Sport Chalet Jerseys- A sneak peek...

We are finally getting the jerseys we've been asking for!

You can see our current jersey in your store.

I'm not certain if/how much "Sport Chalet" logos will show on this one (None are on this proof), but I'd pay retail for this argyle one! (Should be arriving any day now.)

And in mid-to-late May we'll see this "Alpe d'Huez" design.

I hope you're as excited to see these coming in, please help your customers to see them!

An Open Letter Among the Bike Trainers

Confidence or Convenience?

In our group of trainers I’ve been getting more requests lately to change things around, like to just certify someone outside of the class, or have ‘em attend day three of a MM series to demonstrate their skills, or to run a candidate through a series out of order in order to “get him certified”.

Before you ask for this, please ask yourself why you would do this. I’m been tempted in the past, and may have made choices that I’d later regretted. Most of the justifications for an exception will be related to:
a. “He’s really experienced”
b. “He can’t get to the class due to… school/family/kitties/lunch money/whatever”
c. “The store can’t spare his hours for training”

These responses are considered by you because of your:
1. Confidence- “This person presents himself so well (Or helped ME out of a problem) that I can’t possibly waste his time in class.”
2. Convenience- “I can then get another person certified, and/or a manager off my back.”

I understand these things. I once cancelled a Corporate meeting to certify someone 75 miles away. I was there on time, with tools set up for a one-on-one day with an associate with over 10 years of Sport Chalet experience. All three tests and samples laid out like a pro. The guy showed up with an issue that got him dismissed for the day; session rescheduled. I didn’t respect my time or the “Program”, and wasted a day for it. Called myself a "dummy" all the way home too.

If you have the chance to work with a “really experienced” associate in a MM series, your day will go easier. You may even learn something from him, or at least have an easier class! The MM clinic is designed with escalating levels of mechanical participation from the associate, with time between sessions to review and integrate the previous lessons. By running the class in order we reinforce the previous class, which is a huge benefit to all of the associates. You may not be aware of it, but some people learn primarily thru “listening”, “seeing” or “doing”. Depending on the complexity of the demonstration, it may be all three.

Finally, what if their store “can’t spare the associate”? This is going to sound harsh, but that’s not your problem. If they don’t value critical training, it’s a big indication of other problems outside of your control. Stores that support a high degree of proficiency in their associates ALSO have higher SPMH. This is not something I’ve just made up; it’s a proven “action-reaction” linkage. By training their associates, they get better retention of that person. When they spend time with you they learn how to solve problems easier, and how to get questions answered in a way that they will learn no where else. Your time with them has a value that cannot be calculated.

Why would you help to deny these benefits to someone? (I’m not gonna touch the legal side of this here- call me for that one.) There’s a hundred “reasons”, but why? Is it your confidence, or your convenience getting in the way? Stick with the program, Gentlemen. It’s everyone’s best move.

Have you tried a 29'er?

The 29-inch wheel size has "infected" the bike industry. I don't mean that as a negative, but it jumped from one mfr to another, and now everybody's got it. When this craze started I felt that it was just another fashion that would pass quickly. It has hung on long enough that most bike companies are offering at least one bike with them. At the last Interbike Demo event I got to ride a Marin Alpine Trail 29’er, and had some solid impressions. One of them is that it's not a fad...

1. The larger wheel size rides smoother, due it’s greater diameter. There’s a number of explanations out there, but you’re using a larger size hoop to roll over the obstacles. This reduces the effective size of trail irregularities which feels smoother. I was riding it in rocky desert terrain, and was very surprised. I had that “Hey it’s not MY bike, PIN IT!” thought from the start and was riding much more aggressively. It was very nice!

2. Due to the larger diameter, the bottom bracket sits lower to the ground. The net effect of this is that the rider is centered lower between the axles, so the bike carves turns in a more stable manner. I felt this on the first turn, and loved the stability. In the sketchy rock and sand I could trust this bike to roll thru the turn I had planned.

3. Possible negatives are A. The greater weight of the larger rim may reduce the agility of the bike. B. Different tube size, so walking out may be more likely if you get a "multi-flat" and are alone. C. Longer spokes may lead to a more flexible/weaker wheel. These are all fairly unlikely, but worth considering.

Any design can have negatives if you’re looking for them. In my view the 29” wheel size is a great alternative for XC riders that are clear on the non-jumper/non-downhill focus of this wheel size. Tire widths for this diameter rim vary from 1.125” to 2.3”, and rim widths also vary to match that range. One of our trainers has a fixed-gear bike built as a 29’er with Rhyno Lite rims- it’s really durable.

