Huge bike shop, limited women's cycling apparel

[shootingstar]

2 days ago we visited a huge bike shop for the first time (for me). Impressive inventory of bikes and different price ranges. MTB, road, hybrid, cruisers, etc. This store has 3 stories of inventory, alot of it devoted rightfully to bikes.

Accessories not bad.

And women's cycling clothing was nice, kind of expensive. OK. But no, lycra skorts?
Now this shop was on the edge of suburbs. Really, I doubt the majority of women living at that end of town, are into serious road riding, time trials, etc.

And of course for women's cycling shoes there was only 2 different lines for mountain biking (which I wear because I don't use clipless pedals) and all other 8 types of women's cycliing shoes were for clipless.

Meanwhile if you want a lycra skort you had better go back downtown to find them. Sheesh.

This is in a city of over 1.3 million. The people with income to buy stuff live both in suburbs AND downtown. Some of our local bike retailers had better evolve. It appears that the women's cycling clothing at that huge shop doesn't offer styles and pricing for women who would be just getting into cycling/can't afford to pay the $$$ but still want a plain jersey, etc.

[lovelygamer]

Boy, that would really annoy me. I feel for you. It's bad enough to be in a small town but to not find choice in a large city has to be frustrating.

[zoom-zoom]

The weird thing about this is that our favorite LBS is pretty tiny, but I'd say close to 60% of their apparel is women-specific--and the women's stuff is better displayed than the men's. They have several female employees and the owner has made a real point of appealing to the female cycling market.

[Irulan]

I'm so used to this that it doesn't bother me. While I don't shop much at REI, they are the only place I know of that carries a lot of women's stuff on the floor.

[nuliajuk]

Try Mountain Equipment Coop. They often have the skorts.

[shootingstar]

Sure, Mountain Equipment Co-op is the place but I think the city is getting pretty big with lots of more people actually...living in the suburbs.

The city is still sprawly, etc. so it is within this bike store's best interests (especially where they are located) to sell some women's cycling apparel that is still good, durable and nice but not as expensive. As mentioned earlier this huge bike store sells not only road and serious racing bikes, but also cruisers, hybrids, mountain bikes.

Yesterday we went to another bike store downtown which didn't sell any apparel (and probably for good reasons) but were focused on recreational bikes and bikes for transportation, touring.

So the choices for women's cycling apparel are down to:
*MEC
*a bike store downtown not as big as the 3-level bike store in suburbs- women's cycling clothing is still expensive and more geared for road and racing. Decent selection if you want to drop some serious $$$.
*another bike store near downtown. Smaller with alot less apparel.


As for skorts....I actually wear chamoisless running lycra skorts and can cycle fine for 50 kms. or more. I tend not to do this distance in skort because they are not cheap. I save them when I get off the bike to visit a place, go to a restaurant, etc.

[Susan Otcenas]

So the choices for women's cycling apparel are down to:
*MEC
*a bike store downtown not as big as the 3-level bike store in suburbs- women's cycling clothing is still expensive and more geared for road and racing. Decent selection if you want to drop some serious $$$.
*another bike store near downtown. Smaller with alot less apparel.

We *do* ship to Canada, ya know.

Seriously, though, your experience is not uncommon. Most bike shops, even in large urban environments do a poor job of stocking women's apparel. Many owners just don't "get it". It's why I know I'll never be run out of business...

[Blueberry]

I'm curious Shootingstar-

Did you take the time to tell the shop what you were looking for/expecting that they didn't have? They can't carry it if they don't know why they're losing sales.

I'll continue to support TE - the customer service is amazing. However, I also think it's important to let the LBS know what they could do to earn more of my business. Of course, they haven't done it, and probably won't.

[Tillybug]

Just an FYI- I was at a Marshall's store a few weeks ago in Ohio and in the athletic department they had Sugoi Skorts for $29.99.

I know all Marshall's are different but sometimes I have lucked out and got really good cycling stuff on the cheap

[ny biker]

I don't recall ever seeing skorts in an LBS, or REI for that matter. And the bike shops near me generally have as much variety in women's clothing as they do in men's.

[goldfinch]

I just saw skorts in the REI in Minneapolis. But no tights that I liked. They did have those odd skirted tights that I don't quite understand.

So instead of using my 20% off coupon on bike stuff I bought a pair of those Vibram five finger shoes. Comfy!

[Kiwi Stoker]

Ummm skorts are a very niche product. I mean not to disrepect anyone here but most women (and pro racers) don't wear them. In fact some women might find them offensive ("like you want to ride in a skirt!?").

I woulnd't expect any LBS to carry these as the market for skorts would be very small.

For items like this I would expect TE to be the place to purchase these.

[Irulan]

We *do* ship to Canada, ya know.

Seriously, though, your experience is not uncommon. Most bike shops, even in large urban environments do a poor job of stocking women's apparel. Many owners just don't "get it". It's why I know I'll never be run out of business...

I don't always think its a matter of not getting it. It can be a marketing issue which turns into a chicken and egg thing. You know this. The old, "we can't sell enough of it so we don't stock it" kind of thing. Or something like that. Sometimes when I've specifically asked for women's things, I've been told that they didn't sell, or no one ever asks for it, etc...Try finding women's mountain biking clothes in a brick and mortar store. Anywhere but interior BC, that is.

[Koronin]

I was actually looking for some place that sells skorts a bit over a year ago. I had to go to a funeral at Alrington Cemetery last June (husband's brother-on-law's father was buried there last June). I don't wear skirts or dresses (hate them) so I typically wear pant suites, but knew it would be too hot, so decided to get a nice skort to wear to it. The ONLY place I could find them was at ****'s Sporting Goods store. I'm not sure if they were intended for women golfers or tennis players. At that point I didn't really care, because I was so happy to find one.

[shootingstar]

I'm curious Shootingstar-

Did you take the time to tell the shop what you were looking for/expecting that they didn't have? They can't carry it if they don't know why they're losing sales.

I'll continue to support TE - the customer service is amazing. However, I also think it's important to let the LBS know what they could do to earn more of my business. Of course, they haven't done it, and probably won't.

Yesterday I checked on their website..the owners/managers are male. Store has been around for ...last few decades. (They also sell motorcycles at a separate store..) They do have female employees but don't know the pecking order for the firm.

So I will shoot off the suggestion but framed under a much broader trend that's actually happening on cycling ....especially when they are selling cruiser bikes, etc. in addition to all the other types of bikes that range from $500.00 to $7,000CAN. (ie. they sell townie cruisers plus Cervelo road/racing lines).

It wouldn't be surprising unless a woman golfs, jogs, etc., is even aware of skorts or where to even get skorts. But rather than choose a more atypical women's garmet, how about just simply nice, solid coloured cycling jerseys, that doesn't look shout too loudly "athlete"?

I appreciate TE exists and hopes as an online retailer/supplier, you will be there. But from a standpoint of paying customs brokerage fees for US pkgs. bound for international customers, I'm not keen at this time.

Admittedly I am a shopper that buys clothing in person, not online.