of the stores I've known also didn't have much in the way of community involvement going on. On the bright side, Performance is having a rad sale right now. I just got some sweet Giro shoes 30% off at my local store.

beermode

Can you remind me what is the third? I can only recall Specialized and Trek. Cannondale is American, but owned by Canadians. Does that count?

mstateglfr 

Schwinn, if course! Been in trouble for years...and years.
or mongoose? Gt? QBP's assorted brands?
Fuji since its owned by ASI?...well that's the subject of this very thread, so not that.

huh, I really can't think of a 3rd that would be considered big. I guess QBP's assorted brands would be what I view as 3rd biggest and thats only if you add the 3 big brands together.

noodle soup

Schwinn, Mongoose and GT are all owned by Dorel(as well as Cannondale). I guess there are technically on 2 big American bike companies.

mstateglfr 

yeah, was joking about Schwinn, Mongoose, and gt since Cannondale was mentioned earlier as a guess and they are all owned by the same parent.

so what company has been in financial trouble for years?

noodle soup

I guess SRAM could be called a big American bike company, but they aren't rumored to be in deep financial trouble.

mstateglfr 

I'm confused.

you said this earlier-
One of the big 3 American brands has been rumored to be in financial trouble for years.

its been asked what company you are referring to, but you have only mentioned an company that isnt the one you mean.
am Islow in the pick up and missing something here?

seedsbelize 

I thought Specialized was Canadian.

noodle soup

I'm not going to spread the rumor, because I can't prove anything.

Wilmingtech

A lot of (american?) bike companies, maybe all, seem to go through this .

It starts with some one who has a dream. They have the skills and vision to design great bikes and frames. They build some nice bikes and the masses catch on that these are quality products. This company needs to produce more and get investors invloved. Company floats to the top of the charts, bigger company that knows nothing about the industry buys the smaller company. Everyone leaves the bike company, company goes bankrupt.

Felt, Blue Competition, Diamondback (although they do seem to be making a comeback) and maybe even dare to say Klein but they were bought out by an established bike company. Heck, I think even John Cobb (bike seats) got bought out recently by an investor.

Maybe not the exact same as Nashbar/Performance but both of these companies seemed to do well before they were bought out by an investment company.

-Sean

deepakvrao

Says 30% off across the site, but I don't see that at check out. Am I missing something?