There are probably few things better in the life of a racing cyclist than choosing a new bike, picking it up and riding the first few kilometres on it. And for decades, the bike shop was the exclusive place for such emotional moments - until the mail order business started to gain more and more market share. In the meantime, however, even successful mail-order retailers have realised that buying a bike is more than just ticking a digital checkbox. The sensory experience is in demand. Shops should not only encourage purchases, but also create a bond with the brand, be a meeting point for the community or a place to stop for an espresso.
What do physical bike shops need?
This is why more and more bicycle manufacturers are setting up flagship stores. Mail-order company Rose, for example, recognised this back in 2005 and set up Biketown in Bocholt, an almost pilgrimage site for bike enthusiasts covering over 4000 square metres. The idea has proved successful, which is why there are now four more Rose shops in Germany alone. Storck and Specialized also seek direct contact with end consumers through their own brand stores. Storck has four stores nationwide and Specialized has recently opened a store in the south of Munich. Erik Schmauß, who was one of the first to implement the brand store concept early on with Bianchi, is now taking a slightly different approach.
He presents the Bianchi racing bike range in a small - but very fine - space on the outskirts of Munich. And yet he attracts the attention of racing bike fans from as far away as Abu Dhabi. So how does the experience of buying a racing bike actually work? How does the interaction between online, on-site offerings and service work? What test options are there? Is bike fitting offered and can the bikes be customised? TOUR took a detailed look at the shops offered by Rose and Specialized in Munich, Bianchi in Gröbenzell and Storck in Wertheim. As different as the respective approaches are: They all lead to a new world of road bikes. But is it a brave new world?
Bianchi brand store: nostalgia and modernity
Anyone looking for the Bianchi store in Gröbenzell, north-west of Munich, will probably drive past it at first. In the back rooms of a large fitness centre, the small Servizio Corsa space with the complete Bianchi racing bike product range is completely inconspicuous. Behind it is a concept store veteran of the German bicycle industry: Erik Schmauß. "I started this back in 2004," he recalls, when he set up and managed two Bianchi stores in Munich - shortly after Jan Ullrich had also donned the celeste-coloured Team Bianchi jersey in the meantime.
However, the fact that Bianchi brand stores are no longer part of Bianchi's strategy did not prevent Schmauß from starting anew with Servizio Corsa at the beginning of 2020. "He admits openly that he was a little nervous about the situation at the beginning. In the meantime, however, it's been a stroke of luck: "I've built up so many regular customers over the years," explains Schmauß. And these customers, also because they often come from far away, are happy that they don't have to worry about long traffic jams and searching for a parking space in the middle of the city.
Customers from all over the world
"Many people are already buying their fourth or fifth racing bike from me," says Schmauß, whose customers already know him or find him on the internet and are spread all over the world. "We send bikes to Norway, California and even Abu Dhabi, for example." But others also come by for personal advice, especially as they appreciate Schmauß's experience. On the one hand, his trained eye helps them choose the right frame size. And on the other hand, he can fulfil individual special requests. "In the end, everyone gets their Bianchi racing bike exactly the way they want it," explains Schmauß, whose two mechanics take care of the final assembly and servicing of the racing bikes.
With Servizio Corsa, Erik Schmauß is pursuing a more pragmatic approach. You won't find spectacular architecture or a lot of show here. Instead, you will find the complete Bianchi racing bike model range and individualised service - in terms of personal advice, workshop service and bike configuration. Schmauß promises his customers that he will also fulfil requests that deviate from the standard equipment. The small rooms are also home to many great historical racing bike moments, with names such as Fausto Coppi, Jan Ullrich and Marco Pantani behind them. The jewel in the crown: Erik Schmauß's personal display case with many old Campagnolo components and many original collector's items.
Shop offers from Storck: passion and expertise
Like so many racing cyclists, Kai Hundertmarck has a great passion for good coffee. He is a perfect master of the portafilter machine. And when he gets talking to customers over a cappuccino in the Storck store in Wertheim and exchanges business cards, most racing bike enthusiasts know who they are dealing with. "At least the older ones," adds the former Team Telekom pro and Henninger Tower winner with a wink.
And even if it is something special for some people to talk to an ex-professional, he doesn't want to attach too much importance to it, especially as everyone in the Storck team in Wertheim and in the other Storck stores in Idstein, Düsseldorf and Munich are enthusiastic cyclists with a lot of expertise. The transformation that the Storck brand has undergone is quite remarkable. Once a purely specialised retail brand, the focus is now on direct sales. "Many people today are so well informed," says Managing Director Todor Lohwasser, "that it is usually no problem to order such a customised product as a bicycle online.
