Bike Shops - What would you do to create the perfect shop

I know this is bit of a boring 'corporate' answer, but narrowing down your likely customers a bit is really necessary, however unusual your venue is. There are going to be some cyclists who won't want to socialise with other types of cyclist and so keeping any stock for them is pointless, the older tea drinkers might not like kids running around etc. etc.

Love the idea of a local ride hub.
(a) new cyclists must find approaching clubs pretty daunting, especially if they're under the impression that they are full of Tour riders. Plus they keep getting up at 6am.
(b) finding out about British Cycling rides is not that easy, even if you know where to look (main website issue I think) and to reach locally for them is not that easy.
(c) there must be a huge number of cyclists who would turn up to rides just to socialise and mix. I think catering for the increasing numbers of semi-competitive riders could be interesting. ie. the ones who want a good ride, but not at some unearthly hour and not at 20mph etc. That includes a growing number of over (cough-cough) year olds with lots of leisure time...
(d) with luck you'll get the local community talking and that's probably the most powerful thing

For those that work in shops that commented - are they allowed to say where the shop is? / which shop?

I know for eg. Sigma Sport have launched a new store but have not been there since the opening to comment on what the 'vibe' is like there.

We've just opened a shop much like this, we have good espresso, a bit of a gallery feel, all white with oak floor and recessed down lighters. Big screen on the wall running cycling films and various helmet cam footage of us in Whistler, the Alps etc.

Planning on getting homemade cakes in each week to go with the coffee; we have a nice space with bar stools and communal counter space to enjoy it on. We organise and run trips abroad etc, just did one down to Newport velodrome too, plus 3 rides a week from the shop for various types and abilities.

The main issue with running live Eurosport etc is the PRS issue of broadcasting, people really do get fined for it, and at £2000 you can do without that coming off your bottom line.

My comments, as I don't feel happy in a lot of bike shops.

1. Welcoming. This can range from what products you put near the door to the attitude of the staff. I find staff either completely ignore me or patronise me; I can only guess it's because I'm female and my gear shows that I'm not rolling in money. In fact I'd go further and ask for a female-friendly bike shop!

2. Not too techie - some people have technical skills and some don't - don't put off the ones that don't.

3. Communication. I took my bike in for a service once, and got it back looking exactly the same - they hadn't even cleaned it (which I had thought would be a basic part of a service). Explain what's involved and what isn't and you won't have unhappy (or in my case non-repeat) customers. I service my own bike now, to the best of my ability. Clean it too.

4. How about a bike gym as an add-on? I can't afford a turbo trainer which would, in any event, only get used for a few hours at most each week, but if a shop wanted to hire one out or let folk use it in the shop for a small fee they'd probably get their money back on it very quickly.

5. Coffee. Obviously.

Please open it near me!

Café + bike shop is a great combination.

Sorry, this will be boring, as I want the usual things - showroom with genuinely helpful staff, mechanics that don't bodge your bike.

If the shop has a connection with riders, trails or clubs then have an area with posters, info about their exploits, blog printouts or small flyers with web addresses. Maybe get kids to bring in a photo of their tricks or a bit of BMX action to pin on a board.

Covered parking (for bicycles) and cyclepath/dropped kerb access. Separate workshop entrance so you don't weave your bike through showroom.

Coffee. The one thing I'd really wish for is decent coffee; and somewhere suitable to drink it (armchairs, bar stools), perhaps with a few catalogues and a dog-eared pile of mags - the comic and a few mags that staff or customers have dropped off - back issues of C+, ProCycling, Singletrack, Dirt etc.

If you wanted to go the whole hog and have Eurosport running (which for cycling fans surely means opening on Sundays) then why not organise something like a BYO buffet for the big one-day races, make it a bit of an occasion?

Yes I would say a good social scene really does help a bike shop.

sounds good, going back to the thread, a few of the shops round here, 'organise' evening rides mainly in the spring/summer months. always seems like a good idea to me.

damn lippy, you have suggested what I am about to do! A place with a coffee table, screens, a place to make comfortable rather than a bike shop so crammed with bikes that it feels like a warehouse.

Mine will have wetsuits and trainers and an indoor pool as well though (dont hit me, I am a roadie at heart!)

Good luck Ciaran, the more good bike shops the better. Where is yours going to be?

Have you seen Micycle? They've tried hard to ask those sorts of questions about what makes an awesome bike shop.

http://www.micycle.org.uk/

How about moving in some sofas and getting a big screen to watch the tour?