If you could own your own bike shop...

[shootingstar]

I've seen more women ride with dogs in the basket...so doggie bike baskets/carriers.

More bikes by the way for children..with training wheels. My dearie was astounded that 5 different bike stores in Toronto hardly had any children's bikes with training wheels. His grandson was older -at 10 yrs. old.

Bike shop right by a bike trail/signed bike route. Near other stores, a coffee shop, grocery store/bank and amenities. Enough outdoor space around to bike around for a trial half hr. bike ride. Helps if it's near a dedicated bike lane/path. A computer terminal for customer to poke around online for special ordering, online bike map suggestions for routes/destinations with bike shop staff and with other customers near by.

Your inventory on the main floor...not on the 2nd floor. The biggest bike store in our city does this for women's cycling apparel and bikes ..so it's isolated in this dead zone. Away from all the excitement, hubbub of the main floor..where the cycling guys talk...why isolate the women??

Some talks once a month or so, by women cyclists who have gone bike touring, on nutrition, etc.

[Sylvia]

I like bike shops that are generally a little different not necessarily shops that carry just the big name brands of bikes. I enjoy going to a shop which also sells quality used, recycled, or refurbished bikes. Would also be nice to have a few women employees not just one token woman (if even that).

[Becky]

Would also be nice to have a few women employees not just one token woman (if even that).

I'm pretty sure that this is why I was offered a bike shop job I don't mind....I like changing misconceptions about women and mechanical/technical abilities.

The shop I work for is located near a trailhead, on some pretty decent cycling roads (and with access to even better ones), and next to a pub. It's the ideal location, and a big part of the shop's success.

My observation is that inventory is a huge concern for a lot of shops. It's very difficult to predict what customers will want and in which sizes or colors, and it's risky to carry a lot of "personal preference" inventory, especially as a small independent shop. "Showboating" doesn't help either...

What I want most when it comes to inventory is a shop that stocks basic parts for last minute repairs and is willing to order me almost anything else. I want a shop that stocks the products that they use and love, not what some corporate entity tells them to carry. I want a shop that is friendly, knowledgable, and part of the community. I want a shop that understands the fundamental concepts of fit, not just, "you're a woman, so here, try this WSD bike".

[shootingstar]

What I want most when it comes to inventory is a shop that stocks basic parts for last minute repairs and is willing to order me almost anything else. I want a shop that stocks the products that they use and love, not what some corporate entity tells them to carry. I want a shop that is friendly, knowledgable, and part of the community. I want a shop that understands the fundamental concepts of fit

+1 I really appreciate bike stuffs that has all the parts for last minute stuff and can order other stuff quickly.

[shootingstar]

What I want most when it comes to inventory is a shop that stocks basic parts for last minute repairs and is willing to order me almost anything else. I want a shop that stocks the products that they use and love, not what some corporate entity tells them to carry. I want a shop that is friendly, knowledgeable, and part of the community. I want a shop that understands the fundamental concepts of fit

+1 I really appreciate bike stores that has all the parts for last minute stuff and can order other stuff quickly.

[Boudicca]

Difficult one. We have a store here that only sells accessories (no bikes), and I think that's a model worth exploring, catered to the gear junkie among us. (Yes, I admit it freely, I am a gear junkie). Internet link sounds like a nice idea, but I fear customers will only use it to check with online stores and then get grumpy because the prices in my store are higher. They can do that on their iPhones if they want that one.

Also, while the idea of being on the trail appeals, you will get a lot of people who browse, not buy -- I won't buy new shoes, for example, if I am riding, because I won't have anywhere to put them. So I might look, try something on, and them move on.

My dream bike store will have in-house coffee shop, so people come in, chat bikes, buy coffee and then decide they really need shoe covers, or jerseys.

[Eden]

+1 I really appreciate bike stores that has all the parts for last minute stuff and can order other stuff quickly.

We're so lucky here... Seattle Bike Supply (a gigantic wholesale warehouse where all the shops get their stock) is here, and practically just down the street from my team shop... if I need a part that's not in stock it can usually be at the shop by the next day, if not in a couple of hours.

We also have a ton of shops around here... you can probably find a shop that suits you somewhere. There's are women owned shops, shops that cater to racers, utility cyclists, commuters, tourers, classic bikes - probably whatever you can think of. We also have many custom frame builders.

[shootingstar]

Also, while the idea of being on the trail appeals, you will get a lot of people who browse, not buy -- I won't buy new shoes, for example, if I am riding, because I won't have anywhere to put them. So I might look, try something on, and them move on.

This is to make the store as accessible as possible for cyclists....who bike like me to do errands /don't have a car /near a very heavily used bike path and if you want to encourage others to bike for transportation/daily lifestsyle (and they tend to have a carrier, pannier racks, etc.). Trail was intended to mean more a defined bike path for commuters.

The most well-known and used bike stores where I've lived and biked in Toronto (14 yrs.), Vancouver (8 yrs.) and Calgary are all with half km. or right along a marked bike route. Sure you get people who browse, look around and won't buy..but you will also get more people who will buy and prefer safety/convenience of cycling on bike paths, bike lanes, instead of far flung mall locations with no safe cycling access.

[nuliajuk]

My dream bike shop would have lots of test saddles that people could sign out, not just in the most expensive models. A fitter on site. Bike sizes for both extremes - very tall men also have trouble finding bikes that fit. Regular free classes for basic maintenance such as tire changes, to free up the mechanics for more complicated repairs. And frames with build option packages. For example, something like the Soma Buena Vista mixte with a road build option, an internally geared option, and a general purpose derailleur gear option.
If it were here in Saskatoon, I'd definitely offer a lot of cyclocross bikes. They seem to be the default road bike here, due to the road conditions.

[Boudicca]

This is to make the store as accessible as possible for cyclists....who bike like me to do errands /don't have a car /near a very heavily used bike path and if you want to encourage others to bike for transportation/daily lifestsyle (and they tend to have a carrier, pannier racks, etc.). Trail was intended to mean more a defined bike path for commuters.

The most well-known and used bike stores where I've lived and biked in Toronto (14 yrs.), Vancouver (8 yrs.) and Calgary are all with half km. or right along a marked bike route. Sure you get people who browse, look around and won't buy..but you will also get more people who will buy and prefer safety/convenience of cycling on bike paths, bike lanes, instead of far flung mall locations with no safe cycling access.

Ah, I misunderstood. I rarely drive anywhere, so the idea of a store that doesn't have access for a bike just didn't cross my radar screen.

I agree on the bikeability of the store, but I'd like transit access, and (outside of big cities) some sort of parking too, for those people who do drive.