Jeez, if you like riding bikes wouldn’t you want to share your passion in a way that invites others to share it?

After years of commuting (and being married to a bike racer who is technically very skilled, worked in a bike shop for a while, and patiently explains things over and over) I am far more comfortable going into a bike shop and asking questions. But I’m not a beginner, and I still remember that creeping sensation that I really didn’t belong in the shop. I wasn’t an insider.

If I’m not an insider I won’t come back. You won’t be able to sell me more. Is that your goal?

I can’t imagine this kind of culture shift to a more customer-centered and inviting atmosphere wouldn’t help a bike shop sell more to MEN, too.

@BarbChamberlain
@womenbikeblogs
http://www.facebook.com/womenbikeblogs

Thanks so much for the kind words. I would love to hear more about your experiences within the bike industry, bad and also good, in hopes to pass on the knowledge to others!

Also, thanks to everyone for not battering my grammar and spelling up too bad. I wrote this on a whim while waiting for something to download.

I am now a die-hard, lycra-wearing, hill-crushing (okay, so maybe ‘crushing’ is a little strong, but I do climb *really* well for my weight ), all-weather roadie who sometimes also rides off road, largely because of a few nice bike people at my old job and on the ‘webs — *and* a couple of really great local shops. If you come in for an inner tube wearing cargo shorts and pushing a big-box Schwinn or an ancient hybrid, neither one assumes you’re an idiot. They treat their clients with respect, listen, answer questions honestly, and love bikes like crazy.

It sounds like you’ve got it down. I think all of us who work in the bike industry would do well to remember the points that you mentioned.

Brava on another great post

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More and more bike shops need to be ran like a business and not a ‘good ole’ boys country club’. Some are realizing this and get it. Others don’t and they’re the ones loosing foot traffic to aggressive, up and coming mid-20 something cyclists opening their first shop. And being ran like a business means remembering the major function of a business. And that is to maintain/establish a customer base and generate revenue. If retailers keep their sights on those two items, they’ll stand to make a name for themselves in the cycling community.

BUT the bicycle consumer is sometimes a difficult animal to deal with.

Many come with preconceived notions. Trying, for instance, to convince someone that they’d be better off with a practical hybrid, rather than a carbon-fibre wonder bike is like talking into a vacuum. They will then go to another shop that is happy to accommodate their illusions.

There are shops and salespeople who will steer people right and there are brands that do more than market a one-dimentional dream.

I think we will see a continuation of development in the area of utilitarian bikes and, as more people take up utilitarian cycling, consumers will appreciate that a decent bike is a bargain compared to the financial burden of car ownership.

Salespeople will then be relieved of the burden of defending a reasonable price for the world’s most economical vehicle.