I received a Bow Cycle gift card for Christmas but I'm not sure what to get there. Everything I've looked at there costs twice as much as it does at MEC. I need slicks, tights, and CO2 cartridges but MEC seems better for those.
What sort of stuff does Bow do better than MEC? Do they do bike fittings?
They sell bikes. Maybe you
Submitted by idontgetit on
They sell bikes. Maybe you need another bike :)
good thought
Submitted by kat on
My gift card is only for $75 though.
I realise this is a really vague post. I'm just looking for ideas since I haven't shopped there much.
I got one of those too
Submitted by mercator on
I bought a specialized saddle - not available at mec or online. As an added bonus, they measure your size with the aptly named butt-o-meter.
Things at Bow
Submitted by pinkrobe on
You could also sell the GC for $70 and buy something from www.probikekit.com or MEC. :-)
HHCMF!!!
Yes by all means go by
Submitted by xcrider on
Yes by all means go by something from the Communist store and don't support the local industry that is trying to supply expertise in your bicycle needs. Support local business even if it costs a little more.
LOL!!!!
Submitted by pinkrobe on
Commmunist? That's a good one. MEC's business model is about using a tax break to undercut its competition. It gives a small amount of its profit to environmental causes and pays a pretty decent wage to its employees. MEC uses its size to buy in large volume and keep retail prices down. In that respect, it's a lot like Wal-mart.
Bow Cycle is a great shop with good staff. I have purchased several thousand dollars worth of bikes from them. I dislike buying accessories there because I can get significantly better pricing from MEC or any number of online retailers in the UK. A store will only get my business if they provide value.
HHCMF!!!
environment
Submitted by mikewarren on
Actually, MEC doesn't give that much to the environment. They only last year joined the "1% for the planet" club created by Patagonia (a for-profit company) and MEC has lost, somehow, most of their actually-knowledgable staff. I think calling them a co-op is quite a stretch these days, and I agree with Pinkrobe that they're basically using a tax loophole to undercut competition. It is really too bad they've strayed so far from their roots...
That said, they *do* keep prices for climbing gear much lower here than in the states.
mike at mike dash warren dot com
Yeah, I just hate low prices
Submitted by Gonz 99 on
Yeah, I just hate low prices on reasonable quality goods. The nerve of those MEC commies! Profits go back to the members, at least those who achieve a certain spend amount, so who cares if they are buying "bulk" and giving a deal? It's not a business, no one makes any money other than the employees...and no one is retiring early on their MEC pension. The only thing that the LBS are good for is bikes and repairs, and if they do a good job then I have no problem paying what they charge me. They have obviously made the decision to sell clothing, components and accessories at a high price to those willing to pay for them. If they wanted to concentrate on the after-the-bike purchases they could do so by charging less and attracting a larger market. Supporting your LBS by paying more for goods that you can purchase for less at MEC is as close to communism as you can get.
1% for the planet
Submitted by sheik yerbouti on
I disagree, 1% for the planet is quite a bit. Many companies donate a percentage of their profits to environmental groups, but the 1% take it from sales in general. I do not know a lot about retail but I guess that the mark-up is not that much, making the 1% a rather large part of the profit.
Good idea
Submitted by kat on
I've been thinking about that. Gonz 99 made a good point with his comment about Bow focussing more on bikes that accessories. I think they focus a lot more on high end stuff and their proximity to COP means they focus on more downhill racing stuff. The first time I went in there I was looking for shoes. They showed me some great shoes for $130. I ended up buying $50 shoes elsewhere. Granted the $130 shoes were probably .01 grams lighter and would have made me ride .001 km/h faster, but I just don't need that.
I'm going to give them a shout about a bike fitting. They should be better for service stuff, right?
Point Missed
Submitted by xcrider on
There is not that much money in bikes, and a shop does not charge what service actually costs. The money to supply these services has historically come from accessories. I know most retail shops try to offer a higher quality in their selection then mec. If you don't believe me buy a few mec tubes and see how often the seams leak, then go to an LBS and get a name brand tube. If you have to replace the inferior product twice there is no value in that. If you are after quality then you better support the LBS or they will be a thing of the past which will leave you in a spot when you really need them.
As for online it is always best to send your money to England or the US rather then spending it at home and supporting our own economy. How is that for commie thinking, eh.
Just some thoughts.
Let me clear something up for you...
Submitted by pinkrobe on
Communism
a: a theory advocating elimination of private property
b: a system in which goods are owned in common and are available to all as needed
Globalization
: the act or process of globalizing : the state of being globalized ; especially : the development of an increasingly integrated global economy marked especially by free trade, free flow of capital, and the tapping of cheaper foreign labor markets
So, your last line should actually read, "How is that for GLOBIE thinking, eh."
