BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news
How’s business?
Year on year, takings are up. However, we’ve noticed that clothing has become harder and harder to compete on.
Online sales are constantly strong and in future, I’m thinking a larger and larger part of the business will become online-based.
Store sales are strong, especially with the evolution of the BMX over the past few years. The saddle with rails will soon become extinct in favour of pivotal combinations, as will tyres that do not fold. Colours are still huge with the kids. But plastic pedals, they should be banned. We don’t like them.
What portion of profits comes from the workshop?
We run the workshop to be as cost-effective as possible. Most of our customers are kids who have very little money, so it’s either lose the sale by charging loads for fitting or give low-cost fittings on purchases.
It’s not a huge part of the business and we don’t rely on it to generate cash. BMXes are not as technical as MTBs, so we generally say £30 is fair for a full service. We do free wheel builds for customers who choose custom builds.
As a BMX and skateboard retailer, is it fair to say your customers are, in the main, young?
13 to 19 year-olds make up the majority. Although, we’re seeing a lot of ex-racers returning to the sport and buying into the 24-inch rigid niche.
What’s selling well at the moment?
Complete bikes aren’t doing bad. Component wise, anything that’s trendy.
Whatever it is, we only sell product if we believe in it and would run it on our own bikes. There’s been a lot of brands in the past that we have seen shoddy quality from and have refused to stock.
Do staff ride?
We all ride together and that’s one reason we do well. It pays to always have someone with sound product knowledge on the end of the phone and we’re all enthusiasts.
How’s business?
Year on year, takings are up. However, we’ve noticed that clothing has become harder and harder to compete on.
Online sales are constantly strong and in future, I’m thinking a larger and larger part of the business will become online-based.
Store sales are strong, especially with the evolution of the BMX over the past few years. The saddle with rails will soon become extinct in favour of pivotal combinations, as will tyres that do not fold. Colours are still huge with the kids. But plastic pedals, they should be banned. We don’t like them.
What portion of profits comes from the workshop?
We run the workshop to be as cost-effective as possible. Most of our customers are kids who have very little money, so it’s either lose the sale by charging loads for fitting or give low-cost fittings on purchases.
It’s not a huge part of the business and we don’t rely on it to generate cash. BMXes are not as technical as MTBs, so we generally say £30 is fair for a full service. We do free wheel builds for customers who choose custom builds.
As a BMX and skateboard retailer, is it fair to say your customers are, in the main, young?
13 to 19 year-olds make up the majority. Although, we’re seeing a lot of ex-racers returning to the sport and buying into the 24-inch rigid niche.
What’s selling well at the moment?
Complete bikes aren’t doing bad. Component wise, anything that’s trendy.
Whatever it is, we only sell product if we believe in it and would run it on our own bikes. There’s been a lot of brands in the past that we have seen shoddy quality from and have refused to stock.
Do staff ride?
We all ride together and that’s one reason we do well. It pays to always have someone with sound product knowledge on the end of the phone and we’re all enthusiasts.
