The problem with bike shops that I have seen is that they have little interest in the common person coming into the bike shop. More than once I have been in a bike shop talking to an employee only to be ignored when one of their known bike riders comes in the door. That is one reason people are hesitant to go to bike shops and continue to order online.
@@jonnyoneplate Sure. Every time I go in a restaurant the server leaves my table when a regular comes in and I don’t see them again. Did you check your brain at the door before commenting?
@@jonnyoneplate Try 46 thumbs up with my original comment. But your original comment has 4 so carry on. Oh, and save the non-stop emojis for your school friends.
I worked at a coupe bike shops in my mid 20s from 2005 to 2008 and both of them were super friendly and helped everyone enthusiastically regardless of fitness level or anything else. The majority of the cycling community in the areas (LA and Chicago) they were located saw them as the “corny” shops. It was annoying then and it seems the mainstream part of the industry has only gotten more elitist and obnoxious.
Our shop was seen as a “family shop” or, in bike parlance, not that cool. We served a bunch of ppl and loved on and appreciated all who came through the doors, regardless of the amount spent with us.
We just opened a store in Cadillac Michigan April 1,2023 after our shop of 50+ years was bought then closed by Specialized owned retail in January. Community was enraged to say the least. We are now rocking out the store like we always have. We embrace personal connection and relationships. Social media we do but we rely on personal attention and service. No snobbery at our store. We are the community bike shop.
Kudos to anyone brave enough to open a bike shop nowerdays! I'm 49, been a bike mech (briefly) a couple o times, an I've never seen the bike industry in such a wierd place as it is now..........
this is amazing! it can be super scary walking into a shop, even when you ride a-lot and have cool gear, some mechanics just lack interpersonal skills when dealing with customers.
@24:10 exactly how it is. The industry needs to stop pushing the image of the extreme super cyclist. The majority of cyclists out and about aren't super duper Tour de France types. We are regular every day going to work types that don't need to be riding slammed super light multi- thousand dollar bikes. Comfortable and durable bikes PLEASE!
I wish people here in Norway could see me when i cycle as the dutch people view each other when they cycle, i commute on my bike and just enjoy a ride now and then on my old bikes, people often think i cycle for fitness, i may get asked what cycling club i belong to etc, it drives me nuts, look i ride in freaking flip flops and jeans, i just hop on whatever bike i want to ride and that's it. Our bike culture here is weird, bicycles are often tailored towards competition and sports but not casuals, makes me want to move to the Netherlands honestly. Oh another thing, it's nearly impossible to find bikes here with an upright sitting position, it's all about aggressive sporty expensive bikes, now this to me isn't an issue as i am only interested in vintage steel bikes with a relaxed geometry, but it shows the big difference in our culture and attitude towards cycling.
Sort of. I run a bike brand and a small retail shop. It's very hard to cover expenses without selling high price kit. We're avoiding it and supporting the community but am not sure how it's feasible.
This is great! I am a mechanic at a 'cookie cutter' bike shop and really miss the independent ones. The people, the attitudes and the general energy is soooo different, I would love to open my own service shop but, seems so impossible in a big city like mine. I'm really hoping their shop succeeds!!!
Lots of small cities would love to have a full service bicycle shop. I live in a small rural city of 20,000 people. We are on a cross-state rail trail, have a 2-year college, a regional hospital, we are the county seat, and are surrounded by hundreds of miles of lightly travelled gravel roads. And, we have an excellent bike shop that has all the local business it can handle, plus riders coming thru on the trail. So, yes, it would be impossible for you to open a big city bicycle shop and compete with the big boys. But opportunities abound all over the country in smaller communities. Look for a stable, small rural city. A bicycle trail town, or some other outdoor adventure draw is a necessity. A junior college, a regional hospital, a few decent restaurants and coffee shops are all good indicators. Avoid towns with a lot of "blight" and racial problems. My small city is diverse in terms of race and immigrants, but people get along well for the most part. We have three nearby Amish communities. That always signals a "share the road" ethic...or else the Amish would move away. Finally, the small city that I live in is not hilly, so you see a lot of car-less people using bikes for basic transportation. I would avoid a town or small city that is severely hilly. Please note, I do not live in paradise. We have the usual litany of problems that plague America. But, our community is stable, the economy is relatively healthy, not all young people move away, and cyclists are always passing thru on the trail. So people are used to seeing riders. And our small bike shop sells Giant, Salsa, Marin, State. You see a lot of real nice bikes in my "hick town". Think about it!