Summary- if you haven’t tried one, what are you waiting for?

DB Overdrive Pro '08

DB OverDrive '08

Marin Alpine Trail '08

Marin Muirwoods 29er '08

Quick-Release legal news

A New Jersey legislator has proposed a law banning quick-release devices on bicycle wheels. If enacted, it would only affect New Jersey but would also set a precedent for all other states. This item bears watching, as it could cause a sudden change in all bikes for sale nationwide.
Also, the case that spawned this law involves a bike sold by Walmart, who did not educate the customer in anyway on quick-release operation OR get a waiver signed. Walmart is not assisting the fight against this law in any form. "Big Thanks to Walmart".
Additional info: Montague Quick Release, Experts predict this to be used for all wheel QR's

From BicycleRetailer.com today:

NBDA Adds $7500 To Quick-Release Fight

COSTA MESA, CA (BRAIN)—Following an initial contribution of $7500 last summer, the NBDA Board has voted to commit another $7500 to defend the ubiquitous quick-release axle.

The latest contribution will be matched by the supplier side of the industry, said NBDA executive director Fred Clements.

The fight is against a ban on quick-release axles that has been proposed in the New Jersey legislature. While the law, if passed, would affect only New Jersey, it might set a national trend, making the fight a national issue.

The bill exempts axles that also have a “secondary safety device,” but fork tips apparently do not qualify for the exemption and there is currently no other technology that would.

The proposed law was a response to injuries to children riding Wal-Mart bikes with quick-release wheels, Clements said. But with the exception of some high-end BMX bikes, the kids bikes sold by independent dealers do not have quick-release axles anyway. The New Jersey bill as written would ban quick-releases on all bikes, adult as well as juvenile.

Funds contributed by the NBDA and the Bicycle Products Suppliers Association are to be used to hire a lobbyist to make the case against the bill.

Consequences of one choice affect many others.

Good story, from "Mountain Bike Like a Champion" by Ned Overend.

A classic epic ride from my hometown of Durango in Colorado is called the Kennebec Pass loop. You head out of town and into La Plata Canyon before climbing to the top of the 13,000-foot pass. From there, you can get on the Colorado Trail. It's a spectacular ride with a ton of climbing. Depending on your pace, it will take you between 6 and 10 hours to get out and back. Or it could take a couple of days. People get lost up there all the time. Several trails intersect, so it gets disorienting. The big mistake is turning away from Du­rango and dropping in on the wrong side of the divide. Once people realize their mis­take, it takes a major effort to ride back up again. There's no way to get home before sundown.
One day, the search-and-rescue guys asked me to help them get two riders out. They wanted me to show them the area where people take the wrong trail. I drove part of the way up the pass, and then got into a helicopter.
It was a super windy day. At that altitude, the helicopter didn't have much power. We climbed toward a notch in the mountain, and everything seemed fine until we hit a downdraft. I could feel the chopper sinking. I could also see the pilot sweating. He fought with the stick as we jerked all over the sky. He couldn't turn around, because we would lose momentum and then really sink. We were so scared. I've never felt that helpless. Just as we were being pushed into the ridge, the downdraft eased and we made it over. When we finally landed, the co-pilot got out and immediately threw up.
Be responsible on epic rides. If you get lost or have a major problem far from the nearest help, you're not only putting your own safety at risk but you're also en­dangering everyone who tries to find you.

Many riders think that they're out for a "short ride", or "I'm in cell phone range" so they skip the basics of safety. When they get nailed by dehydration, or a flat tire in the middle of no-where the problem gets shifted to others. Their choices can affect many others, so let's make sure we spread that understanding.

Showcase and Repair Parts Ordering?

Back in early 2005 no one was coordinating our parts orders. Some stores were just ordering whatever they needed. Both situations needed improvement. Each store was doing the work that we already had a buyer doing. Although market specialization is a good thing, it means we had 45+ buyers doing a job inefficiently. We have a corporate buyer, an E3 analyst and our E3 system to keep the stores supplied with essential parts. Rick Stryker volunteered to step in, and coordinate the orders for a few months. He set up a system of ordering that simplified the process to something that’d make sense to all of our distributors and speed invoice processing in our Accounting Dept. That was rolled out to all stores in August 2005.

The process worked well enough that it has continued to this day. It also grew, and Rick was eventually returned to the position of Bicycle Training Coordinator. The coordinator(s) for those orders are now Tom Connell and Aaron Dunn, who are our Fitness and Bicycle Buying Team. However, we still have too many people doing "buying". If you consider it fully, each store is still forming repetitive orders for repair and showcase parts. Those who are doing an excellent job are still only affecting their individual stores, which is a waste of good work and intelligence.

