Starting my bike shop plan please fill out a short survey

PB Forum :: Pinkbike Groups
Starting my bike shop plan please fill out a short survey
Author Message
flag Kona-Zach
Posted: Sep 23, 2011 at 7:48 Quote
seraph wrote:
Kona-Zach wrote:
seraph wrote:
How do you expect to fund this bike shop endeavor?
well i'm in the cource that i'm currently in to make up a business plan which is about 80 pages and is one of the major parts to what a bank would want to see before writing a loan aswell as i will learn book keeping and other importain skills to starting a small business, aswell for the funding i have a few close friends that have money that would be interested in investing once i produce a solid plan

aside from the esb cource i am going to be going to the United Bicycle Institute in Portland Origon http://www.bikeschool.com/classes

I'm not just a kid with a dream i'm working on a plan to back me up although i won't be opening in the next year i will be getting all the classes schooling and as much actual shop experience as i can, and maybe open up in the next 6 years as im only 18 now and still have stuff to figure out, i hope that answers you question

Just an FYI, I went to UBI back in 2003 for the Intermediate and Advanced Bicycle Mechanic courses, and then back again a few years ago for the DT Swiss Advanced Wheel Building course. I'm the service manager at my current shop and I have been working as a mechanic in various shops for 11 years. UBI was nice groundwork but the majority of my knowledge comes from experience working in a shop. What you need to do before you should be even thinking about opening a shop is try working in one. Working in a shop allows you to see the "dirty underbelly" of a bike shop; the intimate inner workings, so to speak.

well i already do all my own work but i want some further education in it, i do plan to spend a few years at a shop or a few different ones in different locations possibly to get real hands on experience and build up a rep
flag bryandickson
O+
Posted: Sep 23, 2011 at 8:24 Quote
Kona-Zach wrote:
I am 18 and I’m from Moose Jaw Saskatchewan. Currently I am in the Small Business and Entrepreneur course at Siast in Prince Albert Saskatchewan in hopes to create a business plan to eventually open my own bike shop. I don’t know exactly where I want to open a bike shop yet, but I do know I want it to be more than just making sales so I want to know what you think. Please spend a few minutes to answer the questions below and send them to me in a personal message. Thank you to all that participate and comment below for any ideas you feel you want to share.

1 ) Where do you live now or have been living? Comox, Vancouver Island, BC
2 ) What kind of riding do you like DH, XC, AM, FR, Street, Park, Dirt ext.? DH, FR, Street, Dirt
3 ) What kind of riding would you like to get into? Park
4 ) What bike shop(s) do you go to? Blacks Cycles, Simons Cycles
5 ) What do you like about the shop(s) you go to? They're both helpful, and get the work done done, and Blacks gives me deals!
6 )What is something that you like about the community you live in as far as riding? As for DH, its pretty awesome because there is Mt.Washington a short drive, and there is Cumberland where there is LOTS of riding trails, theres riding trails for DH everywhere a short drive away if you can get there
7 ) What is something that you don’t like about a certain shop(s)? Sometimes super busy and dont have time, dont always have a big selection of everything
8 ) What could be added to you community to make it better for your riding style? Definately a Dirt Jump park
9 ) Where is your dream location to live if you were there just to ride? Whistler probably
10 ) What is your favourite place, trail, or spot to ride? Cumberland DC/DH, Forbidden Plateau
11 ) Please feel free to add any additional comments:

And please invite all your friends
flag dkidd
O+
Posted: Sep 23, 2011 at 9:34 Quote
Kona-Zach wrote:

1 ) Where do you live now or have been living?
2 ) What kind of riding do you like DH, XC, AM, FR, Street, Park, Dirt ext.?
3 ) What kind of riding would you like to get into?
4 ) What bike shop(s) do you go to?
5 ) What do you like about the shop(s) you go to?
6 ) What is something that you like about the community you live in as far as riding?
7 ) What is something that you don’t like about a certain shop(s)?
8 ) What could be added to you community to make it better for your riding style?
9 ) Where is your dream location to live if you were there just to ride?
10 ) What is your favorite place, trail, or spot to ride?
11 ) Please feel free to add any additional comments:

12) what is the approximate number of people in your area, and how many bike shops are there?
13) how long is your riding season (both on and off road)?
14) what brands are already spoken for by shops in your area?
15) What kind of community support exists for the bike industry and cyclists in general?
16) How close are you to major industrial areas/ how easy are deliveries?
flag seraph
Posted: Sep 23, 2011 at 9:56 Quote
Kona-Zach wrote:
seraph wrote:
Kona-Zach wrote:

well i'm in the cource that i'm currently in to make up a business plan which is about 80 pages and is one of the major parts to what a bank would want to see before writing a loan aswell as i will learn book keeping and other importain skills to starting a small business, aswell for the funding i have a few close friends that have money that would be interested in investing once i produce a solid plan

aside from the esb cource i am going to be going to the United Bicycle Institute in Portland Origon http://www.bikeschool.com/classes