@@donhuber9131 I guess I wasn't that clear. I live in a huge city (S.F. Bay area) where space is at a premium and all of the small shops are being priced out. I am thinking about just opening up my garage and turning that into a shop. Thanks for your response, I am definitely thinking about it!
I wish her the best and hope that she is successful in opening and running a bike shop. I think that the unfortunate trend, especially since the pandemic year, is that bicycle shops are in a similar predicament as brick and mortar stores in having to compete with online sales of merchandise. Amazon has grown prodigiously over the last 10 to 15 years, as an example of this trend, at first putting book stores out of business and then expanding to all sorts of merchandise, putting even more retail merchants in a panic. One thing bicycle shops can do, that online merchants don't do well, is to focus more on offering services in repair, maintenance, and building of bicycles, as opposed to the selling of new bikes. If a bike shop can offer quality service, as well as having workers on board with "people" skills, it should be successful.
I am the 3rd owner of the local shop in my small town. Opened in 1992. The second owner from 2014-2020. I am planning on keeping on keeping on for 20 more years. It's definitely a bike shop "for the people" no bike snobbery here.
I live in the Seattle area (King County) and it is rare to have a bike shop shutter for good. The only most notable one I remember was when Performance Bicycle was shuttering their stores for good. I think the independent bike dealers (IBDs) do well here is because we've got a huge cycling diversity of bmx, randonneurs, gravel, mtb, commuters, road, track, triathlon, casual, etc. Cycling is such a huge part of people's lives where I live that we have there are service specific bike services such as indie bike suspension shops, wheel builders and frame repair. I do consider myself on the more fortunate end to have a choice in shops versus just one shop. Shout out to Go Huck Yourself bikes in Renton, WA!
Agreed! GHY in Renton and Back Alley Bike Repair (as was mentioned) have served me so well. They get all my $ Love these shops! We’re lucky to have such a vibrant community.
If she feels she's busy now? Wait to she's running this bike shop? Knowing first hand that riding your bikes falls last on your list when running a shop. Making payroll, finding good people, and making a reasonable profit is always a struggle. What about winter time sales? Nice video but she's still in the optimistically delusional stage of starting a bike shop. I wish you the best of luck.
That was a great interview. I love to go gravel and bike packing so starting out I already liked the vibe of her. I am a Salsa fan girl so I also love any QBP brands and my favorite bike shop in downtown is Back Alley. So if I am ever in Denver for a Bikepacking trip I will make sure to stop by.
I've been in the cycling industry here in Colorado for over 30 years, and yes, many shops have changed to this kind of cookie-cutter attitude which is a very bad direction and has been going that way for some time. There need to be more shops that focus on customer needs and building community for all types of riding and riders. They will be forced to do so because the Trek, Pon, and Specialized corporate stores are taking over that space, so they either need to change or will go out of business.
To the comment about parts for average riders and pedals specifically, I borrowed a bike while on vacation recently, a fully rigid with 2" wide tires and flat pedals. The pedals had a flat rubber platform surface, which had surprisingly effective grip for my rubber soled sandals, and I rode on rocky singletrack, and just took it easy. A very fun ride.
Longmont Velo shop in Longmont, CO. Great mechanics, friendly owner and staff, they repair everything from kid's bikes to high end builds with no attitude. Super friendly, great service. 🙂
We need more bike shops like the one I want to open. Shops for every budget. Shops that are willing to work on dept store bikes. Shops that sell bikes and parts at least close to dept store budget as well as the more high end bioes and parts. Shops that offer used parts for those with a low repair budget.(with the disclaimer that "this bike was repaired using used parts and is not warratied [or has no parts warranty])
Looks like they will be in the same location as a previous (and amazing...) shop - Chocolate Spokes? I don't live in Denver anymore, but Gregory (owner of Chocolate Spokes) was one of the best people you would ever meet. Miss that shop... Good luck with Treehouse! Great ideas and perfect location...
