Is it possible to run a cycle shop in a medium sized town profitably?

[m62902]

There isn't a cycle shop for miles, and our town is fairly prosperous with a lot of middle-class types who like cycling.
There's a gap in the market but should I try and fill it?
Specifically... where do cycle shops make their money? Cycle-sales? cycle-repairs and maintenance? Cycle accessories?
I'm enthusiastic about this idea, and I am personally into bikes myself.
However... I'm concerned that the above revenue streams just don't provide much profit?
Does anyone have experience of this area?
Thanks. G.

[spudqueen]

There's a cycle shop in my local town which has a population of about 20,000. He does sell cycles but also does repairs and maintenance. He also sells kites - there's quite a lot of them in the shop so maybe he found that bikes alone wouldn't keep the business going and he diversified into kites.

[cascarelli]

Is there not a Halfords near you, or in a town near by? That would be the place many people would go to buy a bike. Just because you have an interest in it doesn't necessarily mean there's a market. I would imagine that the main focus would be on the bicycle sales rather than maintenance etc as this is easily done by the owners themselves. Could you undercut a Halfords store on the price of cycles? Do you know what the margin would be on the sale of a bicycle and therefore how many you'd need to sell in a week or a month?

[Oneeyedvic]

I live in a small town and I don't know if there are any specific cycle shops - I do know that there is a Halfords and another Car accessory shop that sells bikes /accessories and I also know that there is a chap on the market that sells / services bikes.

Also, don't forget Argos & Woolworths.

I'm not convinced a cycle shop could run profitably.(especially with cycles being so cheap now)

[dasherman]

My town has a population of about 30,000 and there's been a cycle shop for at least 50 years and they sell fishing stuff aswell,I can remember getting some maggots there as a kid!

About 5 miles away there is another established bike shop and a Halfords about half a mile down the road and they seem to be doing OK.Infact the specialist shop has just moved into bigger premises.

I live in Staffordshire and Cannock Chase is just up the road,which is popular with mountain bikers.So if you live near a similar area you've got a better chance of success.

[WendyS]

This probably isn't much help to you but acquaintances of ours run a small cycle shop in a medium sized town. Even though they also do repairs they find it very difficult to make a living because they sell very few bikes. Apparently lots of people come into their shop to check out the models, and then go and buy them on the internet much more cheaply. They only visit the shop when they want the bikes repaired. Business gets a little busier in the summer months when the weather is better for cycling, but I suspect that the internet is now making it very difficult for small traders to make a profitable living unless they offer some very specific services, skills, or products that are niche processes.

[m62902]

Thanks for everyone's advice - especially Dasherman and Wendy.
I too have been guilty of using high-street shops to look at bikes, and then attempting to find them cheaper online.
I think my bike-shop idea might just break even, but it'll probably never be a money-spinner.
Thanks again for the wise words.