In the world of online mountain bike sales, Chain Reaction Cycles (CRC) is the 400lb gorilla in the room. No other site has the same global reach and influence within the marketplace, so much so that there are several online campaigns to boycott CRC as traditional bike shops see their bottom lines eroded by online sales. For some it is the one-stop shop for whatever they need, wherever in the world they are, for others it's a totem for all that is wrong in the modern marketplace. Yet their story mat not be the one you would expect.

Born as a local bike shop in a tiny unit just outside Belfast, Northern Ireland, some 32 years ago, its roots are as humble as you can imagine. In those early days, there was no plan to change the way we buy our bikes and components; it was just another small business trying to find its way. Where it differed from the competition is how it adapted and grew. Many of our younger readers probably don't remember a time before the internet, and how strange those first, shaky connections to a global network were. Back then it wasn't obvious how profoundly it would change our lives, from how we connect with each other, to how we shop. CRC was one of the first to test those waters and maybe more than anything it is that timing that set them on the path - it is around the same era as companies like Amazon were beginning. In the intervening two decades they have refined and evolved their business model, so today they may seem dominant, but it is because they were there at the right moment and willing to take the risks on this new way of doing business.

We visited their headquarters, which are still in Ballyclare, a small village just outside Belfast, to take a look behind the scenes of what goes into serving a truly global market.



CRC visit. Ballyclare Northern Ireland. Photo by Matt Wragg.
When we say humble beginnings, we mean humble - this is the unit where CRC was born before its direct sales business dwarfed its sales as a bike shop.

CRC visit. Ballyclare Northern Ireland. Photo by Matt Wragg.

CRC visit. Ballyclare Northern Ireland. Photo by Matt Wragg.

CRC visit. Ballyclare Northern Ireland. Photo by Matt Wragg.
CRC visit. Ballyclare Northern Ireland. Photo by Matt Wragg.

CRC visit. Ballyclare Northern Ireland. Photo by Matt Wragg.

CRC visit. Ballyclare Northern Ireland. Photo by Matt Wragg.

Much of online bike component sales is based on the premise that the customer knows exactly what they want - that level of technical understanding of our bikes is something that sets mountain biking apart from most other sports and is a big factor in the prevalence of online sales. Of course, not everybody does know quite what they need, or whether what they need will work with their existing kit. For those customers, CRC has a tech team. who will be their first point of contact. They should be instantly recognizable to anyone who has spent much time in bike shops - they are CRC's groms. Of all the people involved in processing an order, they are generally the keenest riders and have an encyclopedic knowledge of CRC's mind-bendingly huge range of products. Like all good bike shop groms, they will help the customer work out what they need and then put an order together with them.

CRC visit. Ballyclare Northern Ireland. Photo by Matt Wragg.

CRC visit. Ballyclare Northern Ireland. Photo by Matt Wragg.
CRC visit. Ballyclare Northern Ireland. Photo by Matt Wragg.

CRC visit. Ballyclare Northern Ireland. Photo by Matt Wragg.
With a worldwide customer base, you also need the language skills on the end of the phone to help customers who don't speak English. For this, CRC have a dedicated team of language experts from all over the world to try and help as many customers as possible.

CRC visit. Ballyclare Northern Ireland. Photo by Matt Wragg.
Once an order is placed the next step is security - it is a huge task for this relatively small group of people. On Monday morning they have more than 16,000 orders from the previous weekend to work through. It is certainly very reassuring.

CRC visit. Ballyclare Northern Ireland. Photo by Matt Wragg.
This isn't a process that can be automated - it takes real experience to spot the warning markers for a fraudulent order. If they are unsure, then they have the tools to look into the buyer to make sure they make the right decision.

CRC visit. Ballyclare Northern Ireland. Photo by Matt Wragg.

Once the order is approved it heads over to be fulfilled at one of CRC's three warehouses - either the main one downstairs or at the specialist or large goods warehouses a few miles away. These warehouses aren't static things though - they are living, breathing organisms that constantly adapt and change to best suit the business' needs. In the tech world, there is some discussion right now about the principle of caching to organize more than just your computer's memory. The basic principle of the system is that memory is arranged in a pyramid - with a small amount of very fast memory for the most common tasks at the top of the pyramid, with a much larger amount of slower memory at the base of the pyramid. Things that are needed a lot get moved into the fastest memory, whereas things that are virtually never used get shuffled off to the further reaches of the system.

CRC's warehouses work on much the same principle, so items that sell well get brought right up to the front for easy access and those quill stems they have left lying around from the 90s are somewhere out in the furthest reaches of the system. This is constantly updated and adapted too, with each product's location based on a whole range of factors, going from price, sales data, current marketing, new releases and trends within the industry.

CRC visit. Ballyclare Northern Ireland. Photo by Matt Wragg.

CRC visit. Ballyclare Northern Ireland. Photo by Matt Wragg.

CRC visit. Ballyclare Northern Ireland. Photo by Matt Wragg.
CRC visit. Ballyclare Northern Ireland. Photo by Matt Wragg.

CRC visit. Ballyclare Northern Ireland. Photo by Matt Wragg.

CRC visit. Ballyclare Northern Ireland. Photo by Matt Wragg.

What this system means out on the warehouse floor is that items are not organized into one section for derailleurs, one for shifters, and so on. When you apply the caching logic this makes sense - people are far more likely to be ordering 11-speed derailleurs than old 9-speed ones. Instead, each item is given an allocated slot by the system. Each picker is given a number of orders to fulfill for each trip into the warehouse and a computer then plots their most efficient route through - they are guided through by a headset which gives them directions and other information they need to fulfill their orders.

CRC visit. Ballyclare Northern Ireland. Photo by Matt Wragg.

CRC visit. Ballyclare Northern Ireland. Photo by Matt Wragg.

CRC visit. Ballyclare Northern Ireland. Photo by Matt Wragg.
CRC visit. Ballyclare Northern Ireland. Photo by Matt Wragg.

CRC visit. Ballyclare Northern Ireland. Photo by Matt Wragg.

CRC visit. Ballyclare Northern Ireland. Photo by Matt Wragg.
Each order has its own box, which is then passed from the warehouse through to the packing side of the building.

CRC visit. Ballyclare Northern Ireland. Photo by Matt Wragg.

CRC visit. Ballyclare Northern Ireland. Photo by Matt Wragg.
CRC visit. Ballyclare Northern Ireland. Photo by Matt Wragg.

CRC visit. Ballyclare Northern Ireland. Photo by Matt Wragg.
While the orders are coming through from the warehouse a machine on the other side of the line preps the boxes so they meet at the packing stations.

CRC visit. Ballyclare Northern Ireland. Photo by Matt Wragg.

CRC visit. Ballyclare Northern Ireland. Photo by Matt Wragg.

CRC visit. Ballyclare Northern Ireland. Photo by Matt Wragg.
CRC visit. Ballyclare Northern Ireland. Photo by Matt Wragg.

CRC visit. Ballyclare Northern Ireland. Photo by Matt Wragg.

CRC visit. Ballyclare Northern Ireland. Photo by Matt Wragg.
At the packing stage the orders are double-checked as they are processed, to make sure that the right goods are going to the right person. This is a frantic job, these guys consistently work at an incredible pace to keep up with the flow of orders.

CRC visit. Ballyclare Northern Ireland. Photo by Matt Wragg.

CRC visit. Ballyclare Northern Ireland. Photo by Matt Wragg.
CRC visit. Ballyclare Northern Ireland. Photo by Matt Wragg.