What a great video! I hope that the Treehouse has lots of customers and can keep their ideas alive! If you happen to get a small group of small shops together, I'd love to get involved. I have worked in the bike industry for quite some time, and own a small shop, but always love to learn something new.
In my country there are two kind of bike shopping: your friendly neighbourhood bike shop with the very low end bike espectrum with old school mechanics that just hammer they way to fix things and the high end very expensive obnoxious elitists bike shop. Not much in the middle of these two.
I have my own little shop here in Norway, mostly just for self use but i accept repairs now and then, but i also salvage and sell / donate bikes to commuters, i focus on vintage steel bikes with a relaxed geometry, rear rack, lights, fenders the whole deal, people love them, but they wont get helps from the elitist shops, they come to me for service or help as few can turn wrenches on these anymore, i would say i fall into that mid line, i am not a fan of big box store bikes, i encourage people to put their money in good old steel, it will outlive the new cheap stuff by multiples.
All the best to Alyssa on her new business! She has the right idea of the market she wants to reach. I will add that as important as it is to know who your target audience is, it's equally important to know where that audience is located. Her business model might be better suited to a city like Boulder, Portland, Seattle or a small college town in the U.S, maybe also an area with transit oriented development. All too often a business has all of the right attributes, but usually fails because of it's location. I hope she can bring that 2000's internet cafe vibes into her establishment instead of the current prevalent atmosphere of middle aged guys showing off their expensive mid life crisis purchases. I will also add that as a unique business model, her business might be viewed as a boutique shop by the cyclists who are not in the know and will initially suffer from exclusion from the cash flow of the more corporate, bigger shops that she is trying to distance herself from. Once her audience finds her, or rather once she finds her audience, that is what will determine her success and longevity in the business.
What an inspiring interview! Such a beautiful interesting special unique nessecary bikeshop, and community around a bikeshop makes a lot of sense. If cyclists could hang out together, browse through a library, share stories, drink coffee and a have a snack, come to an event. And hurray to an inclusive bikeshop. If and when I ever get to colorado, I'll make sure to drop by!
The franchise brands are trying to drive out the LBS. That way they have more pricing power. The folks who are going to pay the steepest price will be those in midsize markets. It is easier for them to dominate midsize markets.
I was really interested until the word "sport" kept coming up. Bikes really can be more than just toys for exercising. Frankly, they suck as exercise. They are 5-7 times more efficient than walking and many multiples of that compared to running! Ridden most efficiently, you peddle 60-90rpm pressing no harder than as if you were walking on the same surface. Bikes and e-bikes are quite practical transportation and they don't have to be cargo bikes to be practical. I hate cars. My non-cycling wife and I own a truck and a car, but daily find ways to use both less and less. We are less and less unique every day. BTW, proper bike fitting for practical bikes is important too.
Just like walking or running, bike riding can be as intense as you want to make it. If you choose to ride in an “efficient” manner it is not going to be any more effective than walking at a slow pace.
@@mickeytollison actually, far more efficient and far less exercise than walking. Pushing it any harder is bad for the e tire drive train and frame. A racer doesn't care. Their goal is to win, but most of us want our bike to be reliable and don't realize all the extra "exercise" is not good for the bike. Now, if by riding properly you ride more because it is more comfortable, then yes you will exercise more, which is why they think ebikers tend to exercise more.
Health Care? I was a bit surprised to hear about that on a bike channel. Yet I wasn't. I think of bike people being really healthy passing an old fart like me like I was standing still. Yet, they still need health care. You know - Somebody ought to revise the way the health care thing is done in the US of A. Why don't I see used bikes in bike shops? Maybe, it's just the area I live in. I would think a bike shop could take in used bikes, fix them, sell them and put a warranty on them. There's a lot of people that just want basic reliable bikes to go from point A to point B reliably. Good luck with the business.
I think regular people or beginners are looking for straightforward explanation of bike options and tech. Unfortunately bike shops have to balance this with having to push those ungodly carbon fiber spawn of the bicycle industrial complex. And I hate to say it, but the alternative stuff, which people here (including me) prefer, still can seem a little boutique and pricey, seems like a very tough business to get into now, for sure. Good honest mechanics are needed though, even sometimes by good home mechanics so maybe shops can slim down and focus on that.
