An Excellent Rundown on Present Bike Industry Situation

[Taylor57]

Funny you should mention that....

Boom inspires new retail entrants

SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (BRAIN) — Sometime about nine months or a year after the start of the pandemic in the U.S., a new generation of bike shops will be born, their conception inspired by the 2020 bike boom.The well-documented boom is a clear motivator for would-be entrepreneurs, as local and...

www.bicycleretailer.com

I like the fact it is a bike shop, coffee shop and beer bar. Come in test ride a bike, have a brew. I'm in!

 

[BigNerd]

If I were younger, I would think about opening up a bike shop. But I would want to cater more to casual riders which I don't know if there is a big enough market to support a business. I'd actually try to make partnership deals with some of the Internet companies to give them an LBS presence in my area.

To dream.

 

[jim6b]

I think @Deleted Member 4210 made clear above it's not that easy when one factory is making parts for all competitiors, both local and export markets. The markets require different parts and specs, so jobs are scheduled to avoid set up time...

On one hand it is not simple to "out compete" the Chinese for components/production from Chinese plants. On the other hand it is not all that difficult. The dividing point is that Chinese have placed orders that the plants will have to fulfill. So, of course a North American distributor will have to place the order and wait in line. That is a given. But once that condition is met then price becomes the principal determinant.

With a Chinese industry supporting market of 200 million ebikes, it will not be that difficult to find production it you stand in line and pay up. American distributors are probably nervous because the demand is now and when there orders are fulfilled covid may have vanished and demand with it. Now that's headdache . . . but not a supply problem.