Sad news - Shop Down

[Desloc]

http://www.blakdogbikes.com/

I've spent money there and was always treated well. A loss for the Tri-Cities area.

Des

[Identity]

I believe he will be selling it, but It's not a sure thing. I guess i will have to find another job now

[the Master Plan Dan]

About 2 years ago a bunch of shops went down back in Ontario... it is a very tough market!

Very sad to hear!

Dan

[enduramil]

About 2 years ago a bunch of shops went down back in Ontario... it is a very tough market!

Very sad to hear!

Dan

Not just 2 years ago. Recently West Hill Cycle, Trailblazers, and now McBrides cycles has closed.

[the Master Plan Dan]

Not just 2 years ago. Recently West Hill Cycle, Trailblazers, and now McBrides cycles has closed.

Holy man I knew about West Hill.... they were a great shop... a ton of the people started heading to my old shop.

But TRailblazers and McBrides.... What is becoming of the industry?

[enduramil]

Holy man I knew about West Hill.... they were a great shop... a ton of the people started heading to my old shop.

But TRailblazers and McBrides.... What is becoming of the industry?

Which one is your old shop?

[the Master Plan Dan]

Pedal Performance in Pickering/Vaughan.

On a side note I don't think that many shops will last. Look at the industry at large... you either fold into another company or fold entirely.

In the end when all the dust has settled... there will only be a few remaining.

Sad but true!

[couch@nsmb.com]

Retail in general is a tough gig - retail with bikes is 10 times harder. The people that buy bikes are, to state it politely, CHEAP! In most cases the best deal trumps loyalty to a shop.

15 or so years ago there were close to a hundred shops in the Lower Mainland more than 40 of those shops closed in about a year and a half (Crank'n'Carvin was my shop, well I worked there) and it was one of the casualties. When those shops closed they dumped all their product on the market for pennies on the dollar which created a glut in the market forcing even more shops out.

You really have to applaud shops such as COVE and JH for their staying power, it is not an easy thing.

Couch

[enduramil]

Retail in general is a tough gig - retail with bikes is 10 times harder. The people that buy bikes are, to state it politely, CHEAP! In most cases the best deal trumps loyalty to a shop.

15 or so years ago there were close to a hundred shops in the Lower Mainland more than 40 of those shops closed in about a year and a half (Crank'n'Carvin was my shop, well I worked there) and it was one of the casualties. When those shops closed they dumped all their product on the market for pennies on the dollar which created a glut in the market forcing even more shops out.

You really have to applaud shops such as COVE and JH for their staying power, it is not an easy thing.

Couch

Don't forget On Top.

[the Master Plan Dan]

See new thread.....

[connor]

Retail in general is a tough gig - retail with bikes is 10 times harder. The people that buy bikes are, to state it politely, CHEAP! In most cases the best deal trumps loyalty to a shop.

15 or so years ago there were close to a hundred shops in the Lower Mainland more than 40 of those shops closed in about a year and a half (Crank'n'Carvin was my shop, well I worked there) and it was one of the casualties. When those shops closed they dumped all their product on the market for pennies on the dollar which created a glut in the market forcing even more shops out.

You really have to applaud shops such as COVE and JH for their staying power, it is not an easy thing.

Couch

I bought my first FS bike there. I got a GT LTS team frame and a Z1 from them in like 97. fun times.

[Fluid]

I got my first bike from Crank 'n' Carvin in '96.
I loved that shop and was very sad to see it go.

[Farmer]

that suks, they were always good guys, and sponcered SPOKE since the beginning, but it isnt really a suprise. THere are 4 bike shops in that area within a 30 min ride of each other, and black dog always seemed more expensive to me (on some stuff, not all)

[biggles604]

that suks, they were always good guys, and sponcered SPOKE since the beginning, but it isnt really a suprise. THere are 4 bike shops in that area within a 30 min ride of each other, and black dog always seemed more expensive to me (on some stuff, not all)

That's the problem with the retail in general. People will look for a good deal, and who can blame them (Sorry, Farmer, I didn't mean to single you out), but it's the other part of the package that really counts. Like you said, they supported the community; that really should count for something.
But, if more people thought this way, would Wal Mart be the way it is today?

[shirk]

Not just 2 years ago. Recently West Hill Cycle, Trailblazers, and now McBrides cycles has closed.

McBrides must have been from chitty management. They sold motorcycles also, that market is still hot in the GTA.

Meh Trailblazers, their race teams were far too high on themselves back in the mid 90's, personally never liked them.

