Wiggle...where next ?

[Gavalar]

I was under the impression that everybody at Nukeproof and Vitus were gone. Would be great if they would get back into business.

Mike Ashley bought the company along will, I assume, the intellectual property of the associated companies, Vitus etc, don't hold your breath hoping that he would understand the success and following those brands have, I really can't see him honouring any outstanding warranties or further developing brands he just doesn't understand.

 

[steve_sordy]

The last thing he would want would be to encumbered with any of the old staff, with their service and pension entitlements. How he managed to avoid the TUPE legislation, I have no idea.

TUPE = Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment). It means that when you take over or buy a business the people transfer with their rights intact. The definition is pretty wide.

 

[E-MAD MALC]

Have a look at www.bikeparts.co.uk

I have had good deals with these guys several times especially with dt swiss wheels, and a good service

 

[MrSimmo]

Merlin, Leisure Lake or Rutland Cycles for me if buying online. My LBS is good for price matching and seem to be able to get stock when the others can't.

Stock levels are interesting at the mo (i.e. pretty rubbish all round)

 

[Bontee]

How about using local bike shops…..sorry but I just cannot understand why everyone wants to shop online,at this rate there won’t be any local shops left.My local shop has never failed to match prices and give me as a loyal customer a discount on everything I buy,from 4 grand bikes down to brake pads.
Just saying

 

[MrSimmo]

How about using local bike shops…..sorry but I just cannot understand why everyone wants to shop online,at this rate there won’t be any local shops left.My local shop has never failed to match prices and give me as a loyal customer a discount on everything I buy,from 4 grand bikes down to brake pads.
Just saying

Im with you. I used to use online shops mostly as they were able to get much better prices but thats not the case (at least for me) anymore. Plus you can check fit etc before you leave the shop instead of having to send stuff back if it was the wrong size etc.

The thing I’ve been nervous about is what happens if you buy a bike etc and the shop gets shutdown. But after a recent poor service from a large Specialized dealer in the UK and a global corporate (CRC/Wiggle) going bust, all bets are off and I’ll be spending my money with the local community.

 

[Bontee]

Im with you. I used to use online shops mostly as they were able to get much better prices but thats not the case (at least for me) anymore. Plus you can check fit etc before you leave the shop instead of having to send stuff back if it was the wrong size etc.

The thing I’ve been nervous about is what happens if you buy a bike etc and the shop gets shutdown. But after a recent poor service from a large Specialized dealer in the UK and a global corporate (CRC/Wiggle) going bust, all bets are off and I’ll be spending my money with the local community.

Dead right ,Most of the shops I see going bust are in fact the big on line dealers with outlets, most of our local shops are doing just fine as their customers are loyal to them,and I never have to wait more than a week for a part,most bits are only 2 days which is about the delivery time for the onlines.
To be honest I really don’t mind paying a couple of quid more for some things,I get to chat to guys in the shop and if I need a small discount so badly that I need to go online ,well,maybe I shouldn’t be riding an expensive bike in the first place.

 

[RustyMTB]

That's all very noble but in the real world, people love a bargain & bargains come from buying power & cost base. It's always cheaper to run a website & a warehouse than high street shops, that's not opinion, it's counting. By all means support your LBS, it's absolutely the right thing to do but don't kid yourself - people buy online in their droves for good reason. Old saying in business, if you want loyalty, buy a dog.

 

[MrSimmo]

That's all very noble but in the real world, people love a bargain & bargains come from buying power & cost base. It's always cheaper to run a website & a warehouse than high street shops, that's not opinion, it's counting. By all means support your LBS, it's absolutely the right thing to do but don't kid yourself - people buy online in their droves for good reason. Old saying in business, if you want loyalty, buy a dog.

Now you've got me thinking again about getting a trail dog... My wife is not going to be happy

 

[Bontee]

That's all very noble but in the real world, people love a bargain & bargains come from buying power & cost base. It's always cheaper to run a website & a warehouse than high street shops, that's not opinion, it's counting. By all means support your LBS, it's absolutely the right thing to do but don't kid yourself - people buy online in their droves for good reason. Old saying in business, if you want loyalty, buy a dog.

Noble has nothing to do with it Rusty,my local shop can price match anything and have been for years.As for kidding myself,read my post.I said I dont mind paying an extra couple of quid for some things.
Lastly ,If buying online was so great then why are the big onlines the ones going bust.
There is a price below which you cannot go.
I ran my own bussiness very successfully for 32 years and was regularly asked to match cheaper sellers, I often did but there were many times I just said “go to the cheaper guy” In my 32 years of working I saw 4 of those who were trying to undercut me go to the wall….you do the maths.

 

[RustyMTB]

The only big online retailer to go bust in the last twelve months is CRC/Wiggle and their associated brands & if you don't know why they did, then you haven't been paying attention. The rest is just sentiment.

 

[Bontee]

The only big online retailer to go bust in the last twelve months is CRC/Wiggle and their associated brands & if you don't know why they did, then you haven't been paying attention. The rest is just sentiment.