CRC visit. Ballyclare Northern Ireland. Photo by Matt Wragg.
The box closing machine is a very interesting toy - it scans each packed box, then folds it to the smallest possible height to save space in shipping.

CRC visit. Ballyclare Northern Ireland. Photo by Matt Wragg.
Any order that will not fit in a standard-sized box is handled by a separate team and packed individually.

CRC visit. Ballyclare Northern Ireland. Photo by Matt Wragg.
Each package is stamped and heads for shipping.

CRC visit. Ballyclare Northern Ireland. Photo by Matt Wragg.
Shipping is no small challenge when you are sending orders to every corner of the globe - each package is sorted by hand to be sent by the right service for its destination.

CRC visit. Ballyclare Northern Ireland. Photo by Matt Wragg.
Each day CRC ships on average six 40' articulated lorries of parcels.

CRC visit. Ballyclare Northern Ireland. Photo by Matt Wragg.
Just a few miles away sits the other main warehouse for CRC - the large parts store. It is here that they store the bulkier items, like bikes, frames, forks, wheels and turbo trainers. Naturally, because of the size of what it stores, it is a much bigger warehouse than the main building. The pace here is slightly less frantic too - because the big items are more expensive, they don't sell as many of them, so there isn't quite the same constant stream of orders to race to keep up with.

CRC visit. Ballyclare Northern Ireland. Photo by Matt Wragg.

CRC visit. Ballyclare Northern Ireland. Photo by Matt Wragg.

CRC visit. Ballyclare Northern Ireland. Photo by Matt Wragg.
CRC visit. Ballyclare Northern Ireland. Photo by Matt Wragg.

CRC visit. Ballyclare Northern Ireland. Photo by Matt Wragg.

CRC visit. Ballyclare Northern Ireland. Photo by Matt Wragg.

Because bikes ship from this building, they need to be prepped before being ready to be sent to customers. In the UK they need a PDI - a nationally agreed safety checklist to ensure they are ready for customers to ride them. This check can only be done by a Cyctech-qualified mechanic. Trainees join the team working on assembling bikes for CRC's in-house brands - Nukeproof, Vitus, and Ragley - and they can work towards their qualifications while they do this. At the moment the team is going through a change period, which will mean that eventually every member of the team will have the level one qualification, and the PDI mechanics will have a more advanced level two qualification.

CRC visit. Ballyclare Northern Ireland. Photo by Matt Wragg.
The full PDI checklist - it may look obvious to an experienced mountain biker who is used to working on his or her own bike, but for many people, they wouldn't know where to start with even these basic things.

CRC visit. Ballyclare Northern Ireland. Photo by Matt Wragg.

CRC visit. Ballyclare Northern Ireland. Photo by Matt Wragg.

CRC visit. Ballyclare Northern Ireland. Photo by Matt Wragg.
CRC visit. Ballyclare Northern Ireland. Photo by Matt Wragg.

CRC visit. Ballyclare Northern Ireland. Photo by Matt Wragg.

CRC visit. Ballyclare Northern Ireland. Photo by Matt Wragg.
One service that CRC has offered for many years that differentiates it from other online retailers, and highlights their roots as a local bike shop, is the option to custom build wheels. They let you choose your rims, hubs, and spokes and then hand build them here in-house. They are properly hand-built too - they only use a machine for the initial tension on the spokes, each and every wheel is laced, tensioned and trued by a professional.

CRC visit. Ballyclare Northern Ireland. Photo by Matt Wragg.
Here in this building the process ends with delivery lorries. Even this less frantic building still ships roughly 800 packages, every day.


MENTIONS: @ChainReactionCycles / @Nukeproofinternational / @ragley-bikes



Author Info:
mattwragg avatar

Member since Oct 29, 2006
753 articles

246 Comments
  • 290 14
 Hard not to love CRC. An amazingly efficient operation with impeccable customer service. In an expensive sport, they've been supporting my riding addiction flawlessly for years now.
  • 128 3
 I also love that they give shipping options to avoid UPS and FEDEX due to the massively unreasonable brokerage fees those companies slap you with for any international packages (a downright slimy practice, in my opinion).

Please NEVER change this!
  • 115 178
flag WAKIdesigns (Sep 13, 2016 at 1:08) (Below Threshold)
 impeccable? erm... only Virgin Mary is impeccable - they messed up more than half of all orders I made, including an order for 3 items, where 2 were the same (and I made at least 20 orders total) Then after I got totaly pixxed off and sent a mail stating that it was my last order ever, they sent me the missing part with a 10£ voucher to be used within a week from getting the parcel... which only enraged me even more and cemented my stance. Since then I prefer ze Germans, never messed up a single order even one with parts for almost 2 bikes. And cheaper off course...
  • 100 3
 @rory: I used to write cheques for the UPS fees then call my bank and cancel the cheques. They screw me anyway they can so I screwed them right back.
  • 128 72
 Fantastic, downvotes right away for stating the own experience, sorry for shouting "intercourse" in the CRChurch... if I only wrote a false statement about being screwed by Specialized, I'd get +100... what the F...bike components DE, damn right I've said it. Intercourse! Kariboo! Concubine! Erogenous zone! Erogenous zooooone! Loose Woman!
  • 41 6
 @WAKIdesigns: your just too well known Waki. Someone at CRC must be a PB regular and is just messin with ya! Your reputation preceded you! ;-)
  • 4 1
 @slowrider73: hahaha. So true.
Never stuffed up my orders.
  • 34 2
 @WAKIdesigns: I think it's hard for people to really understand a rant like that when they have had good experience themselves, and when they don't know any full details of what went wrong with yours. For you to swear them off for good? Must have been bad, and then to shame them on ye old pinkbike. People make mistakes... But I reserve judgment, you are entitled to your opinion.
  • 28 0
 Few people may understand the importance of CRC and other good sites for us who live in not developed countries, when we need for spares for our bikes. Otherwise, we would not be able at all to have our bikes properly working for more than a year. Thanks CRC
  • 14 14
 @WAKIdesigns: being apart of the rapid growing discipleship, I will agree with you even though my experience was the opposite of yours. I've abandoned free thinking and rational thought and robotically agree with everything you say and stand for. I'll die on a cross for WAKI
  • 21 50
flag WAKIdesigns (Sep 13, 2016 at 4:30) (Below Threshold)
 @Ryanrobinson1984: the moment you do that my existence loses sense. I live on arguments with people. But I was shocked how fast I got into persona non grata state... My hovercraft is full of eels.
  • 5 2
 @WAKIdesigns: You're at least partly right, bikediscount.de is my go to for anything out of stock on CRC! And it sounds like you've just been unlucky with your CRC experiences
  • 6 3
 @rory: @rory: They are f*cking disgusting. I purchased a wallet from Saddleback leather in Texas cost me about £30 shipped, didnt realise they were going to use UPS. Delivery guy knocked the door and hit me up for nearly the same amount in handling fees. I was absolutely furious, disgusting that they can get away with it. On the bright side the wallet is awesome and comes with a 100 year warranty. Ive ordered 3 more since, sent by USPS and they came straight the my door no fees whatsoever. Absolute daylight robbery. Another example of a massive corporation being all that is wrong with the world. Makes me f*cking puke.
  • 6 2
 @WAKIdesigns:

