The Cycling Industry Part 2

After a recent conversation with a shop owner who just happen to find this blog, I think that I need to take a moment to make my position when it comes to IBDs (Independent Bicycle Dealers) perfectly clear. First of all, I am not anti-bike shop nor do I go about "bashing" bike shops whenever I have a chance to do so. I like visiting a local bike shop as much as the next guy, but I believe that most are going to go the way of the dinosaur if they don't get their collective heads out of the sand. The cycling industry, more specifically the retailers, have been slow to change with the current national and even international retail environment. That being said, its (the IBD) threatening demise is solely not its own fault. Choices made by the manufactures and distributers have had large effect on the current state of retailers. Distribution, purchasing programs, and the lack of some sort of legitimate certifications are just a few issues that I think fall squarely on the shoulders of the manufactures and distributors. I think that current IBDs need to realize that it's only a matter of time when the larger bike manufactures open up factory stores (or "convert" to largest, most established dealer to Branded Trek Stores) in every medium and large metropolitan area. Trek has already fired warning shots over the bow in recent industry publications by stating that they will open Trek stores in any areas that they feel that they are under-represented... If that isn't open-ended, I don't know what is! It really comes down to this. The bike guys and the component/accessory companies need to continually grow their sales. Their main distribution chanel (independent bike shops) has been drastically shrinking. Because of this fact, I'm sure that those who are in charge of those companies are rethinking how they will distribute they products to the end-user. And when the dust settles, I think that we're going to see a completely different playing field. But that can be the topic for Part 3. Thanks for reading! -John