tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356723782465446786.post5712445610583589868..comments2024-01-18T09:29:42.707-05:00Comments on Biking in Heels: Riding in a new directionCyclerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12072776738519243521noreply@blogger.comBlogger53125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356723782465446786.post-52191503837361113772013-06-14T15:46:58.995-04:002013-06-14T15:46:58.995-04:00Congratulations on your exciting venture. Hope to ...Congratulations on your exciting venture. Hope to check it out someday when I'm visiting friends in New England.<br />Do you have a website yet?<br />MT cyclisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17451590809473759574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356723782465446786.post-66342341633999131882013-06-07T10:08:01.431-04:002013-06-07T10:08:01.431-04:00Re. Cambridge small business support, see http://w...Re. Cambridge small business support, see http://www.cambridgema.gov/CDD/econdev/smallbusiness.aspx<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356723782465446786.post-64116883105508596022013-06-06T19:03:10.106-04:002013-06-06T19:03:10.106-04:00Can I just suggest Retrovelo? They make a mixte wi...Can I just suggest Retrovelo? They make a mixte with Fat Franks! I have a Paula that I bought sight unseen 2.5 years ago and I LOVE THAT BIKE. I've now had the opportunity to try Workcycles (Oma & FR8), which I also considered at the time. I don't want them anymore. I did put the frame mounted Workcycles rack on my Retrovelo. Lynnehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15552684053156651847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356723782465446786.post-845232340865931352013-06-06T11:14:23.467-04:002013-06-06T11:14:23.467-04:00Congratulations on your career change, and good lu...Congratulations on your career change, and good luck! I'll be sure to keep an eye out for your opening, as I've recently moved to Cambridge, sold the car, and have been trying to figure out the best way to haul my hockey gear (a regular bag, or a goalie bag + pads, both with sticks) to nearby rinks. I think a trailer is the way to go, but will stop by to discuss with you once you flip the little sign in the door to "Open". :-)<br /><br />DanAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356723782465446786.post-77713959926174260122013-06-05T21:00:57.783-04:002013-06-05T21:00:57.783-04:00Mazel Tov!
I look forward to seeing pictures of...Mazel Tov! <br /><br />I look forward to seeing pictures of the opening day. Corey Khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15381826721030941179noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356723782465446786.post-18353190718478358152013-06-05T20:54:52.044-04:002013-06-05T20:54:52.044-04:00Fantastic, this is great news. Somerville/Cambridg...Fantastic, this is great news. Somerville/Cambridge and Boston has needed a real shop like this. Henry at Workcycles has desired to have Boston on his list. Thank you for doing this and looking forward to coming by for a visit. <br /><br />antbikemikeantbikemikehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02224389434997585350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356723782465446786.post-55554795024257489542013-06-03T16:47:21.044-04:002013-06-03T16:47:21.044-04:00Congratulations and best of luck. I'm sure you...Congratulations and best of luck. I'm sure your getting good advice on your end so take comments with a grain of salt...<br />- Remember that you have to think about it as a "business" and not just as fulfilling a passion. You won't do cycling or anyone any favors by digging a hole and shutting down. There will be many moments of feeling pressure to choose between your vision and your business.<br />- I think the "no repairs" things is going to be somewhat problematic. Even the new bikes will need some tweaking and after care so someone has to be capable. And you'll get the inevitable flat tire walk-ins, "can't you just take a quick look?" people, etc. If Hub is filling up with bikes to be worked on, they've got more work than they can handle.<br />- Maybe you could work out some "reselling" arrangement with Hub for custom wheel builds, larger jobs, etc. Turning people away for anything doesn't help you in the long run. Maybe they could act as your "off site repair service" with a little revenue sharing arrangement.<br />- Pay very close attention to the margins on everything you sell, and how much time/effort typically goes in to selling those items. Your time and attention will be the big limiting factor on a lot of what you can do. You have to make the most of your time and find things that can be passed on to someone/somewhere else.<br />- Your blog (or whatever you set up for the shop) may be the strongest thing you've got going for you. Traditional advertising has its uses, but nothing compares to building, feeding, and using powerful networks of interested people. Look a little at what flyingpigeon-la.com does. He's managed to use his activism, group rides, and online presence as a powerful force for his shop which has a similar focus.<br />- Don't order too much inventory. Nothing kills a small business faster than having all its cash tied up in things you thought everyone wanted, yet never buy. You can sell what you think is best, but be prepared that customers will surprise you with what they select. You need to be able to adjust to those surprises.