ze Germans are cheap, but CRC customer service is a hell of a lot better. Of course maybe being a UK customer has something to do with this.
  • 18 26
flag WAKIdesigns (Sep 13, 2016 at 6:19) (Below Threshold)
 @Jamesb15uk: their mail response was great every single time, sure. I still think the best customer service is the one you don't need to use... the absolutely best customer service I have ever witnessed was by far from the Light Bicycle. Oh well, perhaps they got better now, since I stopped ordering from them 3 years ago, let's all smile and hug. POKOYOOOOO Big Grin Big Grin Big Grin Big Grin Big Grin Big Grin Big Grin Big Grin Big Grin
  • 12 0
 @WAKIdesigns: you get downvoted no matter what your comment typically is, so I don't think this thread is anything unique.
  • 5 0
 @rory: While I buy from CRC, and I do love how quickly things ship, I don't think its right that the British taxpayers get to foot part of the bill for my shipping. The article makes a good point about how CRC is in some ways killing the local bike shops in North America (esp. with shimano's regional pricing), but this would be much less of an issue if the North American customer had to pay the full cost for the goods they are receiving. That being said, I do appreciate the free shipping for my near complete XT drivetrain for under $200.
  • 6 1
 @rory: I get things faster using DHL from CRC for $5.99 than I do ordering anything from any of the large USA based sites. Oh and yeah, the parts are cheaper too.

Also want to give a random shoutout to DHL. They are also a class act which always makes my CRC experience even better.
  • 5 0
 Honestly, I was surprised at such a small room for CS and bike builders they have. Competitive Cyclist has about 3 times that. When ordering parts however, JensonUSA is totally the way to go. They price match most anything within reason within the US and gets to me in 2 business days without blowing up it's CO2 footprint (from coming half way around the world) along the way. Order through activejunky.com and get 6-10% cash back too.
  • 5 1
 @rory: When was the last time you ordered? The last 2 times I ordered, I tried tracked and untracked. The tracked one came with brokerage fees, that they demanded I pay online through a crappy website before they would deliver (sketch!) which showed up in about 2 weeks. The second time I ordered untracked. The package took nearly 4 weeks to be delivered. The package showed up when I was 1/2 through the missing package process with CRC.

This is a far cry from the standard post they used to do. Tracked, shipped and landed in about a week, 0 fees. That was a great experience. Today's experience is not what it used to be, and so much so that I don't think I will be ordering from CRC on a regular basis anymore. Frown
  • 11 0
 @slowrider73: @WAKIdesigns: I fully agree mate. I don't spend much time on the forums or commenting here but WAKI...your like a coal mine. Lots of low value standard coal comes out but once in a while a diamond is shared. The problem is that people remember repetition and volume.
  • 47 3
 @WAKIdesigns: you know what your problem is? It's not that your comments are all that shitty... Some are but not all.

It's the stupid ass tangents you go off on with all these screw ball analogies and weird jokes that only half make sense.

If you had just said something like "Not a big fan of CRC, made a couple of orders which have all been incorrect when shipped and the customer service was sub par when I needed it"

Like f*ck, see how I explained my frustration in such a way that got all the points across and I didn't sound like a f*cking goober?
  • 1 0
 @hamncheez: is that really true about the shipping?
  • 1 0
 @scary1: Ya, they use public carriers, paid for by the government, to ship overseas. The USPS does the same thing with imports from China under the ePacket program. Thats how you can buy something for $2 from hongkong and have shipping free.
  • 1 2
 @scary1: The British government gives them a break to offset their shipping costs. Its reasonable considering how much CRC is paying back in taxes through the business they bring in. Its no different than the breaks we receive for UPS international (shipped duties paid also so you don't have to pay anything else when it arrives unless it exceeds your country's import limit) But yeah, one shopping experience with CRC, quick shipping, good deal.

I'm completely taken aback by their offer for a custom wheel building service. I wonder how many compatibility issues they run into with peoples orders. It seems like it could be a bigger pain than its worth.
  • 26 36
flag WAKIdesigns (Sep 13, 2016 at 9:04) (Below Threshold)
 @2bigwheels: I fully agree with you. I too find it hot to come to my wife and say: tonight I want to have sex, me on top, you lying on your belly face down, because I like my balls against your bottocks. It will be around 9:25pm since I believe I will last longer today and I decided to give you 10 minutes of foreplay. So at worst we will be done around 22:00, with after sex cuddling and talking involved. I wish to sleep 8 hours and be at work before 8am. Please wear that orange pyjama it is easy to take off with my teeth. Thank you.
  • 1 0
 @spinko: Yeah same thing I ordered tracked and it arrived with DHL Express quickly.
There was a customs clearing charge (+ CAD taxes).
CRC was ready to accept the return package, but I ended up clearing it myself at the airport so paid taxes only.
  • 3 0
 I completely ditched CRC for that german site, much better, always reliable... not that CRC sucks.. prices are way better in Germany ; )....only comeback when there is something I cannot find elsewhere...
  • 2 0
 Been using CRC since 2006 any never had a problem. Unfortunately for them, German shops get my business nowadays as they're usually 10-20% cheaper than CRC.
  • 2 0
 @spinko: if they've changed it, that's good to know. I've ordered a few things off CRC and my experience has been good, I'll keep this in mind for next time though.
  • 1 1
 [deleted]
  • 3 1
 @WAKIdesigns: wha...whuh....uhh......uhm......err..............hmm.
  • 2 1
 @hamncheez: i had no idea. Great,one more thing to hate on the govt about.
  • 7 1
 @2bigwheels: honestly, if Waki left, i wouldnt even bother coming here,either. I dont understand half of what hes taking about,but the other half is hilarious.
  • 1 1
 @zer0c00l44: I just refuse delivery and let the courier send it back. When CRC started using DHL as one of their options I sent back a full M9000 XTR groupset over it. Called CRC and told them never to send anything to me again via DHL and they updated their shipping options beautifully and I ordered the group set again. I hate the greedy couriers.
  • 2 0
 I've made about twenty orders delivered to Aussie, Taiwan and the UK and they have never made a single mistake.

The Germans have lower prices but they use DHL who f*ck you for import tax in the destination country. Government mail services don't as long as you don't spend too much.

At the moment though wiggle is cheaper than chain reaction, as long as you spend more than £125 to get the free postage.
  • 6 1
 @2bigwheels: You make a great point about WAKI. Personally I dislike the man. He's bloody everywhere on this site and I personally find every comment shitty. Look at his initial down voted post - "ze Germans" and his response to your comment about sleeping with his wife. Is there any need because it certainly isn't funny?