If I owned a shop, I don't think I would rely on services as a loss leader, and I strongly doubt that is the case with most shops. A "Basic" tune-up is $50 these days, and covers off adjustments to all cable-driven mechanisms, headset adjustment, chain lube and maybe a light wheel true. The tech gives the bike a wipe down and that's it. Parts, suspension work, hydraulic disc brake work are extra. I can do a basic bike tune in well under an hour, and that's with a glass [or two] of shiraz in me. A good tech can do three bikes in an hour. Trying to make that much money off of $8 tubes and $15 bottle cages in the same time period is difficult, despite the 100% markup on merch.
From a general business perspective, it's unwise for one segment of your business to not make money, unless you are specifically doing it to drive another part of your business. As an example, the Ship and Anchor uses their food as a loss leader - people eat the tasty yet underpriced food, then tend to drink more [I know I do]. The shop owners I have spoken with make money off of all segments of their businesses. The best [and easiest] margins are on services - no inventory. Parts and accessories do okay, but if you are carrying a lot of inventory that goes stale, you lose margin. Soft goods [clothing] do well, but again, you're stuck with inventory. Bikes are the least profitable part of any shop. The high-end rides [$3k +] have okay margins, but you sell so few over the course of a year that it almost doesn't matter.
HHCMF!!!
I stand corrected thank you.
Submitted by xcrider on
I stand corrected thank you. Yes Globie thinking is tough on the small businesses that are attached to fringe sport. Face it cycling is a fringe sport that is popular with a small but very dedicated segment of society.
One small thing you have not taken into your equation is overhead. Shop space, tools etc. As a shop you need to be able to perform miracles when people have screwed up a simple repair. Look on the Park website and price out a bottom bracket thread and facing tool, something every shop should have. Shops have to pay more $$ to get qualified staff to stay. Most staff falls into the afore mentioned segment of society, fringe. Sure 'basic' tunes make money but lots of repairs can't be charged at full under the Customer Service heading also. One example is "can you install this $18 rack I just bought?"
Sure there isn't a bunch of money in some accessories but it is still money. It is just something to think about while you are out riding around these days. As the economy tanks around here is it not a good idea to spend locally.
I for one believe that everyone should have to work in a retail job once in their lives, ride a bike for one year before getting a drivers license and work a restaurant job.
Maybe this discussion is best served at the Ship :)
Mmmmm... Ship...
Submitted by pinkrobe on
Sorry, I was in a cranky mood this morning. Unfortunately it hasn't changed much, but I'll try to be more pleasant. :-) I agree that everyone should have to work retail and in a restaurant, and having to go everywhere by bike for a year is a wonderful recommendation. I worked a restaurant job when I was 16 [night shift], then at a Tim Horton's [2 weeks], then got a retail job. I worked retail for years in high school and in University and [not coincidentally] went for years without driving/owning a car.
As part of my retail stint, I sold bikes at Sport Swap downtown for a few years. If you ever wanted to work in a sketchy shop, that was it. The purchaser refused to give us pro-deal pricing, even though the reps were happy to give it to us, so we ended up buying a lot of "shop used" items at a substantial discount that we applied ourselves. We did inventory once and were out $50k, not including bikes, skis, snowboards, etc. That's a lot of cables and brake pads... The lead tech had a substantial pot/hash habit and was making under $30k/year, so you can guess where the stuff went. Ah, good times...
Looking at the bike industry now, it's in a state of flux. Buying parts on the internet isn't going to go away, and local shops will have to compete on price with everyone, everywhere. Shops must adapt or perish. The only way to differentiate from the competition is to offer unique products and/or services and not rely as heavily on inventory-based revenue. Custom wheels, custom bike builds, advanced fittings, more demo bikes/parts, lifestyle/hipster items [*cough* FG/SS *cough*], etc. Building a relationship with your clientele will become more important, and the shops who do it well will thrive.
Justsayinknowhatimsayin?
HHCMF!!!
Local bike shops are pretty
Submitted by tyler883 on
Local bike shops are pretty damn reasonable with their prices. If you don't believe me, then go take a walk through a harley davidson shop.
What to buy
Submitted by BowCycle on
Hi Kat,
If you are interesting in a bike fitting, we certain do those. Just call and ask for Doug and he'll be happy to oblige. Otherwise, we can also look at booties, gloves, videos, shorts, jerseys (yes, we have quality items in these last two in the $70 dollar range. Actually there is a fair number of other items available a well. Maybe a general maintainence course would be of interest. It is $80 (plus GST), but a great course. I'll avoid the other discussions going on here, we have a good informal relationship with the local MEC and aren't about to say something about them.
Bob
thanks
Submitted by kat on
Thanks for your post Bob. I'll phone about a fitting.