Taking over the bike shop...

[Andy in Germany]

First official day yesterday: I was supposed to drive up to another centre*, work alongside someone with the bikes for refugees; pick up some tools, and bring them back to the normal workshop.

Unfortunately we were out of spares, because they were all at the workshop, and I had to drive to another town to buy some from another shop. Which, as it turned out, was shut.

Eventually I decided this was Very Silly and brought the remaining bikes to the "official" workshop to fix them there.

This being my first day in the workshop, I had to start by tidying enough space in the junk that had been dumped in the place to get to my work stand.

Then I had to fix my work stand to make it usable.

Apparently the former mechanic has been instructed to remove the stuff he's gradually piled up in the workshop so we can get organised for if/when we have to move.

*So far without any life threatening incidents; I even found 6th gear.

 

[classic33]

First official day yesterday: I was supposed to drive up to another centre*, work alongside someone with the bikes for refugees; pick up some tools, and bring them back to the normal workshop.

Unfortunately we were out of spares, because they were all at the workshop, and I had to drive to another town to buy some from another shop. Which, as it turned out, was shut.

Eventually I decided this way Very Silly and brought the remaining bikes to the "official" workshop to fix them there.

This being my first day in the workshop, I had to start by tidying enough space in the junk that had been dumped in the place to get to my work stand.

Then I had to fix my work stand to make it usable.

Apparently the formaer mechanic has been instructed to remove the stuff he's gradually piled up in the workshop so we can get organised for if/when we have to move.

*So far without any life threatening incidents; I even found 6th gear.

How'd you manage that?

 

[All uphill]

There's something wonderful imo about bringing order to a messy situation; having a vision and still being able to use good ideas from others.

When it is also for a positive cause then it sounds wonderful.

Enjoy every day @Andy in Germany !

 

[Andy in Germany]

How'd you manage that?

Actually looking at the gear stick was the game changer...

 

[classic33]

Actually looking at the gear stick was the game changer...

You found the gear stick!!
Wasn't on your desk then.

 

[Andy in Germany]

You found the gear stick!!
Wasn't on your desk then.

I think I may have found someone even more chaotic than me...

 

[Andy in Germany]

There's something wonderful imo about bringing order to a messy situation; having a vision and still being able to use good ideas from others.

When it is also for a positive cause then it sounds wonderful.

Enjoy every day @Andy in Germany !

Thanks; I intend to.

 

[classic33]

I think I may have found someone even more chaotic than me...

Never!

 

[Andy in Germany]

Never!

To be fair, I had to cross half a continent to achieve this...

 

[Andy in Germany]

I'm planning the next few weeks for the bike shop, and I'm finding myself asking all kinds of questions, some of which I can answer, but many I can't. Some of these are aimed at @Rusty Nails and @biggs682, but anyone with ideas please feel free to chip in.

Bikes for sale are currently parked in an entrance hall in the shop, just dumped any old how; they look awful because they are all shapes sized and colours. How do other shops display bikes in this situation? (ETA: Thanks to @annedonnelly for the Recycke 'y' Byke link, if anyone has a link to a shop like this please let me know...)

My instinct is that the bikes are are currently priced a bit too high, but I may be able to maintain the prices with better displays. On the other hand, dropping the price would probably shift more bikes, and to be fair part of the goal is to help people get bikes who can't otherwise afford them, but I also don't want to undervalue the work my clients do.

Any thoughts?

 

[classic33]

To be fair, I had to cross half a continent to achieve this...

Destiny maybe.

 

[classic33]

I'm planning the next few weeks for the bike shop, and I'm finding myself asking all kinds of questions, some of which I can answer, but many I can't. Some of these are aimed at @Rusty Nails and @biggs682, but anyone with ideas please feel free to chip in.

Bikes for sale are currently parked in an entrance hall in the shop, just dumped any old how; they look awful because they are all shapes sized and colours. How do other shops display bikes in this situation?

How the heck am I supposed to price bikes? My instinct is that they are currently priced a bit too high, but I may be able to maintain the prices with better displays. On the other hand, dropping the price would probably shift more bikes, and to be fair part of the goal is to help people get bikes who can't otherwise afford them, but I also don't want to undervalue the work my clients do.

Any thoughts?

Display by bike type and/or size.

 

[Reynard]

Definitely display by size - kiddies, then junior and then adult. Makes it far easier to see what's what.

My local tip sells bikes and they just line them up any old how, cheek-by-jowl. It's difficult to get in to have a poke and a prod of a bike that's taken my fancy.

Maybe put the nicest / most visually appealing few in the foyer and line up the stock elsewhere, where there's more room. Maybe a chalkboard or something nearby to say "we have X bikes currently with in stock, A kids bikes, B junior bikes and C adult bikes. Prices ranging from Y Euros to Z Euros"

 

[Big John]

I work as a volunteer mechanic for a bike charity in Stafford, Back2bikes, where we refurbish donated bikes (that would otherwise go to the tip although some are like new!) and sell them at affordable prices. We also do bike servicing and repairs. When it comes to displaying bikes it depends on how much space you've got. We're dead lucky....our unit is pretty big so we provide a 'front of house' shop, where the bikes are on show, and behind the scenes is the workshop and a massive stock area full of donated bikes. We have a couple of 'upstairs' storage areas too that house an array of random bike bits. We display bikes in logical grouping e.g. mountain bikes, MTB's, road bikes, folders/shoppers and children's bikes. The place has been going for donkeys years although I can never quite work out why. Our prices are so cheap I wonder how we manage to cover our costs! If I was our accountant I'd be putting the prices up but when all's said and done we ARE a charity I suppose 😉

 

[annedonnelly]

One of the things Recyke Y'Bike does re pricing is note on the price ticket what has been done to turn it from a secondhand bike to a refurbished one - so things like "brake pads replaced", etc. So buyers can see that more has been done than just a quick clean.