He can't take any criticism, even constructive criticism like yours. He has to respond with a stupid answer. Then he bitches and moans when he gets down voted. Come on mate, what do you expect when you're a pain in the arse.
  • 1 2
 @WAKIdesigns: awesome, yet another classic Waki response.
  • 2 10
flag WAKIdesigns (Sep 14, 2016 at 7:42) (Below Threshold)
 @bholton: no I just watched CPGang video... I want to kill myself. I have never ever felt it more vividly: I am a piece of useless sht that hasn't achieved absolutely anything and haven't had any good fun in life either. I just spread my sht all over this website contaminating people with my depressed cess of bollocks. I want to fkng die.I need pot or DMT. Now.
  • 2 0
 @WAKIdesigns: Go with pot, and watch the video again. You should be fine.
  • 2 0
 @bholton: Waki is on an absolute bender
  • 2 5
 @DARKSTAR63: yea right, I'm done binging Vlads, now I'm going for distilled Muc-Off Cleaner with Double Monster, killing it like my wife kills potato chips when watching the new Gilmore Girls.
  • 2 0
 Sure makes things entertaining around here @WAKIdesigns
  • 1 0
 Things are so bad in Canada when it comes to shopping for bike parts... I'm all for encouraging the lbs but they're supplied by only 2 or 3 large conglomerate suppliers who fix prices. We need more competitive prices in Canada. And when we shop online outside the country we're getting hammered by exaggerated duty and brokerage fees. Sometimes I just want to curl up in a corner and cry????
  • 1 0
 @bushmill: Well your CDN dropped quite a bit in recent years to the USD and the USD has been pretty weak against the EU. I'd imagine you cannot get a good deal on much unless its used and buying locally. Its killed a bunch of business even to businesses in the US. It sucks all around.
  • 62 1
 Bicycle parts on the internet? that'll never catch on
  • 34 1
 But now you cant buy anything Sram or Rock Shox from them if you are outside of the EU but that's not CRC thats Sram. Ive been using CRC since around 2001 and have bought so so much kit and only once had an incorrect order and they fixed is really quickly. Nothing but good things to say about them as a company.
  • 13 0
 What??? So I can't buy SRAM or RS stuff through CRC now? So I have to pay about 3 times as much at a LBS so that the wholesalers in NZ can make exorbitant margins?? Damn...
  • 2 0
 Pretty much yeah. Sram group placed restrictions on online retailers. You can only sell to your respective continent, otherwise our distributors won't supply you.
  • 23 3
 @iian: Well shit... That sucks. Time to switch to shitmano then...
  • 7 0
 If you're in Aus NZ try Pushys. Not as cheap but good still. Cheapest anywhere for tyres. (Maxxis)
  • 3 0
 @markhouse I didn't believe you as I received a new Sram drivetrain literally 2 weeks ago. Just checked back & sure enough, no Sram cassettes etc. How rude
  • 6 0
 Great isn't it.... Globalisation of production, they make their products in the most cost effective locations possible then bring in restrictions, of course with this change I'm now waiting for my local bike shop to now be able to provide say a Pike at least ~$500 cheaper than they can now, to match what was available from crc including international shipping, guess I will be waiting quite a while.
  • 3 0
 Yeah I'm pissed. Sram cassette are overpriced least it was a slight deal on crc. I was about to place an order and bam no more.
  • 4 0
 @Skootur:
Exactly. I have a few bikes and was contemplating my XX replacement on my Jet 9, SRAM being an arse about it will make it easier to add another XTR group instead of an Eagle setup.
  • 3 1
 @ns2000x @Jokesterwild and the rest of us Canadians that used to order SRAM parts on CRC.. there is a Canadian-origin website called TBSBikeParts.com that used to have very poor selection but seems to have recently stepped up their SRAM and Shimano selection and availability.
I personally have never used them before, but when I need a new XX1 cassette I'll be checking them out- CRC was $360 CAD vs TBS $400 CAD (will be 13% taxes, but free shipping and no import fees).
  • 2 2
 @Skootur: Or use a package forwarder based in England. It may be cheaper despite the higher shipping cost.
  • 4 0
 @jeffreyelias8: @skootur @jokesterwild This is what I got as a reply when I emailed them...
"We have a great relationship with RochShox who provide us with a great range of products. We have agreed with them that we will not sell their products outside of the EU." Looks like I will stick to TBS Bike Parts as well. Great customer service and fast shipping with competitive pricing.
  • 2 0
 @jeffreyelias8: I ended up finding a cassette for 270 the x01. Well see what it ends up with shipping. From the uk as well. I'll try TBD in the future but $400 isn't a deal imo
  • 4 1
 This is the kind of dick move that will cause me to buy another brand. Why can't companies get it into their thick skulls that customers expect global brands to offer proper global distribution? That means the same price _everywhere_. If that means that SRAM in NZ hardly makes any sales, then perhaps SRAM head office should take a long hard look at their distribution model and offer them the same prices as do their volume buyers like CRC. Times have changed.
  • 5 2
 good excuse to get off SPAM and onto shitmano components.

It's also worth noting, that for a new bike company to spec SCAM as OEM, they need to buy over $100k of parts to even be considered. Shimano allows various size orders that allow smaller companies to grow. Since I learned that firsthand and have been watching a small company try to go through the hoops, my bike is SCAM free and always will be with the exception of any SS parts like the bars. That I can respect and support, the rest is super questionable.
  • 1 0
 @Ceod77: Good call mate! Ive been trying to buy everything I need from Torpedo....we need a southern hemisphere version of CRC and I believe torpedo could be a good candidate.
  • 2 0
 @sean9002: there has been the odd thing i have found on T7 that was cheaper than CRC but not many.
  • 1 0
 @jeffreyelias8: I've ordered tbs before. I also arms length know one of the owners (friend of a friend). Shipping is about the same speed as crc, but it was started by a bunch of bc locals which is nice.
  • 2 0
 @sean9002: Problem is, in many cases the dealer cost price here is higher than the retail price from CRC or one of the German retailers.
  • 23 2
 CRC are the muts nuts! Break it on the weekend, order it when you get home. Arrives by tues / weds and back out on the weekend! If LBS could compete with that service then I would consider it but when you put in speed of service and value it's a no brainer....

However the caption about the box closing machine Lies all lies! The amount of times I get a mahoosive box with a tiny component in proves that the caption with this pic is absolute balderdash!
  • 11 8
 The thing about the LBS is they most likely order from crc anyway and then mark up the prices!chain reactions all the way
  • 13 15
 BULLSHHHH. You are buying online because it is cheaper. End of. Your LBS could also get you the bits you need before the following weekend, but the truth is they stopped stocking expensive high-end stuff because it is all about the "price: low to high" setting nowadays.

Which is fine, we all like a good deal and why pay full whack when you don`t have to right?



Just stop being a bloody hypocrite.
  • 14 0
 @Garpur44: +1 just for using the word balderdash. Where are you from? The 1930's?
  • 12 2
 @vt612: Not being a hypocrite, I use CRC and their competitors because of the service I received from LBS's in my local area.

When I started riding I took it to the shop for everything and was without my bike for weeks on end, as a result I started learning to do my own work. Now I can do it all but full suspension services and now have no need for an LBS when I can order online at a fraction of the price and have the work done as soon as I get home.

If my local LBS's had provided a better service out of laziness I'd still be using them.
  • 4 1
 @mikeyspaff: Just a euphemism for bollocks, for a moment I forgot where I was and was trying to be polite 
  • 3 1
 @vt612: He's not wrong, it sounds like you have a pretty great service! CRC will blow most LBS's out of the water on stuff that they don't stock as you're effectively just adding in a middle-man, plus the places they source from aren't worried about satisfying you and you're orders the same way CRC do. Plus he never said that price wasn't also a factor
  • 2 0
 @mikeyspaff: Must have fell out of the pages from the first Beano Annual...
  • 4 2
 @Garpur44: Just stick with the word bollocks mate, we're all battle hardened beer swilling mountain bikers.. Unless you think 140mm is long travel and wear lycra.
  • 3 2
 @freerideglory: Think a cursory glance at my profile will show I consider a 160mm a small bike :-)
  • 2 2
 @Allaboutthehardtails: tour completely right there, I've discussed it with friends that run shops an it commonplace for them to use CRC because it's cheaper AND faster then official distro.......
  • 3 1
 CRC is my local bike shop Smile Its just 10 miles away so can get it same day.. Not always the cheapest anymore so I still shop around. They cleaned out bb threads in workshop for me too.
  • 10 1
 @Garpur44: "When I started riding I took it to the shop for everything and was without my bike for weeks on end, as a result..."