Yep and look at the size of them !
several are joining forces to stop them having to compete with each other.Evans opened a shop close to where I live and have had repeated sales with little success and the shop is not doing well and thats according to the guys who work there.Look,buy your stuff where you want .
I prefer the LBS and their prices are very competitive.
But if people are happy ordering all their stuff off the web ,good for you ,just don’t whinge when your LBS goes under.

 

[Binhill1]

All great if lbs can supply what you want at not too long a wait. Anything near me has limited stock and if I break something I want it replaced soon not when a shop is putting in an order next week. Not always about the price with me anyway.

 

[Bontee]

All great if lbs can supply what you want at not too long a wait. Anything near me has limited stock and if I break something I want it replaced soon not when a shop is putting in an order next week. Not always about the price with me anyway.

I can get what I want from LBS if not the same day then within a few days,in virtually every case no longer than the time it takes to order online and take delivery.Maybe my Local dealers are just good at what they do but all,3 of them are excellent.

 

[Binhill1]

I can get what I want from LBS if not the same day then within a few days,in virtually every case no longer than the time it takes to order online and take delivery.Maybe my Local dealers are just good at what they do but all,3 of them are excellent.

Don't have a local nearest Elgin 16 miles i suppose but expensive for anything I have bought. I have a friend ex dealer who still has Madison and Hope accounts and various other so I try to help him if I can. Not easy for small shops I imagine.

 

[Bontee]

Don't have a local nearest Elgin 16 miles i suppose but expensive for anything I have bought. I have a friend ex dealer who still has Madison and Hope accounts and various other so I try to help him if I can. Not easy for small shops I imagine.

You’re quite right,I am a bit spoilt for choice and can understand why LBS is not always practical.
It’s nice in Elgin,passed through
last year on a campervan trip

 

[Tooks]

If you’ve got a decent LBS, great, you’re lucky and why not use them.

Unfortunately, that’s not my experience, and I suspect I’m not alone. My local shop is Rutland Water Cycling, also an online seller as well of course (they’ve always been great with me, by the way) and that’s where I head off if I need something same day.

Not all LBSs stock everything though, hence online having its place. Indeed, many LBS also do online for those who aren’t local or don’t have time to visit one, so LBS = Good, Online = Bad is too simplistic really. Supporting a UK online retailer also supports UK jobs, how quickly the positive sentiment for Wiggle/CRC employees seems to have evaporated.

 

[Dax]

Lastly ,If buying online was so great then why are the big onlines the ones going bust.
There is a price below which you cannot go.

Wiggle/CRC fell victim to the property market in Europe.

Europe's Signa toppled in property rout

Property and retail giant Signa declared insolvency on Wednesday after last-ditch attempts to secure fresh funding failed, making it the biggest casualty so far of Europe's property crash.

www.reuters.com

This sadly has ripple on negative effects for lots of local bike shops, as well as the positives.

 

[Bontee]

Wiggle/CRC fell victim to the property market in Europe.

Europe's Signa toppled in property rout

Property and retail giant Signa declared insolvency on Wednesday after last-ditch attempts to secure fresh funding failed, making it the biggest casualty so far of Europe's property crash.

www.reuters.com

This sadly has ripple on negative effects for lots of local bike shops, as well as the positives.

Fair do’s (to an extent)but if you think you are big enough to undercut everyone and eventually be the only player left ,something is going to come back and bite you.
Should maybe have just stuck with selling bike bits.

 

[Dax]

Should maybe have just stuck with selling bike bits.

Not exactly their fault what the parent company of their parent company gets up to.

The mtb world might be better if CRC hadn’t sold out to Wiggle and Wiggle hadn’t sold out to Signa Sports, but I can’t blame businesses owners wanting to cash out. It has driven a lot of people back to smaller resellers and local bike shops, so its probably net positive this way? If CRC hadn’t sucked for the last few years, I doubt I’d have discovered Winstanleys, Swinnerton, Team Cycles or used Tweeks/Tredz/Merlin anywhere near as much.

 

[Bontee]

Not exactly their fault what the parent company of their parent company gets up to.

The mtb world might be better if CRC hadn’t sold out to Wiggle and Wiggle hadn’t sold out to Signa Sports, but I can’t blame businesses owners wanting to cash out. It has driven a lot of people back to smaller resellers and local bike shops, so its probably net positive this way? If CRC hadn’t sucked for the last few years, I doubt I’d have discovered Winstanleys, Swinnerton, Team Cycles or used Tweeks/Tredz/Merlin anywhere near as much.

I agree Dax,it’s sad but as you say if it makes a few of us re-evaluate our priorities and support more local businesses that can’t be all bad.

 

[E-MAD MALC]

Now you've got me thinking again about getting a trail dog... My wife is not going to be happy

Barking up the wrong tree there lol

 

[steve_sordy]

I am lucky to have found a very good local bike shop. It's in the next town, but close enough. He operates a booking system for any service work, unlike the LBS in my nearest town. That means that I get my bike back either the same day or the next. When the other LBS told me that he had a two-week queue, I said OK, I'll come back in two weeks, he accused me of trying to jump the queue. So I went elsewhere. That shop is now closed.

