My LBS changed
#26
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The same thing happened here in the Portland area. There was a local chain of shops that were Trek dealers, but independently owned (so they also carried Obea and several other brands). The owner wanted to retire, and apparently Trek made a reasonable offer. Trek closed a couple of the locations (probably the less profitable ones) -- I don't know if the staff were offered positions at one of the other stores, but some may have opted to go work at a different nearby bike shop.
It's too soon to see what the long-term effect will be. I now buy from a different shop because I'm friends with its owners. But before I met those owners, I did like small chain -- they had an impressive inventory because they could draw on all of their stores and their warehouse, yet each shop knew its customers and had some great clearance deals.
I do think it's increasingly difficult for independent bike shops to make a go of it.
FelixScout, I hope you have good experiences with your new-old shop.
It's too soon to see what the long-term effect will be. I now buy from a different shop because I'm friends with its owners. But before I met those owners, I did like small chain -- they had an impressive inventory because they could draw on all of their stores and their warehouse, yet each shop knew its customers and had some great clearance deals.
I do think it's increasingly difficult for independent bike shops to make a go of it.
FelixScout, I hope you have good experiences with your new-old shop.
#27
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The local bike stores in my area will work on any brands bike brought through their doors.
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RA Cycles -- never been there, but would like to visit. It appears that their biggest bike brand that they sell is Cannondale, but that doesn't prevent them from selling lots of other brands, though I'd wager neither Trek nor Specialized would allow it and that's why they don't sell those brands? https://www.racycles.com/bikes/road/
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Trek is buying up a lot of locally owned independent bicycle shops. This is moving the mix toward corporate owned stores and away from locally owned stores. It is increasingly difficult for small locally owned stores (and chains) to compete with corporate owned stores and brands that are internet-only bicycle brands, and internet-only parts and accessories. While customers who strive for the lowest prices go to the internet and others go to big box stores or corporate owned stores the small locally owned independent bicycle shop is slowly disappearing. This is also happening in other industries and is causing a shift from small business to corporate owned and big Wall Street backed businesses.
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The important thing is the people. How have they changed since the change in ownership?
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#32
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After reading through these posts I started looking at the LBS in my area of the world, Victoria BC on Vancouver Island. Interesting to see that each store in this area is locally owned and operated and each one has a brand that they are THE dealer for. We have three stores that could be considered corporately sponsored as they only carry Specialized, Giant and Trek. The others all carry several brands including two stores that also carry Treks but concentrate on one other specific brand. If you count E-bikes as well we have over thirty bike brands represented in Victoria so for this city a cyclist has a great choice to choose from.
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Trek and Spesh have pushed shops to carry their bikes exclusively for some time. That's why my LBS dropped them. Reports are that the current situation has given those brands more leverage and the pressure has gotten worse.
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Trek is buying up a lot of locally owned independent bicycle shops. This is moving the mix toward corporate owned stores and away from locally owned stores. It is increasingly difficult for small locally owned stores (and chains) to compete with corporate owned stores and brands that are internet-only bicycle brands, and internet-only parts and accessories. While customers who strive for the lowest prices go to the internet and others go to big box stores or corporate owned stores the small locally owned independent bicycle shop is slowly disappearing. This is also happening in other industries and is causing a shift from small business to corporate owned and big Wall Street backed businesses.
The faster the underwriters can produce the documentation, the quicker the general contractor can break ground.
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Let's face it - the vast majority of bikes (other than big box store brands, perhaps) use either Shimano or SRAM components for drivelines / cockpits. It makes no difference if it's a Trek with Shimano Ultegra, or a Cannondale with Shimano Ultegra. A different name on the frameset won't prevent them from knowing how to make adjustments. Same thing goes for wheelsets. Just because it doesn't say Bontrager on the rim doesn't mean they can't true the wheel.
With new bikes and components to sell being in limited supply now, many shops are surviving solely on service, so turning down a 'tune up' on a bike brand other than what you normally sell wouldn't make much sense, at least not to me.
Be happy that the shop is still open. There have been too many that haven't been able to survive the chaos caused by the pandemic.
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We're losing one of our area's big shops to Trek, as well. Kind of sucks, but if that's what it takes to have brick-and-mortar shops, so be it.
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In the summer of 2018, they closed the Restaurant Eve in old town Alexandria, VA. That was a tragedy from which we have not yet fully recovered. Bike shops I can live without pretty readily. Truly fine dining experiences, on the other hand...