This right here. Sums up the demise of the lbs in one paragraph.

Ppl will pay for convenience, and inconvenience themselves for savings. But if you can't offer savings, can't offer convenience, your service stinks, and I have to deal with some skinny-jeaned roadie twat who doesn't know compression damping from his sweaty cross fit compression leggings, then I'm out.

And don't bemoan "lbs loyalty" as the issue. The lbs' are the disloyal ones who caused their customers to find other solutions.
  • 4 1
 I'd say an LBS makes it's money from families looking to kit themselves out with the latest chrome handlebar bells for their next camping trip. It certainly isn't experienced bikers, we buy online and we do most of our own repairs.
  • 1 0
 @vt612: how much high end inventory would the local bike shop have to eat the last 5 years with all of the changing standards that we have had?

And when the bike makers moved their production to China to increase their profits what was the repsonse from the lbs?

I guess only the end user should be responsible to pay higher costs, not the bike design companies or lbs.
  • 1 2
 @vt612:
Chill the fudge out dude I'm merely stating facts about bike shops!!!I buy from CRC because they are cheaper..yes!!I don't buy from lbs because they but from CRC aswell.i use my shop to fix things not.buy from them
  • 2 0
 @dtm1: bang on mate
  • 2 0
 Same here! Ordered CUBE-labeled barends at a CUBE-Dealer, got it like after a week...the LBS can't do anything for me that i can't do myself in a fraction of the time. Except for truing wheels, until i get myself a truing-stand that is...however, people on pinkbike are usually not the target group of an LBS.
  • 19 0
 I used to order a ton of stuff from Jenson and CRC until I walked into my bike shop one day with a completely new build and they were a little upset I hadn't given them the opportunity to try and get close to online prices. Now I go solely to my bike shop who is willing to match prices online (or at least get close) and then have the item next day. I have nothing against CRC or Jenson they have supplied a lot of parts for me in the past but give your shop a chance to make a few bucks and keep the lights on.
  • 11 0
 ***This isn't directed at you Shred, simply the debate surrounding how LBS "deserve" our support. ***

I wish it were that easy... but EVERY LBS I've gone into looking for help or for a particular bit of gear, all I ever get is attitude from douchey shop monkeys who can't be bothered. Perhaps it is that they are simply indignant because of the Jensons and the CRC's of the world... but guess what, tough sh*t... That's how business works... Adapt or die.

I know that sounds harsh, but for every story like yours (seemingly idyllic bike shop that goes out of their way to try and keep a customer) there are 20 shops staffed by dudes who don't give a sh*t about customer service. Yeah, yeah, "but ignorant customer this, and overly demanding customer that"

Please save the "you gotta earn their love by buying sh*t from them" line of reasoning. LBS's are dying because they can't seem to ADAPT. An LBS needs to earn MY love. Not the other way around.

It sounds like you've been lucky to find a stand out example of what a good LBS should be. But in my experience, 9 times out of 10, they shoot themselves right in the foot before we even get close to money changing hands.
  • 2 0
 @MasterSlater: Hate to hear that but you're not the first to say that to me. I agree with you that in your situation the shop needs to wake up and figure their shit out or they deserve to go under. No one needs a*shole shops.
  • 18 1
 I don't get how I can order suttin from CRC across the pond and get it in 3 to 4 days and it takes over a week to receive suttin from the same state!!!!other online retailers should take notes from CRC.
  • 8 0
 For real, I placed an order at 1am on a Tuesday from CRC and had it by the end of the day Thursday in Connecticut. Not sure what type of black magic they're using but that same order would take a week for Jenson.
  • 5 0
 Agree nug. Shocked first time I ordered from CRC. Was on a Sunday evening and the stuff was on my door step Thursday morning, Don't know how it gets through two customs ports and an ocean so fast but have been a customer since.
  • 7 0
 @nyhc00: they're in Ireland they don't use black magic they use rainbows and leprechaun dust
  • 2 0
 Don't ask questions, just go with it.
  • 1 0
 Same with Evans cycles, faster shipping than ordering from the states. So good.
  • 2 0
 I havent ordered anything from CRC because I was worried about shipping speed, but thats a lot faster than Jenson. Last time I ordered from Jenson they did nothing at all with the order for 3 days before finally shipping it, I qualified for "free 2 day shipping" which was technically correct, I didnt know the 3 days of processing in stock items was part of the deal though. Next time I will order from CRC.
  • 3 0
 FedEx international priority mate.i know I work at fedex
  • 2 0
 @Allaboutthehardtails: no your wrong it's rainbows and leprechaun dust
  • 1 0
 Since when have you been experiencing this blazing fast shipping?!?!

The last thing I ordered from CRC was a derailleur (that was in stock) and it took SIX WEEKS for me to get it in New York.

Granted, that was 3 years ago and maybe they've figured out how to get through U.S. Customs much faster. Is this the consensus? That CRC shipping doesn't get stuck in Customs for weeks any more?

I live in SoCal, so I get Jenson shipped free, oftentimes receiving it the very next day. Wink
  • 16 1
 Amazing to get a look behind the scenes at CRC, most helpful and one of the best customer services ive come across. Keep it up CRC!!
  • 1 0
 RIP CRC
  • 14 1
 boycott CRC? I'm willing to as soon as LBS offer me good prices, huge selections, and employees who dont think theyre better than me.

So, never.
  • 4 0
 unfortunately many products are cheaper to buy from crc than bike shops can get at trade prices, they cant offer huge selection as they still need to be able to sell it, and there is nothing worse for a bike shop than to watch their expensive bike bits become obsolete and then sell them at 1/4 of the price! bike shop employees think they are better than you because they probably know more than you! and have just spent 30mins helping someone try on helmets only for them to go an buy it online!
  • 11 0
 Love CRC, although their box packing machine is a bit hit and miss as I've often been sent parts like stem spacers in a box the size of a small suitcase!
  • 9 1
 The parts that online retailers sell aren't always through official suppliers. Many online retailers buy excess oem stock from bike manufacturers at a very low price. This is why people receive reverbs with no bleed kit or a brake not in its original packaging. This can then be a right headache when it comes to warranty problems. Cheapest solution is not always the best.
  • 12 1
 Oh so these are the elves that send me all the presents that I buy for myself.
  • 8 0
 A great article about a great business. CRC would be even better if they had a loyalty scheme as it's too easy to Google shop on price when it comes to bike parts.
  • 3 0
 Yeah... but most of the time if you're a British Cycling member that 10% discount makes CRC cheaper anyway. If only once a month.
  • 2 0
 You can get up to 4% cashback if you order using Quidco
  • 9 0
 Best customer service in the business. Fast, efficient and customer orientated. Thanks CRC.
  • 9 0
 That box folding machine sent me a diaphram for my hope brake in a suitcase...haha
  • 6 0
 "several online campaigns to boycott CRC as traditional bike shops see their bottom lines eroded by online sales"
I would blame it also on bike companies "innovations" and new standards, making it impossible for a shop to stock all parts.
Regardless if you did not get the memo, the usa / uk bicycle bubble is over, expect shops and company to shut down in the next few years.
  • 9 1
 Nice.I have very good experience with CRC,Great customer service,Wish to work for them.
  • 7 0
 Lately the skynet delivery has been amazing to Australia, 3-4 days for delivery from time of ordering. LBS takes about 2 weeks to get anything in :/
  • 8 1
 Skynet? Was your parcel delivered by a T800? We should probably let the world know it's doomed.
  • 7 0
 it would be interesting to see a feature like this about pinkbike, the other 400lb gorilla in the room.
  • 4 0
 Back when I managed a shop I had a love-hate relationship with CRC. I'd spend so much time selling a product only to have the customer go buy it online (often times from CRC and at a price was at or below what I got it for!). Fact is the way cyclists interact with the industry has changed. If I want to check out the latest goods I can look at high resolution photos here on Pinkbike, find the specs and even read a long term review written by a guy like Richard Cunningham to make a final decision. Pop open a new tab and I just got a Shimano groupset at 45% off shipped quickly to my home with a no hassle return policy all in the amount of time it would take me to drive to a shop. At the end of the day it will get more people riding and since owning a mobile repair service I love CRC it's is my go to place for parts and expendables and don't see that ever changing!
  • 4 0
 I've been buying all of my kit from CRC for years and never once had any incorrect order, always delivered super quick and ahead of time!

