HigherGround

When I was on the team in the early 90's, the norm was weekday rides from Rec Hall at 3:00, and weekend rides from there at noon. It was awesome. There were about 40 - 60 rabid bike geeks who lived within a 2 mile radius, and who could design their "work" (class) schedules to accommodate the group rides. You never had to ride alone unless you wanted to. Combine that with the great riding around State College, and it sets the stage for some epic riding. I have said that I'd never find a USCF club that combined all of those great attributes. It seems like the club has been a little bit less active since then, but I hope they keep things going. Now if I can just regain my fitness from my late teens / early 20's...

Psimet2001 

In all fairness business for many of us was still booming until December. CAT said as much yesterday following it up with "then it just dropped into the abyss" followed by laying off over 20,000-ouch.

We had a thread about how to survive this for the LBS a long while back and I think everyone was in agreement that it is the shops that managed their inventory (have little of it now) and managed their cashflow that will survive this. Those with heavy amounts of inventory borrowed on credit will most assuredly die.

That actually means that shops that have been around longer who most likely have longer/better terms with more wholesalers are probably more likely to be overleveraged (subject to collapse) than newer shops who have yet to establish terms.

Psimet2001 

Hey...while we're jabbering on this if there is anyone from the maufacturer's side looking for a kick-ass sales rep for multiple lines.....give me a pm.

I like to keep my options open.

UtahWasatch

Just a thought.....

Think the Feds would throw a couple Billion $$$ to bail out the LBS ?

Gets my vote over giving out cash just to enhance executive pay bonus', etc.

ElJamoquio

I agree, somewhat. Wasn't really where I expected a bike shop; that said, once you know it's there, it isn't very far, and was a close ride from campus. Putting it right next to the Bike Shop wouldn't have been a good idea, either, so I think they were thinking to just go North of Campus... seems like that area's been growing the last decade or so, anyway.

unterhausen

Getting there was easy, it was riding back up that hill...

If I was running a ride out of a bike shop, it would definitely be a no-drop ride. That's just horrible advertising.

unterhausen

that does sound awesome. That would be nice if someone were to resurrect that. I see some people up there at 5:00 occasionally, but it's just a few people.

JeffS

Just as bad as only hosting rides for slow people. I'd definitely offer both.

Grasschopper

Ok so I did some asking and got some additional info on this closing. Trek went in and closed them down...something about not paying their bills seems to have caught up with them. I was also told that for some time now they weren't even paying their employees rather giving them merchandise as payment. This is what happens when you don't know how to run a business.

JC 911

As a PSU alum, I'm sad that I wasn't into riding until after college so I never got to ride around the area. But on some of my visits back, I've stopped my Wheelworks and thought it was just an average store at best. I'm a Trek guy so I preferred Wheelworks over TBS. I wonder what they did with the inventory but maybe Trek took everything back for non-payment of bills.

flatlander_48

I have relatives near Centre Hall and I may be visiting them when the weather warms up as I will be back in the US. Any idea which shops now do the group rides and what levels are they geared to? I'm sort of in the middle. Not a turtle, but not a rocket either...

youcoming

Maybe PBK will step in to sponsor some local races.....

Grasschopper

See there is the issue...we don't have a lot of group rides. The best one for the level you refer to would be the Tuesday evening ride that alternated between the Military Museum in Boalsburg and Fairbrook park. When the time comes drop me a line and I will give you better details on where to meet. There are a bunch of informal get together rides as well but I haven't figured out a schedule to them...I think you basically have to get on the email list and hope you can go.

https://www.thebicycleshopinc.com/00_...des-trails.htm

flatlander_48

Very Good! Thanks for the information.

One Way Rider

Funny......and unlikely. They're cheap because all they do is move stuff. Actually supporting cycling takes a lot more effort......and money.

BikeWise1

Not so fast.

This is more likely what happens when you have a few good years and are growing. You buy more to take advantage of better pricing in the fall because every previous year you've sold more than the preceding years at Christmas. Few expected the markets to crash. When it did, most shops (including mine) lost their bank lines of credit due to "market conditions" and in spite of the billions we've thrown at the banks, refuse to reopen them. Suddenly your capital stream is cutoff and the bills keep coming, and now, to top it all off, no one is buying!