I'm happy to see that Alyssa is bringing some new energy to the bike industry. The industry is in a bit of strange place right now, and we need new ideas and innovation more than ever, especially when it comes to business models, and the products that are being promoted. As the cost of living continues to increase, more people will be turning to bikes for basic transportation. I'm still surprised that big name bike companies don't have a broader selection of commuter and cargo bike available. We may also see supply chain disruption again if China decides to invade Taiwan in the near future. Now would be good time to be forging connections with domestic manufacturers, and choosing bikes to stock that don't have a dependency on proprietary drivetrain parts.
Actually i think we need to get back to basics, not complicate an already ridiculous market, because the bicycle was perfected decades ago, they basically just changed things just because people expect change, but changes that are made need to make sense, most people just use their bikes as transportation, bring back utility bikes with a lot of options for the average joe, this would bring more people back to cycling.
@@HansensUniverseT-A I agree entirely. When I was talking about innovation, I meant it in the sense of focusing on practicality and durability instead of bleeding edge performance. While we've made great strides in pushing the envelope of how a bicycle can perform, modern bikes need far more maintenance now than they ever did in the past. I would like to see something like a fully rigid commuter bike made from a stainless steel frame, with a gearbox, belt drive, integrated lighting, and plenty of places to attach racks and accessories.
Bike shops here in the US are changing, for the worse. Gone are magnificent European road bikes and associated parts in favor of cheap and in many cases illegal ebikes and disposable "recreational" junk heavy bikes from Asia. The type of bikes you buy from Walmart. Totally sad. You then are forced to check on direct to consumer models, such as Canyon, only to find out the model and size you want are sold out with no date for resupply. Sad.
Community. Inclusiveness. Safe space. Power. Advocacy ad nauseam. What about just the purity of riding your bicycles? Not every little thing in life needs to have activism attached to it. This is exactly how not to grow the industry. You alienate more than you attract.
My local bike shop is a trek. The guy who works there is probably a great guy but he comes across as a total prick. We dont go there but then again im sure they dont care as i dont have £6000 to drop on a bike
I just hope there's a true emphasis on community here, and that it's not just talk. As a community organizer I'd done nothing but supported Alyssa in her Boulder based bicycle community organizing forays, but have been ostracized from my community by her dictum that I'm no longer welcome due to invalid gossip (by someone who physically assaulted me no less). Community in my mind is expansive in nature, and focused on inclusion. This has not been my experience; I wish Alyssa all the best on her bold endeavors nonetheless
The problem with bike shops that I have seen is that they have little interest in the common person coming into the bike shop. More than once I have been in a bike shop talking to an employee only to be ignored when one of their known bike riders comes in the door. That is one reason people are hesitant to go to bike shops and continue to order online.
@@jonnyoneplate Sure. Every time I go in a restaurant the server leaves my table when a regular comes in and I don’t see them again. Did you check your brain at the door before commenting?
@@jonnyoneplate reported for ignorance
@@jonnyoneplate And yet bike shops have a reputation of being cliquish much more than any of the ones you listed.
@@jonnyoneplate and yet everybody here is telling you that you are wrong. It’s ok to admit you are wrong. It won’t hurt you. Try it.
@@jonnyoneplate Try 46 thumbs up with my original comment. But your original comment has 4 so carry on. Oh, and save the non-stop emojis for your school friends.
I worked at a coupe bike shops in my mid 20s from 2005 to 2008 and both of them were super friendly and helped everyone enthusiastically regardless of fitness level or anything else. The majority of the cycling community in the areas (LA and Chicago) they were located saw them as the “corny” shops. It was annoying then and it seems the mainstream part of the industry has only gotten more elitist and obnoxious.
Our shop was seen as a “family shop” or, in bike parlance, not that cool. We served a bunch of ppl and loved on and appreciated all who came through the doors, regardless of the amount spent with us.
We just opened a store in Cadillac Michigan April 1,2023 after our shop of 50+ years was bought then closed by Specialized owned retail in January.
