When did bike shops become boutiques?

[whoof]

I used to work in a bike shop and there was an old chap who came in regularly.
Years later I was in the local 'boutique' bike shop talking to the owner and the same old chap came in recognised me and we had a little chat.
When he left the owner said "did he come in your shop often?" I said, yes two or three times a week. He then said "did he ever but anything?" , no, nothing ever!
Shop owner, "I thought so, he's never bought anything me either".

I think the Lidl cycling top and Poundshop gardening gloves were a bit of a giveaway.

People can bemoan 'fancy' shops of they wish or you could just spend their money where they like and let other do likewise.

[francovendee]

When I wandered into the boutique bike shop I mentioned, I was in search of an inner gear cable.
All spare parts were in the section where the bike mechanic worked. I was offered a complete front and rear cable set on for 27€. Needless to say I didn't seize the opportunity and went to Decathalon, bought what I wanted for a tenth of the price.

There used to be a small bike shop in another town but he closed when a larger shop opened nearby. Both shops are now gone. I think the larger shop with larger overheads didn't get enough expensive bike sales to pay the rent.

[al_yrpal]

When I wandered into the boutique bike shop I mentioned, I was in search of an inner gear cable.
All spare parts were in the section where the bike mechanic worked. I was offered a complete front and rear cable set on for 27€. Needless to say I didn't seize the opportunity and went to Decathalon, bought what I wanted for a tenth of the price.

There used to be a small bike shop in another town but he closed when a larger shop opened nearby. Both shops are now gone. I think the larger shop with larger overheads didn't get enough expensive bike sales to pay the rent.

I take it you are talking about a French shop?

I had a bike problem last year and didnt have the tool to fix it. First I visited a proper bike shop...it was shut. I diverted to a nearby boutique shop where I recieved blank looks. Then travelled to Rons Bike Shop, another proper shop, problem fixed in a trice. You can always tell when Ron is open he leaves a Raleigh Tourer propped up by the kerb when he is open, I like his style! He told me that for a business like his parts, tubes, tyres etc are in very short supply. The wholesalers are apparently diverting everything to Wiggle etc. Very sad

Al

[Cyril Haearn]

Care to post a picture of Rons cycle shop?
Diolch
..
I worked in a traditional cycle shop, Christmas time, people bought cycles, we stored them until the 24th, then they all had to be recovered from upstairs and handed over in a few hours, several hundred machines in one day

[Greystoke]

We have to move with the times I'm afraid. Old bikes like I have require eBay to obtain parts once under the glass topped wooden display cases of old.
They'd rather sell you a complete bike or groupset than a derailleur screw.

[reohn2]

When did bike shops become boutiques?
When cycling became the new golf

[Jamesh]

When did bike shops become boutiques?
When cycling became the new golf

You beat me to it!

Imho bike shops have become completely polarised.

The posh bike store as already mentioned or the grumpy single man shop with a poor range of bikes and accessories run by grumpy Yorkshire man who dosen't want to sell you anything!!

Most are chains or regional chains doing bikes on 0% credit..

Just my personal experience.

Cheers James

[simonineaston]

doing bikes on 0% credit..

Well once the UK car industry worked out that they could save their bacon by making their profits from finance * instead of the actual car, I don't suppose it was long before some bright spark worked out they could play the same game with bikes. Get some sparkly engineering done in China, up the spec of the bike to prime the bait, make it too dear to buy - and then boof! whip out the finance deal.
* total UK debt to finance companies for cars alone exceeds 30 BILLION quid...

[al_yrpal]

Care to post a picture of Rons cycle shop?
Diolch
..
I worked in a traditional cycle shop, Christmas time, people bought cycles, we stored them until the 24th, then they all had to be recovered from upstairs and handed over in a few hours, several hundred machines in one day

https://www.google.com/search?gs_ssp=eJ ... qn0QJH8XxM

Al

[MrCJF]

I have a real struggle in the South East finding a bike shop (that isn't Halfords) to buy bikes or accessories for children. Most LBS have decided that pro wannabees (road or MTB) are the target market. I was in the Ribble "showoom" in Brum at the end of last year, and that definetely had the boutique look. Bikes only, not even clothes or an expeensive wheelset.

[francovendee]

When did bike shops become boutiques?
When cycling became the new golf

I don't think you're joking.
All pastimes/sports that get noticed by the public attract 'the must have brigade'.
Newer = better, very expensive = best .
Cynic that I am I just think it's another way of separating the customer from his/her money.

Bring back the greasy counter!

[reohn2]

When did bike shops become boutiques?
When cycling became the new golf

I don't think you're joking.
All pastimes/sports that get noticed by the public attract 'the must have brigade'.
Newer = better, very expensive = best .
Cynic that I am I just think it's another way of separating the customer from his/her money.

Bring back the greasy counter!

My emphasis

I'm not

[Bmblbzzz]

Bike shops became boutiques in 1887, the year after Starley's first Rover.

Victorian and Edwardian cycling was largely an expensive pastime for the well-heeled. If you doubt this, read Carlton Reid's book, Roads Weren't Made for Cars.

The turnpike roads of old had been engineered for speed (a stage coach could average 10mph on a metalled turnpike road) and were the roads of choice for the young, athletic riders of the new-fangled bicycles. Most riders were gentlemen, monied and with leisure time. A trickle of riders in 1869 became a steady trickle in 1870 and then a torrent by the late 1880s.

Also think of the famous case in which the CTC represented a lady in cycling bloomers against the innkeeper who refused to serve her in the posh bit of the inn.
It was only around the time of the First World War that cycling became cheap transport for the working man (and woman).

[Traction_man]

... varnished wood and glass top counter, tons and tons of drawers fill of things, tyres hanging off the ceiling, and bikes stacked up wherever there was room, workshop (customers verbotten unless you were one of the 'gang') out back... the idea, mostly, was to get as much value for money as possible, regardless of whether that was a spare, an inner-tube or that rare object - a new bike. These places are owned and run by enthusiasts - like Steve & Andy at Warlands....

spot on description of bike shops as they were!

I remember Pollard's on Binley Road in Coventry, in the '70s/'80s, it's where my folks bought me my Raleigh Hustler, c.1980, my one and only new bike when a youngster...

Anyone else remember Pollard's? Bit of history here -- http://www.classiclightweights.co.uk/bu ... llard.html

cheers,

Keith

[greyingbeard]

Bike shops have always had to move with the times, they all stock what they can sell, or they go under.
Older cyclists than me seem to remember the days when every "proper" shop made its own frames, had hand built wheels hanging on hooks in the ceiling joists, you could have 1 gear or three or maybe even five. Do they remember the real cost of all this ? 19/6 seems like peanuts today but in real terms it was a days wages and there wasn't the spare to go around, people saved for a year to buy a good frame, built it up with their existing parts, got a set of wheels for it another time when they could afford it. Only the best shops specialised like this, they all had to cater to everyone. Riders mended their own bikes because they had to, not because they chose to like many today.
None of the independent shops can compete with the far eastern tat at the lower end of the market in places like Halfords and Decathlon, a complete kids bike for xmas for £50. Of course its going to go wrong IF it gets used, and its more hassle than its worth to have to carry out warranty repairs on the unrepairable. Of course they want to sell you a £5000 bike, thats where the best profit is. No profit = no shop = no job etc. They have high bills to pay, business rates killing a lot of shops off.
To an extent bike shops have always been boutiques, temples to the barely affordable, best model in the window to attract the drooling punter inside. Hand cut lugs and chromovelato now replaced by carbon fibre everything. They all have to cater to a wide market if they want to survive.