Yes Bobby, there is a bike worth riding.

To often hasty decisions can at times end in total failure, yes, the classic crash and burn, where triumph ends in shattered dreams and the reality of how cruel life can be becomes apparent to all involved.  It’s the frustration of trying to assemble late night bicycles and realizing the one you just purchased is missing a crucial part, yes, it's the agony of seeing Christmas morning tears because the parts did not match up quite right.  I too have become its victim, and from that faithfull day forth I have refused to fall to the depths of hell again all because I believed that all bicycle vendors were the same. 

It’s that awakening or revelation you may say that brought me to where I am today, no, I have not been in the cycling business all my life, I just ended up here because of my passion and my desire to advocate the use of the bicycle.  The independent bicycle shop relies on the community it serves, and without it, it will perish, that is why service is the most important aspect of any small bicycle retailer.  The larger box store can assimilate their lack of service in low prices and high volume merchandising, in other words, service does not matter and neither do you. 

Yes, the independent retailer’s bicycle will cost you more, but there is bigger picture of why that cost is higher. 

1.       Retail space is expensive.   On average, the smaller the retail space, the higher the cost per square foot increases, and although small retail space is not in demand, property owners know that it is huge expense for a small retailer to change its location, and rent increases happen often.  The large retailer actually pays significantly less per square foot and for more space often getting yearly tax credits and deep discounts to maintain large properties that cannot be filled otherwise.

2.       Qualified bike mechanics don’t work for minimum wage.  Most large retailers rely on seasonal workers that are paid as little as possible and are most likely put into positions were they rarely have a working knowledge in the assembly or the maintenance of a bicycle.  The small retailer usually has at least one, and most often two certified mechanics, with years of experience on every type and style of bicycle and component. 

3.       Tools. The instruments used in the bicycle trade are expensive and require more than a pair of pliers and a couple of screwdrivers, although they are also needed.  Most shops carry the burden of the less commonly used tools, the ones that have a hefty cost, but each mechanic maintains a set of tools that cost in excess of $2000.00 a set

4.       Quality not quantity.  Probably the highest costs in buying a new bicycle are the materials and components which make up the whole of the bike.  Low grade steel is commonly used in most of the bikes you find from large retailers, rust, metal fatigue and non-repairable components will cost you in the long run and sooner than you think.  Most small retailers buy bikes from the parent companies they represent, such as Specialized, Giant, Trek, and Fuji, and from children’s bikes to adult bikes and even carbon bikes, these large companies do not want to tarnish their names or reputations  in any way, so every bike that is made with their logo on it is made with strict quality assurances and must be built by a bike shop.

So next time you’re out bicycle shopping, ask yourself; What will this bike truly cost me in the long run?  From my experience here at Carmichael Cycles, it’s the personal service given to each and every customer that comes through the front door, the phone calls that ask if the store can remain open for an extra five or ten minutes due to sticky traffic, so they can pick up their bike for tomorrows ride, the flat tires that are fixed with haste while the rider waits comfortably on the couch.  Don’t get me wrong, this is not a complaint, this is what I love about this industry, it’s the friends I have made, the conversation and the exchange of related information, and its watching people’s lives change, all because of a bicycle bought from the shop down the street.  Thank you for making my job fun. Peace.