Community was enraged to say the least. We are now rocking out the store like we always have. We embrace personal connection and relationships. Social media we do but we rely on personal attention and service. No snobbery at our store. We are the community bike shop.
what is your shop called would love to look it up.
@@tagurit we used to be Mclain Cycles & Fitness. We are now Einstein Cycles.
Kudos to anyone brave enough to open a bike shop nowerdays! I'm 49, been a bike mech (briefly) a couple o times, an I've never seen the bike industry in such a wierd place as it is now..........
this is amazing! it can be super scary walking into a shop, even when you ride a-lot and have cool gear, some mechanics just lack interpersonal skills when dealing with customers.
@24:10 exactly how it is. The industry needs to stop pushing the image of the extreme super cyclist. The majority of cyclists out and about aren't super duper Tour de France types. We are regular every day going to work types that don't need to be riding slammed super light multi- thousand dollar bikes. Comfortable and durable bikes PLEASE!
I wish people here in Norway could see me when i cycle as the dutch people view each other when they cycle, i commute on my bike and just enjoy a ride now and then on my old bikes, people often think i cycle for fitness, i may get asked what cycling club i belong to etc, it drives me nuts, look i ride in freaking flip flops and jeans, i just hop on whatever bike i want to ride and that's it. Our bike culture here is weird, bicycles are often tailored towards competition and sports but not casuals, makes me want to move to the Netherlands honestly. Oh another thing, it's nearly impossible to find bikes here with an upright sitting position, it's all about aggressive sporty expensive bikes, now this to me isn't an issue as i am only interested in vintage steel bikes with a relaxed geometry, but it shows the big difference in our culture and attitude towards cycling.
Sort of. I run a bike brand and a small retail shop. It's very hard to cover expenses without selling high price kit. We're avoiding it and supporting the community but am not sure how it's feasible.
We lost all of our oldschool independent bikeshops in town, now we're left with franchises and they straight up suck.
DC is going down that road
This is great! I am a mechanic at a 'cookie cutter' bike shop and really miss the independent ones. The people, the attitudes and the general energy is soooo different, I would love to open my own service shop but, seems so impossible in a big city like mine. I'm really hoping their shop succeeds!!!
Lots of small cities would love to have a full service bicycle shop. I live in a small rural city of 20,000 people. We are on a cross-state rail trail, have a 2-year college, a regional hospital, we are the county seat, and are surrounded by hundreds of miles of lightly travelled gravel roads. And, we have an excellent bike shop that has all the local business it can handle, plus riders coming thru on the trail.
So, yes, it would be impossible for you to open a big city bicycle shop and compete with the big boys. But opportunities abound all over the country in smaller communities. Look for a stable, small rural city. A bicycle trail town, or some other outdoor adventure draw is a necessity. A junior college, a regional hospital, a few decent restaurants and coffee shops are all good indicators.
Avoid towns with a lot of "blight" and racial problems. My small city is diverse in terms of race and immigrants, but people get along well for the most part. We have three nearby Amish communities. That always signals a "share the road" ethic...or else the Amish would move away. Finally, the small city that I live in is not hilly, so you see a lot of car-less people using bikes for basic transportation. I would avoid a town or small city that is severely hilly.
Please note, I do not live in paradise. We have the usual litany of problems that plague America. But, our community is stable, the economy is relatively healthy, not all young people move away, and cyclists are always passing thru on the trail. So people are used to seeing riders. And our small bike shop sells Giant, Salsa, Marin, State. You see a lot of real nice bikes in my "hick town". Think about it!
@@donhuber9131 I guess I wasn't that clear. I live in a huge city (S.F. Bay area) where space is at a premium and all of the small shops are being priced out. I am thinking about just opening up my garage and turning that into a shop. Thanks for your response, I am definitely thinking about it!
Best wishes on any path you pedal!@@BentonWilliams-tm2co
I wish her the best and hope that she is successful in opening and running a bike shop. I think that the unfortunate trend, especially since the pandemic year, is that bicycle shops are in a similar predicament as brick and mortar stores in having to compete with online sales of merchandise. Amazon has grown prodigiously over the last 10 to 15 years, as an example of this trend, at first putting book stores out of business and then expanding to all sorts of merchandise, putting even more retail merchants in a panic. One thing bicycle shops can do, that online merchants don't do well, is to focus more on offering services in repair, maintenance, and building of bicycles, as opposed to the selling of new bikes. If a bike shop can offer quality service, as well as having workers on board with "people" skills, it should be successful.
as a bike shop manager this was really helpful to hear. Best of luck starting Treehouse!!!!!
