HerrKaLeun

Not sure if you have more knowledge, but it sounds like he is closing his bicycle shop (and plans to do something with oysters?)

I just came across his youtube channel some months ago and enjoyed to just let it run when I did soemthign else.

From the last videos it sounds like he stopped being a dealer and he also liquidates all his inventory. I assume there wasn't enough sales.

He seemed funny, if not goofy. Always looked like he just has a few old bikes or even Walmart bikes to repair, nothing fancy.

travbikeman

Interesting! Seemed like he had nice shop though. Bikes to Oysters.........Not even going to waste the brain power to figure that out.

Eric S.

I found his videos a few years ago and enjoyed many of them featuring his father, Mr. Pump. I liked that Bikeman showed what being a mechanic was really like - often working on low-end bikes.

HerrKaLeun

then I have bad news for you, because his dad recently passed away

ColonelSanders

Who knows what he was like in real life, maybe his attitude annoyed customers, but with his YouTube channel giving him publicity, it concerns me that running an LBS, is increasingly becoming a non-viable business proposition.

HerrKaLeun

From his videos it looked like he is located in some low-population density area with every once a while tourist or so coming by with a minor problem on a cheap bike. I don't think youtube helped his shop because no one travels far for an LBS, and the locals would have come there anyway.
I'm not even sure if some of his customers were aware they are being broadcasted on the internet.

All the bikes looked like cheap or old ones. He called the old ones "vintage", but that was more like someone calling a 1995 chrysler Sebring a vintage car.

He seemed to have quite a bit of bike inventory, a lot of people "working" and so.

my secret fantasy is to have a lot of bikes and tinker with them for a living, kind of like he did it. Unfortunately you can't make a living with that....

Didn't seem like scripted, he seems to be that way. I'll miss his channel (and no, an oyster channel is no replacement)

Murray Missile 

Bummer, I bought a couple wheelsets and some other stuff from him on EBay. Was always very satisfied. 😢

MidSouthBiker

I enjoyed watching his Saturday morning show on youtube. I rarely finished the whole show, because it gave me motivation to go ride. His folksy personality was fun to watch. I believe he may have had some issues with Giant, adding to his decision to move on. Plus his area in the Hamptons, Long Island, with its seasonality along with Summer tourism may have played a role. Not sure.

I did win a Bikemanforu T-shirt and a Giant Saddle Bag in a couple of his contests, guessing the weight of a bike and by making a comment in one of the shows.

mightymax

I was thinking recently I have not gotten any new video alerts as I am a subscriber to his channel. I enjoyed his videos and his humor as well as knowledge. His Dad passed last year and the video installment he did in honor of his Father was very touching.

I will miss the Bikeman 4 U.... and I hope his videos remain up on youtube.

Max Bryant

Duo

our local LBS handled giant, but he said that they didn't move enuf product, so lost the brand. in the end the shop stopped displaying drop bar road bikes too, not enuf interest. bicycling in my area has very few serious or semi serious riders...he also sells lawnmowers and paint, perhaps you catch my drift.

gona miss Bikeman, afraid that this may be spreading elsewhere???

ZIPP2001

Been an avid viewer of Bikemanforu and even appeared on his live show several years ago. I also helped design his cycling jersey's. He has quite a collection of video on you tube about fixing bike's that I'm sure are helpful for those looking to work on there own bike. His live shows could gets pretty interesting and you would meet some interesting people. Howie the puppet master will be missed.

dparks

I too have been watching the Saturday live feed for a couple years. Learned about "Mr Pump" by watching older shows. I did not learn much that I did not already know about bike repairs, but the show is entertaining. I will miss the closing "Never fear - the Bikemanforu is here!"

dunrobin

Just watched some of his videos..he and his father were characters in the best way..appreciated his eulogy of his father, Mr. Pump.
Hope he does well in his next endeavor.

JoePeri

I enjoyed the occasional Bikeman video as well. Sorry to hear about his shop closing and the news about his Dad.

Bonzo Banana

I've only watched part of the last show but previously he mentioned being a cycle repair only shop and has moved to more limited hours. I've never known a shop with such inconsistent opening times. I've enjoyed the shows but fast forward through some bits which drag in the live broadcasts which I've watched after the event.

I like the fact often the shows are about everyday bikes not high end. He often ends up dealing with walmart quality bikes and bikes that are decades old. The Giant bikes he sells are fairly low end. I remember him promoting some mountain bikes he had in stock, not Giant possibly Diamondback a few years ago and god they looked awful with freewheels instead of cassettes and not really fit for purpose in my eyes. There was some discussion about the bikes being sale or return and he wanted to return a lot of them but he had problems doing so. It felt like on that occasion he had ordered too much of the wrong product.

Prices always shocked me like $30 to change a tube and bottle-cages for $10 or $15. I did wonder about the business model of selling low end bikes with very high servicing costs.