I'm not just a kid with a dream i'm working on a plan to back me up although i won't be opening in the next year i will be getting all the classes schooling and as much actual shop experience as i can, and maybe open up in the next 6 years as im only 18 now and still have stuff to figure out, i hope that answers you question

Just an FYI, I went to UBI back in 2003 for the Intermediate and Advanced Bicycle Mechanic courses, and then back again a few years ago for the DT Swiss Advanced Wheel Building course. I'm the service manager at my current shop and I have been working as a mechanic in various shops for 11 years. UBI was nice groundwork but the majority of my knowledge comes from experience working in a shop. What you need to do before you should be even thinking about opening a shop is try working in one. Working in a shop allows you to see the "dirty underbelly" of a bike shop; the intimate inner workings, so to speak.

well i already do all my own work but i want some further education in it, i do plan to spend a few years at a shop or a few different ones in different locations possibly to get real hands on experience and build up a rep

What I'm trying to say is that working in a shop for a few years probably isn't going to be enough experience. You should attempt to work at a shop for a minimum of 5 years before you even think of starting your own.
flag dkidd
O+
Posted: Sep 23, 2011 at 10:04 Quote
seraph wrote:
Kona-Zach wrote:
seraph wrote:


Just an FYI, I went to UBI back in 2003 for the Intermediate and Advanced Bicycle Mechanic courses, and then back again a few years ago for the DT Swiss Advanced Wheel Building course. I'm the service manager at my current shop and I have been working as a mechanic in various shops for 11 years. UBI was nice groundwork but the majority of my knowledge comes from experience working in a shop. What you need to do before you should be even thinking about opening a shop is try working in one. Working in a shop allows you to see the "dirty underbelly" of a bike shop; the intimate inner workings, so to speak.

well i already do all my own work but i want some further education in it, i do plan to spend a few years at a shop or a few different ones in different locations possibly to get real hands on experience and build up a rep

What I'm trying to say is that working in a shop for a few years probably isn't going to be enough experience. You should attempt to work at a shop for a minimum of 5 years before you even think of starting your own.
plus you REALLY need the industry contracts of you're gonna gather there.
flag seraph
Posted: Sep 23, 2011 at 10:23 Quote
dkidd wrote:
seraph wrote:
Kona-Zach wrote:


well i already do all my own work but i want some further education in it, i do plan to spend a few years at a shop or a few different ones in different locations possibly to get real hands on experience and build up a rep

What I'm trying to say is that working in a shop for a few years probably isn't going to be enough experience. You should attempt to work at a shop for a minimum of 5 years before you even think of starting your own.
plus you REALLY need the industry contracts of you're gonna gather there.

Excellent point Salute
flag Kona-Zach
Posted: Sep 23, 2011 at 12:07 Quote
For now i'm trying to gather information for this course that i'm in so i have a start point i'm not sayin that its gonna be easy or that i have any set plan at all untill i get back out to bc and get working somewhere i have no idea how long this will take, my ideal is to get it running before i'm 30 weather it be me taking over a shop or building from the ground up i'm not saying i have all the skills so you dont have to try and shoot me down, thanks for the criticism
flag Kona-Zach
Posted: Sep 23, 2011 at 12:30 Quote
freeriderayward wrote:
11) I want your bike store to have a indoor foam pit next to the stock.

i was also thinking of possible just starting skill areas with outdoor dj's and indoor foam pit/ wooden jumps kind of like the air dome in whistler what do you guys feel about that idea since it seems there is a maket to be had
flag Khreat
Posted: Sep 23, 2011 at 12:42 Quote
Kona-Zach wrote:
freeriderayward wrote:
11) I want your bike store to have a indoor foam pit next to the stock.

i was also thinking of possible just starting skill areas with outdoor dj's and indoor foam pit/ wooden jumps kind of like the air dome in whistler what do you guys feel about that idea since it seems there is a maket to be had

I doubt your public liability insurance broker will be too keen on the idea.
That's probably why more bike shops don't offer something similar.
flag seraph
Posted: Sep 23, 2011 at 12:42 Quote
Kona-Zach wrote:
For now i'm trying to gather information for this course that i'm in so i have a start point i'm not sayin that its gonna be easy or that i have any set plan at all untill i get back out to bc and get working somewhere i have no idea how long this will take, my ideal is to get it running before i'm 30 weather it be me taking over a shop or building from the ground up i'm not saying i have all the skills so you dont have to try and shoot me down, thanks for the criticism

If we didn't criticize you then you might say "well no one told me that [blank] would happen!" You gotta take the bad with the good.