I am the 3rd owner of the local shop in my small town. Opened in 1992. The second owner from 2014-2020. I am planning on keeping on keeping on for 20 more years. It's definitely a bike shop "for the people" no bike snobbery here.
what is the name of your shop& location. I am in similar position with a family owned shop and would love to talk.
@@tagurit Wheelcraft Bicycles in Wheeling, WV
I live in the Seattle area (King County) and it is rare to have a bike shop shutter for good. The only most notable one I remember was when Performance Bicycle was shuttering their stores for good. I think the independent bike dealers (IBDs) do well here is because we've got a huge cycling diversity of bmx, randonneurs, gravel, mtb, commuters, road, track, triathlon, casual, etc. Cycling is such a huge part of people's lives where I live that we have there are service specific bike services such as indie bike suspension shops, wheel builders and frame repair. I do consider myself on the more fortunate end to have a choice in shops versus just one shop. Shout out to Go Huck Yourself bikes in Renton, WA!
Agreed! GHY in Renton and Back Alley Bike Repair (as was mentioned) have served me so well. They get all my $ Love these shops! We’re lucky to have such a vibrant community.
She is talking about the people business not the high brow bike biz. 👍👍👍
If she feels she's busy now? Wait to she's running this bike shop? Knowing first hand that riding your bikes falls last on your list when running a shop. Making payroll, finding good people, and making a reasonable profit is always a struggle. What about winter time sales? Nice video but she's still in the optimistically delusional stage of starting a bike shop. I wish you the best of luck.
That was a great interview. I love to go gravel and bike packing so starting out I already liked the vibe of her. I am a Salsa fan girl so I also love any QBP brands and my favorite bike shop in downtown is Back Alley. So if I am ever in Denver for a Bikepacking trip I will make sure to stop by.
I've been in the cycling industry here in Colorado for over 30 years, and yes, many shops have changed to this kind of cookie-cutter attitude which is a very bad direction and has been going that way for some time. There need to be more shops that focus on customer needs and building community for all types of riding and riders. They will be forced to do so because the Trek, Pon, and Specialized corporate stores are taking over that space, so they either need to change or will go out of business.
To the comment about parts for average riders and pedals specifically, I borrowed a bike while on vacation recently, a fully rigid with 2" wide tires and flat pedals. The pedals had a flat rubber platform surface, which had surprisingly effective grip for my rubber soled sandals, and I rode on rocky singletrack, and just took it easy. A very fun ride.
Longmont Velo shop in Longmont, CO. Great mechanics, friendly owner and staff, they repair everything from kid's bikes to high end builds with no attitude. Super friendly, great service. 🙂
We need more bike shops like the one I want to open.
Shops for every budget. Shops that are willing to work on dept store bikes. Shops that sell bikes and parts at least close to dept store budget as well as the more high end bioes and parts. Shops that offer used parts for those with a low repair budget.(with the disclaimer that "this bike was repaired using used parts and is not warratied [or has no parts warranty])
Looks like they will be in the same location as a previous (and amazing...) shop - Chocolate Spokes? I don't live in Denver anymore, but Gregory (owner of Chocolate Spokes) was one of the best people you would ever meet. Miss that shop... Good luck with Treehouse! Great ideas and perfect location...
What a great video! I hope that the Treehouse has lots of customers and can keep their ideas alive! If you happen to get a small group of small shops together, I'd love to get involved. I have worked in the bike industry for quite some time, and own a small shop, but always love to learn something new.
What was the movie she mentioned it at the beginning of the video? couldn't catch what she said.
All Bodies on Bikes
In my country there are two kind of bike shopping: your friendly neighbourhood bike shop with the very low end bike espectrum with old school mechanics that just hammer they way to fix things and the high end very expensive obnoxious elitists bike shop. Not much in the middle of these two.