My only slight criticism is that I feel like they don't stock as much unusual/ different kit these days as they used to and they won't do custom orders even for items that are supplied by brands they already stock.
  • 5 1
 Why I use CRC, a local bike shop sells the same maxis ardent tire for $90 that CRC sells for $50

I understand paying a bit more locally, in my mind on a purchase this size maybe $15 dollars more, but a $40! Price difference!
  • 1 2
 You actually understand paying more locally? No, spending more money never makes sense.
  • 3 1
 Check out TBS Bike Parts. Great deals on Maxis Tires and they are Canadian.
  • 1 0
 @captaincrunch3: had a look, will try to give them a go next purchase.
  • 1 0
 @captaincrunch3: Just did and ordered something. Thanks for the tip.
  • 3 0
 I work in the trade I buy stuff off crc as its cheaper than me buying some things through the shop I work at at trade price. Those who think bike shops are making massive margins on product you couldn't be so wrong. It varies given how big an account you have with some distributors. Some things for me on premier price from Madison are cheaper on crc. Longterm this will close more local bike shops
  • 3 0
 Can't really fault them. Had 1 order that disappeared (£480+ worth) and they fixed it no questions asked. Royal Mail had failed miserably.

Great prices, huge range, but for me the returns policy is the winner. No barrier to sale as if I don't like it I just send it back. Bingo. Try to buy from LBS as often as possible but they barely ever have what I want and if they order it in often they can't return it.
  • 8 0
 Ah yes, the old "my parcel has not arrived" trick.
  • 3 0
 I wonder what shopping at CRC will be like after UK is fully out of EU. There are good German online retailers, that can successfully substitute CRC for me, but I would still like the option of ordering from the good old shop.
  • 3 0
 The fact that CRC supports a WC race team, is enough for me to buy all my components from them. Spent countless amounts there and will continue to do so even when being harrassed for not supporting my LBS. Well, when they run a race team that supports WC downhill and several WC racers, then I'll support them as well. If CRC drops the team, then my support is gone.
  • 1 0
 unfortunately it cant always work like that,my lbs has just closed because they just cant compete with websites like crc. despite running a wc and national level race people just don't care, they just want cheap!
  • 2 0
 About the boxing machine and big boxes for smalI parts: I suspect that the measuring device has a problem with small items, if detection of the height is not reliable / uncertain, then the machine will probably default to a certain height so the goods are not damaged when the box is cut and sealed.

That's how I would program it and I have already seen boxing machines like this fail big time and cut the goods in half Smile
  • 3 1
 One point that stood out for me was, "Much of online bike component sales is based on the premise that the customer knows exactly what they want..."

In my area, some of the bike shops persist in high pricing compounded with arrogance that we have no clue what we need. They also carry no stock of “what we need,” making many items, “special order.” To those shops, I have no idea how/if they can bridge that gap, but that dozen or so elitist roadies, and the Christmas-tree bike sales, will only keep the doors open for so long.
  • 1 0
 Mind you it's not all of them, but comparing an hour of windshield time for a better shop, to Point Click Ship...
  • 2 0
 Having been employed in warehousing and distribution for the past 20 years I can assure you all that it is no easy feat to organize, pick/pack and deliver in the time scale, volume's and prices that CRC achieve.
Yes there are going to be mistakes along the way but an operation like CRC's will look at each "fail" and do it's very best to rectify and remove the mistake in the future.
I still use my LBS for mechanical work I am not technically equipped to perform but even they tell me that I should buy the parts from CRC and bring them in. I find a good bottle of scotch, crate of their preferred beers or a box of donuts also helps the LBS relationship.
  • 8 6
 Is it just me or is CRC falling behind compared to some others? I find that a lot of the cheap stuff is obsolete, the range they offer is wide but not so good depth, also the price has not been that great on stuff I really want. Maybe my expectations is too high.
  • 7 1
 Anyone making petitions to shut them down really is a first class buffoon.
  • 7 0
 The petitions need to be targeted at companies like Shimano which sell their products for pennies on the dollar in the Euro market and then charge twice the amount to the US market. Those are the companies which are killing LBS.
  • 2 0
 Many bike shops these days also sell over the internet. I used to work at a shop which didn't because they were selling Specialized and at least back then Specialized dealers weren't allowed to sell stuff (any stuff) over the internet. We were doing loads of custom geometry steel frames and Litespeed would make us the custom geometry titanium frames. Obviously people are going to drop by the shop for that kind of stuff. But even here the owner turned out to have an internet store running in the background for more generic lower end stuff. So the point of online retailers being unfair to the lbs seems nonsense to me. Both sell over the internet, CRC just happens to be a lot more efficient. And that efficiency is the result of investments they made. They need to sell on this scale to get these investments back, pay all those people they employ and give something back to the sport. They sponsor loads of events, making them happen. And they understand the customer, which simply isn't my experience with the lbs.

CRC has taken chances, they've been clever and now they're getting the rewards. It is good.
  • 5 0
 The box folding machine must miss my boxes I get sent then!
  • 4 0
 Each day CRC ships on average six 40' articulated lorries of parcels. WOOWWWWWW
  • 2 1
 Best costumer service around! And all done by phone. In person shopping at my LBSs does not even come close to the level of customer service that CRC provides. Fantastic customer service, excellent products, great pricing and fast delivery - CRC brings all that to the table and that is why I shop at CRC.
  • 2 0
 I would like to support the local shops more, but everything is so much cheaper on crc. Even shimano lets them sell components a lot cheaper, which is a bit of a kick in the nuts for bike shops.
  • 1 0
 I live about 7 miles from CRC - it is great to be able to go and try on stuff like helmets/shoes first rather than ordering and hoping for correct fit. Good to be able to phone up with a product code, check stock availability then go and collect it rather than waiting on the postie. I have mixed feelings about the bike servicing end of CRC having had both good and not so good work done on my mtb.
  • 1 0
 *sigh* i have a bit of a love hate relationship with crc, having just finished working as a bike mechanic i find it rubbish and unfair (i know, life's unfair) that i could buy many items cheaper from crc than from my work at trade prices! and seeing so many people waste lbs staff's time trying on shoes, helmets and asking advice about components only to then go and buy it from crc, independent bike shops will never be able to compete!
  • 2 0
 Send your money over seas while the North American economy is struggling, then go ask your LBS to support trail days, races, special event rides......... Seems like a sustainable plan.
  • 1 0
 Take my money crc, i have to control myself at times from visiting your website. Some of the pricing is just impossible to beat, even after paying duties i still have a big smile on my face! Changed the game for my compulsive need to buy things i really dont need !
  • 1 0
 @WAKIdesigns: I am buying from ze Germans as well. I must say had no problem with CNC so far even got the whole road bike from them. no cheap shipping must say.. Also the only order that was not UPS is still on its way amazingly long.. I could get it faster if i went to collect by car. (like 2000 miles) ze Germans are cheaper, true.
  • 9 8
 Yes, i have bought stuff from CRC. One helmet and one bike repair stand. Some stuff from Alltricks (almost always cheaper).