Don't automatically blame the owner just because he or she isn't sitting on a pile of extra cash. It's bad out there right now. I'm working an extra job outside the shop and have cut everything back to the nub just trying to get through the winter.

sunburst

Is this a Trek thing in general? I wanted to test ride a Pilot (if I remember right) and the local Trek dealer didn't have one on the floor in my size. They wanted a refundable deposit just to build one for me to test ride. And it was sitting in a box in the back. I figured if they had it, why didn't they build it anyway. I take a very common 56cm, in standard geometry, and the Pilot's compact geometry means they can stock even fewer sizes. That's partly why I ended up with a Giant - it seemed cheap and unreasonable of the Trek dealer.

Grasschopper

Yes that is unreasonable...interestingly the woman I spoke of ended up on a Giant as well.

acrafton

I think many bike shops are in for trouble. . .sad, but I often wonder about their business model. I recently went in to my LBS to look for some PI bib shorts (microsensor 3d) that retail for $149. I knew I could get them at Performance for 124.99 less the 20% special they were running for a total price $95.97 each but would prefer to buy them locally. This is the store that I have bought six bikes at in the last 4 years - me, wife, kids. For me and the wife they were high end expensive bikes (2 each). I have also bought parts, helmets, etc...

So I am looking and the manager comes out who I know. I told him I need 3 pair and what can he do on price and/or when will they go on sale? His answer - that is the price and I don't know when they will go on sale. I ask if he can knock of a bit so I can get them here - nope. After a few minutes I leave and go home and order 3 pair from Performance saving myself $54 per pair.

I don't get it. I am a good long term customer, have bought thousands of dollars with of bikes, parts, gear and willing to pay over Performance - I wasn't asking him to match Performance just drop a little or let me know when the next sale would be but there was no give. Had he dropped the price $20 a pair I would have bought them but I cannot justify paying $54 MORE per pair.

In today's economy $54/pair is real money and I don't believe that at $20 off per pair they weren't still making money.

BikeDork02

The business model is the problem, for almost all bike shops that is. The Shop I work for has been changing the culture of wheeling and dealing for the last year. We arnt offering tons of discounts anymore, and we actually havent seen any drop in sales. Last month we were actually way up.

That along with increasing pricing by a buck on some consumable items has driven our profit up.

Shops around us are shutting down, yet we are about to open our eighth location, yes thats right we are expanding!

We all still laugh when people come in and tell us that we should be giving everyone discounts due to the economic climate.

The culture of giving discounts to people that dont do anything for the shop is what is killing these shops. I am sorry to see them go. Alot of good people work for these shops, but we cant keep doing this as an industry. What can be measured will be the key to success. Shops need to doa better job of selling lube, accessories, and service plans.

Sponsorships are gonna start going away, and more is going to be expected of sponsored riders. I would suggest to those of you in clubs or are sponsored riders, offer to help the shop. Have someone volunteer during the busy times on the weekends help with flats and baskets, do a outreach maintenance clinic, or offer to do a beginners ride once a month. These things will help the ownership of the shop realize how much you all do for the shop

JeffS

Do you haggle when you go into Foot Locker at the mall? How about when you buy your dress shirts?

Maybe they just don't want to be in the business of haggling every sale on every item they have. I know I certainly wouldn't.

acrafton

I don't want them to haggle every sale and every item - I wasn't buying a water bottle. I was buying three pair of $150 shorts that are readily available elsewhere for 30% less. I asked when the spring sale was going to occur and got no answer. Clearly they can decide how they want to sell stuff and what, if any discounts. I can decide where to spend my money.

Oh well. . .it will be interesting to see how the year pans out in general for LBS. .

kissTheApex

Same here. And now I think of all the nice drives I had around State College, I would have been riding ...

Ihsan

BikeDork02

This is a perfect example of what is wrong with the industry. You think you get a discount because you were buying three pair of bibs? Well congradulations.

Clearly you are not the type of customer that your LBS wants. NOBODY should ever tell a customer about an upcoming sale. That is right down stupid. So tell the person when it is so they dont spend as much or as little today? Comeon, thats rediculous.

BikeWise1

Here's why they did that:

If you have a Trek that doesn't sell, but it is still in the box unbuilt, Trek will generally take it back for credit with the dealer paying the $40 to send it back. Once it's built though, the shop is stuck with it.

I'm about ready to dump all clothing and shoe sales. Everyone wants a deal anyway, which you will always find somewhere if you look online. I predict we will end up a repair only + a few mid-level bikes + full custom bikes before it's over. Maybe I'm wrong....