<br />- Start researching how best to ship bikes. If you're selling things that are fairly unique, you will likely get a fair number of requests to ship. That's great, but shipping expenses on bikes are a killer. Know what you can and can't do for someone.<br /><br />Try to have some fun when you're not pulling your hair out! Best luck.MaxUtilitynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356723782465446786.post-8679848650290202952013-06-03T13:37:54.111-04:002013-06-03T13:37:54.111-04:00Great news! Any chance you'll have a Taga to t...Great news! Any chance you'll have a Taga to try? I'm expecting in November and think these are brilliant, but currently the manufacturer has no way to try one...and for $1400+ it'd be nice to at least sit on it once! Fingers crossed :)T'fancyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04676042924751095067noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356723782465446786.post-28266802291305844982013-06-03T12:56:05.074-04:002013-06-03T12:56:05.074-04:00Congratulations!Congratulations!Melhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03315238274161811149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356723782465446786.post-3687801446844594932013-06-01T13:56:04.354-04:002013-06-01T13:56:04.354-04:00That is so great to hear! Thanks for thinking of a...That is so great to hear! Thanks for thinking of all riders, not just "normal" ones :)Ashleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14940586419664612837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356723782465446786.post-70455861188734876932013-06-01T13:41:10.934-04:002013-06-01T13:41:10.934-04:00Ashley, One of the bikes that I'm very excite...Ashley, One of the bikes that I'm very excited about carrying is the FR8 and GR8 from Workcycles which have a stepthrough design with a universal seatpost design that allows them to fit riders from about 5'-0" to 6'-8" It's a similar design to my bakfiets which both 5'6"ish me, and the 6'-5" Scientist can both ride comfortably. I'm even bringing in one bike that is supposed to comfortably fit a 7' tall person.Cyclerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12072776738519243521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356723782465446786.post-10866336249625979382013-06-01T12:23:27.819-04:002013-06-01T12:23:27.819-04:00This sounds great and I wish I was in Boston to ha...This sounds great and I wish I was in Boston to have access to a shop like this. A plea, even though I'm not local: remember that there are tall women out there! Bike manufacturers tend to forget this, but even when they make larger sizes of women's bikes, I find that the shops in my area just don't carry them, and it's so disheartening to want to spend upwards of $1K on a bike but not be able to find any to test-ride. I know women over 5'10" are outliers and it doesn't make economic sense for shops to carry a lot of stock in that size, but having at least a couple options available would make your shop really attractive to a seriously under-served market!Ashleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14940586419664612837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356723782465446786.post-78528120563620070072013-05-29T20:08:50.544-04:002013-05-29T20:08:50.544-04:00Oh my goodness that is so exciting!!! I can't ...Oh my goodness that is so exciting!!! I can't wait to come visit! Good luck with your shop. I'll be watching from afar, but trying to figure out where I can squeeze in a trip to the Boston area to see you! Congrats on your big move!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356723782465446786.post-12241399669825997922013-05-29T11:04:08.173-04:002013-05-29T11:04:08.173-04:00Awesome! Would love to see some 20" dynohub e...Awesome! Would love to see some 20" dynohub equipped wheels and aftermarket e-bike conversion kits, like Stokemonkey. Best of luck!<br /><br />Todd<br />http://bostonbiking.blogspot.comAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17956768367739920528noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356723782465446786.post-42385373528782658412013-05-29T09:52:19.099-04:002013-05-29T09:52:19.099-04:00Very exciting news--congratulations! Will definite...Very exciting news--congratulations! Will definitely be trekking over from JP to visit.Sarahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05544085626784199782noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356723782465446786.post-46209397705526141712013-05-28T21:34:33.368-04:002013-05-28T21:34:33.368-04:00Makes sense. Good luck, and I'm sure I'l...Makes sense. Good luck, and I'm sure I'll be by once you're open, even if I don't need a cargo bike right now. <br /><br />Are you thinking of carrying trailers? antimonyhttp://antimony.dreamwidth.orgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356723782465446786.post-45706657155632325632013-05-28T17:11:25.923-04:002013-05-28T17:11:25.923-04:00Antimony, I hear your pain- I have a hard time fi...Antimony, I hear your pain- I have a hard time finding any athletic clothing that fits women with curves, let alone plus size. I'm not really planning to carry any "cycling clothing" right now, just loosely fit reflective gear and possibly one-size-fits-all raingear.Cyclerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12072776738519243521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356723782465446786.post-88345470616885519242013-05-28T17:09:00.990-04:002013-05-28T17:09:00.990-04:00Thanks Laura, but I expect I'll mostly bike t...Thanks Laura, but I expect I'll mostly bike the mile or so from my house to the shop, or take the T to Porter if the weather is truly terrible. If need be my husband has a Cambridge parking sticker, so he can park nearby on Oxford St.