BUT almost always my bikeshops sell stuff to me cheaper. Even when it's on sale in a webshop. I'm building a bike at the moment and the shop is selling it to me cheaper than i could get it anywhere on the web (german/french/UK). Soooo i would highly recommend talking to your shop always before buying. At least in Finland the brick and mortar shops know whats up AND it still leaves them margin.
  • 7 1
 I beg to differ - one of the main complaints with CRC is that your LBS cannot compete. CRC orders stock in such massive quantities due to their size that they are given a big discount that most LBS could never dream of. There are many anecdotal stories floating around where the price quoted on CRC is lower than the price being quoted to a LBS, meaning that I if they don't charge you more as a result they make a loss... I'm a regular customer of CRC so this isn't a criticism - It's just a fact.
  • 1 0
 Also in Finland - what shop are you going to?
  • 8 0
 @slimboyjim: This is a fact! I used to manage a fleet of 1,400 hire bikes.When it came to buying spares, I used to have weekly conversations with my suppliers (the same ones who supply CRC). "How come I have to pay £1.50 each more wholesale than CRC sells them at retail?" Answer - "Because you order 60 per month and CRC order 600 each week".
  • 2 0
 @GNARbikeparkUK: As far as we are aware they also import a lot of their goods, so rather than going to a UK distributor they import from Germany and other EU countries as they manage to negotiate a better price. Got to hand it to them, they are a money making machine and fair play coming from such humble beginnings just 30 years ago.
  • 5 1
 @GranaryCycles:

I'd be interested to know more about the workforce at CRC, bearing in mind the big flap about sports direct?

Are CRC staff directly employed? Or contractors? Zero hours? Minimum wage?
  • 1 0
 @slimboyjim: Yes a lot of the time CRC has items listed lower than the supply house price and it is due to the volume they move. However, I will happily let my bike shop charge me a few percent over the online price so they can keep their lights on.
  • 1 0
 That labyrinth has just spat even more goodies my way. Always been impressed with CRC and keep coming back. Which is equally frustrating as i used to chat to my now closed LBS saying it was cheaper for them to stack their shelves with CRC orders than from the distributor.
  • 1 0
 I remember ordering from CRC in the 90's it was a two page advert in MBUK and you used to compare it to JE James. Then you rang up and paid by card and were totally mistified how your Hope Big'un or Daves Chain Device got to you the following morning. Only today I was ridding and saw a big ride party all on bright yellow Vitus hardtails as I rode round on my new CRC aquired bottom bracket. The Germans can often be a smidge cheaper but always sting you for postage. Please do some of those crazy sales you used to do until about three years ago where everything was insain cheap.
  • 1 0
 PB should do more of these factory inside pieces, and give up with the bike reviews....which are always the same , lame , and suck. I dont know why bike shops just dont order from CRC and Jenson or like online retailers and just pass on the great price to their customers. They would still make money on installation of the parts. Everybody ends up happy.
  • 1 0
 They actually started out in an even smaller premises than that barber shop shown in this article, it was in the small village of Ballynure where I live just on the outskirts of Ballyclare but that building is now flattened to make way for some new housing so no photo available. Amazing that they have come so far, can't fault them with anything I have ever ordered. Genuinely quite helpful staff and competitive prices on anything you could ever want to buy for your bike.
  • 1 0
 Chain Reactions prices are great and all, and I have bought from them in the past. But it takes FOREVER for their stuff to make it through Customs here in the U.S.

The last thing I ordered from them was an XTR shifter and it took literally, no exaggeration, SIX WEEKS for it to arrive.

Yes, it was in stock. It just takes that long for anything to get into the U.S. from foreign companies.

I do somewhat recall them making some kind of change however that was supposed to have greatly expedited their stuff getting through Customs. Anyone have any idea, or experience, as to whether or not that's the case?
  • 3 0
 This is a really cool article, Pinkbike. Good press for CRC, and it gives me something intelligent to read that helps break up the monotony of the workday. Kudos!
  • 1 0
 Hi, I am trying to find out what the threshold that determines when I should ditch the once-small bike shop that I frequented and helped become successful and too big?

I am trying to retain my street cred by not liking a shop that's too big. All my friends are into cool little boutique shops that sell only handbuilt frames and those lame little Italian cycling caps and wool riding sweaters, so I want to fit in. Knowing when a shop has gone from that cool little bike shop in the Mission (San Francisco) to that big box retailer who was too good at what they did and grew from one shop to ten.
  • 1 0
 CRC and Bike discount.de are brilliant for us poor folk in the colonies - even when our currency is down the toilet, the end of range specials make the stuff so much cheaper. I mean 50 quid for a decent AM helmet makes local pricing look ridiculous...
  • 1 0
 I usually order from one of the many California shops because things get here fast and usually for free or like maybe $6. That said I ordered from CRC once, shipping was cheap and it was here like 2 days later! Amazing prices, customer service, etc. Seriously impressed plus they sponsor Sam Hill.
  • 1 0
 Hey CRC, you guys are great! but maybe you could give your workers in the office a little seperation? a proper cubicle at least? one giant flat desk is a tough work environment! especially if on the phone, close quarters like a submarine there!
  • 1 0
 A key attribute to the CRC success story is the "premise that the customer knows exactly what they want ". My occasional order from CRC is almost always prefaced by online research and consultation -- no need to appeal to the traditional source of expertise, the LBS. So, not only is CRC a child of the internet age, it is also a response to another child of the information age, a new breed of customer with unprecedented access to product information and expertise.

Will this spell the demise of the LBS? I don't think so. Not all cyclists cultivate, or even desire, a level of interest in their machines that is typically a prerequisite for patronizing CRC. Many just want expertise and service that is close by and reassuringly personal. That can only be found at LBS.
  • 1 0
 Great customer service. On my first order to them, some stuff was missing. I let them know what was missing and I had the item in less than a week, no questions asked. I'll be ordering more with kind of CS.
  • 3 0
 wondering, how will the costs rise after UK leaves EU, may have to start to pay for toll fees,,,
  • 6 3
 Brexit is probably the most stupid thing this country has done in my lifetime. (I'm not bitter at all (sarcasm)) But if CRC import directly it will likely make them stronger and other outlets that go via distributors suffer even more.
  • 2 0
 I imagine they would use proxy firms and warehouses inside EU under CRC brand to avoid import fees
  • 1 1
 Crc have always been amazing for me never had the wrong things sent never any damage never misadvised nothing I've had quite a lot of custom wheel builds they've always been perfect amazing store! Only down side is not much loyalty points such as every 100 pound u spend u get 10 percent off your order or some kind of vouchers freebies every time you've spend another £1000I've spent well over 15000 on crc and don't get much back but overall a great service
  • 3 0
 Judgement Day: The day the CRC computers became conscious and began shipping on their own.
  • 2 0
 That's not Judgment Day... That's Christmas Day for us all Wink
  • 1 0
 More like charging everyone's stored bank details to maximum.....
  • 4 1
 Probikeshop & alltricks are two sites as efficient as chainreaction and the delivery timing is twice shorter!
  • 1 0
 "Monday morning they needed to fill 16,000 orders from the previous weekend".