And in response to your reply to the fellow about the foam pit/skills area, you're talking about a lot of $$$ to have things like that. Not just in land/labor/equipment, but also in liability insurance.
flag Kona-Zach
Posted: Sep 23, 2011 at 12:58 Quote
seraph wrote:
Kona-Zach wrote:
For now i'm trying to gather information for this course that i'm in so i have a start point i'm not sayin that its gonna be easy or that i have any set plan at all untill i get back out to bc and get working somewhere i have no idea how long this will take, my ideal is to get it running before i'm 30 weather it be me taking over a shop or building from the ground up i'm not saying i have all the skills so you dont have to try and shoot me down, thanks for the criticism

If we didn't criticize you then you might say "well no one told me that [blank] would happen!" You gotta take the bad with the good.

And in response to your reply to the fellow about the foam pit/skills area, you're talking about a lot of $$$ to have things like that. Not just in land/labor/equipment, but also in liability insurance.
i realize about the critacism i got no problems haha

but the foam pit wouldn't be free and there would be wayvers just as any lift mountain has, local indoor parks have that state the facts that your not able to sue me if they get hurt
flag seraph
Posted: Sep 23, 2011 at 13:10 Quote
Kona-Zach wrote:
seraph wrote:
Kona-Zach wrote:
For now i'm trying to gather information for this course that i'm in so i have a start point i'm not sayin that its gonna be easy or that i have any set plan at all untill i get back out to bc and get working somewhere i have no idea how long this will take, my ideal is to get it running before i'm 30 weather it be me taking over a shop or building from the ground up i'm not saying i have all the skills so you dont have to try and shoot me down, thanks for the criticism

If we didn't criticize you then you might say "well no one told me that [blank] would happen!" You gotta take the bad with the good.

And in response to your reply to the fellow about the foam pit/skills area, you're talking about a lot of $$$ to have things like that. Not just in land/labor/equipment, but also in liability insurance.
i realize about the critacism i got no problems haha

but the foam pit wouldn't be free and there would be wayvers just as any lift mountain has, local indoor parks have that state the facts that your not able to sue me if they get hurt

Ok, do me a favor and look up how much legally-binding liability waivers cost. Big Grin
flag Kona-Zach
Posted: Sep 23, 2011 at 13:47 Quote
seraph wrote:
Kona-Zach wrote:
seraph wrote:


If we didn't criticize you then you might say "well no one told me that [blank] would happen!" You gotta take the bad with the good.

And in response to your reply to the fellow about the foam pit/skills area, you're talking about a lot of $$$ to have things like that. Not just in land/labor/equipment, but also in liability insurance.
i realize about the critacism i got no problems haha

but the foam pit wouldn't be free and there would be wayvers just as any lift mountain has, local indoor parks have that state the facts that your not able to sue me if they get hurt

Ok, do me a favor and look up how much legally-binding liability waivers cost. Big Grin

i didn't say they didn't cost anything, just that there not gonna turn me down because its dangerous is what i believe i was being told, i'm aware that its not just a peice of paper i typed up in word and that it costs alot
flag seraph
Posted: Sep 23, 2011 at 13:49 Quote
Kona-Zach wrote:
seraph wrote:
Kona-Zach wrote:

i realize about the critacism i got no problems haha

but the foam pit wouldn't be free and there would be wayvers just as any lift mountain has, local indoor parks have that state the facts that your not able to sue me if they get hurt

Ok, do me a favor and look up how much legally-binding liability waivers cost. Big Grin

i didn't say they didn't cost anything, just that there not gonna turn me down because its dangerous is what i believe i was being told, i'm aware that its not just a peice of paper i typed up in word and that it costs alot

I'm still curious though. What do you consider "a lot" in terms of cost?
flag Kona-Zach
Posted: Sep 23, 2011 at 13:57 Quote
seraph wrote:
Kona-Zach wrote:
seraph wrote:


Ok, do me a favor and look up how much legally-binding liability waivers cost. Big Grin

i didn't say they didn't cost anything, just that there not gonna turn me down because its dangerous is what i believe i was being told, i'm aware that its not just a peice of paper i typed up in word and that it costs alot

I'm still curious though. What do you consider "a lot" in terms of cost?
i'm figuring atleast 20 grand minimum a year all depending on what amount of people size of area and all that crap for a big place like a bike park probably way way way higher i know its not cheap but as i said i'm still figuring out what where when how and all that stuff

 


Copyright © 2000 - 2024. Pinkbike.com. All rights reserved.
dv56 0.013923
Mobile Version of Website