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#38
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The pandemic is being used by the largest corporations to consolidate their market powers and to flatten and then eliminate smaller scaled competition in the marketplace. Trek already has the largest share of the USA market with 22.5% (Giant is a distanced 2nd @ 10.5%) and they are moving aggressively to gain even more.
The best economic conditions for consumers are akin to the best ecologic conditions for life forms and in that regard greater diversity is to be strongly preferred and maintained.
Once the pandemic dust settles we will almost certainly be living in a world with far less choices and far greater prices to be paid by those fortunate enough to afford new products. We can expect more LBS to be given a 'corporate makeover,' if they are even able to survive.
The best economic conditions for consumers are akin to the best ecologic conditions for life forms and in that regard greater diversity is to be strongly preferred and maintained.
Once the pandemic dust settles we will almost certainly be living in a world with far less choices and far greater prices to be paid by those fortunate enough to afford new products. We can expect more LBS to be given a 'corporate makeover,' if they are even able to survive.
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Not like the old pre-boom days when your choices were the department store or the Schwinn dealership or a tiny shop in the city that sold racing bikes... oh wait yes it is just like that
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#40
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I am not a corporate/chain store fan. I worked in small bike independent shops as a younger man and prefer the ambiance and interesting characters that frequent independent shops.
There are two Trek stores in my area but I generally don't buy from them. I agree with a previous post, keep going to that shop and see if the vibe carries over. If it doesn't go shopping.
For a little context....
I've been a patron of my local Independent shop (still are) since the mid 1980's. They sold Trek's back then too - well at least since 1993 - but before "Trek Stores" were a thing. The owner changed 10 or more years ago but they kept the name, the same basic location and the vibe of the place. And, yes, they still sell Trek, but also Colnago, Moots, Cannondale, Parlee and more.
Great, great shop and very knowledgeable. You can even go in there and sit on their sofa, read the latest cycling mags, drink coffee and watch the mechanics fix bikes. They always greet me by name when I go inside. That's huge for me too.\
These guys:
https://bicyclesport.com/
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There are two Trek stores in my area but I generally don't buy from them. I agree with a previous post, keep going to that shop and see if the vibe carries over. If it doesn't go shopping.
For a little context....
I've been a patron of my local Independent shop (still are) since the mid 1980's. They sold Trek's back then too - well at least since 1993 - but before "Trek Stores" were a thing. The owner changed 10 or more years ago but they kept the name, the same basic location and the vibe of the place. And, yes, they still sell Trek, but also Colnago, Moots, Cannondale, Parlee and more.
Great, great shop and very knowledgeable. You can even go in there and sit on their sofa, read the latest cycling mags, drink coffee and watch the mechanics fix bikes. They always greet me by name when I go inside. That's huge for me too.\
These guys:
https://bicyclesport.com/
----
Last edited by drlogik; 05-10-21 at 05:47 PM.
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#41
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The schwinn dealer usually had a life sized cutout of Mr. Greenjeans and also sold lawnmowers. Weirdly enough, after the LBS dropped Trek, the closest Trek store sells lawnmowers.
#42
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Bike shops I can live without pretty readily. Truly fine dining experiences, on the other hand...
Then again, we have a LOT of great restaurants in my town but only one great bike shop, so I guess, in a way they, have a lot of competition! ROFL....
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That's what's great about this forum. I'm the exact opposite but I can totally relate to the fine dining. Given the choice between my favorite local shop (Which I posted earlier in this thread), I'll take them over my favorite restaurant.
Then again, we have a LOT of great restaurants in my town but only one great bike shop, so I guess, in a way they, have a lot of competition! ROFL....
Then again, we have a LOT of great restaurants in my town but only one great bike shop, so I guess, in a way they, have a lot of competition! ROFL....
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#44
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I had my favorite bicycle shop become a Performance store. The last time I went there, I just needed a spare tube or patch kit. The item was about $5. The clerk tried to get me to buy a discount card for $20 so I could save 50 cents. This was about a year or two before Performance closed their physical locations. Now it is an empty store front.
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well we had our e tandem repaired at the newly changed over trek store. they were changing over when we crashed so had to wait a week to bring it in. all the same great guys were still there. too ka couple of months to get al the parts and I had to find some but my wife was not able to ride anyway so it was ok. but they replaced her helmet with a new one even though we did not by a Bontrager helmet. gave her one of the Bontrager Starvos WaveCel Cycling Helmet