Holy crap.

Still, it warms my heart to hear how many people around the globe love being on 2 wheels as much as I.
  • 3 1
 What an awesome article. Nice work Pinkbike. Cool to see behind the scenes.
  • 3 0
 Hope those are my wheels those guys are making! I'm chompin at the bit!
  • 1 0
 champing, not chomping. Smile

and be sure to get those wheels trued after a couple of rides - they may technically be hand built, but the builds are machine-built quality - they even include a note in the box that says they need to be retrued
  • 1 0
 @xeren:. I meant chomping. ;-)
  • 4 1
 Great. Better off shopping local.
  • 1 0
 CRC is great.. now I know how my orders processed.. thumbs up to that.. but I noticed they removed SRAM parts from their site recently.
  • 1 0
 what if I order a fork and a shifter ? I know they come in the same box, but come from different warehouse. is there a step to add sub-orders?
  • 1 0
 They don't, they'll come in separate packages as their forks are not kept in the same warehouse as the smaller components.
  • 2 0
 I can't help but feel, that for such a wealthy company, the office space looks really miserable and dated.
  • 3 0
 Putting bike shops out of business near and far.
  • 1 0
 I like CRC but their price are crazy on some items when compared to bike components DE, my 5-10's were 30 euro less and my last set of tyres were 40 cheaper
  • 3 2
 Fack CRC I used them lots, recommended them to others, and now they will no longer ship sram products outside of Eu Fack u CRC
  • 4 1
 It's likely not CRC's fault for not being able to ship SRAM components back to North America. It's likely SRAM, like some of the the American clothing manufacturers have done, it that they have put contractual limitations on where CRC can distribute their products. This is so that consumers will have to pay a higher price locally and limits the availability within our areas. I really hate companies that do this type of practices and I actually boycott that specific brand.

SRAM components are also inferior anyway. So, I don't really care if they don't ship to Canada. I'm sure if you really want to get "cheaper" SRAM, you'd go with JensonUSA. Then again, SRAM will put contractual restrictions onto Jenson that their parts can't be shipped to Canada.
  • 1 0
 All the Germans like bike24, bike discount etc are cheaper and much better. Stopped with CRC 5 years ago and never looked back
  • 3 1
 Gotta love the old username password post it note!
  • 2 0
 No offence, but I prefer bikediscount Smile
  • 2 2
 I prefer buying at my LBS....I want to cherish these moments before all brick n mortor stores go the direction of the front derailleur.... Obsolete.
  • 3 1
 Don't worry, the LBS will never become obsolete. However I recognize many will close because of the more competitive market, and it's a good thing! So many shops are poorly run, have staff that are arrogant and ignorant and have turnaround times that are ridiculous. I've seen plenty of shops shut down in recent years but I've also seen several open that are amazing! What sets them apart is their focus and passion. They're pillars in the community. They not only advocate for trail access but lead the charge in getting them built, they're welcoming to everyone, pay their mechanics a fair wage and specialize in services such as fitting, suspension or sale of used bikes. Some are even doing mobile repair, something that's really going the challenge them over the coming years.

So despite online retailers such as CRC making it harder to run a shop, at the end of the day we all win. The shops that would otherwise fail (at least around my area) will just do so sooner.
  • 1 0
 @SHIFT-Eric: @SHIFT-Eric: I work at a shop that does 1-2 day turn around on repairs and was busy as hell all summer. Were up from last year. Everyone is happy and doesn't care if you want to buy parts online for us to install.

A shop a few hours away is 3 weeks behind on repairs right now so some people are making the drive to get them done in our town. That guys shop is going to go under because he would rather ride than help customers and make money. When things were really busy in May a few of us put in 60 hours weeks to get repairs out the door and keep a quick turnaround. I'm not worried about our success or profitability going into the future.

Shimano doesn't really care about Shimano North America which causes the pricing problems we see. I don't think that will change. Some companies started to push back by controlling their pricing or some shops by ditching Shimano/Pearl. The last place I worked dropped both Pearl clothing and Shimano shoes. In one year their payments to Shimano were down 96%. Their sales of new clothing and shoes were also up in the new year because they didn't have to deal with people showrooming them.
  • 1 0
 Vraiment un beau reportage qui nous aide a comprendre le monstre de l'intérieur.
#longlivepinkbike
  • 1 0
 I hope all that talk about wiggle won't change much. Except hopefully have more specials.
  • 2 1
 The picture with a Shimano Acera mech in a plastic container is unnecessary Wink
  • 1 0
 So thats why I sometimes I don't get any stickers in my boxes... The staff steal them all!!
  • 1 0
 Its not store, its biketory Big Grin
  • 1 0
 16,000 orders from the weekend. Holy crap! Talk about your tough Mondays!
  • 1 0
 I wonder how it will be with the wiggle merger
  • 1 3
 When my LBS doesn't have a single narrow/wide chainring for a Sram direct mount (yes I am calling out Bow Cycle in Calgary), the LBS doesn't deserve my business... Bad shops will close and good ones will remain. Thanks CRC!
  • 1 0
 Article was going well till I saw the Parcel Farce lorry!!
  • 2 2
 I wonder where they find those shipping boxes that disintegrate upon delivery.
  • 2 1
 Its funny how they'll send $200 of parts in a box with the consistency of tissue paper.
  • 1 0
 Should be a nice place to work. Looks great
  • 2 0
 I was thinking the opposite... The idea of being ordered around a warehouse by a headset really doesn't appeal to me!
  • 1 0
 I mean working with bike stuff. Any big shop like this will have headser orders.
  • 1 0
 Get those mechanics some floor mats!
  • 3 2
 The big bike shop killer
  • 1 0
 Verry interesting
  • 1 0
 That's my order!
  • 1 0
 SATAN!?!
  • 2 3
 Amazing. Shame about the whole Brexit thing.
  • 7 0
 Sure it only means the exchange rate is benefiting you big time.
  • 2 1
 yeah, now people in EU contreys have to start to pay toll fees ;/
  • 1 0
 Damn, this is the first time I realize this. All the time I thought I'll be fine because they're Irish. But they're Northern Irish. Maybe not worth it to spark the conflict up there again...
  • 1 0
 We're UK dude, therefore brexitting. Might be able to work something out with Ireland because we share a border, but who knows.
  • 3 5
 Bike shops need to wake up, they are asleep at the wheel.
  • 5 1
 How so? Companies set map and msrp prices to be followed. LBS are under contact to follow those prices and in many cases restricted from online sales. You need to wake up. No LBS is getting rich off your Bike. Support local or all LBS will cease to exist. Then online sale prices will increase and they open their own brick and mortar stores to screw you even harder. Blame the corporations for not allowing small businesses to compete. All this does is force LBS to raise their labor costs.
  • 1 1
 @GaryC: By fighting back against MAP and MSRP if its not going to be truly honored. We are getting screwed. I'm part of the ship that is sinking.
  • 2 0
 bike shops pay more for there products because they don't buy direct like these huge online stores. Obviously you don't know what your talking about.
  • 3 0
 @Dalton4213: I know they do. I work at one. Have worked at an online retailer, as well as OEM level. Shops are getting screwed is what I'm saying. They need to figure out a new distribution model before getting totally run out of business.
  • 1 0
 @kmg0: Seems unfair. Why should bike shops have to figure out a new model of distribution? Not trying to be difficult, just curious what your thoughts are.
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