I assumed the youtube videos were bringing in some income though. I can't imagine videos about fishing for oysters generating much income. It felt like he was capable of driving more youtube views and earning more money by doing a few more controversial cycling videos with titles with more impact. The art of attracting youtube views with a great title and a zany still image was a skill he was on route to developing but then seemed to abandon it for the less focused fly on the wall saturday videos. Even those videos looked like they could be edited into much sharper content. Maybe in a 4 hour video there is 10 minutes of very interesting content that could have been extracted and made into a single video. He has a lot of content now he could repackage. At the end of the day he has developed himself as a youtube personality successfully but sometimes the content hasn't been too focused.

It would be good to see another cycle shop somewhere copy a similar format as long as its presented with as much energy.

52telecaster

i very much enjoyed bikemanforu. you tube is not always as interesting as it might be but bikeman was totally authentic and fairly knowledgeable. a rare thing really.

HerrKaLeun

Great observation. I'm watching some right now and your observation is spot on. I never had work done in an LBS in my adult life, so I assumed $30 for tube replacement is the normal price inc. tube (and it is a great motivation to learn to work on your bike)

Dave Cutter

I won one of his Tee Shirts (one less bike). The shop was (I thought)... on an east coast island. Had been Mr Pumps shop (again my interpretation) the old man had been (back in the day) a track racer. The "Bikeman" had been an certified jet aircraft repairman.... and returned home (to the shop) where he had grown-up. The Bikeman's son also worked at the shop.... and helped with the videos.

The shop was a Giant [brand] dealer. And they did a good seasonal business. Island property... might be pricey for a bike shop (they also sold kites).

Bonzo Banana

I didn't know about the jet aircraft repairman bit but the rest I think I'd heard in the videos. If I remember rightly bikeman sold his interest in the company and left but then came back later to work in/run the shop. Can't remember the full details. The shop is here;

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/...2!4d-72.646028

Just keep going south on the map until you hit the infamous Dune Road often mentioned in the show.

Bonzo Banana

I think the price of $30 is high but he responded to people criticising the cost by saying it was a high cost area. So I think the normal cost by most bike shops would be less. Like you I can only make assumptions as I've never had a inner tube replaced by a bike shop. I use £1 poundland inner tubes which I fit myself. I think if someone asked me to estimate what a tube replacement might cost here in the UK. I'd think maybe £4 for the tube and 10-15 minutes work maybe £8-10 labour so I'd be looking at £12-15, maybe $15-20. However although no idea of cost I did see an inner tube being replaced once while in a LBS. It was only a small children's bike but from start to finish it didn't really take more than 3 minutes for the technician to replace and pump up the tube. I was impressed at the time but thinking about it now he didn't spend the time checking the inside of the tyre.

Also in fairness to bikemanforu I've seen him replace a tube but then give the bike a full check, apply some of his special sauce to the drivetrain and check all brakes and main nuts etc for no additional charge. So a very mini service was included. Not all the time but sometimes I guess depending on how busy he was. I've also seen the opposite as well where he quickly and efficiently replaced the tube and nothing else for the same money.

HerrKaLeun

yeah even if you are filthy rich and can afford to pay someone else, fixing a flat should be every-body skill since a flat doesn't happen near an LBS. But simple things probably are 95% of shop business. The few times I was in an LBS I saw people coming in with bikes was adjusting brakes, replacing tires etc. It was quite entertaining since first the sales person couldn't just do it, but had to wait for a mechanic. maybe the LBS had a system to make every "repair"look like it requires special tools and skills to justify the price. And the people found the time to walk the bike to the LBS, or load it in the car, instead of spending less time to youtube and fix it themselves. I think once it comes to BB replacement etc. many people just buy a new bike unless they have a really expensive bike.

indyfabz

A few years ago I made a quick run for some wine for dinner. Decided not to bring a pump, tube or tire levers thinking the chances of me getting a flat during the 3.5 mile round trip riding the tires I was were super slim and none. A block from the liquor store my front tire deflated rapidly. Fortunately, there was a LBS maybe three blocks away. Had them change the tube rather than walk home in 90 plus heat and high humidity. Turned out worn rim tape was the source of the flat, so I got that taken care of as well. IIRC, the tube and labor for the flat was $12.



So you see, flats do sometimes happen near LBSs, and you don't have to be filthy rich to have a LBS fix one for you.

Dave Cutter

I know where every bike shop (and Walmart) are around all my routes.... just incase I might need a tube or cartridge. But I rarely carry much more than $20 bucks with me.

trail_monkey

I just heard about his closing in a turkey day video. Sad. Not only do I enjoy his videos, I hate to see how the market is going. Little men are slowly closing down. I myself have never sat down and watched a Saturday video cause I can’t stand to sit and watch a 2 hour video. I prefer the 10 minute or less videos he has produced. Even the turkey day video I just started was stopped 5 minutes in when he said he was closing shop.

Since I see no posts past December I want to ask what the latest news is. I just got an email Saturday about his new video in which he states they are not shutting down yet. Anyone know what he plans?

dparks

I try to catch the Saturday show while I am working on my bike projects. Bart (Bikemanforu) is still doing at least an hour show for now - not a lot of technical content though. I started watching a couple years ago and usually picked up some tips. I was watching and chatting last Saturday and Bart commented on three of my posts - kind of cool! Bart still says he will be launching a new channel about his oyster business he is starting with his friend Freddy. I will probably stop watching then.