<br />Honestly I'd rather see the parking in front of my store metered during business hours so that there's turnover and customers can find a spot. Oh, and I'd love more bike parking racks, but since the sidewalk will probably be torn up next year, it's probably not worth putting them in now.Cyclerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12072776738519243521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356723782465446786.post-20650753904870996502013-05-28T15:56:09.258-04:002013-05-28T15:56:09.258-04:00My name is Laura Smead and I work for Somerville D...My name is Laura Smead and I work for Somerville Department of Traffic and Parking. I wanted to let you know about the “Business Permit Parking Program” which is designed to help members of our business community find reliable parking options near their workplace. Permits are $150 per year for on-street locations and $100 per month in the off-street lots. Parking assignments are based on nearest availability to your workplace. You can learn more about Traffic and Parking on our website, parksomerville.com. Best wishes, LauraLaurahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09919217626872913008noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356723782465446786.post-54514163128230964462013-05-28T12:51:27.870-04:002013-05-28T12:51:27.870-04:00I don't know if there's enough market shar...I don't know if there's enough market share, but I would so love to see a shop carry plus-sized women's cycling clothing. I can't buy cycling stuff in stores -- and I'm only a street-size 16-18. It would be awesome to be able to go somewhere and try stuff on. antimonyhttp://antimony.dreamwidth.orgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356723782465446786.post-69078805879917382242013-05-28T12:34:08.122-04:002013-05-28T12:34:08.122-04:00Good luck. Sounds like quite an adventure. I hope ...Good luck. Sounds like quite an adventure. I hope that this trend takes off.<br /><br />I know nothing really about cargo bikes but while vacationing in Denmark over the last few years I saw quite a few. This brand seemed to be the more popular and appeared to be easily reconfigurable for cargo and kids. http://www.nihola.com/home.html It looks lighter and more high tech than the bakfiets. I also saw a few of these http://www.triobike.com/. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356723782465446786.post-41978435983278073602013-05-28T12:33:21.083-04:002013-05-28T12:33:21.083-04:00Good luck. Sounds like quite an adventure. I hope ...Good luck. Sounds like quite an adventure. I hope that this trend takes off. <br /><br />I know nothing really about cargo bikes but while vacationing in Denmark over the last few years I saw quite a few. This brand seemed to be the more popular and appeared to be easily reconfigurable for cargo and kids. http://www.nihola.com/home.html It looks lighter and more high tech than the bakfiets. I also saw a few of these http://www.triobike.com/. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356723782465446786.post-73737230341969593152013-05-28T11:39:33.281-04:002013-05-28T11:39:33.281-04:00Nothing much to offer except good luck with it! A...Nothing much to offer except good luck with it! As I'm sure you know, you can't be all things to all people but need a focus in your inventory. A couple of gratuitous suggestions:<br /><br />- Maybe you can get good margins on useful accessories that work on most or all bikes; that may expand your markets (reaching people who already have bikes and not requiring you to carry super-specialized parts). <br /><br />- Offer hub-generator wheels and lighting, very useful for transportation since so many trips will be in the dark.<br /><br />- I hope that people can be patient if you need to order a bike (someone loves what you have in your shop but hates the color, etc.). <br /><br />Your connectedness with urban cycling on various fronts should help you. Alas, I'm not looking to buy any more bikes but I look forward to seeing your shop open and to recommending you.<br /><br />I sure hope you don't become like the boat shop owner who goes into it for his love of boating but never gets time to enjoy it!Quincyclistnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356723782465446786.post-46353522091464904612013-05-28T09:29:06.077-04:002013-05-28T09:29:06.077-04:00This is some very awesome news. Congratulations!This is some very awesome news. Congratulations!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09735508275960136848noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8356723782465446786.post-54517251593199617172013-05-27T08:43:05.242-04:002013-05-27T08:43:05.242-04:00Might look at what is sold at Dutch Bike Bits (mai...Might look at what is sold at Dutch Bike Bits (mail order from Netherlands) to see what is good to carry.<br /><br />Cork grips, the trick I learned is hair spray. Another thing to try when they really are too loose, is a piece of tape run long and folded into the bar-end to add a little extra. And to get them off, an air hose, either a nozzle against a hole in the end (if there is one) or a ball-inflation needle on a shrader, stuck in through a tiny hole. I've done that with a floor pump.<br /><br />Good luck.<br /><br />I have a theory, maybe not a good one, that everyone should have a hub generator and lights that are always on. That's expensive, though. dr2chasehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16320828055999939449noreply@blogger.com