OPINION
ILLUSTRATION BY NARANAT STUDIO ON SHUTTERSTOCK
seems servicing is in demand, presumably as people look to save money on transport, and cycling as a hobby. Jayz reflects a general trend of maintaining bikes, rather than replacing them - a trend which has driven service sales volumes up 10% in 2025-26, according to the Bicycle Association. Where bikes are being sold, it’s a similarly challenging
picture. Committed enthusiasts are spending more on higher-value bikes, across road and gravel, while ‘mainstream’ riders are purchasing less. That’s according to the Bicycle Association, whose latest market data figures show hybrid and folding bike sales are down 10% and 23% respectively, in the The industry cannot survive on enthusiasts alone - it needs new blood, and one promising area is children’s bikes, which The following morning in Southend, I saw a great example of customer service for parents. My tyre had deflated again overnight and, failing once again to fix it, I admitted I needed a new, non-spotted inner tube. At BikeBase in the town centre, a small queue of customers waited to be served. In a much bigger shop than Jayz, with an array of stock, one man, Danny, worked behind the counter. The woman in front of me was looking for a bike for her child with additional needs. I tried not to earwig but couldn’t help myself. The child needed stabilisers on a larger bike than you’d traditionally see stabilisers on, the mother explained, and noisy places can be challenging for them, making a test ride difficult. Danny was totally unfazed. “I tell you what”, he said, suggesting a time when the shop would be quiet, the child could come in and try out some options to see which bike worked best. He suggested some of the setups they might try and reassured It was a small interaction, but it gave the measure of someone working in the bike industry who deals with customers with kindness and consideration, who wants to
32 | October 2026
I bought my new inner tube and went outside, but the valve
wouldn’t fit my tyre rim. I sloped back inside, by this point on the verge of throwing the bike in the sea, and asked if Danny might fit it. “I think it’s cursed,” I added, by way of an excuse. Without complaint, or any hint of patronisation, and potentially sensing I was at the end of my tether, he agreed the Providing good customer service is ever important – but
ever more challenging. BikeBase and Jayz’ Google reviews are a testament to their ‘extra mile’ ethos. BikeBase customers say they brought in wheelchair tyres needing air, and got the help they needed. One customer reported changing their mind about a bike they ordered, and BikeBase staff making sure they ended up with the right bike. This customer service, though, requires staff time - shops
can’t live on goodwill alone - an increasing cost in a world of stretched margins. Paul Kenchington of the Bicycle Chain, with six shops in the South West of England, says while in-store sales have gone up against online sales, wage costs have rocketed to 58% of the company’s gross profit - up from 50%. He says: “The problem you face is that, in a retail environment, if you don’t have enough staff you can’t offer great customer service, but [those staff] cost a lot of money.” With more e-bikers, finding staff to look after those customers, he says, can be a challenge. Local bike shops are worth celebrating. They are, in many
ways, the face of the cycle industry - making it feel welcoming (or not) to new and returning riders. They can mean the difference between someone riding their bike or not - someone keeping cycling or giving it up. They can tame a tyre that has picked up a stray curse on a seafront cycle path. They are something to be cherished. As for me, I went away, able to enjoy the rest of my afternoon at the seaside, the curse of the weretyre banished.
www.bikebiz.com
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