Customised configurations
Nevertheless, the Storck brand can still be experienced in the analogue world. In Wertheim, right next to the motorway, there is an architecturally impressive, free-floating building that is flooded with light and whets the appetite for the model range. According to Kai Hundertmarck, some customers travel up to 400 kilometres to get advice, get an impression of a bike or pick up a bike they have already ordered. Of course, the location in the immediate vicinity of the Wertheim Village outlet centre was deliberately chosen to attract spontaneous customers to the shop.
For others, however, who already have more precise ideas, it makes sense to make an appointment in advance, says Hundertmarck. He can then make sure that the right bikes are available in the right sizes. The aim is for every road cyclist to find the perfect bike for them - with customised configuration and design options. Storck even offers a custom paint programme for the Pro models. "In principle, every bike can be ordered in any colour with different patterns," says Managing Director Lohwasser.
The range on offer at the Storck store in Wertheim leaves nothing to be desired. When it comes to racing bikes, even literally: all models can be customised and configured at Storck. Expert advice, the option of test rides and the offer of professional body measurements pave the way to a unique dream bike. In addition, Storck, now focussing on direct sales, offers the opportunity for personal customer contact with its stores.
Specialised Flagship Store: Brand world and community
"We want to be a feel-good place," says Klaus Müller about the Specialized store in Munich, with which the brand is presenting itself directly to its end customers as an "owned retail shop" for the first time in Germany. Here in the south of Munich, the brand wants to present itself in all its glory and expertise on around 1000 square metres of sales space and an additional 300 square metres in the service area. Of course, they also want to sell bikes and accessories here, not least because the entire current product range can be admired in the brand new store and much of it is also in stock.
But Klaus Müller and his current team of twelve also want to become a meeting point for the Munich cycling scene. This is where they want to talk shop, organise group rides and workshops, and where cyclists can find solutions if they have technical questions or need help. The workshop area is therefore just as modern as the store itself. Bicycles can be repaired or assembled for collection at eight workstations - two of which are specialised in first aid. "If someone is out and about and has a problem, we naturally want to solve it," says Store Manager Klaus Müller.
Repair service and bike fitting
However, an appointment is required for extensive repairs or a service. The team at the Specialized store aims to meet customers with all their wishes and requirements. In front of the building, on the Neue Balan campus, there is the opportunity to ride bikes around the block to check how they feel. But in typical Specialized fashion, there is also a sophisticated option - with the professional Retül bike fitting, which is naturally presented and offered in the flagship store in Munich.
Other multimedia options in the accessories area also create a contemporary shopping experience here. With the new store, Specialized is creating a stylish point of contact for all cyclists. Once positioned purely as a specialist retail brand, Specialized's multi-channel sales concept also creates a point of contact for anyone who orders their bike online. As the entire model range is on display, the new store offers a good opportunity to obtain comprehensive information. The shop's range of accessories and bike fitting is also of a high standard.
The data from a professional bike fitting helps to find the right products. ~ Fabian Schumacher, Specialised Store.
Rose-Bike-Store: Click and Collect
"When it's not Oktoberfest," says Raul Pavlicek from the Rose Bike Store in Munich, "we have the perfect test track right on our doorstep on the Theresienwiese." Pavlicek, together with Store Manager Gebhard Herzog and a team of around 15 people, looks after cyclists who want to pick up a bike they ordered online, need information or require a service. "We have more walk-in customers here than before," he explains the advantage of the premises close to the city centre, where Rose has been located for five years.
According to Pavlicek, the move from the MONA shopping centre near the Olympic Stadium, where Rose opened a chic and opulent store in 2014, has benefited all sides - even if he would now like a little more space. The majority of the Rose bicycle range is available for test rides here in Lessingstraße, ideally with an agreed appointment. Under the expert guidance of the staff, of course, who use giant touchscreens to guide customers through the different model variants and help them find the perfect size by taking precise body measurements.
Personalised advice
Anyone who decides to buy a bike can no longer customise it, unlike in the past. But the choice at Rose is still huge - and so is the need for advice. Once all the components are available, it only takes a few days for the new bike to arrive at one of the Rose stores in Munich, Cologne, Berlin, Posthausen or Biketown in Bocholt. "Many customers appreciate being able to pick up their bike in person," says Pavlicek. Advice is not only required during the purchase decision process, but also before the first kilometres on the new bike.
Just like in the shop, the three workshops at Rose in Munich are also very busy. "If someone has a problem, we naturally don't want to send them away," says Raul Pavlicek. Nevertheless, he emphasises that for capacity reasons, the service area is reserved for Rose bike riders by prior appointment. With stores like the one in Munich, mail-order pioneer Rose creates a good opportunity to obtain information before making a purchase or to collect a purchased bike in person. Many questions can be clarified in direct personal dialogue.
However, the store in Munich does not offer an opulent shopping experience like Biketown Bocholt. However, there is a good overview of the model range in a relatively small space. Even if the range of accessories in the shop is limited, there is the uncomplicated option of having various products delivered to the Rose stores to try out. Spare parts also find their way quickly from the Bocholt warehouse to the stores.