And to agree most of us mountain bikers are cheap dirt bags just like ski bums. A deal is a deal I don't care where I get it.

[Dantes Inferno]

Im not crying about it, bad experiances everytime ive been there exept once, and i was givin half a part. kinda useless.

[Dean W]

Retail in general is a tough gig - retail with bikes is 10 times harder. The people that buy bikes are, to state it politely, CHEAP! In most cases the best deal trumps loyalty to a shop.

15 or so years ago there were close to a hundred shops in the Lower Mainland more than 40 of those shops closed in about a year and a half (Crank'n'Carvin was my shop, well I worked there) and it was one of the casualties. When those shops closed they dumped all their product on the market for pennies on the dollar which created a glut in the market forcing even more shops out.

You really have to applaud shops such as COVE and JH for their staying power, it is not an easy thing.

Couch

My sister and 2 other friends of mine that I sent there bought bikes from Crank n carvin.

Good shop in it's day.

[freakonaleash]

ahh i likd blak dog, though it was a bit pricey.

No joke on this, the key to a bike shop is its hours.

[TomT]

McBrides must have been from chitty management. They sold motorcycles also, that market is still hot in the GTA.

The family had a falling out a year and a half ago. The son, who ran motorcycles, left and the head of bicycles took over. Might not have been the best idea, but I think they were determinded to keep it in the family. I dunno about the market being very hot. Insurance cost are rising causing a lot of people to stop riding. You know insurance is bad when my dad, a rider of atleast 20 years, see his insurance rates rise.

It was truely a sad day when I heard they closed up shop. It was if I had lost a member of my family. I used to work there and got to know everyone really well. 97 years old and then this.

[Dantes Inferno]

ahh i likd blak dog, though it was a bit pricey.

No joke on this, the key to a bike shop is its hours.


...... please explain.

[freakonaleash]

...... please explain.


I go riding after school. Around 5 o clock I snap my chain. Pitt Cycles closed. Experience is open till 6. Cant walk there, its take about an hour and a bit. Cant bike, nor do i want to after a hard day of riding. Ask my mom to drive me. Shes eating dinner and tired. So later that night i just go to the only shop thats open till a decent hour, sports junkies. In other words, open at 11, close at 8. That makes sense to me.

[Dantes Inferno]

..... chain breaker????? There cheap, and easy to use. And stay far away from quicklinks, trust me.

[freakonaleash]

..... chain breaker????? There cheap, and easy to use. And stay far away from quicklinks, trust me.


Ive got one. I just used a shitty example. Anyways how about a blown freehub body.

[Dantes Inferno]

wait a minute.... What?

Your mom drove you all the way from like Pitt Meadows to Sports junkies to fix your chain? WOW.

I mean, by the time you get back its too late to ride anyway cus you have school in the morning. And by morning all the shops are open anyway. I really dont see anything but a waste in gas and time. But thats just me.

EDIT: just read post, get it now. But my points still valid.

[freakonaleash]

wait a minute.... What?

Your mom drove you all the way from like Pitt Meadows to Sports junkies to fix your chain? WOW.

I mean, by the time you get back its too late to ride anyway cus you have school in the morning. And by morning all the shops are open anyway. I really dont see anything but a waste in gas and time. But thats just me.

EDIT: just read post, get it now. But my points still valid.

Quite, yah she did. I hate waiting, i was going out urban riding that night too. And at the time my $200 toolkit was on order, so i had no chain breaker.

[Lady Gravity]

And stay far away from quicklinks, trust me.

:lol:

[Dantes Inferno]

see my new truck..... Im addicted to guzzlin gas V8 power now. Cant wait to drive it up seymour.

[freakonaleash]

.And stay far away from quicklinks, trust me.


Just got that :lol: !!

[connor]

I made a chain that's all quicklinks, it's great, if you break a link just pop it out. I mean it only takes like 2 sec to get those things open right?

yay 1000

[Dude]

When I worked in the business, late '80s, early '90s, our busiest hours were 3-8. We opened at 9:00 just so we could get repairs / stocking / ordering done by 3:00.

Business hours is a VERY valid point.

[C.Lee]

i remember buying my VERY first knee shin and elbow pads there... and some ripoff experience.. they were going to charge me 90bucks to have rear mech disc instaled =S. how ridiculiuos.
any good deals there?

[C.Lee]

I made a chain that's all quicklinks, it's great, if you break a link just pop it out. I mean it only takes like 2 sec to get those things open right?

yay 1000

.....just how much did that cost ya lol... quick links cost 5/pair uhh..