We have three types of orders in the Bike Dept.
1. Repair parts- these are things that are used in the process of normal repairs. Cable housing, tubes, chains, etc. If communicated to the buyers, these items should be coming into your store by way of our E3 system. It is far more efficient to have these items on-hand in our warehouse, and send ‘em out on the next truck.
2. Showcase parts- this category of parts is used to attract customers, and show the range of service that we are doing. These parts may also be “cutting edge” or used to grow a category of bike sales/customers.
3. Special order items- sometimes you have to order something in for a customer. We currently have to dance around some distributor “minimum order” amounts, but those orders are still being processed well.

Here’s the plan for orders in the future:
1. Repair parts- No one goes from zero tune ups a month to 60, so your rate-of-sales on all parts would change over a month, instead of a day. These parts are tracked and reordered thru E3 now. The parts that E3 orders and stocks will need to be increased in their range and depth, but this is something we are likely changing now. Shop Personnel time should not be spent generating orders for basic items that ALL stores are ordering. Future state: Repair parts are automatically ordered by way of E3 and tuned to your store's range of customers by communication with the buyers and E3 analysts.
2. Showcase parts- we demonstrate our expertise by ordering parts that are compatible and interesting to our customers. We can and should be relying on the buyers and E3 system more, by communication of hot new products and customer interest/demand for products that we don’t stock yet. Example: if stores begin consistently sending in organized “Top 10 items to add” and “Bottom 10 items to lose” emails we will manage our inventory across 50+ stores in a very smart way. Instead of ordering "one at a time plus shipping x 50 stores", we put the power of our organization into the ordering process. This will have to be managed by the Buying team if it’s going to work well.
3. Special order items- trying to change this will only reduce our ability to please the customer. If they want something, we order it when pre-paid. “Please the customer”, it’ll never be a bad policy.

When the Bike Trainers first heard this, we were “not happy”. After some discussion, we saw the value. You may be in that stage right now. Think about how much time you spend on basic orders, and how you could be growing your repair volume instead; it just makes sense. As ever, your comments are appreciated.

Dorel buys Cannondale

This story is a little dull, until we realize Dorel owns Pacific Cycle. Pacific moved Schwinn to Target stores and that class of retailers. It wouldn't make sense to do that with Cannondale, but life is full of surprises.

From BicycleRetailer.com today:

Dorel Buys Cannondale

MONTREAL, Quebec (BRAIN)—Dorel Industries has just announced the acquisition of the Cannondale Bicycle Corporation.

The total value of the all-cash transaction will be $190 (U.S) to $200 (U.S) million, subject to Cannondale's earnings results for the year ending June 30, 2008.

The transaction, which will be immediately accretive to Dorel's earnings, is being financed through debt.

Cannondale and Sugoi are being purchased from an affiliate of Pegasus Capital Advisors, which acquired the company in 2003. 2007 sales for Cannondale and Sugoi were approximately $200 million.

Dorel president and chief executive officer Martin Schwartz said that in light of the acquisition the Company's Recreational/Leisure segment is being split into two distinct operating divisions.

A new Dorel Independent Bicycle Dealers (IBD) division, the Cannondale Sports Group, is being created and will focus exclusively on this category with premium-oriented brands.

Backed by Dorel's extensive resources, the Cannondale Sports Group will build on Cannondale's strengths to grow significantly within the IBD channel.

"Our intention is to build a world-class company that dealers will want to buy from," said Schwartz. Pacific Cycle will become a stand-alone division with an exclusive focus on mass merchant customers.

"The Cannondale purchase is consistent with Dorel's plan to concentrate on its core businesses. Since buying Pacific Cycle in 2004 we have learned a great deal about the bicycle industry and have found it to be a true value driver for Dorel. We are committed to pursuing this sector, and this important transaction will position us globally in a most material way. Dorel recognizes the importance and potential of the Independent Bicycle Dealer channel and is purchasing Cannondale as the first step to become the world's number one IBD player. Cannondale will be the crown jewel of this new Dorel division, which will seek additional such growth opportunities," he added.

"We're excited about the future for Cannondale and our retailers. Cannondale's goal is to be the number one supplier to the IBD channel. Dorel's vast resources and experience provide us with long term stability and the ability to accelerate our goals for growth with our retailers," said Matt Mannelly, president and chief executive officer of Cannondale.

Dorel purchased Pacific Cycle (Schwinn, Mongoose and GT Bicycle brands) in 2004.

—Jason Norman