I have my own little shop here in Norway, mostly just for self use but i accept repairs now and then, but i also salvage and sell / donate bikes to commuters, i focus on vintage steel bikes with a relaxed geometry, rear rack, lights, fenders the whole deal, people love them, but they wont get helps from the elitist shops, they come to me for service or help as few can turn wrenches on these anymore, i would say i fall into that mid line, i am not a fan of big box store bikes, i encourage people to put their money in good old steel, it will outlive the new cheap stuff by multiples.
Thank you for the discount code Russ! Was literally contemplating it yesterday and this sold me 👍
All the best to Alyssa on her new business! She has the right idea of the market she wants to reach. I will add that as important as it is to know who your target audience is, it's equally important to know where that audience is located. Her business model might be better suited to a city like Boulder, Portland, Seattle or a small college town in the U.S, maybe also an area with transit oriented development. All too often a business has all of the right attributes, but usually fails because of it's location. I hope she can bring that 2000's internet cafe vibes into her establishment instead of the current prevalent atmosphere of middle aged guys showing off their expensive mid life crisis purchases. I will also add that as a unique business model, her business might be viewed as a boutique shop by the cyclists who are not in the know and will initially suffer from exclusion from the cash flow of the more corporate, bigger shops that she is trying to distance herself from. Once her audience finds her, or rather once she finds her audience, that is what will determine her success and longevity in the business.
What an inspiring interview! Such a beautiful interesting special unique nessecary bikeshop, and community around a bikeshop makes a lot of sense. If cyclists could hang out together, browse through a library, share stories, drink coffee and a have a snack, come to an event. And hurray to an inclusive bikeshop. If and when I ever get to colorado, I'll make sure to drop by!
The franchise brands are trying to drive out the LBS. That way they have more pricing power. The folks who are going to pay the steepest price will be those in midsize markets. It is easier for them to dominate midsize markets.
Party pace bike shop? Why not.
Great itw. I myself am thinking of opening a shop in France, focus on small independent brands from the US, particularly difficult to find in the EU.
My daughter just moved to Brighton, CO. Her husband and daughter are coming soon. Forwarded this to her.
I was really interested until the word "sport" kept coming up. Bikes really can be more than just toys for exercising. Frankly, they suck as exercise. They are 5-7 times more efficient than walking and many multiples of that compared to running! Ridden most efficiently, you peddle 60-90rpm pressing no harder than as if you were walking on the same surface. Bikes and e-bikes are quite practical transportation and they don't have to be cargo bikes to be practical. I hate cars. My non-cycling wife and I own a truck and a car, but daily find ways to use both less and less. We are less and less unique every day. BTW, proper bike fitting for practical bikes is important too.
The thing I like about a bike is the air movement. In air that may have humidity sweat evaporates better on a bike than on a hike.
Just like walking or running, bike riding can be as intense as you want to make it. If you choose to ride in an “efficient” manner it is not going to be any more effective than walking at a slow pace.
@@mickeytollison actually, far more efficient and far less exercise than walking. Pushing it any harder is bad for the e tire drive train and frame. A racer doesn't care. Their goal is to win, but most of us want our bike to be reliable and don't realize all the extra "exercise" is not good for the bike. Now, if by riding properly you ride more because it is more comfortable, then yes you will exercise more, which is why they think ebikers tend to exercise more.
Health Care? I was a bit surprised to hear about that on a bike channel. Yet I wasn't. I think of bike people being really healthy passing an old fart like me like I was standing still. Yet, they still need health care. You know - Somebody ought to revise the way the health care thing is done in the US of A.
Why don't I see used bikes in bike shops? Maybe, it's just the area I live in. I would think a bike shop could take in used bikes, fix them, sell them and put a warranty on them. There's a lot of people that just want basic reliable bikes to go from point A to point B reliably.
Good luck with the business.
You'll make more money selling privately than trading into or selling to a shop. They need to make money selling it.
@@briand8862 It might take more of your time too. If you can just bring it to a bike shop, it's done.
Russ, You should talk with folks at Scenic Routes community bike shop in San Francisco!
Omg seconded!!! I love Jay n Michael n Cedar n Emily n everyone there…
This is awesome info!! Hopi g to have a similar model in Brooklyn NY! But on a skoolie!