My new best LBS is really excellent, but can be in my opinion a bit blinkered with what he charges (or doesn't charge in his case). I took in my son-in-law's bike that had a seized rear caliper. Not even his special tools could free it and he didn't have a suitable caliper in stock so he returned the bike to me. When I asked how much I owed him he told me that it was free because if he charged every customer for things he couldn't fix he would very soon run out of customers. I suggested that he have a minimum charge, call it an assessment fee or an inspection charge, whatever..... I gave him £5 and insisted that he keep it. He fitted some rim tape to one of my wheels and didn't want to make a charge for that either as rim tape was so cheap (it might be for him when he buys 500m of the stuff in one go). I insisted that he make a charge. I want the guy to stay in business!!

PS: This is the LBS that offered to be the collection address for when I sold two of my bikes on eBay and/or Pink Bike. It was a big selling point that the buyer(s) could chat to the guy that had been servicing the bikes and also tell them how well I had been looking after it (with me out of earshot outside in the street). Both buyers told me that they thought it was a great idea and reassuring. When the deal was done, I gave the LBS guy £50 for his trouble for the first bike and the same proportionate amount for the second bike. Once again, he didn't want to accept it, I had to insist. I really do want the guy to stay in business!!

 

[MrSimmo]

I am lucky to have found a very good local bike shop. It's in the next town, but close enough. He operates a booking system for any service work, unlike the LBS in my nearest town. That means that I get my bike back either the same day or the next. When the other LBS told me that he had a two-week queue, I said OK, I'll come back in two weeks, he accused me of trying to jump the queue. So I went elsewhere. That shop is now closed.

My new best LBS is really excellent, but can be in my opinion a bit blinkered with what he charges (or doesn't charge in his case). I took in my son-in-law's bike that had a seized rear caliper. Not even his special tools could free it and he didn't have a suitable caliper in stock so he returned the bike to me. When I asked how much I owed him he told me that it was free because if he charged every customer for things he couldn't fix he would very soon run out of customers. I suggested that he have a minimum charge, call it an assessment fee or an inspection charge, whatever..... I gave him £5 and insisted that he keep it. He fitted some rim tape to one of my wheels and didn't want to make a charge for that either as rim tape was so cheap (it might be for him when he buys 500m of the stuff in one go). I insisted that he make a charge. I want the guy to stay in business!!

PS: This is the LBS that offered to be the collection address for when I sold two of my bikes on eBay and/or Pink Bike. It was a big selling point that the buyer(s) could chat to the guy that had been servicing the bikes and also tell them how well I had been looking after it (with me out of earshot outside in the street). Both buyers told me that they thought it was a great idea and reassuring. When the deal was done, I gave the LBS guy £50 for his trouble for the first bike and the same proportionate amount for the second bike. Once again, he didn't want to accept it, I had to insist. I really do want the guy to stay in business!!

Agree 100%!

 

[Mik3F]

Tweeks Cycles are also very good, or at least have been for me

 

[Binhill1]

I've tried loads not had any issues with any really. I usually have spares for full drive train and brake pads, so unless it's something out of the ordinary I am usually not waiting with a broken bike for long.

 

[Al-ec]

When I lived in Yorkshire, was lucky to have great LBS's and they were always the first option. What passes for local shops here are primarily for kids bikes and roadies, are generally pretty clueless and not very helpful. I think most cyclists would rather support a local shop, but that's a 2 way street.

 

[Binhill1]

When I lived in Yorkshire, was lucky to have great LBS's and they were always the first option. What passes for local shops here are primarily for kids bikes and roadies, are generally pretty clueless and not very helpful. I think most cyclists would rather support a local shop, but that's a 2 way street.

That's the thing you get really good ones . Some are specific to brands. I had two differant shops try to sort a Roval wheel issue changedbearings. Cost £50 and still the same. Sent it to Berkshire they knew on phone what it was and replaced a tiny shim for nothing.

 

[RustyMTB]

Your average LBS is going to be a family owned affair, not much in the way of scale & consequently going to need to appeal to a wide range of customers & you'll do that by selling a comparatively small range of middle of the road stuff & maybe a servicing/repair offer along with helmets, tubes, bit fo clothign etc.

I think it's easy to lose sight that in places like this where we're all burning around on expensive, boutiquey whips, you'll probably not find the latest Bluetooth remote dropper or Pinion gearbox Nicolai down the high street. That stuff is out there obvs but if your business is selling £10K + hyper shiny unicorns then you're likely going to need to do it online purely to reach enough of a market to make it viable for you.

Same at the other end of the scale, those of us who want Rockshox nitrogen valve adapters (me) or a set of frame bearings for a 2019 Merida E160 just aren't going to find that stuff at Halfords, much less the LBS, so you either dig it out off the likes of Bikeparts or Merlin or whoever or get your LBS to order in for you & so both have their place.