Comments on: Bicycles & Business Design

By: CTodd

CTodd — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 22:35:19 +0000

We are living in the experience economy. If you don’t create an enlightening experience for your customers someone else eventually will. The value chain includes bicycle stores, because they are a network externality you currently rely on. What if you had to re-think the entire experience of buying a bicycle? Pre-purchase would include…? Purchase experience would look like…? Delivery would be…? Post purchase service would include…?

If you’re not thinking about this… who is? And how will you react when it’s offered?

By: Chris Bicycles business & design – Cycling Strong | Road Bike Cycling Tips | CycleStrong.Com

Fri, 26 Mar 2010 01:48:39 +0000

[...] Bicycles business & design [...]

By: Peugeot B1K concept bike |

Peugeot B1K concept bike | — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 14:13:30 +0000

[...] on the importance of design in the bike industry, check out Chris Matthews’ recent “Bicycles & Business Design” post. As is always the case at Chris’ blog, the post is well written and insightful. [...]

By: Bryan Willman

Bryan Willman — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 20:56:42 +0000

“On the web” doesn’t have to mean “came via UPS” – the web will ever more important as a support for physical stores. How many queries do IBD’s already get for “I saw this thing on the web that looks very well suited to my needs…”

Same is true of cars – very few people buy cars via ebay motors or the like – but what person under 50 goes car shopping without consulting the web?

IBDs will survive based on inventory calls, service, and execution.

By: Mike V

Mike V — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 18:50:54 +0000

Nicely written. Thanks.

By: Tobi

Tobi — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 18:29:17 +0000

Pretty insightful, I think the only way bikes could be via website would be in house at a bike shop. This way the bikes can be ordered direct from the manufacturer, there would be a store login so that store could get credit for it, and since the customer would be ordering it with a sales associate it would be one on one interaction and making sure that the customer is getting the right product. This wouldn’t fully eliminate the need for the shop to house a supply of bikes, but would definitely help to reduce the operating costs of opening/running a bike shop. Just my two cents on how I see online bike purchasing increasing.

By: ewan

ewan — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 16:39:06 +0000

Hey – As a lover of bikes and a sideways observer of the bike business I found this piece really insightful. Cheers.

By: chris

chris — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 15:10:49 +0000

Thanks to all for the comments – Carlton, you’re absolutely right, the IBD’s have a great capacity to be nimble and react quickly, and the best of them are focused on policy as well as profit.

And Alex, you’re totally right – SRAM only won the tour this past year. My mistake.

By: Alex Murray

Alex Murray — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 10:28:28 +0000

Good article.

Minor factual point on “it’s been years since Shimano’s last Tour de France victory.” Shimano’s last win was in 2008 with Carlos Sastre and in 2007 Alberto Contador won on Dura Ace before moving to SRAM in 2009. Campagnolo won in 2006 with Landis/Pereiro and before that it’s solidly Shimano back to Pantani and Ullrich in the 1990s.

You might be overstating the case for Shimano’s decline against SRAM’s extraordinary growth.

By: uberVU - social comments

uberVU - social comments — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 10:19:25 +0000

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This post was mentioned on Twitter by matthewscd: New blog post: business design and the bicycle industry. http://creativextreme.com/?p=369…