I’d like to learn more about gear rental/demo? How does this work?
I think regular people or beginners are looking for straightforward explanation of bike options and tech. Unfortunately bike shops have to balance this with having to push those ungodly carbon fiber spawn of the bicycle industrial complex. And I hate to say it, but the alternative stuff, which people here (including me) prefer, still can seem a little boutique and pricey, seems like a very tough business to get into now, for sure. Good honest mechanics are needed though, even sometimes by good home mechanics so maybe shops can slim down and focus on that.
sounds like a great shop-they can expect to see me next time i’m in denver :D
Allysa should check out 718 Cyclery in Brooklyn.
I'm happy to see that Alyssa is bringing some new energy to the bike industry. The industry is in a bit of strange place right now, and we need new ideas and innovation more than ever, especially when it comes to business models, and the products that are being promoted. As the cost of living continues to increase, more people will be turning to bikes for basic transportation. I'm still surprised that big name bike companies don't have a broader selection of commuter and cargo bike available. We may also see supply chain disruption again if China decides to invade Taiwan in the near future. Now would be good time to be forging connections with domestic manufacturers, and choosing bikes to stock that don't have a dependency on proprietary drivetrain parts.
Actually i think we need to get back to basics, not complicate an already ridiculous market, because the bicycle was perfected decades ago, they basically just changed things just because people expect change, but changes that are made need to make sense, most people just use their bikes as transportation, bring back utility bikes with a lot of options for the average joe, this would bring more people back to cycling.
@@HansensUniverseT-A I agree entirely. When I was talking about innovation, I meant it in the sense of focusing on practicality and durability instead of bleeding edge performance. While we've made great strides in pushing the envelope of how a bicycle can perform, modern bikes need far more maintenance now than they ever did in the past. I would like to see something like a fully rigid commuter bike made from a stainless steel frame, with a gearbox, belt drive, integrated lighting, and plenty of places to attach racks and accessories.
My goodness, what a well-spoken young lady. And such a thorough plan for the future of her shop. All the best!
Would love to know her POS system. Lightspeed & SmartEtail seem like their way out of touch with this style of bikeshop.
Bike shops here in the US are changing, for the worse. Gone are magnificent European road bikes and associated parts in favor of cheap and in many cases illegal ebikes and disposable "recreational" junk heavy bikes from Asia. The type of bikes you buy from Walmart. Totally sad. You then are forced to check on direct to consumer models, such as Canyon, only to find out the model and size you want are sold out with no date for resupply. Sad.
Very impressive. Very best luck to you and your business partner
They are at the mercy of the big brands, which are chasing older riders with tons of money, for their own reasons.
Community. Inclusiveness. Safe space. Power. Advocacy ad nauseam. What about just the purity of riding your bicycles? Not every little thing in life needs to have activism attached to it. This is exactly how not to grow the industry. You alienate more than you attract.
My local bike shop is a trek. The guy who works there is probably a great guy but he comes across as a total prick. We dont go there but then again im sure they dont care as i dont have £6000 to drop on a bike
It's easy to open a bike shop, it's hard to be a good one
Good bike shops are only in cool cities. It's too bad for us rural folks
Did you see that AllCity is donezo after 2024? :(
There would definitely be more cyclists if more shops like this existed. Cyclists can be the biggest gatekeepers most of the time.
Is it my imagination or does Russ’s voice sound different? Lower?
I don't think overpriced All City (especially now with their $1000+ framesets) is for everyday cyclist. Mr. Pink is nice but not special.
All City is gone, QBP has shut down the brand.
I just hope there's a true emphasis on community here, and that it's not just talk. As a community organizer I'd done nothing but supported Alyssa in her Boulder based bicycle community organizing forays, but have been ostracized from my community by her dictum that I'm no longer welcome due to invalid gossip (by someone who physically assaulted me no less). Community in my mind is expansive in nature, and focused on inclusion. This has not been my experience; I wish Alyssa all the best on her bold endeavors nonetheless
Hopefully both of you can reconcile your differences and make it a stronger "community".
Is it my imagination or does Russ’s voice sound different? Lower?