As I ponder a change of career I try to think of the one thing that I have been passionate about in my life. So of course cycling and triathlon come to mind and I wonder just how great or not would it be to own a bicycle shop. I know the grass always looks greener on the other side so just because I think it would be cool to own a bike shop doesn’t mean it actually is. Any bike shop experiences out there?
Think Hugh Heffner.
Was talking to the owner of the LBS the other day. His big beef was that since he openned the shop he now has less time to ride. Also having to work weekends and the business cycle being so dead in the winter.
Pretty much the same as any self-employed retail business. Very long hours, very little pay relative to the hours, holidays cost you double as you either pay someone to do your hours or you close and lose all income. Most people think it is a licence to print money, it is not, unlike a wage slave you really do get what you put into it, and since it’s yours you can’t leave it behind at the end of the day.
That said, it can be enormously satisfying done right. Oh, and if you make your hobby your business you get far less time to participate.
As I ponder a change of career I try to think of the one thing that I have been passionate about in my life. So of course cycling and triathlon come to mind and I wonder just how great or not would it be to own a bicycle shop. I know the grass always looks greener on the other side so just because I think it would be cool to own a bike shop doesn’t mean it actually is. Any bike shop experiences out there?
Just wait 'till Tom makes his “woe is me” post 
I don’t have any experience in bike shops, but in the deli business. All I can say is that you don’t run the business it runs you, it’s always a concern & dictates what & when you can do things.
Having grown up in this situation I will never own a business.
Jim
That could be a chart topper as one of the best and worst jobs at the same time. When I had a future ahead of me, I wanted to open a Record/Stereo store/ bike shop/ deli all in one. (I forgot about a bar). Then I could have the nice stereo, tunes, bike stuff and eat every day. God would I have gone broke in a big hurry. I think a bike shop is a very hard business to make a living at, but could be rewarding. I do know some really burned out bikeshop owners.
"I do know some really burned out bikeshop owners. "
Seems to be a characteristic of people who turn their hobbies into business. I’ve seen in in the scuba diving industry also. Perhaps it’s because it’s harder to divorce yourself from something that is a passion as compared to having a business that sold donuts or some other type commodity.
What’s it like to own a bike shop?
FANTASTIC and STRESSFUL
We opened our own shop on January 1 2005. My fiance (who is the wrench of the store) has worked in the bike industry for over 12 years.
We start our days by 7:00am and finish around 8:00pm(if we are lucky!), 6 days a week. Riding is something we think of doing…but don’t! I have about 150K on my bike, only cause I do the weekly store rides. Scott, has 30K on his and 2 brand new bikes collecting dust right now.
I am still at my current day job, to ensure we have some steady income coming in. So I work my job then come to the store and put in another 35-30 hours.
We do orders at home, where there are NO customers to interupt us.We did a lot of planning, working with the bank, and tonnes of research of what lines of bikes etc. to carry.
Research your area, what’s there, what the Roadie, Mtb. Bike and Tri “clubs” are into. AND what the general public wants.
If you want some more specific info etc, feel free to email us at cranksbicycleshoppe@bellnet.ca and we’ll be glad to talk to you.
Tamara and Scott
Cranks Bicycle Shoppe
What’s the fantastic part? What you describe sounds kinda dismal…
As a serial entrepreneur and a former start-up consultant, the one thing I’d offer is this: If you don’t really love the work (and I emphasise work - selling bikes will be a very small part of your actual business), then you will, after the excitement and newness wears off, feel as though you’re working just another job but with a ton of additional stress.
Now if you truly love the work (i.e. everything that goes into running a business) then I say go for it.
“It was the best of times; it was the worst of times…”
Mind you I was only a manager, not even a co-owner, but boy did I feel his pain.
Good memories-
Sharing the passion I felt about bicycles and the cycling lifestyle.
Seeing a persons, especially a kid’s face light up, upon rolling their new (or even fixed up) bicycle out the door.
My shopmates; friends to this day 20 years later.
The babes.
The cool gear and innovations (index shifting, mt bikes, lycra to name three).
Going to the bike show every year.
Building a really nice frameset into an awesome ride.
Bad memories-
Asshole customers who treated me and my salespeople like dirt.
Worrying about customers with not much skill at riding.
Worrying about new builds, repairs, and lawsuits.
Starting to see bikes and accessories as units and profit margins.
Mediating skirmishes between shop staff, scheduling, coverage, internal theft, losing good staff, hiring crappy staff.
Competition from catalogs.
Supply issues and brand problems.
Not riding much and starting to hate bikes.
Making payroll.
Being poor.
Bottom line- I’d still be working in the industry if I felt I could properly raise a family in the SF Bay Area on what I’d make. But, hard to do selling bicycles let alone tubes, GU, and shorts.
It seem you could never get anything done. Constant stream of lookers, phone calls, tech-talkers and “can you tweak this for me” people. Come to think of it, sounds like my office
Pretty similar to administering a war. The first thing to go out the window are the plans. Speed is your friend. Move like lightening, sound like thunder. Keep your ear to the ground and never, ever give up.
In general, it is pretty good, but it isn’t for everyone. There are easier ways to make a living, but few better ways.
Even when it sucks, I still like it, and it doesn’t suck that often.
From what I’ve seen, hot chicks bring you oranges…
What’s fantastic about owning our own shop…
WE own it
NO boss. Currently, no employees to worry about.
Going to the Bike show…ordering product that we know our customers want… having customers come in that haven’t ridden in 15 years, get a bike from us and then come back and tell us how glad they are we are here…carrying a full line of ladies gear that NO other bike store for 75K carries…and so on!
It was Scott’s dream for many years and this year, it all seemed to fall into place. And so far, it’s going like gangbusters.
As another poster said, you have to LOVE what you do in order to own your own business. We do. There are moments when you get the guys in wanting their bike tweaked NOW and you have 5 people looking for bikes, 3 wanting gear and 15 bikes to build. But we wouldn’t trade it for anything.
Our biggest battle right now is getting in bikes and customers just can’t get that we rely on XYZ bike company for shipment and availability.
And overcoming the preconceived notion that cause neither of us ride in the “elite” category of our club, we don’t have a clue what we are doing. Fast doesn’t always mean good wrenching. And people in our town don’t see it that way. Slowly, we are working on this. We are out at the club rides, we host a ride, we sponsor a bike race, help with the local Tri and whatever else we can do for our community.
It’s great but getting to here was a journey.
So how come Mr Demerly gets to train and do so much international racing?